What's The Difference Between Natural Gas And Propane Barbeques?

I have always liked barbeques. If someone mentioned having one I was there. It’s like my favorite activity. But I really never got into barbequing myself. Well, recently I decided that it was time that I bought a grill and tried my hand at it. I went out looking for a grill. I had no idea that it would be such a hard choice. There are so many grills out there to choose from. They range in price from a few dollars for a small one, which would sit on a table to monsters of a grill. They came in a lot of different styles. They had electric grills, charcoal grills and gas grills. Well, I decided right away to get a gas grill. But that brought another decision; did I want a natural gas or propane barbeque grill? I needed to research this first. What is the difference between using natural gas and propane barbeques?

This is what I found out. There is really no difference when it comes to the way they cook the food. But they are different when it comes down to energy efficiency and cost. Propane is sold in tanks and you can buy them at most convenience stores. Natural gas has to be purchased from a gas company and comes in lines that you would hook to your grill. Natural gas tends to be more costly then propane. The main differences between the two are their chemical properties. Propane is heavier therefore it will fall to the ground if it is released and cause an explosion. Natural gas rises into the air and tends to evaporate.

There are some people that prefer to use the natural gas with their barbeques because it does not affect the taste of the food like propane can. Also natural gas tends to cook quicker and there is a endless supply of gas available, where when you are using propane you will have to refill the tank periodically. But you also have to consider the fact that if you are using natural gas, you will not be able to move your grill around. It will pretty much have to stay in one spot. With a propane tank grill you will be able to move it around your yard to where you want it.

Most propane grills can be converted to natural gas with a few adjustments. The gas company has the parts needed for this adjustment. And now there are natural gas grills on the market. They each have their own disadvantages and advantages. It is really a personal choice on what you prefer.

I ended up choosing the propane grill. Because for me it seemed to have more advantages then the natural gas. But again, that was my opinion and my choice. Many people would argue that natural gas is the better choice. Whichever you decide on, one guarantee is that you will have a lot of good times with your grill. Barbequing means fun and good food!

Using Gas For Your Barbeque Grill

Barbecuing has been around forever. Back before we had ovens, everyone barbecued. Of course back then they just called it cooking. Its kind of funny how someone thought it was a great idea to invent a electric stove to make it easier for us but now so many people prefer barbecuing on a grill over cooking in the house. Yes, you can cook faster on a stove or in an oven. Yes, it may be more convenient. But you cannot beat the flavor that you get from barbecuing outside on a grill. If you know what you are doing, even a little, you can produce some of the best tasting, most tender and juicy pieces of meat straight from your grill.

We have come along way in our grill choices. For the longest time we only had charcoal grills. Then we had electric grills and stainless steel barbecues. But to me that is no different then cooking inside. Then they came out with propane gas barbeque grills. And these grills only get more improved with every new model. Some people argue that food cooked on a gas grill taste like gas. Well the best grill chefs will tell you that if your food taste like gas then someone is not cooking right on a gas grill.

It is very important to make sure there is gas in your tank before you start cooking. Make sure it is attached to your grill correctly and there is no leaks. Light the grill by the ignition switch. Every grill comes with an owner’s manual, read it so you will know exactly how your grill works. Turn the burners to there highest setting and let them get hot for about ten to fifteen minutes. You want the grill at about 500 degrees.

Before you start cooking, turn the burner that you are going to cook on to low, put the other burners on medium. Put your meat on the lowest heated burner. This allows your meat to stay away from the flames. Which will keep the gas taste out of your food and allow your meat to cook more evenly. Never cut your meat to check for doneness, always use a fork to flip them.

Some foods can be cooked directly over the flame. But this will cook them faster. So its good for like hotdogs. But steaks or meats you want to cook slowly always put them on indirect heat.

The best thing about using gas for your barbeque grill is that it cooks evenly. This will make sure your meat is cooked at the same degree all the way through and not just around the edges.

Another great feature about using gas for your barbeque grill is that they all come with lids. This allows you to close the lid and keep the natural juices in the meat and enhance the flavor, but also to help keep the fire from flaring up and burning your food.

Gas is the best to use for grilling. It can do all your oven can do but so much better.

