The following is a collection of some basic barbecue information along with a few tips, tricks and suggestions for making the most of your ‘que.

Hot vs. Cold Smoking
 

Cold Smoke:

Smoking occurs at 70°F to 100°F, imparting flavor without firming proteins. Items may be cold smoked, then finished in the oven. 80 degrees is average in a smoke house. There will be slight dehydration but very little actual cooking.

Hot Smoke:
Smoking occurs at 160°F to 225°F, imparting flavor and cooking the product. Temperature of smokehouse 160°F for all sausage (casings), 185°F for all solid meats. Final internal temperature of uncured hot smoked items Beef (suitable cuts) 130°F to 135°F for rare

Key Cooking and Smoking Temperatures

103°F Proteins begin to set or denature
155°F Federal requirement for cooking pork
155°F All meats
160°F All proteins are coagulated
165°F Federal requirement for cooking all poultry

The secret to smoking is always low temperature and slow cooking, but grilling, where the meat often comes in contact with the fire, is much faster. Cooking barbecue until it is done just right need not be a puzzle if you use a meat thermometer and take some recommended steps.

1. Whether you use wood, charcoal or a gas grill, cook steaks or pork chops over a medium temperature to prevent flare ups and burning. Cut off any charred areas of your meat and discard.
2. Avoid the turning temptation and using tongs flip your steaks only once about halfway through the grilling process. Avoid piercing your meat with a fork or knife because it releases juices.
3. For best results use a meat thermometer and the following chart
   to test for desired cooking stages.

BBQ GRILLING CHART

Indirect Smoking on a Grill

Many times the terms grilling and smoking are used inter-changeably when discussing the best methods to barbecue anything. There are, however, differences and that distinction is determined by whether your dinner receives direct or indirect contact with the cooking flames. According to national sales records of grills, the majority of homeowners have opted to equip their backyards with grills as opposed to indirect smokers, but many have both or even combinations. As flare-up experience and taste buds fire up, the backyard chef often seeks ways to maximize the effectiveness of their grill by trying to increase the lingering smokiness of the product.

Which of the following methods is considered best for smoking on a grill?

1. A burning ring of charcoal in a donut-shaped configuration of coals.
2. A pile of burning charcoal separated on both ends of your grill.
3. A single pile of charcoal stacked at one end of your grill.
    

Research results indicate that answer number 3 produces best results for smoking on a grill because it allows smoke to flow from one end of the grill to the other across your meat, but there are other things you need to do to encourage air flow. Move your pile of charcoal toward the end of the grill farthest away from your grill’s top air escape vent, and also open the bottom vent to encourage cross air flow. This way, you can adjust the internal heat and smoke by reducing or enlarging the intake and escape air vents. Close up to increase heat, open wider to cool down the grill. An internal grill thermometer should indicate a range from 325 to 350 degrees, and a thick portion of meat should generally have about a 135 to 150 degree internal temperature to assure complete cooking.

When meat is removed from the grill, it usually continues to cook internally for several more minutes, so make an informed call according to your preferences. Smoking often helps avoid charring of the meat and can be both more flavorful and healthful.

Grilling Fruit

Grilled fruit makes a simple summertime dessert or can be used as an accompaniment to grilled pork, chicken, or fish. Grilling intensifies the sweetness of the fruit through caramelization. Use smaller plums, peaches, apples, and pears when grilling, since larger fruit may burn on the outside before heating through to the center. All fruit to be grilled should be ripe, but still firm. Grill delicate fruits with their skins intact, as the skins keep the fruit from falling apart on the grill. Grill over a medium-hot fire. Brush all prepared fruit lightly with vegetable oil before grilling. Fruit is done when it is marked on the exterior and just barely softened and heated through at the center.

Using a Charcoal Grill for Indirect Cooking

Light a chimney starter: Fill the bottom section of the chimney starter with crumpled newspaper, set the starter on the bottom grate of a kettle grill, fill the main compartment with as much charcoal as directed in individual recipe, and light the newspaper. Arrange the coals in the grill: When the coals are well lit and covered with a layer of gray ash, dump them onto the charcoal grate, piling the coals up on one half of the grill and leaving the other half free of coals. If necessary, use long-handled tongs to move the briquettes into place. Complete the grill setup: Place soaked and drained wood chunks or a foil packet filled with wood chips on top of the coals. Set the top grate in position, heat briefly, then scrape the grate clean with a wire brush. You are now ready to cook over the cool part of the fire. Put the food on the grill and set the lid in place. Open the air vents as directed in individual recipes. Monitor the heat level: We like to have some idea of what the temperature is inside a kettle grill as foods cook. A grill thermometer inserted through the vents on the lid can tell you if the fire is too hot or if it is getting too cool and you need to add more charcoal. You will get different readings depending on where the lid vents and thus the thermometer are in relation to the coals. Because you want to know what the temperature is where the food is being cooked, rotate the lid so that the thermometer is close to the food. Make sure, however, that the thermometer stem does not touch the food (this can be an issue when grill-roasting big cuts, like turkey).Adjust the heat level: You can control the heat level to some extent by adjusting the vents on the lid and base of the grill. Opening the vents gives the fire more oxygen and causes the coals to burn hotter at first, but then the fire cools down more quickly as the coals peter out. Closing the vents partially (don't close the vents all the way or the fire will die) lowers the heat but keeps the coals from burning up too fast and helps the fire last longer.

