Look it up There are some great glossaries of cooking terms online. I have links to them on this page.

Thermodynamics of cooking To learn about the different methods of cooking and how heat applied to food changes it. Read The Thermodynamics of Cooking.

Different cuts of ribs There is a lot of confusion over the different cuts of ribs. What is the diff between baby backs, spareribs, and country ribs? For complete descriptions of these and many more, click here.

A Glossary of Cooking Terms

Jargon is the specialized language that people of like mind use to communicate. Computer geeks have their jargon, poker players have their jargon, and ribmeisters have theirs. Jargon also serves another important, but aggravating function. Separating "us" from "them." That's right, people often talk jargon so they can leave you out of the conversation in order to feel superior. Let's fix that problem.

For more definitions, click here for descriptions of the different methods of cooking and the thermodynamics of cooking.

Amazing Ribs. Just what are Amazing Ribs? Here's the complete answer.

Bark. A brown crunchy crust that forms on some barbecue caused by seasonings from the rub and the Maillard reaction. Some people, like me, really like this.

Black & Blue. Red meat like beef grilled to the point of being almost charred on the outside, and "blue", which is a term for very rare, on the inside. Sometimes called "Pittsburgh".

Brazier. See grill.

Brine. A liquid that is very high in salt. Soaking ribs in a brine for an hour can, by chemical magic, add moisture. Like a marinade, but with much more salt and much less acid. For more info, click here.

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. To see a great trick for overcoming this problem, click here.

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 a.k.a. 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 through 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.

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. When discussing a sweet food it is the browning of sugar by oxidation under heat gives it a rich, complex, caramel or butterscotch flavor. Caramelization begins at about 310°F. Boiling sweet sauces or exposing them to flame can create a caramel undertone, and browning sweet vegetables like onion or corn, can add depth to their flavor. Barbecue sauces usually develop interesting new flavors when caramelized. In discussing savory foods such as vegetables it is the extraction of the natural sugars by hot cooking. Similar to, but different from the Maillard reaction.

Carousel. See rotisserie.

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."

Chimney. The best way to start a charcoal fire (there's a photo of a cheap one at right). It uses old newspaper and not petroleum products that soak into your charcoal and can add a funny flavor to your meat. Don't ever be caught at a competition using charcoal starter fluid. The best chimney is made by Weber.

Cold smoking. Cold smoking is when smoke applied to the food has a temperature between 90°F and 120°F. 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.

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.

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. Here's an article on how to use a COS.

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.

Cracklings a.k.a. 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.

Direct heat cooking. See grilling.

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.

ECB. El Cheapo Brinkmann. A bottom of the line smoker by Brinkmann, a company that makes a wide range of smokers from $100 to many thousands.

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

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.

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. Here's a picture of such a drip.

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

Faux Cambro. A Cambro is a commercial insulated box that can keep hot food warm for hours. A faux Cambro is a plastic beer cooler. Here's how to set one up.

Foodporn. (1) Bad pictures of fabulous food, usually in a restaurant, usually taken by a cheap point-and-shoot digital camera with head-on flash, usually annoying everyone in the dining room. (2) Professional food photographs like the ones in cookbooks and magazines that the photographer swears were not altered and we believe him. We look, and we drool on our keyboards like voyeurs watching our beautiful neighbors... um, oh sorry, I got carried away...

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.

Gasser. A propane fahyrd smoker.

GBD. Golden Brown and Delicious. Everything should be GBD.

Glaze. A shiny coating. Glazes get their sheen from sugar. Some sauces are also glazes. Simply brushing on honey (as in my Chinese Nine Dragon Ribs) makes a gorgeous glaze. My recipe for Vermont Maple Glazed Pig Candy gets its shine from maple syrup.

Grate or gridiron. A frame with parallel rods or bars that hold food in a cooking environment. A football gridiron gets its name after the cooking gridiron. And they play the game with pigskin!

Griddle or plancha. A griddle is a flat piece of steel, usaually cast iron or stainless steel, that is heated from beneath by electricity or gas. They are common in restaurants, especially diners and lunch counters. Lots of restaurants call these flat steel cookers grills, but they are not. They are griddles. If you put a slice of cheese between two slices of bread and cook it on a griddle, technically, you get a griddled cheese sandwich, not a grilled cheese sandwich, but that's what they call it anyway. Real grilled cheese sandwiches are made on a grill or a brazier over an open flame. A lot of burgers cooked on a griddle are incorrectly called grilled. McDonald's burgers are griddled. I have two of griddles for use on my grill. They are great for Diner Burgers. Click here to see the model I recommend.

Grilling or direct heat cooking. Cooking directly over flame or the heat source usually at temperatures of 350°F or more. Grilling is hot and fast. Some people call the griddle in a diner a grill. That is just plain wrong.

