Mythbusting

Marinating. Forget everything you thought you knew about marinating. It works differently than you think. But Gashing can help a lot.

The Stall. Beginners are often baffled after 2 to 3 hours of cooking pork shoulder or beef brisket. The temperature of the meat stops moving. It sticks. It stalls. and stays unyielding for hours. Pitmasters think it is fat rendering or collagen denaturing. It is not. Here is an exclusive explanation by physicist Dr. Greg Blonder about what is happening and what to do about it.

If you're lookin', you ain't cookin' It is a widely accepted shibboleth, appearing in practically every barbecue book ever written: "If you're lookin', you ain't cookin'". The message is that when you open the lid of your grill or smoker, cooking slows or stops. Our resident mythbuster, Dr. Greg Blonder busts this myth.

Basting, Mopping, And Spritzing. There is a good reason for mopping, basting, and spritzing, but it's not the one you're thinking about.

Letting Meat Come To Room Temp. Cookbooks and websites often say to let the meat come to room temp. Here's the theory, and the facts.

Beer Can Chicken. There are much better techniques for chicken.

Soaking Wood. Don't waste your time. It doesn't help, and it can hurt.

Brining. It is not osmosis. But it still amps up flavor and adds moisture.

Bone in or bone out? Which is better? You'll be surprised by the answer.