Grilling and BBQing are two popular ways to cook food, but what’s the difference between them? Many people use the terms interchangeably, however, they are distinctly different.
In this quick read, we will explore the differences between BBQing and grilling, and highlight a few of the best foods to cook using each method.
It's not complicated, so let’s get started!
BBQing, Grilling & Best Foods to Cook
What's BBQ?
BBQ is a cooking technique that involves slow-cooking food over indirect heat. This can be from a pellet grill/smoker, a charcoal or wood fire, or can even be done on your typical gas grill if you have enough burners to use an indirect cooking method.
The food is usually cooked slowly at low temperatures, which retains moisture (and therefore is juicier) and allows the smoke and flavors from the wood (if you're using a pellet grill or fire, or even a smoke tube) to penetrate the food which develops a deep, rich flavor.
Foods that BBQ really well
So, what are the best foods to BBQ? Here are a few ideas:
- Meat! Larger (and often cheaper) cuts of meat go great, such as brisket or ribs, whole fillets of beef, pork shoulders (for fantastic pulled pork), lamb, chicken, and so on. The fats in cuts such as brisket and ribs need to be cooked on low heat for many hours to render the fats down, which then spread throughout the meat resulting in unbeatable flavors!
- Vegetables - BBQ is a great way to cook up some veggies. Just toss veggies like cut-up potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and broccoli in some olive oil and your favorite seasonings, then put them into a veggie tray (ideally a perforated one with lots of holes to get some great smoky flavor through the food). They come out really delicious although softer veggies like broccoli don't take as long to cook so watch out for that you might get a little too much char!
- Fruits - like grilling, most fruits BBQ well (the possibilities are endless), although some are better suited for it than others, such as pineapple, watermelon, and peaches. They have a nice sweetness that pairs well with the smoky flavor of BBQ.
What's grilling?
Grilling is a cooking method that involves using direct heat to cook food. The food is typically placed on grates over a gas grill, fire or hot coals (like a charcoal grill), or even an electric grill, and the direct heat from whatever the heating source is cooks the food.
Grilling is a popular method as it allows for intense heat to be quickly applied to the food, which helps to create a distinctive flavor profile, and this is the most common type of outdoor cooking.
Grilling is typically outdoors, but in the case of electric grills can often also be done indoors too as they don't usually make a lot of smoke compared with other grill types.
Foods that go great on the grill
Grilling is a popular cooking method for many different types of food, including meats, vegetables, and even some fruits.
As this method of cooking usually includes cooking food at quite a high temperature, the method results in food being tender and juicy on the inside, and crispy or charred on the outside (yum!).
When grilling meats, it is important to use a high-quality grilling oil or spray to prevent sticking and to ensure that the meat is cooked evenly.
Some (of many) foods that go great on the grill include:
- Meats, such as beef steak (tenderloin or sirloin are our favorites, although cheaper cuts go great on the grill if done properly), chicken (drumsticks, marinated thighs, or nibbles although marinated chicken often results in a little more clean-up being required afterward), fish (whole once prepped properly is our favorite, or fillets if you're not so adventurous!), and lamb chops. And of course, don't forget the most popular meats - burger patties and hotdogs!
- Vegetables, such as sweet corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, courgettes, eggplants, asparagus, and the list goes on.
- ... and even fruits, such as sliced pineapple, bananas, tomatoes, and melons provide really good additional grilled flavors as their natural sugars release delicious flavors, particularly when they start to caramelize.
Whether you are grilling for a large crowd or simply cooking for yourself, grilling is a great way to enjoy delicious food.
To Sum Up
Regardless of if you're BBQing food low and slow on indirect heat, or direct grilling, fast with intense heat, there's something special about both BBQ and grilled food as they just taste better than regular cooking!
So, fire up your outdoor cooking unit and enjoy some delicious BBQ or grilled food, or check out our links below if you're in the market for a new unit!
