1 Don’t use the terms grilling and barbecuing interchangeably

Barbecuing is primarily about cooking through convection of hot air—you do it with the lid on. “When you’re smoking barbecue, it’s the invisible gases coming off of burning wood that bring flavor to the meat,” says Jack Timmons, owner of Jack’s BBQ in Seattle. “When you’re grilling, the fat from the meat hits the burning coals and turns into flavorful gases that bring flavor to the meat.” Barbecuing is low and slow; grilling is fast and furious.