Barbecue Defined

A process whereby a large cut of tough meat is cooked by the smoke of a hardwood fire at low temperatures (210 degrees or less) for a long period of time, with doneness determined by the meat's tenderness. Chris Schlesinger, Foreword to Smoke and Spice

Though barbecuing is normally associated hardwood fire or charcoal it is also common to barbecue on a standard grill. As a matter of fact there are some techniques that can be used to achieve some pretty admirable results with a standard grill. There are a lot of people who thinks that the stuff cooked in the oven or Crockpot soaking in a barbecue sauce is a form of barbecuing, however it is just plain old baked or stewed meat. It bears no resemblance to real BBQ whatsoever, so don't kid yourself.

In the process of barbecuing, the temperature is normally at about 225-250 degrees, and this very slow magical process breaks down the connective tissues of the meat and turns tough cuts into the most delicious tender food on earth. Just imagine that bite of that tender pork chop, my my.....

The exterior of the meat caramelizes, which produces an intensely flavorful crust or, as we like to say in BBQ circles, "bark." (If "caramel" implies sugar to you, you're exactly right. All meats contain natural sugars that darken, or "caramelize," when heated, and that's what makes up your BBQ's bark.) Since the meat cooks in low indirect heat, very little of the natural juices in the meat boil off. Your BBQ is therefore tender and juicy, pink in color, and smoky in flavor.

If you have tried to prepare a barbecue meal and it didn't work out for you don't give up. All you need is a step by step guide to show in detail what to do: from choosing the right meat cuts down to the seasoning(dry or wet) to storm up that tender juicy meal.