Barbecue is really all about the smoke flavor. Low, slow, smoky cooking is what turns meat into barbecue. Hot smoking is the cooking method we're talking about here. Not regular smoking, which is done at temperatures well under 200°F and can take days--that's more a method of preserving meat rather than cooking.

In barbecuing, cuts of meat are slow-cooked over indirect heat, distinguishing it from grilling, which is quick cooking over a hot fire. Barbecuing is cooking foods low and slow.

Barbecuing is usually used for cuts of meat like ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket, or whole chickens or turkeys. By cooking the meat slowly, sometimes for hours, over wood, charcoal or gas flame, even tougher cuts are rendered meltingly tender and become infused with the deep, rich, smoky flavor of the fire. Barbecuing is a time-honored tradition that can be fun for the whole family.