| Barbecuing is as much a science as it is an art form. | | | | "low and slow" is the BBQ mantra. |
| While it's great to experiment on the fly sometimes, | | | | 4. In with the old and out with the new - wood that |
| you should absolutely be sure to practice solid basic | | | | is. Green wood won't smoke in the right manner and |
| BBQ skills. Here are seven of the most common BBQ | | | | leaves a nasty taste on your meat. Make sure that |
| cooking mistakes. Avoid them, and you are sure to | | | | whatever wood you choose to smoke with is nice |
| be the hit of your next backyard barbecue fest! | | | | and dried out. |
| | | | 5. No peaking! Grillers - especially over flippers - are |
| 1. Never put meat onto the BBQ smoker or grill that | | | | known for messing about with their meat while it's |
| is not completely thawed out. Though the meat may | | | | on the grill. When you smoke meat, you need to |
| seem thawed on the exterior, there is a chance that | | | | leave it alone. Close the lid, use a barbecue smoker |
| it may still be frozen in the center. If this is the case, | | | | thermometer to monitor the interior heat - set to |
| your meat will be severely undercooked in the middle. | | | | 250 F - and let the smoking take place without |
| 2. Do not use lighter fuel or chemically treated | | | | interruption. |
| charcoal. Doing so will impart a not so tasty flavor of | | | | 6. If you must use a sauce on your meat, be sure to |
| chemicals to your meat. I recommend that you use | | | | apply it very late in the process. Nearly all barbecue |
| natural lump charcoal heated initially with a chimney | | | | sauces or "mops" have sugar in them. Sugar burns |
| style starter. | | | | relatively easy. Applying it last will keep the burning to |
| 3. Don't cook your meat too fast. Barbecuing and | | | | a minimum and will also allow the cooked meat to |
| grilling are two different things. Though you do want | | | | bring in some of the sauces flavor as it rests. |
| to grill a steak at high heat and a rapid pace to lock | | | | 7. Finally, use a clean tray or platter to bring in the |
| in flavor, your barbecue temperature should stay at | | | | meat from the grill. This will help keep those nasty |
| medium so the process takes longer. Remember, | | | | little micro organisms at bay. |