Barbecue Boot Camp Trivia Quiz

Answer: The food is cooked outdoors over an open flame.

Listen up cadets, while I give you a little background on the history of this fine method of food preparation that you seek to master.
Cooking food on an open fire has probably existed since caveman first discovered fire and although historians disagree on the origin of barbecuing as we know it, many trace it back to the Caribbean. Early Native Americans used the word 'barbacoa' to describe meat that was cooked slowly over an open flame and this word may well be the origin of the word 'barbecue'.
The art of barbecuing, with regional differences, can be found in various countries around the world. For the purposes of this boot camp, we are going to deal primarily with barbecuing as it is known in North America, where it is particularly prevalent in the US South. In fact Kansas City, Missouri, is known as The BBQ Capital of the World because of the number of BBQ restaurants it has.
Just for the record, the words barbecue, barbeque or BBQ can be used interchangeably. They can also refer to style of cooking, the actual piece of equipment used to do the cooking, or to a social gathering where barbecued food is served.

Answer: No

Now a propane barbecue is definitely easier to use and is therefore recommended for rank beginners like you lot. Coal burning barbecues require more time for the coals to reach the desired heat and they often need to have more fuel skillfully added to maintain that heat over the barbecuing period. Many barbecue enthusiasts find this extra effort worth the flavour added to the end product but many do not.
So whether propane or coal-burning is better essentially boils down to a question of preference and circumstances. And please, do not barbecue the cat!

Answer: tomato

While true connoisseurs make their own sauce, most hobbyists, as you inspire to be, purchase a basic sauce and either use it as is or make modifications. The tomato-based sauces found in stores across North America are generally variations on the Kansas City Style sauce, which is known for being thick and spicy while still having a sweet taste due to the addition of molasses and sugar to the sauce.
Different regions do have their own specialty sauces.
Texans often use spices to dry rub their meat, either adding the sauce, which is usually tomato-based, during the cooking process, or serving it on the side.

Answer: shish kebabs

Shish kebabs (or kabobs) make a delightful addition to anyone's barbecuing repertoire. They originated in the Middle East, where archaeological evidence has them dating back to the 17th century BC, but I see from your faces that that's not what you came here to learn. Kebabs, as we have come to define them, consist of small pieces of food, usually meat but vegetables are sometimes added, grilled on a skewer over an open fire.

These are often marinated for flavour and tenderness and to prevent any vegetables from drying out and burning. Given the nature of this boot camp, we are not even going to discuss the ones that are cooked in an oven.

Answer: lighting a coal burning barbecue

Lighting your barbecue can be one of the most dangerous steps in the process. Many people simply pour lighter fluid on top of their charcoal and toss in a match. Not only can this lead to uncontrolled bursts of flames, but many people feel that a residue of the kerosene (or other accelerant) can be tasted in the food if the charcoal does not burn for 45 minutes before the food is cooked, at which point your fire may be reaching the point of needing further coal added.
This device is a charcoal chimney starter and is a much safer, smarter way to light a coal burning barbecue. The bottom of the chimney is loosely packed with newspaper and the top filled with charcoal, to about an inch from the top edge. The paper is then lit, in many places, from the openings in the bottom. As the paper burns the charcoal ignites and once the coals are burning nicely you simply dump them into your barbecue. These devices are inexpensive and can be found online.
Propane barbecues usually have a flint-operated starter button, although I have never seen one that doesn't break down with use. The secret to lighting a propane barbecue is to not let the propane build up too much before lighting. If your propane barbecue does not light immediately it is generally wise to shut off the propane tank and let the gas dissipate before trying again.

Answer: No

While pre-formed, bagged charcoal briquettes are easy and work well in the charcoal chimney starter, wood burns down to charcoal and can just as easily be used to barbecue. The secret to cooking with wood is to wait until the flames have died down and a nice bed of hot embers is formed. Cooking over high flames will scorch the outside of your food before the inside is cooked. Watching for and controlling flame spurts on any barbecue (which are often cause by dripping fat) is an important part of becoming good at the art.

Answer: fire and a grill

While having a proper barbecue with a fitted grill is easiest, you can certainly use whatever is at hand. The important thing to remember when building the fire pit is to construct it so that the fire will stay where you want it and not spread. Using stones to form the pit not only helps with the safety issue, but provides a platform upon which to place your grill. If you don't have a grill with you, a handy shopping cart will do. Barring that you can construct a makeshift grill with pieces of wood. Just use some of that ingenuity that you were born with!

Answer: timing and temperature of the coals

The coals in your barbecue will not always burn at the same temperature. Some spots on your grill will be hotter than others and these hot spots will change as the coals burn. When cooking some meats, like steak for example, it's best to start them on a hot spot to sear in the juices, but then move them to a different location to allow them to cook more slowly for a more tender result.
Not all meats require the same amount of time on the barbecue either, so you need to become familiar with the timing and heat needs of your different meats and not slap them all on the grill at the same time.

Answer: before and after every use, when the grill is warm

Using a stiff brush, usually with wire bristles, it is best to clean the grill after use, when the grill is still warm. Getting the food residue off before it has time to harden produces the best result. Another quick brush while the grill is heating will help dispose of any dust or insects that may have settled there since the last use.
There are cleaners you can use to perform an occasional, more thorough clean, but these contain chemicals that you do not want to ingest so thorough rinsing is needed.

Answer: to smoke food

Smoking meat goes back almost as far as the invention of barbecuing. Native Americans used to smoke an entire pig to produce a more tender meat. This particular smoker is a propane one. On the bottom of the container is the burner, situated underneath a box containing wood or charcoal. Above that is a pan of water to add moisture to the air and then the racks of meat.
You don't need a fancy smoker to produce the same effect. You can buy inexpensive smokers to work in your propane or coal burning barbecue.
The secret to smoking meat is that keeping the temperature at an even, low heat and to keep the fire away from the meat. So when turning your barbecue into a smoker you build the fire on one side of the barbecue and place the meat on the other. The containers holding the wood chips and the water would be placed on the side with the flames. The lid needs to be closed to contain the smoke and keep the temperature even, but it needs to be checked often.
Different wood chips produce different flavours, with popular ones being hickory, apple, cherry and mesquite. The chips need to be soaked in water so that they smoulder for longer rather than quickly catching fire.