Best Bbq Grilling Program Converts 1-22.5 Hops

Today I’m Going to Share With You the Closely Guarded Inside Secrets & Recipes of the Worlds Best Grill Master

Here’s just a glimpse of what you’ll discover…

The Secrets of Lo & Slow Smokin for Ultimate Flavor

Heat Control: What You MUST Know before you Start

Make Your Foods Come Alive with Rubs, Oils and Marinades

How to Make The Most Mouth Watering Sauces

9 Secret BBQ Sauce Recipes to Die For

How to Season Meat For Ultimate Flavor and Taste

Over 60 of the Best Closely Graded BBQ Recipes that will Shock you Guests!

7 Amazing Recipes and Techniques for Grilling “Fall Off the Bone Ribs”

Never Have a Chewy, Tough Steak Again…Guaranteed!

I’ve Poured My Life into this Book and I Know You’ll Love it…

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Is The Red Juice In A Rare Piece Of Steak Really Blood

I have a rather paranoid mom. As a youngster, whenever we would go to a restaurant she would always ensure that any type of meat offered was well done. Even a hint of red was enough to create panic. She believed that all meat had to be thoroughly cooked, otherwise we were likely to get food poisoning. As a result, it wasn’t until I was about 18 that I had my first actual taste of steak. My uncle took me out and I got the forbidden medium rare steak for the first time in my life. I was impressed! There was so much more taste in that one piece of meat than all the other steaks I had ever before had put together. From that day on I never again ordered one well done.

So how come steak has more taste the less you heat it? Who knows! I definitely don’t. I just know it does and it’s delicious. Most likely much of the taste is lost via evaporation of the meat juices. Anyhow, the thing that freaked my mom out above all was when you would slice a piece of meat and red ‘blood’ would ooze out. “How could you possibly wish to eat meat that bleeds when you cut it!?” she would exclaim in disgust. Well here is the thing: it’s not blood. Its Myoglobin. Myoglobin is an oxygen carrying protein located only in the muscular tissues. It is like haemoglobin, located in the red blood cells, both in structure and functions. In fact, the reason that some meat is red (beef/pork) and some is white (chicken/turkey) is due to the difference in myoglobin levels.

So, when you hear a person exclaim how much they love their steak to be bloody, what they really mean is they like it to be myoglobiny. I believe I have possibly made a brand-new word there! As you might expect, educating my mom that a rare steak has no blood whatsoever didn’t did anything to discourage her from constantly buying ‘well done’ at a restaurant. Blood or no blood, it doesn’t matter to me; the vital thing is the taste.

My barbecue grill has not once been used to destroy a steak by overcooking it. I have the tendency to go for somewhere between rare and medium rare. I get a little turned off with completely rare steak as the middle is usually a little cold and I like my meat to be warm throughout. It’s especially vital to clean your barbecue grill well prior to cooking a steak. You definitely don’t want it sticking to unclean bars and spoiling your pricey piece of beef. So don’t forget to clean the grate and oil the bars well before you start. If you have a porcelain enamel coated grate then you should not have to stress over oil as the bars will be non stick. Nevertheless, make certain you use a grill brush safe for porcelain, as some will scratch the coating off, damaging your grill and exposing the underlying metal to rust.

Stan Lew is a grill enthusiast who really enjoys sharing tips, advice and thoughts on all things BBQ. Check out this site for info about buying a BBQ grill brush and check out this video to learn how to use your wire grill brush.

Finding Weber Grill Replacement Parts on the Web Is Not Hard When You Know Where and How to Look

Ever since they originally appeared in stores at the beginning of 1950s, Weber Grills have been a huge part of many family’s outdoor fun.

Weber Grills – “So Simple to Operate, Even a Father Can Do It!”

Weber grills are made to be very easy to operate for the inexperienced griller and the master alike and are built with uncompromising quality and strength.

Weber gas grills, Weber charcoal grills and Weber electric grills are today a favorite of many typical men and women as they are so easy to use and reasonably priced. There is certainly a model for your cooking style and life style.

But Even the Very Best Grills Wear Out

Weber Grills might be the finest designed and best built grills out there, but even the best constructed grill will ultimately wear out from use and need replacement parts. And unlike cheap flimsy grills, it is normally considerably less costly to fix or replace a part on a Weber grill than to purchase a whole new model.

