Читать книгу Big Book of BBQ - Pippa Cuthbert - Страница 28

Some people just love getting their hands dirty, and the sight of real flames cooking their food with the smell of charcoal is enough to keep them from converting to gas. There are several types of charcoal barbecue available on the market. The first, and cheapest, is the disposable barbecue. These are readily available in supermarkets and are suitable for one-off uses like picnics and camping. They consist of a foil container filled with charcoal and topped with a fuel-soaked pad and mesh wiring. They are easy to light and are usually ready to cook on in about 20 minutes. It is important to keep your food moving, as heat cannot be controlled. This applies also to the simple fire box or stand barbecues. Occasionally they will have the added advantage of a moveable grilling rack to lower the food if liked. These barbecues usually have the disadvantage of no air vents for controlling heat.

The kettle barbecue is more advanced and usually comes with controllable air vents, moveable racks and a lid. It acts in the same fashion as a conventional oven. Kettle barbecues are usually made of steel, with a porcelain-enamelled coating which will stand up to numerous barbecue sessions.

It is worth learning how to tell when your charcoal is ready to cook on. A charcoal barbecue takes about 30 minutes before it is ready but, there can be variations. The coals should be covered with a light grey ash, with a bare glimmer of red glow underneath. Do not start cooking until the flames have died down or you will end up with charred food that is still raw in the centre.