Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumBBQ 101: An Introduction to Smoked Meat
That is why were bringing you this BBQ 101 guide. In this series, well distill the basics of what you need to know about smoking meat, from smoker to sauce. In Part 1, well go over the history and origins of barbecue as well as some of the major thermal processes, from smoke and combustion to collagen dissolution and smoke rings. So strap in, theres a lot to cover!
What is BBQ?
First, theres one thing we need to clear up: Grilling and barbecuing are two different things. I remember talking to a pit master from Tenessee who had moved to Utah and hearing about how his new neighbors had invited him over for a barbecue, for which he was very excited. On arrival, he and his wife looked at each other with disappointed chagrin as they surveyed the stacks of burgers and hotdogs and realized that the well-meaning neighbors meant a grilling party, not a barbecue. Weve written a whole post on the topic of the distinction between the two cooking methods, but for the sake of brevity, we can boil it down to one key difference: the cooking temperature. Grilling is a high-heat cooking method, while BBQ is a lower heat method. Youve heard people talking about low and slow cooking, and that is the heart of barbecue.
Where did BBQ come from, though? There is no straightforward answer to the question, and entire books on that history have been and still could be written on the subject because there are many cultural influences and historical twists in the origin and regionalization of American barbecue. The name barbecue comes through Spanish from the native Arawak barbacoa, meaning a wooden frame on posts, a reference to the drying and cooking fo meats on a raised bed over hot charcoal. American barbecue most likely started with slaves brought from the Carribean. As the cooking method spread, it changedmorphing with the availability of local ingredients and flavors. In regions across the American South and Midwest, sauces were created, regional favorites for cooking-wood choice emerged, favorite meats became local standards, and rubs evolved as they moved not just from state to state but even city to city and kitchen to kitchen.
Today, slow-smoked barbecue is a staple of American regional cuisines. From sticky St. Louis ribs to vinegary North Carolina pulled pork, the long, slow application of heat and smoke to meat is perhaps the most celebrated of Americas home-grown culinary traditions.
https://blog.thermoworks.com/bbq-grilling/bbq-101-an-introduction-to-smoked-meat/
https://blog.thermoworks.com/bbq-grilling/bbq-101-an-introduction-to-smoked-meat-part-2/
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)of TLC.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)As long as the meat you are cooking has a high enough fat content, BBQing can be quite simple. For a Boston butt, all I do is apply a spice rub, throw it in the smoker with a temp probe and a couple of chunks of hickory and cook till it gets to about 200F. The results are fantastic.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Just bought a new Electric Smoker,finally had to Recycle the old Brinkman that was thirty years old. Heater Coil died for the second time. Costs as much for a replacement as what we paid for the unit new.
Got another Brink. The new one gets it's maiden voyage next weekend. Love the idea of a Temp control,no more having to watch the temp gauge. Going to be doing a Green Ham as well as a Couple of Chickens. Eaten Good the way it should.
irisblue
(32,974 posts)mitch96
(13,904 posts)Different wood different flavors... Love whole hog western NC BBQ pig.. I want to taste the meat not the sauce...
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in2herbs
(2,945 posts)We also have two smokers. He said he needed this particular Weber grill cuz he doesn't have one in an ivory color. Our back yard looks like space pods. BTW: he hasn't cooked on any BBQ for 4 years. GRRR
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)I'm pretty much the opposite. I have one small smoker. I got rid of my grill last year, although I'm thinking about getting a Big Green Egg
mitch96
(13,904 posts)The green egg is just a very expensive Kamodo smoker/grill. Used in china for many years. My problem with the kamodo type smoker is that unless you get a big one ($$$) your limited on the amount of meat you can smoke/grill... Great fire control and insulation reduces the amount of wood needed. I got an inexpensive one and used green egg accessories..YMMV
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Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)So all I'd really be looks for is one that will handle a medium sized pizza stone.
I don't have any issues buying a knock-off.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)You can't beat a good wood fired pizza..... YUM!!!
The only problem I can see is you want the oven to be screaming hot. When you open the top of the EGG you loose a good bit of heat. I've never made home made pizza and would hope the stone keeps things hot..
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Phentex
(16,334 posts)we took a Big Green Egg pizza making class and it was terrible. Too many people trying to cook pizzas one after the other and the temp could not keep up. Now there's an accessory that turns an egg or kamado into a pizza oven. Pizza Porta. We don't need this but for large families or parties, it seems like a good idea.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)This thing is neat and addresses all the problems... Instead of a "top loader" It converts the EGG to a "side loader" just like a regular wood fired pizza oven.. E'perfetto!!
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Phentex
(16,334 posts)every egg/grill/smoker bbq accessory!
Phentex
(16,334 posts)because everyone's needs and wants are different. As you say, YMMV.
We have a medium egg and it's been perfect. I am ruined to pizza cooked any other way because I like a thin, crispy crust with a bit of char. It's perfect for small amounts of vegan burgers or brats yet will still smoke a pork butt when the need arises for my husband's family. We have a regular grill, too, but I think the egg gets used far more. And back when we were regular meat eaters even more.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)tishaLA
(14,176 posts)And Grilling. It is as important to understanding BBQ and grilling as Kenji Lopez Alt's The Food Lab is to home cooking. It breaks things down so it's virtually foolproof and answers questions you never even knew you had.