Loading... Please wait...

Barbecue Glossary


This is an alphabetical listing of cooking / barbecue terms. As far as I can tell, this will be an unending endeavor...


0 - 9  

3-2-1 - A method of smoking that uses 3 hrs smoke, 2 hrs foiled, 1 hr unwrapped. The foiling helps keep the meat moist and tender.



Adobo Sauce - A dark-red sauce or paste of Mexican origin made from tomato, vinegar, chiles and garlic. Often used to pack Chipotle Chiles in cans.

Anaheim Chile - Chile named after the California city. It is a mild pepper, usually medium green in color and has a long, narrow shape. The red strain is called the Colorado chile. Anaheim chiles can be purchased fresh or canned. They have a sweet mild taste with just a hint of heat.

Ancho Chile -Deep reddish brown in color, Ancho has a mild paprika flavor, with sweet to moderate heat. It is the sweetest of the dried chilies. In its fresh, green state, the ancho is referred to as a Poblano Chile.

Arm Shoulder - See Picnic.

Ash Catcher -  A removable metal tray used to hold the ashes that fall away from the coals. Remove the tray, after the grill is cool to shake off ashes and clean the tray.

Ash Tool - An accessory for the Big Green Egg. A metal tool which can be used to stir ashes in the cooker (to knock the ash off from previous fires) and to scrape out ash through the lower vent.

ABT -Atomic Buffalo Turds: Jalapeno pepper that has been deseeded and deveined then most commonly stuffed with cheese and/or meat. You can actually stuff with anything that you wish.

AR - American Royal

Award - An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence.



Top of Page

Baby Back Ribs - Ribs cut from the top of the pig's rib cage between the spine and the spare ribs.

Back Ribs -  

  • Beef ribs cut from a rib roast. 
  • Pork ribs that come from the back or loin of the animal. The ribs are taken from the center cut and part of the blade end of the pork loin. They consist of a minimum of 8 ribs but can include up to 14 ribs. An average rack of ribs includes 12 to 13 ribs. The ribs have meat between the bones and are meatier than spare ribs, but do not have as much meat as country-style ribs. Because they do come from the loin, they are leaner than spare ribs. They are also more expensive. Because they are the leanest of the ribs, baby backs are less messy to eat than the other ribs, but can be more prone to be overcooked. They are also easier to handle than spare ribs, because they are smaller. They have a naturally sweeter flavor than spare ribs.

Banana Chile - See Hungarian Wax Chile.

Banking Coals- This is moving the charcoal to one side of the grill. This allows the food to be cooked via the indirect heating method.

Barbecue (also: Barbeque, BBQ, Bar-B-Q, Bar-B-Que, Bar-B-Cue, Barbie, 'Cue, 'Que, Q) - This is the most common American spelling of the word. Other variations include barbeque and bar-b-que. This latter version leads to the theory of the word having French origins, though it most likely came from the Caribbean area, where a similar phrase described a form of cooking in a pit covered with leaves. The word can refer to the act of cooking, as in 'we're having a barbeque', or the result of that cooking, as in 'we are serving barbecue'. Barbecue meat can come from a grill, oven or crock pot, but is most commonly thought of as resulting from some form of smoker, pit, or open fire, where charcoal and wood are the primary fuels. Other popular variations of the word include BBQ, B-B-Q, and simply "Q".

Barbecue Associations -

Barbecue Blog -A blog (blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary about barbecue and cooking related topics, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.

Barbecue Cut Ribs - See Kansas City Style Ribs.

Barbecue Sauce - A red, yellow, brown or white (yes white) sauce which can be sweet, tart, spicy, or aromatic. Most are tomato based and they can be served with the food or used as a marinade or for basting.

Barbecue Team -A group of friends who get together to compete at barbecue competitions cooking chicken, ribs, pork butt, brisket and whole hog.

Barbecue Tender - See Skirt Meat.

Bark - A dark brown to black, chewy and flavorful layer which forms on the outer layer of the meat when cooked low and slow. The formation of bark is assisted by the use of a rub. The more sugar in your rub, the darker the color of the bark will be due to caramelization and/or burning of the sugar. Some feel that rubbing the meat with mustard aids the formation of the bark.

Barrow - A male butcher hog.

Baste - To brush, spoon or pour a seasoned liquid over the surface of food while grilling to keep food moist. The liquid can be a marinade, drippings from the bottom of the pan or oil.

Baste - To moisten periodically with a liquid.

BAT’s - Big Ass Trophies, trophies that usually signify a high finish in a BBQ competition. 

BB - Baby Back Ribs: Taken from the top of the rib cage between the spine and the spareribs. They are not as large as spare ribs.

BBB - Buck Board Bacon

BBQ - Barbecue

BBQ Guru -  A BBQ Guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in the area of Barbecue, and who uses it to guide others (teacher).

BBQ Tender - See Skirt Meat.

BCC - Beer Can Chicken: Chicken cooked on rack that holds a whole chicken upright with a can of your favorite liquid inside of the chicken. The can of soda, juice, water or most commonly beer keeps the chicken moist.

BDS -  Big Drum Smoker, a cooker made from an oil-style drum.

Beer - A malt beverage that helps cooks stay hydrated.

Beer Butt Chicken - A method of roasting a chicken in which a beer can is inserted into the rear cavity of a whole chicken. The two are placed on the cooking surface so that the can and chicken are upright. The can is filled with liquid (usually beer), herbs and spices. The theory is that the liquid will keep the chicken moist and the liquid, herbs and spices will flavor the chicken.

Beer-Friendly - Of a recipe or cooking technique meant to be used outdoors on a grill or smoker. Not so complicated that beer will interfere with the execution of the recipe or technique, or result in the cook setting himself on fire or otherwise injuring himself.

Beer-Safe - See Beer-friendly.

Bellows -  a popular accessory to help boost combustion in wood fires, feeding air to the flames as it is forced out of an expandable bladder. Though unnecessary for a gas hearth where the combustion level is easily controlled with the turn of a knob, bellows' lovely finish in attractive blends of fine woods with vinyl or leather makes them a decorative accessory.

BGE - Big Green Egg, see Ceramic Cooker

Big Green Egg - A green ceramic grill, shaped like an egg. The airtight design holds heat and retains moisture. It can smoke brisket slowly at low temperatures or it can sear steak at high temperatures.

Blade Boston Roast - See Butt.

Blade Shoulder - See Butt.

Boar - An uncastrated male breeding hog weighing up to 1000 pounds.

Boston Butt - See Butt. 

Brazier - See Grill

Breaks - See Brisket Bone.

BRITU -Best Ribs In The Universe

Brine - A solution of water and salt used to improve the flavor, texture, and moisture content of lean cuts of meat. The meat is typically soaked in this solution for a period of time ranging from a few hours to up to two days. Via osmosis, the salt is introduced into the muscle fibers where the salt denatures the proteins in the meat fibers. Once the proteins are denatured, they can retain more moisture in the meat. Brines may also contain sugar and various herbs and spices so as to introduce flavor into the meat. Once the salinity of the solution reaches equilibrium with the salinity of the fluid in the meat, any molecules of flavoring substances are then free to move back and forth between the meat and the solution. If you would like to try brining, be sure to follow the instructions carefully. Do not place a raw piece of meat into a warm brine. The brine must be completely chilled before the meat is introduced so as to prevent bacteria growth. Also, be aware that the salt needs to be weighed, not measured by volume. A cup of table salt and a cup of kosher salt are not equal in weight. Table salt weighs approximately 10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. So, if a brine recipe calls for a cup of table salt and you cannot weigh the salt, you can approximate the correct amount of salt by using 2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (7.7 ounces per cup) or 1.5 cups of Morton Kosher Salt (5.5 ounces per cup).

Brining - See Brine.

Briquette - A type of charcoal that is formed by pressing various combustibles together into a small, compact brick, or briquette. The downsides of briquettes is that they are not just the wood itself - they can contain accelerants, sawdust, binders, etc. - things that can affect the taste of the meat, and may not be things you want to ingest. heir upside is that they are relatively inexpensive, and they do keep an nice consistent heat for cooking, and in my experience they burn a little longer that equivalent lump charcoal. When using briquettes I highly recommend not using one that has an accelerant, or lighter fluid, added to the briquettes, as it will likely dramatically affect the taste of the meat.

Brisket - The brisket primal is located on the underside of the animal below the chuck primal and is also known as the breast meat, which extends from between the forelegs to the plate. It includes part of the breast bone and the lower ends of ribs 1-5. The fore shank, which is the top of the fore leg, is often included with the brisket primal. The brisket / plate / flank are often grouped together as one primal cut or they may be considered as separate primal cuts. 
The brisket market cut, which is what most barbecue chef's are familiar with, is located between the fore shank and the plate and is directly below the chuck primal. It is very flavorful, but tough. It is usually sold boneless and more often than not, it is cut into two pieces, the flat and the point. However, it is also often sold as a whole brisket with the two pieces intact.

Brisket Bone - Of pork, the small meaty pieces that are removed from the spare rib when cutting St. Louis style ribs. Cut from butcher hogs, they are very meaty.

British Thermal Unit (BTU) - A rating system used to determine the maximum heat a grill generates. Propane has a BTU rating of 15,000 BTUs per pound a 30,000 BTU grill would consume 2 pounds per hour.

Brochette - The French term for grilling food on a skewer.

BSKD - Brinkman Smoke King Deluxe

BTU's - British Thermal Unit, the primary heat measurement unit used by the hearth industry. It is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water by 1 degree F.

BUD - Baby Ugly Drum.

Bullet -  Bullets are drum shaped cookers that often have a dome lid. Usually made from lightweight metal and inexpensive, they are top loading and typically have 15" wide racks. They usually have an enamelized pan to hold water to separate the meat from the heat. These water pans also add moisture to the oven space and help keep the meat from drying out. The better designs have a door or flap on the side so you can add fuel, wood, or water. One model, the Weber Smokey Mountain (pictured), is very well built and has a cult following. The biggest problems are that (1) it is a pain to get at food on the lower shelf, and (2) the 15" wide racks are too narrow for many slabs. Because they are so narrow, when food is crowded on, some goes right up to the edge where it is exposed to direct heat, and as a result overcooks and even burns.

