A Beginner’s Guide to Grilling and Barbecue Cooking Table of Contents Introduction Choosing the Best Grill Tips before You Begin Barbecuing/Grilling Self-Lighting Charcoal? Firing up your Charcoal Cooking on the Grill Techniques Other Methods and Substitutes for Tandoori Cooking Cooking Times Grilling and Roasting Preparing Mincemeat Kebabs Barbecued Gammon Rashers and Pineapple Barbecued Sausages Chicken with Honey Conclusion Author Bio Introduction Nobody in the world today can take the credit for being the first civilization where their ancestors first thought up the technique of grilling and barbecue cooking. It is certain that this technique spread all over the world, simultaneously, when men began to look for more and easier ways in which they could cook the meat they had hunted throughout the day. All they had to do is make a fire in their camp and roast the pieces of meat on pieces of charcoal. Then one day a man must have really gotten impatient with just waiting for a couple of pieces to cook to either perfection or to charred consistency, and skewered some more pieces on a bamboo skewer or thin piece of metal and, lo and behold, barbecue cookery came into existence. These succulent, juicy pieces of meat could be eaten straight from the barbecue, picked right off their skewers. The skewers would then be washed and used over and over again. So, grilling and barbecuing became an important part of the daily cuisine all over the world, especially when you wanted vegetables or meat pieces roasted over an open fire. Naturally, this gave rise to meat recipes including: kebabs, barbecued on skewers, barbecued sausages (instead of frying them), roasting and grilling juicy portions of steak (instead of making them into steak and kidney pies) and so on. This technique was discovered by some enterprising cook millenniums ago, and throughout the centuries, millions of other cooks took full advantage of his knowledge and made sure that they used it as often as possible when they had fresh meat around. Grilling was not just restricted to fresh meat right in from the hunt, or from the butchers. In many parts of the East, this meat was marinated in aromatics and herbs, and kept for a little while until it was juicy and tender. That is because Eastern cuisine has the tendency of smothering each and every surface in sauces, herbs, spices, yogurt and other natural goodies to make it more flavorful, aromatic, spicy and delicious. So, is it a wonder that grilled meats in the East were always marinated for 24 to 48 hours before they were roasted to perfection on the fire and eaten hot off bamboo skewers? If you find yourself in an Oriental or Eastern market, you are going to be overwhelmed by the smell of meat and vegetables being grilled at every corner. That is because buying these aromatic pieces of meat, and then eating them right in the dusty marketplace is one of the most enjoyable experiences of living in an ancient land, still holding onto ancient traditions.