Barbecue Myths Revealed...

Common Misconceptions about Gas Barbecues

The Myth About Charcoal

There is a common misconception that Charcoal is responsible for taste of food prepared outdoors and therefore a cooking apparatus that does not utilize charcoal offers less authentic taste than those which do.

True or False…barbecues [and grills] which rely on a non-charcoal heat source to cook cannot create the same taste as food prepared over a charcoal base. Answer…False!

Taste comes from the hot juices which drip on the briquettes and vaporize to produce a flavor that has been associated with charcoal. Charcoal is only a heat source and adds no taste.

Now to be fair…what we commonly associate with charcoal is taste! However we now know that charcoal has nothing to do with taste…only heat. What charcoal does add however is smell which is mainly associated with the process whereby the prefabricated charcoal briquette is degraded by heat and begins to burn carbon.

For those of you who may not have glanced at the periodic table since High School, Carbon (C), a word dating back to Roman times, is number 6 in order of importance on the Table and a critical component to life as we know it. However… with regard to barbecuing, when degraded, it creates the byproduct called carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, highly poisonous gas formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon and ever present in any kettle barbecue.

While carbon monoxide is odorless, the smell of burning carbon is not and this is the smell generally associated with summer backyard barbecues - quite important environmentally speaking - but has nothing to do with the quality or taste of the food being prepared.

The Myth About Rear Rotisseries

There is a common misconception regarding the need and use for a rear rotisserie. True or false…“grills” sold without a rear rotisserie are generally inferior to those that are sold including one? Technically true…probably!

BeefEater however sells barbecues…not grills and there is a difference - easy to define - and endorsed by culinary professionals and our growing global base of discerning outdoor cooking enthusiasts. BeefEater barbecues are designed to employ a “Sear” oriented cooking culture very similar in nature to the type of system one would find in a commercial grade restaurant. This is why when you order at your favorite restaurant your food arrives at your table promptly and hot…which is probably why it remains your favorite!

BeefEater builds barbecues which utilize a) high heat b) cast iron cooking surfaces (consistently hot and evenly dispersed heat) c) a heat source directly under the cooking platform (3-5 inches) and d) a griddle plate (Searing/food stays moist).

BeefEater uses heavy cast iron and stainless steel commercial burners, not aluminum tubing or inferior oval heating elements and our burners generate up to 18K (Signature) British Thermal Units (BTU) per burner. To add some perspective, a kitchen oven on high generates around 25-30 thousand btu. A 5 burner Signature on high generates 90,000 btu.

Because our customers expect the best from BeefEater we also include a double insulated roasting hood which allows them to use their barbecue similar to an oven giving them the added versatility of being able to cook by convection. Once direct and indirect cooking techniques have been learned our barbecues can easily be used to cook roasts, turkey, poultry, casseroles, vegetables and whole fish.

Most customers are used to cooking on a grill… lower heat output (takes longer to cook) - food farther away from the cooking platform (heat loss) – inferior heating element (uneven heat dispersement and prone to clogging) and no searing capability (food dries out faster).

Companies who produce these types of units add rear rotisseries as a “feature” as a method of compensating for inferior heat below the cooking surface where it truly matters. [For BeefEater to include a rear rotisserie would be a redundant and unnecessary addition] It is cheaper and easier for these companies to manufacture an inexpensive grill and “market” a rear rotisserie accessory item than it is to build a barbecue like ours. Still undecided… next time you go to your favorite restaurant ask your server for a quick glance behind the kitchen counter…see if you can find a rear rotisserie! BeefEater has been building barbecues for over 20 years. Our customers have done their research, want to “lift their game” in outdoor cooking and demand a product with commercial grade credentials to help them make the most from their outdoor cooking experience and they have chosen BeefEater.