A Pit Master's Equipment

SOURCES

• GenuSwine Cookers (Blackley Chevrolet), LLC: 205 North Main Street, P.O. Box 68, Hornbeak, TN 38232; 1-888-565-0520 or www.genuswinebbq.com.
• Pitts and Spitts: 14221 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX 77032; 1-800-521-2947 or www.pittsandspitts.com.
• Tejas Smokers: P.O. Box 4158, Houston, TX 77210-4158; (713) 932-6438 or www.tejassmokers.com.
• Tel-Tru Manufacturing: 408 St. Paul Street, Rochester, NY 14605; 1-800-232-5335 or www.teltru.com.
• Weber Grills: Weber-Stephen Products Co., 200 East Daniels Road, Palatine, IL 60067-6266; 1-800-446-1071 or www.weber.com.

Grilling Tools

• You must have a good pit thermometer and an instant-read meat thermometer. The pit thermometer will give you the temperature in your cooking chamber and is made to mount inside the lid of your smoker. Use the meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of meats. Tel-Tru Manufacturing makes barbecuing thermometers in a variety of sizes and styles.
• A charcoal chimney starter will light your fire quickly. Place charcoal in the top. Wad newspaper in the bottom of the starter, and ignite. Place the starter on a concrete surface for safety.
• A good basting mop offers an efficient way to mop your meats with sauce yet still avoid long periods with the smoker lid open.
• Basting brushes are used to apply thick sauces to meats. Most labeled as "barbecue brushes" are for small jobs. For big jobs, look for a large paintbrush with natural bristles. Synthetic bristles can melt if they touch a hot grate.
• A rib rack is for holding ribs in a vertical position, saving space on the smoker.
• A grill brush will make cleanup faster. A stiff wire brush works best. Scrub down cooking grates before the smoker cools.