Constructing a Championship Rub

Transcription

Constructing a Championship Rub
The Caribbean BBQ Association
“We do it low & slow”
www.BBQPR.com
BBQ Slow Smoking Info
May, 2014
Sponsored in part by:
The Smoke Ring web site
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BBQ Slow Smoking Info
Table of Contents
Theory of BBQ ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
BBQ History……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
What is BBQ? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Regional BBQ Styles / North Carolina- Memphis-Kansas City- Texas
Barbecue Meat Cuts Beef Chart………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Pork Chart………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….7
Where Spare, Loin Back & Baby Back Ribs come from………………………………………………………………….………….7
Rib Membrane Removal………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….9
The Science of BBQ / The smoke Ring ........................................……………………………………………………....... 10
BBQ Cookers & Pits…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..11
Grilling & Indirect Heat Cooking on a Weber Kettle ……………………………………………………………………….……...13
Cooking Ribs on a Weber……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….…14
Constructing a Championship Dry Rub /Signature spices………………………………………………………….…….………15
BBQ Rub Recipes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………...16
Garry’s 180 BBQ Rub / Big Bob Gibson’s Pork Rub / Steven Raichlen’s Texas Brisket Rub / Paul Kirk’s Kansas City BBQ
Seasoning
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BBQ Slow Smoking Info
Constructing a championship BBQ Sauce……………………………………………………………………………………………..17
BBQ Sauce recipes: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Garry’s 180 Rib Sauce/ BBQ Sauce A La Jetton / Lexington BBQ Sauce / Western North Carolina Sauce /
Eastern North Carolina Sauce/ Memphis Magic BBQ Sauce
BBQ Fuels………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21
Smoking Woods / Woods to avoid / Common Smoking Woods
Rules & Judging …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23
Entry Presentation………………………………………………………………………………………………….23
Cooking Process Chicken…………………………………………………………………………………………24
Cooking Process Ribs……………………………………………………………………………………………..24
Cooking a Brisket ………………………………………………………………………………………………….24
Retail Beef cuts chart………………………………………………………………………………………………26
Pork Primal Cuts……………………………………………………………………………………………………27
www.KCBS.us Kansas City Barbecue Society we site
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Theory of Barbecue
Barbecue History
The origins of barbecue are hazy and controversial. In the US, the first known barbecue was cooked in the colonies of
Virginia and North Carolina by the early British settlers. Whole hogs were slow roasted over wood coals. Barbecue sauces
were typically vinegar seasoned with pepper. This probably originated from the British fondness for sprinkling vinegar on
dishes like fish and chips. These early barbecue sauces contained no tomato products whatsoever. In fact, at the time,
tomatoes were considered to be poisonous. The introduction of tomato based sauces came much later, as the tradition of
barbecue migrated westward with the new settlers and was influenced by local tastes.
Barbecue is believed to have originated in the islands of the West Indies. Because meats spoil quickly in tropical climates,
the native Taino practiced two basic techniques for storing meats: "corning" (salting) and drying/smoking. They placed fish
and meat on a wooden lattice and roasted or smoked them over an open fire. The Spanish called this grill a barbacoa
from which we get the English word barbecue. Slaves brought from the islands took their cooking methods with them to
the mainland.
Taino Barbacoa
As barbecue spread throughout the new world, primarily the south, it took on regional flavors and preferences. Today,
there is a huge debate about what constitutes “Real” barbecue, and how it should be properly cooked, seasoned and
served. The proper use of sauce, and even whether it should be used at all, is another huge controversy. Regardless of
the regional variations in its preparation, all American barbecue shares a common heritage. It is prepared from low quality,
tough, fatty meats that are made edible through a slow cooking process that renders the fat and makes the meat tender
and succulent. Barbecue was developed by the southern poor who couldn’t afford the more expensive cuts of meat and
were forced by necessity to make what they could afford into something edible. Now that barbecue popularity has spread
far and wide, those cheap cuts are no longer cheap.
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What is Barbecue?
While there is regional debate about what constitutes “Real” barbecue, there are some characteristics of barbecue that
are pretty much universal, although there are exceptions. First off, many confuse grilling with barbecue. This is so
common, that the word barbecue has become associated with grills. Grilling is fast cooking at high temperatures over
direct heat w/smaller cuts of meat usually more expensive cuts too. True barbecue characterized by the phrase “low and
slow”. Meat is cooked at low temperatures, typically 200-250 degrees F, for long periods of time. And the cuts of meat are
much larger and less expensive. Spare ribs are typically cooked for 6-8 hours. Larger cuts, like beef brisket or pork
shoulder, may be cooked for 12 – 14 hours. This long cooking time at low temperatures causes the fat to render slowly,
breaking down the collagen, leaving the meat moist, succulent and tender.
Regional Barbecue Styles
Regional barbecue styles fall into a few major categories:




North Carolina (Eastern and Western)
Memphis
Texas
Kansas City
North Carolina Barbecue
North Carolinian’s are convinced that barbecue originated in their state and that their method of cooking barbecue is the
only true, traditional way. Even in North Carolina, however, opinions vary between the eastern half of the state and the
western. The only thing they have in common, is that both east and west cook pork barbecue over wood that has been
burned down to coals and shoveled under the pork. After cooking, the pork is chopped and seasoned with a vinegar
based finishing sauce, or dip. In the east, they cook whole hogs. In the west, they cook whole shoulders. While the
easterners groan about the westerner’s use of tomato based sauce, while the sauce used in western North Carolina has a
small amount of ketchup added, just enough to turn it red, it is mostly vinegar and bears no resemblance to the thick,
sweet, tomato based sauces used in other regions. Found east of Raleigh, North Carolina, Eastern Carolina sauce is
made with vinegar, salt, black pepper crushed or ground cayenne, and other spices--and nothing else. This is a very thin,
acidic sauce that penetrates deeply into the meat. Unlike with tomato/sugar-based sauces, this sauce does not "burn" on
the meat. It can be applied throughout the cooking process for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Western Carolina
sauce is the same basic recipe as Eastern Carolina, with the addition of small amounts of ketchup, molasses, or
Worcestershire sauce and, perhaps, some spices. Found west of Raleigh, in the Piedmont belt, this vinegar-based sauce
has great flavor, works extremely well as a marinade on chicken, shrimp, pork and beef, and has a nice afterburner kick.
