National Barbecue Month, Our Favorite Four Week Holiday
Not every business can say this, but every year there’s an entire month dedicated to our specific line of work. National Barbecue Month arrives in late spring, in the month of May to be exact. It’s the perfect time to celebrate a longstanding and delicious cooking technique that we lovingly call barbecue. While cooking foods over a fire began somewhere around half a million years ago by ancient man, today what we know of the technique has evolved by leaps and bounds. The popularity of grilling is backed by numerous statistical findings, and today we point out a few of these statistics as a reminder of how popular barbecue still is to this day.
An American Tradition
Despite the fact that what we call “grilling” started many decades ago, (sometime in the 1940-1950’s) it’s still a preferred method of choice for cooking dinner for many people. According to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, over 80% of Americans currently own a barbecue or smoker. As if that number isn’t staggering enough, the HPBA has also discovered that 97% of these owners have used their grill in the past year. In 2013 alone over 14 million new grills were purchased, which also shows that people are still interested in the art of cooking over an open flame.
Gas vs. Charcoal (Convenience vs. Tradition)
When comparing gas with charcoal, statistics have shown that gas grills are becoming significantly more popular. In 2013, shipments of new barbecues consisted of 58% gas grills, 40 % charcoal grills, and 2% electric grills. The numbers also show that lighter fluid is still the most popular way to light briquettes, which also happen to be the most popular fuel for charcoal grillers. Easy light briquettes that come pre-saturated in fuel are also increasing in popularity along with natural lump charcoal.
In addition to the numbers proving that barbecue is still a very popular way to cook dinner, the data also suggests that grillers favor convenience more and more. Gas grills, instant-lighting briquettes, and the increasing popularity of electric and infrared grills all confirm this trend. As a grill accessory manufacturer, we’ve realized that this shift will continue to drive the need for grill tools that make grilling easier, more convenient, and more efficient.
Time to Grill
So what’s National Barbecuing Month really all about? For me it’s all about fresh ingredients cooked over a blazing hot grill with the company of friends and family on a beautiful spring day. Great food is perhaps one of the easiest ways to get people together and when you’re grilling the event becomes that much more social. If you’ve ever hosted a dinner party where you cooked indoors, you know as well as I do there’s often little room for guests to socialize while you cook. Grilling takes the party outdoors, so you end up having to balance less between hosting and cooking. So many people have used (or currently own) a grill that it’s an easy conversation starter. You’d be surprised how many people have their own prized recipes, signature dishes, or interesting grill techniques.
So if you haven’t already, it’s time to dust off the grill and head the grocery store. Celebrate the art of grilling the right way, by cooking a wonderful grilled meal for your friends and family.
