Most of the barbecue sauces you see in grocery stores are finishing sauces. Cooking time is critical for good barbecue. For more tender cuts of meat, like steaks and chops, you'll want to use a higher temperature for quicker cooking. Roasts and tougher cuts of meat simply take longer to barbecue. To cook by indirect heat, you need a covered grill.
Hickory works well with most meats, and mesquite works well for pork or beef.
Apple is good for pork and poultry, and the robust flavor of cherry best matches beef and wild game. Remember, you can use wood on a gas grill too. You should still be able to slice it. Food writer Marion Burros credits the original recipe to Texas barbecue king Walter Jetton, who made spareribs that President Lyndon Johnson was especially fond of. Use as a marinade to grill your favorite meats or vegetables.