subject: History of Charcoal BBQ [print this page] History of Charcoal BBQ History of Charcoal BBQ
The charcoal BBQ has been in backyards and restaurants for quite a long time. It is an unbroken summertime tradition in the United States to light up some charcoal and grill a juicy piece of meat while the mouthwatering smell of the BBQ circulates around the household.
The charcoal BBQ tradition, as obvious as it seems, first showed up in the United States back in the 1950's. During such time, a long running advertisement campaign on television introduced charcoal BBQ to the American public. Thus, marking the beginning of the charcoal BBQ tradition as everyone knows it.
However, even before the introduction of the modern charcoal BBQ, people were already using charcoal to roast meat. It is believed that the first people to realize the concept of BBQ were the indigenous people at the Caribbean islands. It is said that they have cooked large pieces of meat over big pits filled up with smothering live coals. French and Spanish explorers and colonists borrowed such method of cooking meat from the islanders. It was then brought to the American continent, especially at the South before the Civil War. Charcoal BBQ became a part of American cooking tradition.
Since the staple meat at the South is pork, cooking on charcoal makes the pork meat to catch fire quite easily. Charcoal BBQ process was improved over time, until the fir modern charcoal BBQ was marketed throughout the United States in the 1950's.
Due that the first modern charcoal BBQ was introduced about sixty years ago, it has progressed much further over time. Starting from a coal-filled pit with a stake to turn the meat over, charcoal BBQ still continues to develop as a modern way of cooking meat. Of course, there have been many major milestones in charcoal BBQ over the years. The first one is the introduction of lighter fluid, which made starting fire much easier. There are also hybrid charcoals, gas and electric grills for more convenient cooking.
Even so, the traditional charcoal BBQ still continues to be an American tradition. To a BBQ lover, there is not better way to cook burger patties, steaks, or any other meat than over a grill filled up with live charcoal.
