| The two basics of authentic barbecue are a low | | | | Many outdoor cooks close and cover up their grills and |
| cooking temperature and plenty of wood smoke. | | | | smokers for the winter months. They do all their |
| You need enough heat to cook the meat (which is the | | | | cooking inside and force themselves to forget the |
| difference between smoke curing and barbecuing) but | | | | great taste of outdoor-cooked food for long stretches |
| you need to keep the temperature a bit above the | | | | of time. |
| level that meat will register inside when done. | | | | Those who love to cook outdoors and enjoy eating |
| So, let's take pork for example; it needs to be cooked | | | | grilled, smoked, or barbecued foods do not like to quit |
| to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees | | | | doing so just because it is cold outside. Outdoor |
| Fahrenheit, so you must barbecue it at 180 degrees to | | | | cooking is not a passion that can be turned on and off |
| 220 degrees Fahrenheit. This same principle works | | | | because of the weather. It is a year-round love of |
| very well for other foods as well. | | | | some of the best-tasting food there is anywhere. |
| Grilling is what many inexperienced, "want to be pit | | | | Fortunately, there are many ways to get around this |
| masters" call barbecuing. Actually, grilling in concept is | | | | dilemma of being left out in the cold when cooking |
| the opposite of barbecuing because of heat. Much of | | | | outdoors in the winter. |
| the time you want the highest temperature achievable | | | | Grilling is a process of cooking food quickly over an |
| in grilling, because the purpose is to sear meat on the | | | | open flame. The operative word is "quickly" as this |
| outside to make it crispy and brown on the surface. | | | | allows you to cook the food without having to spend a |
| This method is best when used with tender cuts, such | | | | long time outside. |
| as a good steak or chop, which are pretty much free | | | | With a gas grill, where you control the heat, you can |
| of connective tissue. Usually, meat used to barbecue is | | | | cook a steak or hamburger in just a few minutes. |
| really tough. Spareribs, beef brisket, as well as other | | | | Because of the constant high heat, you will not be |
| cuts require slow cooking at low temperatures to | | | | forced to stay outside in the elements for long |
| break down their stubborn tissues. This is the exact | | | | stretches of time. And if the weather is really bad, you |
| reason why they are ideal for barbecuing in the first | | | | can time your cooking and be there to flip the meat or |
| place. When you barbecue steaks, fish, or vegetables, | | | | get it off the grill. |
| you do it to add smoky flavor and not because the | | | | Other outdoor cooking methods work even better in |
| slow cooking is needed for tenderness. | | | | the cold weather. A smoker, by its very nature, is |
| The smokiness that you desire in barbecue should | | | | designed to cook food at very low temperatures for |
| come from smoldering wood, not from fat or oil | | | | long periods of time. In any environment, once you get |
| dripping on coals or hot metal. | | | | the fire right, you basically put the meat in the smoker |
| The use of water or other liquids is a bit controversial | | | | and forget about it for several hours. While you are |
| in barbecue circles. People in the past didn't add water | | | | inside, the meat is slowly cooking outside just the way |
| to their pits in any fashion, and many experts don't like | | | | it is supposed to. |
| the idea today. They say that barbecuing has to be a | | | | Barbecue cooking works in a similar way, as well. It is |
| dry cooking process. The truth is that most methods | | | | cooked slow and over an indirect fire, although not |
| of barbecuing have always involved the circulation of | | | | usually as slow-cooked as in a smoker. Therefore, it |
| moisture laden air over food. This makes the process | | | | pretty much cooks itself once you get the fire just |
| much wetter than cooking in a traditional oven. Water | | | | right. With barbecue, it is usually better to leave it alone. |
| has a proper place in barbecuing, depending on how it's | | | | The meat will be less likely to dry out and the fire will |
| used and what you're cooking. | | | | stay at more of a constant temperature. |
| Traditional barbecue meats benefit from losing | | | | Start getting into the mindset that cooking outside is |
| moisture as they cook, shrinking their size, but many | | | | not just a summer event. You will soon discover that |
| non traditional foods can benefit from increasing | | | | the food actually benefits from being left alone, and |
| humidity inside the smoker. As long as you avoid | | | | you will be able to enjoy the great tastes of outdoor |
| cooking the food with steam instead of smoke, extra | | | | cooking all year and under just about any weather |
| moisture can help to prevent lean meat and fish from | | | | condition. |
| getting too dry. | | | | Now might be a good time to write down the main |
| It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the | | | | points covered above. The act of putting it down on |
| subject of outdoor cooking,traditional barbecue. What | | | | paper will help you remember what's important about |
| you learn may give you the confidence you need to | | | | outdoor cooking,traditional barbecue. |
| venture into new areas. | | | | |