When it comes to proper BBQ technique, we all have certain BBQ secret recipes and certain techniques that are a must for the perfect BBQ. What the proper technique is will depend on whom you ask, but for the most part, the basic foundation rules are the same and so are the BBQ mistakes.
To begin with, the biggest mistake that people make when trying to achieve the proper BBQ technique is causing flare-ups when cooking with charcoal. While you can have the same issue with gas grills, they are not as frequent and are much easier to control and correct. To avoid this type of mishap, do not completely fill the grill or pit, you should leave a cool spot. This lets you move your food around if it becomes too hot or if the flames get a bit jumpy. Next, don’t fill up the whole grate with food. There must be a spot left empty in case of a flare-up. If the flames do start to jump too high, you can take care of this by keeping a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep things from getting out of control.
When you are cooking a variety of foods you should put the items that will cook faster where the hottest fire is. You should put on the food that will take longer to cook once the fire has cooled a bit so you do not burn the outside and leave the inside raw or underdone. No matter what you are grilling, even your most serious BBQ secret recipe, make sure you watch it carefully. Some foods have a problem with fats and grease dripping and this too can cause a flare-up. When you are barbequing, do not open the lid too often. If you are worried about flare-ups, simply standing close to your BBQ will alert you to any problems without having to open the lid.
For BBQ novices, a common mistake is poking your meat with forks or knives. This is the best way to get the worst meat. When you stab you meat too much during cooking you are releasing all the delicious juices and allowing them to fall to the grills bottom. Doing this will produce very dry and tough meat. This also contributes to flare-ups which can also ruin your meal. Overall, do not do anything to squeeze the juices out. This includes pressing down on the meat with a spatula which so many people do without realizing the damage they are doing.
Finally, when it comes to the proper BBQ technique it is important to know the level of heat to cook with in combination with the meat you are cooking. For instance, a pork loin that is 5 lbs should be cooked at 250 degrees for about 4 hours. If you are cooking a whole pig that is 80 pounds, you want to keep it going for almost 24 hours at 250 degrees. These are two things you want to cook slowly and on low heat in order to have the most tender and juicy outcome. Each type of meat requires a different cooking technique and heating time so be sure you know the correct information before you get started so you will have the best barbequed meat possible.
When you are having a cookout you may be tempted to prepare your BBQ secret recipes. However, you should always take into account the tastes of the guests that will be joining you in the feast and what they would enjoy most. When it comes to meat selections, it may be best to get a variety of meats to please any palate.
Choosing the best meats can be a challenge as there are so many terrific cuts. Again, what you choose to prepare will depend on who is coming to dinner, so for the sake of simplicity we will pretend that you are preparing a summer cookout for your friends and family. At an event like this there is likely to be children present so you may want to put away the loins and roasts and take out the burgers and hot dogs. Just because these are typical meat selections doesn’t mean you can’t beef them up with some cool variations; especially the burgers. You can add peppers, onions and many other things to your handmade patties to make them extra special. There is not much you can do to spice up the dogs but they are a must have summer cookout staple that stand well on their own.
For the more discerning taste of the adult cookout guest you can go with sausages. This may sound boring but think of all your options! You can do kielbasa, bratwurst or smoked sausage, not to mention the cheese and bacon stuffed! These are not only tasty meat selections but are affordable as well so you can feed a large group without spending a lot of money.
Chicken is also a good choice because it is a meat that both children and adults enjoy. It is also a good idea to cook at least a few pieces of chicken just in case you have a guest that does not enjoy red meats or one that is on a diet. Chicken is very good for you and typically low in fat and calories. Plus, there are hundreds of ways to prepare it on the grill so it is never boring. If you want a variety you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well a cut up a whole chicken so your guests can choose their favorite part of the bird. Use various sauces so each chicken dish has a different burst of flavor for an even more exiting BBQ experience. And speaking of sauce, you can use your favorite BBQ secret recipes here. If you are a grilling pro, chances are you have a few secrets up your sleeve when it comes to your BBQ sauce so use them on your chicken to make it the most popular of all the meat selections at your cookout.
Last, but certainly not least, is the beef. This is a favorite grilling meat for most adults and especially men. Men are notorious for being meat and potato types and the meat of choice is usually a big juicy cut of steak. This is the one thing you want to keep a careful eye on while cooking it. Grilling the perfect steak if an art form that must be learned through trial and error and lots of practice. The quality of your steaks should be considered as well because not all cuts are alike. And remember, when it comes to meat selections, you can go wrong. If you are not sure which to choose you should ask your butcher which is the best fit for the type of event you are planning.
When it comes to cooking out, there are grill option pros and cons. Should you cook with gas or charcoal? Each option is a good one depending on what you are cooking, and each one has it upsides and downsides. Keep reading to see what the pros and cons for each grilling option are to help you make the decision on how to precede with your next BBQ.
