I made kabobs on Father's Day (US). They were by many accounts delicious.

At a barbecue I went to a few weeks ago we had trout a friend had caught that very day, wrapped in foil and cooked in the embers at the end. I think it might have been the best thing I've ever tasted.

--------
It's political correctness gone mad!

When doing chicken, ribs, or anything that takes a while, or low heat, or both, or smoking, I put all the coals on one side and whatever I'm cooking on the other. Put the lid on in such a way as to draw the smoke across whatever I'm cooking. Great for beer can chicken.

For ribs. Simmer them for 2 hours the day (or several) before. Put in fridge. Simmering dissolves the gristle, cooling in the fridge converts it to gelatin and firms up the meat. So you get tender, but firm, ribs. Simmering also renders out some of the fat. Then smoke them for an hour or two, basting occasionally.

Steak. You want thick cuts so that you can get grill flavor without cooking them too well done. I like rare, but crusty on the outside. Cook over hot coals. Some smoke is good, but you really can't smoke steak the way you can ribs.

Roasts: Pork, beef, lamb. These do very well smoked, but can take a couple hours, and you have to turn them every 20 to 30 minutes. But a smoked rib roast is a thing of beauty.

Chicken. Lots of recipes for beer can chicken, with various rubs. I prefer a no salt rub with chili powder and pepper. Instead of beer, use a mix of lemon juice and water (lemonade without the sugar). Do it in a smoker and you get a sort of vietnamese flavor. Yummy. Don't forget to brine the bird first.

BBQ sauce for ribs, or chicken breasts. This is a minefield for Religious Wars, and Blixco will probably never talk to me again after this. I tend to thin this out and use it as a baste, with a thicker version brushed on after cooking is done. Amounts/proportions vary depending on your taste and how much you need:
1 tbs mustard. I use a country style, with the unground seeds, but regular deli mustard will do in a pinch. I mean, if you're really desperate.

1tsp to 1 tbs Tabasco Smoked Chipotle.

1/2 to 1 tsp regular tabasco.

2 to 3 tbs cider vinegar.

1/4 cup store bought bbq sauce (I can feel Blixco wincing from here). Look at the ingredients and if tomato in some form isn't the first ingredient then put it back on the shelf. Or you can use ketchup.

For a serious tomato kick use a small can of tomato paste, plus an equal amount of canned tomato sauce (or, yes, ketchup), in place of the store bought sauce. Since this is unsweetened add a tbs or two of dark brown sugar.

Add chili powder, pepper, other spices as needed/wanted.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}

_{He sails from world to world in a flying tomb, serving gods who eat hope.}

I hope you leave skin on the chicken breasts. Charred crispy chicken skin is one of the best things about chicken.

WashPost food section had a very, ah, controversial article about marinades last week.

An experiment [...] showed that after eight days, a slightly salty marinade gave meat a somewhat mushy surface but penetrated less than 1/8 inch into the flesh; a mildly acidic one (such as a wine- or vinegar-based marinade) showed next to no effect. . . . [Y]ou get just as much effect from marinating for four seconds as for 24 hours.

America's Test Kitchen - Grill-Roasted Beer Can Chicken for a Charcoal Grill

from the Episode: Beer Can Chicken Dinner

Using the right amount of charcoal is crucial here; using too much charcoal will burn the chicken, while using too little will extend the cooking time substantially. The temperature inside the grill should be about 375 degrees at the outset and will fall to about 300 by the time the chicken is done. For added accuracy, place a grill thermometer in the lid vents as the chicken cooks. If you prefer, use lemonade instead of beer; fill an empty 12-ounce soda or beer can with 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) of lemonade and proceed as directed.

Serves 4

Spice Rub
1/2     cup sweet paprika
2     tablespoons kosher salt
2     tablespoons garlic powder
1     tablespoon dried thyme
2     teaspoons ground celery seed
2     teaspoons ground black pepper
2     teaspoons cayenne pepper

Chicken
2     cups wood chips , or 2 (3-inch) wood chunks
1     whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1     can beer (12-ounce), see note
2     bay leaves
    Large disposable aluminum baking pan (13 by 9-inch)

See Illustrations Below: Setting Up Beer Can Chicken

1.For Spice Rub: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Measure 3 tablespoons for use in this recipe. Extra rub can be stored (or frozen) in an airtight container for several weeks.

