Tips for Slow-Cooking on an Outdoor Cooking Grill

When using an outdoor cooking grill, did you know that ‘grilling’ and ‘barbecuing’ are actually two different cooking methods? Although many people use these terms interchangeably, they are quite different from one another. Slow cooking on your outdoor cooking grill can also be referred to as ‘barbecuing,’ but we’ll get to the terminology in a bit. Cooking low and slow is a great way to ensure your dish absorbs as much smokey flavor as possible. And with a few tricks and the perfect grill, you’ll be a slow-cooking pro. Read below as we give you a few tips on how to cook low and slow over your outdoor cooking grill.

Grilling Versus Barbecuing

There is one main difference between these two cooking methods, and that is how they are cooked overheat. Grilling is often a hot and fast process that cooks food over direct heat. Barbecuing, on the other hand, involves cooking food for a longer time (sometimes hours) over indirect heat or a slightly lower temperature. Although this process may be time-consuming, it’s worth it. Something magical happens when you cook a tough piece of meat at a low temperature for a long enough time. A piece of connective tissue, once chewy and unappetizing, can turn into melt-off-the-bone baby back ribs through an efficient slow-cooking process. Besides, slow-cooking isn’t just a cooking method; it’s an event!

4 Tips for Slow-Cooking on Your Outdoor Cooking Grill

1. Prepare Your Grill for Slow Cooking

Because you’ll be using indirect heat for this cooking method, your grill needs to be set up to produce a low temperature and consistent heat source. There are many ways you can do this. However, we particularly like the charcoal snake method. You basically place two rows of charcoal briquettes along your fire pit wall into a semi-circle. You can add about two to three small pieces of wood on top of the snake, closest to where you’ll light it up. This fire-building technique allows your grill to burn for hours on end, creating a reliable heat source for your slow-cooking process. Pro Tip: Place your grill grate at the level where you can keep your hand over your coals for ten seconds — this is the perfect temperature for slow-cooking.

2. Choose Your Meat Your Wisely

Although nothing stops you from smoking your steak, fish, and thinner slices of meat, slow-cooking is the most rewarding when barbecuing thick or tougher cuts. The bigger and tougher your cut, the more smoke and heat it will absorb. Because you’ll be using indirect heat, you need to make room for the heat to penetrate your meat. If you’re cooking something like ribs, don’t pile a whole lot of them onto one another. Instead, place them a fair distance apart from each other on the grill grate. This allows the smoke to seep into every part of your meat.

3. There’s No Need to Flip

Remember, you’re not grilling burger patties; you’re smoking an entire beast. If you build your fire right and produce a consistent heat source, there’s no need to turn your meat over. When you use the KUDU Smoker Lid, you can be sure the heat of the coals is locked in and going straight into your meat. Slow-cooking is basically smoking your food for a long time, and this is the magic that turns your meat into tender perfection. Take a look at how Stebin Horne, owner of KUDU Grills, uses the KUDU Grill and KUDU Smoker Lid to slow-cook his ribs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UEbBfTVdPY

4. Add Flavor as Your Meat Cooks

Your meat will be smoking over the fire for at least a few hours. So, you can’t expect the rub you put on before it went onto the grill to still be there once it’s ready to be served. Adding a little more seasoning or rub once or twice throughout the slow-cooking process can really make all the difference.

Bonus Tip: Slow-Cook With the KUDU Grill

As one of the best multi-functional outdoor grills on the market, you can rely on the KUDU to help you out with any cooking method. And yes, that includes cooking low and slow. This grill provides convenience for slow-cooking because you can access your heat source without disturbing your food. Its adjustable bars allow you to elevate your grill grate(s) and access the fire without taking your food away from the heat. So you can keep your heat consistent by adding or taking away fuel. Contact us today to find out more about the KUDU Grill, designed for any outdoor occasion.

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