Memphis Barbecue
In Memphis, ribs are king. Ribs are prepared two ways, dry and wet. Dry ribs are seasoned with a barbecue rub and are
not basted with sauce while cooking, or afterwards. Sauce is served on the side. Wet ribs are also seasoned with rub but
are basted with sauce while cooking or dipped in sauce afterwards before serving. As with most barbecue subjects, there
are religious fanatics devoted to both styles. Memphis-style barbecue sauce embraces all three of the major ingredients–
vinegar, mustard, and tomato.
Kansas City Barbecue
Pork and beef are seasoned with a dry rub or wet marinade and then cooked over hickory wood before adding extra
sauce. KC’s barbecue sauce is thick and sweet, with a tomato and sugar base. It is the basis for many of the well-known
national brands, including Kraft, Heinz, Hunt’s, and K.C. Masterpiece, & Cattlemen’s.
Texas Barbecue
In Texas, barbecue is mostly beef (brisket and ribs) but pork is now commonly found as well. Sauces range from thick,
spicy, tomato-based sauces to thin, hot-pepper-based sauces, to thick and dark sauces that have a south-of-the-border
flair.
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Barbecue Meat Cuts
The debate about the definition of true barbecue extends to the cuts of meat used. Throughout most of the south,
barbecue is considered to be made from pork. In Texas, however, barbecue is mostly beef. Cuts traditionally used for
barbecue are pork or beef ribs, beef brisket, pork shoulder, chicken, and in Eastern North Carolina, whole hog.
Beef
The beef cut most commonly used for barbecue is brisket. Beef brisket comes from the chest of the cow. Since the chest
muscle is constantly exercised as the animal walks, brisket is one of the toughest cuts of beef. It is also one of the most
difficult cuts to barbecue properly. In Spanish, the cut is known as pecho.
For barbecue, buy a whole, untrimmed brisket still in the vacuum packaging. This is referred to as "packer cut" or "packer
trimmed" brisket. A whole brisket is comprised of a flat portion and a point portion. Every brisket is unique--no two are
identical!
The flat is just that: Sort of a flat, rectangular piece of meat that makes up the majority of the whole brisket. This is the
portion that is cut across the grain into slices and served on a plate or in a sandwich. You've probably seen the flat in the
meat case at the supermarket, separated from the point and with most fat removed, ready for braising in the oven.
The point is a lump of meat that partially overlaps one end of the flat. It is quite fatty on its surface as well as within the
meat. It also contains a lot of connective tissue between the meat fibers. It can be sliced, but its loose texture after
cooking and makes it a better choice for chopped brisket sandwiches.
The flat and point are separated by a very thick vein of fat running between them. This fat extends over the entire surface
of the flat, becoming thinner at the end opposite the point. This layer of fat is sometimes referred to as the "fat cap". Thick
fat may also wrap around one edge of the brisket flat, especially near the point.
From an anatomical perspective, the brisket flat is the "deepest" portion of meat and is attached to the rib cage, while the
brisket point sits on top of the flat and is nearest the surface.
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Pork
The portion of the pork shoulder, known as the picnic ham, is the lower portion of the hog's foreleg. The shoulder contains
the arm and shank bones and has a relatively high ratio of bone to lean meat. It is one of the toughest cuts of pork.
The Boston butt is a square cut located just above the picnic ham. It’s interesting how this cut came to be known by its
name. In pre-revolutionary New England and into the Revolutionary War, some pork cuts (not those highly valued, or
"high on the hog," like loin and ham) were packed into casks or barrels (also known as "butts") for storage and shipment.
The way the hog shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in other regions as "Boston Butt." This name stuck
and today, Boston butt is called that almost everywhere in the US, except in Boston.
The loin is cut from directly behind the Boston butt and includes the entire rib section as well as the loin and a portion of
the sirloin area. It contains a portion of the blade bone on the shoulder end, a portion of the hipbone on the ham end, all
the ribs and most of the backbone. Loin back ribs are ribs that are trimmed from the loin. Loin back ribs are often sold as
baby back ribs, a term used to describe the size of a Loin Back Rib. Unfortunately, many times the term is applied to any
size Loin Back Rib. A true Baby Back Rib is 1 3/4 lb. or lighter.
Spare Ribs are the intact rib section removed from the belly and may include costal cartilages with or without the brisket
removed and diaphragm trimmed.
Both the Loin Back and the Spare Rib have a skin on their interior. This skin is heaviest at the back bone and becomes
very fine at the belly end. The membrane's density has much to do with the age and size of the animal.
St. Louis Style Ribs originate from pork spareribs and are prepared by removing the brisket bone approximately parallel to
the rib side, exposing cartilage on the brisket bone side. Skirt meat is removed.
Where Different Ribs Come From
Pork Loin, Country-Style Ribs
Country Style Ribs are prepared from
the blade end of the loin and include
no less than three and no more than 6
ribs.
Pork Loin, Back Ribs
Back Ribs, also referred to as Canadian
Back Ribs and Baby Back Ribs, originate Flat Bone - Button Ribs
from the blade and center section of the Small circular in shape, flat with varying
loin. Back ribs contain meat between the amounts of meat.
ribs called finger meat, and shall contain
at least eight ribs.
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Pork Spare Ribs
Spare Ribs are the intact rib section
removed from the belly and may
include costal cartilages with or
without the brisket removed and
diaphragm trimmed. Spare Ribs shall
contain at least eleven ribs.
Brisket Bone (Rib Tip)
Rib Tips are small, meaty pieces that
have been cut from pork spare ribs
during the trimming process when
making a St. Louis Rib.
Pork Spareribs, St. Louis Style
St. Louis Style Ribs originate from pork
spareribs and are prepared by removing
the brisket bone approximately parallel to
the rib side, exposing cartilage on the
brisket bone side. Skirt meat is removed.
The shape and size of a rib bone can tell a lot. It's all in the shape.
(Both examples are from the center of the rack)
To remove the membrane from the bone side of ribs, insert a dull bladed knife between the membrane and the bone. A
screwdriver or clam or oyster knife also work well.
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Grasp the membrane and peel it from the bone. A paper towel can be used to help get a better grip on the slippery
membrane.
