Barbecued Chicken Legs

The secrets to perfect barbecued chicken are to use dark-meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs, to cook the chicken slowly over indirect heat so the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks through, and to add the sauce just at the end to glaze the chicken. If you have a favorite barbecue sauce, feel free to substitute it.

For the sauce

• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups hickory or applewood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained

Make the sauce and rub

In a medium saucepan, boil the apple juice and vinegar over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Grill the chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken, and season the chicken evenly with all of the rub.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300°F to 350°F): For a charcoal grill, ignite a chimney starter full of lump charcoal and burn until the edges of the coals look ashy, about 15 minutes. Carefully dump out the coals and use tongs to spread them over half of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and let the coals burn down to about 350°F. For a gas grill, turn all the burners on high and close the lid to heat the grill. Then turn off all but one burner to create a cool zone and adjust that burner to maintain a temperature of 300°F to 350°F.

Brush the cooking grate clean. Scatter the wood chips over the lit charcoal, or for a gas grill put them in a smoker box, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

When you see smoke pouring out of the grill, arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the cooler part of the grill. Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 45 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, if the temperature drops below 300°F, remove the chicken and scatter a layer of new coals on top of the old ones.)

Move the chicken to the hot side of the grill, and grill, uncovered, turning and moving the chicken regularly to manage flare-ups, until lightly charred on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Move the chicken back to the cooler side of the grill, brush with a thin layer of sauce, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thick part of the chicken registers 170°F, 10 to 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with more sauce. (The drumsticks usually take a little longer than the thighs.) Serve hot or at room temperature, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Barbecue Braised Country Spareribs with Beer and Mustard Glaze

For this recipe, the German dark lager called bock beer is my top choice, but any dark lager works well. Serve with boiled new potatoes or potato salad.

For the ribs:

• 1 Tbs. sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. dry mustard (preferably Coleman’s)
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 lb. bone-in country style pork ribs

For the braising liquid:

• 4 strips bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped (1 Tbs.)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 12-oz. bottle bock beer or dark lager
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Season:

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, brown sugar, dry mustard, sage, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Set aside 2 tsp. to use in the braise and sprinkle the remaining rub all over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Sear:

Prepare a gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Grill the ribs until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter, let cool briefly, and then tie each rib with 3 or 4 loops of butcher’s twine.

Braise:

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling. In an 8-quart heavy-duty pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot, and the reserved spice rub and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the broth, beer, vinegar, bay leaves, and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Nestle the ribs into the braising liquid. Set the pot on the grill over the cool zone. Cover the pot, close the grill lid, and cook until fork-tender, about 1-1/2 hours, turning the ribs halfway through cooking.

Transfer the ribs to a tray. Strain the braising liquid into a heatproof vessel, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Discard the solids. Skim off and discard the fat. Keep warm.

Glaze:

Prepare the grill for direct grilling over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, stir the mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in just enough of the braising liquid, 1 Tbs. at a time, to produce a glaze thin enough to easily brush on the ribs. Brush one side of the ribs with the glaze and grill glazed side down until bubbly and beginning to darken, 3 to 5 minutes. Brush the other side, flip the ribs, and grill until the glaze is bubbly and beginning to darken, an  additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the string from the ribs, put them on a warm platter, and drizzle with the remaining braising liquid.

Barbecue-Braised Bourbon Beef with Mustard Glaze

Serve this incredibly tender pot roast with creamy polenta or thickly sliced roasted or grilled potatoes seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

For the beef:

• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika 
• 1 tsp. dry mustard (preferably Coleman’s)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 4-lb. boneless beef chuck roast

For the braising liquid:

• 2 to 2-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1 Tbs. coarse-grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. unsulphured molasses
• 2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled

For the glaze:

• 2 Tbs. smooth Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Season:

In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary, paprika, dry mustard, and 2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spice blend all over the roast. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Sear:

Prepare a gas grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Grill the roast until nicely browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Let cool briefly and then tie the roast with several loops of butcher’s twine. Put the roast in an 8-quart heavy-duty pot.

Braise:

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling. In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with the bourbon, mustard, and molasses and pour the mixture over the meat. Scatter the onions and garlic on top of the meat; it’s fine if some fall off. Put the pot on the grill over the cool zone. Cover the pot, close the grill lid, and cook for 1 hour.

Uncover the pot and turn the roast over so the onions are now on the bottom. Check the liquid level in the pot and add broth as necessary until there’s about an inch of liquid in the pot. Continue to cook, pot uncovered, grill lid closed, for 1 hour, stirring the onions and checking the liquid level every 20 minutes and adding broth as needed to maintain about an inch of liquid.

Replace the lid on the pot and continue to cook the meat until fork-tender, about 1 hour more, checking after 30 minutes and adding more broth as needed to maintain 1 inch of liquid. Move the meat to a tray and pat dry. Pour the onions and juices into a heatproof vessel, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off and discard the fat. Keep warm.

Glaze

Prepare the grill for direct grilling over medium heat. In a food processor, purée 1/4 cup of the onion mixture with the mustard and rosemary. Brush about half of the glaze on one side of the meat and put the meat on the grill, glaze side down. Brush the top of the roast with the remaining glaze. When the glaze turns brown on the bottom, after 2 to 3 minutes, flip and brown the other side, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. To serve, remove the string and slice the meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Ladle the onion mixture over the meat and serve.

Lexington Style Barbecue Sauce

• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 6 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
• 2-1/4 tsp. finely ground white pepper
• 2-1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
• 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together and let sit for at least 10 minutes. The longer the sauce sits, the hotter it gets, as the vinegar brings out the heat of the chile flakes (so start with the amount of chile flakes called for and then add more to taste). Pour the sauce in a vinegar style bottle so you can pour and store it easily. It will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Fastest Barbecued Chicken

This is easy fare for informal outdoor gatherings. You can make the rub and the sauce up to a day in advance.

