Backyard barbeques have come a long way from the days when all you needed was a simple sack of charcoal and some lighter fluid. 

From grillers to smokers to pizza ovens, there are a lot of options to choose from, so consumer reporter Lynda Steele went the experts for some advice on becoming the backyard iron chef of your neighbourhood.

Park Heffelfinger is king of the grill. He co-owns the Memphis Blues BBQ chain, which serves up ten tonnes of meat a week.

“The secret to good BBQ is a good rub and a good smoker," he said.

If you're looking for a home unit, the Masterbuilt Dual Fuel Smoker has been a hot seller this BBQ season. Home Depot is having trouble keeping the $199 dollar smoker in stock.

If pizza is more of your thing, the $139 dollar Bakerstone Pizza Cooker is a good option. It sits right on top of your existing BBQ grill.

"It works with convection heat and radiant heat, and it's all fully lined with stone and you can cook a pizza in two to four minutes," said BBQ expert Fiona Wilson. 

If it's a new BBQ you're after, backyard grillers are drooling over one model in particular, the Brinkman Elite, nicknamed “The Beast”

It has a sear station, five burners and a built in smoker right in the front. The grill is big enough to fit 35 burgers and costs $799.

For something smaller and portable, the Weber Q1000 is a collapsible propane grill you can take to the beach for $199.

But if you’re an old school kind of griller, the Napolean Charcoal BBQ may be the answer for you. It has removable grill panels for easy cleaning and costs just under $300.

If you're hoping to cook up some ribs as juicy as the ones they serve at Memphis Blues BBQ, the staff at the restaurant holds classes on how to turn your backyard BBQ into a home smoker.

"About an hour and a half after smoking you want to wrap your ribs so they don't dry out, wrap them in heavy duty foil," said Heffelfinger.

If you want to recreate the Memphis Blues BBQ sauce at home, try out the recipe. But be warned, it’s missing one ingredient, as the restaurant says it won’t give away all their secrets.

Memphis Blues Classic Barbecue Sauce:

Makes one cup (250 ml)

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark brown or Demerara sugar

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) molasses

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ketchup

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) yellow mustard

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) onion powder

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Lawry's Seasoned Salt

• a dash of Louisiana-style hot sauce

• ½ cup (125 ml) water

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk thoroughly or combine with a hand-held blender to ensure that there are no lumps. Simmer over low heat while stirring frequently for one hour (this pasteurizes the sauce). Cool for at least one hour before transferring to an airtight container for storage. Store for up to one month in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Memphis Blues Barbeque House: Bringin' Southern BBQ Home, by George Siu and Park Heffelfinger (Whitecap, 2008). Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.