Opinion: Have a barbecue in the apartment with little smoke and lots of flavor

Not everyone who lives in an apartment has the privilege of having a barbecue, either because of lack of space, because they live in smaller or older properties, or even because they have to comply with strict condominium rules. The good news is that, whatever the reason, it is possible to have a good barbecue indoors.

There are multiple solutions for these cases, starting with the electric barbecue. There are several models of these equipments on the market, and what you should pay attention to when choosing are the power and size that you like.

A tip is to opt for more powerful electric barbecues, which have a better result in the items golden meat and succulence. With a higher temperature, you get a result more similar to a conventional barbecue.

When working with this model, it is important to warm it up well before adding meats and vegetables. To do this, pre-heat the grill about 15 minutes before using it. The proteins should be at room temperature and the ideal is to cut the meat into steaks two fingers thick. It doesn’t work to make large pieces of meat on electric grills.

Another solution is the oil-free fryer, the famous airfryer, which works as a mini convection oven. In this type of appliance, hot air circulates evenly, so any food placed on the grill will receive the heat evenly on all sides.

I’ve already prepared sirloin steak, sirloin steak, coxinha da wing, sausage, and the good thing is that everything is ready in minutes, without smoke or dirt.

There are people who put a lit charcoal inside the basket to bring barbecue flavor, but I don’t advise it, as it can cause accidents. To get this taste, use fruit wood chips, place it for 10 minutes beforehand on full power, and then roast your meat. In ten minutes you can serve meat rare!

Iron frying pans are very welcome as they can keep the heat longer. Then, when turning the meat, the contact surface will be very hot, creating a tasty crust on both sides.

Not to mention that it is a tool that will last a lifetime. It’s worth the investment. It can even be passed down from generation to generation — I already inherited some from my grandma! But I’ll let you know right away: it makes a lot of smoke and the more fat the meat has, the more smoke will rise. So invest in a good hood in your kitchen.

Okay, but what about the taste of barbecue if I chose the skillet?

In this case, there are powdered smoke, liquid smoke, smoked salt and —my favorite— smoked oil!

Smoked oil is a joke in the kitchen, lasts about six months easily, and is very easy to make.

The first step is to activate the charcoal. Take a small piece of charcoal and place it on the stove until it turns red, at the point of embers. Then place in a sterilized glass jar. Do you know those with hearts of palm? So, keep in mind that it is always useful.

Add olive oil halfway through the pot and, if you like, you can flavor it by adding fresh herbs such as thyme and rosemary. Then, just put the ember inside the pot and close it with the lid. The smoke that builds up inside the pot will flavor the oil, and as soon as the smoke runs out, you can use it!

In addition to using it with meat or vegetables before taking it to the grill, or for marinating, it can also be used as a seasoning for salads, roast beef and snacks. And You can store it outside the fridge and even give it to everyone!

Did you see? Now there’s no excuse not to have a barbecue, whether you’re lazy to light the barbecue, or if you don’t have another option.