Since the beginning of time humans have used fire to cook food. But today we can’t imagine not having our stainless steel grills on which to cook. Have you ever wondered how we got from open-fire cooking years ago to all the industrial features that are offered to us today? Here are a few fun facts to entertain the curious among us.
Barbacoa To Barbecue
Grilling can be traced back to the 17th century to the Arawak tribe in the Caribbean. These people used sticks to create a flame over a fire and place the meat on it. They called this method of cooking barbacoa and this is where our term barbecue originated.
To The Suburbs We Go
Before the 1950’s the method of grilling food usually only occurred while one was on a picnic or camping. However, after World War 11, suburban living became popular and the trend of backyard grilling became all the rage. But it was done by burning charcoal in a shallow sheet metal pan that stood on thin legs.
Charcoal Grills Become A “Must Have”
The first modern barbecue grill was made in 1952 by George Stephen and by the mid to late 50s backyard grilling took off. Kingsford was the main manufacturer of charcoal and they were required to increase production by 35 percent to keep up with the demand.
Gas Grills Available To Consumers
Commercial restaurants were head of the game and already used gas grills as early as the 1940s. Then in 1959 Chicago Combustion Corporation manufacturer fitted gas grills with a 20lb propane tank to make a portable gas grill and began selling these to consumers. Now homeowners had the ability to use gas grills in the comfort of their own backyards. Gas grills soared in sales as they were way more convenient than their charcoal counterparts.
Pack Up The Grill
In the 1970s there was a major turning point in gas grill history. The first portable liquid gas propane tank was invented and gas grills became portable. We were now able to pack our grills and travel the country. This was the launchpad for the backyard gas grills we know today.
Todays Grills
As you can see, grilling has evolved from being an open-fire necessity to a full-blown social institute. The grills manufactured today are far superior to the humble beginnings of what was called “cutting edge” in the 1950s. Here at Wilmington Grill we at dedicated and determined to continue to offer the highest quality on all our grills and products. We will continue to grow with our industry and as always offer our customers the ultimate grilling experience through our wide variety of products.
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