FoodThen and Now: Cooking With FireAlmost 2 million years ago, people cooked on embers—what author Steven Raichlen calls “caveman” grillingSavePrintBacon-Grilled Onion Rings. Matthew BensonChannaly Philipp6/8/2018|Updated: 6/11/2018Steven Raichlen, author and barbecue authority, likes to say that “barbecue begat civilization.” He sure takes the long historical view. We had a problem loading this article. Please enable javascript or use a different browser. If the issue persists, please visit our help center.