Barbecuing has become an established part of American life, as barbecue grills are found in the majority of American homes.

Part of it is that barbecuing is fun and relaxing because outdoor cooking is always informal. It is also delicious. It is worth the effort to learn a bit more about it so you can progress beyond the old standbys of hamburgers and hot dogs.

There is no reason to limit barbecuing to the summer months, as it can be done out of doors all year round. We have often used our gas barbecue kettle as an additional oven for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

In the heat of the summer rather than turn on the oven, we use the barbecue to cook most everything, including pizza (high heat and indirect on a bread stone). Think of your barbecue grill as another cooking appliance.

Low heat and indirect is usually indicated as the cooking method. The exceptions are hamburgers and steaks which are at high heat and indirect. Some people like to sear steaks and hamburgers at high heat and direct, and then move the heat to indirect.

Chicken or ribs are a snap to barbecue at low heat and indirect. Simply baste with your favorite sauce in the last 15 minutes of cooking. As with any barbecuing, always use a tongs rather than a fork to turn the meat to avoid the loss of juice.

Fish is a real treat on the grill. If you have not tried fish on the gill, you should. Fish should be coated with a mixture of even parts olive oil and lemon (or melt some butter and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to it). This is just to keep the fish from sticking to the grill. You might wish to review the ABC's of Fish. I do not marinate fish before grilling it as I like the taste of fish, and I serve it with lemon for seasoning.

Marinating is what separates the serious barbecue fan from the casual one. You marinate foods to add flavor or tenderize the food, or both. With tender foods like chicken you are adding flavor, so the chicken will be marinated the relatively short time of 2 hours.

With beef you might well be tenderizing a less expensive cut of meat and you would marinate it over night, or even 24 hours. For special occasions we order a whole beef tenderloin and have the butcher remove the excess fat, and the tough film. We have it cut into filets and it is wonderful on the grill as it is.

Sometimes we marinate the filets for 2 hours before cooking them. My favorite marinade for them consists of dry red wine to which I add one large onion, sliced.

Most marinades consist of combinations of olive oil, vinegar, and spices. Wishbone Italian Dressing serves as an excellent marinade for chicken right from the bottle. We use it with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Place the washed chicken breasts in a large Ziploc envelope, add the Wishbone and refrigerate for 2 hours before grilling. (I always discard any marinade used on raw meat or poultry, and never use it to baste anything on the grill. It is not safe.)

You can make your own marinade from two parts olive oil and one part vinegar. The vinegar can be red wine vinegar, malt vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or cider vinegar. To this you can add any spice or flavoring you choose. You can add a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese for a nice variation.

The point to remember is with most recipes, they are suggestions on how to prepare the foods. They are not hard scientific formulae. Two flavorings to master for the barbecue are garlic and onion.

Onions are a snap on the grill. Peel and slice the onion into thick slices. Brush the slices with olive oil and grill over high heat for 3 or 4 minutes per side. Serve them with your burgers of steaks.

With garlic, I think the technique popularized by Chef George Hirsch on public television is the best one for the grill. Lay a head of garlic on its side and with a sharp knife cut off the bottom 1/4 inch (this is on the root end). Brush the head with olive oil and place on the cooler outer part of your grill for 20 to 30 minutes.

Then cover the garlic with aluminum foil and allow to cook another 20 to 30 minutes until the cloves are soft and creamy.

To use the garlic, separate the individual cloves and squeeze out the garlic puree. The garlic can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Add the garlic puree from 1 or 2 cloves to your marinades.

When barbecuing also grill a vegetable. The most popular are corn and potatoes. Husk the corn, rub with butter and wrap the individual ears in aluminum foil. Grill over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Potatoes are much the same. Wash the potatoes well, and brush them with olive oil. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. They will need about 35 to 40 minutes to cook through. Test one by opening the foil and inserting a fork to determine doneness. Check our From the Barbecue section for complete menus.