New to the forum, some 'smoking' advice please

[Stuarty84]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site. I came across it while looking up info on using a charcoal BBQ as a smoker.

I have just purchased a new charcoal BBQ/Smoker. It's called 'The Big American Grill' from ASDA. It has a cooking area of 58 x 42cm - so I hope that's big enough for some smokin'!

Here is a link to it: http://direct.asda.com/ASDA-The-Big-Ame ... lt,pd.html

I have always loved BBQ-ing. But have never attempted to 'smoke' anything, bit I'm very excited about trying it out! So I have a few questions...

1: Methods.
I have seen a couple of methods, one being lighting the coal to the right hand side of the BBQ and having your meat sitting at the left hand side. I also came across the Snake Method. I like the sound of the snake method because it seems like you can set it up in such a way that if I put enough briquettes in the 'snake', then it should cook my meat without having to keep topping up the charcoal. It seems you need one of those Weber Chimney Starters to achieve this method? so I will order one of those. Although would I be right insaying that the snake method would work better in a round shaped BBQ?

Or are there any other methods that you would recommend for me as a beginner?


2: What type of chips should I get?
I have read about hickory (being one of the strongest flavours), pecan, apple, cherry wood, oak etc. What would be best to start out with? Would chucks be better than chips?


3: Where to get wood chips?
Is there any good websites for ordering them online? Or what shops that sell them? I am UK based.

Like I say, I am a complete beginner at this smoking game. I wouldn't even have a clue how many chips to put on, or anything like that!

I really want to try Brisket (after seeing all those american bbq places on man v food!) But I think I will leave that until I have got an idea of how to smoke things! So will probably just start out with a rack of baby back ribs. I know I'll need to do a dry rub for them, then a BBQ sauce to coat them later on during cooking. Have you got any nice dry rub recipes for me to try?

Is there any step by step guides on here for doing a rack of ribs or a brisket? Just to help me get started off.

Any other info you could pass on will be greatly appreciated! And I look forward to having a look through the forum.

Thanks in advance guys,

Stuart

[Saucy Pig]

Hi
Apart from the info on this forum, a great place for any newcomer to start would be http://www.amazingribs.com/

Pretty much every question I had when started could be answered by that site, even the ones I didn't know I needed to ask.

Just be prepared to lose a few hours in there

Good Luck

[keith157]

Stuart a good site (IMHO) for beginners to anything other than standard UK BBQ (srispy sausage, dry or raw chicken and crunchy burgers) would be one of Steven Raichlin's sites BBQ University, Primal Grill Etc.,

http://www.primalgrill.org/

He can seem a little bit condescending for the UK market, just think avoiding litigation and you'll enderstand why , but there are plenty of recipes and videos for rubs, sauces, mop sauces as well as techniques.

However it soon become repetitious as you get more advanced, but for basics its a good starter.