[conservativeharleyguy]

"...For flavor, you use hardwood to smoke meats, like Hickory or Apple..."

Hickory...??? Apple...???

That's just what you use if you can't find Mesquite.... :{)

[ROCKLOBSTER]

...For flavor, you use hardwood to smoke meats, like Hickory or Apple... and Mesquite.

Barbecuers and charcoal are for people that don't have wood.

If I'd have to mess around for hours with charcoal...I'll build a real fire. I like to use a hole in the ground with some good rocks around it, Just come up with a grate.

I've been to ranch get togethers where they dig a hole with a backhoe, build a huge fire, let it die down, throw some sheet metal on the coals and put a dressed out steer or two in there, and cover it back up.

They generally wrap the steers up in a wet tarp or cloth.

Next day...beef sammiches.

Of course that's a little extreme for an afternoon backyard party.