There is no finer, more delicious method of cooking than grilling or barbecuing. The mild smoky flavors mingled with the light charring of the meats gives both a primal taste and a balance of flavors that most epicureans would agree is delightful!

But, before we go much further, we must clarify a most contentious issue. Is there a difference between grilling and barbecuing?

Yes. Throughout most of the USA, these words mean the same thing...cooking over hot coals or gas on a grill using direct heat. But in the Southern USA, barbecue is primarily recognized as cooking slowly over indirect heat (with or without smoke). In most cases everyone agrees that cooking over direct heat is grilling. The question is, can that also be called "barbecuing"?

For our purposes on this web page, we'll keep it simple and basic. We'll refer to most of the cooking styles as "Grilling" as that is the word most commonly used outside the USA as well. We'll reserve the word "Barbecue" for the slow cook methods, although we'll generally describe the exact cooking style needed (direct, indirect, smoke, etc.) when detailing the recipes.

That said, we're off to explore the wonders of Grilling & Barbecuing. Wander through the pages of this web site, read the recipes, plunder through the history of barbecue, smell the wonderful aroma of meats, vegetables and breads as you flip through the pages. And if you have something to share with us, check out the About page or the Recipe page to ask us questions or to post your favorite recipes!

Happy Grilling!

C.J. Trayser -- Master Griller!

(last updated September 2007)