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The Science of Barbecue
Meats are made of muscle, connective tissue, fat and bone. Muscle contains proteins and glycogen. As the temperature
of the meat increases, glycogen, a long chain sugar, is reduced to simple sugars. This caramelizes and is responsible for
one of the flavor components.
Proteins (flavorless) are denatured to amino acids which not only have flavors themselves, but undergo Maillard browning
reactions which adds another flavor component.
While bone adds no flavor itself, the marrow is rich in methyglobulin and other proteins. This reacts with smoke nitrites to
give us the smoke ring. You may have heard that the sweetest meat is next to the bone. The proteins are reduced to
amino acids. NutraSweet is an amino acid.
Fat is very simple cells which breakdown to sugars, fatty acids, and triglycerides at low temperatures.
Collagen is proteins that have lots of side chain bonds. This makes them elastic. It takes more energy to denature them
than the simpler proteins of muscle tissue. Energy in the form of heat will denature these proteins into the flavorful amino
acids.
If the temperature is too high, the water in the muscle cells and the fat is rendered out before the collagen melts. This
results in dry, tough meat. Too low and you risk bacterial activity.
Tough cuts of meat like brisket and pork butts benefit from low temperature cooking as the collagen adds flavor to the
meat. Less tough, more expensive cuts do not need this phase and can be cooked at high temperatures for shorter
periods. That is why ribs take only a few hours and briskets take 12 or more.
Smoke Ring
One of the results of smoke cooking is the formation of the pink smoke ring. Its intensity, depth and its effect on flavor are
within your control.
What causes a smoke ring?
The cause is the reaction between nitrates and myoglobin, the oxygen
carrying protein in muscle tissue. Nitrates have been used to cure meat for thousands of years but not on purpose. Sea
salt contains nitrates as naturally occurring impurities. The nitrates incidentally cured meat that was salted for storage.
When nitrates, through further reactions, combine with the myoglobin the result is the pink color of ham, hot dogs, and
other cured meats.
The resulting ham-like flavor adds one more layer of complexity to our carefully tended meats. Nitrates also are
responsible for the killing the botulism spores. But since we are not getting them in high enough concentration from
smoke, smoke cooking is not a preservative.
Where do the nitrates come from?
From the wood ash being carried by the smoke. That's why using an electric or gas smoker or cooking in an over without
wood chips will yield no smoke ring. Gardeners will confirm that ash is loaded with nitrates. In fact, ammonium nitrate, one
of the components of gunpowder, was made by combining pig urine with wood ash. So don't let your pig pee on the fire.
How can I maximize the depth of the smoke ring?
It is a temperature dependent reaction. Bacteria are needed to change the nitrates to nitrites. Bacteria are active between
40 and 140 degrees F. Once the meat reaches 140F the ring formation stops. So to maximize the extent of the smoke
ring, put the meat on right out of the refrigerator and start out cooking at a lower temperature. Also, above 140F proteins
start to denature and the myoglobin is no longer available. With small cuts, like baby back ribs, the smoke ring will go
all the way through. Heavier smoke early on will affect the depth and intensity of the smoke flavor meat.
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Why is the smoke ring sometimes purple or red?
That has to do with the myoglobin in the meat. Technically, the oxidative state of the Fe ion, but the older the meat, the
more purple the ring will be. The fresher the meat, the more it will tend to be pink. The handling of the meat during and
after slaughter will also affect the color.
Are nitrates safe to eat?
Nitrates and nitrites occur naturally in many foods including onion, pepper, celery, spinach, beets, cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower, eggplant and tomatoes. There is no evidence of increased cancer rates with dietary nitrates.
Barbecue Cookers (Pits)
While just about any metal container of any shape or size can be turned into a barbecue cooker, there are a few standard
barbecue designs used for commercial cookers.
Horizontal Offset
The horizontal offset cooker originated in the Texas oilfields when welders
constructed barbecue smokers from the large diameter pipe they had available. They
consist of a long horizontal food chamber with a firebox on one end and an exhaust
stack on the other. Some designs have a vertical cooking compartment on the
exhaust end for cooking at lower temperatures or holding meats and keeping them
hot. One drawback to this design is that the end near the firebox tends to be hotter.
This can be offset through the appropriate use of baffles and tuning plates that
circulate the heat to avoid hot spots.
Vertical Cooker
There are a number of vertical barbecue cooker designs. Vertical cookers have the heat source at the bottom and food
racks above. Some vertical designs have a water pan in the bottom to provide humidity and moderate the temperature.
Other designs have a double internal wall so that the heat and smoke travels up through the walls and enters the cooker
at the top, exiting through an exhaust at the bottom, circulating over the meat as it goes.
Water Smoker
The barbecue cooker that provides the most bang for the buck, is a vertical water smoker. These
cookers have a charcoal pan in the bottom with a water pan above the charcoal and two cooking
racks above that. They are sometimes referred to as R2D2 due to their shape. There are several
brands of inexpensive water smokers at around the $30 or $40 price range. I strongly advise
against these since they have no adequate way to control ventilation, air flow and temperature.
While it is more expensive, around $250 retail, the best water smoker available is the Weber
Smokey Mountain. It has 3 adjustable vents in the bottom and one on the lid that lets you control
the air flow and thus the temperature. Once the temperature has stabilized, these cookers will stay
rock solid for at least 4 hours or more without touching them.
Weber Kettle Grill
While it is generally considered to be for gilling, not barbecue, a Weber kettle can be used to cook
offset by placing the coals on one side of the grill and the meat on the other. Weber has an optional
charcoal basket that can be used to contain the charcoal on one side. A competition team in California
has won Grand Championships cooking on nothing but Weber kettles.
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The Primo Grill / Smoker
The Primo is a grill made of modern heat holding ceramics. The original design of the Primo Grill / Smoker traces its roots
back over 3000 years, to ancient China. The Japanese adopted it, and called it "kamado," which means oven, stove,
heater, or fireplace. The ceramic walls are heavy and thick. This insulating quality cooks foods with an amazingly small
consumption of charcoal. The Primo is a smoker, a grill, and an oven. They can sear steaks at 2,000 degrees or slow
cook under 200 degrees. www.promogrill.com for information & prices call Mike Compton 787-319-9410
Primo PR603 Features: Teak Table for Extra Large Oval Grill.
