Tips & Techniques: Part II

Welcome to my second collection of Barbecue and Grilling Tips. Backyard cooking (whether you actually do it in the backyard or not isn't important) seems to generate an enormous number of secrets and tricks. This is probably because cooking by it's very nature is more and art than a science. Remember that what works for someone else might not work for you. This collection is neither complete or guaranteed so take everything with a grain of salt.

When smoking, throw a couple of cloves of garlic (I use elephant garlic) on the hot coals. It gives the meat a subtle garlic flavor and the smell brings people from miles around.

When doing a long smoke with charcoal, light about two-thirds of the coals, leaving the remaining third unlit but in direct contact with the burning coals. This will allow the unlit coals to slowly ignite and lengthen your smoking time. This is especially good for water smokers that won't give you a long smoking time anyway.

Grilling shrimp can be difficult if you let it be. Start with a good marinade with a citrus base. Place shrimp on a hot grill, preferably on skewers for easy handling. Watch closely. If the shrimp cook too long they will become tough and flavorless. When the shrimp start to turn pink on the sides, turn and cook until there is no more gray. Remove immediately and eat. Don't let shrimp sit around. If you are like me, you won't.

When selecting fish, choose steaks over fillets. Fillets are more difficult to grill because they tend to fall apart when turning of removing from the grill. If you do choose to cook a fillet, try cooking it on a piece of aluminum foil. This will allow you better control of the fish and you can add marinades to it as it cooks without concern of flare-ups.

When smoking a Brisket, be ready for a long smoke. Because Brisket is loaded with collagen it will take many hours (8-10) for this binding substance to breakdown and become tender. If you're using a vertical water smoker like a Brinkmann you might need to plan on a second full batch of charcoal to see you through.

When grilling sausage cut them lengthwise through the middle, careful not to cut the back membrane. Open and grill skin side down first. This will cook the sausage faster and more evenly.

To test the accuracy of your thermometer, bring a pot of water to a full boil and drop in the thermometer. Then check the reading. If the thermometer read 217 degrees you know it reads five degrees too hot. Adjust your cooking temperatures appropriately.

After you've taken the last thing off your gas grill, place aluminum foil over the grate and turn the gas up to high for one minute. Then turn it off. The foil focuses the heat on the grate, burning everything to a fine ash. After it's cooled down, crumple up the foil and use it to brush the ash off the grate.

When applying a rub to whole poultry make sure to work the rub onto the entire surface inside and out. Also try to rub it into the meat under the skin.

Wrap the ends of bone in Ribs with aluminum foil to prevent drying and burning.

The best cleaning tip there is, is to clean your grill or smoker after every cookout.

Wood chips or chunks should be pre-soaked before being put on coals. This does not mean they should be soaking wet. Too much water will cool your fire. Soak the chips for at least ten minutes and the chunks for an hours, first. The remove from the water and drain before applying to the coals.

The lower your cooking temperature the more it will be affected by the air temperature, so keep an eye on both the grill thermometer and the wall thermometer.

The secret to grilling chicken with the bone and skin intact is in the temperature. The correct temperature will crisp the skin and melt the fat without burning the chicken, so watch your fire very carefully.

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Additional Information

Related Links:
Tips & Secrets Part I
Grilling Tips from The Professor