According to the fine folks over at Food Network, “The history of grilling begins shortly after the domestication of fire, some 500,000 years ago.” That’s right–people have been practicing and perfecting the art of putting ingredients over fire and making food for half a million years. There’s something really special about making food in such a simple way that is really appealing to many people and in this day and age people all across the country have their own barbecue grills in their backyards.
At Mighty Flame Propane Cylinder Exchange there’s nothing we love more than sharing our favorite grilling tips, tricks, recipes, and ideas and that’s why in today’s post we’ll be taking a deeper look at a topic that we care about. That’s right, we’ll be talking about why grilling matters.
Although at its simplest it is indeed simply throwing some things on a fire and hoping for the best, there’s much more to it than that. As the Food Network article we mentioned above notes, grilling was only really popular at campsites and picnics until the 1940s, but it’s exploded in popularity since then. Why is that, you ask? That’s the topic of today’s post, so keep reading to find out more about everyone’s favorite hobby and why it matters.
Another Day, Another Method
We have to imagine that grilling began with someone heating a rock over a fire and throwing a nice wooly mammoth steak on top until it got a nice sear on it. While wooly mammoth steaks are clearly a thing of the past it’s pretty incredible that the methods of cooking haven’t changed too much over time. Sure there have been innovations that make it all much easier and there have even been some creative uses of fire (bananas foster, anyone?), but at the end of the day you can still take a hunk of meat and throw it over the fire and know that it’s going to be good. That’s as long as you don’t drastically under or overcook it, of course.
As time has passed and people have become accustomed to different tastes grilling experts have gotten more and more creative and now there are plenty of grilling accessories that support even the most intense of grilling passions. Who’d have thought that a simple stone could make your grill the most ideal method for making a pizza?
Grilling Across the World
All it takes is a quick look at the Wikipedia entry for grilling to see what it means to people all across the world. For example, “In Japanese cities, yakitori carts, restaurants, or shops can be found [and] these contain charcoal-fired grills and marinated grilled meat on a stick.”
Similarly, “In Germany, the most prominent outdoor form of grilling is using the gridiron over a bed of burning charcoal. Care is taken that the charcoal does not produce flames. Often beer is sprinkled over the sausages or meat and used to suppress flames. The meat is usually marinated before grilling. Besides charcoal, sometimes gas and electric heat sources are used.”
As we mentioned above, grilling rose to prominence in the United States in the 1940s when “returning servicemen and their families started a migration to the suburbs, and all that outdoor space called for outdoor pastimes, including some experimentation with open-air cooking,” according to How Stuff Works. They also go on to note that “the introduction of gas-powered grills made it possible to cook meat fast and at reliably stable temperatures, while high-powered, heavy-duty models have extended the grilling season to virtually year-round.” That’s right–they’re talking about propane grills.
If you’ve been following along with our blog for any amount of time then you know that we enthusiastically agree! We have often waxed poetic about the many benefits of grilling in the summer, fall, winter, and spring. The truth is that people love to fire up the grill for the first time in late spring because burgers, brats, and hot dogs remind them of summer, but it’s our opinion that if we love these things so much we should be able to enjoy them no matter what the weather looks like outside.
Okay, we’ll admit that there are times when the weather just won’t permit it, but in reality a little bit of frost never hurt anyone and sometimes it can be fun to bundle up, step outside, and fire up the grill to make something even when winter is at its coldest.
So Why Does It Matter?
So let’s come back to the question at hand. Why does grilling matter? Simply put, it matters because it’s a thing that connects us to those who have come before us. That and the fact that it’s delicious, of course. If it didn’t taste good we’d have ditched this cooking method a long, long time ago.
For many, grilling is a passion. Even those who consider grilling a hobby love to learn more about the art of it and experiment with flavors, try out new techniques, and share their finds. We know we do!
Find a Propane Tank Exchange Location Near You
When it comes right down to it there’s just something about grilling that we all know and love. It’s the thing that brings us rest and relaxation at the end of a long day. When you hear the sizzle of cool meat on a hot grill and you smell the scent of a steak wafting back into your home it just brings everything into focus.
Of course we haven’t even mentioned the fact that it’s a blast to have people over and cook for them. It’s a great feeling to sit around with friends and family while enjoying some great food that you prepared with your own two hands and a bit of help from your trusty propane grill.
With all of the sentimental feelings towards grilling, perhaps you need to buy a propane tank and fire up your grill. If that’s the case, head to a Mighty Flame propane tank exchange location near you and pick one up, then keep your eye on this space because we’ll be sharing plenty more grilling tips, tricks, recipes, and ideas in upcoming posts. You see, there’s nothing we love quite as much as sharing the recipes we find online, the tips we’ve picked up over the years, and the thoughts we have on the subject (as you’ve seen in today’s post) with our readers.
If grilling is something that still intimidates you then be sure to keep your eyes open for our next post where we’ll share a few pointers that are sure to help. Until next time!
