On this Sunday I would like to talk about an activity that many Americans take to in the Summer…..BBQs and Grilling.

I am not the typical griller…..while most Americans consider it an activity for Summer I do it year round, rain or shine, hot or cold….I grill every thing from meat to veggies to fruit…..

I truly enjoy grilled foods……

What makes it taste so damn good?

The mere thought of barbecue’s smokey scents and intoxicating flavors is enough to get most mouths watering. Summer is here, and that means it is barbecue season for many people in the U.S.

I am a chemist who studies compounds found in nature, and I am also a lover of food – including barbecue. Cooking on a grill may seem simple, but there is a lot of chemistry that sets barbecue apart from other cooking methods and results in such a delicious experience.

First, it is important to define barbecue because the term can mean different things in different cultures or geographic locations. At its most basic, barbecue is the cooking of food over an open flame. What sets barbecue apart from other cooking methods is how heat reaches the food.

On a barbecue, the hot grill grates heat the food via direct contact through a process known as conduction. The food also warms and cooks by absorbing radiation directly from the flames below. The mix of heating methods allows you to sear the parts of the food touching the grill while simultaneously cooking the parts that aren’t touching the griddle – like the sides and top – through radiating heat. The resulting range of temperatures creates a complex mixture of flavors and aromas. When cooking on a stovetop, there is much less radiation and most of the cooking is done where the food is in direct contact with the pan.

https://theconversation.com/what-makes-smoky-charred-barbecue-taste-so-good-the-chemistry-of-cooking-over-an-open-flame-184206