• 6 Tbs. dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. chile powder
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• Kosher salt
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
• 3/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 1/4 cup low-salt soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Tabasco or other chipotle hot sauce; more to taste
• Quickest Slaw (optional; see below)

Heat a gas grill to between medium and medium high. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. of the brown sugar with the chile powder, dry mustard, and 1 Tbs. salt. Spread the chicken thighs on a large baking sheet and rub the spice mix all over them.

In a small saucepan, whisk the remaining 4 Tbs. brown sugar with the ketchup, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard; bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco, adding more to taste.

Spread the chicken thighs out on the grill, cover, and cook on the first side until they turn a deep reddish brown and begin to blacken in places (they'll also shrink and plump up), 4 to 5 minutes (rotate the thighs once 90 degrees on each side for the most even cooking). Flip the thighs and continue to cook on the second side until they're firm, deeply colored, and slightly blackened in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a brush, dab a generous amount of sauce over the top of the chicken, cook for 1 minute, flip, slather the other side with sauce, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat. Arrange on a platter and serve with any remaining sauce and the slaw if you like.

Quickest Slaw

Toss 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 4 cups), with 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. granulated sugar, and 3/4 tsp. kosher salt. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Hoisin Barbecued Ribs (Gas Grill Version)

You'll get darker ribs with this Asian-inspired rub and sauce combo, but the taste is not overpowering. To make these ribs on a charcoal grill, see the charcoal version  of the recipe.Think getting great smoky flavor from your gas grill is impossible? Think again. See it in action in our exclusive CooksClub video featuring grilling guru, Fred Thompson.

• 2 cups hickory wood chips
• 2 racks St. Louis-style spareribs (3 to 3-1/2 lb. each) OR 3 racks baby back ribs (2 to 2-1/2 lb. each)

For the spice rub:

• 1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. five-spice powder
• 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the mop and sauce:

• 3⁄4 cup lager beer (such as Heineken)
• 3⁄4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1⁄3 cup mild chili sauce (such as Del Monte or Heinz)
• 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil

Prepare the wood chips and season the ribs

Soak the wood chips in water for about 1 hour.

Slide the blade of a dinner knife under the thin, translucent silverskin that covers the bone side of each rack (note that some racks are sold with the silverskin already removed). Lift and loosen the membrane until you can grab it with a paper towel; pull it off and discard.

In a small bowl mix the spice rub ingredients. Sprinkle the rub all over the ribs, seasoning the meaty sides a little more than the bone sides and working the rub into the meat. Stand the ribs upright in a rib rack so that the meaty sides face the same direction. Leave as much room as possible between the racks; they shouldn’t touch. Let the racks sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes while you prepare the grill.

Prepare the fire

Drain the wood chips.

If your grill has a smoker box, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for lighting the wood chips and heat one of the grill’s burners on high (for indirect heat). If your grill doesn’t have a smoker box, lay the chips evenly inside a small disposable aluminum drip pan. Cover the pan with foil. Poke 10 to 15 holes in the foil. Remove the cooking grate from the grill. With the lid open, light the grill with all burners on high. Close the lid and heat the grill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Using tongs or an insulated mitt, set the pan of wood chips in one of the rear corners of the grill, right over a lit burner or two (or over the steel bars covering the burners). Replace the cooking grate. Close the lid and wait until smoke pours out of the chip pan, usually 20 to 30 minutes. Then turn off all the burners except the one just below the chips

Begin the ribs, mop, and sauce

Carefully set the rib rack on the side of the cooking grate opposite the lit burner, with the bone sides of the racks facing the lit burner. (The bones will protect the meat from cooking too quickly.) Close the lid and adjust the remaining burner until the temperature is 300ºF—this could require a low, medium, or high setting, depending on your grill. Smoke the ribs for 1 hour for baby backs, 2 hours for spareribs.

Meanwhile, make the mop and sauce: In a small measuring cup, mix the beer and 1/4 cup of the hoisin (this is the mop). In a small saucepan, mix the remaining 1/2 cup hoisin with the chili sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and remove from the heat.

Baste the ribs and continue to cook

Remove the ribs from the grill and from the rib rack and lay them on a large rimmed baking sheet. Lightly brush the ribs on both sides with about half of the mop. Carefully put the ribs back in the rib rack, again all facing the same direction but this time turned upside down so that the parts that haven’t browned as much will get more exposure to the heat and smoke. Return the rib rack to the cool side of the grill, again facing the bone sides toward the heat. Close the lid.

Let the ribs cook until the meat shrinks 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the ends of at least several bones, 2 to 3 hours longer, and then check them for doneness (see below). During this time, baste the ribs occasionally with the remaining mop (don’t bother removing them first from the rib rack). You may not use all the mop.

When the rib meat has shrunk 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the ends of several bones, lift each rib rack one at a time from the metal rack, holding the meat at one end with tongs. Turn the ribs bone side up and let them hang so that the weight of the other end bends the rack in an arc. If the meat separates and tears easily near the middle of the arc (see photo), that rack is fully cooked. Some racks take longer than others, as long as 4 hours total cooking time for baby backs and 5 hours for spareribs.

As each rack of ribs is fully cooked, lay it on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly brush the ribs on both sides with the sauce—you may not need it all. Then wrap each rack individually in the foil. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes for baby backs and 30 to 45 minutes for spareribs. Unwrap the racks, cut them into individual ribs, and serve warm.

Herb-Rubbed Pork Spareribs with Honey-Lemon Glaze

Many cooks boil or bake spareribs before grilling to render their tough meat tender, but that method leaves a lot of flavor behind in the pot or the baking pan. This recipe has you grill them in foil so they cook quickly in their own juice, and all the flavor is trapped inside the foil. Finishing the ribs with a simple glaze gives them extra flavor and crisp edges. This recipe can be made with standard spareribs or with St. Louis-cut spareribs—the former may take slightly more time to cook.

