BBQ beginner. How do I smoke? What do i smoke? What's best type of smoker? Can I BBQ or smoke with gas grill?

Question

First time smoking or BBQ -ing. Should I buy charcoal smoker, gas, electric and how do you change coals, etc? Do you heat up coals elsewhere and swap them? Is the taste really that much better than gas? Can I smoke or BBQ with a regular two burner gas grill by leaving a side off and cooking on it to get the indirect heat I need?

I really enjoy grilling steaks and I want to start smoking or BBQ'ing...thanks for your help!

One last thing...what do i smoke? Pork Butts a good starter? Ribs? Thanks!!

Answer 1

the best is hand built smokers .( 50gal metal drum,grind of the topans save as a cover ,use nuts and bolts to build studs to hold a rack and build in a door at the base that can be lached )
i use strictly hard wood to smoke but you can use corn cobs ,cedar, nuts ,or other pitch free wood.
for things such as sausages or hams you can smoke dry (with out brine )
for raw meats : chicken beef pork fish you will want a brine
a brine is made with watter
a shugar source
and enough salt to float a small potato
shugars wold be like honney,white or brown sugar syrups.
the brine i use is a family recipie so srry no can have
things like baccon ,or chese are cold smoked (they get the smoke but are kept from heat
hams fish chiken and beef or sausage are cooked as they smoke
meats of 2# or less soak in a brine for 24hrs 3-5 # 2 days ^6-15# 4 days
a 20 -30 # pork but will take a 2 week soak in brine and you will need a pinch of salt peter to prevent spoiling
this is a complex proces
if you have any questions e-mail me

Answer 2

This is a pretty complex question. If you want to be able to cook something relatively quickly go with gas. If you really can dedicate the time go with charcoal. A good charcoal grill can take up to an hour to be ready to cook on but usually it will take more like 15-30 minutes. Gas is ready to go in a couple of minutes.

Some gas grills will allow you to smoke inside of them with a relatively small modification. Usually by turning a burner shield upside down. You can smoke various types of wood they are sold next to the coals. You should soak the wood in water to get it to smoke.

Generally you seem to be on the right track when it comes to cooking with indirect heat. The techniques will vary depending on the type and model of grill you eventually buy. Pork is an excellent choice but beef can be smoked as well and ribs will be great.

If I were in your shoes I would check out various models of grills/BBQs and start there with a price point that you are willing to start with. You might be able to get a deal since it is near the end of the season. A custom BBQ might be something you are interested in later down the road but for now I'd check out what you can find in the stores. Buy a BBQ cook book for some more specific ideas on how and what to cook.

Good Luck and Enjoy.

Answer 3

Lots of questions, just for yahoo. As opener, I'll tell you how to cook baby back ribs. 3 stage process. Boil in a huge pot of water on top of stove for 2 or 3 minutes. This gets rid of some awful fat. Bake at 180 degrees in the oven with water in bottom of a bake pan. Cook 4 or 5 hours or until you see some pretty good shrinkage of the rack.

Then you can put the racks of ribs on EITHER a charcoal Weber Grill OR a gas grill. Get it pretty hot and cook and sear for just a few minutes, around 5 minutes. Use mesquite or hickory wood chunks (not chips) pre-soaked in water. You'll get lots of smoke
this way. Open the vent and let the smoke pass over the ribs on the way out.

Add to a bottle of Cattleman's or Kraft Honey based BBQ sauce,
a little liquid smoke, some lemon juice, and even more honey.
Serve the sauce up on the side for dipping the ribs into a small bowl.

If you try to cook baby back ribs on a grill, be it gas or charcoal,
they will be so tough you cannot eat them, do what I have suggested, they will "fall off the bone" for your guests. A smoker is sort of a tool that needs a lot of practice, waste a lot of product.

I'm telling you how to cook ribs and get results, 1st time out !

This will draw rave reviews, with the mesquite cooking process, George Bush makes a beeline for Texas BBQ when he goes back there, although I prefer Hickory chunks. Remember, the mesquite especially, will give the meat a reddish hue, making it look raw. don't be fooled, watch the shrinkage in the oven, you'll know when they are cooked ! Good luck!

Answer 4

OK your gonna need a smoker they're built a little different from a gas grill . You'll also need wet wood chips hickory, apple wood,mesquite. the best food to smoke is brisket,ribs,any really large piece of meat that can be a little tough cooked any other way. you can go online look up smokers you should find a company in your area that sells them. If you have a gas or charcoal grill store most likely they can direct you a smoker that fits your cooking needs

Answer 5

From I've learned from watching the food network it seems like the champion bbqers use charcoal or woodchip burning stoves using indirect heat. I would think you could use a gas grill using indirect heat like you said but gas grills tend to get too hot. Seems like you can control your tempeture lower with charcoal/wood chip combo which gives a slow cook and tender taste to rib meat and the woodchips give the meat a bite of flavor. Go to foodnetwork.com and look up stuff on BBQing there is a ton of information there on grilling ribs and pork dry rubs and wet rubs for ribs. Happy Grilling!

Answer 6

Check out the Farmer John website. The link below is for smoking.

Answer 7

wet some hicory chips on low heat..let smolder under your meat for about 2 hours.... the best way to do it is to get a small hot plate//old fry pan and a big card board box...with hickory or apple chips...slow cook is the key

Answer 8

try this site for bbq basics.

http://bbqu.net/smoking4.html

Answer 9

i have no clue search 4 it on the internet

Answer 10

i hope someone answers this question because i want to know too!