BBQ Grill Terms Glossary: Your A-Z Guide to Grilling Like a Pro
Grilling isn’t just about heat and meat—it’s a culture with its own language. From technical terms to backyard slang, this expanded glossary will turn you from a newbie into a pitmaster poet. Let’s dive in!
A
Ash Pan
A removable tray in charcoal grills that collects ashes for easy cleanup.
B
Bark
The dark, crispy crust on smoked meat, formed by spices, smoke, and caramelization. A badge of honor for BBQ pros.
Basting
Brushing meat with liquids (like marinade, sauce, or melted butter) during cooking to add moisture and flavor.
Briquette
Briquettes are compressed charcoal blocks used as fuel in grills, offering consistent, long-lasting heat for cooking, though they may contain additives.
Brisket
A tough, flavorful cut of beef from the lower chest, often smoked low and slow until tender.
BTU
1 BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. It measures grill heat output, indicating how much energy the burners produce.
Built-In Gas Grills
Built-in gas grills are permanent outdoor cooking appliances installed into structures like outdoor kitchens, offering high heat, precise control, and a seamless, professional look for outdoor entertaining.
Burner
A grill burner is the component in a gas grill that produces flames to generate heat for cooking.
Burnt Ends
Crispy, caramelized chunks cut from the fatty “point” of a smoked brisket. A Kansas City BBQ staple.
C
Ceramic Briquettes
Ceramic briquettes are heat-retaining, porous blocks used in gas grills to distribute heat evenly, mimic charcoal grilling, and reduce flare-ups by vaporizing drippings.
Charcoal
Charcoal is a carbon fuel made from burned wood, used for grilling and smoking to provide high heat and smoky flavor.
Chimney Starter
A chimney starter is a metal cylinder used to quickly and efficiently light charcoal or briquettes for grilling, using newspaper as fuel, without lighter fluid.
Conversion Kit
A conversion kit is a set of parts that allows a grill to switch between fuel types, like converting from propane to natural gas or vice versa.
D
Direct Heat
Cooking food directly over the heat source (e.g., flames or coals) for quick searing or grilling.
Doneness
The internal temperature of meat indicating its readiness (e.g., rare, medium, well-done).
Drip Pan/Grease Pan
A pan placed under grates to catch grease and drippings, reducing flare-ups and simplifying cleanup.
F
Fat Cap
The layer of fat on top of cuts like brisket or pork shoulder. To trim or not to trim? A BBQ debate!
Faux Cambro
Using an insulated cooler to rest meat for hours (mimicking a professional food warmer, or “Cambro”).
Flare-Up
Sudden bursts of flames caused by fat or grease hitting hot coals or burners. Manage by moving food to indirect heat.
Flat Top Grill
A flat top grill is a cooking appliance with a flat, smooth metal surface (usually steel) used to cook food directly on it. It’s versatile, ideal for grilling, frying, and sautéing, and commonly used in restaurants and outdoor kitchens.
Freestanding Grill
A freestanding grill is a portable, self-supported outdoor cooking unit that doesn’t require installation and can be moved easily.
Fuel
Grill fuel is the material used to generate heat for cooking on a grill, such as charcoal, propane, natural gas, or pellets.
G
Griddle
A griddle is a flat cooking surface, often made of metal, used for frying, searing, or cooking foods like pancakes, eggs, and burgers evenly. It can be part of a stove, standalone, or built into a grill.
Grill
A grill is an outdoor cooking appliance that uses direct heat (from charcoal, gas, or wood) to cook food. When "grill" is used as a verb, it means to cook food using direct, dry heat, typically on a grill or griddle.
Grill Marks
Those Instagram-worthy crosshatch sear marks left by grill grates.
Grill Grates/Cooking Grates
Grill grates are the metal surfaces in a grill where food is placed to cook, providing heat transfer and creating sear marks.
H
Hot and Fast
Grilling at high temperatures for quick cooking (the opposite of “low and slow”).
I
Igniter/Ignitor
An igniter is a device used to create a spark or flame to light the fuel (gas, charcoal, or pellets) in a grill, making it easier and safer to start the fire.
Indirect Heat
Cooking food adjacent to (not directly over) the heat source. Ideal for slow-cooking large cuts or avoiding charring.
Instant read thermometer
An instant-read thermometer is a kitchen tool used to quickly and accurately measure the internal temperature of food, ensuring it’s cooked safely and to the desired doneness.
