BBQ
The Wood:
I typically use hickory because that’s what’s available, but whatever you can get your hands on is good as long it smokes.
In the Smoker:
I use an offset smoker, but you can go over to Amazing Ribs for a complete buyers guide on smokers.
On the grill:
Gas – Make a foil pouch of wood chips and put the flame under the pouch, not the meat.
Charcoal – Place a foil pan on the bottom of your grill, put the charcoal/woodchips next to the pan, and place your meat over the pan.
In the Oven:
Follow the temperature and time guide below and baste with sauce every hour.
Cook Time and Temperature:
- Ribs – 8 hours at 250 F
- Chicken – 4 hours at 250 F
- Pork Shoulder – 12 hours at 250 F
- Brisket – 12 hours at 250 F
The Rub:
Equal parts of each:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
A touch of:
- Cayenne Pepper/Chipotle Cube
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder
Mix them all together and rub your meat. Let it sit over night and the rub will really give some flavor to the meat.
The Meat:
With the exception of brisket and sausage, any meat with a bone is prime for BBQ. Here’s a list of what’s good all smoked up:
- Pork Shoulder
- Butt – upper part of shoulder
- Picnic – lower part of shoulder
- Both are tasty, get one or the other
- Ribs
- Pork Loin aka Baby Back aka Back – tender ribs
- Beef Ribs – big ribs
- Spare ribs – less tender than the pork loin, but still good
- Beef Brisket
- Big piece of meat with a good amount of fat. Perfect for cooking low and slow.
- Chicken Leg Quarters (crisp your skin on a flame, then smoke)
The Sauce:
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 can of beer (I use Shiner Bock)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp bacon fat
- 1/2 cup coffee
- 1 cap of apple cider vinegar
- Let the beer boil out it’s alcohol (it will thicken up and you won’t be able to smell the alcohol)
- Add the rest of the ingredients, let it simmer for at least an hour, and stir occasionally to avoid sticking and explosions