Impress Your Friends With Your Gas Smoker

In this world as much as many of you will argue this point we like to impress our friends. One of the ways, which we like to do this, is by throwing great barbecues. We want to show off our expertise of our grilling techniques. There is so much that you can do on the grill. You can cook just about anything you want to on the grill. In this article we are going to talk about another part of barbecuing. This is using a gas smoker. Smoking your meat is the new wave. Well actually it has been around forever but now you can do it right in your backyard with your own gas smoker. You want to impress your friends, get one of these smokers and cook them up a slab of roasted meat and they will be sure be impressed.

The best thing about having a smoker is you really do not need to go buy a bunch of fancy equipment. You can make your gas grill into a smoker in just a few short steps. The first step is buying wood chips. These wood chips come in many different flavors. These flavors will infuse into your meat so make sure you pick out one, which will taste good. Soak the chips, this will allow them to burn longer. Wrap the chips in aluminum foil. Puncture some holes in the top of the foil to allow air to escape. Lay this right on the flame deflector. Some people do not start smoking the meat until it is about cooked. This is up to you. It will need to smoke for about an hour or so to get the smoky flavor.

Of course you can buy a water smoker. This will sit on your grill and do the same job. It all depends on how much money you want to invest. Another way to smoke is to buy an actual gas smoker. These run off of propane tanks. And are strictly for smoking meat. These are nice because you can take them anywhere. These work pretty much the same way. They take wood chips, which of course is what makes the smoke. Let us tell you about a couple gas smokers available out there.

The Kenmore Vertical Gas Smoker is the first we will talk about. This one is real easy to use. Just add water and the wood chips and you will be ready to smoke some delicious tender meat. It has 3.6 cubic feet of cooking area. Put the meat in, let it smoke for a few hours and watch your friends get the look of being very impressed on their face. This one sells for $158.00

The Vertical Propane Gas Smoker, CB600X only sells for $139.00. It has a firebox for wood chips. It has a gauge for keeping tabs on the temperature. It has three shelves to cook on. This makes it great for smoking different kinds of meat.

Whether you choose to make your own smoker or buy a stainless steel barbecue gas smoker your friends will definitely be impressed when they bite into the smoked meat you place in front of them.

Useful Barbecue Equipment

It is time for you to do some remodeling. A part of this remodeling is redoing your deck, you want to turn your deck into a place to entertain and barbecue. So you are interested in finding out about some useful barbecue equipment. Well, this is a great article for you to be reading. We are going to tell you about some useful barbecuing equipment to make the entertaining you do the talk of the town. If you are interested all you have to do is read on and enjoy the ride.

The first thing you must decide on is the grill. Do you want a big grill or a small grill? Because there are grills of all shapes and sizes available. The next question is do you want gas, charcoal or an electric grill? There are all three available. It all depends on your preference. They all will do a great job at cooking your food but there are different styles with each one. It's not easy to say which one is the best. If you ask a hundred different grill chefs you will probably get a pretty even choice for the three of them. You also must decide what kind of cooking you plan on doing on your grill. If you are going to do just meat, any of them will do. If you are doing vegetables, any will do. If you want one with a griddle, then you may have to go with the gas grill.

You might also want to consider an electric model. A lot of them come with griddles. You can buy one to put over your charcoal grill but that is an added expense. The next choice you will need to make is do you want a grill that will stay in one place or do you want a portable one that you can take camping or to the park with you. Yes, a lot of choices but important ones.

After you get your barbecue grill, there are other things you will need. You will need barbecuing tools. This usually pertains to things like a barbecuing fork. A long handled spatula and a pair of tongs. There is as many of these out there as there are grills. You can buy a cheap set for just a few dollars. Or you can go more fancy and spend sixty dollars for a set. Again it's all a matter of preference. You will also need to have a good thermometer. This is great to test the rarity of your meat so you do not have to cut it to see if it is done to your liking. A good pair of oven mitts is also a great thing to have.

You purchase the stuff we have told you about and you will be set to go as far as your barbecuing equipment. Of course there are extra accessories you can buy like a smoker for your grill. Special pots and pans just for barbecuing and we are sure there are other things we are not mentioning.

Buy your table and chairs and you will be set to have a great time entertaining on your deck.

For some more great tips and options for your barbecue, visit:

http://BuyStainlessSteelBarbecues.com/

Using Gas Barbecue Grills for Braising

Not very long ago, chef Bruce Aidell wrote about a new era in gas grilling with what he calls "barbecue-braising." This is a terrific cooking method for gas barbecue grills and is really very simple. Because it calls for a very long cooking time, however, it is not very practical for charcoal grills, although with faithful tending and skill, it could still be done.