Burner: One or more holes through which a combustible gas flows and burns. Better propane grills have at least 2 – 3 separate burners. "H" burners are found on larger, premium grills and are designed to fill the base and provide better heat distribution. Side burners can be utilized for warming beans and sauces while grilling.

Burnt Ends - A method of preparing brisket, usually from the point. When the flat portion of the brisket is done, the point may be separated from the flat and put back into the cooker for another couple of hours. It is then removed from the cooker, chopped, mixed with sauce and returned to the cooker for another half hour of smoking. The resulting "burnt ends" are then served on a bun.

Butcher Hog - A male or female pig that is raised strictly for meat. It will weigh from 195 to 320 pounds.

Butt or Boston Butt - The upper portion of a pork shoulder. Normally 6-8 pounds and commonly used for pulled pork.

Butt Rub - A slightly suggestive term for a rub applied to a pork butt. See also Rub.

Butt Shoulder - See Butt

Button Bone Riblets - See Button Ribs.

Button Riblets - See Button Ribs.

Button Ribs - Flat circular shaped bones located at the sirloin end of the loin. The button ribs consist of the last 4 to 6 bones on the backbone that do not have actual ribs connected to them. The meat on the button ribs consists of meat that covers each rib and connects them together. 

BWS - Backwoods Smoke

BYC - Klose's Backyard Chef



Top of Page

CAB - Certified Angus Beef

Cabinets - These rectangular units have a front door and usually look a bit like a refrigerator. This design makes it easier than the bullet design to get meat, fuel, wood, and water in or out. Most cabinets are better insulated than bullets, have more shelves, and the shelf positions are more adjustable. There are cabinet designs that are fueled by wood, charcoal, gas, and electricity. The biggest problem is that if you open the door to add wood or water, almost all the heat spills out and it can take 15-30 minutes to get back to temp and stabilize. The top can often be used as a work surface.

Cadillac Cut / Competition Cut - In barbecue competitions the entrants must cut up their slabs into individual bones so each judge can have a bone. Some wily judges don't just cut the bones apart by slicing thrugh the meat midway between the bones, they make extra meaty servings by running their knife along the adjacent bones leaving every other bone meatless and to be sucked on by the kitchen crew.

Call (see Walk) - An announcement at a BBQ competition Awards ceremony that means your team placed.

Canadian Back Ribs - See Back Ribs.

Capsaicin - The chemical in chili peppers that makes them taste hot. Most of the capsaicin resides in the ribs of the pepper and to a lesser extent in the seeds.

Caramelization - Browning of sugars caused by oxidation. Creates rich flavors. Barbecue sauces usually develop interesting new flavors when caramelized. Similar to, but different from the Maillard reaction, described below. Caramelization is a process which occurs when sugar is heated until it forms a liquid and then takes on a color from clear to almost black as it is heated to higher temperatures. Usually associated with candy making, caramelization occurs, however, when any sugar is heated sufficiently. Its primary relevance to cooking barbecue is when it occurs in the sugars contained in a rub or sauce. Note, this is NOT the same thing as the Maillard Reaction!

Carbonized - Charcoal is wood that has been exposed to high heat in the absence much oxygen. Good charcoal will be fully carbonized - you won't see unburned wood on or in the charcoal. Ceramic Briquette: Used in gas grills to distribute heat evenly over the cooking surface of the grill and vaporizing food drippings.

Carousel - (See Rotisserie)

Cascabel Chile -A small dried, plum-shaped, dark blood-red colored chile. This chile has a rich nutty flavor and medium heat. Also known as a chile bola.

Cayenne Chile -A bright red, extremely hot chile. Generally sold dried and used to make cayenne pepper.

Cayenne Pepper - Dried, ground cayenne chiles.

CBBQA -California BBQ Association

CBJ - Certified Barbeque Judge: Person who has completed courses on judging BBQ competitions.

Ceramic Briquettes - Radiant materials compressed into a brick shape and used in gass grills. They do not burn completely like charcoal. Similar alternatives are metal platess and lava rocks.

Ceramic Cooker  - The art of Kamada cooking originated in Japan hundreds of years ago, and today's ceramic charcoal cookers emulate that cooking method. The basic component of the cooker is the clay, or ceramic, a product that has been used by many cultures for centuries. Perhaps the most popular of the brands today is the Big Green Egg. These cookers are very versatile - they can grill, a very high temperatures when desired, they can bake, and they can smoke at low temperatures for very long periods of time, with little maintenance.

CG - CharGriller : Brand of grill/smoker.

Charcoal - Carbonized wood, or wood products. Charcoal is made by exposing wood to high heat in the absence of much oxygen, which causes the wood to carbonize. charcoal has been made much the same way for hundreds of years. The primary advantage of charcoal is that it will typically burn at a consistent temperature for a relatively long period of time, while imparting a nice flavor to meat - making it a virtual necessity for barbecue!

Charcoal Briquette - Made from charcoal, ground coal, dust and starch, these pillow-shaped briquettes are used for outdoor grilling as a means of heating and barbecuing food.

Charcoal Grate - A place to store charcoal in the firebox.

Charcoal Grill - A grill fueled primarily fueled by charcoal.

Charleston Hot Chile -A relatively new variety of cayenne chile, said to be twenty times hotter than the jalapeño chile. Color ranges from yellow-green, to golden, to orange and crimson red.

Cheap Yellow Mustard -  Mustard that is cheap and yellow. Useful for coating pieces of meat before applying a rub since many rubs contain mustard powder and the vinegar in the mustard can help to tenderize the meat. Typically, the cheaper the better, no need to buy higher priced national brands.

Cheater Rack - Of pork ribs, a meat industry term for a rack of ribs that contains only nine bones.

Chef's Bonus - Trimmings that get tossed on the smoker or cut off the slab by the chef to taste just to "see how it's going".

Chief Cook - The main cook for a Competition BBQ team, (see Head Cook).

Chilaca Chile -A mild to medium-hot, rich-flavored chile. When dried, it is known as the Pasilla Chile. Turns from dark green to dark brown when fully mature.

Chile Bola - See Cascabel Chile.

Chile Grill - Normally a stainless steel rack with holes used to cook ABTs.

Chile Negro - See Pasilla Chile.

Chile Pequeno - See Pequin Chile.

Chile Seco - Dried Serrano Chile.

Chiltepin Chile - See Pequin Chile.

Chimney - Usually refers to the charcoal chimney that many people use to get charcoal lit and ready quickly. The charcoal chimney consists of a vertical metal tube where you put the charcoal. This portion of the tube is separated from the bottom of the tube by another piece of metal with holes in it. You stuff paper in the bottom part - or another type of starter you may prefer - and the flame ignites the charcoal above. Units have a handle that is shielded from the tube so you can lift and pour the hot coals when you are ready to add them to the cooker.

Chimney Starter - A cone-shaped container, filled with newspaper, to light coals without lighter fluid.

Chinese Five Spice Powder - See Five Spice Powder.

Chipotle Chile - Smoked, dried jalapenos, often packed in cans in adobo sauce. They have a deep, smoky flavor and can be found in Mexican markets and many supermarkets.

Cold Smoking - Cold smoking is when smoke applied to the food has a temperature between 90F and 120F. Cheese, some spices, and some fish are good when cold smoked. Cold smoking must be done carefully because microbes thrive at these temps. Some smokers need a special insert, a baffle, to lower the temp sufficiently.

Coleman Grills - Coleman makes lightweight cooking stoves for use when a simple method of grilling is needed such as camping.

Collagen - The proteins that converts to gelatin over a long, slow cook.

Colorado Chile - A red variety of Anaheim Chile.

Colorado Style Ribs - See Kansas City Style Ribs.

Combo Cooking - Using a combination of Direct and Indirect cooking methods.

Conduction Heat - In BBQ, this is what is happening when heat is conducted from the outside of the meat to the inside of the meat. The more intense the radiant heat, or the higher the temperature of convection currents, the faster meat conducts heat to its core. 

Consumer Cut - See Retail Cut.

Convection Heat - Heat that rises on convection currents generally referred to in BBQ cooking as the “Indirect Method” or cooking adjacent to the heat source. Convection can be from natural force or stirred by a fan (forced convection).

Contact Us - Want to get in touch with us; do you have a question or comment?

Dante's Devine Blog

Cooker - The generic name used for any cooking device from an electric frying pan to a pit dug in the ground and lined with charcoal.

Cooking Log - A journal that a cook keeps to document their individual cooks.

Cooler - A device that can be used to hold barbecued meats in order to keep them hot until it is time to serve them. Typically, pork butts and briskets are wrapped in foil, then wrapped in towels or blankets, and finally placed in a cooler to keep the meat hot. A single butt can be held safely for 6 to 7 hours. The time can be extended with the use of so-called "super coolers", pre-heating the cooler with hot water, and placing hot foil-wrapped bricks in the cooler with the meat.

COS - Cheapo Offset Smoker. Among them are the popular Char-Broil Silver Smoker, Brinkmann Smoke N' Pit Professional (known as the SNPP on the net), and the dearly departed and beloved New Braunfels Black Diamond (NBBD). They can make great barbecue if you know what you're doing.

Country-style Ribs - Ribs taken from the blade end of the loin closest to the shoulder. Country-style ribs are meatier than other ribs but they are not as easy to eat, due to their bone structure and fat running through the meat. They include a minimum of 3 ribs and can be as many as 6 with bones or boneless.

Cowboy Barbecue - Cooking over an open bed of coals. The cooking team at right won a small rib contest with this simple cowboy barbecue rig.

Cowboy Steak - A porterhouse steak that is rubbed in a paste of garlic, chili powder, salt, oil and pepper, refrigerated for several hours, then seared on a grill.

