Grilling up Some Facts About the Modern Barbecue

With summer upon us, backyard barbecuing is back in full swing. Whether it is just cooking for the family or for a yard full of visitors, folks are firing up their grills and filling the air in their neighborhoods with all sorts of delicious smells, making neighbors everywhere jealous that they weren’t invited to join.

While the backyard barbecue seems to be entrenched in American tradition, barbecue has roots that stretch back centuries to the indigenous peoples of North and South America. However, modern barbecue started to evolve a bit more recently. While the first patent for the charcoal briquette was obtained by Ellsworth B. A. Zwoyer in 1897, credit for the invention is typically given to Kingsford, a company synonymous with barbecue, which is said to have developed briquettes when Henry Ford was looking for a use for discarded saw dust and wood scraps.  

 The first modern barbecue grill was created in 1952 by George Stephen, a welder for Weber Brothers Metal Works (another name you would typically associate with barbecues), who created the first version of the three-legged grill with the domed top that you have seen a million times. Love gas grilling? You can thank Melton Lancaster and William G. Wepfer of the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company, who answered the call to use more natural gas by inventing a barbecue that used gas rather than charcoal for grilling.

 Do you like to barbecue? If so, what do you like to grill? Do you go the more traditional route, grilling burgers and hot dogs, maybe some chicken? Or do you like to be more creative, grilling fruits, or desserts, or even multi-course meals? Do you regularly cook meals outdoors in the summer, or do you reserve barbecuing for company and gatherings? Regardless of what you cook or who you cook for, barbecuing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and, of course, avoid heating up your house at the height of summer. Happy grilling!

 Did you know the best grill master in Aspen Cove is Dalton Black from One Hundred Wishes? Here’s his famous dry rub recipe for ribs. Just mix up the following ingredients and apply to raw meat before barbecuing. Store unused rub in a jar in the cupboard for up to two years.

 1 Tbsp cumin 

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground garlic

1 Tbsp ground onion powder 

1 Tbsp smoked paprika 

2 Tbsp sea salt 

1 Tbsp ground black pepper 

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 

1/2 tsp stevia (or 2 tsp brown sugar)