Memories of barbecues past…

Hanging out at my maternal grandparent’s patio in the summertime; watching my grandfather cook chicken and burgers over a charcoal fire, is one of my earliest memories surrounding outdoor grilling and cooking.  I do remember he had some sort of a kettle grill, and he preferred to light the charcoal with a plug in charcoal lighter that glowed red hot and got the coals going without having to use lighter fluid?  Why do I remember this in such detail?  Beats me…

Some other memories….

Christmas dinner with my dad’s side of the family was usually beef; and often, grilled steak.  (My paternal grandfather, and later my father, owned a meat market, then a supermarket)   Beef, to them, was what was for dinner.  My dad would cut some thick steaks (strip steaks were his favorite) and grill them on a built-in Charmglow gas grill on the patio.  They would be served piping hot off of the grill, accompanied by baked potatoes and Caesar salad, which was one of my aunt’s specialties.   If for some reason steak wasn’t on the menu, a prime rib of beef would be grilled out, often on a rotisserie.

Oh, forgot to mention, my maternal grandfather also had one of those built in brick barbecues out in the backyard  that were popular back in the 50’s and 60’s.   It was real old school stuff.  It wasn’t really great for cooking anything except hot dogs, and maybe burgers, but it was picturesque, anyway.  

I got interested in barbecue myself as a teenager, and often took over the outdoor cooking duties from my parents.  First burgers, then pork steaks and pork chops;  followed by chicken and ribs.  I probably used way too much sauce too early, and burnt too much meat, especially chicken, before I got the hang of things.   It was a learning process.

Several times, with my father on fishing trips or vacations, he taught me that fish is very tasty grilled or smoked.  He just loved it, and I do too.   Cooking out our lunch during a fishing trip with Dad to Canada or the Pacific Northwest is a great memory.

I also recall as a kid, hanging out at a friend’s house by their pool on lazy summer afternoons.  The snacks for the afternoon included chunks of grilled sausage served with homemade ketchup (which was kind of like a thin barbecue sauce) that my mother made and canned.   Very unique. 

During college, my fraternity at the University of Missouri always had a pig roast every spring.  One of the brothers who was a farmer would donate a pig, the pit would be dug, the fire lit, and the pig turned over the spit.  I don’t remember if the barbecue was really that good, but it was a good reason to stay up all night, and have a beer, or two.  It was a highlight of our spring, and usually took place a week or two before final exams.  One last hurrah to blow off some steam.

Later on, as I had a family of my own, brisket cooked over a smoker the Texas way became the preferred meat for family gatherings.  I had one of those cheap patio water smokers (the kind that look like R2D2 from Star Wars) and kept at it until I could turn out something edible.  Several grills and smokers later, I finally got a smoker with an offset firebox that does a really nice job.

Now, with our grill servicing and cleaning business, plus the barbecue competition team my brother and I have, outdoor cooking and related activities are a big part of my family’s life.  Nothing gives me more pleasure than to hang out on the patio with family and friends, grilling, visiting, and enjoying each other’s company.  Great food is wonderful, but the best part is the memories and the camaraderie that come from being together.

Care to share any of your memories? 

Enjoy your grilling this week!