2. For Chicken: Soak the wood chunks or chips in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain. If using wood chips, divide them between two 18-inch squares of aluminum foil, seal to make two packets, and use a fork to create about six holes in each packet to allow smoke to escape.
3. Massage the spice rub all over the chicken, inside and out. Lift up the skin over the breast and rub the spice rub directly onto the meat. Open the beer can and pour out (or drink) about 1/4 cup. With a church key can opener, punch two more large holes in the top of the can (for a total of three holes). Crumble the bay leaves into the beer. Slide the chicken over the can so that the drumsticks reach down to the bottom of the can and the chicken stands upright; set aside at room temperature.
4. Light a large chimney starter filled two-thirds with charcoal (4 quarts, or about 60 briquettes) and allow to burn until the coals are fully ignited and partially covered with a thin layer of ash, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Place the disposable pan in the center of the grill. Pour half of the coals into a pile on each side of the grill, leaving the pan in the center. Nestle 1 soaked wood chunk (or 1 foil packet) on top of each coal pile. Position the cooking grate over the coals, cover the grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape the grate clean with a grill brush.
6. Place the chicken (with the can) in the center of the cooking grate with the wings facing the coals (the ends of the drumsticks will touch the grate and help steady the bird, see the illustration below). Cover and grill-roast, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 65 to 85 minutes.
7. With a large wad of paper towels in each hand, transfer the chicken to a platter or tray, making sure to keep the can upright; let rest for 15 minutes. Using wads of paper towels, carefully lift the chicken off the can and onto a platter or cutting board. Discard the remaining beer and can. Carve the chicken and serve.

Grill-Roasting Two Chickens: There are some occasions when you may want to cook more than one chicken—when you have more guests to serve or if you’d like to have leftovers on hand. Here’s how:

Increase the number of wood chunks to 4 (or 4 cups of wood chips), use 6 tablespoons Spice Rub, two 3 1/2 pound chickens and increase the amount of charcoal to a three-quarters full chimney (4 1/2 quarts, or about 70 briquettes). In step 6, set the chickens (and cans) in the middle of the cooking grate, with the chickens breasts facing one another, about 3 inches apart (keeping the chickens close together ensures that they won’t hit the top of the domed grill lid). Grill-roast as directed.

However, here's the lamb marinade that I use and has tested well at five or six BBQs.

Take one leg of lamb, butterfly it.  Have the butcher do this if you don't want to waste meat, and have the butcher trim the silver too.

Put it into a plastic garbage bag.  Pour in a bottle of white wine, an equal amount of buttermilk (full fat buttermilk, please), a cup or so of olive oil, a cup of fresh mint (roughed up / torn), eight to twelve heads of garlic (no shit), and fresh ground black pepper. My dad also adds a lemon (juice it, then throw it in), but I've had it with and without.

Let that marinade overnight in the fridge.  The bag keeps it all handy.

The olive oil will replace the fat pulled by the wine / citrus, keeping the meat nice and moist and tasty without the extra mutten-y fat.  The buttermilk draws out the mutton taste, milds it out, and adds even more fat. The mint is a natural, but you can use rosemary (fresh only please).

Get your fire in two levels: ----__  The top level is your hot side, the low level is your warm side.  Get the coals to white, then throw on the lamb fat side down onto the hot side...this gets the fat started.  Leave it there for maybe two minutes, then flip it, and cook for five to seven minutes.  Pull it over to the warm side, flip it again, and cook until the fat starts to render, then flip it back over and cook until done.  I like my lamb like I like my beef: cold in the center.  You may wish to make it medium, but don't.  Medium rare is the most a lamb should ever be grilled; any further and you start taking on the bitter of the burning fat.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin