Hayward Harris -- a certified barbecue judge in the Kansas City and Memphis-in-May barbecue competions, and known in barbecue circles as "The Rib Doctor" -- offers some expert advice on how to cook on the grill using indirect heat.
Indirect cooking simply means that the meats and other foods being barbecued are not placed directly over the flames during cooking. Instead, they are placed over a different area of the grill or in a separate, connected cooking chamber. This allows for slow cooking and greater control of fire, temperature and smoking technique.
The offset indirect cooker (figure A), a fairly common backyard set-up, employs a firebox that is separated from the main cooking chamber. A charcoal or wood fire in the firebox supplies the heat and smoke to the cooking chamber by a controlled venting system that draws heat and smoke across the foods being prepared. The offset cooker produces wonderfully cooked smoked foods.
If you don't have access to an offset cooker, a simple alternative for indirect cooking is to use a kettle cooker equipped with a drip pan (figure B). Charcoal baskets are placed on either side of the drip pan so that the flame is limited to the outer edges of the grill. The meat is placed on the center portion of the grill surface, directly over the drip pan, so there is no direct contact with the heat. The heat and smoke is provided from the peripheral areas of the grill. Oil and grease are caught in the grease pan instead of dripping into the fire. This is desired since flames from burning grease and oil have been shown to produce carcinogens in barbecued meats. As juices drip down into the pan and revaporize, they help keep the meat moist as it cooks.
You can also achieve a simplified form of indirect cooking by simply using a single charcoal basket. Fill one of the baskets with charcoal (figure C) and place it on one side of the grill interior, leaving the other side free.
Once the fire in the basket is well under way, replace the grill surface and place meats on the side opposite the flames (figure D).
Place the grill lid so the vent is above the meat (figure E), not on the side with the flame. Open the upper and lower vents on the kettle grill. Set up in this way, heat and smoke will be drawn across the meat as air is pulled up from the lower vent and exits through the upper one. The meat will cook in a more controlled setting and won't be exposed to direct heat or flame.
Indirect cooking is a good method for preparing all meats -- but especially for chicken and fish. Web site resources for gas grills, general barbecue information and Brazilian barbecue (churrasco): Information and supplies for gas grills and accessories Barbecue gift packages and accessories One of the most popular sites about barbecue on the Internet -- great general information. A site dedicated to Brazilian barbecue (churrasco) About.com BBQ information, including a list of associations
RESOURCES :
Skewer Cooking on the Grill
Model: 1558671226
Author: Bob Simmons and Coleen Simmons
(1995)
Bristol Publishing Enterprises
Website: www.bristolpublishing.com
National Barbecue Association
National Barbecue Association
Douglas , GA 31533
Website: www.rbjb.com/rbjb/nbbq.htm
Barbecue Supplies (Barbeques Galore)
Barbeques Galore
Website: www.bbqgalore.com
The Great Barbecue Companion: Mops, Sops, Sauces, and Rubs
Model: 0895948060
Author: Bruce Bjorkman
(March 1996)
Crossing Press
The New Grilling Book: Charcoal, Gas, Smokers, Indoor Grills, Rotisseries
Model: 0696210290
Author: Kristi Fuller
(April 2000)
Better Homes & Gardens Books
National Agricultural Library (USDA)
USDA's national agricultural library
National Agricultural Library
Website: www.nal.usda.gov
Memphis Barbecue, Barbeque, Bar-B-Que, Bar-B-Q, B-B-Q
Model: 0925175161
Author: Carolyn S. Wells
Finger Lickin, Rib Stickin, Great Tasting Barbecue
Model: 0894802089
Author: Jane Butel
Workman Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.workman.com
Weber's Art of the Grill : Recipes for Outdoor Living
Model: 0811824195
Author: Jamie Purviance
(1999)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
On the Grill : A Complete Guide to Hot-Smoking and Barbecuing Meat, Fish, and Game
Model: 1558218068
Author: A.D. Livingston
Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica
Model: 0895944391
Author: Helen Willinsky
The Cook's Encyclopedia of Barbecues, Grills & Outdoor Eating
Model: 0754808025
Author: Christine France
Weber's Big Book of Grilling
Model: 0811831973
Author: Jamie Purviance
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
The Gas Grill Gourmet: Great Grilled Food for Everyday Meals & Fantastic Feasts
Model: 1558321101
Author: A. Cort Sinnes, John Puscheck
Harvard Common Press
Website: www.harvardcommonpress.com
Better Homes and Gardens Gas Grill Cookbook
Model: 0696000628
Author: Shelli McConnell (Editor)
Better Homes and Gardens Books
Website: www.bhg.com
GUESTS :
Hayward Harris Jr.
The Rib Doctor
Respected authority on fine barbecue foods and supplies
Information private
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