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Français When thinking about the best system for grilling, two well-known and widely used methods generally come to mind: barbecue and the grill. However, depending on the flavor, aroma and final result we are looking for, the number of people for whom we are going to cook, the space we have or the place where we are going to work (outdoor space, family kitchen, kitchen of a large restaurant, etc.) we can choose between other techniques, perhaps less well known, but with exquisite and exceptional results.
Therefore, from Jumaco & Maestro ovens, manufacturers of industrial ovens and barbecues with extensive experience in the sector, we want to share with you the main keys of grilled cuisine in barbecues, grills, wood-fired ovens, kamados Y robbed so that you can choose the technique that best suits your needs, whether you dedicate yourself to hostelry as if you are a particular fond of the embers.
Before going into talking about the characteristics and differences of these grilled cooking systems, it is important to note that everybody them they work with firewood or charcoal, which, at the same time, is what gives cooking that peculiar and amazing flavor.
Barbecue
One of the most frequent questions when we talk about barbecues is whether a barbecue is the same as a grill. The answer is yes, but with the difference that barbecues incorporate a lid and the grills don't.
However, as small as this difference may seem, the truth is that the way of cooking changes a lot, making the barbecue Be a more complete kitchen system since:
- By having a lid it allows transform the barbecue into an oven where air and heat circulate throughout the dome allowing controlled cooking of food.
- The lid also provides as an extra benefit the possibility of smoking food both hot and cold thanks to its ability to retain smoke and allow it to permeate perfectly into food during cooking.
- If you are an amateur cook or you still have little experience, you will be interested to know that barbecue is a more secure system than the grill since having a lid you can keep the fire under control and safe from possible gusts of air that increase the risks of suffering an incident during cooking.
In addition, there are different models, types, designs and sizes of barbecues like construction barbecues, the industrial, the round or those of barrel which, as a curiosity, were created literally by cutting a barrel and joining both parts with hinges to create the base and the lid.
So whatever your tastes and needs there is a perfect barbecue for you. From Hornos Jumaco we invite you to visit our barbecue catalog prodding here.
Grill
As we mentioned in the previous section, the grill It is a grilled cooking system very similar to the barbecue except that it does not have a lid, but it is mainly composed of some bars, which can be of different size and shape, on which food is placed to be cooked.
Under the bars is the space for fuel, that is, to charcoal or firewood, which in turn heats up when heated the bars they act like heat diffusers and they allow food to cook little by little.
An important aspect to keep in mind is that Depending on the shape, separation and inclination of the bars, the final cooking result will be different. For example, round bars They provide more aromas to the dishes since the fat from the food we are cooking falls directly on the embers, generating more smoke, which is precisely responsible for flavoring the food.
While in the case of V bars the grease does not fall on the embers, but rather runs into a grease pan. However, as an advantage, it is a safer method for beginner cooks since it avoids the formation of flames that could interfere with the result of the roast.
On the other hand, square bars in terms of flavor and aroma they are also better and, in addition, the famous grill brands print on the food. However, although they are very common in the United States, in Spain they are used less and are more difficult to find.
Similarly, the different inclinations of the bars will make the food is closer to or further from the embers and, therefore, it will be what allows us to have control over temperature.
Wood ovens
The wood-fired oven is made of mud and it is precisely the quality and presence of this material along with others such as clays Y aluminum silicate mixtures hydrous, also called kaolin, which give the oven the refractory capacity necessary to cook food with the highest quality.
In addition, in this system the whole process of manufacturing and mounting of the oven that must always be carried out by a professional.
As for the types of wood-fired ovens we can distinguish two large groups:
- Direct oven: inside it is arranged by placing the embers on one side and on the other, right next to it, the food to be cooked, such as lamb, pizza or bread.
- Indirect oven: in this case, the fuel is placed inside a combustion chamber that is separated from the food, thus providing the heat they need to cook indirectly, but it does not flavor them as they are in separate compartments.
If you want to know our wide variety of direct and indirect wood oven models, click here.
Kamado
He kamado (in Japanese cooking stove) is a technique of the Japanese cuisine increasingly popular in other countries of the world in which a kind of ceramic or clay kiln closed that is characterized by not drying out the food and by enduring many hours of cooking with very little fuel.
This grilled cooking system allows roasting and smoking food both hot and cold and introduces as a novelty the possibility of cooking at low temperature with charcoal or wood. Besides being able to choose between cooking with smoke or without smoke.
In general, it is always cooked with the lid closed Since, as it is a low temperature cooking system, if it is cooked with the lid open, the temperature will increase considerably and the food could burn.
He secret of the kamado is in master shots and fire. For this, this oven has a built-in deflector which is a ceramic piece that is placed between the embers and the food to reduce the draft and guarantee that the food is cooked with indirect fire, that is, by hot air without the embers being in contact with the food.
Whether adequately control the temperature excellent results are achieved and a large number of dishes can be prepared from roast meat, to rice dishes or stews.
The robata
The robata, also from Japanese origin, is a grilled cooking system that has been gaining strength in recent years throughout the world since it is a simple, fast technique, suitable for cooking all kinds of food and with great visual power since the food is cooked live and direct in front of the diners that they will not only enjoy the taste of the dishes, but will also participate in its preparation.
It is a rectangular structure composed of metal bars on which the food rests directly so that it comes into contact with the embers. Depending on the desired result, the food can be placed on the grill or cooked without actually touching the bars while the cooks move the skewers with their hands.
Since Hornos Jumaco We hope that this article will be interesting for you and will help you to try new grilled cooking techniques. Also, if you are thinking of incorporating a oven or barbecue, but you do not know which one to choose, do not hesitate to contact with us. Our team of specialists will help and advise you on choosing the best oven or barbecue based on your needs and objectives.
Source:
Benayas, JM, Celada, E., & Hernández, A. (2018). Between embers: the secrets of the fire kitchen. Planet.