What is Braising?

First, a quick cooking lesson. Braising is a very old cooking technique particularly good for less tender cuts of meat. It has two basic steps: first, sear the meat in oil or fat and second, cook it in liquid slowly, usually for several hours, in the oven. The pot of choice is the Dutch oven, followed by the crock pot. Some professional chefs would say that excellence in braising is actually very difficult, involving as it does the need to choose just the right liquid, add the perfect aromatics and then simmer carefully for just the right length of time. The goal is meat that melts.

Steps in Using a Grill to Braise

So how do you braise on a gas grill? The fundamentals are the same, with a little extra fillip if you follow Aidell's method. Before you give it a try, make sure you are using a gas grill that is not going to run out of fuel within the first hour; this method requires potentially hours of cooking, so a small propane tank most assuredly will not do.

Sear

Step one after prep is to sear the meat on the grill which will add that delicious flavor that you cannot get when sauteing indoors. Depending on your recipe, you will have prepped the meat with a rub or marinade. Keep in mind that for this step, you want the same high heat and quick sear that you would be using in traditional grilling.

Simmer

Then you will place the meat in a pot with a braising liquid of choice and cover it. Now you need to switch heating methods; turn down the high heat and keep just one burner or section turned on. In other words, create indirect heat at a relatively low temperature. Put the pot on the grate, not directly over the fire, and close the lid of the grill. You will be cooking for several hours, most likely, depending again on the recipe. You can check on things from time to time, but since you are using gas, you do not have the challenge of constant oversight that the charcoal chef would have.

Glaze

Then comes the piece de resistance. The true distinction between braising in your indoor oven and using the barbecue for braising is taking the meat from the pot and returning it to direct high heat. Apply a glaze that will caramelize into a tasty crust on the exterior of the meat. This creates a tender, intensely flavorful cut that rivals anything you will find in a fine restaurant. And better yet, this kind of recipe is perfect for a party or for tailgating, since it needs attention only at the very beginning and very end and gives you plenty of time for socializing in between.

Barbecue braising is yet another illustration of the versatility of the gas grill.

The Tricks to Keeping a Charcoal BBQ Lit

I’ve probably seen it a million times at the park or camping or my personal favorite, in a friend’s back yard. They can’t seem to keep the briquettes lit. I guess it happens to us all every now and again, until you learn the sure fire – no pun intended – way of properly lighting, and keeping them lit in your charcoal barbecue, briquettes for your next meal.

Ways of Lighting

There are a couple variations on how to actually light the charcoal. Some people refuse to use lighter fluid of any kind, even if it says ‘leaves no taste’ on the package. For these folks, getting some wood to catch first is the way to go. Then there’s the other side of the fence that won’t even bother with anything but lighter fluid. I tend to lean towards the latter unless wood is my only option.

Soak It!

For those of us that follow the lighter fluid school of thought, there is a tried and true method that works every time.

First, take the time to build a pyramid out the charcoal in the center of the grill. Its okay to dump it all in at first to make sure you’re using the right amount, then after that you need to build the pyramid. Take your technologically advanced lighter fluid and thoroughly soak ALL of the briquettes. Then you need to be patient and wait at least 15 minutes for them to soak properly. When the egg timer finally buzzes, carefully light four sides of the pyramid at the very bottom. Sit back and watch the entire thing go up in flames.

Once again, you need to be patient and let all of the briquettes catch. This does not mean when the fire dies down, this means when you have a completely grayish-white pyramid. It will take a while, so you can look but don’t touch. Once this phase is complete you may now spread out the briquettes. If you find one or that aren’t like the rest, simply place them against ones that are fully lit. They will eventual catch up and join the party. Viola, you have charcoal that won’t go out until you either put them out or they finally burn themselves out.

Using Wood

Using wood to light your briquettes is very much the same, well in the patience area anyway. First you will start yourself a little fire made out of wood and let it turn red hot. It may take a fair amount of wood at first. After you have a small bed of wood coals going, you can start adding in some charcoal, careful not to smother the wood fire. This method has the same end results; it just takes quite a bit longer.

Chimneys

Using a charcoal chimney is the preferred method for a lot of people. It essentially concentrates all the heat and helps get the briquettes burning evenly and protects them against the elements while also using a significantly smaller amount of lighter fluid. The major drawback to using them is that you are limited to the size of the chimney as to how many briquettes you can light at once.

Wait For It!