Even with the great gas grills available, so many people still love to cook with charcoal. This is confusing to many gas grill lovers out there because there are pros to gas grills that you cannot get with charcoal. But in the same token, there are pros to using charcoal that you cannot get with gas grills.
For those who love the smoky taste that their favorite BBQ secret recipes have, charcoal is the way to go. Smoky tastes are what cookouts are all about right? This is what sets your grilled meat apart from your kitchen cooked meat. Another good reason to cook with charcoal is that it does better with slow cooking than gas grills do. This makes your meat more tender and moist; this goes for all kinds of meat. Slow cooking on a charcoal grill, even though it takes much more time, is healthier then on a gas grill. This is because the oils and fats drip down into the charcoal to curb the presence of fat and lock in the meats nutrients. The fat drippings may add flavor but they also add to the overall unhealthiness of the meat.
Even with these good points about charcoal cooking, there are some downsides that can cause serious problems. Using charcoal leads to leaving a bigger carbon footprint as the smoke emitted into the air spreads pollution. This also contributes to global warming. There is also some evidence that cooking with charcoal contributes to cancer. The carcinogenic compounds that are released during charcoal burning carries significant health risks according to some scientists. There is also a chance of food poisoning as the temperatures of the charcoal grow higher and the smoke get thicker. Keep in mind though that this can happen even when you fry meat so do not let this alone deter you from using charcoal to make your BBQ secret recipe.
Cooking Your BBQ Secret Recipe On a Gas Grill
You cannot make a good choice without hearing the grill option pros and cons when dealing with gas grilling. The biggest pro of gas grilling is that it is the more convenient of the two options. It gives you the same options you have with your inside oven and only requires you to turn it on and set the temperature. Your food will cook faster and more evenly without as much work and this makes it a great option for cooking meals outside on a daily basis. A gas grill is safe to keep in close proximity to your house because cooking on it does not include having an open flame present. You do not have to pay as close attention to the meat you have cooking on a gas grill and this frees you up for more social time. Gas grills also make for easier cleanup then charcoal grills do and this is a major plus for those who are in a rush.
Now for the gas grill cons. They are more expensive than charcoal grills and this can play a major factor for those on a budget. In addition to that, many people enjoy the traditional smoky taste a charcoal grill provides and this cannot be achieved by using gas grills. You can use liquid smoke for some extra flavor but it is just not the same. Some people even report that gas grills give their food an odd taste. And finally, having to drag around a tank for refilling can be inconvenient.
Even through the pros of using gas grills well outweigh the cons, some people will never go gas simply because they are charcoal lovers and some will never go charcoal because they are gas lovers. The bottom line is that it all comes down to a matter of personal taste and we all have a favorite way of grilling our meat!
For even more BBQ Secret Recipe options, checkout my friends over at Barbecue Smoker Recipes.com
One of the key factors in grilling is the BBQ sauce we use and the importance of the BBQ sauce and how it interacts with the meat. For you newbie grillers, BBQ sauce is a must in the world of grilling. It is the most important aspect of flavoring any type of grilled meat and can range from think and hearty to thin and watery depending on which type your taste buds fancy. Even though there are many kinds of BBQ sauces, the most common ingredients are usually vinegar, sugar, ketchup, onion, garlic and mustard. However, there are many variations and these depend heavily on which part of the country you live in. The most famous types BBQ sauce that people use for their BBQ secret recipes are from the following regions: Kansas City, Eastern Carolina, Western Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Alabama and South Carolina. These places vie for the best BBQ sauce the whole world over but no one has been able to make an official decision on that question as ones taste for BBQ sauce is highly subjective.
Depending on the type of food you are cooking, the importance of the BBQ sauce and how it interacts with the meat can vary. If you wish to marinate your meat before grilling it, a thin sauce is the best choice. By using a thin BBQ sauce you are allowing the flavors to really sink into the meat. This also makes the meat much sweeter and produces a much juicer finished product. Marinating in a thicker BBQ sauce is not the best idea as it will not give you the same results. Sauces that are thick are best left for glazing during the final seconds or minutes that the meat is to be on the grill. Using a BBQ brush is the best way to apply a thick BBQ sauce allowing you to get an even cover over your meat, and the taste is amazing. For the best grilled meat I will share with you one of my BBQ secret recipe tricks. The secret is to use both a thin and thick sauce. Marinate your meat overnight with a thin sauce. Once you begin grilling you will be able to smell the sauces flavor radiating off your food. Once the cook time is at an end, slather the meat with a thick sauce that compliments the marinade and you will have a flavor explosion on your hands (or more accurately, your tongue!)
You can of course grill your meat without using any BBQ sauce. However, grilling without sauce does not give you the best meat you can have. BBQ sauce is not only for surface flavor. It is also a way to keep your meat juicy and tender. If you inject the sauce into the meat it will be even juicer and more flavorful. BBQ sauce is also a great way to ensure that your meat will not dry out and become rough and tasteless. So, keep in mind how important sauce is to your meat and you are sure to have a tasty meal to look forward to!
