The Most Dangerous Question in BBQ

If "Do I look fat in this?" is the most dangerous questionHere's the million dollar answer that'll save you (and
to answer when asked by the love of your life, whatyour) face: Barbecue is cooking meat low and slow.
would be the most dangerous question to answer ifRemember those three sweet words, "Low and
asked by your barbecue star?Slow." That's the phrase that'll save your hide and your
Clue #1 - Has nothing to do with body image.pride. What exactly does "low and slow" mean? Low
Clue #2 - Has everything to do with self-imageand slow means to cook meat over an open fire set
Clue #3 - Seems completely harmless to answerup for low heat for a long, long, time enough to play a
Oh, what could it be ... Give up?round of golf, wash the car, dog or clean out the
The most dangerous question to answer is ....garage, long kind of time.
"What's Barbecue?"Barbecue is building the perfect fire and setting the
Why is this such a dangerous question? Because ifconditions just right to get the perfect low cooking
you don't actually know the answer, you might THINKtemperature (200-300 degrees F, depending on the cut
you know and answer something like, "Barbecue isof meat). Barbecue is stoking that fire from dawn until
when you grill burgers on your backyard barbecue."dusk when your perfectly marinated, mopped and
(Loud buzzer) Wrong.basted piece of meat begins to fall right off its bones.
Now you've done it. You've just upset Old Smoky andNow that's barbecue.
now he's set to rip you a new nugget of knowledge.So the next time you find yourself cornered by a
Dare to use words like "grill" and "burgers" while talkingbarbecue pro, self-professed or otherwise, and that
about barbecuing in the presence of a barbecue guru,most dangerous question gets asked, you'll know how
and you are done for. You might as well answer "Do Ito answer: Barbecue is cooking meat low and slow.
look fat in this?" with "Yeah, actually. You could lose a(You're all on your own for the other question!)
few," and do yourself in quick.Happy grillin'!