Low n Slow

Low n Slow is a barbecue cooking method that does exactly as it says on the tin, low temperatures and a slow pace.  This method is ideal for large items such as turkeys, hams, chickens and also for meats that benefit from long slow cooking such as brisket and pork belly.  Temperatures for low and slow are typically 150F/65C to 300F/150C.  Times will vary depending on what you are cooking.  My Christmas ham takes about 8 hours.  What most people refer to as barbecue is in fact grilling at high temperatures.  Your everyday common garden variety barbecue with burgers and sausages is to low and slow as a greasy spoon cafe is to a michelin star.

Low n Slow to my mind is best done over natural lumpwood charcoal.  As the great Spanish chef Jose Andres said "I prefer natural hardwood lump charcoal, the other stuff makes your food taste like Goodyear tyres"  I won't even comment on gas.

Low n Slow allows for smoking food with natural woods.  These can be either in pellets, chips or chunks.   Pellets and chips should be soaked in water (or beer/wine) for at least 30min before going on the fire.  You want them to smoulder, not burn off.  Hickory is probably the most recognisable flavour associated with smoked food and goes particularly well with pork or ham.  If you happen to come across vine cuttings buy what you can afford, in fact buy them all, if need be get a bank loan.  Vine cuttings have a fantastic delicate smoke flavour and don't need soaking. 
All smoking woods should be thoroughly dried before use.  Do not use resinous woods such as pine, your food will be inedible and you will get sick.  Do not hack a branch off of the nearest tree either, this will have similar effects and is not very environmentally friendly.  The best woods to use are fruit woods such as apple. alder, pear, oak etc.  Some well known distillers bring out branded chips cut from the barrels used for ageing their whiskey. 

Big Green Egg

Kamado grills hail from Japan and claim an ancient ancestry. They are typically made from ceramic and their walls tend to be about 1 inch / 2.5cm thick, this helps to retain cooking temperatures with in the kamado and keeps the food moist. There are a number of kamados on the market, I use a Big Green Egg, seen here built into a table. Temperature is controlled using two air vents, one, seen here, at the bottom, the other on top like a chimney.  You can cook at a constant temperature over a long period of time without constantly checking the meat. Leaving time free for arduous tasks like cooling beer or selecting wine, I never said this was easy.

Today I'm going to smoke a full chicken and cook some jacket potatoes, all in the Big Green Egg.

You will need

• a smoker (a Weber type kettle grill can be used as easily)
• meat rack
• lump wood charcoal 

  

  Meat Rack

• smoking chips
• a chicken
• potatoes
• a food thermometer (optional)

Fist things first.

• put on your favourite music, loud
• pour yourself a drink
• soak your chips in water for at least 30min
• start your fire, I use compact cardboard starters, do not use firelighters or lighter fuel, they'll taint the taste of the food.

Your fire should be ready to go in about 10min.

Next up, wash you hands thoroughly in hot water before handling raw poultry.

• Place the chicken on the meat rack, rub with olive oil and grind some salt and pepper over it.
• If you have a favourite rub use that, lemon and rosemary go very well.
• Take the soaked chips out of the water and place directly on the fire, do not drink the water
• Put the chicken into the barbecue, surround with potatoes and close the lid.

• 

  Chicken with potatoes

Soaked Wood Chips

Next, wash your hands and all utensils used in preparing the chicken in hot water.

Continue to listen to your music and drink responsibly for the next hour and a half or so.  If you're using a food thermometer the breast of the chicken should read 165F/75C when ready.

One smoked chicken with potatoes

Turn down the music and serve with green salad and an unoaked chardonnay. Outstanding.