do the BBQ boogaloo!

[Pekka]

Tomorrow is going to be a total blast. Buddies, BBQ, nice weather, massive amounts of booze and live music on our backyard.

So my question is about BBQ, as you murricans are kind of experts in it. We've done it for as long as I can remember, but I'm looking for tips and advices from experts.

Reveale your secrets of succesfull BBQ:ing!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ask MtG .

Get a good dry rub, rub it nicely on the steaks, etc. Then sear the steaks on both sides, before putting it over a low flame and slow cooking it.

That's my tip .

[Cruddy]

I wish I could help. Unfortunately my all time great BBQ recipes take a 48 hour marinade - and that's before you've caught, butchered and dressed the sheep or goat.

Sorry.

[Pekka]

Thanks Imran

Also other tips are welcome about the whole thing, not just how to make your steaks.. Everyone basically makes their own, or buys their own meats, and I guess I'll have the honor of making them how they want them.
I'm thinking about steaks, hot dogs for sure and then maybe hamburgers. I don't have to worry about things like salads and stuff, the girls have promised to take care of that and they are excellent at it, even a meathead like me likes salad made by the girls.

[DRoseDARs]

You can NEVER add too much lighting fluid to the charcoal briquettes... ...just be sure your friendly, local fire department is on speed-dial. Or better yet: Invite them preemptively.

[Pekka]

DroseDARs, pre-emptive call could be a wise move

Uh, I just had a great idea, I have my wok-pan (?), perfect for making little veggies and stuff, comes out reaaal good. Oh, and I have to get some garlic bread too. Lots of ice to the freezer..

Hey, maybe I could do those booze-melons too.

[Cruddy]

Pekka - OK. Just basiss really - make sure you've something to get the cooked bits off the BBQ - skewer with a handle is ideal.

Make sure plenty of bread rolls, knapkins etc.

Cut up plenty onions real fine and fry 'em for those that want them.

Make sure there's a work area next to the BBQ to hold a plate - difficult to hold one, the skewer and prise the meat off.

Just common sense really... oh yeah, make sure BBQ is well and truly alight before cooking. You want red hot coals, not lots of flame - anyway, lighter fuel tastes BAD.

[Pekka]

Cruddy, yeah, I know basics, but I didn't think of those onions. Good one

[Lefty Scaevola]

For Barbequeing, which to me is slow smoking, and not grilling, Use the classic hard nut or fruit woods like hicory, pecan, alder, oak, apple, cherry (not mesquite, that is for grilling and gives an odd flavor to slow smoking, and definitely not charcoal, on a slow smoke you will get enough CO and other toxin in the meat to give many people a bellyache). Burn your wood down to nearly coals but seeting the meat in the smoking area. I usualy dry smoke at a temperature just barely hot enough to render the surface fat. Some meat are beterr if you you give them just a little sear first.
My favorites for dry smoking are leg of lamb, Pork shoulder, ribs of all sorts, and sausages, brisket.
I prep the meat (except sausages) with a water cure, salt cure, then liquid marinade for variable times (brisket need the longest), and use a dry rub with varying proportion of sugar, galic powder, onion powder, comino, ginger, and chili powder, sometime with clove or cinimmon. to get 6 hours of smoke you will need two fires, starting the 2nd one in another container about 3 hours later and adding its coals as they get ready. I usually smoke brisket a second time in a steam smoker to tederized it and get more smoke in. It take the smoke slower than the other meats.

The water smoker is perfect for chicken and turkey. I use and electric heating element to control the heat and steam, using hicory chunks to for smoke.

[Lefty Scaevola]

For grilling a water cure or maridande and then a dry rub, wood, charcoal, or gas are fine, I like the differnet flavours of all three. Mesquite burn hotter than many other hard woods and is very useful for grilling. Good steaks are best done to medium rare or a little more over a very hot fire. chops and chiken slower and longer over less fire, Be cautious of the rocket fuel effect is you have skin on chciken or more heavily marbled beef or pork. Many vegitable grill nicely with just a little soak in Italian dressing first. Corn roasts nice in an upper basket.

[Pekka]

Definitely from experts mouth

Some really good stuff, never tried but sounds good things so I'll try to use some of these tactics. Shouldn't be too hard I figure.. well tomorrow I'll see.