Barbecue Questions and Answers

This page is for your barbecue questions and answers to those questions.

Sometimes in life, and in barbecue, you have questions. 

We're here to help you answer those questions...

Well, the ones about barbecue anyway.

So don't be shy.

Chime in and be part of the community.

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If you've got a question about barbecue, ask it here. We'll shoot you back the answer quick as lightning!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see questions and comments from other visitors to this page...

Brining pre-brined wings 
First-time smoker here. I bought wings to smoke for gameday, and the package says, "Contains up to 8% solution of water and Kosher salt". Does that mean …

20lb Meat Mixer Used to Shred Pork Butts 
Do you know if a 20lb meat mixer like the ones used to mix ground meat with seasoning could be used successfully to shred a pork butt? I have several …

Leg Quarters  
How do I get the skin on the leg quarters to not be tough or rubbery?

Best Smoker 
I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker, and it's worked fine for the several years I've had it. But after a couple of cramped briskets and pork butts, I'm …

Brisket temp 
I cooked a choice whole packer brisket at 250 degrees on a Masterbuilt electric smoker. I put it in at noon on Monday, wrapped it in foil at 150 degrees …

Longest Time I Can Allow a Pork Butt to Rest 
Here’s my question: I’m smoking a pork butt overnight to take to a beach outing in the morning to serve at lunch. I plan to wrap the pork butt and …

Igniter 
My Coleman BBQ igniter works, but it doesn't pop back and keeps clicking. Ideas for an easy fix?

New Smoker - Tough Meat 
I just got a new smoker, and so far, I have done baby back ribs and a whole brisket. Both the ribs and the brisket were tasty but seemed firmer (tougher) …

Meat for Pineapple 
What are the best meats to pair with pineapple?

BBQ Shoulder Rubs 
What Are Some Great Dry Rubs for Shoulders?

Partially smoke then finish later? 
I’ve underestimated how long it would take to smoke a Chuck roast and won’t be home right when it will need to come off. Can I pull the roast from the …

Can I Slow Smoke Thick-Cut Rib Eyes and Still Keep Them Juicy and Tender? 
I have smoked almost everything imaginable but never tried a good, thick-cut Rib Eye steak. I was considering smoking them in my Big Green Egg. Is …

Can I change regulator from propane to butane 
I have purchased a new BBQ that states propane gas only, but if I change the regulator to butane (as I have butane gas from my previous BBQ), can I do …

WSM Gaskets - Airflow and Dirty Smoke 
Does adding gaskets at the dome and side door reduce airflow enough to make dirty smoke an issue?

Do I have enough meat? 
I’m supplying the meat for a block party of about 60 people. I have 32 lbs. uncooked brisket and 40 lbs. uncooked pork butt. There will be plenty …

Firebrick or Fireproof Mat? 
I am building a wooden outdoor dining table with a homemade recessed charcoal grill that will sit down in the center of the table and will be flush with …

Butt Took Way Longer than Expected 
Last week I smoked a port butt on my new pellet grill/smoker. The meat got to about 150 degrees and then took literally 8 hours to get to 174. I am …

Butcher Gave Me Salt Pork Instead of Pork Belly 
When I went to the Butcher's, I didn't open the packaging until I got home and found that he had given me Salt Pork instead of Pork Belly. I planned …

Dry Brining 
Dry brining pulls the liquid from the meat to the meat's surface and makes it wet. Would this be the best time to apply my rub? I believe the rub …

Meat Reaches Temp But Too Tough 
Hi, Today I slow cooked a bit of belly pork and a small joint of beef. I cooked at about 120°C and got them up to the correct internal temperature …

Large Pork Butt Roast 
I have an 18 pound pork butt roast, bone in.. How can the roast be cut in two?

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Barbecue Question: Hi Joe. When I barbecue chicken, the outside looks done but the inside is still raw. I try to cook it longer, but by the time the middle has finished cooking, the outside is a charred mess. How do you cook chicken that's done on the inside but not burnt on the outside?

Answer: Yes...

We've all been there before. I feel for you.

Sounds like you're direct grilling bone in chicken pieces, or god forbid, a whole chicken.

As a rule of thumb when grilling.

Use the direct grilling method for foods that take less than 30 minutes to cook.

Use the indirect grilling method for foods that take more than 30 minutes to cook.

What is Direct and Indirect Grilling?

Direct grilling is grilling directly over the heat source. Whether that's charcoal, wood, or a gas grill burner.

Indirect grilling is a method where you position the food so that it does not sit directly above the heat source, but to the side or in the middle of the heat source.

Sometimes, you'll use both indirect and direct grilling.

For direct grilling on a charcoal grill, light your charcoal. When the coals are ready, spread them across the bottom of the grate. For gas grills, light all the burners to your desired temperature.

Here's a good tip; even when you direct grill, you should leave an area without charcoal or a lit burner. If you get flare-ups, you have a safe zone where you can move food, so it doesn't burn.

For indirect grilling on a charcoal grill, light your charcoal and pile the coals one side of the charcoal grate. Place a drip pan opposite of the coals on the charcoal grate. Put your grill rack on, then place the food, on the grill, over the drip pan.

If you have a kettle grill, like a Weber, you can get charcoal dividers that go inside your grill. They keep the charcoal towards the outer edges of the charcoal grate. You then put the food in the middle of the grill grate. This gives you much more even cooking, because the heat comes from both sides instead of one.

For a gas grill: light the burners on your grill, except the one, or ones that the food will be over. Remember, you're cooking indirect, so you don't want a flame under your chicken.

Most of the time, you will turn the burners on medium to achieve the correct heat. Your grill manufacturer will have instructions in the manual or on their website.

