I agree with some others that BBQ is not about type of meat, or type of sauce, it’s all about cooking technique: low and slow and smoky. This thread has me craving BBQ now-- it’s been a little while since I BBQed anything. Unfortunately I have plans the whole weekend so BBQ will have to wait (at least, making it-- maybe will see if I can talk Mrs. solost into hitting a BBQ joint for dinner Saturday night).
My favorite meat is brisket, with pulled pork a close second. Pulled pork is easier to get right, but a properly BBQed brisket is a beautiful thing. Here’s a post I made this past June in which I followed an America’s Test Kitchen / Cook’s Country recipe for perfectly BBQed brisket on a kettle grill- it turned out amazing: Barbecued Beef Brisket! Ribs are good, but not a lot of leftovers for almost the same amount of work. I’ve also BBQed plenty of chickens and turkeys.
Sauce: depends on the meat and the mood I’m in. For pulled pork I like a hybrid Eastern/Western North Carolina-style sauce: thin and vinegary but with a little bit of tomato sauce added. The acidity is a nice counterpoint to the fattiness. I don’t generally use much if any sauce with brisket or poultry.