No other style of cooking allows the freedom to do your own thing that barbecuing does.

No true barbecuer ever quits trying to improve on near-perfection…

The best cuts of meat are even better cooked over a real charcoal and wood fire. Tougher cuts of meat tenderize beautifully when cooked slowly with indirect heat and smoke.

The four key ingredients to great barbeque are starting with the best cut of meat possible, a good balanced dry rub, the perfect time and cooking temperature.

Get to know your local butcher. He can be your best friend when it comes to barbecuing and make you a champion in your neighborhood!

Picking the right barbeque grill is a lot like dating. You will have to go through several before you find the perfect fit. I have a great joke that goes along with this!

BS and BBQ go hand in hand…

Let’s clarify something, just because you’re cooking outside does not mean its BBQ.
Grilling… Cooking directly over the coals or heat source (325 to infinity degrees).
BBQ… Cooking utilizing indirect heat and smoke from a charcoal or wood based fire (225 to 325 degrees).
Smoking… A method of curing meats with brines and/or low smoky heat.

You can use a Gas Grill to barbeque. Turn one the burners on one side of the grill with a foil pouch full of your favorite wood chips on top of that burner. Cook on the opposite side using indirect heat and smoke to barbeque with.

A rule of thumb is that any hard wood that bears a fruit or nut is good to cook with.

The biggest mistake most outdoor cookers make is cooking too cool. If the meat you are cooking is tender before you start cooking you will want to cook it as fast as possible to sear the outside and retain moisture.

Tougher cuts of meat like Brisket and Pork Butt need the essentials of long cook time and lower cooking temperatures (250-275 degrees).

Make sure your coals are at least 80% ashed over before you start grilling. If the fire is too cool add more charcoal and let it fire up before you start grilling.

If you are using a water pan smoker make sure and let the pan run dry 1 hour before the end of cooking time to allow the meat to brown properly.

BBQ Dry Rubs eliminate the time consuming need to marinade meats. They impact a desirable yet powerful flavor immediately so you can start cooking now.

But, if you choose to use a marinade and choose to serve a meat marinade as an accompaniment take care to boil them to eliminate microorganisms.

Nowhere in barbecue is there more variety and individuality than in BBQ Sauce. The sauce is the final statement of your own taste. A robust sauce for Pork may overwhelm seafood so experiment to see what best fits your preferences.