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. crumbled dried rosemary
• 1 Tbs. rubbed (dried) sage
• 2 tsp. fennel seed, coarsely crushed (preferably in a mortar)
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1-1/2 tsp. granulated onion

For the glaze

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

For the ribs

• 6-1/2 lb. pork spareribs, membrane removed, cut between the ribs into 4 or 5 smaller slabs
• Kosher salt

Make the rub and glaze

Whisk the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk the glaze ingredients together in another small bowl. Set both aside.

Season the ribs

Sprinkle the spice rub evenly on both sides of the ribs. Put a rib slab on one half of a large double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, fold the other half of the foil over the ribs, and fold the edges tightly closed on all three sides to prevent leakage. Repeat with the remaining ribs. Put the foil-wrapped ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand while the grill heats.

Prepare the grill

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for direct grilling over medium (350°F) heat.

Grill the ribs

Arrange the foil-wrapped ribs on the grill grate in a single layer and cover the grill. Have a spray bottle of water ready for any flare-ups, and grill for 45 minutes. Carefully turn the packets over, taking care not to pierce them, or the juices will run out. (If using a charcoal grill, add about 1 quart charcoal to the coals, if necessary, to maintain the temperature.) Cover and cook until the meat has pulled away from the ends of the rib bones and is very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife (carefully open the foil to check), about 45 minutes more.

Open the foil and transfer the ribs to a platter. Add any juice to the glaze.

Finish the ribs

For a charcoal grill, if necessary, add more charcoal to the coals to maintain a temperature of 350°F.

Clean and oil the grill grate. Arrange the ribs on the grill grate and brush with half of the glaze. Cover and cook until sizzling, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and brush with more glaze. Cover and cook until sizzling, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip again and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for about 5 minutes, and then cut between the bones into individual ribs. Transfer to a platter, season lightly with salt, and serve with any remaining glaze for dipping.

Classic Barbecued Chicken

Using a gas grill can be easier because you can control the fire with the turn of a button. The drawback is that you don't get as good a smoked flavor. If your gas grill has a smoke box that sits on or between the burners, put wood chips or sawdust in it to give your chicken some smoky flavor. Or wrap some wood chips or sawdust envelope-style in heavy-duty foil. Poke holes in the top and set it on the grill's lava rocks or burner to produce some smoke. Click the links below to get recipes for barbecue sauces that pair perfectly with the chicken.

• 7 to 8 lb. bone-in chicken parts, cut as you like
• 1 recipe Spice Rub
• 1 cup apple juice for basting
• 1 recipe Classic Kansas City, Memphis Style,
  
  or Georgia Peach barbecue sauce

To prepare the chicken: Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces. Sprinkle on the rub generously.

To prepare the fire: Using a chimney starter, light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, transfer them from the chimney to one side of the grill. (If you don't have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid in the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 minutes)

If you have some pieces of apple or oak hardwood, feel free to add a couple to the stack of coals. Put a small foil or metal pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grilling grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed.

When the coals are about 90% white, position the pieces of chicken, skin side up, on the grill anywhere except directly over the coals. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is opposite the fire. Cook the chicken for about 30 minutes, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the vents. (Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature.) Add more charcoal if the temperature drops below 230°F. You'll likely need to add 15 to 20 pieces about 30 minutes after putting the chicken on.

If you're using a gas grill: Get one side of the grill hot and arrange the chicken on the other side. Close the lid and maintain the temperature of the grill between 230° and 250°F.

If your grill—gas or charcoal—didn't come with a thermometer, you can set an oven thermometer on the grate near where the chicken is cooking.

After a half hour or so, baste the chicken with some of the apple juice. Continue to cook the chicken until it's cooked through—this will take about 3 hours—basting it and checking the temperature of the grill every 45 minutes or so. As the chicken cooks, you can move the pieces around the grill if those closest to the fire seem in danger of overcooking. But keep the chicken skin side up for the duration.

Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer after 2-1/2 hours. Cooked chicken should read 165°F in the meatiest part of the thigh or breast. You'll also know the chicken is done when its juices run clear after being sliced into with a knife.

When the chicken is cooked, pour some of the barbecue sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it onto the chicken. Cook it an additional few minutes so that the sauce adheres to the chicken in a sticky glaze; watch the chicken carefully at this point and pull it off the grill if the sauce starts to burn.

Remove the chicken from the grill and serve with some of the barbecue sauce on the side, if you like.

Herb-Rubbed Pork Spareribs with Honey-Lemon Glaze

Many cooks boil or bake spareribs before grilling to render their tough meat tender, but that method leaves a lot of flavor behind in the pot or the baking pan. This recipe has you grill them in foil so they cook quickly in their own juice, and all the flavor is trapped inside the foil. Finishing the ribs with a simple glaze gives them extra flavor and crisp edges. This recipe can be made with standard spareribs or with St. Louis-cut spareribs—the former may take slightly more time to cook.

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. crumbled dried rosemary
• 1 Tbs. rubbed (dried) sage
• 2 tsp. fennel seed, coarsely crushed (preferably in a mortar)
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1-1/2 tsp. granulated onion

For the glaze

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

For the ribs

• 6-1/2 lb. pork spareribs, membrane removed, cut between the ribs into 4 or 5 smaller slabs
• Kosher salt

Make the rub and glaze

Whisk the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk the glaze ingredients together in another small bowl. Set both aside.

Season the ribs

Sprinkle the spice rub evenly on both sides of the ribs. Put a rib slab on one half of a large double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, fold the other half of the foil over the ribs, and fold the edges tightly closed on all three sides to prevent leakage. Repeat with the remaining ribs. Put the foil-wrapped ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand while the grill heats.

Prepare the grill

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for direct grilling over medium (350°F) heat.

