barbecue grill pit guide

Barbecue Grill Pit
A True Barbecue Lovers Desire

Most barbecue grill pit smokers burn wood. The type and age of the wood used is very important. The best woods for beginners are hard woods such as oak or pecan. Most of these hard woods will give off only a mild smoky flavor. Once you learn how to control the smoke and temperature of your barbecue grill pit, you can use the softer fruity woods which burn more quickly. Practically any wood that gives a nut, fruit, or berry smelling smoke will be suitable for use in a smoker pit,

Shown in the image to the left is a Tejas barbecue grill pit. It is recommended that any mesquite wood used be seasoned for at least three years. Recently cut mesquite can give a bitter flavoring to the meat so do not use it. All wood logs used in the fire box need to be seasoned and bone dry. You are looking for clear smoke from burning once the fire settles down. This is extremely important for the best barbecue. All of the flavoring that goes into the meat comes from the wood. Don’t cut corners with the quality of the wood that you purchase and use. The initial seasoning and burn-in of a smoker pit is especially important. Much like a wooden salad bowl used for making caesar salad need the garlic and oil seasoning rubbed in, your smoke pit needs to burn good wood initially.

The cooking temperature of a smoker pit needs to be 225 degrees for everything except brisket which needs to 200 degrees and poultry which needs a temperature of 275 degrees. Water should always be in the bottom of the cooking barrel to keep the humidity level high around the meat. Cooking or smoking times will vary depending upon your barbecue grill pit. The better the latches and seal, the better temperature will be maintained. We have listed below approximate times per pound for the temperatures listed previously:

• Brisket - 1 hour/per pound
• Beef Ribs - 40 minutes per pound
• Pork Ribs - 35 minutes per pound
• Whole Chicken - 20 minutes per pound

Of course, these times are listed as a guide and may vary for your grill pit. It also depends upon how well your cover seals and the type of latches used to keep the cover closed. Features to look for in a barbecue grill pit:

• Direct grill cook grate at top of the firebox
• Adjustable cooking grates throughout the barbecue pit
• Heavy duty ash pan
• Large water reservoir
• Smoke and temperature should be easily controlled