The key ingredient, no matter which method you use is patience. If you light the charcoal right the first time, there will be no need for you to stand next to the grill shooting dangerous streams of lighter fluid at the fire. Even though it can be amusing, yet dangerous; while I keep waiting for my friend to ask me to hold his beer.

Cleaning your Stainless Steel Grill

Stainless steel barbecues have a well-deserved reputation for being easy to clean and keep shiny. But they are not maintenance free; in fact, some fussy care is needed from time to time to keep the grill looking and functioning at its best. Three important steps in cleaning your grill are: cool, wipe, and polish.

Cool your grill down every time, after every use.

Stainless steel does react to high heat, especially if it is a cheap or thin gauge of steel. So step one is to be sure you have purchased high quality. But even then, stainless can discolor and become dull if it is exposed to very high heat over long periods of time. Do not preheat your grill longer than it takes to reach temperature and turn it off immediately when you are done. Open the lid and let it cool. This will help keep your outdoor cooker looking like a Lamborghini. And while you are at it, cover it after use! This will help protect the gleaming metal from climate change. After all, you spent some hard-earned money on this appliance and you want to keep it nice for many years.

Wipe your grill off every time, after every use.

As is probably obvious from tip number one, you should not clean with the "'heat it up like crazy until everything bakes off' approach." Rather, when the grill is cool, use mild detergent or spray and wipe down the grate with a soft cloth. You can wipe the outside as well to help maintain the beautiful shine that attracted you in the first place. Take extra care to remove marinades or other acidic particles from the grate. Occasionally dismantle the grate and other cooking surfaces for a thorough clean. DO NOT use steel wool, wire brushes or any heavy abrasive; stainless can pit, corrode and scratch more easily than you may think. So put down the beer, turn your back on the football game or your guests for a few moments, and faithfully execute this chore every time. Think of it as the tiny price you pay for the compliments you get on your great-looking and great-cooking BBQ.

Polish your grill occasionally.

Do you like washing your car? You should love polishing your grill. Revel in the outdoors, the sun and wind in your hair, the feel of cool water and soap, the "wipe on, wipe off" mantra, and the enviable end result!

Or you can drop the picturesque image and just face it as another chore: polish! Home cleaning solutions include simply rubbing with a dampened chamois (see, there's the analogy to the car!). Vinegar is also effective and eco-friendly; just dampen that same chamois and polish. Another possibility is baking soda, which is a safe micro-abrasive that will give your grill a nice shine; apply it as a paste and then rinse or wipe off with a damp cloth.

If you have a serious problem of rust or discoloration, however, turn to the specialty products that are made specifically for stainless steel cleaning. Most grill manufacturers make or recommend a product that will do the job. Remember to be sure that any cooking surface is free of residue from these products before you use it.

With some care and mild elbow grease, your barbecue stainless steel grill will stay looking as sharp and bright as the day you bought it and produce culinary masterpieces.

Healthy Steamed Vegetables on the Barbecue Grill

Most people know that almost anything can be cooked on a barbecue grill. But what about steaming? Steaming vegetables on your grill can be a great way to balance out your meal. The other great part is that you basically take everything directly from the fire to the dinner plate. Preparing healthy steamed vegetables on the grill is fast, easy and oh so tasty.

How Do I Steam Over a Fire?

Obviously fire and water don’t mix too well. Over time a few innovations have come to light regarding how to steam over an open fire.

The old school way of doing this is by encasing the vegetables in aluminum foil. Simply take a square of foil and place the veggies in the middle – don’t pile them too high – take the foil and make the top and bottom meet in the middle – leaving some overlap – then fold and scrunch the ends upwards. Open a small hole in the overlap to add water or olive oil. Once all the ingredients are inside simple scrunch up the middle overlap and it’s ready to toss on the grill. I know it sounds a little complicated, but once you try it you will find out it’s pretty easy. On a side note; never place the foil packs directly over the hottest areas, your veggies will either get overcooked or end up sticking to the foil.

The new school method is to go out and buy a steamer designed specifically for the grill. They usually come in two or three separate pieces; the water pan, the steaming plate and lid. Simply put some water in the pan, place it on the grill then set the steaming plate loaded with your favorite veggies over the water pan and viola.

Favorite Recipes

I have taken the liberty of including some of my favorite recipes to help you along with your Grill Master repertoire. They are very simple and easy to make and are a great accompaniment to your other bbq delicacies.