Using a Gas Grill for Indirect Cooking

Remove part or all of the cooking grate. Place a foil tray with soaked wood chips on top of the primary burner. Make sure the tray is resting securely on the burner so it will not tip. Replace the grill rack. Light all burners and cover the grill. When you see a lot of smoke (after about 20 minutes), turn off the burner (or burners) without chips and place the food over it (or them). If the chips start to flame, douse the fire with water from a squirt bottle. Cover the grill.

Using Wood Chips on a Charcoal Grill

Place the amount of wood chips called for in the recipe in the center of an 18-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fold in all four sides of the foil to encase the chips. Turn the foil packet over. Tear about six large holes (each the size of a quarter) through the top of the foil packet with a fork to allow smoke to escape. Place the packet, with holes facing up, directly on a pile of lit charcoal.

Using Wood Chips On A Gas Grill

Start with a 12 by 18-inch piece of heavy-duty foil. Make a one-inch fold on one long side. Repeat three more times, then turn the fold up to create a sturdy side that measures about one inch high. Repeat the process on the other long side. With a short side facing you, fold in both corners as if wrapping a gift. Turn up the inside inch or so of each triangular fold to match the rim on the long sides of the foil tray. Lift the pointed end of the triangle over the rim of foil and fold down to seal. Repeat the process on the other short side.

Protecting Wood Chips

Wood chips must be protected in some fashion before using them on a charcoal or gas grill. (Chunks need only be soaked in water for an hour or so.) To keep the chips from burning up too quickly, we devised the following strategies. On a charcoal grill, we found it best to wrap the chips in a foil packet. (There's no need to soak the chips; the foil protects them from catching fire too quickly.)On a gas grill, we found it best to place chips in an open foil tray. You can use a disposable aluminum pan or make a tray out of aluminum foil. Soak the chips in cold water for at least 15 minutes before adding them to the tray; this ensures that they smolder and don't burn out right away.

Cooking Beans with your Barbecue

There is an art and process to preparing beans just as there is for barbecue, yet many folks express the need for tips on preparing lentils in a manner that reduces the familiar complaint about the discomfort that often follows. This article may help you avoid some of those concerns. The most common types of lentil associated with barbecue is, of course the pinto, red, and pork and bean legumes. Americans reportedly eat 7.4 pounds of legumes per year and growing. Yet, current dietary guidelines indicate we need to consume about 26 pounds a year to benefit from their fiber, vitamins and nutrients including their contribution to reducing heart disease and some cancers. However, there is always the un-enviable image problem beans have to overcome.

There is always the choice of preparing scratch dried beans or pre-cooked canned beans. Understand the time you have before serving, then choose the one you want. Of course this decision is always a matter of time and personal preference on your part. For the dried beans, there are the decisions to pre-soak the beans or not.

To Soak or Not to Soak

For dried beans it is generally accepted that the fresher the bean, less or no soaking may be required. Some packages will have harvest dates on them, but most will not. One pound of dried beans equals to two cups, and will produce six cups of cooked beans. If you believe that soaking your beans will help, then first sort through them to pick out the debris or small stones that might have accidentally gotten in the mix. Then place in a large pot and add about 10 cups of water for each pound of beans.

For a long soak such as overnight, allow the beans to rest in the cold water; for a shorter soak, bring the water and beans to a boil for about two to three minutes and remove heat and allow them to soak about an hour. Drain the water from the beans and rinse to remove some of the starches associated with gas bloating. Use fresh water to cook the beans.

Cooking the Beans

It will require anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours of cooking generally determined by the size and age of the beans. To prevent the skins on the beans from remaining tough, avoid adding salt or any acidic ingredients until the beans are considered tender. Some folks like to mash up some of the beans to thicken the broth flavor. The longer the simmer time allows you to flavor the beans with your favorite ingredients such as smoked BBQ meat, onions, garlic, syrup, ketchup, tomatoes, peppers, beer, your secret seasonings, and don’t forget the salt and pepper you left out during soaking earlier.

There are many good seasoning recipes on the internet and various barbecue cook books.

Canned Beans

A 15 oz can contains 1 ½ cups of beans. You should consider draining and rinsing canned beans before warming them prior to serving. This will also cut down on the likelihood of potential flatulence. There is little doubt that canned beans save you time and many brands are quite delicious as well. Whatever you choose, you must agree they are like ham and eggs with barbecue.