Grill the ribs

Arrange the foil-wrapped ribs on the grill grate in a single layer and cover the grill. Have a spray bottle of water ready for any flare-ups, and grill for 45 minutes. Carefully turn the packets over, taking care not to pierce them, or the juices will run out. (If using a charcoal grill, add about 1 quart charcoal to the coals, if necessary, to maintain the temperature.) Cover and cook until the meat has pulled away from the ends of the rib bones and is very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife (carefully open the foil to check), about 45 minutes more.

Open the foil and transfer the ribs to a platter. Add any juice to the glaze.

Finish the ribs

For a charcoal grill, if necessary, add more charcoal to the coals to maintain a temperature of 350°F.

Clean and oil the grill grate. Arrange the ribs on the grill grate and brush with half of the glaze. Cover and cook until sizzling, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and brush with more glaze. Cover and cook until sizzling, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip again and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for about 5 minutes, and then cut between the bones into individual ribs. Transfer to a platter, season lightly with salt, and serve with any remaining glaze for dipping.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

The secrets to perfect barbecued chicken are to use dark-meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs, to cook the chicken slowly over indirect heat so the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks through, and to add the sauce just at the end to glaze the chicken. If you have a favorite barbecue sauce, feel free to substitute it.

For the sauce

• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups hickory or applewood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained

Make the sauce and rub

In a medium saucepan, boil the apple juice and vinegar over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Grill the chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken, and season the chicken evenly with all of the rub.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300°F to 350°F): For a charcoal grill, ignite a chimney starter full of lump charcoal and burn until the edges of the coals look ashy, about 15 minutes. Carefully dump out the coals and use tongs to spread them over half of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and let the coals burn down to about 350°F. For a gas grill, turn all the burners on high and close the lid to heat the grill. Then turn off all but one burner to create a cool zone and adjust that burner to maintain a temperature of 300°F to 350°F.

Brush the cooking grate clean. Scatter the wood chips over the lit charcoal, or for a gas grill put them in a smoker box, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

When you see smoke pouring out of the grill, arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the cooler part of the grill. Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 45 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, if the temperature drops below 300°F, remove the chicken and scatter a layer of new coals on top of the old ones.)

Move the chicken to the hot side of the grill, and grill, uncovered, turning and moving the chicken regularly to manage flare-ups, until lightly charred on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Move the chicken back to the cooler side of the grill, brush with a thin layer of sauce, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thick part of the chicken registers 170°F, 10 to 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with more sauce. (The drumsticks usually take a little longer than the thighs.) Serve hot or at room temperature, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Apple-Bacon Barbecue Sauce & Mop

The smoky-sweet flavor of this mop and sauce is a classic complement for pork ribs. For full instructions for barbecuing the ribs with the sauce, see the Apple-Bacon Barbecued Ribs recipe.

• 1/4 lb. (4 to 5 slices) bacon
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 5 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain the bacon on paper towels and eat it whenever you like. Pour about one-half the bacon fat into a small saucepan and reserve the remaining fat in the skillet for the barbecue sauce. To the saucepan, add 1/2 cup of the apple juice and 2 Tbs. of the cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and then remove from the heat (this is the mop).

Add the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice, 3 Tbs. cider vinegar, and the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chile powder, paprika, cumin, celery seed, and pepper to the bacon fat in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth. As soon as the barbecue sauce simmers, remove the skillet from the heat.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

The secrets to perfect barbecued chicken are to use dark-meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs, to cook the chicken slowly over indirect heat so the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks through, and to add the sauce just at the end to glaze the chicken. If you have a favorite barbecue sauce, feel free to substitute it.

For the sauce

• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups hickory or applewood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained

Make the sauce and rub

In a medium saucepan, boil the apple juice and vinegar over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Grill the chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken, and season the chicken evenly with all of the rub.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300°F to 350°F): For a charcoal grill, ignite a chimney starter full of lump charcoal and burn until the edges of the coals look ashy, about 15 minutes. Carefully dump out the coals and use tongs to spread them over half of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and let the coals burn down to about 350°F. For a gas grill, turn all the burners on high and close the lid to heat the grill. Then turn off all but one burner to create a cool zone and adjust that burner to maintain a temperature of 300°F to 350°F.

Brush the cooking grate clean. Scatter the wood chips over the lit charcoal, or for a gas grill put them in a smoker box, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

When you see smoke pouring out of the grill, arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the cooler part of the grill. Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 45 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, if the temperature drops below 300°F, remove the chicken and scatter a layer of new coals on top of the old ones.)

Move the chicken to the hot side of the grill, and grill, uncovered, turning and moving the chicken regularly to manage flare-ups, until lightly charred on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Move the chicken back to the cooler side of the grill, brush with a thin layer of sauce, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thick part of the chicken registers 170°F, 10 to 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with more sauce. (The drumsticks usually take a little longer than the thighs.) Serve hot or at room temperature, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Apple-Bacon Barbecued Ribs (Charcoal Grill Version)

The smoky-sweet-spicy flavor of this rub and sauce is a classic complement for pork ribs. You can use either spareribs or baby back ribs for this recipe; baby backs will require about an hour less cooking time. If you don't have a charcoal grill, see our gas grill version of this recipe.

• 2 cups hickory wood chips
• 2 racks St. Louis-style spareribs (3 to 3-1/2 lb. each) OR 3 racks baby back ribs (2 to 2-1/2 lb. each)

For the spice rub:

• 4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. ancho chile powder
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 recipe Apple-Bacon Barbecue Sauce & Mop

Tip:

You don't need to make the barbecue sauce until the ribs start their initial cooking.

Prepare the wood chips and season the ribs

Soak the wood chips in water for about 1 hour.

