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A shoulder is broken down into two cuts - the picnic and the butt. The picnic is the lower portion of the shoulder and the butt is the uper portion. The picnic contains a shank bone and is partially covered with skin. The butt has a small blade bone and no visible skin. Which type to cook is...

I've tried foiling ribs during the cook and did not like the way they turned out - way too mushy. What I do now is go through a normal cook, then let the ribs rest in tightly wrapped foil. This resting period in the foil turns out a rib that is moist and tender, but still offers slight...

The bone bits are just inexperience in trimming. A couple more cooks and you'll get the hang of it. As for flavor - I find the spares to have a stronger pork flavor than the bb's. And the additional fat on the spares really makes them moist compared to the leaner bb rib. Bottom line is if...

Wade, Follow the links Steve provided for trimming the ribs. The big difference is the amount of prep work - spares need to be trimmed, back ribs do not. Spares will also take longer to cook, but I think you'll be pleased with the results. Much meatier and more flavorful!

Yep, every cut of meat is different and cook times will vary. You can use time to start checking the meat, but temp and feel are the best indicators for doneness. Just out of curiosity, have you calibrated you thermometers recently?

Did you add hot or cold water to the pan? -Cold water will increase the time it takes to reach temp. Was there any wind? -Wind blowing in the right direction can literally suck the heat right out. Was the charcoal fresh or sitting around for a while? -I've found open bags of charcoal that...

Amen! Pork and poultry work well when cooked to a specific temp, but brisket is another animal (no pun intended)! Temperature is useful as a guide to start checking the meat, but is by no means a reliable indicator of doneness. An undercooked brisket is tough and an overcooked brisket is dry...

Keith, Glad to see your first cook was a memorable one. The only suggestion is to avoid putting poultry on top of other meats. You didn't get sick and that's a good thing, but it is bad practice. ALWAYS put your poultry on the lower grate to avoid cross-contamination. Plus there's a bonus -...

Greg, For hickory and mesquite chunks check your local Home Depot or Lowes. They are pretty inexpensive. For fruitwoods I'd stop by some of the local orchards and see if you can pick up some of the trimmings after they prune the orchards. A couple of logs will go a long way after you split...

Chris, Any chance of adding this technique to the "cooking" section of the website?

At the end of every cook I remove the water pan and open the vents all the way. The next day I'll hit the grates with a grill brush and they come up pretty clean. They're not shiny, but they've been well-used and have earned their discoloration.

Cooks done, dinners over, time to relax. Definately one of the most difficult cooks I've ever had, but it turned out one of the best briskets I've ever cooked! Go figure!!!

I've tried it all. The lid thermo only has a 2 inch probe so that may be a factor. funny thing is now the temp fluctuations are backwards. Maverick showing 275 at the grate and lid showing 225. Sorry for the ranting, just had to blow off steam. The one day I have way too many things to do...

Been having a real hard time with temps the past few cooks. Thought it might be bad charcoal (moisture). I just bought an analog thermometer and put it in the top vent hole. Maverick shows 201 at the top grate and analog shows 250 at the vent. I just can't seem to get the temps up according...

My favorite to compliment this rib rub is a 50/50 mix of Sweet Baby Ray's (regular) and Hot Bone Suckin Sauce. I brush on a thin coating right as they come off the smoker. It really does a nice job on top of the Texas BBQ Rub.

Mike, Due to the fat layer between the point and the brisket, it'll separate easily when you take it off the smoker. You'll actually be able to grab the point and feel the difference between it and the flat. On some larger briskets where the two sections aren't clearly visible I'll grab the...

Picnics and butts come from the front legs. The butt is the top portion of the shoulder, the picnic is the bottom of the shoulder by the leg itself. The ham comes from the rear legs.

I use a soft cooler exclusively. I've kept a large brisket and four racks of spares in it (wrapped in a bath towel) for several hours. Works like a charm and definately easier to carry over your shoulder when you're lugging a bunch of stuff to a party.

Spares all the time! Remove membrane, trim St. Louis style, rub, then smoke. I don't fuss with them at all while smoking. When they're done, they get a light brushing of Hot BoneSucking sauce and Sweet Baby-Rays (50/50 mix). Foiled for a few to rest and then eaten!

Hickory has always been my favorite, hands down. I love mixing cherry in with the hickory for an unbelievably unique flavor imprint. I'm also one of those that loves a strong smoke flavor. I've tried the fruit woods and have almost always been dissatisfied (cherry is the exception) with the...