Cross Over Ignition Systems - A method of lighting multiple burners in sequence by pressing a button.

Cracklings / Cracklins' - The skin of a pig made crispy and crunchy and scrumptious by frying or roasting. Tradition dictates they be either slow roasted on the barbecue or deep fried in lard. Sprinkled liberally with salt, these pigskin delights are the best accompaniment for a Clemson vs. South Carolina game of pigskin on TV. The name probably came from Charles Lamb's 1822 "A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig."

Creosote - Creosote is a group of organic components that condenses on cool surfaces of meat and your smoker when wood is burned improperly. It is black and sticky, tastes bitter, and is carcinogenic. Creosote is a major problem if you use logs for fuel. It can still be a problem if you use chunks, chips, or pellets. The goal is thin, almost invisible smoke. Here are ways to avoid creosote formation: 

  1. Bring the meat to room temp before adding it.
  2. Don't add a lot of cold meat to the smoker at once.
  3. If you are using charcoal or logs, use a small hot fire that does not have to be stifled by closing dampers to keep the heat down.
  4. Cook in warm weather.
  5. Preheat the smoker and give the walls time to warm up.
  6. Don't add a lot of cold charcoal, start it up first in a chimney.
  7. If you are cooking with wood, preheat the logs by letting them sit on the firebox or in the cooking chamber.
  8. Leave the chimney open at all times.
  9. If the fire gets too hot, don't close the dampers, open the firebox door to let out some of the heat.
  10. Check the cooking chamber temperature at least every 30 minutes.
  11. Practice, practice, practice.

Cryovac Stink - Ribs commonly come packed in form-fitting plastic wrap. When you open the pouch you may notice a funny smell. It usually dissipates quickly, especially after washing. If it remains, return them.

CS - Cookshack Eletric Smoke

Culotte - See Tri-Tip Steak.

Cure - Meat to be smoked or jerked should be treated with a cure compound made of salt, sugar and sodium nitrate. This process takes several days

Cut Chart - A graphic showing the shape, size and original location off of the animal of a piece of meat.

Cut Downs - Of ribs, a meat industry term that refers to ribs which have been cut down from one or both sides of the rack in order to drop the rack into a lighter weight range. This is usually seen more with loin back ribs. When a rack is longer than usual and the bone has very little curve, this is a sign of a cut down.

CWB - Cheap White Buns



Top of Page

DAL - Dead Ass Last, this term could be used in a particular meat category or in reference to an overall finish.

Dante Alighieri - Dante Alighieri (May/June c.1265 – September 14, 1321), commonly known as Dante, was an Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called Commedia by the author and later nicknamed Divina by Boccaccio, is often considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature.

Daisy Wheel - See Dual Function Metal Top.

Danger Zone - The DZ is considered to be 40-140 F. Uncured meat should be kept above or below these temperatures, except for short intervals, to retard bacterial growth.

DBS - Double Barrel Smoker

Denver Rack - See Lamb Ribs.

Direct Grilling or Direct Cooking - Food is cooked directly over a heat source. Use the Direct method for foods that take more than 25 minutes to cook thin cuts of meat, vegetables or burgers. Use Direct cooking for searing. How to use the Direct cooking when grilling.

DQ - Disqualification

Done - Meat is done when the temperature of the meat at its thickest point reaches the desired target. It is safe to eat when it is done. That doesn't mean it's ready, though. (See ready)

Drip Pan - A metal pan placed under food to catch drippings when indirect grilling.

Drop-in Grill - Mostly used for outdoor kitchens, the grills operate on charcoal, propane, natural gas, or electricity.

Dry -

  • Dry can refer to the meat being served without sauce.
  • Dry can also refer to the meat being cooked "naked" whereby the juices that escape the meat drip off and go into the fire, or into a pan that is physically separated from the meat itself. Thus it is not cooking in the juices.

Dry Rub -A mixture of dry herbs and spices added to food before grilling because of its ability to stick to meats when grilled. Most rubs start with paprika and/or chili powder to add color and mild flavor.

Dry Smoking - A method of indirect cooking with a low, smoldering wood fire to cook foods slowly to boost the smoke flavor.

Dual Function Metal Top - An accessory for the Big Green Egg. This is a metal cap which is placed on top of the Egg to control airflow out the top of the Egg. It consists of a daisy wheel component, a slider component and the base. The daisy wheel is attached to the slider and rotates. It has six small holes as does the slider. By rotating the daisy wheel, you can adjust the size of the six holes and thus achieve very fine temperature control. The slider/daisy wheel assembly pivots around an attachment to one side of the base, thus allowing the slider to cover a much larger opening in the entire assembly. By controlling this larger opened, you can achieve rougher temperature control. See also our Ceramic FAQ for pictures of this essential device.

Duck Sauce - A thick, sweet-and-sour condiment made from plums, apricots, sugar and seasonings. Duck sauce is often served with duck, pork or spareribs but lots of folks put it on anything Chinese. Also called Plum Sauce.

Dwell - Another name for roasting a steak after you have seared it at high temperature.



Top of Page

ECB - El Cheapo Brinkman, a cheaper version of the backyard, bullet-style cookers.

ECCB - El Cheapo Char-Broil. A bottom of the line smoker by Char-Broil.

EGGER or EGGHEAD - Person that cooks on the big green egg; big green egg enthusiast.

Electric Grill - A grill powered by electricity without an open flame. These can be used indoors as well as outdoors and are more environmentally friendly than charcoal or gas grills.

Ember Cooking - The process of placing foil-wrapped food on a bed of hot coals inside a grill to enhance flavor, and give food a dark, golden brown crust, called caramelization.

Enhanced - Some meat packers are pumping pork and poultry with water, flavorings, preservatives, and salt to help improve the shelf life and keep the meat moister if overcooked, increase the weight, and therefore the profits. Try to avoid meat whose packaging says something like "enhanced", "basted", "pre-basted", "injected", or "marinated". You do not need these additives if you prep and cook the meat properly. Read the fine print. If you cannot find a butcher who sells unenhanced meat, ask if he or she can special order it for you.

Epic Sauce -A tomato base sauce that can be used as both an awesome base or an even better finishing touch to our greatest dish creations.

EVOO or E.V.O.O. - Pronounced "eevoo" or "ee vee oh oh", abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Expert - Ex is the Latin word for something that is apart from the main body and spurt is a drip under pressure. An expert is a drip under pressure and out of the mainstream.

Eye of Round - An inexpensive piece of tasty meat that is, normally, marinated in Dijon mustard and cooked on a grill.



Top of Page

Fahyr - Source of heat for cooking as pronounced by barbecue champs. Spelled "fire".

Fatty - A rolled up sausage concoction that is smoked, recipes variations are endless.

FBA - Florida BBQ Association

Feather Bones - Of pork ribs, a meat industry term for the smallest bones on the spare rib and loin back, located on the rear or ham end of the hog. They generally have more of a curve, and in some cases, actually are more cartilage than bone.

FEC - Fast Eddie Cooker, a cooker made by Smokeshack.

Ferrari - See Komodo Kamado.

Filet Mignon - A high quality thick cut of steak, from the tenderloin, that is tasty, tender, and lean. Since it is thick, it can be sliced opened and stuffed with peppers, cheese, and onion. Grill over high heat to sear.

Firebrick - High temperature brick made especially for use in high-temperature applications such as fireplaces. Firebricks are cream colored. They can be used to provide a ceramic barrier for indirect cooking and as supports for raised grids. Normal brick should not be used for this purpose. See also Splits.

Firebox - This is the part of the cooker that the charcoal rests in. The firebox can be at the bottom of a vertical smoker, or in a box off to the side. For a smoker the firebox is separated from direct radiation of the heat to the meat - by either being off to one side, or by having a water bowl in between the firebox and the meat. When smoking with a charcoal grill you can accomplish the same thing by piling the coals on one side of the grill and cooking the meat on the other side.

Fish Sauce - A sauce made from fermenting fish in brine that is used in Southeast Asian cooking much like soy sauce is used in Chinese cooking.

Five Spice Powder - A blend of anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves and Szechuan pepper. Sold in many supermarkets and Asian markets. Also known as Chinese Five Spice Powder.

Flame Tamers - A stovetop utensil that keeps heat evenly distributed across the bottom of the pan.

Flank Steak - Once considered the poor man’s meat, because it is a tough cut of beef from the belly muscles of a cow. The meat has to be pounded or marinated for tenderness before it is grilled, then it is cut against the grain into thin pieces.

Flashback - The dangerous rapid combustion of volatile organic compounds which occurs when the air vents are shut down for a time and then the cooker lid is opened without first venting the cooker. Usually occurs after high-temperature cooks followed by a dwell, as in cooking steaks. Click Here for more detailed information.

Flat - The back half of a brisket, one of the muscles which make up a whole beef brisket. The flat cut has minimal fat and is usually more expensive than the more flavorful point cut, which has more fat

Flat Half - See Flat.

Flatbone Ribs - See Button Ribs.

Flatbone - Of pork spare ribs, a meat industry term for the wide bone on the shoulder end of the loin.

Flat Iron Steak - A flavorful piece of meat shaped like an old-fashion metal flat iron, and is perfect for grilling. 

Flare Up: Caused by a flash of fire when the natural juices fall on the hot briquettes or grill burner. Flare ups are common when cooking meats with a high fat content such as spare ribs and burgers. Keeping the lid closed while grilling helps prevent flare-ups. and your food will cook faster. What to do if a flare up occurs while grilling

Flavorizing Bars - Distributes heat, creates smoke, and protects burners from drippings.

FLFO - Florida Folks

Flue - The passageway in a chimney for conveying gases away.

Foil - The act of wrapping food in foil while cooking (see Texas Crutch).

Footprint - How much space a cooker takes up on your deck. Important factor to consider when buying a cooker and trying to preserve a marriage.

Fresno Chile - Short and cone-shaped, as hot as the Jalapeño Chile. Color from light green to bright red.

Front Half - See Point.

