Barbecue

WHEN MOST PEOPLE talk about barbecue, they're referring to hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken and steaks, cooked outdoors on a grill and slathered in a sweet and slightly tangy sauce.

That's not barbecue. To a certain (and often very opinionated and vocal) part of the population, real barbecue is taking a tough cut of meat-say, brisket or pork shoulder-and cooking it slowly over wood embers at a low temperature (between 200 and 260 degrees), until the toughness gives way and it becomes tender and juicy. Done correctly, this process can take anywhere from six to 16 hours, depending on the cut of meat, cooking temperature and environmental factors. Whole hogs take even longer.

Back in the day, a trench was dug in the ground and filled with logs that burned down to embers. The meat was then cooked about a foot or more over the fire. Eventually, large pits were built out of brick and/or steel for the cooking, but the philosophy didn't change much. Wood is still burned away from the meat, which bathes in the heat and smoke. Stringent environmental codes, the ease of modern machinery and mass production and the choice of convenience over challenge have led to a gradual disappearance of old-school barbecue joints in many cities.

Depending on what part of the country you live in, styles, flavors and tastes change, as do the kinds of wood used in the cooking. The wood and the meat are the major players, and many "q hounds" believe that when cooked properly, good barbecue doesn't need sauce-just the wood and the meat. Not everyone agrees. In Kansas City, one of the country's 'q meccas, sauce is a big deal. (We've all heard of K.C. Masterpiece, right?) The meats also vary from state to state. In Texas, beef is king; in North Carolina, bbq is powered by pig. The one thing they all agree on, however, is that it's all about the meat and the wood.

In a strange turn of events, as real barbecue disappears more and more in favor of McRib sandwiches and the oven-baked ribs too common these days, New York City seems to be coming into 'q renaissance. In the last two years or so, Blue Smoke, Pearson's and Daisy May's BBQ USA opened in Manhattan, and later this year, Dinosaur Bar-b-que will be opening uptown. While most if not all of these places utilize more modern methods of cooking, they all attempt to capture the flavors and style of authentic barbecue.

Although Pearson's is new to Manhattan, its outpost in Queens (recently relocated from Long Island City to Jackson Heights) has been going for some time. Other long-time joints include Virgils, Tennessee Mountain, even the Rodeo Bar, where recently I had some of the worst pulled pork ever foisted on an unsuspecting diner, served up with rude service. Everyone has a favorite, but the Kansas City Sweet and Sticky Pork Ribs from Daisy May's BBQ USA is my current pick of the litter: smoky, meaty, rich and moist. On good days, Pearson's and Blue Smoke hit the mark, while Daisy May's and Blue Smoke offer a variety of regional styles. Pearson's focuses on Texas.

Truth is, nothing compares with barbecue made right in your own backyard. Though time-consuming, and even frustrating, making your own 'q is one of the most rewarding pursuits of the season. All it really takes is a meat of choice, some charcoal, an oven thermometer (or, even better, one with a remote probe), seasoning, wood chunks if you choose, beer and a few hours on a Saturday.

Of course, you need something to cook on too. The simplest option is one of those round charcoal kettles we've all seen, usually made by Weber. The starter should be about $80 and will enable you to make your 'q or hamburgers, even at the same time. Admittedly, a grill that small (about 18.5 inches) doesn't provide space for a lot of food. There's really only room for one rack of ribs-enough for three people.

A grill and charcoal can be found at any of the nearby Home Depots or at your local hardware store. They should also have wood chunks, or they can order them. (For hard-to-get woods like maple, apple or nectarine, try mail order from hawgeyesbbq.com.) Don't use easy-lighting charcoal or lighter fluid-it's dangerous and leaves a bad taste. Instead, use a charcoal chimney; it looks like a can with holes in the side and a handle. It should take about 15 minutes to get the coals going with a chimney.

To keep cooking simple, head to your local butcher and ask for a rack of St. Louis cut ribs. If they don't know what you want, go to a different butcher. While there, grab a three-pound as well. The ribs will take about six hours, but you'll get hungry along the way; the chicken will finish first. Buy chili powder or barbecue seasoning and whatever sauce you like, as well a bottle of apple juice. The adventurous can make their own sauce and rub.

Don't forget the beer, bought in cans.

Sprinkle the rub over the ribs, edges, too. Do the same with the bird. Drink half a beer. Drop a teaspoon or two of rub in the can. This will be a "throne" for the chicken on the grill.

To start your fire, take the metal cooking grill off your kettle. Place a disposable roasting pan off to one side on the bottom of the kettle, and fill about half-way with water. The meat will sit on the grill over this pan, not over the charcoal. Put the cooking grill back on. Place the charcoal chimney on the grill and pour in about 25 unlit pieces of charcoal. Stuff two or three pieces of newspaper in the bottom section of the chimney. Light a corner of the newspaper and step back.

When the briquettes are lit and ashed-over gray, carefully lift the chimney and the grill for this and pour the charcoal on the side of the kettle opposite the water pan. The pan should rest against the coals. Put the grill back on, place your thermometer on the grill opposite the charcoal and cover.

The air vents on the cover should be open all the way; use the bottom vents to control air flow and temperature-the more air, the hotter the fire. The goal is to hit a steady temperature around 230 to 250 degrees. If you need more charcoal, add more. Usually, the temperature starts out hotter, but as you adjust the vents, you will notice a difference. Don't close them too much, or you will snuff out the fire.

When you've hit the target temperature, lift the cooking grill one more time and throw two or three chunks of wood onto the charcoal. Put the grill back down, and place the ribs on the grill as far from the fire as possible. Place the chicken on the half-drunk can of beer, and arrange the legs so that it doesn't tip over. Carefully place the chicken on the grill and put the cover on.

To add more charcoal or wood, you will most likely have to lift the grill and the food. With larger units, there's a space for this. Work carefully, and refuel with charcoal started in the chimney as needed.

After monitoring the temperature steadily for an hour, lift the cover, add another chunk of wood if need be and lightly mop or mist the meats with apple juice. If the chicken is too dark on one side, rotate it or move it farther from the hot spot. Keep an eye on the temperature and the airflow. You'll probably need to add wood about every hour or so, but don't overdo it; let the wood burn away completely. Mop each hour after the first time. After about three hours, rotate the ribs, end to end.

It should take the bird about three hours at 250 degrees, but it will be done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, a carefully jostled leg moves easily and the juices run clear when you cut into the joint.

The ribs are done when the meat begins to pull back from the bone and the bone starts to twist easily away from the meat. Temperature is hard to gauge for this, as is time, but figure on six hours, as mentioned above. To speed things up or to ensure that totally falling-off-the-bone doneness (overcooked, to me), you can wrap the ribs in foil after about four hours. Keep checking them, and add sauce in the last 15 to 20 minutes. Sauce both sides lightly, and don't let them burn. If you want the chicken and ribs to serve at the same time, start the chicken about halfway through cooking the ribs.

Serve with baked beans, corn on the cob, cole slaw and beer.