 Teak Table for Oval XL Ceramic Grill
 Teak wood construction
 Wheels provide easy movement
 For use with Oval XL Ceramic Grill
 Dimensions: 61" W x 25" D x 32" H
Primo PR603 Description:
This beautiful Primo Teak Table for Oval Extra Large Ceramic Barbecue Grill is the perfect way to outfit your Primo ceramic grill. This
unfinished teak table is designed not only to perfectly accommodate your Primo ceramic cooker, but also enhance how you use it.
With this table you elevate your grill, allowing for the proper air flow that accounts for the remarkable cooking versatility of this kind of
grill. You also get extra places to set all of those tools, spices, and other extras that inevitably come with an afternoon of outdoor
cooking. The wheels at the base of the table also allow you to easily move your ceramic grill to the most convenient cooking area in
your backyard on any given day.
The perfect ceramic grill deserves the perfect home. If you have a Primo ceramic grill, then this is the home that was specifically
designed for it. Do your Primo ceramic grill and yourself a favor by adding the Primo Teak Table for Oval Extra Large Ceramic Barbecue
Grill to your outdoor cooking routine
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Grilling and Indirect Cooking on a Weber Kettle
Some foods taste better when grilled over direct heat, while others benefit from hours of slow roasting.
Direct Grilling is ideal for tender, lean, thin cuts of meat or
fish, such as steaks, pork chops, swordfish, and salmon steaks,
or fast-cooking vegetables, such as zucchini, broccoli, and corn.
The searing heat quickly causes the surface to become crispy
and caramelized, producing a flavor and a texture that are
impossible to duplicate in an oven.
Two-zone direct Grilling When you build the fire, spread
one layer of coals evenly across the bottom of the grill and a
second layer of coals across half the first layer. Also, leave a
small area coal free. This allows you to move items from high to
medium or low heat as they become done.
Indirect grilling (or barbecuing) is for thick, fatty, or
tough pieces of meat, such as pork shoulder, leg of lamb, whole
chicken, and brisket. Classic barbecue is quite slow (225 to 275
degrees F for 10 to 12 hours in the case of an 18-pound brisket)
and requires either a barbecue pit or a special smoker to maintain
the steady low temperature. Most people don’t have either of
these. Nor, frankly, the patience to cook all day. Fortunately,
there is a less time-consuming method of barbecuing that can be
accomplished on a basic kettle-style charcoal grill. First, carefull
push the hot coals away from the center so they’re piled on either
side of the firebox. (Add wet wood chips for added smoke) Next,
place a pan in the center to catch dripping fat. Finally, set the
food on the grate and cover the grill. It will now function as a
roasting oven, with all the heat and smoke swirling up and around
the food. The ideal cooking temperature for this kind of barbecue
is 325 to 350 degrees F. You’ll cook a whole brisket in 5 to 6
hours, a leg of lamb in 1 ½ to 2 hours, and a chicken in about 1 ½
hours. You can wait that long can’t you?
Gas versus Charcoal – If you’re serious about grilling, you’ll want a charcoal grill. That’s not
to say you can’t make a good steak on a gas grill. And gas grills are convenient on a drizzly day,
not to mention in winter. But gas grills are incapable of re-creating quite the same burned-edge,
charcoally, wood-smoky flavor. Many people have both kinds of grills. The best charcoal is the
hardwood-lump kind, like Carbon de la Matta. Use a chimney style, or a non-petroleum based
fire starter, never lighter fluid.
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Cooking Ribs on a Weber Kettle
Buy one or more whole racks of ribs (end-on or "St. Louis Style" -- ask your butcher) and coat lightly with olive or
vegetable oil using your hand or a brush. Sprinkle lots of "rub" on both sides and ends, patting and slapping it firmly into
place. Surface of meat should be completely covered with a layer of rub. Wrap each rib in two layers of plastic wrap and
place in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.
Bank a small amount of coals on one side of the grill and let smoker warm up for 20-30 minutes. Stick a meat
thermometer in the top or side of the grill (you may need to drill a hole), and work the fire to stabilize the temperature
around 200-300 degrees. Hotter fires will significantly shorten cooking times and not allow slow-cooking of the meat.
Soak hickory, mesquite, cherry, apple or other wood chips in a bowl of water for 20 minutes or more, and sprinkle small
amounts on the coals every 20-30 minutes or as often as desired.
Optional: Partially fill a small disposable aluminum pan with water and place at the bottom of the Weber or partially over
the coals. Fill as necessary during the cooking process.
Place ribs away from the heat source, on the side opposite the banked coals. If you have two or more racks of ribs, use a
'rib rack' purchased at your local hardware store for $10 to help stand the rib racks on their side next to each other. Place
rib racks thick side up/bone-end down, so the small ends stay moist.
That's it! Sit back for 4 to 6 hours, watch the smoke rise, and drink your favorite beverage. Don't forget to add soaked
wood chips every so often, and keep the water pan half full. You may want to turn the meat in-place to give each rib end
or side equal time nearest the heat source. If you're curious whether the ribs are done, try cutting one off and eating it
(cook's privilege). The meat should be pink around the edges (called a 'smoke ring'), pull cleanly from the bone and taste
nice and smoky.
Before serving or for the last 10 minutes of cooking, lightly brush each rack with your homemade barbecue sauce. Cut
between each rib, brush again with sauce if desired, and serve. Make sure you save a few ribs for yourself -- they'll go
quickly! You're now a real, slow cooking', wood smoking' barbecue chef.
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Constructing a Championship Rub
Step One: Observe the competition – Beg, borrow, buy, or steal every recipe or label that shows the ingredients for every
rub and/or barbecue seasoning that you can find.
Step Two: Make a List of the standard ingredients
Step Three: Compare all of the ingredients of each rub
Step Four: Construct your championship rub
Two main ingredients are salt and sugar. Start with equal amounts (1 cup) of each. Use seasoned salt for ½ of the salt
and non-iodized for the other half. While this is the conventional wisdom, for my taste it makes the rub too salty. I have
switched to using 1 part salt to two parts sugar to start.
Cane sugar is preferred over brown sugar. I prefer turbinado sugar. It has the molasses taste of brown sugar but without
the moisture and caramelizes at a higher temperature.
The next most predominant spice is paprika. Start with 1/3 to ½ cup.
