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The backyard barbecue.

It isn't just food; it's a gathering, an event. Part feast, part circus, part tribal council. Everyone wants to be a master of the grill: flipping steaks with ease, handling flare-ups with nonchalance, and passing out plates of perfect burgers. It looks so simple …. yet it doesn't always turn out the way we imagined it would. From the hockey-puck burger to the under-done chicken cutlet, we've all made mistakes. So, how do the professionals do it?

We asked chef-owners from some of the region's premier barbecue houses to dish on their favorite dish. We've assembled top tips from Andres Blue Ribbon and Brooks's House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta, Redneck Bar-B-Que in Cooperstown, and Cha Cha Hut in Andes.

So, first things first _ gas or charcoal? Well, the experts are pretty much all in favor of a traditional charcoal grill. Frank Davis of Cha Cha Hut said he believes that you're not truly barbecuing if you're using a gas grill _ "You're just cooking outside."

Josh Cassell of Redneck Bar-B-Que seconds this, explaining that the very first barbecues were more like smokers _ big hunks of meat placed on racks at chest height above a low burning wood fire named a barbacoa.

Ryan Brooks of Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta uses a charcoal grill in his restaurant, but he "confesses" to using a propane grill when, like everyone else, he gets home late and has the urge to barbecue with the least amount of hassle. Though he does have four grills at home, three of which are charcoal, he comments, "What can I say? It's one of my most favorite things to do. It distracts your mind. Barbecuing is a good thing."

If you go with charcoal and are having trouble lighting it (let's face it, who hasn't?), Davis recommends purchasing a simple $20 charcoal chimney from a home improvement store and filling it with a little newspaper and a couple of briquettes, then setting it inside the barbecue. But he warns against using lighter fluid. "It is an enemy," he said laughing. Though it may make for an easier initial burn, your food will retain the distinctive odor of petroleum.

If you want to re-create the truly authentic barbecue flavor _ without digging a pit _ Pat Andres of Andres Blue Ribbon explains how the home griller can turn a standard barbecue into a smoker. Simply wrap pre-soaked wood chips (from a hardware store or supermarket) in foil, punch holes in the pouch, and lay the package inside the grill. (Check online to see where exactly to place the pouch according to the type of grill and fuel source you have.)

So, now that the barbecue is ready, what are we going to cook on it?

The pros all have their favorite dishes: Davis goes for flank steak or pork belly, Andres prefers brisket, Brooks goes for "nothing less than choice," and for Cassell a good backyard barbecue means "any red meat over an open flame." One thing they all agree on is that any marbled steak _ such as a rib eye _ will get a good flare-up on the grill (thereby entertaining your guests) and contains enough fat to keep the meat moist (thereby entertaining your taste buds).

One of the bonuses of barbecue _ and arguably its raison d'etre _ is that you can pretty much get away with cooking anything on it. Smother your budget meat with a great sauce, leave it for a few hours over a low heat, and voila, a crowd-pleaser.

And sauces are so easy to make, as Davis notes, "It basically comes down to equal parts ketchup, vinegar and sugar _ then your own variety of spices according to taste."

In terms of preparing meat sans sauce, Cassell's tip for seasoning is to go bold _ let your meat sit for 15 minutes from the fridge, then use a heavy handful of salt and four to five good grinds of black pepper to draw the sugars and proteins out to the surface of the meat. Though it may seem like a lot of seasoning, remember that some falls into the grill and some of it burns away. But great seasoning is the key to creating a nice crust and sealing the juices inside.

Cassell also offers up this important tip for home grillers: you don't necessarily need to oil your grill before cooking to stop the meat from sticking. Just wait 20 to 30 minutes until your grill is super-hot, 350 degrees or more, and the meat shouldn't stick.

Andres says he likes to use a dry rub and fruitwoods to create flavorful smoked chicken. Instead of going high and fast, as with the red meats, he recommends going "low and slow," keeping the chicken on the grill at 200 degrees or lower to ensure a nice moist flavor. And his tip is not to use mesquite. Although many people associate mesquite with smoked food, Andres notes that mesquite is in fact a very powerful flavor and can easily overwhelm the meat's natural taste. So he recommends woods that impart a more subtle flavor, such as maple or apple0wood chips.

Now, perhaps most critically _ because this is where most of us go wrong _ when should you take the meat off the grill? According to Davis, one of the best tools a home griller should have is a meat thermometer. All meat should be cooked to at least 150 degrees, but it's important to remember that meat will continue to cook even once it is off the grill. Bear this in mind when preparing your steaks, as the meat will be around 10 to 15 degrees higher by the time it is plated. And remember that pink meat isn't necessarily bad.

There are plenty of non-meat options for your barbecue, too: a favorite of Andres' is grilled local peaches _ halve them, lightly sear them, turn them, and enjoy! The sugary interior becomes caramelized and makes for a sweet ending to your barbecue. Cassell recommends corn from the barbecue and offers the following tip: don't strip the husk, just remove the silk, soak the corn in water for a few minutes and then put it on the grill: This way, the inside is steaming within its own husk. Just make sure you turn it every few minutes, and take it off when the outer leaves turn brown (about 20 minutes).

Brooks said he loves to cook a mixture of squash, zucchini and asparagus on his grill _ but don't mix it up or it will get too squishy: slice it into ¼-inch pieces and treat it like steak.

But most importantly, just have fun with your barbecuing. At the very least, you're always learning. "You don't need a $600 grill," Brooks noted. "A couple of cinder blocks and a cooking grate will provide exactly what you need."

He cited the following cautionary tale: "One time I made a fresh trout that just fell to pieces on the grill. I threw it to the dog and it was the best meal of his life. That taught me something. There are no mistakes in barbecue."

"Us wood smokers, we're all 'practitioners'," echoed Andres. "We keep practicing until we get it right. And a cold can of beer can't hurt either."