The Barbecue Industry Association conducts an independent bi-annual consumer study to evaluate consumer attitudes and behavior regarding outdoor cooking. The 1997 survey indicates that Americans are buying grills with more bells and whistles, barbecuing more than ever, exploring woods, eagerly trying smoke cooking and firing up their grills regardless of the season or the weather. Many people own multiple grills, thus charcoal grills have not gone by the wayside as sales of gas climb. As families grow, so does the amount of outdoor cooking they engage in. No longer content to confine barbecuing to spring and summer, more than half of Americans cook out year around.
Lighter fluid remains the favorite method for starting charcoal fires.
Popular for barbecuing in any weather, they help extend the season. Barbecue sauce is also a favorite way to enhance the flavor of foods cooked over the coals. Chicken parts, pork chops, ribs and sausages are also favorites. In addition to mesquite and hickory, oak and fruitwoods were woods of choice Permission to use the above information was granted from the Barbecue Industry Association .