Slide the blade of a dinner knife under the thin, translucent silverskin that covers the bone side of each rack (note that some racks are sold with the silverskin already removed). Lift and loosen the membrane until you can grab it with a paper towel; pull it off and discard.

In a small bowl mix the spice rub ingredients. Sprinkle the rub all over the ribs, seasoning the meaty sides a little more than the bone sides and working the rub into the meat. Stand the ribs upright in a rib rack so that the meaty sides face the same direction. Leave as much room as possible between the racks; they shouldn’t touch. Let the racks sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes while you prepare the grill.

Prepare the fire

Open the vents on the bottom and top of the grill. Using a chimney starter or other method, light about 50 charcoal briquettes and let them burn until they are completely ashed over. Push the briquettes to one side and then spread them evenly to cover about one-third of the charcoal grate. Carefully set a large disposable drip pan on the opposite side of the charcoal grate and fill it about three-quarters full with warm water. Put the cooking grate in place, positioning a hinged section over the coals. Leave the lid off and let the briquettes burn until they are three-quarters of their original size and then close the lid. Let the fire burn down until a thermometer in the grill’s lid registers 300° to 325°F.

Drain about half the wood chips and scatter them over the burning coals. (If your grill doesn’t have a hinged section, carefully lift the cooking grate off the grill, scatter the chips, and then replace the cooking grate.)

Begin cooking the ribs

Set the rib rack on the cooking grate over the drip pan, with the bone sides of the ribs facing the coals. (The bones will protect the meat from cooking too quickly.) Let the ribs smoke for 45 minutes. Check every 10 minutes or so, and if the temperature rises above 325ºF, close the top vents halfway; otherwise, leave the vents completely open. If the temperature drops below 250ºF, add 5 to 10 unlit briquettes to the fire. After the ribs have cooked for 45 minutes, drain the remaining wood chips and gently spread them over the coals (don’t stir up any ashes). Close the lid. Let the ribs smoke 15 minutes more for baby backs, 1 hour 15 minutes more for spareribs. During this initial cooking, prepare the mop and sauce.

Baste the ribs and continue cooking

Remove the ribs from the grill and from the rib rack and lay them on a large rimmed baking sheet. At this point, to maintain the heat, add about 10 unlit briquettes to the bed of burning coals and leave the lid off while you mop the ribs (the added oxygen will help light the new briquettes). Lightly brush the ribs on both sides with about half of the mop. Carefully put the ribs back in the rib rack, again all facing the same direction but this time turned upside down so that the parts that haven’t browned as much will get more exposure to the heat and smoke. Return the rib rack to the grill over the drip pan, again turning the bone sides toward the coals. Close the lid.

Let the ribs cook until the meat shrinks 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the ends of at least several bones, 2 to 3 hours more, and then check them for doneness (see below). During this time, the fire should slowly lose heat, but if it falls below 250°F, add 5 to 10 unlit briquettes to maintain a temperature between 275º and 300°F. Also during this time, baste the ribs occasionally with the remaining mop (don’t bother removing them first from the rib rack). You may not use all the mop.

Finish the ribs

When the rib meat has shrunk 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the ends of several bones, lift each rib rack one at a time from the metal rack, holding the meat at one end with tongs. Turn the ribs bone side up and let them hang so that the weight of the other end bends the rack in an arc. If the meat separates and tears easily near the middle of the arc (see photo), that rack is fully cooked. Some racks take longer than others, as long as 4 hours total cooking time for baby backs and 5 hours for spareribs.

As each rack of ribs is fully cooked, lay it on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly brush the ribs on both sides with the sauce—you may not need it all. Then wrap each rack individually in the foil. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes for baby backs and 30 to 45 minutes for spareribs. Unwrap the racks, cut them into individual ribs, and serve warm.

Kansas City Style Barbecued Ribs

If ribs are the main part of your meal, figure a slab will feed two to three people. If you’re serving other grilled or barbecued food, you can figure on less. (Of course, everyone’s going to want the ribs.) The rub and the sauce make easily enough for four slabs, but your grill may not be able to accommodate that many. To cook more ribs on a small space, either use a rib rack or roll the slabs into coils and secure the coils with a long skewer.

For the rub:

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup seasoned salt
• 2 Tbs. garlic salt
• 1 Tbs. onion salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp. rubbed dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• Pinch ground cloves

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar; more to taste
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs. prepared yellow mustard
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/8 tsp. ground mace
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 2 cups tomato ketchup

For the ribs:

• 2 to 4 slabs of spareribs, preferably with tips attached

Make the rub:

Spread the light brown sugar on a baking sheet and let it dry out for an hour or two to keep it from clumping. Sift the brown sugar and the remaining rub ingredients together in a bowl; you may have to do this in batches. Stir to combine. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in the food processor and pulse to combine.)

Make the sauce:

In a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring well to mix and dissolve the spices. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the ribs:

Remove the thick membrane covering the bone side of the slab: Separate the membrane at one end of the slab by slitting it with a knife and forcing your fingers underneath it. Pull it down the length of the slab and discard it. Find the skirt -- the meaty flap that curves down the bottom of the meat side -- and trim off the thick membrane on its edge. Using a sharp knife, cut off the rib tips, cutting parallel to the bottom of the slab. Cut the rib tips into several pieces. Sprinkle the spice rub amply over both sides of the ribs and tips.

To prepare the fire, use a chimney starter to light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, remove them from the starter and stack them on one side of the grill. (If you don’t have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid on one side of the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 minutes.)

Add 3 or 4 hand-size pieces of apple or oak hardwood, preferably a little of both, to the stack of coals. Put a pie pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed; otherwise, you’ll have to lift the grate.

When the coals are about 90% white, position the ribs on the grill anywhere but directly over the coals. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is on the side away from the fire. Cook the ribs for about 2 hours, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the air vents on the grill as needed. (Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature.) Add more coal if the temperature drops below 230°F. (You’ll likely need to add 15 to 20 coals about 30 minutes after putting the ribs on.)

