The Joy of Grilling

01/08

Barbecuing is great fun. It doesn't matter whether it happens at a football stadium, on a camping trip, at a NASCAR event, or in the backyard. If you've ever thought that more people seem to be barbecuing these days, you're right: eighty percent of American households now barbecue. What's more, sixty percent of outdoor chefs barbecue year-round, regardless of the weather.

Fifty years ago, few families owned a grill and those that had one barbecued infrequently. Cooking outdoors was reserved mostly for special occasions when the weather was good, because most grills did not have lids. The foods cooked over the coals were confined to hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks and occasionally chicken. All grills used charcoal.

Fast forward to today. Barbecuers can still choose a basic charcoal grill, although they've been improved from the old-style, three-legged braziers. At the other end of the spectrum are eye-popping, beautifully-styled all-stainless steel grills. These behemoths are frequently the centerpiece of a spectacular outdoor kitchen.

In between are a number of convenient portable or tabletop models. They may use propane gas, charcoal briquettes, wood chunks or pellets, and even electricity. These grills are often used several times a week, and the menu can range from melt-in-your-mouth ribs to perfectly seasoned pork loin to fresh salmon or shrimp to vegetable kabobs, with bananas foster or rum-soaked fresh pineapple as the grand finale.

When it comes time for tailgaters to choose a grill, the first question they need to answer is one asked since our ancient cavemen forefathers started throwing mastodons on the fire: gas or charcoal? It's no secret that most tailgating aficionados - indeed most avid barbecuers - prefer cooking over charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal. It's also no secret why: flavor. Most think this reason far outweighs any inconvenience of having to carry bags of briquettes, getting the fire started and then waiting the 30 minutes or so before the fire is ready. The fire has to be constantly tended in order to maintain optimum cooking temperature. Most 'que fans consider this to be entertainment!

For those who are looking for a more "hands-off" experience, gas is the way to go. You can turn on the grill with a push of a button, and 10 minutes later, you're cooking. The temperature stays fairly constant, so the food is the only thing that needs tending to. The downside of liquid propane is, the nasty little situation of running out of gas in the middle of the barbecue. Then there's the full 40-pound propane tank that needs to be carried to and from the car. Some say that you just can't get flavor from a gas grill unless you devise a way to add flavored smoke. But in the end, it's a matter of personal choice.

Once you settle this question, you'll want to go for something easily portable, but with enough cook-space to feed any surprise visitors. You've got two options here: a grill you can put in the back of your vehicle, or one you can tow. For the ones you can put in your vehicle, any small-to-medium sized grill should do. Choose one that is simple to assemble and disassemble, and one that is easy to clean. If you've got a trailer hitch, consider investing in a grill that is tow-able. These will allow you to cook in large quantities for large parties. The MasterBuilt Kingsford Tailgating Barrel Grill, the Freedom Tailgating Grill, and the Commissioner Grill are examples of these. Next, decide on the bells and whistles: are there extra burners or shelves, can the grill double as a smoker, will the grill do the dishes for you after a long day, the list goes on. The numbers and varieties of grills are near-limitless, and it's usually your budget and a review in a magazine such as this that makes the final decision. So happy shopping, happy grilling, and remember, we've got taste-testers standing by to sample your masterpieces!

For more information on the above-mentioned grills, visit MasterBuilt at masterbuilt.com, and Freedom Grill at freedomgrill.com.