Papa Deuce
<font color="red">BBQ loving, fantasy football pla
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2003
- Messages
- 17,794
OK, Since several people expressed interest in my doing this thread, I will.
This thread is about the art of BBQ, not grilling. So, what is the difference you ask? Well, BBQ is made nice and slow over a low heat, and grilling is done very quickly over high heat. Making BBQ is frequently about taking an undesireable cut of meat, like brisket or pork shoulder, and transforming it into something so delicious and tasty, that once you have tasted good "Q", you'll never want to turn back.
Generally speaking, temperatures for making BBQ range from about 210 - 300 degrees. This long, slow, cooking process is what makes the meat so tender and juicy. And the smoke from various woods is what makes it so TASTY!
There are many variations on how to achieve this end result. But the best end result is the combination of the low heat, and the proper woods for the meat that you are smoking.
Depending on your method of smoking, the amount of wood you use, is of extreme importance. Too much smoke, or smoke from the wrong type of wood can absolutely make your food inedible.
So, Papa Deuce, what makes you an expert? Well, I am not an expert. In fact I only started making BBQ --- or "Q" as it is sometimes called --- two years ago. I entered one competition in my life. There were 14 contestants in my category, and I took 3rd place. That's pretty darn good for a first try.
Also, in my 2nd year of "smoking" I did a whole pig roast! Cooked a 95 pounder for a party this summer. EVERY SINGLE SHRED of this piggy was gone by the end of the party. I had people offering to pay me to cater pig roasts for them.... I can only hope that I get even better as I do more of these pig roasts. Man, it was TASTY.
Anyway, I bring this up only to say, that making BBQ, or "smoking" isn't all that hard to do, but like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it. And, if you are like me, it will become an obsession. And if you are like me, it is quite possible that your first attempt will be an abysmal failure, and boy was my first attempt an abysmal failure!
Without all the details, my first attempt was brisket, and let's just say that the dog wasn't sure he was willing to eat it. I used WAAAY too much wood, which created WAAAAAAAY to much of smoke flavor, and the end result tatsed like some nasty, chemical infused meat. And, my other mistake was jumping right to brisket instead of going with the much easier to prepare "pork shoulder".
Anyway, that will do it for this post. I'll answer questions if you ask. My next post will include more substantial information, like what types of smokers do you use. Or it may be just on which types of wood go well with which meats.
In the future I will give out my favorite recipes that I created. I will "possibly" even include my "SECRET INGREDIENTS" for certain recipes. I'll give you my best homemade BBQ sauce recipes. We''ll talk about the variations in which sauces get eaten in which parts of the country. We'll maybe talk about some legendary BBQ Joints.
We can talk the history of BBQ. We'll learn what makes a good "rub".
Most of all, IMO, we'll talk about the best food under the sun!
And, please, even though I know a lot about BBQ, understand that I am just a hobbyist -- with an eye towards owning my own BBQ Joint --- and occasionally somebody will disagree with what I say or do. Feel free to correct me, or just point out what you think might be a better option.
Let's have fun with this thread! And, BTW, just becasue winter is nearly upon us, that doesn't mean we can't have great BBQ!
This thread is about the art of BBQ, not grilling. So, what is the difference you ask? Well, BBQ is made nice and slow over a low heat, and grilling is done very quickly over high heat. Making BBQ is frequently about taking an undesireable cut of meat, like brisket or pork shoulder, and transforming it into something so delicious and tasty, that once you have tasted good "Q", you'll never want to turn back.
Generally speaking, temperatures for making BBQ range from about 210 - 300 degrees. This long, slow, cooking process is what makes the meat so tender and juicy. And the smoke from various woods is what makes it so TASTY!
There are many variations on how to achieve this end result. But the best end result is the combination of the low heat, and the proper woods for the meat that you are smoking.
Depending on your method of smoking, the amount of wood you use, is of extreme importance. Too much smoke, or smoke from the wrong type of wood can absolutely make your food inedible.
So, Papa Deuce, what makes you an expert? Well, I am not an expert. In fact I only started making BBQ --- or "Q" as it is sometimes called --- two years ago. I entered one competition in my life. There were 14 contestants in my category, and I took 3rd place. That's pretty darn good for a first try.
Also, in my 2nd year of "smoking" I did a whole pig roast! Cooked a 95 pounder for a party this summer. EVERY SINGLE SHRED of this piggy was gone by the end of the party. I had people offering to pay me to cater pig roasts for them.... I can only hope that I get even better as I do more of these pig roasts. Man, it was TASTY.
Anyway, I bring this up only to say, that making BBQ, or "smoking" isn't all that hard to do, but like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it. And, if you are like me, it will become an obsession. And if you are like me, it is quite possible that your first attempt will be an abysmal failure, and boy was my first attempt an abysmal failure!
Without all the details, my first attempt was brisket, and let's just say that the dog wasn't sure he was willing to eat it. I used WAAAY too much wood, which created WAAAAAAAY to much of smoke flavor, and the end result tatsed like some nasty, chemical infused meat. And, my other mistake was jumping right to brisket instead of going with the much easier to prepare "pork shoulder".
Anyway, that will do it for this post. I'll answer questions if you ask. My next post will include more substantial information, like what types of smokers do you use. Or it may be just on which types of wood go well with which meats.
In the future I will give out my favorite recipes that I created. I will "possibly" even include my "SECRET INGREDIENTS" for certain recipes. I'll give you my best homemade BBQ sauce recipes. We''ll talk about the variations in which sauces get eaten in which parts of the country. We'll maybe talk about some legendary BBQ Joints.
We can talk the history of BBQ. We'll learn what makes a good "rub".
Most of all, IMO, we'll talk about the best food under the sun!
And, please, even though I know a lot about BBQ, understand that I am just a hobbyist -- with an eye towards owning my own BBQ Joint --- and occasionally somebody will disagree with what I say or do. Feel free to correct me, or just point out what you think might be a better option.
Let's have fun with this thread! And, BTW, just becasue winter is nearly upon us, that doesn't mean we can't have great BBQ!
