1.2 Grilling and Barbecuing

In 2011, Alice and I embarked on a major project to finish the basement of her (now our) home. So what does this have to do with cooking? Nothing directly, however while shopping for a gas fireplace, we saw our first Big Green Egg and decided we wanted one (she mostly for its appearance, me for the intriguing cooking possibilities). Shortly thereafter, we purchased a medium one, and while we had a lot of fun with it (initially for pizza and baked potatoes), it soon became apparent that we needed a larger one. Accordingly, a few years later, I sprung for a large one. I will have more to say about it in the Big Green Egg section.

Over the subsequent years, my Green Egg recipe portfolio has diversified. Most of what I do can be divided into two categories - grilling and barbecuing. Grilling is what most casual outdoor cooking enthusiasts are most familiar with - cooking over high heat, often with some sort of basting sauce, with cooking times usually measured in minutes. Barbecuing, by contrast, involves “low and slow” cooking (temperatures maintained at 150-250^o F.) and cook times measured in hours. The results, with properly monitored cooking, can be outstanding.