The next two main ingredients are chili powder and black pepper. Balance the two. Start with 2 – 4 TBS of each. Other
spices. Use 1 teaspoon or less
Signature Spices
Allspice
Anise
Basil
Bay leaf
Caraway seeds
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro
Cinnamon
Citric acid
Cloves
coriander
Crushed red
pepper
Cumin
Curry powder
Dill
Fennel
Garlic, granulated
Ginger
Horseradish
powder
Jalapeno powder
Lemon pepper
Lemon powder
Lemon zest
Mace
Marjoram
MSG
Dry mustard
Nutmeg
Onion, granulated
Orange zest
Oregano
Parsley
Less Common Signature Spices
Beet powder
Brandy pepper
Carrot powder
Soy sauce powder
Tomato powder
Vanilla powder
Vinegar powder
Worcestershire
powder
Step Five: Use the rub
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Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Tarragon
Thyme
Turmeric
White pepper
Barbecue Rub Recipes
Garry's 180 BBQ Rub
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
4
4
4
2
4
2
4
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
teaspoon
teaspoon
Kosher salt
turbinado sugar
brown sugar
ground cumin
Gebhardt's chili powder
black pepper
paprika
allspice
ground cloves
1/2
1/2
In barbecue cookoff contests I have received a perfect score of 180 points for ribs four times and chicken four times, the
highest possible score in a KCBS contest. This is the rub I used. I hope you like it as much as the judges. Mix all
ingredients together well. Rub on meat to be barbecued, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. – Garry Howard
Big Bob Gibson's Pork Rub
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
1
cup
cup
cup
cup
tablespoons
tablespoon
tablespoon
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoon
tablespoons
dark brown sugar
paprika
garlic salt
onion salt
chili powder
cayenne pepper
black pepper
oregano
white pepper
cumin
chili powder
1/2
1/2
1/3
2
1
1
1 1/2
1 1/2
1
2
Big Bob Gibson’s is a well know barbecue restaurant in Alabama. They have won numerous national contests, including
Memphis in May. Combine ingredients and mix well.
Steven Raichlen's Texas Brisket Rub
Amount
3
1
2
1½
1½
1½
1
1
1
Measure
tablespoons
tablespoon
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoon
teaspoon
teaspoon
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
chili powder
coarse salt
black pepper
brown sugar
garlic salt
onion powder
ground cumin
dried oregano
cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and stir to mix. Rub this mixture onto the brisket on all sides.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
16
Paul Kirk's Basic Kansas City Barbecue Seasoning
Amount
1
Measure
cup
1/2 cup
1/3 cup
1/4 cup
2
tablespoons
2
tablespoons
2
tablespoons
2
tablespoons
1
tablespoon
1
tablespoon
2
tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
cane sugar
garlic salt
paprika
seasoned salt
onion salt
celery salt
chili powder
black pepper
ground ginger
lemon pepper
dry mustard
thyme
cayenne pepper
Paul Kirk is a championship competition barbecue cook.
Sift all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container away from sunlight. To use, sprinkle ribs, brisket, or chicken as if
you were putting on heavy salt and pepper. Yields 3 cups
Richard Pollock / Dry rub I used last week:
½ cup kosher or sea salt
1 cup sugar (I mix about 1/3 cup natural cane (or turbinado) sugar to 2/3 cup dark brown sugar – I like the molasses taste
from this mixture.
¼ cup garlic powder
¼ cup onion powder
¼ cup cumin
¼ cup fresh ground black pepper
½ cup paprika
½ cup chili powder
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground clove
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp oregano
This should be enough for 3 racks of ribs with a little left over depending on desired amount of coating. I think wrapping
individually in plastic wrap for 24 hours is the best.
Constructing a Championship Barbecue Sauce
Kansas City sauce is tomato based with ingredients that add sweetness, sour tang, and spices.
Step One: Analyze the ingredients
Tomato
Ketchup: mixture of tomato paste, vinegar, sweetener and spices
Tomato paste: tomato pulp reduced by slow cooking
Tomato puree: crushed or ground tomatoes in tomato sauce
Tomato sauce: tomato paste and water
Chili sauce: tomato puree with crushed tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and spices
Tomato soup: condensed tomato soup
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17
Sweet
Sour
White sugar – cane or beet
Brown sugar – light or dark
Honey
Molasses or sorghum
Corn syrup – light or dark
Corn sugar
Date sugar
Maple – sugar or syrup
Vinegar – cider, flavored, or white
Wine
Beer
Citrus juices – lemon or lime
Other Liquids, for flavor or to thin the sauce
Allspice
Anise
Barbecue Spice
Basil
Bay leaf
Caraway
Celery – salt, ground or seed
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Cumin
Curry powder
Dill weed
Dry mustard
Fennel
Garlic - granulated
Step Two: Define the ingredients list for your sauce
Base
Product
Tomato:
Mustard:
Vinegar:
Fruit/Soy:
Nut/Fish:
Sweets:
Sours:
Liquids:
Spices:
Ginger
Lemon zest
Mace
Marjoram
Nutmeg
Onion – granulated
Orange zest
Oregano
Parsley
Pepper – white, black, cayenne, chili powder
Poultry seasoning
Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Tarragon
Thyme
Amount
Miscellaneous:
Start with 4 cups of tomato, 1 cup of sweetener, 1 cup of sour. Flavoring liquids – Worcestershire or soy sauce ¼ cup.
Basic traditional spices include chili powder, black pepper and salt. Start with ¼ cup chili powder and half as much black
pepper. Add additional spices, about 1 teaspoon each. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
18
Barbecue Sauce Recipes
Garry's Howard’s 180 Rib Sauce
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
1
4
1
1
1 1/2
1
1/2
1/2
4
3/4
2
1
2
1
1/2
1/3
1/3
1
1
2
large
cloves
28 ounce can
14 ounce can
cups
cup
cup
cup
tablespoons
cup
tablespoons
tablespoon
teaspoons
teaspoon
teaspoon
cup
cup
Tablespoon
cup
onion -- chopped
garlic -- chopped
tomato puree
whole tomatoes
ketchup
Apple cider vinagrar
turbinado sugar
dark brown sugar
Worcestershire sauce
cheap yellow mustard
Gebhardt's chili powder
black pepper
ground ginger
allspice
mace
honey
Barbados molasses
paprika
orange juice
chipotle chile canned in adobo
In barbecue cook-off contests in my first summer competing, I won first place in ribs three times with a perfect score of
180 points, the highest possible score in a KCBS contest. This is the sauce I have been using. I hope you like it as much
as the judges.
