How to Smoke Pork Barbeque

Yum. Smoke pork barbecue. It doesn't get any better. Barbecue aficionados and barbecue contest judges agree that the true barbecue meat is pork, and it must be smoked. Any cut of pork is excellent for smoking, but spareribs smoked with fruit and nut tree woods are ideal. Grills for smoking come in dozens of designs and cook with gas, electricity or charcoal. Gas and electric grills sustain stable cooking temperatures, although many older gas grills rely on smoke from meat drippings to add smoke flavor. For genuine smoke pork barbecue taste, you must burn real wood in the grill.

Things You'll Need

• Gas grill with temperature gauge, drip pan and propane gas tank:
• Cast iron smoker box
• Wet or dry wood
• 3.5 pounds of ready-to-cook, 1-inch-wide pork spareribs (approximately 2 slabs)
• Electric grill with temperature gauge and drip pan:
• 3.5 pounds of ready-to-cook, 1-inch wide pork spareribs (approximately 2 slabs)
• Charcoal grill with temperature gauge and drip pan:
• 10-pound bag of charcoal
• Starter fluid
• Wet or dry wood.

Instructions

Gas grill wood smoking

1. Fill a cast iron smoker box with wood then place it on the lava rocks in the grill.

2. Fill the water pan halfway, and then slip it into place.

3. Start the fire according to directions.

4. Preheat grill to 170 degrees. Add spareribs and smoke 1.5 hours. Add more wood during the smoking time, if needed. Cook until the ribs are tender.

Electric grill wood smoking

1. Spread the wood on the heating coils or place in a smoker box.

2. Pour 2 quarts of hot water in the pan, and then put it in place on the grill.

3. Plug in the power cord.

4. Preheat grill to 170 degrees. Add spareribs and smoke 1.5 hours. Add more wood during the smoking time, if needed. Cook until the ribs are tender.

Charcoal grill smoker

1. Read the manufacturer's instructions and warnings carefully since many charcoal grills direct-heat cook. No drip pan separates the food and the coals.

2. Fill charcoal pan. Add starter to charcoal and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Light the coals and let them burn until they are white around the edges.

4. Spread wood chips over the charcoal.

5. Preheat grill to 170 degrees. Add spareribs then smoke 1.5 hours. Add more wood during the smoking time, if needed. Cook, adding charcoal as needed until the ribs are tender.

Tips & Warnings

• Meat soaks up the most smoke flavor during the first hour or so of smoking.

• Wet wood burns longest and produces the most smoke. Soak in water two hours or longer.

• Pork barbecue smoked only with wood will retain the smoke flavor after it's frozen.

• Read the manufacturer's instructions and warnings for your grill carefully.

• Charcoal produces carbon monoxide gas. Keep burning charcoal outside away from open doors and windows.

• Do not use pine or plywood. The smoked pork will be inedible.

• Watch for flare-ups when cooking with charcoal. Spray the coals with water when flames rear up.

References

• Vertical Gas Smoker
• Electric Smoker
• Charcoal Smoker

Resources

• Cast Iron Smoker Box