Outdoor BBQ: A Classic Family Tradition
Backyard barbecues are a hallmark of summer. Any gathering involves food cooked on the grill, accompanied by cold drinks, sunglasses, lawn games and laughter. Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day are all celebrated this way. For many, summer doesn’t really begin until they attend their first backyard cookout.
The tradition of backyard cookouts became popular in the 1950s, when companies like Weber began making grills that were convenient and practical for home use. Before the grill, cookouts had to be cooked over an open fire or in a large pit, so cookouts were big affairs or a camping activity. The grills allowed for small-scale cooking with consistent results. Since homes were smaller back then, backyard cookouts allowed people to have a large number of guests without crowding them all into one house. It also prevented all the heat and odors from the kitchen from entering the house.
Most of the cookouts had traditional menus: hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, ribs, and chicken tenders served with cole slaw, potato salad, chips and salsa, and corn on the cob. Today, many people have expanded the definition of grilling foods to include fish such as salmon, whole rotisserie chicken, kabobs, shellfish, and vegetables. The attached gas burners on today’s grills mean food that could only be prepared indoors has gone outdoors.
There are many chefs who specialize in grilling and have written books and hosted shows dedicated to cooking just about anything on the grill, including baked goods. These men and women have made grilling an art form and fueled the popularity of outdoor cooking. These multi-function hubs take all the features of a kitchen—refrigerator, sink, grill, and stove—and bring them outdoors. The development marked a new focus on stylish outdoor living. Today’s backyard gathering is as much a dinner as a cookout. These changes mean that the meaning of the term patio cookout has shifted from the most informal of gatherings to a catch-all term for just about anything, as long as it’s served outdoors.
Even with the fancy alternatives available today, there’s something to be said for a fresh-off-the-grill burger with ketchup and pickles, some potato salad, an ear of corn and a cold beer, eaten on a bench. picnic in shorts and a T-shirt or swimsuit, surrounded by family, good friends and laughter. The classic garden barbecue will always exist as an American piece that cannot be matched or replaced.