After about 2 to 2-1/2 hours, turn the ribs over. Add some more coals and a few more pieces of hardwood to the fire. Continue cooking the ribs about another 2 hours. To see if the ribs are done to perfection, take off one of the tip pieces and taste it. You can also tug on one of the ribs; if the meat is cooked, you should be able pull the rib away with ease.

If you want to glaze the meat with the barbecue sauce while they’re cooking, pour some of the sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it on both sides of the ribs about every 15 minutes during the last half hour of cooking. Alternatively, you can serve all of the sauce on the side.

Remove the ribs from the grill and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Cut the slabs into individual ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

You can also freeze the ribs in the slab for future great eating. Allow them to cool, wrap them in ample plastic wrap, and freeze. For best results, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator before reheating them in a 225°F oven for about an hour. I reheat mine right in the plastic wrap with no trouble at that low temperature. But you can also reheat them unwrapped in a foil-covered pan. If you want to reheat them on the grill, wrap them in foil.

Fred’s Ultimate Smoked Pork Shoulder

This started out as strictly a North Carolina-style barbecue, but over the years it has evolved. The rub is more Memphis, and it helps produce a better "outside brown," those prized bits of char that get chopped into pork barbecue. The injected brine is Cuban in influence; injecting pork shoulders is all the rage now, and with good reason. It helps keep the pork moist and get flavor from the inside out.

• 1 Tbs. paprika
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic  
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• One 5- to 7-pound bone-in Boston butt or picnic shoulder 
• 1 cup prepared Cuban mojo marinade, strained (I prefer Nellie and Joe’s brand)
• 6 to 8 cups hickory or apple wood chips, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
• 1 Recipe for Slow-Cooked Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce, or your favorite barbecue sauce

Mix the paprika, sugar, salt, both peppers, granulated garlic, and mustard together in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the pork. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (I like to reserve a tablespoon or more of this rub before using it on the pork so that I can sprinkle the finished pulled pork with it.)

At least 1-1/2 hours before you plan to put the pork on, remove it from the refrigerator. Take an injection syringe and pull the mojo up into the tube. Plunge the injector into the pork and then slowly push in the mojo as you move the needle back toward you and out of the meat. You want to do it this way so that you don’t have these huge puddles and so that the mojo is more evenly distributed. Repeat this several more times at random spots until the mojo is gone.

Oil the grill racks. Preheat your grill using all burners set on high and with the lid closed for 10 to 12 minutes.

When the grill is hot, cut off the center or back burner and adjust your heat to medium-high.

Drain the wood chips. If your grill is equipped with a smoke box, fill it with the chips. If not, divide your wood chips among six foil packets, and place one packet at one end of the grill while it preheats. When the grill is ready, cut off all but one burner and turn it to low. Place the pork away from the direct heat. Place a disposable 9x13-inch aluminum pan opposite the smoke source and fill the pan halfway with water. If your grill has a smoke box with its own separate burner, cut off all the burners except that one and turn it to low. Cover the grill and go drink a beer.

Typically, smoking chips or even chunks will last 15 to 20 minutes. The pork will gather most of its smoke flavor in the first 2 hours of cooking. Every 20 minutes, working as quickly as you can to keep the smoke from escaping,replace your smoke packet or the chips in the smoker box and add water to the aluminum pan if necessary. When you’ve used all the chips, try not to open the grill again until the barbecue is close to being done, which will take 4 to 5 hours longer. The best clue that the barbecue is done is to take a pair of tongs and grab the flat bone that runs through the center of the meat. If it moves easily or you can pull it out, then the pork is done. Sometimes in windy conditions or when it’s cold, it can take up to 7 hours for a shoulder to magically become barbecue. The internal temperature should be 180°F to 190°F.

When you’ve determined that the barbecue is ready, pull it off the grill into a large roasting pan and let rest for about 20 minutes. Then with forks or tongs, begin to pull the meat so that it comes off in stringy chunks. Separate out the skin and as much fat as you desire. Any of the outside brown, which is crispy, should be set aside and finely chopped, then stirred back into the meat. You can leave the barbecue pulled as it comes off the shoulder, or you can chop it a little finer if you desire. At this point I like to sprinkle the pulled pork with the rub that I reserved before using it on the outside, tossing the barbecue to blend.

Some people like to sauce their barbecue at this point, and I tend to do that with about 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce that I intend to serve. Again, toss to combine. Serve hot with cole slaw and additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Kansas City Style Barbecued Ribs

If ribs are the main part of your meal, figure a slab will feed two to three people. If you’re serving other grilled or barbecued food, you can figure on less. (Of course, everyone’s going to want the ribs.) The rub and the sauce make easily enough for four slabs, but your grill may not be able to accommodate that many. To cook more ribs on a small space, either use a rib rack or roll the slabs into coils and secure the coils with a long skewer.

For the rub:

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup seasoned salt
• 2 Tbs. garlic salt
• 1 Tbs. onion salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp. rubbed dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• Pinch ground cloves

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar; more to taste
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs. prepared yellow mustard
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/8 tsp. ground mace
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 2 cups tomato ketchup

For the ribs:

• 2 to 4 slabs of spareribs, preferably with tips attached

Make the rub:

Spread the light brown sugar on a baking sheet and let it dry out for an hour or two to keep it from clumping. Sift the brown sugar and the remaining rub ingredients together in a bowl; you may have to do this in batches. Stir to combine. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in the food processor and pulse to combine.)

Make the sauce:

In a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring well to mix and dissolve the spices. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the ribs:

Remove the thick membrane covering the bone side of the slab: Separate the membrane at one end of the slab by slitting it with a knife and forcing your fingers underneath it. Pull it down the length of the slab and discard it. Find the skirt -- the meaty flap that curves down the bottom of the meat side -- and trim off the thick membrane on its edge. Using a sharp knife, cut off the rib tips, cutting parallel to the bottom of the slab. Cut the rib tips into several pieces. Sprinkle the spice rub amply over both sides of the ribs and tips.

