Grills are one of the most important inventions used in all types of grilling cooking. Because of this, it is necessary to understand the history of grills and how they were invented. This will allow people to truly appreciate the elegance and usefulness of their grill, knowing its start in life (though, today’s grill has drastically evolved since then).
Before grills were invented, people used to use wood and charcoals to cook food. This method is still used today in some parts of the world, but it has one major drawback: the lack of temperature control. When cooking with wood or charcoals, heat cannot be controlled as precisely as desired. For example if your fire is too cold, then your food will take longer to cook, and it could even become undercooked. The opposite problem is also extremely problematic: if the fire is too hot, then you run a risk of burning your food before it has a chance to cook through properly.
This was one of the reasons why grills were created. The first grills were very rudimentary and have changed a lot since they were first invented. To give one example, the original grill was a box with a stone in it which would hold down meat down by pressure alone. This meant that the only way to check on food was to open up the lid, potentially letting out precious heat and smoke from the fire. Even worse, if the fire was too hot or cold then there wasn’t really anything that could be done to fix that problem. Indeed, this method of cooking did not meet up to today’s standards in nearly any way. A lot has changed since then though!
It didn’t take long for people to realize how useful grills were that they started making changes to them. A simple improvement was the addition of a hinge that allowed one to open and shut the lid without having to remove food from the grill itself. From there, grills became more and more sophisticated and even included systems for controlling temperature (such as an air vent).
Grills were not always stationary though; portable grills were also extremely popular. Portable grills may have been the original form of portable cooking, as they predate stoves by a long shot.
The history of grills has come a long way since their first iteration and it seems likely that they will continue to evolve into even more useful forms – for example, many modern grills are much larger than the first grills and can include many more features to improve cooking. Who knows what changes may come in the future!
Ancient Grills
Ancient grills havebeen documented in Egypt roughly around 2500 BC. They are often found to have worked similar to the modern Kamadhenu oven, where the heating elements could be regulated by control of airflow. However it was not until 1000 BC that grills were introduced into Greece and Rome where different types of cooking vessels have been used throughout history.
A metal brazier with a grill was called a furca.
The first modern grills were used by armies as field cooking equipment, and later became commonplace in western society as a source of recreation and enjoyment for the outdoor cooking enthusiast. Their grilling derives from the traditional use to dry garlic bulbs prior to storage where hot embers or flames are used to cook the bulbs for several minutes until dry enough to prevent sprouting (curing).
The word “barbecue” is loaned from the Spanish language and first appeared in English as a noun meaning “a wooden framework, usually open-work, for supporting cut meat or fish over a fire; a brick oven consisting of a grate with splayed legs, used for broiling meat over a fire” (1733) and as a verb meaning “To cook or roast on a barbeque grill” (1734). The word barbecue was published in English in 1672 as a verb meaning “to burn or char”.
who invented grills?
Grills were invented by ancient Etruscans who lived in present day Italy. They were originally used for drying grapes and olives. Later they were used to cook meat and fish over an open fire which accounts for the origin of their name, coming from the word ‘barb’ meaning a rod or branch.
when were grills invented?
The first grills were invented in the 7th century BC by Ancient Etruscan women who were farmers.
what are the purposes of grills?
Grills can be used for many purposes depending on their design. The most common uses are to cook food, mainly meat and vegetables. Grills can also be used in recreation, providing an open flame when cooking hot dogs or marshmallows. Finally it is possible to use grills, in the form of barbecues, for low temperature smoking of meat by using indirect heat transfer.
where did grills originate?
Grills originated in Ancient Etruscan times where they were made out of metals and used to cook food over an open fire. They were designed with holes in them allowing hot embers to be placed
Alex Kinoti is a New Mexico native with 6 years of professional barbecuing experience and three years working at Home Depot. He is the editor here at Lucky Bull Grill and when he is not testing and reviewing grills, smokies, and other kitchen appliances, he runs his own hotel consulting business. Having graduated from the Culinary Institue of America, he spends a significant amount of time providing best-in-class advisory to clients looking to set up hotel businesses. At home, Alex likes spending time with his small family of two boys and a loving wife. With his extensive experience as a chef and as a top-notch hotel industry consultant, Alex brings his knowledge and skills to provide readers with the best guides and reviews of the best grills and smokers.
You can reach Alex for consulting services using his email, alex@luckybullgrill.com.