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When do you fire up the barbecue? Whenever you can get to the grill! Have two feet of snow on your porch (like we did last year ? Get the jacket, grab the charcoal, shovel a bath to the BBQ, and fire it up! Nothing like hot barbecue when it’s below freezing, right? If you live on the surface of the sun (e.g: Arizona) and never have the snow you’ll never have any excuses not to fire that BBQ up at any time of year.

Now, there’s the slow cooking barbecue and there’s the much faster grilling. Barbecue uses indirect heat, much like your oven on a low setting, while grilling uses more charcoal and whatever you’re cooking is placed right above them. Like a broiler. The BBQ might take 3 or four hours to finish, while you can grill steaks in 10-15 minutes.

In general you’ll be barbecuing the tougher cuts, ribs, or meats that may have some gristle or connective tissue. The slow, long heat will break that down and the meat will be totally delectable. Do that with a fish or a good steak, and, well, it won’t be pretty. So grill your steaks & fish and barbecue your baby back ribs.

Speaking of steaks, here’s what you’ll need to grill a couple of rib eye steaks (and check out the video on how to bbq a ribeye steak.

1. 2 1 to 1.5 lb ribeye steaks
2. 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
3. some diced celery and scallions
4. garlic clove
5. butter
6. charcoal and your grill/weber
7. cast iron skillet

Pile up the coals to one side of the lower grill and fire them up. Since you’ll be grilling these cuts you’ll want a good size pile to generate a lot of heat, but you won’t cover the lower grill with them, keep them to one side. Once the coals are hot put the steaks on the grill. This step seals in the juices by searing the meat, so you want to hear those steaks sizzle when you put them on the grill. Flip them after a minute or so and check out those nice grill lines.

Once seared, move the steaks to the part of the grill without the coals. They’ll stay hot there while you put the skillet over the coals and add the sliced onions and some butter. Saute the onions until they’re just they way you like them and then set them aside. Keep the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill and close up the grill. Open it up every couple of minutes to turn the steaks until nearly done (and done is the way you like it.)

When the steaks are almost ready put the skillet back on and add the celery, the scallions, and some butter. then mash that clove of garlic and add it to the mix. Move the mix out of the way and put the steaks in the skillet and put the mix on top of the steaks. Add the onions, too. Cook for a minute or so, then serve it all up.

As for real barbecue, which takes a lot longer, take a look at this video which will show you how to make perfect barbecue pork ribs. Now, the real question is this: can you wait three to four hours to eat the ribs while that wonderful barbecue scent drifts through the air? It’s tough, but be strong. The finished BBQ ribs will be worth the wait.

Take your time and plan well, because poor planning will be the demise of the party! So where do you start, you ask? Begin planning your ultimate backyard barbecue with these tips from the DIY Network at www.diynetwork.com.

Make an inventory of the guests you want to invite and put together a mouth-watering menu with selections that may appeal to everybody.

The next thing is to pick a theme for your backyard barbecue and select decorations and party invites. Do your shopping well beforehand and ensure your griddle is good to go with masses of propane or charcoal. You do not want to be sending somebody to the store in the middle of the festivities!

Read the full text of this article on backyard barbecue.