To prepare the fire, use a chimney starter to light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, remove them from the starter and stack them on one side of the grill. (If you don’t have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid on one side of the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 minutes.)

Add 3 or 4 hand-size pieces of apple or oak hardwood, preferably a little of both, to the stack of coals. Put a pie pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed; otherwise, you’ll have to lift the grate.

When the coals are about 90% white, position the ribs on the grill anywhere but directly over the coals. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is on the side away from the fire. Cook the ribs for about 2 hours, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the air vents on the grill as needed. (Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature.) Add more coal if the temperature drops below 230°F. (You’ll likely need to add 15 to 20 coals about 30 minutes after putting the ribs on.)

After about 2 to 2-1/2 hours, turn the ribs over. Add some more coals and a few more pieces of hardwood to the fire. Continue cooking the ribs about another 2 hours. To see if the ribs are done to perfection, take off one of the tip pieces and taste it. You can also tug on one of the ribs; if the meat is cooked, you should be able pull the rib away with ease.

If you want to glaze the meat with the barbecue sauce while they’re cooking, pour some of the sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it on both sides of the ribs about every 15 minutes during the last half hour of cooking. Alternatively, you can serve all of the sauce on the side.

Remove the ribs from the grill and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Cut the slabs into individual ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

You can also freeze the ribs in the slab for future great eating. Allow them to cool, wrap them in ample plastic wrap, and freeze. For best results, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator before reheating them in a 225°F oven for about an hour. I reheat mine right in the plastic wrap with no trouble at that low temperature. But you can also reheat them unwrapped in a foil-covered pan. If you want to reheat them on the grill, wrap them in foil.

Fred’s Finest Baby Back Ribs

No offense to those chicken folks but here's the real "finger lickin' good" meal. These ribs are mouth-happy perfection. The key is slow-roasting heat combined with moisture to create steam that melts away some of the fat and softens the meat. I like to start these in the oven, but if you prefer to do it entirely on the grill, I've provided that method too. No matter which way you start the ribs, finish them over direct heat to get a nice carmelization of the sauce.

• 6 racks baby back ribs, roughly 12 pounds (spareribs will also work)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne 
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 cup water or apple cider
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (use your favorite)
• 2 Tbs. honey, or as needed

To oven-roast the ribs:

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Rinse the ribs and pat them dry. Remove the membranes from the back of the ribs. Place the ribs on a baking sheet and brush the ribs generously with the mustard. Combine the sugar, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over both sides of the ribs. Grind fresh pepper over the ribs.

Place the ribs in an aluminum roasting bag and add the water. Seal the bag tightly, place on a baking sheet, and put in the oven. Slowly cook the ribs for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the bag from the oven and let the ribs cool in the roasting bag for 30 minutes. Open the bag away from you in case there is residual steam. The ribs are ready for the next step when you can grab them with a pair of tongs, lift them up, and they bend easily. 

OR to grill-roast the ribs:

Set up your grill for indirect cooking. Add some wood chips or hunks of wood, like hickory or oak, to your smoke box, or make a foil-smoking packet. Let some smoke build in your grill, then place the ribs (brushed with the mustard and rub) on the grill, bone side down, and adjust the temperature to low. You want the temperature to stay at about 200°F, so check with an oven thermometer. Smoke for about 3 hours, replenishing the wood chips as needed. About every 45 minutes, spray the ribs with apple cider. The ribs are ready for the next step when you can grab them with a pair of tongs, lift them up, and they bend easily. 

To finish the ribs:

Oil the grill racks. Preheat your grill using all burners set on high and with the lid closed for 10 to 12 minutes.

When the grill is hot, reduce the heat to medium and place the ribs, meaty side down, on the grill. Close the lid and cook for about 15 minutes, then turn. Brush the seared side with the barbecue sauce, cover again, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Turn, brush with sauce, cover, and let them enjoy the heat for another 10 minutes. Brush the same side with sauce again, cover, and cook for no more than 5 minutes. Uncover, drizzle the ribs with the honey, and let them stay on the heat a couple of minutes more to allow the honey to glaze. Remove and serve to hoots and hollers.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

The secrets to perfect barbecued chicken are to use dark-meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs, to cook the chicken slowly over indirect heat so the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks through, and to add the sauce just at the end to glaze the chicken. If you have a favorite barbecue sauce, feel free to substitute it.

For the sauce

• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the rub

• 1 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups hickory or applewood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained

Make the sauce and rub

In a medium saucepan, boil the apple juice and vinegar over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Grill the chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken, and season the chicken evenly with all of the rub.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300°F to 350°F): For a charcoal grill, ignite a chimney starter full of lump charcoal and burn until the edges of the coals look ashy, about 15 minutes. Carefully dump out the coals and use tongs to spread them over half of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and let the coals burn down to about 350°F. For a gas grill, turn all the burners on high and close the lid to heat the grill. Then turn off all but one burner to create a cool zone and adjust that burner to maintain a temperature of 300°F to 350°F.

Brush the cooking grate clean. Scatter the wood chips over the lit charcoal, or for a gas grill put them in a smoker box, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

When you see smoke pouring out of the grill, arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the cooler part of the grill. Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 45 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, if the temperature drops below 300°F, remove the chicken and scatter a layer of new coals on top of the old ones.)

