Aromatic Wood Chips Enhance The Flavor Of Barbecued Food

With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start looking forward to our favorite outdoor activities, and nothing says springtime like the aroma of succulent foods cooking on a barbecue. The majority of American households sport an outdoor grill, but few people seem to realize how much more flavorful their barbecued foods could be if they just added one often overlooked grilling accessory: natural aromatic wood for an authentic smoke taste.

Long before the modern barbecue grill came to be, meats and vegetables were roasted over open wood fires. Smoke from this wood added far more flavor than today’s gas or charcoal cooking methods. Fortunately, it’s easy to add wood to your grill for the same effect. In some cases, the subtle taste imparted by wood smoke is all that is needed to flavor foods without seasonings or spices. Many types of wood can be used to enhance the flavor of grilled foods. Also, wood smoke works equally well whether you are cooking right on the grill or using a rotisserie. You can obtain wood from an orchard when they are trimming back some of their trees, harvest from your own backyard, or purchase chips or chunks from a specialty store that offers barbecue accessories.

Chunks, chips or pellets of wood are all used for flavor when grilling. Often, veteran grill chefs prefer chunks of wood that are fist-sized or larger. These slow-burning pieces can typically be added to the fire just before placing the food on the grill without the need for replenishment during cooking. Smaller wood chips and pellets are too quickly burned if they are directly on the heat source. Instead, it is necessary to protect them from the direct fire while still letting them smoke during cooking. Many accessories exist for this purpose, including refillable baskets. You can also purchase pre-filled units with your choice of wood chip flavors. Since chips and pellets burn quickly, they should be checked often so more can be added if required.

Many varieties of trees produce wood that greatly enhances flavors for grilling. In fact, each type of tree will impart a unique taste. Hickory is perhaps the most common type of wood used for barbecue, but others are gaining popularity for their accents with different types of meat. Oak produces a more subtle smoky flavor than hickory or mesquite, so it works well with most types of meat. The sweet flavor of cherry wood is commonly used for grilling fish, and apple is a favorite with pork ribs.

Adding wood chips or chunks to smoke food on the barbecue is easy to do, and it’s something that both chefs and the people they are cooking with can enjoy this spring, and all year round.

If you’re searching for easy to use wood chip BBQ accessories, why not try the FlavorDome Grill Smoker? Its dome top reduces flare-ups, increases smoke density and smoking time, plus it traps bitter tars to give a cleaner smoke flavor. Pair it with the award-winning Rib-O-Lator, a 4-tray rotisserie attachment, for a special discount! Powered by SEO 2.0 Services