If you aren't using wood, you aren't making "real" BBQ.

[landarc]

I cooked on the Crock-a-que!

 

[Fwismoker]

I have to agree with the article,... to an extent. I agree that wood has to be used in order to make real BBQ and I happen to use nothing but wood to cook with but to say that using a charcoal cooker with wood chunks isn't "real" BBQ would be a mistake. An electric smoker using wood chips can create a very nice product as can a gas cooker or any other that uses an alternative fuel source for heat as long as the flavor is from burning wood in SOME form.
The source of the heat is not important, only the source of the flavor that is imparted to the food. I use a stick burner and I personally think that the flavor and quality of the finished product from that type of cooker is unmatched but an insulated cooker run with a good clean burning lump and some wood chunks makes some pretty good Q as well and we all choose our cookers for personal reasons including time for cooking and space to put a cooker or what kind of cooker the HOA or building management will even allow!
Real BBQ is a meat that is slowly cooked with real wood smoke for flavor. As long as the smoke flavor isn't coming from a bottle or a seasoning of some kind, it's the real thing in my opinion.:wink:

I'd put the complexity of flavors and quality of Q from cookers types in this order.

1A- Stick burners
1B- cooking over hot coals (charcoal or coals from logs) open pits, UDS etc..

2) WSM with the water pan installed, cabinet smokers- cookers that are just indirect heat from charcoal and wood chunks.

3) propane with chips/ chunks

4) electric with chips

(not really Q)

5) cookers with liquid smoke

6) gas ovens

7) electric ovens

 

[landarc]

Look out baby, I am on a roll!

Why be so demeaning to call folks that like ribs cooked to where they fall off the bone amateurs? Do I like my ribs cooked to 'falling off the bone' status, not at all. But, why insult people that do, if that is how they like their BBQ, and you want to sell those ribs, sure, cook what sells. Why make it a mission that everyone has to be 'just like you' or 'just like Texas' or whatever. Let folks enjoy what they want. If they want fall off the bone and tell me ahead of time, I will give em just that, off of my UDS. Cause I am good enough to cook them just that way, with, or without, a braise.

 

[oldbill]

I'd put the complexity of flavors and quality of Q from cookers types in this order.

1A- Stick burners
1B- cooking over hot coals (charcoal or coals from logs) open pits, UDS etc..

2) WSM with the water pan installed, cabinet smokers- cookers that are just indirect heat from charcoal and wood chunks.

3) propane with chips/ chunks

4) electric with chips

5) cookers with liquid smoke

6) gas ovens

7) electric ovens

Looks right to me! 5-7 wouldn't even make my list but otherwise I'd say you're spot on!:thumb:

 

[N8man]

I like barbecue...

 

[bigabyte]

Me too. But I *prefer* BBQ.

 

[scrub puller]

Yair . . . The thing is if you like the food, who cares what you call it?

Before getting into US style lownslow/smoke cooking I checked out a couple of cooks and I can say I dislike intensely the sweet sauce/dressing/candy rubs that some traditional American recipes call for on pork ribs . . . I'm eating meat thank you . . . however if other folks like it who am I to say it's wrong or not BBQ or what all?

Likewise some folks like the taste imparted by drippings dropping on the coals of a UDS . . . yech! I hate it and catch it in a dutch oven on the second rack.

I don't like much smoke. I burn wood in the UDS and when it's burnt down to glowing pile of embers that's when I load up and put the lid on and don't add any smoke wood.

I like the food that comes out of the drum, whether it was cooked in the drum in a Dutch oven, naked on the grate, wrapped in foil, hung or spun on the rotisserie and I don't much care if it's "BBQ" or "Aussie Redneck" it tastes pretty good to me. (big grin)

Cheers.

 

[SmokinJohn]

Looks right to me! 5-7 wouldn't even make my list but otherwise I'd say you're spot on!:thumb:

How about #8. Microwave oven

 

[BABYGOTBUTT]

I call bull ****! She is a moron. I am so sick of that is bbq that is not bbq. If you want to get technical it should be made in a pit a real hand dug pit and it should be covered with leaves and burried in dirt. Bbq has evolved and has branched out in a lot of directions. Are you really going to agree that the guy who cooks with charcoal in a WSM or an ugly drum smoker or a pellet grill or whatever fuel or smoker you use is not real bbq? The words real or authentic bbq are a load of crap. There is no such thing as authentic or real bbq. Bbq is always evolving. Certain parts of bbq are new but it is still bbq.

Well said...all you people that say "real bbq" is only achieved with wood are kidding yourself. In fact, I bet I can cook a butt on my ceramic grill using chunk charcoal and chunks of wood and then cook the same flavor profile over an all wood offset smoker and 10 out 10 people will have a 50% chance of guessing right. Because that's just what it would be....a guess.

 

[CharredApron]

Well said...all you people that say "real bbq" is only achieved with wood are kidding yourself. In fact, I bet I can cook a butt on my ceramic grill using chunk charcoal and chunks of wood and then cook the same flavor profile over an all wood offset smoker and 10 out 10 people will have a 50% chance of guessing right. Because that's just what it would be....a guess.

