By: Brian Duffy

You're never going to guess where the World Cup Barbecue Championships are held every year. No, not Texas. And not North Carolina either. They’re in a little town in County Clare called Lisdoonvarna, best known for its sulphur springs and the matchmaking festival it holds every September, luring singles from all over the world for a month of revelry and romance.

And, apparently, barbecue.

Because right in the middle of all that, barbecue mavens from all corners of the globe descend with their secret recipes for making the best grilled food on the planet.  Kansas City griller Paul Kirk—known as The Baron of Barbecue—has won the award, and some of the biggest names in barbecue compete.

So, you’re asking yourself (as I did), how did the Irish discover barbecue? Here’s the story: Whole families would spend Sunday in the peat bogs, cutting and stacking fuel to dry. About mid-day, they would get hungry, take a break, and cook a nice repast over some smoky peat. When they came to the United States, they brought the custom with them because it reminded them of home. (Yes, I know there are some holes in the story, but play along.) In any case, the Irish Barbecue Association has adopted as its lofty mission to achieve peace through grilling of meats. (Their motto: Make people happy.)

One thing you can rely on is that cooking over a peat fire will make you very happy. I’ve done it, and it imparts an incredible, complex flavor to meats that you won’t get with mesquite or other wood chips. Unlike our immigrant ancestors, we can actually get our hands on some peat fairly easily. The Web site www.foodireland.com carries a product from Donegal called “Irish Smoke” which is a case of actual hand-spaded turf sods that you can throw on your coals, your gas grill or in your smoker. Check out the Irish Smoke Web site for more products, including a 3-pound sack of peat barbecue chips, which are shipped from within the United States.

 A U.S. company, Sneaky Peat, sells what it calls Grill Puck, Cooker Chunks, and Smoker Chips, though you can’t order online. Go to www.sneakypeat.com for prices and contact information. I like the Sneaky Peat product because it’s more herb-y than the others (after all, you’re smoking your meat with 100 plus-year-old grass, herbs, berries, fruit and what-have-you that built up in the soil).

If you’re using peat on a charcoal grill, you can put your peat on top of the coals. On your gas grill, make a box of foil and put the peat in the box on top of your burner.

When your peat arrives, try these recipes I developed for making the best Irish barbecue ever.

• "London Broil Flanksteak
• Irish Sausage with Peppers and Onions
• Grilled Red Skin Potato Salad