(Originally posted in the Smoking bbq thread)
http://www.imwan.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=11835--
I had traveled across the country to visit Rod, my best friend since grade 8. He was getting married in a few days and was having a barbecue at his house for the friends and family sharing in his upcoming joyous occasion.
Knowing of my love of the grill, he asked if I would cook the burgers. I agreed, thinking that it would be a snap to grill some hamburger patties. Not like I didn’t barbecue burgers and a whole lot more at my place. So the deal was sealed and Rod told everyone I’d be taking over the barbecue, insisting I was good at it and building up hype.
Could there be a better set up for my most important barbecuing mistake?
This would have been a slam dunk at my place. I knew the ins and outs of my grill. I knew each and every hot and cool spot. I knew where a flare-up would erupt skyward, threatening to reduce anything above it to burnt meat. I knew exactly what settings to put the temperature gauges on.
Of course, this wasn’t home and it wasn’t my grill. And I made the mistake of treating this unknown grill like it was the one I was used to hanlding. The result? A group of decent cooked burgers that were forgotten due to the handful of unevenly cooked patties that mocked me openly with burnt areas or pink innards. Blaming the grill or the dim light didn’t cut it. To this day I still hear complaints and reminders about those hated burgers. See, those people were all on the opposite side of the country so I have not been able to prove myself since. To them, that is my eternal barbecue skill level – uncooked burgers.
It is always a good feeling to create another barbecue masterpiece. However, it can be just as important to make a mistake. The benefit is not the humbling effect, it is learning from your mistake.
Know your grill, sure. But much like women, don’t assume what works with one grill will work with another.
