| Below is a list of the 14 most important things to | | | | 6. Keep your lid shut. If you're lookin', you ain't |
| watch when slow smoking BBQ. All of these tips | | | | cookin'. Consistent temperatures are the key to |
| assume you have already purchased and are using | | | | great barbeque. Needless to say, opening the lid lets |
| the barbeque techniques in "Competition BBQ | | | | all the heat out. Open only when necessary - not |
| Secrets" of course. That's the best tip out of all my | | | | when you are curious or just to take a look. |
| tips, but the advice in this list are things that BBQers | | | | 5. Learn what good BBQ is. This may be the best tip |
| seem to have the most problems with. I have | | | | out of all of them. Most people have no idea what |
| learned what these problems are directly from your | | | | good, quality ribs, brisket, pork, and chicken tastes |
| emails to me asking for advice... | | | | like. Sure... everybody has tasted good BBQ before, |
| 14. Proper ventilation. Make sure your firebox has | | | | but how are you going to know that there is a |
| enough ventilation. This helps to keep your fire | | | | whole another level if you have never tried it? I have |
| burning properly and not smoldering. You want a light | | | | actually had people have me try their brisket that |
| blue smoke - not a billowing white smoke. If you can, | | | | they thought was the best in the world and it was |
| open the vents on your firebox all the way and try | | | | literally as tough as shoe leather! The question is... |
| to maintain your cooking chamber heat with the fire | | | | how do you try great BBQ? One way is to go to a |
| alone. Always leave the smokestack vent open all | | | | BBQ contest and get friendly with one of the teams |
| the way. I have noticed lately that some smokers | | | | and see if they will throw you a bone or two. Don't |
| have bad designs where the fire is well below the | | | | be surprised if they don't because most teams cook |
| firebox vents. The air has to come in and then down | | | | just enough for themselves and the judges. And |
| to the fire and then up into the cooking chamber. | | | | they are not allowed to sell it without paying a |
| This makes it very hard to get proper airflow. The | | | | vendors fee. Another thing you can do is participate |
| only way to fix this is to get your drill out and drill a | | | | in the "people's choice" competition. You will sample |
| few 1 inch holes in the side of your firebox. | | | | several small portions of BBQ from the teams and |
| 13. Indirect heat. Make sure you set up your grill or | | | | pick which one you like the best. But the very best |
| smoker for indirect heat. Some of you are using gas | | | | way to learn what real competition BBQ tastes like is |
| grills or Weber charcoal grills - make sure you set | | | | to become a certified judge. Check with your local |
| them up properly for indirect heat. | | | | BBQ society and get certified and then volunteer to |
| 12. Know your smoker. There are hot spots and cold | | | | be a judge in the next contest. All the BBQ |
| spots on every smoker. After it gets up to | | | | Associations are looking for good BBQ judges and |
| temperature, check the temperature at different | | | | you'll be doing them a favor and yourself too. You will |
| spots on your grate. Place your meat accordingly. For | | | | be trained as to what to look for in good BBQ and |
| instance, chicken is better if cooked at a slightly | | | | you will be able to taste a whole lot of great BBQ on |
| higher temperature. | | | | competition day. |
| 11. Buy a quality smoker if you can afford it. You get | | | | 4. Fixing the rubbery chicken skin problem. Just |
| what you pay for when it comes to smokers. You | | | | prepare yourself a hot bed of coals on a standard grill |
| can cook some good ribs on things like a charcoal grill, | | | | and then grill your smoked chicken over high heat for |
| but it is much easier to do on a well built smoker. | | | | about 5 minutes per side to crisp the skin. |
| Insulation is key to maintaining a consistent | | | | 3. Don't be afraid to experiment. There are a million |
| temperature and producing quality BBQ. Look for | | | | different ways to barbecue. Think of all the different |
| thick steel on traditional offset smokers. The thick | | | | combinations of spices, rubs, injections, marinades, |
| steel will hold in the heat. Insulated vertical smokers | | | | smoke flavors, times and temperatures that you can |
| like the Stumps and Big Green Egg are nice too. | | | | have. If you do try something else, maybe just |
| 10. Use a water pan. Using a water pan will help | | | | change one thing at a time. In any kind of testing, |
| regulate the heat in your smoking chamber and will | | | | you always have a "control" to measure against. If |
| also maintain a moist environment. Put some beer in | | | | your new test is better, then it becomes your new |
| the pan for some extra flavor! | | | | control and your old control does not get used |
| 9 . Let your meat come to room temperature before | | | | anymore. If you change more than one thing at a |
| cooking. You can really get some strange results if | | | | time, you will not know which of the two things |
| the inside of your meat is cold when you put it on | | | | made the improvement. Keep good notes too. |
| the smoker. Never put frozen meats on a smoker | | | | 2. Give yourself plenty of time. Finishing early is no |
| without thawing to room temperature first. Don't let | | | | problem at all. Not finishing on time is a big problem - |
| your meat sit out at room temperature too long | | | | ever heard of somebody finishing their barbecue in |
| though or you'll run the risk of bacteria contamination. | | | | the oven? If you finish early, just wrap it in foil and |
| 8. Don't poke holes in your meat. What happens | | | | place it in a warm ice chest. It will stay hot and |
| when you poke a hole in a piece of meat that has | | | | actually continue to cook in the ice chest. Some big |
| been on the smoker a while? You can literally see the | | | | name BBQ teams do this on purpose... they remove |
| juices gushing out! Do your injections before cooking | | | | their briskets early and let them finish cooking in the |
| and maybe insert one temperature probe. After that, | | | | ice chest. |
| try not to poke it any more. Don't use a fork to pick | | | | 1. Measure temperature AT THE GRATE. So many |
| up your meat. Wear gloves and use your hands or | | | | people use the thermometer in the lid of their |
| tongs. Of course, let your meat rest properly before | | | | smoker. This is a big mistake. Always use a digital |
| cutting or pulling. If you don't, all the juices will pour | | | | remote thermometer with a dual probe and measure |
| out and your meat will be dry. | | | | your cooking chamber temperatures at the grate |
| 7. Buy quality meat to start with. | | | | right next to your meat. |