Discovered around 500,000 years ago, grilling as way of cooking food is still regarded as one of the best loved ways of food preparation even in today's technologically advanced world. The process of grilling refers to cooking of food over direct heat. This process can now be done in a variety of grills offered in the market. Among the popular types of grill today are charcoal grills and portable gas grills.

As was aforementioned, grilling requires direct heat, commonly above or below, to cook food. A grill, a grill pan, or a griddle may be used in the process of grilling. A grill is an open wire grid with a heat source above or below while a grill pan resembles a frying pan except that it has raised ridges to mimic the wires of an open grill. On the other hand, a griddle is a flat plate that is heated from below. Food is exposed to temperatures often in excess of 260 C (500 F) when grilling.

As was earlier stated, the history of grilling as a way of cooking food dates back to around 500,000 years ago-which is the time when fire was domesticated. Nonetheless, grills as we know them today were invented in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The earliest forms of this backyard cookware were characterized by a shallow-metal pan sitting atop spindly legs. These tools then used charcoal to cook food and were popularly called Brazier grills. From this milestone, various improvements were made to improve the quality of food cooked and the way how food is cooked. Among the number of grills now available in the market, the popular types are charcoal grills and portable gas grills.

Food can be prepared using the process of grilling in four different methods. First among these is the direct grilling process which is recommended for small pieces of meat. Direct grilling cooks food quickly over direct heat at high temperatures to produce a crunchy and slightly charred exterior and moist interior. Another grilling process is called indirect grilling where food is cooked slowly and more evenly. This method, which is highly suggested for large cuts of meat, involves the use of foil drip pans with coals burnings on either of their sides. Next is the process called rotisserie where food is rotated over hot coal. This process of grilling aims to keep the interior of the meat juicy while keeping the crispness of the skin. The fourth type of grilling is called grill smoking. In this process, a couple of wet pieces of wood are added to the grill to add a special smoking flavor to the food being grilled.

As was aforementioned, there are a variety of grills now available in the market. Among these are electric grills, charcoal grills, and portable gas grills. Electric grills are often used indoors are among the easiest to use among any other types of grills. They are designed to be smokeless and are convenient to use and easy to clean. Charcoal grills on the other hand, as the name suggests, require the use of charcoal to grill food. These types are the best to provide real fire flavors. Portable gas grills, alternatively, are also easy to use and convenient and are often less expensive than electric grills.

The market now offers a wide array of grills to choose from depending on the type of grilling one wants to do. From charcoal ones to portable gas grills and electric tools, families wanting to enjoy outdoor activities like open-air cooking would definitely be able to find one that would suit their needs.

Jennifer Lorenzo is a sous chef at a 5-star in Paris, France. At home, Chef Jennifer enjoys with her family in their backyard using a Landmann Gasgrill.