Insulated Blanket
A grill insulated blanket is a protective cover designed to retain heat and improve energy efficiency in grills, often used in cold weather to maintain consistent cooking temperatures.
K
Kamado Grill
An egg-shaped ceramic grill known for excellent heat retention and versatility (good for grilling, smoking, or baking).
L
Low and Slow
The golden rule of BBQ: cooking tough cuts at low temps (225–275°F) for hours until tender.
Lump Charcoal
Pure wood charcoal with no additives. Burns hotter and faster than briquettes, imparting a clean, smoky flavor.
M
Marinate
Soaking meat in a seasoned liquid (often acidic) to tenderize and infuse flavor before cooking.
Meat Thermometer
A tool for checking the internal temperature of meat to ensure doneness and safety.
Mop
A thin, vinegar-based sauce brushed onto meat during smoking to add flavor and moisture (not to be confused with thicker BBQ sauces).
O
Offset fireboxes
Offset fireboxes are side chambers on grills or smokers where fuel burns, directing heat and smoke into the main cooking area for indirect cooking.
Oklahoma Crutch
Wrapping brisket in foil with butter and broth during the stall to speed up cooking and boost juiciness.
P
Pellet Grill
A smoker/grill hybrid that uses wood pellets as fuel, offering precise temperature control and smoky flavor.
Pitmaster
The grill guru—someone who lives and breathes BBQ.
Portable Grill
A portable grill is a compact, lightweight cooking device designed for easy transport, ideal for outdoor activities like camping, picnics, or tailgating. It can use charcoal, gas, or electric fuel.
Propane
A common fuel for gas grills, stored in tanks and known for quick ignition and consistent heat.
Q
Q
Slang for “barbecue” (e.g., “Let’s get some Q!”).
R
Rack
A rack typically refers to a rack of ribs, such as pork or beef ribs, which is a full section of ribs cooked as a single piece.
Regulator
A regulator in BBQ is a device that controls the flow and pressure of gas (propane or natural gas) from the fuel source to the grill burners, ensuring safe and consistent heat.
Resting
Letting cooked meat sit for 5–15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
Reverse Sear
A method where meat is cooked low and slow first, then seared at high heat for a crispy exterior.
Rotisserie kit
A rotisserie kit is an accessory for grills that includes a motorized spit and forks to rotate meat slowly over heat, ensuring even cooking and a crispy exterior.
Rub
A blend of spices and herbs applied to meat before cooking to enhance flavor and form a crust.
S
Salt Bae Move
Dramatically sprinkling salt over meat like the viral chef—bonus points for flair.
Santa Maria-Style
A California grilling tradition featuring tri-tip beef cooked over red oak on a raised open grill.
Sear
Cooking meat at high heat to create a caramelized, flavorful crust (thanks to the Maillard reaction).
Sear Burner
A sear burner is a high-powered burner on a grill or stove designed specifically for achieving a quick, intense heat to sear food and create a flavorful crust.
Seasoning
Maintaining cast iron grates or griddles by applying oils and high heat.
Side Burner
A side burner is an additional burner, often found on grills or outdoor cooking appliances, used for cooking side dishes or keeping food warm while the main cooking takes place.
Smoke
The flavorful vapor produced by burning wood, infusing meat with a distinct BBQ aroma.
Smoke Box
A smoker box is a container used to hold wood chips or other aromatic materials, which release smoke when heated, typically to flavor food during cooking.
Smoke Ring
A pink layer just beneath the surface of smoked meat, caused by a chemical reaction between smoke and myoglobin.
Smoking Wood
Wood chunks or chips (like hickory, apple, or mesquite) added to fires for flavor.
Spatchcock
Butterflying poultry by removing the backbone to flatten it for even cooking.
Stall
When meat’s internal temperature plateaus during cooking due to evaporative cooling.
T
Texas Crutch
Wrapping meat in foil or butcher paper during the stall to power through the temperature plateau.
TBS (Thin Blue Smoke)
The ideal, barely visible smoke from a clean fire—thick white smoke is bitter, blue smoke is gold.
Trimming
Removing excess fat or connective tissue from meat before cooking.
Two-Zone Fire
Setting up a grill with both direct (hot) and indirect (cooler) heat zones for versatility.
V
Vent
Adjustable openings on a grill or smoker that control airflow (and thus temperature).
W
Wood chips
Wood chips are small, thin pieces of wood often used as fuel or for adding flavor when smoking food.
Y
Yardbird
BBQ slang for chicken.
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