Fortunately Weber grill parts are easy to purchase through the internet.

First Off However — Remember That It Is Not Your Negligence That Caused This

Look at it like this — pieces wearing out is an indication that you have been making use of your grill, enjoying yourself, eating good food and getting your money’s worth.

Grills do not wear out by sitting in the shed.

And no matter how well you protect and take care of your grill, it is going to eventually require grill replacement parts.

For example, gas grill burners are always going to rust with age even if you take great care of them. Even the absolute best caliber stainless-steel propane grill burners are going to rust in time. Once they begin to wear out with age, the flame can become unevenly. This tends to produce uneven grilling results. Commonly the burner openings become larger as they rust. This permits the propane to flow at a quicker rate and causes a hotter flame at that point. This will result in the awful “hot spots” that the first gas BBQ grills were well known for. Moreover it will fritter away your valuable natural gas and/or propane.

The grilling accessories can also wear out and have to be replaced. These include the heat tent, heat shield, flame tamer, grates and I-tent. Rust, grease and drippings will coat the surfaces and cause dangerous flare-ups.

Locating Individual Replacement Parts for Your Weber Grill

To find Weber Grill parts on the internet, find the model number, after which you can easily do a search for a particular part on the internet. Merely type “Weber”, the model number together with a name or detailed description of the piece you are looking for into a search engine. For example, if you are looking for a gas control knob for a Weber Genesis E-310, you can type in “Weber Grill Genesis E-310 gas control knob.”

If you can’t find the model number for whatever reason or if you have not a clue what exactly a damaged piece actually does on the grill, you can simply measure your original component and check it against some that are detailed on the webpages of reputable sellers. Good vendor sites will likely have a variety of photos, illustrations, diagrams as well as specifications. Be aware that you may also see Ducane Grills on a lot of these websites — Weber acquired Ducane in 2002 and currently produces this brand.

By the way, probably the best way to do this is to take the old part completely out of the grill and lay it on a flat work surface. Then compare it to the image or drawing on the webpage.

Or…

If you own a Weber Grill and you want to keep it working in tip-top condition, you could do the easiest thing and just visit our site Weber Grill Parts for information on the best deals and sources for all the parts and accessories you need.

http://webergrillpartsguide.com has what you are looking for to keep your grill running hot.

Grill out and make something delicious this weekend!

Weber Bbq Rotisserie – Roasting With Ease

What’s better than a rotisserie chicken? A rotisserie chicken cooked over charcoal on a Weber BBQ rotisserie. Home-cooked food is constantly superior than take-out and anything done on the rotisserie; ribs, chicken, turkey, is sure to be a treat. We grill out most nights in the summer since it helps keep the inside of the home cool with no oven on and meals are far more like a picnic when we have them on the patio.

I’ve tried other rotisseries in the past but either they didn’t fit my kettle grill or the motor wasn’t strong sufficient or even the rotisserie would be off balance and jam. Weber appears to have solved these complications and created a rotisserie that’s set and forget. All you have to do is establish your timer or thermometer and keep your stomach from growling too loudly!

I especially like rotisserie done around charcoal, which is why I like to use my kettle grill. The Weber 2290 fits my 22-1/2 inch kettle grill just perfect without any requirement to prop or fuss obtaining the perfect fit.

A feature I definitely like with this rotisserie is the counterbalance control. If the meat is too heavy for the rotisserie, it will stop with the heaviest weight on top. From there, it is possible to adjust the counterbalance for the weight of the meat and the rotisserie will then turn at a steady pace cooking your dinner.

The motor on this rotisserie is also pretty quiet and incredibly heavy duty. I roasted a 15-pound turkey on it as a test run and following obtaining the counterbalance arranged, it ran with out a dilemma. I in no way had to reset the counterbalance during the cooking time.

Cleanup is a breeze as the 1-piece spit slides out of the motor and it along with the skewers can be wiped down with soap and water separately. I haven’t had anything burn or stick to them. The entire unit just gets hung up for your next use. Though I have to say it hasn’t been put away for long so far since the Weber BBQ rotisserie gets used so often.

