SC - Re: Aussie BBQ?

[Vincent Cuenca]

>Aussie BBQ's are very laid back affairs, where I was under the impression
>that Yank affairs are a touch more formal.
Not really.  They still involve the consumption of copious amounts of 
alcohol, preferably chilled in a large galvanized washtub.  Barbecue is 
either backyard food or funky storefront food, hardly ever formal.  Oh yes; 
ambience is important.  There must be a radio tuned to either sports or to a 
local blues station.

>How do they have it over there?
>
American barbecue involves the slow cooking of large hunks of animal flesh, 
usually beef or pork, although lamb does appear at times.  The most popular 
pork cuts tend to be either fresh ham, shoulder, butt and ribs.  Beef tends 
to be brisket or ribs.  The meat is cooked with indirect heat and smoke from 
aromatic woods such as cherry, hickory, sassafrass, or mesquite, depending 
on region.  There are specialized cookers available for this, but if you 
plan to do this on a small scale they're not necessary.  Set up a bed of 
charcoal on one side of the cooker, and put a foil pan with water on the 
other side.  Rub the meat with a mixture of salt, mustard, paprika, cayenne 
pepper, black pepper, and anything else you like.  Put some wood chips or a 
small piece of wood soaked in wateron the charcoal to create smoke.  This is 
essential for flavor.  Put the meat on the grill on top of the pan of water. 
  CLose the lid, and check on the charcoal about once an hour, adding more 
as needed.

The water catches the grease from the meat and creates steam.  The fire 
should not be too hot, otherwise the meat will dry out.  You should be able 
to hold your hand over it for about five seconds.  Don't peek too often, 
otherwise it'll take forever to cook.  Once it's done, slice it thin, sauce 
and serve with plenty of white bread, baked beans, cole slaw and chips.

I won't go into the debates over sauces, dry rubs, or woods here.  There's 
plenty on the Internet about that.

Vincent

(Vicente lived way before Columbus had "barbacoa" with the Tainos)
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