The original barbecue grills were made of metal and were attached to the grill pit. Cooking in this way was popularized for its capacity to tenderize both the meat and add a unique flavor to it. Over the years and with the invention of new technology, the technique of barbecue cooking also evolved. A divergence started to emerge between traditional barbecue grills and Barbecue smoker. Although initially they were used to cook different types of food like fish, meat etc., now they are primarily used for smoking. The major difference is that the former is used to smoke meat and the latter for smoking the same type of food like fish etc.
In general, the BBQ grilling techniques use three types of cooking system to generate heat namely – ignite ignition cooking system, radiant cooking system and combi cooking system. In addition to these, there is yet another type commonly used called the portable barbecue grill which can be moved from one place to another. Such grill is made up of stainless steel, cast iron or aluminum plates. However, as the popularity of this cooking system increased, a few other types were introduced like the weber and the propane gas grill. Generally, this type of grill does not employ a cooking system.
The basic mechanism of the barbecue grills consists of a series of rotating metal discs. There is a channel on one side in which the meat is placed. This rotating disc moves up and down in an axis thus grilling the meat evenly. Meat on the other hand, is rotated by the Weber grill by rotating the metal discs. In this way, the meat is cooked evenly and the juices are extracted in the form of solid mass making the meat juicy.
As compared to the earlier mentioned barbecue grills, now there are two types of outdoor cooking devices that can be purchased namely the charcoal grills and the smokers. The charcoal grills are considered better than the smokers in terms of performance and ease of use. This type of outdoor cooking device is simply a cylinder having a lighted end. It can either be fixed to the ground or stood on its own.
This type of outdoor cooking device features variable pressure control. The built-in thermometer ensures food cooking accuracy. To enhance its performance, it is equipped with self-cleaning grates. Charcoal grill grates are made of several substances such as cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper etc. These kinds of grills have their own benefits and drawback.
First and foremost, the material of the grill grate needs to be chosen carefully. A good example would be stainless steel grill grates. These types of grates tend to get oxidized over time because of continuous exposure to air. However, this can be remedied by periodically exposing the grill to oxygen. However, stainless steel grill grates are not very easy to clean hence they are not the best for those who want to do outdoor cooking often.
Next, there are three basic types of outdoor grills available i.e. the hot dog grill, the rotisserie grill and the stainless steel grill. Each type has its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Hot dog grills are very popular amongst campers as these are easy to use and maintain. On the other hand, rotisserie grill has a lot of marring capacity and is preferred when you plan to roast big sized meat.
Last but not the least; the size of the cooking area of the grill is also one of the major deciding factors. Gas grills have a bigger cooking area but they can be a little bit noisy. On the other hand charcoal grills have a small cooking area but produce a nice and even burn. Hence, it all depends on your cooking needs, space availability and the available space in your backyard.