FTC - Foil, Towel, Cooler



Top of Page

GAB - Great American BBQ

Gas Burners - A hollow area with gas inlet holes and outlet ports. Each inlet has a separate control on the grills' panel.

Gas grill - A grill fueled by a propane or natural gas.

Gasser - A propane fahyrd smoker.

GBD (GB&D) - Golden Brown and Delicious.

GC - Grand Champion, the overall first place winner at a BBQ competition.

Gilt - A female butcher hog.

Glaze - A shiny coating. Glazes get their sheen from sugar. Some sauces are also glazes. To make a tasty, glossy coating on food as it cooks. A glaze is usually made by basting.

Glycemic Index - The glycemic index, glycaemic index, or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.

GLBBQA - Great Lakes BBQ Association

GOSM - Great Outdoor Smokey Mountain

Granton Edge -  

  • Mistakenly used to refer to a series of eliptical shaped depressions on the sides of a knife blade. These depressions create air pockets which reduce the ability of the food to stick to the blade of the knife.
  • Similar to the first definition, but instead a configuration where the elliptical depressions extend all the way to the cutting edge of the knife. This is the correct usage of the term and is trademarked and patented by Granton Cutlery.

GrateMate - A clever set of accessories for use in the Big Green Egg. It allows raised grates, wok cooking, holds drip pans, etc. Especially useful in the small Big Green Egg since there is no plate setter available for the small egg.

Grid Extender - An accessory for the Big Green Egg. It is basically a grid that clips onto the main grid, thus providing a second raised cooking grid. See our Ceramic FAQ for more details.

Grid Topper - A porcelain-covered metal tray with holes or slots in it. Used to grill foods that might otherwise fall through the grid into the fire. See also Wok Topper.

Griddle - A flat piece of steel heated from beneath. Food cooked on a griddle is often called "grilled" although strictly it is griddled not grilled. These are popular in cafes and restaurants since you can use them indoors.

Grill - A grill, also known as a brazier, is where the food sits on a grate above flame, directly exposed to the heat. Hibachis and Weber Kettles are good examples of grills/braziers. Grilling is usually done at temps of 300F or higher and some grills can reach more than 600F. It is important to differentiate between grills/braziers and smokers/barbecues. It may seem like a minor semantic difference, but it makes a huge difference in flavor.

Grill Basket - A metal container, with tiny holes in it used to hold smaller food, like vegetables, on the grill to keep them out of the fire.

Grill Brush - A cleaning utensil used to remove caked-on, charred foot bits from the grill grate.

Grill Dome - A brand of ceramic cooker made by the Grill Dome company.

Grill Marks - Black impressions of the cooking grate that are burned into the meat.

Grill Plank - Plank Cooking is the technique of roasting fish and game on wood planks. The Pacific Northwest has long been famous for Plank Cooking. Early explorers extolled the aroma and flavor of this technique. Native Americans pioneered the art of roasting fish and game on wood planks.

Grill Rack - A space saving device used to stand food vertically and drain fat from the meat.

Grill Topper - A porcelain grid, with small holes in it, and a handle for easy flipping. Best used for grilling small, delicate food such as fish or vegetables.

Grill Igniters - Miniature spark plugs that are located on or at the burner of a gas grill. An igniter sends a high voltage along the wire to the igniter electrode inside the collector box. The collector box collects gas, which sparks the light.

Grill Wok - A perforated, bowl-shaped skillet used to prepare stir-fried dishes on a gas or electric grill. Also especially made for the grill with numerous small holes and sloped sides to make grilling seafood or chopped meat or vegetables easy.

Grilling or Direct Heat Cooking - Cooking directly over flame or the heat source at temperatures of 300F or more. Most barbecue is low and slow and most grilling is hot and fast.

Grilling Oil -  A seasoned oil that is used to lightly coat vegetables to add extra flavor, aid in searing and to prevent sticking to the grill.

Grill Sauce - A seasoned sauce used to lightly coat meat and vegetables to add extra flavor.

Ground Beef - Meat formed into patties to make juicy burgers on the grill.

Guajillo Chile -  A dried chile whit a shiny-smooth, deep, burnished red skin. The chile is very tough and must be soaked longer than most dried chiles. Pointed, long and narrow in shape. Also known as the Travieso Chile.

Guero Chile -  A generic term for yellow chiles such as Hungarian Wax Chile or Santa Fe Grande Chile.

Guru - See BBQ Guru.



Top of Page

Habanero Chile -  Extremely hot, small lantern-shaped chile. It ranges in color from light green to bright orange when ripe. Can be used in both fresh and dried form

Ham End - Of a hog, the rear end. So called because the hams come from the rear legs of the hog.

Hanger Steak - A cut of beef that looks like a V and commonly cut into two separate pieces. It is a tough piece of meat, with lots of flavor, and is best marinated before grilling over high heat.

Hardwood - Refers to those species of wood that are non-resinous, which typically makes the wood stronger and "harder" in terms of its strength. Hardwoods are used for cooking to give the meat a distinctive smoky flavor, and this flavor will vary depending on the wood used. Resinous wood, such as pine trees, should not be used for cooking - they will produce an acrid smoke that will give your meat a very rough taste, and the creosote from the wood will build up quickly on the smoker.

Hasty Bake - A versatile grill that can barbecue, bake and smoke. The grill also comes with a firebox and grease drainage system for better temperature control and reduce flare-ups.

HDAF - Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

Head Cook - The main cook for a competition BBQ team (see Chief Cook).

Heat Indicators - There are two types of heat indicator: one gauges the temperature of meat and the other gauges the temperature of food.

Heat Plates - A plate used to keep food hot after removing it from off the grill.

Heat Tents - The process of wrapping food in an aluminum foil-shaped tent before placing it on the grill. Heat circulates inside, and seal in the juices.

Herbs - Dried or fresh green leaves that are added to foods to contribute flavor. The active ingredients are usually oils in the leaves. See how they differ from spices, below.

Hickory - A tree that is possibly the most popular for producing the smoky flavor favored by barbecuers. Hickory has a strong smoke that has been known to make neighbors salivate just from the smell of the wood burning.

Hoisin Sauce - A thick, sweet, dark and spicy condiment made from soy beans, chiles, garlic, ginger and sugar.

Hollow Edge - Another named for a Granton Edge knife. Probably used by manufacturers who wish to avoid having to worry about Granton Cutlery having trademarked the name "Granton Edge".

Hollow Ground Edge - Usually mis-used to mean a Granton Edge knife, however, a hollow ground edge is actually one where convex curves are carved out of the edge to form a sharper, thinner, more delicate edge.

Hot 'n' Fast - Cooking over high heat, usually an open flame, at temperatures usually over 350F. Hot'n fast is great for browning the meat with the Maillard reaction. Cooking at this temp requires you to turn the meat at least once lest it burn. (See Low 'n' Slow)

Hot Sauce-Hot sauce, chili sauce or pepper sauce refers to any spicy sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Heat levels do very greatly.

Hot Wings - A buffalo wing, hot wing or wing is a chicken wing section (drumette or flat) that is traditionally fried unbreaded and then coated in sauce.

Hot Wings Sauce -The sauce (various flavors and heat levels) that is used to coat Hot Wings.

Humpty - Affectionate name for a Big Green Egg.

Hungarian Wax Chile - A large yellow chile that ranges in flavor from mild to medium-hot. Alsa has a distinctly waxy flavor. Also called Banana Chiles.



Top of Page

ICBA - International Barbeque Cookers Association

ILBBQS - Illinois BBQ Society

Imperial Kamado - A brand of Kamado-style cooker which is made by the Imperial Kamado company. Most notable for the fact that it is the only major Kamado-style cooker on the market which is made from clay and thus cannot cook with high heat. This limits its usage to low-temperature smoking and roasting.

Indirect Cooking or Grilling: Food is cooked indirectly over a heat source. Use the Indirect method for foods that take less than 25 minutes to larger cuts of meat such as whole chickens, roasts, ribs and delicate fish fillets. Cooking with the Indirect method will make the inside of meats juicy and tender while the outside is brown and caramelized. How to use Indirect cooking when grilling

Indirect Heat - The source from where nearby food get heat in order to cook.

Inferno -

  • Inferno (Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Dante Alighieri's fourteenth-century epic poem Divine Comedy.
  • In Dante's the poem, Hell is depicted as nine circles of suffering located within the Earth. The circles are concentric, representing a gradual increase in wickedness, and culminating at the centre of the earth, where Satan is held in bondage.
  • This is a journey through the pleasures of heat. Inferno is our hottest level and my personal favorite. Inferno is flavorful but definitely not for those with sensitive systems. But for those of us who like the temperature turned up, this is the level of choice. Taste is not sacrificed for just pure heat though. This level is not made to just simply burn your taste buds out. You will still be overwhelmed with the rich texture and abundance of flavor as the heat settles in.

Injection -A liquid concoction that is injected into meats, usually prior to smoking.

Iodized Salt - Table Salt which has had sodium iodide added as a dietary supplement in order to prevent hypothyroidism. Can be used in rubs, but should never be used for Brining.



Top of Page

 Jalapeno Chile - Smooth, dark green (scarlet red when ripe) chiles that range from hot to very hot. They're available fresh and canned. Dried, jalapeños are known as chipotle chiles.

Jamaican Hot Chile -Bright red, extremely hot, small and irregularly shaped chile.

Jerk - Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meats are dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. Jerk seasoning is traditionally applied to pork and chicken. Modern recipes also apply jerk spice mixes to fish, shrimp, shellfish, beef, sausage, and tofu. Jerk chicken, pork, or fish originally was smoked over aromatic wood charcoal. Most jerk in Jamaica is no longer cooked in the traditional method and is grilled over hardwood charcoal in a steel drum jerk pan. The wood ("pimento wood"), berries, and leaves of the allspice plant among the coals contribute to jerk's distinctive flavor.

