What are you enjoying right now? Wood pellet barbecues! answers without hesitation Alex Moreau, Quebec-Maritime Sales Manager at Traeger Grills. An ecological cross between the gas barbecue and the meat smoker, these appliances are ideal for long cooking sessions.
“People buy them because of their ease of use. But also because wood gives food a special aroma. It influences the tenderness of meat and makes proteins juicier. We offer six different flavors — like apple, cherry or pecan. »
The green side is also attractive: “At Traeger, no tree has been cut down, assures Mr. Moreau. We use the remains of trees that have already been cut down”.
Their new, top-of-the-line Timberline and Timberline XL retail for up to $4900.
A return to basics
For Maxime Lavoie, co-founder of BBQ Québec, plancha braziers, real outdoor kitchens with their grills raised over a wood or charcoal fire, are making a comeback.
According to him, it is the social dimension, the “everyone around the fire” side that appeals. “I feel like we’re going back to basics, to something primitive. We play with fire, we live the experience without a lid, without buttons. »
“There’s nothing better than cooking over an open fire,” confirms barbecue expert Steven Raichlen, whose new book Grill the vegetables on the barbecue has just been published. It infuses food with a unique umami and smoky taste. »
The barbecue is not only the promise of a beautiful sunny afternoon spent with loved ones, but an art in its own right. It’s a dance on the razor’s edge between the cooked and the burnt. It is at this border that we will find the deepest taste.
The hottest products right now, he says, are high-quality portable barbecues from the Nomad brand, as well as Kudu barbecues.
Today, and especially since COVID has put us under house arrest, we want to be able to cook everything on the barbecue. “You can make cauliflower steaks, broccoli, lunches like pizza with eggs, cheese and bacon. Everything is better on a barbecue! »
popular meats
On the grill side, wagyu, beef very popular in Japan, is popular. “The flesh of wagyu is like butter,” says Steven. Another increasingly sought-after piece is the picanhatop sirloin steak with a layer of fat on top, a star of Brazilian restaurants.
Right now, he notes, the minced lamb kebab with garlic and lots of hot peppers is also making a noticeable comeback on social media.
The popularity ofasado Argentinian, meat grilled slowly over hot charcoal, is not weakening either, as chef Paul Toussaint confirms. “It brings out the side smoky. People can work the meat with different flavors, maple or oak for example. »
Finally, Maxime Lavoie observes that people tend to buy less noble pieces and make them tastier, such as briskets, which was once reserved for slaves. Braised for long hours, the meat is delicious. ” A voucher brisket, it melts and explodes in your mouth. It’s like smoked butter, with salt and pepper. »
The look, not just a detail
On the design side, Alex Moreau, of Traeger Grills, notes that the elegance of the product is important. “Pardon me the term, but people don’t want the side anymore”redneck” BBQ. We see a craze for black, handles in stainless steel and more design fancy. »
Made of cast stainless steel, the matte black Phantom just has to be on the shelves for people to snap it up, says Maxime Lavoie. “People don’t even ask a question, they take it right away! »