smoking meat

Steaks being seasoned with herbs as they cook on bbq grill with vegetable kebabs, mediterranean food, healthy lifestyle, food and drink.

Science

Want juicy barbecue this Fourth of July? Cook low and slow

3:01am July 01, 2024

Perfecting your grilling technique ahead of the Fourth of July? Chefs will tell you that cooking is not just an art — it's a science. And the spirit of summer barbecues, NPR science correspondent Sydney Lupkin brings us this encore piece about how understanding the chemistry of cooking meat can help you perfect your barbeque. It's all about low and slow cooking.

This story was originally reported for NPR by Gisele Grayson. Read her reporting.

Curious about other science powering the things you love? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Queue Listen Now

Brisket is a classic cut of meat for the low and slow cook.

Health & Safety
Arts

Turning a slab of meat into tender deliciousness: secrets of the low and slow cook

8:32am May 28, 2023

by Gisele Grayson

Cooking meat for a long time over relatively low temps can transform a tough cut. Who thought it up? And what's the chemical magic? You might be surprised by the origins.