1. Cooking Brisket: I usually cook a brisket at 200 degrees for
approximately one half hour per pound of meat. Since a brisket is such
a large chunk of meat and a little on the stringy side, it will often
absorb too much smoke; therefore, I won't usually cook a brisket
entirely in a smoker. I cook a brisket in the oven (in a roasting pan)
at 200 degrees until it has about an hour left to cook. Then I transfer
it to a smoker to finish cooking.
2. Cooking Chicken: To cook chicken on a grill, I always put down a
layer of foil and I'm no closer than the middle or top rack. Chicken
skin burns easy and it's hard to get done to the bone, especially
white meat. So, cook it slow, turning frequently. You'll know it's
done when the chicken is firm and it doesn't't bleed when you squeeze
it. Chicken is one of the hardest meats to get just right. Practice
times three.
3. Smoking on a gas grill: Don't try to smoke large cuts of meat like
this, but this method will help you get a nice smoky flavor to smaller
cuts like a small rack of pork ribs, chicken, fish, etc. Take several
small pieces of the wood of your choice, i.e. hickory, mesquite, oak,
etc. and soak them in water for at least a couple of hours. (Be certain
the wood is totally immersed in water.) Place the pieces of wood in a
shallow (throwaway) tin pan, or something similar. Line the meat rack
(at least the second or top rack) with heavy duty or two layers of
foil. Preheat the grill to usually around 300 degrees. Place the meat
on the foil (wipe the foil lightly with oil to keep the meat from
sticking) and place the tin with wood chips on the lower rack. Close
the grill and let the wood chips do their job. Be careful, because
occasionally the wood chips will catch on fire. When that happens I use
a spray bottle of water and put the fire out and close the grill lid.
4. To use barbecue sauce as a marinade: Dilute sauce by mixing two
beers to each cup of barbecue sauce. Mix well.
5. Never marinade meat with full strength sauce.
6. Only when the meat has finished cooking can you baste with full
strength sauce.
7. Cooked meat that has been coated with full strength sauce can only
be can be left on the grill for a few minutes, turning the meat
frequently to prevent scorching.
8. Keep in mind that you can use this sauce on oven-cooked foods as
well. The smoky flavor in the sauce will convince your guest(s) that
you spent all day over a smoker or grill!
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