Cooking Pork Ribs

If you are cooking on a gas grill, it is imperative you do the following:

Cook at as low a temp. as you can without your burner flaming out. Cook as far away from the flame as you can, if a double burner, put meat over the unlit side, for example. AVOID FLAIRUPS!! Remember..time and temperatureYou MUST introduce smoke to the meat, or it will not be BBQ. Period. Use some hardwood pellets or moistened Chips of hickory or mesquite combo applied to your lava rocks. Oak is fine. NEVER USE RESINOUS WOOD, such as cedar or pine..the resin can impart toxins to the meat and make everyone sick. Smoke flavor is imparted to meats only within the first 2 hours and at below temps of 200F. Excessive smoking can only serve to blacken the meat, or overpower the flavor with smoke. After two hours the meat ‘seals’ and nothing else can penetrate the meat…that is why the low temps are so critical to imparting the BBQ spices and smoke deeper into the meat early on in the process. If you can not impart smoke to the meat, there is one other alternative…marinate the ribs in large ziplock freezer bags with each two slabs getting one cup of Worcestershire Sauce, one half cup of Wicker’s marinade, and one tablespoon of Liquid Smoke, which is a product found in the same section as the Wicker’s. Marinade overnight..or for at least 8 hours before applying dry rub. It gives a false flavor, but it is better than no smoke flavor at all.

COOKING TIME:

It should take about 6 hours at 200 degrees (get an oven thermometer and place it on the grill close to the meat…this is the thermometer to pay attention to!), or 5 hours at 225, or 4 hours at 250. NEVER COOK HIGHER THAN 250F!! All you are doing at that temp. is grilling, and you cannot successfully grill any cut of rib, except for Country Style Ribs.

Apply Smoke for first 2 hours. After one hour, baste ribs with anything! Beer, wine, Wickers, Gramma’s favorite pork baste, whatever…just don’t let the ribs tryout!

After two hours of smoking, wrap EACH SLAB in HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil. Be careful not to punch holes in foil. This is the STEAMING process, which is the secret part that makes the ribs so tender. To further tenderize the meat, pour a 1/3 cup of marinade, or Citric liquid (OJ or pineapple juice works best) into the foil over the meat, before carefully sealing the top of the foil. Wrap tight BUT WATCH FOR HOLES IN THE FOIL. Double or triple wrap, if necessary! That is why the extra heavy-duty foil is so important. Cook in foil another 2 hours, at the lower temps and 1.5 hours if cooking at 250.

NOTE: at the end of the foil process, when you open the foil of one slab to inspect, look for bones shining at you…this means they are steaming too fast and remove from grill immediately! If there is still mostly meat over the top of the slab, you are ok. After 1.5 to 2 hours in the foil, take one slab off the grill and open the foil. Watch for hot steam! When you see this small amount of BLACK LIQUID (rendered fat) at the bottom of the foil, that is the signal to remove the slabs from the foil. This Black stuff is the so called “pig taste” that good rib cooks replace with pure BBQ flavoring. If you are not careful, the black liquid will literally be reabsorbed into the meat, making them a little more ‘porky’ in flavor. I sometimes stack my slabs on their side…like dominos to allow the Fat to slow off the slabs into the bottom of the foil. Again, watch out for pinholes in the foil!

At the appropriate time, remove the foil and place the slabs back on the grill….this will finish the cooking and firm up the ribs if they have gotten too tender. About 30 minutes before serving…paintbrush on a mixture of:

8 parts BBQ Sauce (Cattleman’s, Kraft or your own recipe will do) 2 parts honey some rub (to your taste)

NOT TOO MUCH if you prefer a dry rib…SWAB IT ON if you want a wet rib.

When the ribs are done, take off grill and let cool for about 10 minutes (as again, you should do with ALL grilled foods) before serving. Just before serving, lightly dust the slabs with your dry rub. Cut into 3 or 4 bone sections, and ENJOY! Make sure you have plenty of Moist Towlettes or warm strips of cloth soaked in lemon juice, to fix up the sticky fingers. Serve with French Bread or Texas Toast, BBQ Beans and Potato Salad, with the sauce on the side for those who prefer.