Corn on the Cobb

Ah, the good old American standby veggie for grilling. I have a couple ways of preparing these. You can either soak them in water with the husks still on for thirty minutes before cooking or you can shuck the corn, wash them and wrap them in tin foil. I like to add a couple pats of butter inside the foil. Mm mmm good! You will need turn theses constantly son they don’t burn and let them cook for about 30 minutes on a cooler part of the grill.

Vegetable Medley

You can use any veggie combo you like but I like to use red and green peppers, white onion, green beans and chopped garlic. I thinly julienne the peppers; cut the onion into 1” squares; leave the beans whole and toss in chopped garlic. I place all this into a bowl, add a ¼ cup olive oil and then sprinkle on some lemon pepper. Mix this all up and place it in portions into foil packs. After that they are ready for the grill and only take about 15-20 minutes to cook.

Asparagus

Much like the medley recipe but I cut a good portion of the lower stalk off. The sauté recipe is exactly the same except I add some real lemon juice – a teaspoon at most – to the mixture. Cooking time is roughly the same.

Keeping it Healthy

Choosing what to steam or sauté the veggies in is up to you. Water can be used and so can butter, it all depends on how healthy you want to make it. I found out the hard way on items that don’t work out so well and so will you.

The Best Type of BBQ Tools for a Porcelain Coated Grate

Whether different tools are necessary for a porcelain coated grate is a common question that grillers have. Let's start with what porcelain is.

Porcelain Is a Ceramic

Most folks think of porcelain as a delicate white ceramic from which fine china is made. Indeed, it is a fired clay and in China, it was originally used for fine white plates, cups and other items. But porcelain associated with cooking surfaces is a material that is nonstick, as hard as diamond, and non-porous. It can withstand very high heat and is extremely easy to cook on. For indoor cooking, porcelain pots can travel from freezer to stovetop without a hitch. Some call it the best-kept chef's secret around. It is also used in porcelain coated grates for both indoor and outdoor grill surfaces because it is such a versatile and durable material. Porcelain coated grill grates may be porcelain overlaid on cast iron or on a cheaper metal; the former is the better cooking surface.

Vulnerabilities of Porcelain

As tough as it is, porcelain is also vulnerable to chipping. It is somewhat brittle and can be damaged by a number of misuses. For example, a hard blow to porcelain will result in breakage. So will flexing it against its grain or slamming or throwing it around. Anyone accustomed to throwing the grill grate into the sink with a thud probably should not use porcelain. Because of these vulnerabilities, porcelain actually has to be handled with care. If it becomes chipped and it is an overlay on cast iron, soon water will seep in and rust will follow. The grate will eventually be ruined.

BBQ Tools

BBQ tools include cleaning tools, and here porcelain demands gentle cleaning with soft cloths and dish soap. Although not very much sticks to porcelain, the high heat used in grilling may result in some sticky residue that has to be removed and doesn't come off with a gentle wipe. So add to your BBQ tools a soft plastic bristle brush to get the stubborn stuff off your grate. Wire brushes or scraping with anything highly abrasive is not appropriate with these surfaces.

Other Utensils.

You really cannot use typical nonstick utensils on a grill of any type (even stainless steel barbecues); the heat is simply too high for most plastics and quasi-plastics. But you can use your typical metal utensils on porcelain; it just requires a little care. It is not the fact of metal touching the grate that is the problem: it is banging, hammering or otherwise bringing force to bear so that chipping, crazing or splintering occurs. So if you are using tongs made of metal to turn your steaks, it should be no problem. In other words, you need not find diamond-cast utensils or specialized spatulas and forks to use with a porcelain grate. On the other hand, don't use cheap, cruddy utensils that have to be scrapped across the surface in order to accomplish their mission. You'll have to throw them away in a few weeks, anyway. Just use good quality tools and common sense.

"Low and Slow" with Your Grill Smoker

The backyard wars over charcoal versus gas for grilling are long-standing and even entertaining in their ferocity, but are nothing compared to the passion with which smoker cooks approach and defend their craft. Anyone minimally knowledgeable in this area will tell you that a smoker is sui generis (fancy Latin for unique) and that cooking on a smoker is as different from grilling (or any other kind of outdoor cooking) as night from day.

What is a Smoker, Anyway?

