Words & Images: Kerren “Kezza” Packer
Barbecue is a deep rabbit hole (read: abyss), so in this series of articles, I am going to cover off some essential barbecue items that will hopefully reduce the learning curve when getting this fire burning.
Part One: Getting Started…
Barbecues come in many shapes and sizes but can be basically broken down in to three categories, there are other variations on a similar theme, but essentially these options are what you will find available in most barbecue outlets.
Kettle barbecues are capable of low ‘n’ slow and hot ‘n’ fast styles of cooking. Kettles excel in the art of grilling steaks and cooking with rotisseries to perfection. Most that start their journey with kettles will soon find the available grill space lacking and wanting more real estate for larger cooks. Considered by many seasoned barbecuers as a “stepping stone” but you’ll never forget your first and will no doubt keep it for prosperity. 
Drum and Bullet smokers have similar features to the above kettle in that you can grill steaks, create indirect zones and achieve fantastic low ‘n’ slow smoked foods etc, but with the ability to, by way of meat hooks, hang proteins vertically thus creating available cooking space for larger gatherings. There are drums and bullets in the market that will suit most budgets – you won’t regret adding one to your outdoor cooking experience. (image: DRUM.jpg)
Offset smokers describes the family of barbecues that have a firebox off to the side or under the main cooking chamber. Arguably offset barbecues provide a deeper smoke profile to the proteins and for the most part have an impressive cooking footprint, allowing for large gatherings. Often made super tough and designed to last a life-time. 
The cons in my opinion are that offsets require plenty of time and “baby sitting” and can burn a hole in your budget fairly quickly. Indeed a true low ‘n’ slow experience. Not ideal for grilling steaks, but with a bit of kiwi ingenuity anything is possible. Offsets are available in traditional coal-wood fired options as well as digital pallet grills.
There are three natural Barbecue fuels that create the heat for cooking, as well as the flavour profiles that gives barbecue food it’s age-old appeal.
Lump Charcoal is created from 100% natural non uniform hard wood that has been “cooked” down in oxygen deprived “ovens”. Lump provides plenty of flavour on its own and is the ideal choice for hot ‘n’ fast cooks and when searing steaks. Not all lump is created equally and I have had mixed experiences across the available brands in New Zealand. Heat Beads, Manuka Wood Supply and Samba are three good brand options when choosing a consistent lump charcoal in my opinion. 
Barbecue Briquettes are made from compressed lump coal ‘dust’ with the addition of non-toxic food grade binders, in some cases accelerants and oxidising agents. Briquettes are uniform in shape and size, meaning consistency in burn rate. This feature suits low ‘n’ slow cooks where you can measure the quantity of fuel vs available cook time. Again, not all briquettes are created equally – I look for Heat Beads or Samba, both excellent options.
Smoking Wood is available in many varieties and sizes. The main thing to be sure of when selecting a smoking wood is that is has been correctly seasoned (approximately after felling it has been left to dry for 12 months – hence a season). If the smoking wood has moisture levels over 20% then it will not burn efficiently and likely give your food an acrid-bitter flavour – not ideal.
I like to think of smoke similar to salt and pepper – present but not overpowering. Different varieties of wood pair better to different proteins, for instance, I love cherry wood when paired with chicken and pohutukawa with beef but that is personal preference. There are plenty of pairing guides online, but experimentation is key to finding your own “happy place.”
That is all the space I have available for now but in Barbecue Workshop 1.02, I will cover off some essential barbecue items that have been absolute game changers for me personally.
Fire it up!
Kezza