Jerk Seasoning - Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items: allspice (called "pimento" in Jamaica) and Scotch bonnet peppers (among the hottest peppers on the Scoville scale). Other ingredients include cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Jerky- Jerky is meat that has been cut into strips, trimmed of fat, marinated in a spicy, salty, sweet rub, or liquid, and dried or smoked with low heat (usually under 70 °C/160 °F) or is occasionally just salted and sun-dried. The result is a salty, savory, or semisweet snack that can be eaten fresh, or be stored for a long time without refrigeration.



Top of Page

Kabobs - Pieces of meat, poultry, fish and/or vegetables, threaded on to skewers and grilled.

Kamado -

  • A style of ceramic cooker based on the Japanese clay kamado cookers.
  • A brand of cooker made by the Kamado company.

Kansas City Style Ribs - A way of preparing spare ribs similar to the St. Louis Style Ribs ribs except they are trimmed more, making the ribs less meaty. The end flap and hard bone along the bottom are trimmed and the ribs are cut into a rectangle shape, resulting in a cut resembling back ribs.

KCBS - Kansas City Barbeque Society

Kettle Grill - A round charcoal grill used for both direct and indirect grilling. Keeping the lid on the grill will circulate heat and prevent flare-ups.

Kindling - Thin, dry wood used to start a fire.

Kingsford - A popular charcoal used by many cookers.

Knife and Fork - Objects not allowed near ribs.

KMP - Klose Mobile Pit 

Komodo Kamado - A charcoal cooker made with refractory-based materials by the Komodo Kamado company. Not to be confused with the Kamado company. (Komodo Kamado was created out of the ruins left behind by the Kamado company when its owner fled Indonesia to avoid creditors. Komodo Kamado put most of the stranded workers back to work and ended up producing the Ferrari of the ceramic charcoal cooker world, using the highest quality materials and techniques to solve the problems which to this day continue to plague owners of cookers made by the Kamado company.)

Kosher Salt - An additive-free coarse-grained salt. Can be used in preparing kosher meat. Also used by cooks who prefer its texture and flavor. Can be used in rubs and brining.

KP - Klose Pit



Top of Page

Lamb Ribs - Lamb ribs come from the breast and contain no less than seven ribs. The width should be between three and seven inches. The fat cover and diaphragm and continuous muscles should be removed. The outside of the rib should be trimmed of fat so at least 70 to 80% lean meat remains.

Lava Rock - A light density rock that distributes heat quickly. It is an alternative to the ceramic rock, and can be used multiple times.

Lemongrass - An herb widely used in Southeast Asia, available in most Asian markets. For cooking, use just the fragrant green leaves, finely minced. The stems are tough and flavorless, but should take root if placed in water allowing you to grow your own lemongrass.

Let Meat Stand: Letting the meat rest for a few minutes before serving allows its juices to redistribute, providing for a more consistent and juicy taste.

Lighter Fluid - Alcohol based chemical used in starting charcoal. Normally gives a chemical taste in the food. Can be dangerous to use.

Liquid Propane - Liquefied petroleum gas, available in cylinders, for home use.

Liquid Smoke - Liquid smoke is a substance produced from smoke passed through water. Liquid smoke is used for both food preservation and flavoring.

Loin Back Ribs - See Back Ribs.

Loin Ribs - See Back Ribs.

Low 'n' Slow - By keeping the heat low, under 275F, and taking your time, the fats and collagens melt, making the meat juicy and flavorful. Heat it up too much and the proteins get bunched up in a knot and the meat is tough. Cooking low 'n slow means you usually do not have to turn the meat over because it is not exposed to direct heat. See Hot 'n' Fast

LSBS - Lone Star BBQ Society

Lump - A type of charcoal that is favored by many serious barbecue people. Lump charcoal contains only the actual wood being burned - there are no accelerants to make it burn faster or more easily, no additives to bind it together, no by products like sawdust. You can get many different species of wood in lump charcoal to suit your barbecue taste, and the quality of the charcoal itself may vary from one manufacturer to another. Most ceramic charcoal cooker companies recommend that you only use lump charcoal in their cookers - indeed the Big Green Egg even sells their own lump charcoal to go with their Eggs.

Lump Charcoal - Fired up from actual wood pieces, lump charcoal burns hotter, longer and has a flavorful smoke.



Top of Page

MABA - Mid Atlantic BBQ Association

Mapp Torch - A canister of highly flammable gas used by some enthusiasts to quickly ignite charcoal. These torches are similar to propane torches, but the Mapp gas burns hotter. In addition to speeding up the process, using a torch eliminate the ash that will result from using newspaper or similar to start your fire. Both are easily found in the plumbing section of a typical home building supply store.

Maillard Reaction - The Maillard reaction is one of the great miracles of cooking. It is the chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars created by heat responsible for the crust on breads, dark beer, transforming boring beans into coffee and chocolate, and turning the outside of roasted meat into something rich and complex. Similar to, but not the same as caramelization. The Maillard reaction occurs when the denatured proteins on the surface of the meat recombine with the sugars present. The combination creates the "meaty" flavor and changes the color. For this reason, it is also called the browning reaction. The Maillard reaction occurs most readily at around 300° F to 500° F. When meat is cooked, the outside reaches a higher temperature than the inside, triggering the Maillard reaction and creating the strongest flavors on the surface

MAPP - A gas which is a combination of liquefied petroleum and Methylacetylene - Propadiene. It is a stable, high-energy fuel that produces 2,405 BTU/cubic foot with a 5301 °F (2927 °C) flame temperature. Much better heating than a propane-only torch. Sold in one-pound cylinders similar to the ever-familiar propane torches. Often used by owners of ceramic cookers to light charcoal fires.

Marinade - A flavored liquid, which includes an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar or dairy. Acid tenderizes the meat and balances out sweet or spicy flavors in the marinade. A liquid to soak the meat in. In order for it to penetrate -- and it doesn't penetrate very far, by the way -- it needs acidity. Acidity can be found in most fruit juices, wine, and vinegar. Similar to a brine, but with much less salt and much more acid.

Marking: The process of creating grill marks from the hot grids of the grill on food. By searing for 90 seconds and rotating the food clockwise 45 degrees, you will create an elegant crisscross pattern. How to properly mark grilled food.

Market Ready Cut - See Retail Cut.

Marinate - The process of soaking meat in a seasoned liquid before grilling to enhance the meat’s flavor.

Meat Injector - Meat injectors are basically a hypodermic needle with a large gauge needle. You use this syringe to place small amounts of sauces into thick parts of any meat before you cook it. Whether you are grilling, smoking, frying or roasting a large cut of meat, this is the best way to get extra moisture and flavor deep into the meat.

Medium Doneness - The center of the meat should have a pinkish red color and the meat will be springy and slightly firm when you press it.

Medium Rare Doneness - The center of the meat should be bright red and the meat will be slightly springy when you press it. Medium rare is not recommended for pork, ground meats, or veal.

Medium Well Doneness - The center of the meat should have very little pink and the meat will be firm and springy when you press it.

Membrane - Also known as the skin, it must be removed.

Mexican Jumpin' Lump - Another term for mesquite lump. So called because of its tendency to spark and shoot hot bits of flaming lump all over the place.

MiM - Memphis in May

Minion Method - A method created by Jim Minion. Place several lit coals on top of a full chamber of unlit coals. The unlit coals gradually light throughout the cook from the lit coals resulting in a much longer cook time of up to 18 hours depending on conditions.

Mirin - A type of Rice Wine.

Mod - Modification, usually in reference to modifying a smoker.

Money Muscle - The small strip of loin meat that is on the opposite side of the blade one.

Mole - A rich, spicy, dark, reddish-brown sauce usually served with poultry. Generally, mole is a smooth, cooked blend of onion, garlic, several varieties of chiles, ground seeds such as sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, and a small amount of Mexican chocolate.

MOP - Mop or Mop sauce. A thin sauce brushed on the meat while it is cooking, especially on an old fashioned direct heat pit. It keeps the surface cool and adds flavor. The classic mop is vinegar based with black pepper, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce. The mixture is poured into a large wooden bucket, stirred, and mopped on the pig every 15 minutes or so, especially if you are cooking in a pit dug in the ground. Use a broom handle with a rag tied on the end. Modern variations on the theme use beer, apple juice, and even soft drinks like Dr. Pepper. Keep at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling over direct heat.

Mr. Brown - See bark, above.

Mrs. White - The meaty inside of the barbecued meat. Opposite of Mr. Brown.

Mulato Chile -  A type of dried Poblano Chile, smokier than its relative, the Ancho Chile. Used in make Mole.

Mustard - Mustard, preferably the cheap yellow variety, can be used to coat a piece of meat, either before or after the application of the rub. The mustard may assist in the formation of the bark, while it can also flavor the meat. Although no one would slather mustard on most finished barbecued pieces of meat, many rubs contain dry mustard powder. Many sauces contain mustard and vinegar. So it isn't as outlandish as you might initially think. The mustard disappears during the cooking process.



Top of Page

NB - New Braunfels

NBBD - New Braunfels Black Diamond, a popular Cheapo Offset Smoker with a side firebox. No longer being made.

NEBS - New England BBQ Association

Nine Circles of Hell -

  1. First Circle (Limbo)
  2. Second Circle (Lust)
  3. Third Circle (Gluttony)
  4. Fourth Circle (Avarice and Prodigality)
  5. Fifth Circle (Wrath and Sullenness)
  6. Sixth Circle (Heresy)
  7. Seventh Circle (Violence)
  8. Eighth Circle (Fraud)
  9. Ninth Circle (Treachery)

Not-hot-spot - On a grill, to cook with indirect heat one creates a two-zone cooking surface by banking the coals to one side or by turning off all the burners except one or two. The space on the grates above the flame is the hot spot and the place you put the meat is the not-hot-spot.

NTTAWWT - Not That There's Anything Wrong With That



Top of Page

Offset Side Firebox - A very popular smoker design has two sealed boxes or tubes connected on one side. One is for a charcoal or wood fire, and the heat and smoke drain into the other, the oven, which is offset by being a little higher. The smoke moves through the oven in order to get to the chimney which is on the side opposite the firebox. Some offset fireboxes can be used as a brazier, either by placing a grate in the firebox, or by putting coals in the oven.