Understand that there are electric and gas appliances that purport to be smokers, but the true grill smoker runs on wood or charcoal, features a deep fire pit, heavy domed cover, thick grate, and requires an endless supply of patience. That is because the key to cooking on a smoker is "low and slow." Meaning, the temperature is kept very low for a very long time to produce a fragrant smoke that will be absorbed by the food. This method creates extraordinarily tender meats with amazing taste. That is why in competitive "barbecue" contests, the smoker is frequently the appliance of choice.

"Low and Slow" Starts with Exquisite Wood

The chef will start with choosing wood or charcoal. The true gourmet will opt for wood and the care with which the selection is made rivals how a chef shops for the food itself. Mesquite, apple, alder, cherry, hickory, maple, pear, peach, plum, walnut - virtually any hardwood will work (stay away from cedar or pine). Each type of wood will infuse the meats with a different flavor and aroma, so the choice is crucial. Since the wood may be burning for hours, it is also important to have enough on hand to keep the smoker going at a consistent heat.

Low Means "Really Really Low"

Even if you are using a grill or electric smoker, you cannot claim to be preparing smoked meats unless you are using a really, really low temperature. Rarely will any meat be prepared at a reading above 200 degrees Fahrenheit, although for pork spareribs or loin ribs, you may choose to go as high as 350 for a few hours. It may seem a travesty to some, but vegetables like squash can also be smoked at temperatures of 180 or less and come out tasting very lively, salty without being salted and truly flavorful.

Slow Means "Really Really Slow"

Probably the quickest thing you will cook in an authentic smoker is a thin cut of meet like the aforementioned spareribs. Chicken can be relatively quick, too - by "quick" we mean two to three hours. The idea behind the slow, low cooking is that you want the food to absorb the smoke flavor nicely, without being overwhelmed by it. Some experts suggest that after a few hours of smoking, cuts of meat that are particularly likely to absorb smoke be removed and wrapped in foil to continue the cooking process. If you are doing a whole hog, you won't worry about such precautions.

If your idea of cooking fun is The backyard wars over charcoal versus gas for grilling are long-standing and even entertaining in their ferocity, but are nothing compared to the passion with which smoker cooks approach and defend their craft. Anyone minimally knowledgeable in this area will tell you that a smoker is sui generis (fancy Latin for unique) and that cooking on a smoker is as different from grilling (or any other kind of outdoor cooking) as night from day.

What is a Smoker, Anyway?

Understand that there are electric and gas appliances that purport to be smokers, but the true grill smoker runs on wood or charcoal, features a deep fire pit, heavy domed cover, thick grate, and requires an endless supply of patience. That is because the key to cooking on a smoker is "low and slow." Meaning, the temperature is kept very low for a very long time to produce a fragrant smoke that will be absorbed by the food. This method creates extraordinarily tender meats with amazing taste. That is why in competitive "barbecue" contests, the smoker is frequently the appliance of choice.

"Low and Slow" Starts with Exquisite Wood

The chef will start with choosing wood or charcoal. The true gourmet will opt for wood and the care with which the selection is made rivals how a chef shops for the food itself. Mesquite, apple, alder, cherry, hickory, maple, pear, peach, plum, walnut - virtually any hardwood will work (stay away from cedar or pine). Each type of wood will infuse the meats with a different flavor and aroma, so the choice is crucial. Since the wood may be burning for hours, it is also important to have enough on hand to keep the smoker going at a consistent heat.

Low Means "Really Really Low"

Even if you are using a barbecue or electric smoker, you cannot claim to be preparing smoked meats unless you are using a really, really low temperature. Rarely will any meat be prepared at a reading above 200 degrees Fahrenheit, although for pork spareribs or loin ribs, you may choose to go as high as 350 for a few hours. It may seem a travesty to some, but vegetables like squash can also be smoked at temperatures of 180 or less and come out tasting very lively, salty without being salted and truly flavorful.

Slow Means "Really Really Slow"

Probably the quickest thing you will cook in an authentic smoker is a thin cut of meet like the aforementioned spareribs. Chicken can be relatively quick, too - by "quick" we mean two to three hours. The idea behind the slow, low cooking is that you want the food to absorb the smoke flavor nicely, without being overwhelmed by it. Some experts suggest that after a few hours of smoking, cuts of meat that are particularly likely to absorb smoke be removed and wrapped in foil to continue the cooking process. If you are doing a whole hog, you won't worry about such precautions.

If your idea of cooking fun is sauteing, then you won't much care for the indolence of smoking. But you'll probably still love the taste of the finished product!, then you won't much care for the indolence of smoking. But you'll probably still love the taste of the finished product!