Barbecue Secrets from a Prize-Winning Family

Brad Orrison and his sister Brooke Lewis love great barbecue and great blues. In 2001 they built The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on the coast about 90 miles east of New Orleans. On the following slides, they'll explain some of the secrets to creating their award-winning barbecue and share their dad's simple, but delicious, recipe for coleslaw.

The key to great barbecue is to start with a flavorful homemade rub and heap it on "Southern-style," says Brad. "That means cover every inch, then let it sit for an hour and a half."

The wood used for smoking should contribute a flavor that blends with the rub, the pork, and the sauce. "We use Mississippi-grown pecan," he says. If pecan chips aren't available, try hickory.

Maintaining an even temperature is one of Brad's keys to tender pork shoulder. He keeps his smoker at about 225 degrees F. While he uses a commercial smoker, he's adapted his recipe for charcoal and gas grills.

At The Shed, crisp, creamy coleslaw rounds out the meal. Like many of the recipes at The Shed, the coleslaw was handed down from a family member. "The coleslaw is my dad's," says Brooke. "It's a sweeter style you find at Southern barbecue places. It's true comfort food."

• See Brad Orrison's Down-Home Barbecued Pork Sandwich recipe
• See The Shed Cole Slaw recipe

Using two colors of cabbage is essential, Brooke says. "The purple has a little bit of bite -- gives it a nice kick -- and makes it a whole lot prettier."

• See The Shed Cole Slaw recipe

Sweetness is only part of the flavor equation in the coleslaw. "When you use a lot of sugar, black pepper balances it out," says Brooke. "They work well together on your palate,"

• See The Shed Cole Slaw recipe

The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint is in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on the coast about 90 miles east of New Orleans. For more details and locations, check out The Shed's website (www.theshedbbq.com).