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until golden brown and soft. Add all dry spice ingredients and stir for about 1/2 minute. Add
remaining ingredients.
Simmer on very low heat for four hours. The long cooking time is needed to remove the acidity from the tomatoes.
Puree the sauce in a blender or food processor. It is now ready to use. – Garry Howard
Barbeque Sauce ala Jetton
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
1
cup
cup
teaspoon
teaspoon
teaspoon
cups
Tomato ketchup
Cider vinegar
Sugar
Chili powder
Salt
Water
Stalks celery -- chopped
Bay leaves
Clove garlic
Onion -- chopped
Butter
Worcestershire sauce
Paprika
Black pepper
1/2
1
1
1/8
1 1/2
3
3
1
2
4
4
1
1
tablespoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
teaspoon
dash
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
19
Walter Jetton was Lyndon Johnson’s personal cook at his ranch in Texas. This is a true Texas style barbecue sauce.
Great on brisket!
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. This is a table
sauce to be served with beef, chicken or pork. Do not cook things in it.
(Makes about 2 1/2 cups sauce)
Lexington Barbecue #1 (Western NC Sauce)
Amount
1
1
1
10
8
4
4
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
gallon
qt.
qt.
oz
oz
oz
oz
Pinch
water
ketchup
vinegar (amber 4% acidity)
sugar
salt
black pepper
crushed red pepper
ground red pepper (cayenne)
Lexington #1 is one of the most popular barbecue restaurants in western NC. This is their finishing sauce, or dip, as it’s
known there. I got this recipe from Alan Hege, the pit master.
Preparation: "Combine all ingredients into a 1.5 gallon stock pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Spoon the piping
hot dip onto the prepared meat just prior to serving. This is a very thin sauce, but it is the same formula that has been
used around here for generations." Allen Hege
Dennis Rogers Eastern NC Sauce
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
1
1/4
2
3
1
gallon
cup
tablespoon
tablespoon
cup
cider vinegar
salt
red pepper
red pepper flakes
firmly packed brown sugar or 1/2 cup molasses
Preparation: Mix them up together and let stand 4 hours.
Rogers is a popular columnist for the Raleigh, NC News & Observer and self-proclaimed "Oracle of the Holy Grub".
NC Vinegar Dipping Sauce:
12 oz of tomato paste (two small cans)
1 pint cider vinegar
½ cup natural cane sugar
¼ cup salt (table salt works fine)
¼ cup black pepper
¼ cup red pepper crushed flakes
2 tbsp onion power
½ gal filtered or fresh spring water (without chlorine)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste, depending on the guests). This is just right for me but I use less for the family crowd.
You can always add it last after preparing the sauce.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
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To prepare: Put all the spice (except cayenne, if adding last) in a blender with about a pint of water and blend well. This
will break up the spices and provide more flavor. Add blended mixture to remaining water in a pot large enough to bring
mixture to a boil. Bring to a boil, stir well, and reduce to a simmer for a few minutes. Add cayenne to taste, if holding out
for the crowd and let cool. This can be store for a week without loosing its flavor. Also, it can be used at room
temperature as we did last week or can be reheated and served hot with the ribs.
Enjoy, and have a great day of cooking!
Richard Pollock
Memphis Magic Barbecue Sauce
Amount
Measure
Ingredient -- Preparation Method
3
tablespoons
cup
cup
cup
cup
teaspoons
teaspoon
teaspoon
teaspoon
dash
butter
minced onion
white vinegar
tomato sauce
Worcestershire sauce
sugar
salt
fresh ground black pepper
cayenne
Tabasco sauce
1/4
1
1
1/4
2
1
1/2
1/8
This is one of my favorite Memphis style barbecue sauces.
The center of mid-South barbecue, Memphis offers a range of sauces that take the high middle ground between Eastern
and Western styles. Like this version, they are often medium-bodied mixtures, moderate in sweet, heat, and everything
else except taste.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to
turn golden. Stir in the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the mixture thickens, approximately
20 minutes. Stir frequently.
Use the sauce warm. It keeps, refrigerated, for a couple of weeks.
Barbecue Fuels
Barbecue is cooked with some form of wood product, never with gas or electricity. If the heat source is gas or electricity,
it’s an oven, not a barbecue pit. Some barbecue pits are suitable for burning wood, while others will produce better results
using charcoal. Charcoal can successfully be used in pretty much any cooker. Fist sized wood chunks may be mixed with,
or placed on top of, the charcoal to produce flavoring smoke. Do not use an excessive amount of flavoring wood chunks.
Excessive smoke can cause foul tasting deposits on the meat creating a bitter flavor. Smoke is one of those things where
“if a little is good, more is better” doesn’t apply. You should only have a slightly visible, thin blue smoke coming from the
exhaust on your cooker.
Not all charcoal is created equal. Avoid charcoal briquettes. They are produced from scrap wood that is ground to a
powder and held together with a clay compound. They also contain other impurities such as coal dust. For barbecue, you
should always use natural hardwood, lump charcoal. It is made from natural wood and contains no additives. The
charcoal sold by Carbon De La Matta is excellent for slow-cooked barbecue.
The flavor of the barbecue can be modified by using wood chunks for additional smoke flavor. One or two chunks added
to the charcoal every couple of hours is plenty. Don’t overdo it!
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21
Smoking Woods
Generally speaking, you want to use only hardwoods from fruit-bearing or nut-bearing trees. In my experience, fruit woods
tend to impart a lighter smoke flavor, while the nut woods produce a stronger smoke flavor. If I could choose only one
smoke wood, it would be apple, which seems to complement most everything I barbecue. I also like pecan wood a lot, but
it is difficult to find.




















