Each year, at least 90% of American families go to at least one BBQ party or cookout. More than 40% of American families host their own cookout or party that serves barbecued food. Millions of packages of potato chips, popcorn, and crackers with barbecue flavor are sold every day. Barbecue has been around since the Colonial days, and its popularity has never slowed down. Wonder if the British Redcoats liked it too? How did barbecuing become such a deeply rooted American tradition?
One reason is that the preferred method of cooking meats slowly at low heat in wood flavored smoke has not really changed much over the years. We have propane grills and charcoal grills now instead of brick or stone ovens but the principle is the same. It's a little more tricky to set up a cold side and hot side on a propane grill but it can be done. And some master backyard chefs do it very well.
Barbequing flavors cannot be duplicated by any other method of cooking. The smell and taste of grilled food is unique and seems to have a natural rythmn with human tastes.
Pork, chicken and beef are all favorites. Who could deny that the ground beef grilled hamburger is an icon of summertime in America? Unless you are knowledgeable about which cuts of meat are best for grilling, and how to prepare them for the grill, you may be better off shopping for packages that are marked as "good for grilling" or something similar.
All grocery stores will also carry a variety of rubs, spices and sauces specially made for grilling. You can also check your cook books and search online recipes for the spices, herbs and other ingredients to make your own concoctions. Part of the fun of grilling is experimenting on your own.
If you have not yet made a foil packet of hardwood chips to place on your propane grill burners or to tuck away in a corner in your charcoal grill you are missing out on a burst of flavor. There are products called liquid smoke that you apply to the meat like a sauce but they do not even come close to the real thing. Dried hardwood smoke is part of the tradition. Get with it.