Ribs can be frozen after cooking. Wrap in clear film or foil and place in the freezer. Leave in foil off the grill if you plan on freezing and cooking later. That required last hour of grilling/finishing will be achieved in the warming oven at a later date.

To cook frozen ribs, remove from freezer and let thaw for two hours. Wrapped foil, and put in an oven at 220 for 45 minutes, they are almost as good as hot off the grill! Don’t forget the sauce!

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The Essential BBQ Tools and Accessories to Ensure a Great Cookout

While a high quality and dependable grill is necessary for those who enjoy cooking outside frequently, having the right BBQ tools and accessories is also essential for grilling outside successfully every time. The essential barbeque accessories not only include those for preparing and grilling your food, but also for maintaining your grill so that it will cook optimally every time and last for many years. In this guide on BBQ tools and accessories, you will learn about the various outdoor cooking tools available as well as their benefits and how to properly utilize them.

Barbeque Accessories for Maintenance

Cleaning your grill prior to cooking on it is essential in order to ensure the quality of your food as well as reduce the chances of excessive flames resulting in injury and charred or over cooked food. A stainless steel grill brush works best for removing any stuck on food or grease from the top of your grates, however, a handy and simple to use tool called a grill floss is designed to also clean the bottom and sides of your grates. Grill wipes are also great to have for cleaning your grill and many also contain oil that prevents food from sticking and treats or seasons the grill making it easier to clean after grilling and protecting it from rust. A cover for your grill is also an essential item to have especially when storing your grill outside in order to keep out dust, insects, and protect it from the elements.

BBQ Tools and Accessories for Great Grilling

Having the right BBQ tools and accessories not only make outdoor grilling easier, but can also enhance the flavor of your food. A set of barbeque accessories should include a spatula, tongs, grilling fork, basting brush, meat thermometer, and skewers. It is recommended that you purchase utensils that are of made of high quality materials such as stainless steel as they will be durable and last longer as opposed to other sets that are made with less expensive materials. Long lasting stainless steel grates can also be purchased for your grill which will make it easier to clean and maintain. Gloves that are made specifically for outdoor grilling are great for handling utensils, pots, hot foods such as baked potatoes, and also protect your forearms from the intense heat when reaching over the grill.

A gas grill rotisserie kit can also be purchased for your grill and is a great accessory for grilling whole chickens or beef roasts as it cooks the food slowly and evenly searing the meat which allows it to retain its moisture. A side burner is an essential addition to have for those individuals who enjoy cooking entire meals outdoors. Side burners are available with a single burner or multiple burners that can be used to boil water, cook vegetables, saute peppers and onions, or prepare any other items that are cooked on a regular kitchen stove. BBQ tools and accessories make a great gift for any backyard chef and as you can see, the right barbeque accessories can enhance and make any type of outdoor cooking event a successful one.

How to be Successful Lighting and Cooking using a Charcoal BBQ

Cooking with a charcoal bbq may very well be one of the very best activities to do at throughout the year as well as without a doubt in pretty much any local weather scenarios. Bottled gas Barbecues seem currently to have become far more preferred than charcoal types, Nonetheless many people think that charcoal barbecues deliver a far better taste and naturally therefore the additional work is certainly worth doing. Charcoal barbecues are additionally significantly less expensive to acquire and use than their gas equivalents. Bbq cooking is a wholesome way to prepare foodstuff as no cooking oils or fats are needed.

Despite this, the most frequent difficulties seem to be how you can literally fire up 1 and subsequently how to cook using them to guantee that the foodstuff is appropriately cooked. Some people battle to light the coals or the food ends up burnt on the outside yet cold in the middle. On the other hand, a few simple rules will help.

When it comes to lighting the barbecue a typical mistake is to try and employ not enough charcoal. Start by placing a couple of layers of charcoal in a circle about ten inches across, next position 4 or 5 fire lighter cubes in the coals. Fire up the lighter blocks and once adequately alight cover with even more coals so that you create a volcano-shape several centimetres tall. And then just go away from it for around an hour or so (maybe start on the wine!). If the barbecue has a lid, don’t employ it now as it can prevent the coals from becoming nicely scorching.

