MATT HORN’S TIPS FOR THE VERY BEST BARBECUE

How does the renowned pitmaster get his brisket and other proteins so juicy, tender and smoky-crusted?

Here’s a taste but there’s much more in his “Horn Barbecue: Recipes and Techniques From a Master of the Art of BBQ” cookbook.

Don’t wash the meat.

It is not a food-safe practice, and it dilutes the meat’s flavor. Instead, use paper towels to pat excess moisture off the meat.

Don’t overseason the meat.

The goal is to achieve flavor through smoking and to taste the protein’s flavor.

Control the temperature. Most meats smoke between 225and 245degrees. A remote thermometer can help you adjust factors to ensure the meat turns out the way you want it.

Let the coals get hot.

Coals should burn until completely white to burn off the charcoal. Black coals will produce harshtasting meat rather than meat with a smooth smoke flavor.

Control the smoke. You are looking for the purewhite smoke from white coals and a controlled temperature within the smoker.

Don’t crowd the smoker or flip the meat too soon.

There needs to be airflow around the protein for the Maillard browning reaction to occur. If your meat pieces are crammed together, this reaction will not happen.

Don’t keep opening the smoker.

Of course, you will need to add wood, mop the meat or fill the water pan while smoking, but do these tasks as quickly as possible.

Let the meat rest.

If you want juicy meat and poultry, you need to allow it a bit of time after cooking to reabsorb its juices.

— From “Horn Barbecue: Recipes and Techniques From a Master of the Art of BBQ” (Harvard Common Press, $30)