"Smoke on the Water"

Here you can enjoy “palate sex” from the barbecue at the weekend

Even the smell of a well-cooked steak makes a meat lover's mouth water.

(Bild: Lukas Gojda)

Barbecuing is a ritual, an art form and, for many men, a passion that goes deeper than simply roasting meat over an open fire. The smell of smoke, blazing flames and the anticipation of food activate our primal instincts and awaken the Neanderthal in us. At the weekend, especially in the Mühlviertel.

Barbecuing is also more than just cooking: It is a social activity. The grill master is often at the center of the action, surrounded by friends and family who are eagerly awaiting the result. It also creates a casual, relaxed atmosphere in which conversation flows more easily and the sense of community is strengthened.

Leo Gradl (right) and his "world champion colleague" from Tyrol, Franz Größing.

(Bild: zVg)

Barbecuing is still a man's business
Consumer checks by the voluntary, independent and non-partisan trade association and MindTake Research have revealed that Culinary preferences turn out quite differently depending on gender: While pork and bratwurst (55% each) as well as poultry (47%) and Käsekrainer (42%) are at the top of the list for men, this applies to grilled vegetables for 64...percent of women and poultry for 49...percent. For the clear majority (54%), barbecuing is still a man's thing, while only seven percent consider it a woman's thing. 39...percent of those surveyed said it was a fifty-fifty split.

Pabneukirchen grill world champion again
The latter is also confirmed by multiple barbecue world champion Leo Gradl from Pabneukirchen. "Of course, we men still have a head start, but a lot has changed in recent years and more and more women are picking up the barbecue tongs, which is a good thing." The man from Strudengau has only just returned from Stuttgart, where he recently won the world championship title for fish grilling with friends from Tyrol.

Barbecue world champion relies on "rubs"

Spice mixtures ("rubs") - like the two below - give the barbecue food the right seasoning. Similar to a marinade, you can apply them to the food hours before the barbecue and "rub" it with them. This gives the spices enough time to impart the desired flavor to the meat, and the salt it contains also has a kind of pickling effect.

Basic seasoning "Leos Gaumensex pur"

5 tbsp coarse natural salt, 1 tsp rosemary (coarsely chopped), 1 tsp thyme (without stalks), 1 tsp sage (coarsely chopped), 1/2 tsp green peppercorns, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp pink pepper berries. For steaks, grind the mixture coarsely, for side dishes and sauces a little finer. You can also mix the whole thing with dried spices for stock.

BBQ rub

2 tbsp paprika powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 3 tbsp basic spice (above), 2 tbsp cane sugar, 1 tbsp oregano, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper. For direct grilling do not use cane sugar, for indirect grilling rub the food with garlic oil or special mustard and sprinkle generously with the spice.

"Smoke on the water" for true barbecue enthusiasts 
Things are set to heat up again at his home next weekend. Gradl is once again organizing his "Smoke on the Water" festival in the "Silent Valley", where he runs a barbecue school in the historic Schurzmühle, which will make the hearts of barbecue fans beat faster. This is because the self-proclaimed "palate sex culinary expert" and his team will be letting it rip on August 10/11. There will be countless stations for barbecuing over an open fire, with charcoal and on fire tables. In addition to an "asado" (powered by water), a show charcoal pile, smoked curd cheese and children's barbecues, there will be street food until you drop. "All portions are kept small so that you can really taste your way through," says Gradl.

Info: "Smoke on the Water" festival 2024