Barbecue as a craft
I started backyard barbecuing a couple summers back when I moved to a new house with my family. The previous homeowner left their propane barbecue behind and I had thought they might have forgotten about it. I realized later, it was likely too much of a hassle for them to have moved it, or that it came with the house. Either ways, I saw it as a gift for us and I started getting excited to begin my journey of making delicious bbq.
I started reading books and started watching lots of YouTube videos. I wanted to understand the basics, the science and some of the science and techniques behind cooking meat. I started making burgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, steaks, fish, pork ribs, lobsters, and all kinds of veggies so far. The options are endless, and cooking really feels like an art on top of some basics.
Fast forward to today, I have two charcoal grills at my own place. One is a Weber Original Kettle 22" grill, and the other is a Chinese style skewer grill. I use one of them for Western style bbq, and the other for Asian style bbq.
I ended up switching to charcoal from gas because I wanted to try something new. I also thought it would produce smokier tasting meat, and that it would be easier to maintain. I was right about the first, but not so much on the latter part. The flavors I get from charcoal is just unparalleled compared to gas grills. I am a fan of simple, and I also love being to do a variety of things with these grills that I have.
In June, I listened to a talk about craft and what it means to someone. Making food this way is a craft I would love to explore and become good at. There are people out there who are artists, in all kinds of ways. People draw, animate, bake, code and make things. For me, BBQing is one of the ways I make art.