The Thrill of the Grill

My first experience in the grilling done with much less than desirable results. Totally destroyed the first couple of meals that I tried, and my wife was not too happy. She said something about wasting time and throwing away my hard earned money. However, I am not one to give up on anything, so I set out on a mission to discover what was wrong. After weeks of research and a few sessions of grilling later, I got the hang of it slowly. Finally able to produce a dish on the grill that was not half bad. He was a flank steak for which one of my wife's friends had given us the recipe. At least not screwed this time. That was it - the barbecue bug bit me.

I challenged in the coming years to try new and different things as complete meals made on the grill. It is really surprising the amount of food available that actually improves the taste while on the grill. Of course there are traditional favorites such as burgers, dogs, T-bones and grilled chicken. But you can even do things like baked beans, veggies and dips appetizer and many other things you would not normally think you could do on the grill. I even made dessert on the grill, and yes, they are incredibly good.

I have learned that different types of fuel you use to cook with have a direct bearing on the taste of food you prepare. For example, there is a much different taste between the steak cooked on a gas grill and a grilling over a charcoal fire. You can also add soaked wood chips to fire to impart a deep smokey flavor. And then add to the mix, you can use Mesquite chips for flavor, maple jump for another taste, but the most popular hickory chips for a true taste of the barbecue. There are still other types of wood that you can use as pecan, Apple and oak, each has it's own distinctive taste.

It was a great experience to learn the sometimes complex art of grilling. I learned a lot and I love sharing my knowledge with anyone who will listen.

Now almost 20 years later, I and my Weber Performer grills (a gift from the wife, by the way) puts out some impressive hall for our many family and friends.

I can not begin to tell you how satisfying and rewarding barbecue can be. It's a great way to relax, socialize and spend time with people who matter most to you.