Drew: For your smoking pleasure.....

[hotwine]

Drew, if you haven't gotten around to trying brisket yet in your BGE, here's a recipe that's hard to beat:

Mix equal parts black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and Lowry's Seasoned Salt in a shaker and keep on hand. Using a "packer-style" brisket that has the fat cap intact on one side, dust the whole shebang (12 lb cut is ideal) with the dry rub and lay directly on the smoking grill fat-side up for 45 minutes at 225-250F; then remove, wrap loosely in heavy-gauge foil, and return to the smoking grill fat-side down; continue smoking at the same temp for a total time of one-half hour per pound (including the time it was naked - unwrapped). Remove using a pair of welding gloves, open a corner of one end of the foil packet and pour off the rendered fat, usually about a cup. Let sit for at least an hour before slicing. I do that chore with the fat still intact, and trim it off each slice as I go; slice the meat in 1/4" slices. Serve with a red BBQ sauce, ranch-style beans, potato salad and cole slaw. For the wine, I like a Grenache, whether French (Rhone) or Spanish; haven't found a U.S. Grenach that's suitable.

The dry rub recipe is from a 1989 edition of Field & Stream magazine, where it was recommended for venison. Have since used it as a universal rub for brisket, venison, turkey, chicken, beef steaks..... probably leaving something out. Apply the rub only once before you begin cooking.

For pork loin/butt, I like a dry rub of equal parts garlic powder, onion powder and white pepper, with a Pinot Noir as the wine.