Cool Facts About Barbeque

During the spring time of every year, it is almost a tradition that people in America dust down their barbecue sets and begin bulk buying all of their meats in preparation of their outside meals. However, how much do we really know about barbecuing?

1. Did you know that barbecues originated in old time pig-pickins? It was common to throw parties and elaborate meals outside before the civil war. The people would roast an entire pig on an open flame.

2. "Smoking" has been used for over 6 millennia for the purposes of safely cooking and storing food. The meat was treated to bellows of smoke and low heat in order to prevent any bacteria cultivating into the products.

3. Traditional barbecuing is not actually that common. It is very different to how we do it nowadays. Traditional barbecuing is a lengthy cooking experience that cooks the food at a temperature similar to boiling water, in order to make the meat tender while preserving its juices. Today's most common method of barbecuing is broiling, which involves cooking at a much higher temperature, generally 300 degrees higher, for a much less time.

4. Surveys that have been carried out in the United States show that half of all marshmallows that are consumed have been flame roasted.

5. Using bathroom scales is one of the simplest ways in which you can check your gas tank levels.

6. It is unclear as to the origin of the word "barbecue". It is believed by some that it came from the American-Indian word barbacoa, which was the name of a wood whereby foods were cooked.

7. Using liquid smoke is a way in which you can create a Smokey flavor to foods that are cooked on a gas grill or that you have cooked indoors. Liquid smoke is a condensation of genuine smoke, which can simply be added to any barbeque.

8. An incredibly dense cut of meat is Brisket, which is taken from the cow's chest. It should be cooked for 1 to 2 hours per pound on a barbecue. Therefore, a basic 8 pound piece of brisket should be cooked for an average of 12 hours on the grill.

9. Kansas City, Missouri and Lexington, North Carolina both claim that they are the barbeque capitals of the world. Memphis stakes a claim to being the pork barbeque capital.