A free, self-paced textbook in 8 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 202 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.
American barbecue is a distinct cooking tradition built on the principle of cooking tough cuts of meat at low temperatures for many hours, with smoke flavor from smoldering wood. T...
The four classic American barbecue regions — Texas, the Carolinas, Kansas City, and Memphis — each developed distinct identities around the meats they cook, the seasonings they pre...
Choosing a smoker shapes the entire cooking experience. The classic offset smoker — a barrel chamber attached to a side firebox — requires careful management of airflow and fuel bu...
Smoke does its work in a few different ways. Phenolic compounds in wood smoke adsorb onto the surface of meat, building flavor and contributing to the dark, flavorful crust known a...
Brisket is the centerpiece of Texas barbecue and a benchmark for any pitmaster's skill. It is the beef pectoral muscle, a tough, well-worked cut that demands long cooking to become...
Pork shoulder, often called Boston butt, is the workhorse of pulled pork. The terms butt and shoulder refer to the same general area — the butt is the upper portion of the shoulder...
Chicken and turkey are challenging barbecue subjects because their lean, delicate meat can dry out before the skin renders and crisps. Spatchcocking — removing the backbone and fla...
Competition barbecue is organized around blind judging of appearance, taste, and texture. The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) is the largest sanctioning body, and competitors t...