In alt.food.barbecue, wrote:
> 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.

Try using a cleaner burn instead. Hot meat absorbs little smoke. I
suspect that you are just putting a thinner layer of creosote on your
brisket using the method you describe. Your smoke should be nearly
colorless before you put the meat in your smoker.



> 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.

You may as well just cook it on the stovetop if you do that.


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.

You ae using too high a heat. And you should cook it skin-side up at
first, so the coals can get a bit cooler before you put it skin side down.



> 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.

"Their Job" is not to steam and smolder, but rather, to burn cleanly.
This method imparts a bitter taste to the meat.



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.

This will fill the inside of the grill with particulate matter from the
smoldering, steaming wood.



> 4. To use barbecue sauce as a marinade: Dilute sauce by mixing two
> beers to each cup of barbecue sauce. Mix well.

No wonder you burn your chicken. Sugary marinades BURN.


> 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!

Only if your guests know nothing about what properly grilled and barbecued
meats taste like.


> http://xxxxxxxxfps.blogspot.com/

This is spam from someone who knows little about the subject at hand.


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