What is YOUR secret to success at BBQ grilling -- and I mean the SERIOUS stuff: briskets, ribs, wild game, etc

Question

please include all the trivia stuff -- arranging your charcoal, how long to let the fire burn, hickory chips, basting, etc.

Answer 1

The old standards when it comes to wood are hickory and mesquite, and now oak, all of which should be avialable wherever grills are sold. I use these but have a new affection for apple wood, cherry and especially pecan, which I pick up in my yard. Do you have any interesing trees in your yard? I use green twigs because they smoke and don't burn. Otherwise, I soak several handfulls of chips in water for several hours. The bags say half an hour and this isn't long enough. I put on the wet chips about 3 or 4 minutes before I am ready for the meat. I throw another handfill on the coals as soon as the smoking tapers off. This isn't necessary for anything that cooks in less than a half hour, like burgers or chicken, and I do it less frequently when I smoke with the stronger-tasting woods like the mesquite and hickory. The pecan has an especially delicate flavor and is great with things like fish and expensive cuts of meat necause it doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the meat. I wonder if anyone has tried peach, plum or fig wood? Or maple??

Tougher meats like brisket and ribs require hours of smoking at low temps, like 200 or 250 degrees. This is hard to regulate especially without a thermometer and a grill with a door into the coal or wood box. My charcoal ( I let it get completely white before I pitch the meat on--mop a bit of oil on the grate with a loooong handled brush because the oil WILL flame up) will not last long enough to do a huge slab of ribs, so I start a second batch of coals in a hibachi after a few hours. When the temp of my first coals drops lower than 200, I put on some new coals. I also have a grill where I can lower the meat closer to the coals as they cool.

Some people would never put a wet rub on some cuts of meat and the real BBQ gurus seem to have a lot of finicky rules as to what meat gets what type of rub. I have found that sweeter bastes and rubs, like ones with molasses or brown sugar, will get black and crusty and carbonized, so I never put these on until the last half hour or hour.

Everybody has their favorite secret ingredients. My rubs always have garlic powder (for when I am lazy) or mashed garlic. I also put in paprika, sea salt, some cumin, black pepper and my new fave spice, chipotle chile powder. Also just a bit of brown sugar.

My personal tastes do not run to the exotic and I feel that there is no rub anywhere that will beat out a great cut of fresh meat cooked carefully and slowly over a super wood. I am happy to forgo the rubs and bastes altogether because I am a true carnivore and love the taste of the meat. Also, it saves me from putting all my pecan-wood chunks and twigs in the compost pile. I enjoy it more than the worms do!!

Check out Food Network's Bobby Flay show! He goes all over looking for the world's best BBQ

Answer 2

In my place, we soak the ribs in blackberry brandy or peach brandy over night then pat dry, pack on a dry rub, braise with the brandy, honey and garlic in a 250 degree oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, take the liquid into a sauce pan, removing the garlic and simmer until reduced, more like a syrup, brush on ribs and stack on a grill for 20-30 minutes, while changing the the positions of the ribs to heat through, brush with the reduced braising liquid.

for fuel, we use apple and peach woods in the center of the grill, once the woods stop smoking and is hot then we put the ribs on.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I like using cherry wood chips, they give a great flavor. And marinating THEN dry rub is better than basting. When I make briskets or Boston butts, I always use something sugary like molasses, brown sugar, or even honey to get that great flavor and crusty outside.But always use something savory like basil or garlic on the inside of the meat for that extra something. It's amazing being the only girl "grill-master" in my family. College has taught me something wonderful :)

Answer 4

Im not a guy so I can only tell you how to make perfect patties. Grab a plastic bag, the special ones they sell not a trash bag, cut it into a large square about the size of half your counter, place a chunck of meat in the middle, and close the paper bag. Pat pat pat pat pat with your hands until its a perphec circle, and whoala, a perfect patty. Seriously, this works.

Answer 5

Low and slow equal nice and tender.
And make your own BBQ sauce to your taste.

Answer 6

Good question. I hope someone will give it out. We all know that it is a trade secret.

Answer 7

slow smoking little bit of cayenne pepper garlic and one good dry rub. works for everything and lots of beer.texas

Answer 8

Hockory sauce and wildfire

Answer 9

cook slow

Answer 10

its an ancient Chinese secret