Move the chicken to the hot side of the grill, and grill, uncovered, turning and moving the chicken regularly to manage flare-ups, until lightly charred on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Move the chicken back to the cooler side of the grill, brush with a thin layer of sauce, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thick part of the chicken registers 170°F, 10 to 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with more sauce. (The drumsticks usually take a little longer than the thighs.) Serve hot or at room temperature, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Classic Barbecued Chicken

Using a gas grill can be easier because you can control the fire with the turn of a button. The drawback is that you don't get as good a smoked flavor. If your gas grill has a smoke box that sits on or between the burners, put wood chips or sawdust in it to give your chicken some smoky flavor. Or wrap some wood chips or sawdust envelope-style in heavy-duty foil. Poke holes in the top and set it on the grill's lava rocks or burner to produce some smoke. Click the links below to get recipes for barbecue sauces that pair perfectly with the chicken.

• 7 to 8 lb. bone-in chicken parts, cut as you like
• 1 recipe Spice Rub
• 1 cup apple juice for basting
• 1 recipe Classic Kansas City, Memphis Style,
  
  or Georgia Peach barbecue sauce

To prepare the chicken: Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces. Sprinkle on the rub generously.

To prepare the fire: Using a chimney starter, light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, transfer them from the chimney to one side of the grill. (If you don't have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid in the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 minutes)

If you have some pieces of apple or oak hardwood, feel free to add a couple to the stack of coals. Put a small foil or metal pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grilling grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed.

When the coals are about 90% white, position the pieces of chicken, skin side up, on the grill anywhere except directly over the coals. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is opposite the fire. Cook the chicken for about 30 minutes, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the vents. (Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature.) Add more charcoal if the temperature drops below 230°F. You'll likely need to add 15 to 20 pieces about 30 minutes after putting the chicken on.

If you're using a gas grill: Get one side of the grill hot and arrange the chicken on the other side. Close the lid and maintain the temperature of the grill between 230° and 250°F.

If your grill—gas or charcoal—didn't come with a thermometer, you can set an oven thermometer on the grate near where the chicken is cooking.

After a half hour or so, baste the chicken with some of the apple juice. Continue to cook the chicken until it's cooked through—this will take about 3 hours—basting it and checking the temperature of the grill every 45 minutes or so. As the chicken cooks, you can move the pieces around the grill if those closest to the fire seem in danger of overcooking. But keep the chicken skin side up for the duration.

Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer after 2-1/2 hours. Cooked chicken should read 165°F in the meatiest part of the thigh or breast. You'll also know the chicken is done when its juices run clear after being sliced into with a knife.

When the chicken is cooked, pour some of the barbecue sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it onto the chicken. Cook it an additional few minutes so that the sauce adheres to the chicken in a sticky glaze; watch the chicken carefully at this point and pull it off the grill if the sauce starts to burn.

Remove the chicken from the grill and serve with some of the barbecue sauce on the side, if you like.

Kansas City Style Barbecued Ribs

If ribs are the main part of your meal, figure a slab will feed two to three people. If you’re serving other grilled or barbecued food, you can figure on less. (Of course, everyone’s going to want the ribs.) The rub and the sauce make easily enough for four slabs, but your grill may not be able to accommodate that many. To cook more ribs on a small space, either use a rib rack or roll the slabs into coils and secure the coils with a long skewer.

For the rub:

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup seasoned salt
• 2 Tbs. garlic salt
• 1 Tbs. onion salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp. rubbed dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• Pinch ground cloves

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar; more to taste
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs. prepared yellow mustard
• 1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
• 1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/8 tsp. ground mace
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 2 cups tomato ketchup

For the ribs:

• 2 to 4 slabs of spareribs, preferably with tips attached

Make the rub:

Spread the light brown sugar on a baking sheet and let it dry out for an hour or two to keep it from clumping. Sift the brown sugar and the remaining rub ingredients together in a bowl; you may have to do this in batches. Stir to combine. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in the food processor and pulse to combine.)

Make the sauce:

In a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring well to mix and dissolve the spices. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the ribs:

Remove the thick membrane covering the bone side of the slab: Separate the membrane at one end of the slab by slitting it with a knife and forcing your fingers underneath it. Pull it down the length of the slab and discard it. Find the skirt -- the meaty flap that curves down the bottom of the meat side -- and trim off the thick membrane on its edge. Using a sharp knife, cut off the rib tips, cutting parallel to the bottom of the slab. Cut the rib tips into several pieces. Sprinkle the spice rub amply over both sides of the ribs and tips.

To prepare the fire, use a chimney starter to light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, remove them from the starter and stack them on one side of the grill. (If you don’t have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid on one side of the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 minutes.)

Add 3 or 4 hand-size pieces of apple or oak hardwood, preferably a little of both, to the stack of coals. Put a pie pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed; otherwise, you’ll have to lift the grate.

When the coals are about 90% white, position the ribs on the grill anywhere but directly over the coals. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is on the side away from the fire. Cook the ribs for about 2 hours, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the air vents on the grill as needed. (Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature.) Add more coal if the temperature drops below 230°F. (You’ll likely need to add 15 to 20 coals about 30 minutes after putting the ribs on.)

After about 2 to 2-1/2 hours, turn the ribs over. Add some more coals and a few more pieces of hardwood to the fire. Continue cooking the ribs about another 2 hours. To see if the ribs are done to perfection, take off one of the tip pieces and taste it. You can also tug on one of the ribs; if the meat is cooked, you should be able pull the rib away with ease.

If you want to glaze the meat with the barbecue sauce while they’re cooking, pour some of the sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it on both sides of the ribs about every 15 minutes during the last half hour of cooking. Alternatively, you can serve all of the sauce on the side.

Remove the ribs from the grill and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Cut the slabs into individual ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

You can also freeze the ribs in the slab for future great eating. Allow them to cool, wrap them in ample plastic wrap, and freeze. For best results, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator before reheating them in a 225°F oven for about an hour. I reheat mine right in the plastic wrap with no trouble at that low temperature. But you can also reheat them unwrapped in a foil-covered pan. If you want to reheat them on the grill, wrap them in foil.