I am sorry and I beg to differ but being that I own and cook on both types of cookers the offset delivers a more consistant bark and more complex flavor profile IMHO. Don't get me wrong my Vision Kamado and My SF Offset are both great cookers. If I could get the same results however, I would not bother loading up all the fuel needed to cook on my offset. Big bold beef goes on the offset no doubt. Butts, Chicken, Fish, Pizza, and steaks go on what is the most approriate sized cooker for the amount of food I am cooking.

 

[Demosthenes9]

I'd put the complexity of flavors and quality of Q from cookers types in this order.

1A- Stick burners
1B- cooking over hot coals (charcoal or coals from logs) open pits, UDS etc..

2) WSM with the water pan installed, cabinet smokers- cookers that are just indirect heat from charcoal and wood chunks.

3) propane with chips/ chunks

4) electric with chips

(not really Q)

5) cookers with liquid smoke

6) gas ovens

7) electric ovens

I like your list, but still think it's a bit misleading when it comes to "quality of Q". The flavor profiles will differ of course, but it's questionable to say that one is better "quality Q" than the other.

My biggest gripe is with the claim that using propane isn't "real Q". That's like saying that when I fire up my Weber gasser and I grill some nice thick Portherhouse steaks, that I'm not really grilling.

Is there a flavor difference between charcoal grills and gas grills ? Sure. Does that mean that you can't put out a good tasting quality product using a gas grill ? OH HELL NO.

Same with smokers. I've tasted lots of "wood only" backyard Q and Q-joint Q that doesn't come close to approaching what I put out with my propane smoker. It's all about knowing what you are doing with the tools that you are using.

 

[oldbill]

How about #8. Microwave oven

Well, figure out how to get some wood smoke in there and maybe!

 

[Fwismoker]

I like your list, but still think it's a bit misleading when it comes to "quality of Q". The flavor profiles will differ of course, but it's questionable to say that one is better "quality Q" than the other.

My biggest gripe is with the claim that using propane isn't "real Q". That's like saying that when I fire up my Weber gasser and I grill some nice thick Portherhouse steaks, that I'm not really grilling.

Is there a flavor difference between charcoal grills and gas grills ? Sure. Does that mean that you can't put out a good tasting quality product using a gas grill ? OH HELL NO.

Same with smokers. I've tasted lots of "wood only" backyard Q and Q-joint Q that doesn't come close to approaching what I put out with my propane smoker. It's all about knowing what you are doing with the tools that you are using.

I think where the back and forth comes in is between personal taste and what the truer definition of what real BBQ is. That list is where i'd put the truest BBQ top to bottom is all and how i'd list complexity of flavors. That said sure you can get good taste from a gasser...my personal preference is charcoal is all.

All things being equal (same cook and same recipe) BBQ coming off a offset and a propane smoker there would would be a noticeable differene imo in favor of the offset ...again if you like bbq and smoke.

Just yesterday i almost tossed my gasser but it could come in handy that's for sure so i cleaned it up to keep it.

 

[bananablack]

BBQ without wood is like whiskey without alcohol

 

[RevZiLLa]

I think I remember Donnie posted some pics of Walter Jetton braising some big primal cuts and then putting them over fire before the guests arrived.

If people want to call what they cook in big metal wood fired ovens BBQ, cool! It is. A lot of other things are BBQ too. If you think your way is THE way and it makes you happy, be happy.

 

[creekwalker]

I'd put the complexity of flavors and quality of Q from cookers types in this order.

1A- Stick burners
1B- cooking over hot coals (charcoal or coals from logs) open pits, UDS etc..

2) WSM with the water pan installed, cabinet smokers- cookers that are just indirect heat from charcoal and wood chunks.

3) propane with chips/ chunks

4) electric with chips

(not really Q)

5) cookers with liquid smoke

6) gas ovens

7) electric ovens

Keith, why do stick burners produce greater flavor complexity than cooking directly over coals (which also features the combustion and smoke from drippings)?

 

[16Adams]

It's nonsense, bull crap- she never once mentions Shiner or Lone Star.

 

[Fwismoker]

Keith, why do stick burners produce greater flavor complexity than cooking directly over coals (which also features the combustion and smoke from drippings)?

It doesn't if you're talking using straight wood. Stick burners when operated correctly will produce the cleanest fire because of the heat. Cleaner fires make better food imho. I don't burn sticks currently but i try to make the cleanest burning fire i can because it makes a difference. Also if you're burning 100% wood vs even using lump with wood chunks you'll probably get a tad better flavor with all wood i think.

 

[MS2SB]

I think where the back and forth comes in is between personal taste and what the truer definition of what real BBQ is.

I do believe its this statement that had ol' Schutte in huff to begin with. "True"/"Real" BBQ is a fallacy. It's done in too many ways by too many people for there to be a definitive truth.

 

[matadorbait]

I'm sorry to put gas on the fire, but before 1a--stickburners is 0--hole in the ground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbacoa