Barbecue Tricks

BBQ Tips and Tricks

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Traeger Pellet Grill

rec tec vs traegerPellet Grills are like magic. The are a barbecue trick in and of themselves because they cook with real wood instead of other fuels sources like charcoal and propane.   It’s the most convenient way to get real wood taste and great smoke flavor.    We have tested the new Traeger Texas pellet grill and it is a winner.

Pellet Grills Benefits and Tricks:
Pellet cookers like the Traeger (and Rec Tec) allow the pitmaster (or is it pellet master?) to hold a low and slow consistent temperature over a very long cook.
See the latest Traeger Deals  on Amazon.

Another plus on the Traeger is the super easy set up and high quality.   The Traeger Texas was shipped to my home in a few boxes that were not too heavy (I could move them myself) and putting the fire and auger mechanism and legs together were pretty straight forward.  Took me approximately 30 minutes without the usual frustration of a lot of little bolts and parts.  Surprisingly easy for the technology you are setting up.

The pellet grill is versatile too.  It can fire hot and bake or “roast” over 400 degrees.
The electric fan or blower and an internal thermostat does the rest to control the burn and hold a steady temperature.    This thing can really do some baking / roasting if you are really into cooking with some higher heat.

So if you want smoked cookies.  This will do it!   But more common is that it’s great for competition guys as well as the backyarder.  And because it really heats with wood – the primary fuel source – it passes the muster indifferent BBQ competitions like the popular KCBS Kansas city BBQ Society.

Dan Caskie – Traeger Pellet Grill owner with Ledyard BBQ offers a few tricks and some insight:

Dan: “I’m firing it up right now you see the smoke coming up – so this definitely IS a smoker. I’ve got it on the smoke setting and once my smoke starts to come out I can close it up and reliably now that I have it set to my desired temperature, I give it about fifteen minutes, go rub my butts and it’s ready to smoke BBQ. I can leave the meat on there and never have to change anything. I usually wrap my butts… it’s kind of a “crutch” but with THIS there’s no need. Also thanks to the grease draining system… no need. I can leave it on here the whole cook until it’s ready to be perfect pulled pork.”

BBQTRICKS: What pellets do you use?
Dan:”So Traeger has a large line of them. I have a local supplier that I’m able to get them from pretty easily and Traeger also sends me some coupons from time to time so that’s nice. If I was going to do my butts I take a mixture of Hickory and Apple or even Maple. I like Maple a lot. They make a great Mesquite if you do any beef. I like to stay traditional with the Mesquite on beef.”
BT: So you’ll mix them like a recipe?
Dan:” That’s correct. I also like to layer them. I know the auger pulls them through. I like to start with some Hickory maybe finish with a fruit (wood) run. They also have a Pecan that is wonderful. It’s kind of a universal wood as well. You asked me earlier about getting a good smoke ring. One tip you might us is you might get a little more dark with Pecan. If you want that color… throw the Pecan in there. The Traeger is also great for high heat cooking. I can finish a butt and then throw some chicken on there. I have a multi rack on here so I can throw a bunch of racks of ribs or chicken on. I can crank that heat if I want to sear something quick. We like Bacon Pops. Cook ’em at 325 degrees F. Again, dial the temperature. It’s easy enough I can call my wife and tell her to throw something on the grill and she likes it because she’s involved. So we love Traeger grills. It’s doing great for us.”
BT: What’s your favorite meat to do on there?
Dan:” Chicken. By far this is a competition chicken cooker. Backyard chicken is wonderful. Anything that you want easy control of. Charcoal is great but it takes me a while to get everything set up and I always have to empty the bag. This… I just make sure my hopper is full. Put in my favorite flavor and I can get what I want out of it pretty easy.

Follow Dan with the hastag #TIMETOBBQ

The Traeger Pellet grill is in our opinion the king of pellet cookers. If you want to find out more about the Rec Tec I Ballistic BBQ and Amazing Ribs blogs have done more detailed things with the Rec Tec.

In summary pellet cookers are a fantastic convenience for the low and slow bbq master.  The pellets are a new cost to factor in to you cooking budget but it compares favorably to propane plus wood chips or charcoal plus wood chunks.  It will likely encourage your experimenting with new wood flavors.

Final tip: Remember to purchase an appropriate cover for the grill as water is an enemy of wood pellets.
Traeger Cover for Lil Tex or Lil Tex Elite Grill, Black

 

Featured

Texas BBQ Defined at Lockhart Smoke House

Sequence 01.Still004So just what is Texas BBQ?  We paid a visit to a Lockhart Smoke house near Dallas to watch them do it right… It’s the home of Jalapeno Sausage (via Kreuz Market).

It’s beef it’s brisket-it’s butcher paper it’s jalapeno peppers… Texas BBQ just what makes it special? Plus a trick to the sauce… Just outside of Dallas at Lockhart BBQ and yes… my test its you CAN smell smoke!

Lockhart Smokehouse in Dallas ft worth – helps define some things… The meat is beef… Brisket is the headliner And the smoke – although many think mesquite- post oak -rules here— and why not think local — post oak is white oak tx cueand native Texas tree with a name that refers to it’s popular use for fence posts…

Texas BBQ is also aligned with fresh smoked sausage- here the juicy snap of a fresh smoked jalapeno sausage is a specialty – and here they tip their Texas hats to the best -Lockhart smoke house is the area’s exclusive purveyors of Kreutz Market sausage- Kreuz is Texas BBQ royalty since 1900..

But alas a 4 hour drive away from Dallas so – Fortunately
-here they show off the connection to Kreuz on the walls and on the trays with that incredible Jalapeno sausage.

How many times you been here?: “Too many times to count… I have been in and out of this state up and down the country and have not found better BBQ.
They Do allow sauce at Lockhart – and unlike Kreuz they DO allow sauce and forks.

The sauce in Texas is tangy and dark red with ketchup and Worcestershire and sometimes served hot like this – at Eddie Deen’s Crossroad’s BBQ near Cowboys stadium…. A real treat -This is one of the few places you can actually get the sauce hot right out of the cooker. In fact the bbq trick is to serve the sauce hot on the side – it adds a definite zip of freshness that sends tongues into overdrive. See our whatsthishere sauce recipe video for a close impostor.

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Next – typical Texas ‘cue is served and sometimes even cooked in butcher paper

Along with mega jars of jalapeno peppers and pickled red onions… Ribs, Occasionally shoulder clod and chicken its the full combination mixed with oak smoke and a lone star flag that truly defines Texas BBQ –
Tell us you favorite BBQ joint in the comments or tag is in a #grateplate and
For more on BBQ from Memphis watch here.

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The Right Tomato for Your Recipe

Choose the Right Type of Tomato for Your Recipe

tomato2By Noelle Renee Allen

Which Tomato is the Right Tomato?

There are six different types of tomatoes to eat, and they vary in taste. Learning about the different types will help you choose the right one for your next recipe.

Cherry

This miniature tomato comes loaded with nutrition and flavor. They resemble a cherry but are the color of a tomato. When eating this type, you will immediately notice how sweet it is, compared to other varieties. They are perfect for a salad or to enjoy on their own.

Globe

Globe tomatoes are the ones that many people think of when they hear tomato. Many supermarkets call this type beefsteak or slicing tomato. These have a subtle flavor and aren’t as juicy. They are great for recipes in which you want a fresh tomato taste without it overpowering the rest of the meal.

Heirloom

Whenever gourmet chefs cook with tomatoes, they often choose the heirloom variety because they have a juicy, strong taste. These are the most flavorful, so it’s best not to use too many of them in a recipe unless it’s for a tomato dish.

Pear

These tomatoes are not as common, but people still use them quite often in salads or eat them by themselves. They are shaped like a pear but are only the size of a cherry.

Grape

These oval shaped tomatoes taste similar to the cherry variety but are just a bit bigger. People usually use them in salads, but they cut them in half. They aren’t as juicy as cherry tomatoes, so they don’t get as messy when cut.

Roma

Roma, or plum, tomatoes are not juicy, and they have fewer seeds than other types. People use these tomatoes for Italian dishes.

Fresh Dishes and Cooked Dishes

If you want to prepare a salad, cherry, grape, or pear tomatoes tend to be the most popular, but you can really use any type. Although, if you choose to use a bigger variety, be aware that there will be more cutting or slicing involved. When cooking, use globe, heirloom, or Roma. For a strong flavor, use heirloom or Roma. Use globe tomatoes if you want a mild flavor. This, however, does not mean you can’t use cherry or grape tomatoes in cooking. For example, if you cut grape tomatoes in half and saute them in some olive oil, garlic and chopped basil, you will have a very tasty bruschetta-like topping or sauce!

How to Use Tasti-Lee Tomatoes

The quick answer is in any way! Tasti-Lee tomatoes are vine-tomatoes, ripened by Mother Nature. They are perfect for sandwiches and other fresh dishes but also work well cooked! Perhaps roasted? If you’d like to take a look at some Tasti-Lee tomato recipes, visit http://tastilee.com/recipes.php.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Noelle_Renee_Allen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Choose-the-Right-Type-of-Tomato-for-Your-Recipe&id=8483382


Featured

Warning: New Pork Temperature Safe USDA Guidline

Under cooked barbecue… what you don’t know may just hurt you! and Bill West recently the temperature guidelines for cooking pork have changed in america’s USDA guidelines….

The good news is today’s pork producers are making things much safer when it comes to undercooked food transmitting harmful bacteria — in 2011 USDA Lowered the “doneness” or pork’s safe temp to 145 from 160…  We recommend using a quality meat thermometer probed in the thickest part of the meat.  ( See info on the popular thermapen below.)

Chicken is a bigger culprit for transmitting bacteria want to undercurrent that temperature remains a more strict porktemp160° beef stayed the same at recommended 145.

Here’s a bigger tip if you are cooking a low slow barbecue favorite:  Pulled Pork…

Pulled pork is a whole different deal…and and it’s recommended that you cook two between 195 and 210° not for food safety reasons more for pull apart tenderness…

Other tools to help include the Pellet Grill with temperature probes shown in the video from http://www.traegergrills.com/ where you can remote control the fire in synch to the internal temperature of the meat.

Note: we have added and just updated our temperature guide at the top menu… come back if you ever need to check the “rules”.  Also see http://safety.gov for all sorts of kitchen and food safety information from Uncle Sam.  They have actually compiled some very BBQ friendly information including picnic and grilling specific tips.

Also we love the Thermoworks THERMAPEN electric thermometer we use in the video (not the round sundial above – those are inexpensive but temperamental).   See below for the ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen (Gray) Professional Thermocouple Cooking Thermometer

on Amazon (we highly recommend it):

Best Gift Ever

Best Gift Ever

…

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Five Ways to Pork Up Your Rotisserie

Grilling season is just around the corner and now is the time pick up some new skills and ideas so you don’t get stuck in the same old burgers and hot dog rut.

One great way to add some variety to your grilling sessions is to break out your rotisserie.  r2Now BarbecueTricks.com has already shown you how to do a classic rotisserie chicken.  We’ve even showed you how to use a rotisserie to make a beautiful spiral cut roasted pineapple!

Here’s a way to get even more fun out of your rotisserie by letting you know that rotisseries are incredible for anything that you would want to slow roast.  Lucky for us that opens up most of the world of pork!

The perfect piece of pork for the rotisserie is a 3-5 pound pork loin. You will want to r3roast this with indirect heat for around two hours or until it hits an internal temperature of 150F.  To make sure the loin stays juicy you can brine it overnight or simply inject it with some Creole Butter.  Make it look amazing by scoring the fat in a diamond pattern before roasting.

 

Another piece of pork that is amazing on a rotisserie is a pork butt.  No joke; you can use a rotisserie to make amazing pulled pork!  I slow cooked this butt on a Weber gas grill for around eight hours and it turned out incredible.  Some friendly advice…make sure you truss the butt since it does get fall apart tender!r4

If you ever come across a bone-in pork roast you know what you need to do with it…that’s right, spin it on your rotisserie!

If you want to take a break from “low and slow” barbecue ribs you can season them up, weave them onto a rotisserie and roast them until the skin is crispy with just a little char.  These are spectacular with a little squeeze of lemon juice.

 

Last up on the list is a rotisserie pork belly!  I use a standard rotisserie basket when roasting bellies.  Simply score the fat, season with garlic, salt and pepper then spin that belly until it hits 160F.

