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Low 'n' slow barbecuing: Adding sizzle and flavour to food

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Slow-cooked meats from Bovine and Swine in Sydney.
Slow-cooked meats from Bovine and Swine in Sydney.Supplied

It was quite possibly the BBQ event of the season, with more than 100 meat flipping enthusiasts and professional barbecuers, plenty of slow-cooked pork, brisket and a mechanical bull filling Annandale's laneway boutique brewery the Wayward Brewing Co.

The occasion? A beer swirling toast to celebrate the launch of Kingsford Charcoal – the charcoal briquettes turning the humble backyard cook-up into a smoking hot food event.

Known for its superior taste and performance, Kingsford Charcoal is unique – it lights easily thanks to its Signature Sure Fire Grooves, is ready quicker, consistent to use and it remains hotter for longer. But more importantly, it delivers a superb depth of flavour to food.

Kingsford Charcoal briquettes.
Kingsford Charcoal briquettes.Supplied
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Kingsford Charcoal has been a long awaited addition to the Australian market for many barbecue enthusiasts. It's been the market leader in America for almost 100 years, when king of the cars, Henry Ford, invented it back in 1920. Being the visionary that Ford was, he looked for a way to repurpose wood waste and developed Kingsford Charcoal. Today, Kingsford Charcoal owns a massive 75 per cent of market share in America. That's a big chunk of the backyard barbie population.

So how will it affect the Aussie backyard barbecue?

"People will start to change the way they cook," says Simon Durrant, general manager of Clorox Australia and New Zealand, Kingsford Charcoal's parent company.

"Australians love barbecuing, but in the past it's predominantly been using gas, because it's quick and consistent. Kingsford Charcoal will have people rethinking charcoal, because it has that same quickness of lighting and a consistency of gas, but maybe hasn't existed in charcoal options before now.

"It lights every time, takes just 15 minutes until it's ready to cook on, is consistent in its heat delivery, and it lasts for a long time – making it cost effective too. So for your home cook, it gives them a consistent product and approach to barbecuing, but has the added benefits and flavours of charcoal cooking."

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The forecast isn't just a switch from gas to charcoal smoking – it's also about the style of cooking.

Adam Roberts, co-founder of the Australasian Barbecue Alliance (ABA), says he's seeing a big movement towards low 'n' slow cooking using wood-based products, which involves cooking bigger pieces of meat over several hours and infusing the flavour.

"The trend is definitely towards low 'n' slow cooking with barbecues and smokers, and people are really embracing the benefits of cooking with charcoal," Roberts says. "Barbecuing in Australia is still relatively new – we're only a few years into the process of educating people that there is another way to barbecue, other than gas.

"We started the ABA in 2004, which covers barbecues and smokers that use wood products, and have already grown to have more than 15,000 Facebook members. Our members share tips, recipes, ask questions and give barbecuing advice and there's a big interest in low 'n' slow cooking.

"We've also seen big jump in people competing in our barbecue competitions. We ran two competitions in 2004, this year we'll have 18 or 19 and next year were looking at 21-30 across most states and territories. It's not just professionals who are embracing it – we see all-women teams, family teams and the guys getting involved.

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"Kingsford Charcoal is a Gold Partner of the ABA and we're thrilled that a leading brand like Kingsford is launching into the Australian market - it shows that they have a lot of confidence in what we are doing here."

Roberts says the benefits of charcoal barbecuing and low 'n' slow cooking are numerous – and he should know, admitting he lights up his barbecue around four times a week.

"Using a lower temperature over a longer time ensures you don't burn the outside of the meat, it's tender, and the meat is infused with flavour," he says.

"For me, the philosophy is taking a secondary cut of meat and running it through a process - whether smoking it or cooking it - and turning that ordinary piece of meat into something that's amazing.

"Charcoal cooking allows you to do this by adding smoke, flavour and getting a nice rub or bark – it's all about that increase in flavour explosion. It's also a technical challenge. With a gas barbecue you can cook anything in 15 minutes and eat it. With a wood-fired barbecue and the low 'n' slow style, it imparts so much more flavour into the meats themselves."

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Roberts admits he owns nine barbecues and has tried a lot of barbecue fuels in his time, but he's hooked on Kingsford Charcoal.

"I've used Kingsford Charcoal for quite a few months now and love it," he says. "We have an independent review team at the ABA that roadtest products before they hit the market. As well as being easy to light and lasting a long time, Kingsford Charcoal briquettes are very versatile – you can fit them into quite a lot of different units."

Durrant agrees, saying that because Kingsford Charcoal is wood based, you get a very high quality product that will evoke a mild smoky flavour. "We have a range of products with infused flavours from a neutral smoky, to savoury Hickory, delicate and smoky mesquite, and sweet and smoky applewood flavour," he says.

"There's a real momentum towards the low 'n' slow barbecuing movement and that infused flavour - it's a change in Australian barbecue culture. You're not going to see four blokes standing around a barbecue saying, 'that's done, that's done.'"

"Low 'n' slow plays into the whole Australian way of life. The long afternoon barbecue is not about being in a hurry. It's about socialising and coming together to enjoy fantastic food, play cricket or kick the ball around the backyard and enjoy fantastic company.

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"Have a beer, relax and enjoy it. Your low 'n' slow food will be tender, juicy, not burnt and people will be coming back for more. You can still use Kingsford Charcoal for a quick mid-week barbecue and have your meat seared and ready in 15 minutes, but low 'n' slow barbecuing yields an amazing result."

Barbecue king Roberts agrees that these little briquettes will have people coming back for more.

"Kingsford Charcoal will absolutely take off in Australia," he says. "There's a real need for this unique offering. Traditionally, with other briquettes, you have to add the smoking woodchips. Kingsford's are infused together, making the process so much easier to produce food you'll be proud of. And that's what the ABA is about – showing people that getting into barbecuing is not hard."

Roberts says if there's one bit of advice he can share with people it's this: "Barbecuing is easy. It looks tricky, but once you do your first cook, you'll be addicted. Experiment. There are so many different barbecues, cuts of meat and fuels that make the whole experience so much fun. Get everyone involved – the whole family so you can all get excited about creating flavour-packed meats in a fun barbecue experience."

Kingsford Charcoal is available nationally at Barbeques Galore, independent grocers and Woolworths. See kingsford.com

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