| Don't get in a hurry | | | | control of the vents, noting the smell of the smoke, |
| Do not get yourself into a hurry when smoking meat. | | | | and so on. You will easily be able to guage the |
| Good BBQ, and all good food for that matter, takes | | | | differences between the birds you have cooked, and |
| time and patience. You simply can't rush into it. Allow | | | | this knowledge will prove invaluable as you branch |
| around 1 to 1 1/2 hours per pound for most meats. If | | | | out into smoking other meats. |
| you are using a wood-burning smoker, factor in the | | | | Lighter fluids ruin good meat |
| addition of more fuel every thirty minutes or so. | | | | Do not use lighter fluids to start off charcoal fuel. |
| Keep the lid shut! | | | | While it is time saving, lighter fluid is responsible for |
| One of the most common, and possibly worst | | | | unpleasant odors in your smoked meat. It is strongly |
| mistakes that new users make when using a smoker, | | | | recommended that charcoal users should use a |
| is opening the lid too often during cooking. This lets | | | | chimney starter for charcoal. Imagine the smoke |
| out the heat and the smoker will be below | | | | permeating the meat and adding plenty of great |
| temperature. You should only raise the lid when | | | | flavor, and then consider the fumes from lighter fluid |
| absolutely necessary to mop or reposition the meat. | | | | doing the same thing. Using lighter fluid makes no |
| Keep it simple | | | | sense at all if great flavor is what you want. |
| There is a great temptation to cook expensive cuts | | | | Keep a close eye on wood burners |
| of meat on a brand new smoker, such as racks of | | | | When using a wood burning smoker, avoid closing the |
| ribs, game or brisket. When starting out, choose an | | | | inlets and exhausts to control the flame when the |
| inexpensive cut of meat such as pork or whole | | | | fire is big. Open the exhaust all the way and control |
| chicken. The path to cooking top quality Q takes | | | | the intake of air with the inlet control. Take care |
| time, so start off easy, use cheap cuts, and learn | | | | when closing the inlet as the fire can smolder and |
| from your mistakes. | | | | give you some unpleasant tasting smoke. Always |
| If you have time to yourself, buy yourself a few | | | | keep the fire down and the dampers wide open. |
| whole chickens and cook one at a time, while | | | | Note: If the smoke smells bad, then so will your |
| monitoring the temperatures you are using, the | | | | meat! |