I promise the smell will be so incredible it will make you weak in the knees.  I will slice the belly thin for r5sandwiches and cube some up to add to roasted veggies.

 

I hope these ideas inspire you to break out your rotisserie and get a little freaky with your grill this summer. rq

In addition to rotisseries here is a link to a few other great grill accessories to bring a little more grilling joy to you life!

Featured

How To Get A Good Smoke Ring

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A good smoke ring is a pit master’s point of pride.   A beautiful deep rustic red outer layer of the meat that is so tantalizing it’s considered a badge of honor.Here, red meat does not mean rare or under cooked it means roasted low and slow and smoked to perfection.

So how you really get a good smoke ring? Here are a few quick tricks to perfect your smoke ring – win friends, influence people and delight cookout guests.

A good smoke ring is actually formed as a chemical reaction with nitrogen and chemicals in wood smoke reacting to the surface of the meat. I’m not convinced the actual creation of a ring tastes any different… But it’s coveted and looks great.

Here’s How you Can Make The Smoke Ring:

  • First, the “ring” likes lower temps. Start extra low and slow. When your meat tops 145 degrees bark forms and smoke ring formation ( that chemical reaction ) ends. If you want a darker ring you’ll need to ramp up slowly. After that you could even throw it in the oven.
  • wetSecond. the “ring” likes it wet. Keep it moist with water pan and baste or sop with a mop sauce for first half of cook (or again until about 145f).
  • Trim fat. The smokering will not form or penetrate fat if it’s too thick (surprise on the brisket pictured here it did).
  • Use wood fire. More than just smoke, actual fire really develops the chemical reaction with the smoke & meat.
  • The cooker used in the video is spectacular for forming a great smoke ring.  Traeger pellet cookers use small compressed wood pellets. It’s real wood in the little fire pot underneath the cooker. It allows you to cook at a consistent low temperature and then ramp up and really give a strong fire source. It is real wood. I’m using the hickory pellets in the video example here and the flavor you get from the smoke is deep and spectacular. I really think that’s why so many of the competitive barbecue pit masters use Traegers. It makes it easy, and in a lot of the competition rules you have to cook with wood and the Traeger passes that test. It features the assistance of an electric fan controlling your temperature so you take your eyes off the cook and relax a bit.

A Special Ingredient

I said earlier you don’t necessarily taste the smoke ring but if you really want to there are ways to kind of cheat the ring without a lot of smoke.

Try Morton’s Tenderquick. It’s a curing salt with nitrites and nitrates that you can use before cooking (warning: in a rub – a little goes a long way. You can also dust on for an hour and rinse off before cooking). The “whole food” foodies probably wont like it but it forces the chemical reaction on the surface of the meat. It’s one secret ingredient for getting a smoke ring.

There’s also a thing called Fab and/or Pink Salt that is also out there. You can even take a more natural route by using celery. Celery salt, celery juice, and celery seed in your rubs will add more naturally occurring nitrates.

Just a few tricks will showcase the ring…. My precious… If u have tricks share in comments and send along a bbq plate pic #grateplate – Head over to www.barbecuetricks.com

Butcher's Guide

Tips For Cooking Ribeye Roast On The Grill

heart rib eye

By Diane Louise Villanueva

I have some friends who get frustrated whenever they cook ribeye meat on the grill. What do they complain about? Well, they say that their dishes don’t taste or look like the ones served in restaurants. And I tell that’s not a problem at all. Chefs have exhausted a lot of years just to learn and perfect the art of cooking ribeye steak (among many other dishes) on the grill and there’s no reason to compare. Now I’m not saying that we have to enroll in a culinary school just to be able to serve home-cooked goodness such as theirs. There are definitely ways on how we can better our cooking. For starters, check out these simple tips!

1. Buy steaks that are about 1.5 to 2 inches thick. I know this is not readily available in groceries because the ones being sold are either too thin or too thick. Don’t worry though because you may actually ask the butcher to have yours customized.

2. There are a lot of things that some of us apply on our steak. I suggest just going with the good old salt and pepper. You can always brush your steak with sauce a minute before it’s cooked. Just remember to apply your salt and pepper generously at least 40 minutes prior to cooking it on the grill.