Following roughly 1 hour all the coals will have turned white-hot. If there are still flames or a lot of red charcoal the barbecue isn’t ready to cook on. It is going to be too hot and you’ll blacken the exterior of the food items but the inside of the food items could remain cold; not really a favourable mix and, needless to say, uncooked food would make you sick.

So as to start cooking carefully spread out the coals using an appropriate bbq tool so that they’re evenly spread and over the complete base of the bbq. The barbecue is now at the hottest hence it is a good time for you to cook vegetables within in a foil parcel. Let it reduce heat a little prior to cooking meat to ensure that it is not too hot, for stuff like meat on the bone or thicker pieces of meat it’s important that they’re cooked very well n the middle consequently you are going to discover you ought to turn them quite frequently.

You will in addition find that various spots of the bbq might be at a variety of temperatures as a result it’s wise to move the food items around to quicken up or decrease cooking. Food items covered in sauces could well be challenging as the coating could well involve oils which because they drip on the scorching coals causes flames that burn the meat. It is always very essential in these kinds of cases to move the food around the bbq. In the event the bbq incorporates a metal lid this reduces the pace of burning down and therefore is often utilized when the barbecue is properly lit to finish cooking off or keep food warm.

Lastly barbecuing is such a terrific way to cook food items and so it need not be reserved for scorching times. Should you comply with the methods above you should discover that you’re able to light a bbq in all kinds of weather conditions except from a very strong breeze.

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The Basics of BBQ Food Smoking

One of the most celebrated American foods is barbecue, but what is it exactly? Well this answer to this question is not necessarily a simple one. To different people in different regions BBQ is different, whether it is the cut of the meat or the presence of sauce or not, people around the country look at this great American masterpiece from many different perspectives.

There is one thing that BBQ enthusiasts around the United States seem to agree and that is that the food you are cooking is not BBQ unless it is smoked. Yes, smoke means burning wood to flavor the meat. Methods and types of wood use, however, do vary greatly from person to person and region to region. Texas barbecue is known for being cooked with mesquite wood whereas many North Carolina BBQ chefs do not have as strong of a preference. Most agree, however, that simply cooking food over a grill without wood smoke is -grilling,- and not the same as barbecue. While it may be interpreted as opinion, it is true that smoked food has a distinct taste that cannot be derived simply from the char applied to meat by grilling.

While there are many different types of wood that can be used for smoking, there are a few guidelines to go by. Wood containing sap can be poisonous when burned. The easiest rule of thumb to use when selecting a wood is to make sure it comes from a tree that produces edible food like fruits or nuts. Examples of tasty and acceptable types of wood include: oak, hickory, pecan, apple, cherry and maple. One of the best ways to BBQ is by using what is around you. Many people cut down trees and place them in their front yard. Besides using this excess wood to build fires in your house, you can use it to BBQ. One could also try local online message boards in the -Free- section. Not only is this source of wood free but it is the environmentally friendly choice since the wood you are using had been cut down anyway.

The way you light and smoke your wood matters too. A very popular method is to use wood chips. After lighting a charcoal fire, place wood chips that have been soaking for at least 30 minutes on the top. This will instantly turn into a plethora of smoke.

Another way to smoke is by starting a fire from wood. Whether you bought them or cut them on your own, start a fire from scratch using wood chunks. Once the fire is low, cut the oxygen supply enough so that the fire retains heat but the flame die down: this produces the maximum smoke.

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Cooking Pork Ribs

Pork ribs are purchased in SLABS, consisting of about 15 bones in each slab. A RACK is a SLAB cut in half (6-8 bones). Ribs come in four categories, defined by the location on the hogs rib cage they are cut from:

COUNTRY STYLE…these are more like pork chops and not considered a true rib…pork chop shaped bone. At opposite end of loin backs. Sold in pieces.

LOIN BACK….this is the cut closest to the spine..where the tenderloin is located.. Short and very curved bones. Sold in slabs or half-slabs (racks) and usually weigh 2 and down (1.75 – 2 pounds a slab). (The BABY BACK is simply a loin back off a baby hog..or hog under 85# when dressed Babyback slabs usually weigh 1 3/4 and down. Sold in slabs, it is a Gourmet cut of meat….)