Open Brazier - An open charcoal grill with a grid, used for quick grilling.

OTG - Weber One Touch Gold 

OTP - Weber One Touch Performer 

OTS - Weber One Touch Silver

Oven - An enclosed cooker. The big hot thing in your kitchen is an oven and a Weber Kettle with the lid on is also an oven. With the lid off it is not. It is a brazier (see definition above).

Oyster Sauce - A dark, brown sauce consisting of oysters, brine and soy sauce cooked until thick and concentrated. Oyster sauce gives dishes a richness without overpowering their natural flavor. Available in many supermarkets and all Asian markets.



Top of Page

Pachange - In Southern Texas a pachange is a shindig featuring barbecue and live music.

Packer - A whole brisket that is untrimmed of fat. This keeps the brisket "self basting" during the cook so that it remains moist. Varies in weight from 8 to 20 pounds.

Packer Brisket - A large piece of meat with two distinct muscles, the Point and the Flat.

Paradise - 

  • Paradise is the third part of Dante Alighieri's fourteenth-century epic poem Divine Comedy
  • Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness.
  • Paradise is the mildest heat level of Dante's Devine products but it is all flavor. From the beginning when the sweetness flows over you then moving into a symphony of taste with a lingering flavor, it is all about the mellow pleasures from the beginning to the … next bite.

Pasilla Chile -Rich-flavored, medium-hot chile, blackish-brown in color, which is why it's also called Chile Negro. This chile is sold whole, and powdered. In its fresh form this chile is called a Chilaca Chile.

Pastrami - A brisket of beef that has been cured in a mixture of garlic, peppercorns, sugar, coriander seeds, etc., then smoked before cooking. Despite some claims to the contrary, pastrami is a noun describing the meat prepared in a certain way, not a verb. We have been unable to find any source that indicates that pastrami is a verb. We would be happy to be shown a dictionary that indicates that there is an English verb, "to pastrami".

Peeking - Leave the lid on, the door down, the hatch latched. If you're lookin' you ain't cookin'. Opening the cover even for a few moments lets out a lot of heat and moisture and messes up the equilibrium of the fire. Get a good thermometer, a timer, a cold beer, a lounge chair, and chill. No peeking.

Peel - A wooden or metal paddle used to move pizza and other baked goods in and out of the baking chamber. Instructions for building your own peel can be found here.

Pellets - Pellets are made of 100% compressed wood sawdust with no additives. A renewable fuel source made from sawdust or wood chips otherwise destined for landfill

Pellet Smoker - A smoker that uses wood pellets for fuel instead of charcoal or gas.


Pequin Chile - Oval shaped, tiny dried chiles. Red-orange in color, their flavor is slightly sweet and smoky and their heat very high. The pequín is also called Chile Pequeño

Picnic - A sub-primal cut from the lower portion of the shoulder. A more economical but also fattier cut than the butt. When the bone and fat is trimmed from this cut it results in a very rich flavored roast. The meat from this cut is excellent for making juicy barbecued pulled pork. It may have the bone in it or the bone removed and rolled and tied.

Picnic Roast - See Picnic.

Picnic Shoulder - See Picnic.

Pig on a stick - Ribs... My favorite food.

Pig Pickin' - A meal where a whole hog is served and people can just pluck the meat off whatever part of the carcass they wish.

Pit - Originally a pit was a hole in the ground lined with logs burned down to charcoal. In recent years, the word "pit" has become more generic and now means just about any device for cooking barbecue.

Pit Bitch - 

  • The person that keeps a competition BBQ team focused and on task.
  • A person that assists a BBQ team during competition.

Pit Master - An experienced barbecue cook, a skilled craftsman, who watches over the pit and can tell by sight, sound, smell, and touch, if it is running too hot or too cold, when it needs fuel, when to add wood, when to add sauce, and when the meat is ready.

Place Setter - See Plate Setter.

Place Sitter - See Plate Setter.

Plate Setter - An accessory for the Big Green Egg. It is basically a ceramic plate with legs. You can use it as a ceramic barrier for indirect cooking and as a way of elevating a pizza stone to the level of the opening of the Egg. See our Ceramic FAQ for more details.

Plate Sitter - See Plate Setter.

Plateau - The phase during the low and slow cooking of piece of meat like a pork butt or a brisket in which the internal temperature of the meat stops rising. During this phase, the connective tissue in the meat (collagen) is being converted to gelatin. This conversion process uses all the heat from the fire and as a result, the internal temperature of the meat stops rising. Once this conversion is complete, the heat from the fire can go back towards raising the internal temperature of the meat. This plateau can last many hours and can occur at different internal meat temperatures. The internal temperature of the meat may even drop a few degrees during this phase.

Plum Sauce - See Duck Sauce

Poblano Chile - A dark green chile with flavor that varies from mild to hot. The darkest poblanos have the richest flavor. Poblanos are available fresh and canned. Ripe poblanos turn a reddish-brown color and are sweeter than the green. When dried, they're known as ancho or mulato chiles. Poblanos are best known as the chile used for chiles rellenos.

Point - The font half of a brisket, one of the muscles which make up a whole beef brisket. The point cut has more fat and more flavor than the more expensive flat cut.

Point Cut - See Point.

Polder - A brand of remote thermometers, although this name is often used generically to refer to any remote thermometer. These thermometers typically have a probe with an armored cable. The probe goes into the meat and the cable snakes out of the cooker where it is plugged into the display unit. These units may have one or two probes and may have the ability to set a high and low temperature. Basic models only record the temperature of the probe and will sound the alarm when the temperature exceeds a set value. Some models are wireless, meaning that they come with two modules. The probe plugs into one which resides at the cooker, and then another remote unit communicates with the cooker unit via a wireless connection. This allows you to take it to bed with you for overnight cooks.

Polypitist - A term created by barbecue fanatic Merrill Powers to describe the lucky SOB's who have multiple pits in their yard. Usually one large pit is large for parties, one is small for cooking for two, one is dedicated only to fish cooking because the oils coating the innards make it unsuitable for pork or beef, and the rest are to establish pit envy among the neighbors. Not surprisingly, polypitists are usually male, admired by fellow males, and scorned by their wives. Women would be wise to consider the practice. As once overheard "I decided to skip the plastic surgery, save about $5,000, and just buy a smoker. It is far better at attracting men than implants."

Pork Butt - See Butt.

Pork Shoulder - See Shoulder.

Primal Cut - A cut of meat which is a group of muscles from the same area of the animal. Primal cuts are also called wholesale cuts, because they are usually sold to meat markets to be cut into smaller beef cuts for sale to the consumer. Examples of primal cuts are the short loin, chuck, sirloin, rib, brisket, round, plate and flank. See also Sub-Primal Cut.

Primo - A brand of ceramic cooker made by the Primo Grill company. Most notable for its Kamado model which is an exact copy of the Big Green Egg and its Oval model which is the only oval-shaped ceramic cooker at this time in the industry.

Pron, P*rn - FoodPorn: Food Photos. We don't want the "P" word appearing because corporate scanners, Google indexers, etc may mislabel our site as a "P*orn" site.

Portable Grill - A transportable gas, charcoal, or electric grill that can be taken on camping trips, to the beach, or park.

Porterhouse Steak - Two steaks in one, ideal for grilling. One side is the tenderloin and the other side is the strip.

Poultry - A healthy alternative to beef and pork, chicken, game, and turkey can be grilled over direct or indirect heat.

Power Draft - Air forced through a fan or blower into a BBQ pit to control temperature. 

Pro Q - A line of bullet-style cookers that are made in the UK.

Proclamation - A formal announcement that makes information publicly available.

Pulled Pork - Pork from the shoulder that is cooked at a low temperature for a long time until the meat reaches an internal temperature around 200 degrees. This cooking process converts the collagen in the meat to gelatin, resulting in tender, moist, fall-apart meat. The meat is typical "pulled", or shredded.


  • Purgatory is the second part of Dante Alighieri's fourteenth-century epic poem Divine Comedy.
  • Purgatory is the middle heat level of Dante's Devine products. It is a zesty level full of flavor and a medium amount of heat. Not to hot and not to mild. Full bodied without scorching the pallet. Purgatory is a balance of tastes and a haunting of spice. 

Purge - This is the liquid found in the packaging. The longer the meat stands around, the more liquid in the package. Frozen and thawed meat tends to purge a lot of liquid. You want the liquid in the meat, not the packaging.



Top of Page

Q , "Q"  or Q’in - A variation of the word barbeque. This is about as short a variation you can get, but is popular in the American south.



Top of Page

Rack - A term usually used to describe a section of ribs which is trimmed more than a slab. Apparently how much more is variable. Some people use the term to refer to half a slab, while others might use it to describe a slab which has simply been trimmed to some degree.

Rare -

Radiant Heat - Heat that is radiated from a heat source. For the purpose of BBQ, Radiant Heat is generally referred to as the “Direct Method" or cooking directly above the coals.

Ready - OK, let's get picky here. As described above, meat is done when it reaches the desired temperature in the thickest part of the meat. It is safe to eat when it is done. But that doesn't mean it is ready. Ribs may be done at 165F internal temp, but they may still be tough. If you take them up to 180F and hold them at this temp for 30 minutes, the collagens and fats melt some more and make the meat more tender. Then it's ready!

Recipe - A recipe is a set of instructions that describe how to prepare or make something.

Red Bone - Of pork spare ribs, a meat industry term for a rib that has been cut through the wide or flat end of the spare rib bone rather than through the cartilage when preparing a rack St. Louis style.

Reduced - Of ribs, a meat industry term for a rib that has had a riblet removed or any meat removed so the weight of the rib falls into a lighter weight range.

Reindeer Turds - A variation of ABT’s.

