Smoking meat is all about cooking the meat slow and steady, unlike grilling where burgers and meats are seared at very high temperatures. If you are truly serious about barbecue and smoke flavored meat, then you need to learn a bit about it.
Smoking meat is part skill, part experience, and part machinery. If someone is new to meat smoking, asking others about primary things one needs to learn will really help.
Most pit masters won’t share secrets about their recipes, but they will share the basics of what to do. One can look on the Internet for recipes and some of that great taste. The longer someone smokes meat, the easier information and secret recipes will be learned.
One of the best ways to learn some of the more detailed aspects of Smoked Barbecue is to visit the various BBQ Smoker Forums that are out there.
Two of the best Smoked Barbecue Forums out there include:
The folks on these forums are very helpful, and it’s always OK for you to ask questions. You’ll find tips on how to build your own barbecue smokers, great BBQ recipes, and more.
In general, you should search through the posts that are already on each site, as repeat questions can become a bit tiresome.
However, don’t sweat this too much. Look around for a while, and if you don’t see your question addressed, go ahead and post yours in the appropriate forum topic area.
Filed under BBQ Smoker Basics by 
Want Great Barbecue Then follow these top 10 tips for making the best BBQ right at home!
Tip #1: Oiling the grill.
Before cooking, be sure to spray or brush on some vegetable oil onto the grill surface, avoiding adding too much. This will reduce the chances of your food sticking to the grill resulting in exposed flesh, and tough food.
Tip #2: Consider Using an Aluminum Foil BBQ tray.
Use kitchen aluminum foil, doubled over, to line the base of your barbecue. Turn up the edges of the “tray” 2-3 inches, and then cook on your barbecue grill as usual. During cooking, the juices and fat drippings will collect with the rest of the residues from cooking and be easy to remove afterward. This will help to reduce the time it takes to clean up your BBQ afterward.
Tip #3: Find a Killer BBQ Sauce
If you are basting your food during cooking with a barbecue sauce, make sure that you do not place the meat too close to the heat too early on during cooking. If you do, it will result in charring and bitter tasting food.
Adding BBQ sauce early on does nothing for the flavor, instead, add a little sauce to food during the end of cooking, around 5-10 minutes before serving so that the sauce sticks to the meat properly and provide a tasty coating.
Tip #4: Prep Your Meat with a Good Barbecue Marinade
Marinades improve the flavor and texture of all barbecue food, so use them often. Preparing for a barbecue the following day using a few minutes of your time in the evening will result in more succulent food with additional taste. Marinades take a few minutes to prepare, and when finished, you can cover the marinaded food in cling-film and place in the fridge overnight for excellent results.
Tip #5: Leave Small Pieces of Meat for the Edge
If possible, cook smaller pieces of meat indirectly, and if not, cook on a low heat around the edges of the grill while you cook the larger pieces in the center of the grill where the heat is higher.
If smaller pieces of meat, such as chicken wings and sausages are cooked before a whole chicken, or beef brisket, remove them from the grill, wrap tightly in kitchen foil, and place in the bottom of the oven on 120f until you are ready to serve.
Tip #6: Give Large Pieces of Meat a Good Rub Down
When cooking larger pieces of meat, apply a seasoning, known as a barbecue rub, prior to cooking. This will enhance the flavour greatly at the end. If time allows, cook the meat for an extended period of time, using a much lower temperature than may be used normally. Ensure that meat is cooked properly at the end by using a temperature probe.
Chicken is cooked through at 165f, steaks and chops at 165f and ham at 160f. Using a barbecue thermometer to test your cooked meat is both a sensible safety precaution and is a great investment for the kitchen as well.
Tip #7: Make a DIY BBQ Rub
To maximize the flavor from barbecue food, you can use a “dry rub”, also known as a seasoning on the meat prior to cooking. Dry rubs can consist of as little as salt and ground black pepper, to much more flavorsome varieties that include dry spices such as ginger, cinnamon, garlic, thyme, sage, paprika, ground cumin and many others.
Try experimenting with dry seasoning’s, and remember that a little goes a long way. If you have any seasoning left over afterward, seal it in an airtight container and store in a dry, cool place for several weeks.
Tip #8: Get Things Smokin’ with Barbecue Wood Chips
If your barbecue grill has a lid, or cover of some sort, consider using BBQ wood chips, remembering to prepare them properly before use. Moisten the wood chips before use by placing a handful or two according to the manufacturers instructions, into a bowl of water, allowing them to soak for at least half an hour before use in your BBQ smoker or garden barbecue.
Avoid placing unprepared wood chips directly onto charcoal or near a direct heat source as they will burn quickly and release a bitter tasting smoke that could ruin your food.
Tip #9: Skip the Soda -Drink a Beer!
Avoid drinking milk or soda during the course of a barbecue as this slows down digestion of food. Instead try drinking other beverages that complement the food you are cooking, such as imported lagers and ales, white and rose wines, spritzers and fruit cordials for younger guests.
You can also increase the healthy factor of your BBQ meal by making sure that the excess fat has been trimmed away from all meats before cooking, and once cooked, food may be gently patted down with kitchen towel to remove any excess surface fats before serving. The food will look more appetizing and result in healthy BBQ food at the same time.
NOTE: You need some fat for good ‘cue… so don’t trim down too much!
Tip #10: Practice Safety First
Ensuring your friends and families safety at a garden barbecue is paramount, and a few basic precautions will go a long way if an accident should occur.
Always have a bucket of water near the grill when cooking. This is fine for use on a charcoal or gas barbecue, and remember to use sand on an electric barbecues should a fire occur.
Fire blankets are an inexpensive and versatile piece of safety equipment that can be used in both the kitchen and the garden, and are readily available at most D.I.Y. stores.
Use tongs when handling food over a hot grill to avoid burns, and use oven mitts when handling hot griddle plates and other items that are too hot to the touch.
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