Great BBQ

This 10 pound brisket was cooked for a total of 12 hours with hickory wood and I'm here to tell you neither teeth nor sauce were required to enjoy this tender and flavorful piece of meat.

My recommendation for the backyard smoker or someone who wants to make the best BBQ on the planet (I'm not sure which one, but it sounds impressive) is to buy the Weber Mountain Smokey Model 721001. I have been smoking meat ever since I left Texas, long enough to know the difference between a really good smoker and an inferior one. Actually, these are used by BBQers on the competition circuit.

Don't waste your time or money on one of those $175.00 smokers in places like Home Depot or the like. They are not up to the task and you will never achieve anything close to perfection; I know from personal experience. And if you think that you need a $1,000 or more smoker, think again. The added cost is unnecessary unless you must smoke meat in very cold conditions. But for the majority of us, the Weber is all that you will ever need to produce championship-quality BBQ for less than $300 (delivered from Amazon.com), and at the end of the day, this is what it is all about.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-721001-Smokey-Mountain-Cooker

I like to layer briquettes and wood: a good solid base layer of briquettes, then some wood, another layer of charcoal, and then a few chunks of wood on top. Do not use charcoal because it will burn way too hot.

I say that one of the key requirements for a great BBQ is a steady temp of about 225 - 250 degrees on the temp gauge of your smoker and, again, that nice, even consistent stream of smoke flowing from the top vents that should ALWAYS remain open. Monitor the temp and adjust lower dampers accordingly.

A digital thermometer is critical to good BBQ. Feed the probe down through a top vent, insert it in the thickest part of the meat, close the lid, and attach the probe to the thermometer.

DO NOT OPEN THE LID TO SEE HOW YOUR BBQ LOOKS, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MAY BE. Remember, the difference between okay BBQ and great BBQ is a steady temperature. Every time you lift the lid, you lose that edge and increase your cooking temperature. The only time that you should open the lid is to either put meat in or take it off or to mop the meat.

Note: Most meats absorb most of the smoke that they are going to after the first hour or maybe 1 1/2 hours. After that, you're wasting wood, and your meat won't taste good, not at all.  

What is a brisket? Flat/point, high fat content. Trim well

A brisket will take at least 12 hours for a 10 lb. flat cut. Place the prepared brisket on the lower rack, stabilize the temperature to about 220-250 degrees based on the lid's temp gauge, and monitor the internal temperature with the digital probe. They are done when they reach between 198 and 205 degrees

As for pork or beef ribs, use a rib rack. Smoker real estate does not come cheap, so maximize your cooking area to the best of your ability. As far as eating ribs, I hold the minority opinion that the meat should not fall off the bone. I like a little bite and a little bit of a chew. Not much but enough where the meat will stay on the rib as you hold and eat it. But this is my preference. It's like Fillet Mignon vs. a rib-eye steak...gum it or chew it. Unfortunately, too many people rate BBQ pork/beef ribs by the fall-off-the-bone criteria. These should take about 4-5 hours.

Smoking whole chickens is a breeze. Season them with whatever you like, making sure to season the cavity even more than the skin. Set your digital thermometer to 160 and stick the probe into the thickest part of a thigh or breast. They are practically impossible to mess up unless you over-smoke them.

Note: Please remember to place only room-temperature meat on your smoker. To prepare the meat, just rub on your favorite spice mix. No mopping is ever required. Remember the keep the lid closed rule?

For pork/chicken BBQ, I use Jake's Boss BBQ rub that you have to make (well worth the trouble) or Bad Byron's Pork Butt seasoning, available online or in some stores. For brisket/beef ribs, I use Cooper's "original" spice rub from Llano, TX, which can be purchased online.

I hope that you benefit from this article in your quest to make a great BBQ.