Retail Cut - Certain sub-primal cuts and cuts of meat that are cut FROM sub-primal cuts which are ready for retail sale to the consumer. An example would be filet mignon steaks cut from the tenderloin.

RGC - Reserve Grand Champion, the second place finisher at a BBQ competition.

Rendering - This is the process where fats and tough connective tissues in a meat are gradually broken down during the long, slow cooking favored in barbeque. The result is a wonderfully tender meat.

Resinous - Refers to resin in wood, from tree species such as pine. This type of wood is also commonly referred to as softwood, and is not used for cooking since the resin burning produces an acrid smoke that will give an palatable taste to the meat.

Reseller - A reseller is a company or individual that purchases goods or services with the intention of reselling them rather than consuming or using them.

Rest - In the barbecue world, letting meat rest means just that - after cooking the meat is set aside, usually covered with foil, for 15 minutes or so before being served. This allows the meat to fully finish cooking and absorb juices back into the meat, resulting in a more moist meat.

Rib - Duh! Beef ribs come from cutting the ribs from a rib roast which comes from the rib primal cut. Pork ribs, well, wait a minute. There are two kinds, back ribs and spares. Back ribs come from the center cut and blade end sub-primal cuts, which come from the loin primal cut. Spare ribs come from the side rib sub-primal cut, which comes from the side/belly primal cut. OK?

Riblets - Riblets come from loin or spare ribs and are created by cutting down a loin or spare rib.

Rib Eye - A desirable piece of meat, extremely tender and generously flavored. Taste best seared.

Rib Hooks or Rib Hangars - These are metal hooks that pierce a slab on one end and hang the meat vertically in a narrow smoker.

Rib Rack - A tool that allows multiple racks of ribs to fit onto a smoker.

Rib Tips - See Brisket Bone.

Rice Wine - A sweet, golden wine low in alcohol made from fermenting freshly-steamed glutinous rice. Adds sweetness and flavor to many sauces and glazes. Available in Japanese markets and some supermarkets. See also Mirin.

Roasted Garlic Paste- Garlic cloves which have been coated with an oil (seasoned or unseasoned), roasted and then puréed to be added to different dishes.

Rotisserie or Carousel - The word rotisserie has two meanings. On grills it is a way to turn meats like chicken on their own axis. On barbecues or smokers, rotisserie units have a Ferris wheel arrangement inside with shelves revolving through the oven space (shown at right). This is good because there are often significant differences in heat from top to bottom in the oven. In addition, the fat drips on the slab below and bastes it. A lot of the large commercial smokers used by restaurants have rotisseries.

RoY - Rookie of the Year

Rub - A spice and/or herb mix that is used to flavor the meat. Typical southern barbecue spice mixes have paprika, salt, sugar, garlic, black pepper, and chili pepper in varying amounts. Some rubs are applied thick, some thin, some overnight, some just before cooking. Even if left on overnight, they do not penetrate far into the meat.

Rump Roast - A meat placed on a rotisserie, to allow juices to flow into a pan. The juice from the pan is used to baste the meat.



Top of Page

Salt - Sodium chloride. NaCl. Used in rubs and brining. See also Iodized Salt, Table Salt, Kosher Salt and Sea Salt.

Sante Fe Grande Chile -  Small, tapered, conical peppers are generally yellow in color, but can mature to orange or red. Slightly sweet taste and medium-hot to hot.

Scotch Bonnet Chile -  Small irregularly shaped chile that ranges in color from yellow to orange to red. One of the hottest chiles, it is closely related to the equally fiery Jamaican Hot and Habanero chiles.

Scoville Scale - The substance that makes Peppers HOT is an oil called Capsaicin. It is mostly concentrated in the veins of the pepper, although to a lesser degree in the seeds as well. In the early 1900's, a man named Wilbur Scoville invented a system to rate the "Heat" of the different types of peppers. In the test, peppers were rated with what was called "Scoville Units." The rating system became known as the "Scoville Heat Scale." This is still the most common system used today to rate the heat of peppers. Although, (like everything else), people have tried to develop new and different rating systems over the years. The "Scoville Scale" is still the most popular.

Sea Salt - Salt made by evaporating sea water. It comes in fine-grained or larger crystals.

Seagulls - The public that attend BBQ competitions looking for free food.

Searing: A process that involves cooking the surface of meat with at a high temperature to “seal in the juices” and caramelize the sugars, creating a crust that is attractive and flavorful. Searing also creates nice grill marks.

Seasoned Wood - Wood that has been properly dried out after cutting. Seasoning generally takes six to 12 months. Wood burns much more efficiently when its moisture content has been reduced.

Seasoning Grates - Coating the cooking grate with olive oil just before adding the meat.

Seasoning a Smoker - The interior and cooking surfaces of a new smoker often have machine oil or other byproducts of the manufacturing process on them. If the owner's manual doesn't have specific instructions on how to break it in, follow these: Begin by washing down the interior and cooking surfaces thoroughly. If the interior is stainless or polished aluminum, that's all you need to do. If it is steel, dry it thoroughly and coat the inside and all cooking surfaces with cooking oil. Spray-on cooking oil is good for this. Crank up the heater as high as possible and add a big chunk of wood. Let it billow for an hour or so. Let the oven surfaces cool and coat with cooking oil again. You are now ready to cook.

Seasoning the grill: Process to regulate a new grills temperature and all the smoke from cooked food to accumulate on the inside of the grill to “season” your food with great grilled flavor. If you have a new grill, or one that has just been cleaned for the season, the first few times you grill it may run hotter than normal. Once you have seasoned the grill, the interior will be less reflective and the temperature will normalize. How to season the grill.

Side Burner - A burner on the side of the grill for non-grill cooking.

Serrano Chile -  A small chile with a very hot, savory flavor. Bright green, scarlet red, and yellow in color. Available fresh, canned, pickled or packed in oil. The dried serrano chile is known as Chile Seco.

Sesame Oil - Oil derived from the sesame seed. It comes in two basic types. Asian sesame oil is dark, has a strong flavor and is used as a flavor accent for Asian dishes. The other is lighter in color and flavor and has a nutty character. It can be used for everything from salad dressings to sautéing. Sesame oil is high in polyunsaturated fats, behind safflower, soybean and corn oil. Its smoke point is around 420 degrees F, making it good for frying. Found in Asian markets and many large supermarkets.

Shiner - Of ribs, a meat industry term for ribs that have meat scraped from the top side of the rib, exposing the bone. When there is too much bone exposed, the bones will actually fall out during the cooking process.

Short Ribs - The ends of beef Back Ribs.

Shoulder - The primal cut of the pig that includes the front leg and the section at the top of the leg. It contains a higher level of fat than the other cuts of pork, which provides it with a lot of flavor and tenderness. 

Sirloin - Top sirloin is different from sirloin steak because it is boneless. The lower portion contains part of a hip bone. Marinate before grilling to add flavor and tenderness.

Side Burner - A place to cook soups, sauces or stir fry on the side of the grill.

Shank Steak - One of the most exercised muscles of the cow, thus, a tough piece of meat. Marinade before grilling.

Skewer - A skewer is a long, thin rod, which is designed to be threaded through meat, vegetables or fruit as they cook on the grill.

SKD - Smoke King Deluxe

Skin 'n' Trim - Preparing the slab. There is a membrane on the underside, the concave bone side, of ribs. It is thicker on baby backs than on spare ribs. The older the pork, the thicker the membrane. It can become tough when grilled, and spices and seasonings cannot penetrate it. It should be removed. Some butchers will remove it before you buy the meat, but many do not. Although it is not really the skin of the pig, that's what it's called, so you should call it skin too. After the skin is removed you need to trim excess fat and some loose flaps of meat.

Skirt Meat - Extra meat along the bottom edge on the bone side of pork spare ribs

Slab - Ribs come in slabs, usually the entire set of ribs from one side of the animal, although the slab may contain fewer ribs depending on how it was cut and trimmed.

Slather - Normally mustard is used by rubbing a thin layer on the meat so that the rub sticks to the meat and doesn't fall off.

Slider -

  • A mini burger
  • See Dual Function Metal Top.

Smoke - As a verb, to cook meat low and slow in the presence of smoke. However, for the purposes of this glossary, the flavor imparted to meat when it is smoked. Smoke flavor is created when smoke particles are deposited on the surface of the meat being smoked. Therefore, smoke flavor is added to the meat as long as there is smoke present in the cooking chamber. (As opposed to the way that the smoke ring only forms while the meat is below 140 degrees.) Smoke flavor is not absorbed by the meat as the smoke particles remain primarily on the surface of the meat. Smoke flavor can be increased by keeping the surface of the meat moist as this aids the smoke particles in adhering to the meat.

Smoke Ring - A bright ping ribbon of meat just below the surface that is usually about 1/8 inch thick. It turns pink when myoglobin in the meat contacts nitrogen dioxide formed during combustion when nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture combine. Using green wood is believed to enhance the smoke ring because it has more moisture and it produces more nitrogen dioxide. Propane cookers with wood chips/chunks/pellets and a water pan are especially good at producing a smoke ring.

Smoker - A cooker that generates smoke and allows the meat to cook with indirect heat.

Smoking - Cooking in an atmosphere infused with smoke.

Smoking Wood -Any type of wood added to a lit cooker to impart a smoky flavor. Hardwoods that are normally mesquite or fruit woods such as apple, cherry, pear, etc and have been seasoned. Can be in logs, chunks or chips.

Smoker - The term is a bit generic, referring to any type of cooker that uses indirect heat to slow cook meat, and transferring a smoky flavor to the meat. While you can smoke with a grill or a ceramic charcoal cooker, the term smoker most often refers to a metal cooker that has an indirect firebox for charcoal and wood. The common characteristic for any smoker is that it cooks at low temperatures for long periods of time. Larger versions often have wheels, or are entirely mobile, incorporating trailers into their design.

Smoker Box - A metal box with a lid and holes in it used to hold smoking wood chips or chunks in the grill to let smoke surround the food.

SNPP - Brinkmann Smoke N' Pit Professional, a popular Cheapo Offset Smoker.