acacia
alder
almond
apple
apricot
ash
bay
beech
birch
butternut
cherry
chestnut
cottonwood
crabapple
fig
grapefruit
grapevine
guava
hackberry
hickory










kiawe
lemon
lilac
madrone
manzanita
maple
mesquite
mulberry
nectarine
oak










olive
orange
peach
pear
pecan
persimmon
pimento
plum
walnut
willow
Some cooks like to soak wood chunks in water prior to using. Based on my experience, I don’t feel this is necessary, and
in fact I think better results are achieved if the chunks aren’t soaked. Water soaked chunks tend to smolder, rather than
burn, and produce an unpleasant smoke.
Woods To Avoid
The conventional wisdom is that cedar, cypress, elm, eucalyptus, liquid amber, pine, redwood, fir, spruce, and sycamore
are not suitable for smoking. Some people say that sassafras is also inappropriate for smoking, yet it is available from
some mail-order wood suppliers. I’ve never tried it, personally.
When in doubt about a particular smoke wood, play it safe--don't use it until you confirm with a reliable source that it's OK
for use in barbecuing.
Common Smoke Woods
Alder - Alder is commonly used with fish, but also works well with pork and poultry. It has a light, slightly sweet flavor and
is not overpowering. It is much less dense than other smoke woods, and reminds me a little bit of cedar in it's look and
smell.
Apple - Apple has a light, fruity, slightly sweet aroma and is commonly used with pork and poultry. I especially like to use
it with pork ribs. It can be mixed with other smoke woods like oak and cherry with good results.
Cherry - Cherry is one of my favorite woods to use with chicken. It has a slight red color and a subtle, sweet, fruity flavor.
It goes well with beef, pork, and poultry and can be mixed with oak and apple.
Guava - Guava, a member of the Myrtle family, is a fruit wood from Hawaii and other tropical regions. Its semi-sweet
aroma goes well with beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and fish.
Hickory - Hickory is probably the most popular smoke wood used in barbecue. It has a strong flavor that complements all
meats. Some people find that hickory alone can be overwhelming, especially if too much is used. I never use hickory
alone, but mix it with oak. I use two parts oak to one part hickory.
Kiawe - Kiawe (pronounced key-ah-vey) is indigenous to Hawaii and is related to mesquite. It's sweet and strong and
works well with beef, fish, or poultry. The wood is very dense and heavy with a dark, smooth, thin bark. You won't find
kiawe in stores...I am fortunate to have a friend who brings me this wood from Hawaii. Give it a try if you're able to acquire
some.
Mesquite - Mesquite is the official smoke wood of Texas barbecue. Its strong, hearty flavor complements beef, but it also
works with fish, pork, and poultry. The wood is dense and dark red/brown in color with a very rough bark. Personally, I
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
22
don’t like to use mesquite for slow-smoked barbecue because it tends to give the barbecue a strong smoke flavor. It is
great for grilling, however.
Oak - Oak is a favorite smoke wood. It goes with just about any barbecue meat. It has a medium smoky flavor that is
stronger than apple and cherry, but lighter than hickory. As a result, it mixes well with these three woods, but also works
great by itself. It has a dense, tight grain and a color ranging from almost white to yellow to red.
Pecan - Pecan is great with beef, pork, and poultry. Its flavor is described as sweet and nutty. It can be used by itself or
mixed with oak. I especially like it with chicken and ribs.
Wine Barrel Chunks - When wine barrels reach the end of their useful life, they're often cut into chunks and sold as
smoke wood. These oak chunks show the dark stain of red wine on one side and the natural oak grain on the other. They
have the same aroma you experience when you visit the cellars at a winery. Do they provide a unique flavor to your
barbecue? Hard to say, but they're fun to try if you have the chance.
Rules and Judging
While the rules vary from one sanctioning organization to the next, most use some judging criteria that ranks entries
based on their appearance, tenderness and texture, and taste. Typically, taste is considered the most important criteria
and constitutes most of the score. In KCBS events, taste is a little over 50% of the total score. In competition events,
judges do not rank entries relative to one another, saying this one is best, this one is second best, etc. Rather, they score
each entry on its own merits using a scoring system established by the sanctioning organization.
As with a lot of things, since they consider themselves a separate country, Texas does things differently. The rules are
generally much simpler. IBCA scoring, for example, doesn’t differentiate between appearance, texture and taste but
merely assigns a score of 1 – 10 for each entry. Meat is placed on a sheet of aluminum foil inside a Styrofoam box. No
garnish is allowed, and sauce may not be brushed onto the meat after it is cooked. While most events outside Texas try to
use certified BBQ judges, Texas events pull people from the street to judge and the number of judges may vary. The
emphasis in Texas is on beef brisket, although they also have pork ribs and chicken categories.
All organizations use a blind judging method to prevent judges from knowing whose barbecue they are judging. Teams
are assigned a number that is placed on their entry boxes. Entries are typically submitted in a 9”x9” Styrofoam container.
When the entries are turned in, a sticker with a different number is placed over the original number. Only the head judge
or contest rep knows the mapping between the original team number and the judging team number.
Presentation
In most events, presentation of the meats is important to your overall score even though it doesn’t count as much as taste
and tenderness. In KCBS contests the only garnish allowed is green leaf lettuce and parsley or cilantro. In CBBQA
contest no garnish is allowed, we don’t eat the garnish we eat the meat, it isn’t a competition about how you dress the pig
it is all about the taste, how does that pig taste? Most cooks make a bed of lettuce in the turn-in box, arrange the meat on
top of the lettuce and then place a few sprigs of strategically placed parsley. Use parsley sparingly. You don’t want to
cover up the meat with parsley. However, sprigs of parsley can be used to hide flaws in the meat, such as a jagged piece
or irregular slice. KCBS rules require a minimum of 6 identifiable pieces in the box, The CBBQA calls for at least 8 pieces.
That means at least 6 or 8 individually cut ribs or pieces of chicken. Include more if possible.
When presenting ribs, arrange them so that some of the ribs show the surface and some expose the sliced edge so the
judges can see the smoke ring. Do not brush sauce on the sliced edges, only on the surface. For chicken, most
competitors cook thighs. They are easier to work with, stay moist and provide a lot of flavor when the judge bites into
them. Arrange the thighs in the box with as much of the surface as possible exposed, minimizing the overlap. This is
difficult if the thighs are very large. Place parsley sprigs to fill any gaps between the thighs.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
23
Cooking Process / Garry Howard
This is the process I use for chicken and ribs in competition.