SPARE….more of the middle and lower section of the ribcage. Spares have flat oval bones. Largest of the rib categories..and usually have an extra piece of meat on the underside of the rib, called the Brisket, or tip, which is trimmed off prior to cooking. Usually weighs 3 and down. For BBQ’ing, spares are trimmed somewhat similar the shape of the State of Tennessee..flat on left, angled on right..and straight even on top and bottom, with brisket removed (and cooked separate, if desired, known as the ‘trash ribs’) ST. LOUIS CUT…this is a cut of ribs that is the border area between the loin and the spare…in essence..it is a flat oval shaped bone slab, similar to the spare, but from the top it looks like a loin back. Great for outdoor BBQ’ing for friends, and a must for Texas Style competitions.

Which is best to cook? Well…I guess it depends on how much room you have on your grill, and what is the occasion. Spares are for feeding the masses..and the loin backs are better for small dinners or picnics, on smaller grills. Figure on providing a full slab for heavy eaters and a rack for normal appetites.

The best place to buy Loin back Ribs now in small quantities is Sam’s Club. They come 3 slabs to the cryrovac package. I know lots of professional BBQ cookers who get their championship ribs from Sam’s.

You should never pay more than: $6-7 a slab for loins, $6 for spares, and $6-7 a slab for St. Louis.

COOKING RIBS

The two most critical points of cooking any type of BBQ is….time and temperature….both low and slow! This is how I prepare Ribs for Competition:

I choose Loin back’s 2 and down…and keep them iced down (not Frozen) before time to cook. While I start my fire and get the grill up to a warm temp. of about 180 F, I take the ribs out and set them on a table to come close room temp. (as you should with ALL meats you grill or BBQ). I take a slab and remove the back membrane by twisting and bending the slab like an accordion, and then placing the slab on a flat surface and running a small Phillips head screwdriver down a bone in the MIDDLE of the slab, CAREFULLY separating the bone from the membrane (also known as the tallow). Working the blade of the screwdriver slowly sideways on one end of the slab, until a space big enough for my index finger to enter the pocket created between the bone and the membrane. I then CAREFULLY work to the opposite end of the slab..until two, then three fingers are to the other side….then I lift STRAIGHT UP AND AWAY FROM THE middle of the slab…this pulls the membrane away from the middle of the slab and slowly releases from the slab…until it is joined only at the tips….just lift this membrane off and discard it. REMEMBER to take your time for the first one..and it gets easier to do as you go along. Just work the membrane off slowly and try to remove it as one piece, if some of it tears and stays on the slab, don’t worry..just leave it. You do not have to do this part..but it is worth the effort! REMOVE MEMBRANES ON LOIN BACK’S ONLY!!! Spares are darned near impossible to totally remove!

Next..I trim the two end bones off each tip…leaving a 12 bone slab. I do this because it looks better, cooks better, and sometimes there are bone fragments in the tips, no fun for judges to bite into! Then…while the fire is still heating, I squirt some Italian Dressing on both sides of the ribs. This adds a unique flavor and gives the dry rub something to stick to while the ribs are smoking. I then sprinkle a dry rub on both sides of the slab. Try OLD BAY seasoning, found in the seafood section of Kroger by the meat case. All that Rendezvous Seasoning utilizes is Old bay with some cracked white peppercorns!! You can make you own dry rub from scratch, make it spicy or mild. This is the fun part of ribs..the experimentation with the rub. You don’t have to rub the spice, just sprinkle over the top, bottom (if you get the membranes off) ends and sides of the slab. A good rule of thumb is to make sure there is no unspiced red meat exposed anywhere! WARNING: Stay away from large amounts of salt in your rub, it draws moisture out of this delicate cut of meat, and will dry it out! SUGAR in the rub will caramelize during cooking and will blacken your ribs unnecessarily. Leave the rub on about 10 minutes before putting the slabs on the grill.

NEVER put the ribs on the cooker meat side down, always put the slab BONE SIDE to the fire, You should rotate your slabs if the fire is hotter on one side of the grill than the other…or rotate the slabs 180 degrees, but don’t move them from their starting spots, etc. Point is, don’t expose meats to a hot spot on the grill for very long, but keep them rotated, so that all the pieces get some of the hot spot!

