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It's time to clean your barbecue and put it back to work. For excellent advice on caring for your gas or charcoal grill, visit www.weber.com and click on Grill Care.

Here's another tip: Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart sell a gizmo called Gas Watch (or Grill Gear and sometimes other names, too) that attaches to your propane tank and tells you how much fuel is left. For about $25, you need never run out of gas in the middle of cooking again. A more sophisticated electronic version will tell you if there are gas leaks.

Grilling is a delicious way to cook chicken and ribs, but both meats are a challenge. Chicken is often either overcooked or undercooked, and the skin tends to stick to the grill. Ribs can get chewy and dried out.

Here are two basic techniques for chicken and ribs, as well as a great rub and a barbecue sauce that will get you through the season.

On another note: I was astonished this week to find wild leeks growing under my Japanese maple tree. They were a gift from a reader, but I had no expectation they would grow when I planted them.

I washed the leeks, patted them dry, placed them in foil and drizzled them with olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. I grilled them for about 3 minutes on high heat and served them with the chicken. Decadent.

ALL-PURPOSE BARBECUE RUB When it comes to grilling tender meat or chicken on the barbecue, rubs (dry-spice mixtures) are one way to go. They give great flavour but they won't tenderize already-tender cuts. (For tougher cuts of meat, marinating to break down the tissues works best.) Use as little or as much spice rub as you wish, depending on how spicy you like your food. This recipe can be stored in an air-tight jar away from heat and light for at least six months.

What you need

1/4 cup coarse salt

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika

2 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper

What you do

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Makes about 1 cup.

APPLE, LEMON BARBECUE and Basting SAUCE This is not the usual heavy sweet barbecue sauce. Because it is lighter, it tastes great with chicken or fish, either brushed on while cooking or as a dipping sauce. It will keep for one month refrigerated.

What you need 1 cup apple-cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons dried mustard powder

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons hot-pepper flakes

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

What you do Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Makes about 2 cups.

SMOKY SOUTHWESTERN DIP

This is a good dip to serve with chicken, ribs, shrimps or kebabs. Or you can brush it on while you are cooking.

Buy canned chipotle in adobo sauce. Chipotles, which are smoked jalapeno peppers, give the smokiness to the sauce. If chipotles are not available, use sambal oelek, but you lose the smoky flavour.

The sauce will keep for one month refrigerated.

What you need

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup yogurt

2 teaspoons chopped chipotle peppers

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 cup chopped red onion

What you do Combine all sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Makes about 1 cup.

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN

Butterflying means removing the backbone and breastbone and laying the chicken flat. This is the best way to cook whole chickens on the grill without fear of burnt skin or undercooked centres.

The method works for bone-in breasts and legs too.

What you need

1 1.5 kilogram (31/2 pound) chicken, butterflied

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons All-Purpose Barbecue Rub (above)

What you do

Brush whole chicken with oil and sprinkle both sides with rub. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat grill to high. Turn off one side of grill, and lower heat to medium-low. Place chicken on turned-off side, bone-side down.

Close barbecue and grill for 30 minutes, basting if you wish. Barbecue temperature should be between 350 and 400 F.

Turn chicken over and grill 10 to 15 minutes more or until juices run clear. Cut in quarters to serve. Serve dipping sauce on the side. Serves 4.

BAREBECUED SPARERIBS

Back ribs are meatier, but using this method I prefer side ribs. Prebaking the ribs in the sauce makes them tender.

What you need Beer Barbecue Sauce:

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup sliced onions

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup beer or ale

1/2 cup store-bought barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Salt to taste

Ribs:

2 kilograms (4 pounds) pork side (or back) ribs, cut into about 6-rib sections

What you do

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Combine garlic, onions, mustard, beer, barbecue sauce, red-wine vinegar, brown sugar and salt in a pot over medium-high heat.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until flavours come together.

Place ribs in a baking dish and pour on sauce.

Cover dish tightly with foil and place in the oven for 11/2 to 2 hours or until fork tender.

Drain juice from baking dish into a pot and bring to boil. Boil until reduced by half.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Paint reduced sauce over the ribs and grill for 20 minutes or until crispy, basting and turning ribs twice.

Ribs should be glazed with sauce. Serves 4 to 6.