| Outdoor cooking isn't for everyone. It takes | | | | charcoal or water in the water bowl. There |
| a person who is willing to put his reputation | | | | are other kinds of course and you can find |
| as a grilling superstar on the line each time | | | | them at a hardware store or outdoor market |
| he lights a gas grill or tosses a match onto | | | | place. The costs are going to range from |
| a flammable pile of charcoal. that the people | | | | roughly $75 to $500 depending on the one you |
| he feeds will appreciate the food he has | | | | choose. I think most of them are good, but |
| cooked. Each time he (or she) steps out of | | | | you can usually get just as much satisfaction |
| his home into his back yard, armed with | | | | from a cheap one instead of the high priced |
| copper brush, tongs and forks; he faces a | | | | smokers. Of course there is the prestige of |
| challenge to beat his best individual | | | | getting one of those sleek, black ones with |
| performance on the backyard grill. | | | | the chrome smoke pipes. Gives you sort of a |
| | | | chill just to think of owning one of those, |
| Most of the outdoor chefs I've run across are | | | | doesn't it? |
| men. It seems that women had rather stay in | | | | |
| the kitchen. I think it is just a ploy to get | | | | Meat smoked on an electric grill is great if |
| the men out of the house for a while. The | | | | you have some wood smoke flavor to make it |
| ladies give them the idea that cooking on the | | | | tasty. I know you can buy little cans of |
| grill is almost important as breathing, | | | | wood chips to add some character to your |
| especially if it's done by him! That will | | | | cooking. Simply pour a little water in the |
| get the guy outside with his chest puffed up, | | | | can, set the can on the lava rocks in the |
| carrying a can of charcoal starter and a | | | | bottom of the smoker, and when starts to |
| match. | | | | simmer, you have hickory, cherry or pecan |
| | | | steam permeating your Boston butt! This is |
| First rule! If you're using charcoal and | | | | the city folks' way of making barbeque. |
| you're using a liquid lighter, know what you | | | | |
| are dousing on those briquettes! It is | | | | Another big tip! If you've left the smoker |
| really not the volume of the whoooomp that | | | | outside uncovered, check to make sure the |
| determines whether your coals will burn | | | | lava rocks are dry. If it has rained since |
| consistently. Never use gasoline, lacquer | | | | your last cookout, chances are that the |
| thinner, lantern fluid or any of those things | | | | bottom of the smoker is covered in water. If |
| that will blow you out of your shoes. Stick | | | | so, don't plug in the heating iron! It's not |
| with charcoal lighter. | | | | a wise move because you will blow the iron |
| | | | up! Drain the water out of the base first, |
| One big tip! Never use kerosene to start your | | | | let the lava rocks dry, then have a safe |
| charcoal! No matter how long you let your | | | | barbeque. |
| charcoal burn, no matter how much more | | | | |
| briquettes on the coals, your rib eyes will | | | | My personal favorite is the charcoal smoker. |
| have that subtle aroma and taste of kerosene. | | | | It's really not hard to use, though a lot of |
| Your grill will smell like a piece of | | | | people seem to think it's some kind of a |
| construction equipment. It's best to stay | | | | miracle that the meat I smoke tastes so good. |
| with prescribed fuels that don't stink. | | | | Some even think there is a secret to my |
| | | | success when I cook a pork loin or Boston |
| There are other methods to ignite your | | | | butts and wind up with some of the most |
| charcoal. Use the chimney type device where | | | | delicious barbeque you have ever tasted. |
| you put the charcoal in an inverted cone and | | | | Some folks even think there is a secret |
| push a couple of sheets of newspaper in the | | | | ingredient that I haven't shared with anyone! |
| bottom. Put a match to the paper in the | | | | |
| bottom and the draft of the "chimney" will | | | | I usually smoke three or four Boston butts at |
| make the coals burn. I have never been able | | | | a time. It's easy. First I load the coal |
| to keep that apparatus around the house for | | | | pan with charcoal, and then use a charcoal |
| more than a summer due to rust, being stepped | | | | lighter fluid to start the coals. You could |
| on or having the neighbors' borrow it. | | | | use one of the instant light charcoals if you |
| | | | wish, but just make sure than when you add |
| There is also the electric heating iron | | | | charcoal, you use the regular briquettes or |
| category of charcoal starters. Just plug it | | | | your meat will taste funny. |
| into an outlet, let it get red hot and stick | | | | |
| it under the charcoal. It doesn't take long | | | | After the coals are lit and the flames have |
| to get a pile of charcoal glowing and | | | | died, fill up the metal water bowl with about |
| shimmering with heat. You don't have to | | | | a quart of water. This helps keep the meat |
| worry about the whooomp either! The heating | | | | moist. Next lay the meat on the two racks of |
| iron works well but it's just not the same as | | | | the smoker. I salt and pepper the meat |
| seeing flames shoot as high as your house. | | | | liberally, and then put the lid back on the |
| You only get that with a liquid lighter that | | | | smoker and I'm finished for about an hour. |
| you're not supposed to use in the first | | | | |
| place. | | | | For three Boston butts, I usually let them |
| | | | cook for about 12 hours, adding charcoal and |
| Let's talk about charcoal grills versus gas | | | | hickory chunks to the hot coals about every |
| grills. I use both in my back yard | | | | hour and a half. Some chefs soak the hickory |
| barbequing. Cooking with gas is almost like | | | | in water for thirty minutes or so before |
| cooking on the gas stove in the kitchen. | | | | adding them to the coals. I prefer to lay |
| Boring! Maybe that's why I prefer charcoal. | | | | the wood chunks on the live coals. The dry |
| It's just manlier to battle the flames and | | | | wood smoking and burning will give you a mild |
| rescue a steak just in the nick of time, from | | | | taste of hickory, not the smell and taste of |
| being overly cooked. That's the way outdoor | | | | a burning barn! When the meat reaches 180 |
| cooking is supposed to be; a man conquering | | | | degrees on the meat the thermometer, take it |
| the elements! | | | | off and tear it apart with forks. This way |
| | | | separates the pork easily. You can add |
| Really, cooking on a gas grill is a nice and | | | | barbeque sauce at this time or serve it on |
| comfortable way to grill steaks, chickens, | | | | the table. |
| burgers, chops and vegetables. One of the | | | | |
| areas in which the gas grills are deficient | | | | There is one ingredient so unique, so |
| is smoking meat. As far as I know, you just | | | | necessary to cooking good barbeque. It's |
| can't do that with today's grills. You have | | | | PATIENCE! Allow yourself enough time to cook |
| to have a smoker. I prefer charcoal smokers | | | | the meat thoroughly. Most people do not do |
| of course, but I've had excellent results | | | | that. We are a society of instant |
| with electric smokers also. | | | | gratification. If we want something, we want |
| | | | it now! That just won't work when you're |
| Smokers, both electric and charcoal, are set | | | | trying for the best tasting barbeque you can |
| up pretty much in the same way. The ones | | | | cook. Smoking takes awhile, so give it the |
| that I use are tall round ones that have a | | | | time it deserves! |
| trap door opening on the side so you can add | | | | |