What to BBQ?

Anyone in Texas will tell you that a real barbecue MUST include beef brisket. They'll also tell you to smoke it overnight in a smoker but you don't absolutely HAVE to do it that way. You can make brisket on a gas or charcoal grill for about six hours or - tell no one about this - even make it in your oven.

It's time to get truly carnivorous and eat that meat right off the bone. If you do it right, it might just fall into your mouth with no real gnawing required. It's your choice whether you pick beef or pork ribs, but pork is recommended.

Pulled pork or pork belly - your choice! Well, pulled pork is the most civilized and you can make up three or four different delectable sauces to go with it. Don't forget the coleslaw to go on the sandwiches!

Please, please do not attempt this with your average grocery store smoked sausage. Go for the good stuff. If you're in Louisiana or Texas this shouldn't be a problem. If you're elsewhere, buy the best and most peppery looking smoked sausage your store has to offer or order Texas or Louisiana sausage online. It's so worth it!

There's no shame in barbecued chicken - if you actually barbecue it! Just throwing some sauce on a baked chicken does not a barbecued chicken make. Break out the grill and do it right. If you have a smoker, even better.

Spice things up and barbecue the southwestern way with Mexican barbecued cabrito. Cabrito is barbecued goat that is oven barbecued in an underground sort of pit. You don't have to a have a smoker or a grill! Just a shovel, some wood, wire, dirt, . . . well, look it up.