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Jack's BBQ Sauce

1 tbs. vegetable oil
!/2 sm. onion - finely chopped
1/2 green pepper - finely chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
6 tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground mustard
3/4 tsp. ground cumin

Saute' onion and green pepper for about
5 min. or until lightly cooked. Add
remaining ingredients and simmer slowly
for 1/2 hr. stirring often to prevent
scorching.

Over the years, a number of barbecue connoisseurs have compiled a comprehensive FAQ document which answers most questions a beginner, or even an accomplished backyard cook might ask. This document is a must for folks who want to create a truly all American barbecue experience. Download below FREE!

To download the Barbeque FAQ document in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf)

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Basic Rub for Ribs, Brisket, and Pork Butts

4 parts salt
3 parts paprika
2 parts ground black pepper
1 part garlic powder
cayenne pepper is optional

Mix spices, apply lightly, and rub into ribs or any good barbecue cut. Sauce comes later (if you use any at all), but this basic rub will enhance the smoked, barbecue flavor we are trying to achieve. Do apply lightly, as this is a salt based rub rather than a sugar based rub. Sugar based rubs tend to cause "burning" on the outside of the meat.

How to Barbecue - In order to create an authentic American barbecue, certain basic equipment is necessary. A good, kettle style charcoal grill with adjustable vents is OK, but a small, bullet style smoker will allow easier temperature control. Bullet style smokers are available at any large chain hardware store, and can be purchased for as little as $40.00. These are both electric and charcoal, but we will be dealing with the charcoal types as they lend themselves to more traditional barbecue methods. Smokers get a lot bigger and a lot more expensive, but excellent results can be achieved in an inexpensive bullet smoker.

Charcoal and wood chunks are the staples of most barbecue smokers. Large smokers can be fired with all wood, but for most back yard endeavors, a mix is better. Most folks these days have never seen natural lump charcoal. It is wood chunks heated into charcoal, not homogenized, filled with fillers, coal dust and perfume briquettes. NATURAL LUMP CHARCOAL is, in the opinion of most hardcore barbecue fanatics, THE ONLY WAY TO GO! It can be found or ordered in many large hardware stores that sell barbecue equipment, as well as on the Internet. It's worth the trouble. The charcoal should be mixed with chunks of wood about golf ball sized, or a little bigger. Hickory is the preferred wood, but red oak and sugar maple are good too. Fruitwood like apple or cherry is nice with poultry. NEVER start your coals and wood with petroleum charcoal lighter! Use a Coleman Chimney with a bit of newspaper or use an electric lighter to get the coals going.

To barbecue ribs, pulled pork, brisket and most other cuts of red meat used for barbecue, you need to get your kettle grill or smoker to run for several hours at 225 - 235 º F. Start your coal and run the vents wide open or with the top off until a good burn is achieved. Replace the top, close down the vents to a crack and allow the temperature to drop nearly to the desired temperature, and then place the meat on the rack or grill as far from the coals as possible. Maintain a steady temperature within the desired range, adding charcoal and wood as necessary. With a little practice you will get to know your smoker and be able to regulate the temperature with minimal effort. A good thermometer is a mighty good thing to have as most (if any) that come with your grill or smoker are of questionable quality. A long stemmed deep fry thermometer can be found in any good housewares department and a small hole in the top of the smoker near the cooking area will allow it to be inserted. This will give you accurate temperature control, which is as important as the smoke to produce good barbecue.