Foreword: In Italy, grigliata and barbecue are now synonymous. The former word is used by traditionalists, the latter by progressive Americanophiles. But it is an error, these two words refer to different cooking methods that have almost nothing in common.
The barbecue is a cooking tool that uses smoke to cook (indirectly) good-sized pieces of meat for a very long time that is measured in hours. It is immediately recognizable because there is a domed lid that covers the cooking surface and seals the meat.
The barbecue is, on the other hand, the classic cooking over an open flame or lit embers of smaller pieces of meat. Cooking takes place over an open fire and is on the order of minutes.
Barbecue cooking is absolutely Yankee territory, who have made it an art, a science, a sporting discipline and a national craze.
We will take care of the homegrown barbecue, which is simpler, less anxiety-inducing and affordable for everyone. Provided you have a terrace or garden and know a few simple rules:
1-There are two types of cooking devices: charcoal and gas. The latter are more expensive but have the great advantage of making the end result easy and safe. With charcoal it takes more time, more attention and you have to put up with experts who will come alongside you giving advice on how to make it catch better, position the meat, ventilate etc. etc.).
Of course, cooking on gas is like cooking in the oven, the meat will not get that typical grill flavor, which arises from the liquids in the meat that fall on the coals and become steam and rise up to impregnate the meat.
2 - dewax and all flame accelerators are forbidden. They give all meat a petrochemical refinery aftertaste.
3-The grill should be well cleaned and greased with a brush of olive oil. Careful not to drop drops of oil on burning embers, generate discrete flare-ups.
4 - excellent grills that can be placed at two or three different heights. You start cooking with the position closest to the coals and then gradually raise.
5-an important thing to know: that typical flavor of the perfect barbecue is given in addition to the hot fumes by something called Maillard's reaction. Simply put, it is a cauterization that forms the crust on the surface and caramelizes the sugars in the internal liquids of the meat. For this reason, it is necessary to always use tongs or a spatula, instead of the fork, which pierces the tissues and leaks out the precious liquids. You should also not press burgers or chicken with a spatula while they are on the stove.
6 - turn the meat once.
7 – marinating is something appreciated (it gives a professional touch to the whole thing) but it is not essential. If you decide to make it, just put the three basic elements in a container: a fatty part (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), an acidic part (vinegar, citrus juice, beer, wine), flavorings (spices or herbs) and brush them on the meat a half hour before cooking.
8 – The cooking time, a priori, does not exist. One must use the probe thermometer and check the internal temperature of the piece of meat. Rare cooking: 55°. Medium cooked: 65°. Well cooked: 75°. Exceeding these values, the meat will veer toward the famous shoe sole.
We close the article with. Massimo's honest statement, collected on an industry forum. We share it at 100%.
"If I invite ten people to have a barbecue on a Sunday afternoon in my beautiful, well-equipped garden, I get away with an amount of around 70 euros, including meat, drinks, plates, glasses, and incidentals. Because being guests they expect to be served nicely.
It takes me over an hour to prepare the coals. Another half hour, forty minutes to cook the meat. Meanwhile I drink cold beer by the garganelle to endure the heat rising from the embers and I begin to hear voices like sirens saying, "Massimo, come on leave the meat alone, come eat with us."
I would like to, but if I did that the meat would burn and the atmosphere would become let's say less pleasant. After I finish cooking I usually have about ten minutes of quiet time, which I spend reconstructing lost conversations and assessing how long it will take to get back in order.
By five o'clock in the afternoon it is all over, the guests say their goodbyes, and I start cleaning up and tidying up, very satisfied with the many compliments I have received on the beautiful garden, the great eating and the friendly company. This is my annual sacrifice to the religion of grilling."
