Shortly after the domestication of fire, the process of cooking food over direct heat has been discovered. This method, referred to today as grilling, is among the best loved ways of preparing food since then until today. Charcoal grills, portable gas grills, and electric grills are a few of the number of type of grills that are now available in the market.

Food, as was aforementioned is cooked in the process of grilling through direct heat. In this method, food is exposed to temperatures often in excess of 260 C (500 F). Grills use a grill, a grill pan, or a griddle to store food while cooking. A grill uses a heat source below or above it and is characterized by open wire grids. On the other hand, a grill pan mimics the wires of an open grill through its raised ridges but generally resembles a frying pan. Alternatively, the heat source of a griddle is below and is designed as a flat plate.

As was earlier stated, the history of grilling as a way of cooking food dates back to around 500,000 years ago-which is the time when fire was domesticated. Nonetheless, grills as we know them today were invented in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The earliest forms of this backyard cookware were characterized by a shallow-metal pan sitting atop spindly legs. These tools then used charcoal to cook food and were popularly called Brazier grills. From this milestone, various improvements were made to improve the quality of food cooked and the way how food is cooked. Among the number of grills now available in the market, the popular types are charcoal grills and portable gas grills.

There generally are four types of grilling. These are direct grilling, indirect grilling, spit-roasting and rotisserie, and grill smoking. Producing a crunchy or slightly charred exterior and moist interior, direct grilling involves quick cooking of food at high temperatures over direct heat. This type of grilling is recommended for small pieces of meat such as steak, kebabs, and chicken breast. On the other hand, indirect grilling, which is ideal for large cuts of meat, cooks food slowly and more evenly on a grill over a foil drip pan with coals burning on either side. Alternatively, rotisserie grilling keeps the interiors of the meat juicy and the skin crispy by rotating the food over hot coals. Lastly, grill smoking which adds a special smoky flavor to food involves adding a couple of wet pieces of wood to the grill and covering the food item inside.

As was aforementioned, there are a variety of grills now available in the market. Among these are electric grills, charcoal grills, and portable gas grills. Electric grills are often used indoors are among the easiest to use among any other types of grills. They are designed to be smokeless and are convenient to use and easy to clean. Charcoal grills on the other hand, as the name suggests, require the use of charcoal to grill food. These types are the best to provide real fire flavors. Portable gas grills, alternatively, are also easy to use and convenient and are often less expensive than electric grills.

The market now offers a wide array of grills to choose from depending on the type of grilling one wants to do. From charcoal ones to portable gas grills and electric tools, families wanting to enjoy outdoor activities like open-air cooking would definitely be able to find one that would suit their needs.

Jennifer Lorenzo is a sous chef at a 5-star in Paris, France. At home, Chef Jennifer enjoys with her family in their backyard using a Landmann Gasgrill.