American BBQ?
We had an American friend (living in Japan) come and stay on his way back over to America for a few days. I thought it would be good to try and ease him back into the American lifestyle with a BBQ. How do you think I went. This steak measured about 2 inches thick and as you could see it filled the plate. Maybe I went overboard with the thickness, but after half an hour in the weber with the lid down it tasted great. Sliced garlic and a little canola oil and it went all crisped on the outside but just right inside. We also threw in potatoes and imo (Japanese sweet potato) into the fire. How did I go? Is this anything like a real American BBQ?
Almost all American meats meant for barbecue have a dry rub of spices applied before cooking, and everything but steak is slathered with (completely unnecessary, in my opinion) barbecue sauce.
Overall, though, not bad for an Australian using Japanese ingredients.
There are several types of American BBQ. Plus you need to add in other varieties such as smoked, wet & dry, etc. Each region of the country has its’ own variety. The meats vary as well. Everything from beef to lamb to pork. For many it is the same as a religous discussion. Plus the electric/charcoal/gas/ etc. arguement. As well as pre-treating or not the meat. To be honest, I vacuum tumble beef & chicken with a wet sauce, them put them into a high-temp Kamodo style cooker for what I call BBQ. I would love to do more mutton/lamb, but the local price is too expensive.
Needed to add this one – a company my father worked for once hired a man from Scotland to come work for them in the states. As a parting party for his friends he imported a Weber grill (at the time had to be sent from the states). He moved the grill with him when he came to find out that his apartment overlooked the weber factory. When weber was informed of the fact, they gave him a complete new set-up since he had one of the most travelled grills that they had produced.
Looks appetizing.
Something I forgot to mention before;
H O L Y… You got that steak.. THAT STEAK.. in Japan?? Did you have to take out a second mortgage on your house? Sell your daughter to work at a local shrine? Make some kind of vague deal with a wandering spirit that you know you will one day regret?
Not to nitpick, I realize this was an effort to make a friend feel at home, but you did was grill a steak, not BBQ.
Grilling is cooking for relatively short amount of time over high direct heat. BBQ is low, and slow. Generally, around 250 degrees F, or 120 C for eight to ten hours for a pork shoulder, or beef brisket. A whole chicken would be quicker, generally only 2 to 3 hours.
The meat is also generally tougher, cheaper cuts like ribs, shoulder, or brisket. Basically, poor folks food. Stuff with a lot of connective tissue that breaks down with slow cooking into lip smacking goodness.
All the other stuff, rubs, sauces, choice of meat, is regional. Although, I have not heard of a US region that historically has had lamb BBQ.