If you're cooking chicken pieces, cook them, indirectly for about 40-45 minutes. During the last ten minutes or so, grill them directly over the coals or flame to crisp the skin. Apply barbecue sauce during the last ten minutes when grilling or your chicken may burn if you put it on sooner.

If you're cooking a whole chicken, it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to indirect grill a 3 to 3-1/2lb chicken.

To know when your chicken has finished cooking, use a thermometer! I cannot stress this enough; always use a good, reliable thermometer, that's what the pros do. And that's what you should do.

Cook until the internal temperature is 160°F-165°F.

For whole chickens, take this reading at the thigh and the breast. Be careful not to touch the bone, as this will give you a false reading.

That's it! Hopefully, this will help you enjoy delicious grilled chicken in your near future.

Barbecue Question: Should I soak my wood chips before I use them?

Answer: No...

Soaking wood chips or chunks is unnecessary and a waste of time. In fact, it hinders what you're trying to do.

When you soak wood, little water penetrates the wood.

If you google how long does it take wood to sink, you'll find results for aquarium enthusiasts trying to waterlog wood for their aquariums. Wood does not like to absorb water so the process can take 3 weeks to a year!

When you soak wood chips for an hour, or even overnight, you're not doing much to it...

In Meathead Goldwyn's book, Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, he has pictures of an experiment he did; He took wood chips, a wood chunk and a wood block and soaked them for 24 hours. He then cut them in half to see how far the water penetrated the wood. The result?

The inside of the wood was bone dry.

Also, throwing wet wood chips on a fire reduces the heat. Since the wood is wet, you won't get any smoke until the wood dries. What you see when you add soaked wood chips to your fire is steam, not smoke.

You're steaming the surface water off the wood. Smoke does not occur until the wood starts to burn.

This is not what you want. You want the wood to burn at once, not smolder.

Smoldering wood gives you a smoke and a flavor that you don't want. Wood that is burning (you can see a flame) produces smoke that is cleaner and gives better flavor.

Don't soak your wood chips or chunks. Throw them on the fire dry.

You'll get much better results.

Got a barbecue question? We've got the answer!

If you've got a question about barbecue, ask it here. We'll shoot you back the answer quick as lightning!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see questions and comments from other visitors to this page...

Brining pre-brined wings 
First-time smoker here. I bought wings to smoke for gameday, and the package says, "Contains up to 8% solution of water and Kosher salt". Does that mean …

20lb Meat Mixer Used to Shred Pork Butts 
Do you know if a 20lb meat mixer like the ones used to mix ground meat with seasoning could be used successfully to shred a pork butt? I have several …

Leg Quarters  
How do I get the skin on the leg quarters to not be tough or rubbery?

Best Smoker 
I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker, and it's worked fine for the several years I've had it. But after a couple of cramped briskets and pork butts, I'm …

Brisket temp 
I cooked a choice whole packer brisket at 250 degrees on a Masterbuilt electric smoker. I put it in at noon on Monday, wrapped it in foil at 150 degrees …

Longest Time I Can Allow a Pork Butt to Rest 
Here’s my question: I’m smoking a pork butt overnight to take to a beach outing in the morning to serve at lunch. I plan to wrap the pork butt and …

Igniter 
My Coleman BBQ igniter works, but it doesn't pop back and keeps clicking. Ideas for an easy fix?

New Smoker - Tough Meat 
I just got a new smoker, and so far, I have done baby back ribs and a whole brisket. Both the ribs and the brisket were tasty but seemed firmer (tougher) …

Meat for Pineapple 
What are the best meats to pair with pineapple?

BBQ Shoulder Rubs 
What Are Some Great Dry Rubs for Shoulders?

Partially smoke then finish later? 
I’ve underestimated how long it would take to smoke a Chuck roast and won’t be home right when it will need to come off. Can I pull the roast from the …

Can I Slow Smoke Thick-Cut Rib Eyes and Still Keep Them Juicy and Tender? 
I have smoked almost everything imaginable but never tried a good, thick-cut Rib Eye steak. I was considering smoking them in my Big Green Egg. Is …

Can I change regulator from propane to butane 
I have purchased a new BBQ that states propane gas only, but if I change the regulator to butane (as I have butane gas from my previous BBQ), can I do …

WSM Gaskets - Airflow and Dirty Smoke 
Does adding gaskets at the dome and side door reduce airflow enough to make dirty smoke an issue?

Do I have enough meat? 
I’m supplying the meat for a block party of about 60 people. I have 32 lbs. uncooked brisket and 40 lbs. uncooked pork butt. There will be plenty …

Firebrick or Fireproof Mat? 
I am building a wooden outdoor dining table with a homemade recessed charcoal grill that will sit down in the center of the table and will be flush with …

Butt Took Way Longer than Expected 
Last week I smoked a port butt on my new pellet grill/smoker. The meat got to about 150 degrees and then took literally 8 hours to get to 174. I am …

Butcher Gave Me Salt Pork Instead of Pork Belly 
When I went to the Butcher's, I didn't open the packaging until I got home and found that he had given me Salt Pork instead of Pork Belly. I planned …

Dry Brining 
Dry brining pulls the liquid from the meat to the meat's surface and makes it wet. Would this be the best time to apply my rub? I believe the rub …

Meat Reaches Temp But Too Tough 
Hi, Today I slow cooked a bit of belly pork and a small joint of beef. I cooked at about 120°C and got them up to the correct internal temperature …

Large Pork Butt Roast 
I have an 18 pound pork butt roast, bone in.. How can the roast be cut in two?

Click here to write your own.

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