Grill or Brazier. A grill, also known as a brazier, is where the food sits on a grate above flame, directly exposed to the heat (shown at right). Hibachis and Weber Kettles are good examples of grills/braziers. Grilling is usually done at temps of 300°F or higher and some grills can reach more than 600°F. 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.

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.

Hot 'n' fast. Cooking over high heat, usually an open flame, at temperatures usually over 350°F. 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.

Indirect heat cooking. A method of cooking where the food is not directly over the heat source so it can roast more slowly. Many smokers use indirect heating. The opposite of grilling. Click here to see my article on indirect cooking.

Knife and fork. Objects not allowed near ribs.

Low 'n' slow. By keeping the heat low, under 275°F, 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.

Maillard reaction or Maillard effect. The Maillard reaction is one of the great miracles of cooking. Named after the French scientist Louis-Camille Maillard who studied the browning of foods in the early 1900s the Maillard reaction is the chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars created by heat. It is responsible for the brown crust on breads, for dark beer, for transforming boring beans into coffee and chocolate, andfor turning the outside of roasted meat into something rich and complex. Similar to, but not the same as caramelization.

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. Here's an article with more on marinades.

Meatatarian. People who eat only meat.

Membrane. Also known as the skin, it must be removed. See this article on how to skin 'n' trim.

Mise en place. This French phrase means "everything in place" and it is the best thing from France since the Pinot Noir grape. Click here to learn more about this very important concept.

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.

Mr. Brown. See bark.

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

Nappe. Pronounced nap, it means that a liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and if you pull your finger across the spoon, it will leave a bare metal trail for several seconds. In other words, the sauce is about as thick as latex paint.

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

Non-reactive. Aluminum, cast iron, and copper pots can react with chemicals in food, especially acids and salts, and create off flavors. It is especially important to make acidic sauces and marinades in non-reactive pots made out of stainless steel or porcelain. Plastic is also non-reactive, but it can also absorb flavors and be stained by sauces.

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.

Offset side firebox. A very popular smoker design has two sealed boxes or tubes connected on one side (shown at right). 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. For info on how to use an offset, read this article.

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.

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

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.

Pig on a stick. 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.

Pits. 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.

Pitmaster. 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.

Polypitist. A term created by barbecue fanatic Merrill Powers to describe the lucky SOBs 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 one once told me, "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."

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.

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 165°F internal temp, but they may still be tough. If you take them up to 180°F 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! Click here for more on how to tell when your ribs are ready.

Render. The process of melting fat usually at low temperatures so that it separates from muscle and connective tissue. In barbecue, this fat often drips off but sometimes it remains trapped in the meat making it taste and feel richer.

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.

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. Here are recipes for my Meathead's Memphis Dust and my version of Memphis' famous Rendezvous Rub.

Seasoning a smoker. The interior and cooking surfaces of a new smoker often have machine oil or other by-products of the manufacturing process on them. If the owner's manual doesn't have specific instructions on how to break it in, follow the instructions in this article: Seasoning a new smoker or grill.

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 spareribs. 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 by Cooter, Jeeter, and Hawk, so you should call it skin too. After the skin is removed you need to trim excess fat and some loose flaps of meat. For a guide to skinnin' 'n' trimmin', click here.

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

Smoking. Smoking is a way to cook, flavor, or preserve food by exposing it to smoke, usually from wood, although other combustibles, usually cellulosic, such as corncobs, tea, and herbs are used. At one time, before refrigeration, smoking was a widely used method of preservation. But it is not good for all foods since smoke does not penetrate very far. Cold smoking is usually done at temperatures under 125°F. The food is heavily infused with smoke flavor, but it is not cooked by heat. This method is tricky because the temperature is ideal for growth of microbes, and, although smoke has preservative properties, unless done properly cold smoking can produce food that is dangerous. For this reason cold smoked meats are often heavily salted, brined, or otherwise cured. Cold smoking of meats should be left to professionals. Most commercial smoked fishes and cheeses are cold smoked. Hot smoking is usually done at temperatures in the 165-200°F range. These foods are often also brined or otherwise cured. Most American smoked hams are hot smoked. Smoke roasting is usually done in the vicinity of 200-250°F. The food is cooked by the heat, and when it is finished it is free of harmful living microbes. At these temperatures not much shrinkage occurs. Hot smoking is relatively easy to do on backyard smokers and barbecue equipment. Most of the best barbecued ribs, pulled pork, and briskets are done at these temperatures.

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. Click here for a picture of a smoke ring.

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

Sop. See mop.

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.

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, above.

Sucre et salé. This is a French term that means "sweet and salt", and is a cooking concept well known to the Francophones 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!

Texas Crutch. A technique for wrapping the ribs in foil with some liquid to lightly steam the meat, tenderize it, and speed its cooking. For details, click here.