Sop -  (See Mop)

Sow - A female breeding hog that weights between 300 and 700 pounds.

South Side Cut Ribs - See Kansas City Style Ribs

Soy Sauce - A dark, salty sauce made by fermenting boiled soybeans and roasted wheat or barley. The two main types of soy sauce are light and dark. Light soy sauce is thinner and saltier than dark soy sauce. Its flavor and color is also lighter and it may be used in dishes without darkening them. Dark soy sauce is slightly thicker than light soy sauce but generally not as salty. It has a richer flavor and color, usually the result of adding caramel. Chinese black soy is extremely dark and thick, the result of adding molasses. Japanese tamari is very similar-thick, rich and extremely dark. There are also many low-sodium or "lite" soy sauces available.

Spare Ribs - Pork ribs that come from the side rib sub-primal cut which, in turn comes from the side/belly primal cut. So far so good? Basically spare ribs come from the side of the pig. They are the traditional slab of ribs. They include 11 to 13 long bones. There is a covering of meat on top of the bones and between them. They are the most inexpensive cut of ribs and are full of flavor. See also St. Louis Style Ribs and Kansas City Style Ribs

Spares - See Spare Ribs. 

Spatchcock - The process of cutting out the backbone of a chicken or Cornish game hen and butterflying it or spreading it out flat for grilling. Some chefs run a skewer through the thighs to keep the drumsticks from flopping around and fold the wings under for the same reason. Spatchcocked game hens with simple seasonings can cook in as little as 20 minutes and taste amazing when pressed between to cast iron griddles or frying pans on a hot grill.

Spritz - A thin liquid, normally a fruit juice, beer or even liquor in a spray bottle that is sprayed on the meat during cooking to aid in keeping the meat from drying out.

Spices -  Usually brown powders made from dried seeds, barks, berries, pods, or roots. The active ingredients are usually oils in the powders. See also herbs

Splits - Firebricks which are only half as thick as normal. Can be used on edge as a support for raised grids or side by side to make a thinner barrier than with regular firebricks for indirect cooking.

St. Louis Style Ribs - A way of preparing a slab of spare ribs for smoking. The brisket bone is removed parallel to the rib side (perpendicular to the direction of the rib bones), resulting in exposure of cartilage on the brisket bone. The skirt meat may be left on or removed. This results in a straight, rectangular shape. See also Kansas City Style Ribs.  

Stag - A castrated male hog weighing up to 700 pounds. 

Stick Burner - A cooker that primarily generates heat by burning wood.

Strip Steak - Depending on the town you in, the strip steak may be called New York or Kansas City strip. Grill over direct heat.

Stoker - A device that controls your cooker temperatures by using a blower to stoke the heat source.

Sub -Primal Cut - Smaller cuts of meat taken from primal cuts. Examples of sub-primal cuts from the round primal are the bottom round, top round, eye round and round tip.

Sucre Et Salé - This is a French term that means "sweet and salt", and is a cooking concept well known to the Francophone's in Cajun country. It points out that opposites sugar and salt can work together exceedingly well. It is why salty rubs work well with sweet sauces. Or why Roquefort mates perfectly with sauternes and late harvest Rieslings. Try Porto and Stilton. Another wonderful variation: chocolate dipped potato chips!

Surf and Turf - Surf and turf is a combination of seafood (surf) and meat (turf). Grill the meat and seafood and serve with a rich sauce.

SW - Spiced Wine



Top of Page

T-Bone Steak - A smaller version of the Porterhouse.

Table Salt - A fine-grained refined salt. Often has additives that make it free-flowing. Mainly used in rubs and for brining. See also Iodized Salt.

Temperature Plateau - See Plateau.

Temperature Rings - A set of wooden disks, each with a different diameter hole in the center. These disks can be used to replace the dual function metal top and serve to allow different amounts of airflow through the cooker. This allows you to achieve different reproducible cooking temperatures. Also known as Mickey T's Rings.

Tenderloin - Allow this meat to stand at room temperature before grilling. Sear over direct medium heat, turn a quarter every five minutes. Then continue grilling over indirect heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove from grill and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Teriyaki - It's a way of Japanese cooking. The word, teriyaki is a combination of two Japanese words "teri" and "yaki." Teri means luster, and yaki means grill or broil. Teriyaki sauce is made of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.

Terique - A term that describes a sauce that combines the fine cooking traditions eastern Teriyaki and southern Barbecue.

Testimonial - In promotion and of advertising, a testimonial consists of a written or spoken or video statement, from a person figure, sometimes from a private citizen, extolling the virtue of some product.

Thermostat - A device for measuring temperature and regulating heat.

Temp - Temperature

Texas Crutch / Texas Tent - A technique for wrapping the ribs in foil with some liquid to lightly steam the meat, tenderize it, and speed its cooking. (see Foil).

Texas Ribs - Beef back ribs.

TGCBCA - Texas Gulf Coast BBQ Cookers Association

Thai Chile - Small thin-fleshed very hot chile whose heat doesn't lessen with cooking. Color ranges from green to red when fully ripe.

Thermapen - A thermometer that can register internal meat temperatures in seconds.

Thermocouple - A thermocouple is a junction between two precision wires of different metals that generate a small amount of electrical current scaled to measure temperature.

Thermometer - If you don’t know what this is, slam your head in the door repeatedly.

Thick Cut - See Point.

Thin Cut - See Flat.

Tongs - A utensil used to add, remove, reposition, and flip food on the grill.

ToY - Team of the Year, an award given by a particular association to the team that cooks best in a given year.

Travieso Chile -  Another name for the Guajillo Chile. From the Spanish word travieso, meaning "mischievous" due to the chile's hot nature.

Tri-Tip - A sub-primal cut of beef from the sirloin primal. It is a triangular shaped cut at the tip of the sirloin and is surrounded by the remainder of the sirloin, and the round and flank primals. It can be used as a roast or it can be cut into steaks.

Tri-Tip Roast - A roast cut from the Tri-Tip.

Tri-Tip Steak - A steak cut from a Tri-Tip Roast.

Triangle Roast - See Tri-Tip Roast.

Triangle Steak - See Tri-Tip Steak

Tuning A Pit - Modifying a cooker for good, even smoke and heat distribution.

Turducken - 'Tur - duc - ken' Oh Yeah! A turducken is a dish consisting of a dressing stuffed de-boned chicken stuffed into a dressing stuffed de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed into a dressing stuffed de-boned turkey. The word turducken is a portmanteau of turkey, duck, and chicken or hen.



Top of Page

UDS - Ugly Drum Smoker, a cooker made from an oil-style drum.

Upright Smoker - A smoker that uses a vertical smoking chamber. Usually contains several trays that are stacked. Considered a more efficient smoker than a horizontal offset. Firebox is either under the cooking chamber or beside it.



Top of Page

Vents - A device used to control the temperature on a grill. Opening the vent increases the temperature of the coals. While closing the vents decreases the temperature.

VOC - See Volatile Organic Compound.

Volatile Organic Compound - Volatile Organic Compound. The stuff in fresh lump which can create flashbacks. Although lump charcoal is mostly carbon, it still contains VOC's which are driven off by the heat and then burn. The buildup of VOC's in a cooker which has the air vents closed can cause a flashback when the lid is opened. See Flashback.



Top of Page

Walk (see Call) - An announcement at a BBQ competition Awards ceremony that means your team placed.

Warming Racks - An additional grill grate that keeps food warm without burning them. It's also great for warming up hot dog and burger buns and vegetables.

Water Pan - A pan used in bullet-style cookers that acts as a buffer between the heat source and the meat.

Water Smoker - Water smokers. Water smokers have a water pan close to the heat source. Moisture evaporates and keeps the humidity in the oven high so the meat does not dry out. We like ribs moist, we like jerky dry. For making ribs, a water smoker is a good thing to have. One can also put wine, beer, juice, herbs and more in the water pan. Celery, herbs, onion, and other aromatics in the water pan can flavor the food. Most bullets are also water smokers so the water/drip pan acts as a baffle between the heat source and the food. The model shown at right is the popular Weber Smokey Mountain.

Weber Grills - This manufacturer makes the standard kettle grill. The shape, allows heat to circulate, thereby sealing in the food’s flavor.

Wet - In barbecue terms this is the opposite of dry (no rocket science on my website) and it can mean a couple of things. First, it can refer to barbecue being served with sauce on it. Secondly, barbecue can be cooked wet by having it cook in its own juices, either by resting in a pan that collects the juice that drips from the meat, or by being wrapped in foil so that it stews in the juices.

Wet Rub - A dry rub that has moisture added to it, similar to a slather.

White-bone - This is what happens when ribs are boiled or overcooked. If you pull on two adjacent bones, and one white-bones, the meat pulls or falls off the bone leaving it white, then it is overcooked.

Whole Brisket - Contains both the flat and the point cuts of the brisket.

Wood Chunks, Chips, Pellets, Briquettes, Logs, and Sawdust - Originally all barbecue was done with logs as the fuel source. Wood smoke from the logs penetrated the meat and imparted a distinctive scent that is the essence of barbecue. Today, most barbecues use charcoal, gas, or electricity, and get their smoke flavor by the addition of measured amounts of chips, chunks, briquettes, logs, and sawdust. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Wok Topper - A porcelain-covered metal container, either round or square, with holes in it. Used to stir-fry vegetables on outdoor cookers. See also Grid Topper.

WSM - Weber Smokey Mountain, one of the most popular backyard bullet-style cookers Wood Chips/Chunks: Aromatic wood chips or chunks release scented smoke such as hickory, maple or mesquite infusing the food as it cooks over the fire.



Top of Page



Top of Page

 Yard-bird - Slang for a chicken


Top of Page

Recent Updates

  • Super-Structures

    Here we have the grill, the smoker and the storage cabinet structures. The next …

  • Work Continues...

    We are still working hard on the rig!Here I am welding on the Wood Storage …


Connect with us: Facebook Pinterest YouTube Twitter