This freshman grilling course promises to put the heat on UGA students.

Where did you learn to cook on the grill?

Although some were lucky enough to be taught by an accomplished family member or through a job in the service industry, many people simply buy the meat, light the charcoal, and hope for the best.

Through a new course called “BBQ and You,” University of Georgia students will have the opportunity to learn from experts well versed in the art and science of cooking meat. And they won’t just take food safety training. They will be able to taste the cuisine of their instructors.

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Taught by Professor John Michael Gonzalez and Associate Professor Alexander Stelzleni of the Department of Animal and Dairy Science in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the seminar was specifically designed for students looking to hone their barbecue skills. Stelinski came up with the idea for “BBQ and You” after learning that other universities were offering similar courses.

Developed for freshman UGA students of all backgrounds, the course is open to anyone who chooses to enroll and will cover cooking techniques for chicken, pulled pork, brisket and more. Students will watch Stelzleni and Gonzalez smoke, prepare, grill and cut meat, then taste the results. One of the benefits of “BBQ and You” is that it gives students a safe place to make mistakes and refine their own recipes as they learn.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unsafe food handling and improper grilling can lead to foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens and species of Campylobacter And Salmonella, which are the top three bacterial causes of foodborne illness in the United States. A list of CDC-approved cooking tips is available at cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/bbq-iq.html.

The “BBQ and You” course is worth one credit hour. The next offer of the seminar will be open for registration before spring 2024.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Freshman UGA seminar class teaches barbecue techniques