3. When cooking ribeye steak on regular grills, experts recommend flipping the meat regularly (but not too much) to help the temperature work its magic and cook the meat evenly. However, if you’re using a grill with a lid, you can simply leave it covered and let the meat cook for an hour. Once that amount of time has passed, you can lift the lid up and flip your meat.

4. Searing your meat is a wonderful idea. You may use canola oil or also blend it with olive oil for additional flavor. Brush some oil on your steak to let it sear while cooking. This way, the end product will show a scorched coating and a nice medium-rare, pink inside.

5. Don’t forget to use your thermometer because it will help you identify whether the steak is already cooked in your preference or the otherwise. Here’s a quick guide:

  • Rare – 125 to 135 F
  • Medium Rare – 135 – 145 F
  • Medium – 145 to 150 F
  • Well-Done – 150 to 160 F

6. To give your meat beautiful grill marks, simply lift them up and turn them 45 degrees sideways. That should give them charred marks for gorgeous plating.

7. There’s no need to tent your steak. Tenting is a process wherein food items are covered with foil to reflect heat and avoid overcooking. Simply move your meat to a cooler side on your grill or transfer them to a trenched cutting board or a serving plate.

8. Don’t make your guests eat steak that has just been removed from the grill. That’s really too hot. Let your meat cool down for 10 minutes. During this time, you can cook your veggies and corn on the grill.

I hope that you find my tips really valuable. If you want to serve the most delectable barbecue dishes, only use the best barbecue grill in town. Get yours now from La Caja China!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Louise_Villanueva
http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-For-Cooking-Ribeye-Roast-On-The-Grill&id=8722763

 

 

Butcher's Guide

Cuisinart Electric Knife What You Need To Know Before you Buy

electric knife.Still002You can spend a lot of money on grilling and BBQ gear especially if you’re getting into competitions… so before you buy here’s a few things you need to know before you buy an electric knife...

Black & Decker EK700 9-Inch Electric Carving Knife, White
Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric Knife

Hamilton Beach 74250 Carve ‘n Set Electric Knife with Case, White

Rapala Rechargeable Cordless Electric Fillet Knife

Some are less than twenty bucks so think about the following…

  1. Cord length… it’s usually our first annoyance – look for a knife that wont force you to purchase an extender.
  2. Blade length -7 & half inches may not “cut it” when it comes to large turkey… compare the length of the blade – not necessarily the length of the handle.
  3. Can you remove the blades? That means is it easy to clean? Can you find Replacement blades ?
  4. Finally – how is the Grip? – Hard to tell online but think about a slick finish…. remember hand could be greasy – and you really want it to be able to lock into the on position?

Top sellers:

Black& Decker EK7009 inch

Hamilton beach

Rival 1250

And Rapala makes a battery rechargeable version for about $100 –

Some competitive cooks that slice through a lot of brisket go cheap and consider them almost as a disposable item replacing often. We’ll put links to a few of the most popular in the notes here and for tips tricks and reviews find what you love at barbecuetricks.com.>See The Electric Knife Video Here

 

Recipes

Buffalo Cauliflower

This Buffalo Cauliflower “Hot Head” is a fun treat to cook using all natural  Wildtree Butter Grapeseed Oil and Buffalo Spice Blend.  The ingredients and recipe are about that easy.  Just add a head of Cauliflower.

If you want to get flashy try doing it all without any grate or pans.  We roasted the entire head of cauliflower over a bed of charcoal for about ten minutes and the results were perfection!  Watch how in the video here.

c2The steps were simple:

  • Place Entire head of cauliflower – florets down – onto a large sheet of aluminum foil
  • Add 2 tablespoons of Wildtree Buffalo Spice into  base of cauliflower (allow it to get into the center of vegetable
  • Oil the entire surface of the cauliflower head with Wildtree Butter grape seed oil
  • Wrap the head in foil with the stem pointing “up” with an opening
  • Add additional buffalo tablespoon of buffalo spice and four tablespoons of the
  • Close the “top” of the foil pouch and roast entire head directly nested in a bed of charcoal

Find out more about Wildtree products here

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