If you are cooking on a gas grill, it is imperative you do the following:

Cook at as low a temp. as you can without your burner flaming out. Cook as far away from the flame as you can, if a double burner, put meat over the unlit side, for example. AVOID FLAIRUPS!! Remember..time and temperatureYou MUST introduce smoke to the meat, or it will not be BBQ. Period. Use some hardwood pellets or moistened Chips of hickory or mesquite combo applied to your lava rocks. Oak is fine. NEVER USE RESINOUS WOOD, such as cedar or pine..the resin can impart toxins to the meat and make everyone sick. Smoke flavor is imparted to meats only within the first 2 hours and at below temps of 200F. Excessive smoking can only serve to blacken the meat, or overpower the flavor with smoke. After two hours the meat ‘seals’ and nothing else can penetrate the meat…that is why the low temps are so critical to imparting the BBQ spices and smoke deeper into the meat early on in the process. If you can not impart smoke to the meat, there is one other alternative…marinate the ribs in large ziplock freezer bags with each two slabs getting one cup of Worcestershire Sauce, one half cup of Wicker’s marinade, and one tablespoon of Liquid Smoke, which is a product found in the same section as the Wicker’s. Marinade overnight..or for at least 8 hours before applying dry rub. It gives a false flavor, but it is better than no smoke flavor at all.

COOKING TIME:

It should take about 6 hours at 200 degrees (get an oven thermometer and place it on the grill close to the meat…this is the thermometer to pay attention to!), or 5 hours at 225, or 4 hours at 250. NEVER COOK HIGHER THAN 250F!! All you are doing at that temp. is grilling, and you cannot successfully grill any cut of rib, except for Country Style Ribs.

Apply Smoke for first 2 hours. After one hour, baste ribs with anything! Beer, wine, Wickers, Gramma’s favorite pork baste, whatever…just don’t let the ribs tryout!

After two hours of smoking, wrap EACH SLAB in HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil. Be careful not to punch holes in foil. This is the STEAMING process, which is the secret part that makes the ribs so tender. To further tenderize the meat, pour a 1/3 cup of marinade, or Citric liquid (OJ or pineapple juice works best) into the foil over the meat, before carefully sealing the top of the foil. Wrap tight BUT WATCH FOR HOLES IN THE FOIL. Double or triple wrap, if necessary! That is why the extra heavy-duty foil is so important. Cook in foil another 2 hours, at the lower temps and 1.5 hours if cooking at 250.

NOTE: at the end of the foil process, when you open the foil of one slab to inspect, look for bones shining at you…this means they are steaming too fast and remove from grill immediately! If there is still mostly meat over the top of the slab, you are ok. After 1.5 to 2 hours in the foil, take one slab off the grill and open the foil. Watch for hot steam! When you see this small amount of BLACK LIQUID (rendered fat) at the bottom of the foil, that is the signal to remove the slabs from the foil. This Black stuff is the so called “pig taste” that good rib cooks replace with pure BBQ flavoring. If you are not careful, the black liquid will literally be reabsorbed into the meat, making them a little more ‘porky’ in flavor. I sometimes stack my slabs on their side…like dominos to allow the Fat to slow off the slabs into the bottom of the foil. Again, watch out for pinholes in the foil!

At the appropriate time, remove the foil and place the slabs back on the grill….this will finish the cooking and firm up the ribs if they have gotten too tender. About 30 minutes before serving…paintbrush on a mixture of:

8 parts BBQ Sauce (Cattleman’s, Kraft or your own recipe will do) 2 parts honey some rub (to your taste)

NOT TOO MUCH if you prefer a dry rib…SWAB IT ON if you want a wet rib.

When the ribs are done, take off grill and let cool for about 10 minutes (as again, you should do with ALL grilled foods) before serving. Just before serving, lightly dust the slabs with your dry rub. Cut into 3 or 4 bone sections, and ENJOY! Make sure you have plenty of Moist Towlettes or warm strips of cloth soaked in lemon juice, to fix up the sticky fingers. Serve with French Bread or Texas Toast, BBQ Beans and Potato Salad, with the sauce on the side for those who prefer.

Ribs can be frozen after cooking. Wrap in clear film or foil and place in the freezer. Leave in foil off the grill if you plan on freezing and cooking later. That required last hour of grilling/finishing will be achieved in the warming oven at a later date.