Chicken
I always cook thighs for competition and most other cooks do as well, at least those who win. I marinate the thighs
overnight. Some cooks brine them. Either will add flavor and keep the meat moist. I have had good luck with a marinade
available from Head Country in Oklahoma. www.headcountry.com They have a restaurant and have won numerous
contests. They also have an excellent sauce. I have won first place in chicken several times using their rub and sauce.
I marinate the chicken thighs overnight. The next day, I sprinkle rub on them. Don’t put the rub on too heavy, it can be too
overwhelming or make the chicken too salty. I put the thighs into the cooker skin side down. I usually smoke the thighs for
around four hours. After two hours, I turn the thighs over with the skin side up. After the first hour, I baste the thighs with a
mixture of 50% apple juice and 50% barbecue sauce. During the last half hour, I baste them with pure sauce. After
removing from the cooker, I brush on a glaze of warmed honey.
Ribs
For the rib category, you must make a choice between spare ribs and baby back (loin back) ribs. Many competition cooks
swear by baby backs, but I have had good success with spare ribs, including many first place wins and several perfect
scores. I prefer spares because they have more meat than baby backs. They are a little more difficult to get right, but a
perfectly cooked spare rib is a beautiful thing.
The night before, I remove the membrane from the ribs and trim any excess fat. Ribs should also be trimmed to St. Louis
cut. That is ribs that have had the brisket and chine bones removed. After trimming, I apply rub. Again, do not use an
excessive amount of rub. Sprinkle the rub onto the ribs, rub it in and then shake off any excess. There should be just a
thin coating of rub on the ribs. Rib meat is thin and has a lot of surface area compared to large cuts like brisket and pork
butt. Put into large zip lock bags and place in a cooler overnight.
In a Weber Smokey Mountain, spare ribs will cook in about 6 hours. About halfway through cooking, I baste the ribs every
half hour with a mixture of 50% sauce and 50% apple juice. The last half hour I baste with 100% sauce. You can test the
doneness of ribs by pushing a toothpick between the rib bones to judge tenderness, or pick up the rack of ribs with a pair
of tongs to see how flexible they are. If you think they are done, remove a rack and slice off a rib from one end and try it.
Competition ribs should not be cooked falling off the bone. They should be tender and still cling to the bone but come
cleanly from the bone when you bite into them. If the end rib is not quite done then the rest of the rack is definitely not
done. I usually cook 6 racks of ribs and sample a rib from the end of each rack to determine which one is the best. Believe
it or not, there can be a lot of variation in several racks of ribs all cooked at the same time on the same rack at the same
temperature. For turn-in, you want to turn in the ribs from the center of the rack. These are the meatiest and least likely to
dry out. Use a very sharp knife to slice between the rib bones. Try to leave the same amount of meat on both sides of the
cut. If the knife isn’t sharp, you won’t get a good, clean edge, it will be ragged and you will lose points on appearance.
Brush the surface of the slices with a light glaze of warmed honey. Sometimes I also use a mixture of 50% honey and
50% sauce. Do not brush sauce on the sliced edges.
Arrange the ribs in the box so that some of them show the surface and some show the edges. This way the judges can
see how well the ribs are cooked and it exposes the smoke ring.
How to slow smoke a brisket.
A beef brisket is intimidating to cook; however if cooked right, it can be a tender, delicious piece of meat. According to
brisket fancier Billy "Belly" Maynard, the brisket was not highly regarded until 1950, when two German brothers barbecued
a piece of the meat and served it to customers at their meat market in the Texas Hill Country. Maynard says the
customers loved the taste of the tender meat, and the brisket has been a standard part of Texas barbecue ever since.
However, the true origins of barbecued brisket are unknown, and stories about its origin vary widely from state to state.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
24
Barbecue is a way of slow-cooking food, sometimes with a savory rub or sauce basted on the item regularly. A whole beef
brisket makes an excellent candidate for barbecue as it benefits greatly from the long cooking time and the flavor and
aroma of smoking wood. Beef brisket comes from the chest of a cow, and has layers of fat that tenderize the meat as it
cooks. The best brisket for home barbecue is a USDA choice grade cut.
Instructions
1.
Remove the brisket from its wrappings and place it in a colander in the sink to drain. Move the meat to a
cutting board, trimming back any fat over ½-inch thick. Use your knife to score the fat layer, making cuts
about ½-inch apart from each other crisscross on all sides of the meat.
Marinate the brisket using a dry or liquid marinade. These help create the barbecue flavor for your brisket.
Dry rubs include ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and smoky paprika. Wet
marinades effective on brisket include ingredients like apple juice, red wine, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard
powder, salt and pepper. Note that if you're using a wet marinade you can inject it into the meat too. Place
the marinating meat into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Soak your smoking wood in water, beer, wine, or juice for one hour. Three excellent choices for smoking
wood are apple, hickory or maple. Drain the wood before placing into your grills' wood receptacle.
Turn the grill up high to get the wood smoking, then reduce the temperature to 225 degrees. Turn the
brisket every half hour, basting it with your favorite sauce or apple juice to keep it from drying out. When the
internal temperature of the brisket reaches 180 degrees on a meat thermometer, remove it and let the meat
rest for a full half hour before serving.
Smoking the Brisket

Generally, a brisket should be cooked one hour per pound between 220 and 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course,
times will vary depending on the size, density and quality of the brisket, as well as the smoker you're using. If
you're using a water smoker, the steam itself will prevent the brisket from becoming dry. However, if you're using
a standard pit smoker, to prevent drying, wrap the brisket in foil about five hours before it's finished smoking.
If you're using mild chips, such as apple, use two or three additions of chips. However, if you're using stronger
woods such as hickory, oak or mesquite, use less chips to prevent bitterness.
Don't Lose the Juices

When the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, it will be ready for serving. At
195 degrees, it will shred easily, ideal for pulled sandwiches. It is important, however, to avoid slicing the meat as
soon as it comes out of the smoker. Slicing the brisket prematurely will cause the flavorful juices to flow out.
Instead, wrap the brisket in aluminum foil and set it aside for about an hour. Juices will then absorb back into the
meat.
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
25
Copyright 2009 – Caribbean BBQ Association – All rights reserved
26
Pork Meat Cuts
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27