Difference between BBQ and Grill

Difference between BBQ and Grill

Do you love cooking meat outside? Most people love barbecuing and grilling. BBQ vs grill, what’s your favorite? Or could you be using both terms interchangeably as many people do? Unfortunately, many people are not aware that there’s a difference between BBQ and grilling. The type of heat used and their total cook time is different. But the results from both types of cooking is delicious and worth the hustle. The difference between Barbecue and grill get portrayed in the following four significant ways;

1. Heat

Grilling involves a high and direct heat method from glowing charcoal placed below the grilling grate or a gas grill. Then it would help if you kept on flipping the meat to cook evenly since the heat comes from one direction. The gas or coal flames come in 2,000 – 3,8000F temperature range, and 500 – 7000F on the grill grates surface.

In BBQ, indirect heat gets used and is usually low and slow. The coals or flames are generally far from the meat. Also, the smoker or grill gets closed during the cooking, resulting in cooking the meat via convection heat transfer. The temperature range is usually 200 – 3000F.

2. Meat Type

Small and tender meat cuts get used in grilling as the high heat makes the meat cook quickly. Also, chicken breasts, steaks, and chops are ideal to grill. But in Barbecue, sinewy, large, and tough meat cuts with massive tissue get used. As a result, the tough meat gets cooked into a tender and delicious BBQ. Ribs, brisket, and pork shoulder are suitable candidates for barbecuing.

3. Time

Grilling takes about 5 – 20 minutes because of the high temperature involved. But in BBQ, the meat can cook from around 2 – 18 hours because the heat used is low. Also, the chunk of beef involved is big and tough.

4. Smoke

Smoke doesn’t get used in grilling but is the essence of BBQ. While frilling, the high temperatures produce flare-ups and not smoke. But if you need to smoke in your grilling, you can use grill-roasting, a hybrid cooking method.

Core Data Table

Attributes

BBQ

Grill

Cooking Time

2 – 18 hours

5 – 20 minutes

Cooking Temperature

200 – 3000F

2,000 – 3,8000F (gas or coal)

500 – 7000F (grill grate)

What is BBQ?

Barbecuing is cooking and smoking meat or other food types slowly over indirect heat, inside a barbecuing pit. According to Margot Greenwald, the BBQ term originated from the word ‘barbako,’ a language of the native Haitian Arawakan. It means a framework of many sticks, where meat got placed and cooked in the olden times.

What is Grill?

Grilling is cooking food by the use of heat applied on its surface. According to Solly’s Grille, grilling is a process similar to open fire cooking.

Conclusion

As described above, though people confuse between Barbecue vs. grill, they differ in many ways. The kind of food, heat, temperature, and time used makes a huge difference between grilling and BBQ. But both types of cooking produce delicious meals, making them worth a try. Grill vs. BBQ, what’s your choice?