To cook frozen ribs, remove from freezer and let thaw for two hours. Wrapped foil, and put in an oven at 220 for 45 minutes, they are almost as good as hot off the grill! Don’t forget the sauce!

A Guide To Gas BBQ Smokers

Gas smokers offer great portability and versatility, especially propane fueled units. It’s as simple as moving your smoker and propane bottle where ever you need them.

Maintaining a proper smoking temperature is very easy with a gas unit, just adjust the steady burning flame. Propane is a clean burning gas so clean up is a breeze. Nice models run about $175.00 dollars.

If you can use a gas grill you can use a gas smoker.

Always follow the manufactures recommendations for cleaning and care. Nothing ruins your smoking like clogged burner jets and replacement parts add up quickly.

Monitor your fuel supply, running out of propane halfway though twenty pounds of baby back ribs isn’t fun. Consider purchasing a spare propane tank as a back up. I also have a gas grill so a spare propane tank is a must.

Natural gas smokers are also available. If you plan on installing a permanent smoker as part of an out door kitchen a natural gas smoker may be right for you.

The biggest drawback is running a gas line run to your smoker. On the plus side natural gas is cheaper than propane, and you don’t have the hassle of switching bottles. Those considerations aside natural gas smokers share the same advantages as propane units.

Gas vertical water smokers are all around outstanding units. The portability, ease of operation, and cleanliness of propane units make them a popular choice.

Maintaining a gas smoker

To maintain the wonderful searing/grilling performance of your cast iron grates or griddle, as well as their longevity, some special care is required. As with any cast iron cooking tool, proper seasoning is most important.

First time use: Before using a cast iron grate or griddle, wash it thoroughly with a mild dishwashing liquid to remove the protective wax coating applied for shipping. Rinse with hot water and dry completely with a soft cloth or paper towel.

NEVER ALLOW TO DRAIN DRY, OR WASH IN A DISHWASHER.

Now season the grates/griddle to prevent rust and sticking.

Seasoning: A solid vegetable shortening is recommended for the initial seasoning. Spread a thin coating of solid vegetable shortening over the entire surface, including all corners, with a paper towel. Do not use salted fats such as butter or margarine.

Proceed as follows:

Preheat grill for 15 minutes, place grates/griddle in grill. Turn burners to Medium-Off-Medium with lid closed. Allow grill to heat grates/griddle for 1 to 1 hours. Turn all burners to OFF, and leave cooking grates/griddle in grill until they are cool.

Having trouble lighting your gas smoker?

If you can light the grill with a match you may have an ignition switch problem. Check your igniter switch. Is it making a clicking noise? If the igniter does not click, it is not aligned correctly with the gray rocker switch. To align it, remove the control panel (consult your owner’s manual for instructions). Once the control panel is removed, check the position of the igniter.

It should be tightly secured with the lock nut in the smaller hole of the keyhole frame. If the igniter has clips on the sides, rather than a lock nut, make sure it is completely “snapped” into place. If the igniter is aligned properly, make sure the control panel is not loose. There should be two fasteners holding the panel in place.

Next, check to see if the igniter wires are loose. The white and black wires should be secured at both ends. Then check the position of the metal tab protruding from the cookbox where the white wire attaches. This tab must be 45 degrees away from the cookbox to avoid a shorted circuit.

Finally, very humid or rainy weather can cause moisture to collect on the end of the probe and make the igniter unable to spark. To remedy this condition, light the grill with a match. The heat from the grill will warm the probe and should fix the problem.

If you cannot light the grill with a match you probably have a gas flow problem. Have you cleaned your burner tubes recently? It is very important that the portholes of the burner tubes are clear of any blockage.

If the gas flow is restricted, the igniter will struggle to light. To clean your tubes, brush the portholes with a steel wire brush in an up and down motion. This cleaning should be part of your routine maintenance.

If you are looking for BBQ product reviews, ideas, barbecue recipes, and daily news, then head over to Barbecue Party. They have a wealth of BBQ goodness there including competition schedules, restaurant reviews, and a barbecue store that stocks great value gas and charcoal BBQ grills and smokers.