• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Big Book of BBQ Tricks
  • Resources
  • Free E-CookBook / Newsletter
  • Smoking Meat 101 Book
  • BBQ Blueprint Book
  • Electric Smoker Cookbook
  • Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Book
  • Temperature Guide
    • Seafood
    • Pork
    • Poltry
    • Beef
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Sitemap

Barbecue Tricks

BBQ Tips and Tricks

featured

July 17, 2016 GrateTV

Veggie Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Take a look at the video for our Grilled Philly Cheese “Cauliflower Steak” Sandwich And Cabbage Steak Sandwich.

The Philly Cheese steak was said to be invented by hot dog vendor Pat Olivieri back in the 30s. Olivieri was a hot dog vendor in south Philadelphia who was grilling a bit of beef and put it on an Italian roll. A cab driver caught a whiff and asked for a steak sandwich instead of a hot dog.  Cabbies talked to other cabbies and drivers from all over the city soon visited him for steak sandwiches. Olivieri eventually opened up Pat’s King of Steaks on 9th Street. Cheese was added later.

cabbage grill philly_vegThe real Philly Cheese steak sandwich is officially shaved ribeye on an Italian roll. I’ve had some that had something other than “steak” in my eyes to begin with that’s why I had some fun adapting the beef for hearty cauliflower and cabbage steaks.
The vegetable “steaks” are created by slicing off the rounded sides of crucifer vegetables (impressive name huh?) and creating a slab of cauliflower and / or cabbage. Then slice again if possible to create at least two “steaks from each head.
Cauliflower is great for absorbing marinades and different flavors. For a steakhouse savory flair we soaked the cauliflower steaks in our favorite steak marinade.

  • 1 bottle of light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of liquid smoak

For the cabbage we used a low sugar baste of buffalo wing sauce. Including 1 cup of hot sauce and four tablespoons melted butter (heat in saucepan to meld).
Roast the vegetable steaks over medium to high heat for fifteen to twenty minutes until softened slightly.
Grill a slice of red onion until softened.  Baste cabbage with additional sauce and flip. Top with grilled onions, and green and red thinly sliced peppers. Salt and pepper to taste.
Top with a white American cheese or traditional philly “whiz” processed cheese sauce and serve on a crusty Kaiser roll or ciabatta bread.

July 14, 2016 Featured

Loaded Hasselbacks


loaded hasselbeckIf you love a good potato – this is a GREAT potato. Add just a bit of artistry, time, and care and you get the Loaded Hasselback.  All the same starchy goodness of the original Hasselback (feathered buttery crispy) with a Gooey cheese and bacon surprise. Dang it. Just realized we forgot the green onions or chives.  You should add that. The BBQ Trick is to use two wooden spoons as a slicing guide as to not separate the spud in pieces.

hassel back loaded

All in all the recipe is a lot easier than it looks. As always potatoes take time to soften so give em time to do just that BEFORE adding the cheese.

Bonus: watch the video until the end where we experiment with a Hasselback SWEET potato with bacon that was a great treat.

Print
Loaded Hasselbacks

Loaded Hasselbacks

Ingredients

  • 2 hasselbacked russet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 strips cooked bacon
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sliced jalapeno
  • 1 sliced cherry pepper
  • Sliced cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes on a baking pan to avoid dripping. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tuck pieces of bacon between every other potato slice. Coat potatoes with oil and grill (lid down to roast at 425 degrees for 25 minutes; brush with more oil. Return to the grill and roast 25 minutes more before tucking pieces of cheese and red and green pepper (alternating). Roast until the bacon is heated through and the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Grill until browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Season; brush with remaining oil. Top with green onions. Top with sour cream to taste.
3.1
More Recipes at BarbecueTricks.com

 

June 26, 2016 Featured

BIG Mac Fatty


fattyHere’s a new twist on a big “fatty.”

A Fatty is basically a smoked BBQ meatloaf. And there are a lot of different kinds of them.  See below for two different versions from GrateTV including a breakfast and Italian fatty. A few years ago the Bacon Explosion was a fatty that received a lot of hype for it’s over indulgent qualities.

The Big Mac is the world’s most iconic burger and there’s one trick to emulating that taste that has been embedded in our flavor library since childhood trips to Micky D’s.  The “special” sauce. Starting with a “special” recipe from the BBQ Blueprint for the sauce (it’s also in the free Sauces and Sides book here) we took a few hours and created the fatty version of the McDonald’s Big Mac.  It’s loaded with american cheese, pickles onions, special sauce, beef, and sesame seeds.  Why did we wrap it in bacon too?  Why not?

Breakfast Fatty How To

 

https://barbecuetricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/fatty_small.mp4

May 30, 2016 iTunes

How To Make Pork Rinds or Chicaronnes at Home

rind1

Interested in just how you make pork rinds or chicaronnes?

Here’s a few ways in this new video.  I take a look at two products:
Lowreys- http://amzn.to/1THC91j
Carolina Gold http://amzn.to/1qYzYOV

The nice thing about both these products is that the end product is a crispier and crunchier pork ring than you’ll find in packaged snack foods.  The Carolina Gold is unseasoned (and comes in a pouch as plain pellets).  The Lowreys (no relation to the seasoned salt that I know) comes packaged like microwave popcorn bags and is very convenient.  My recommendation is to try the “Hot and Spicy” version of the Lowreys or come up with your own spice blend to season the Carolina Gold brand puffs.

For low carb dieters these are great and sturdy chips to serve with a top notch guacamole or pimento cheese.

If you want to see a different take we talk to Rodney Scott of Scott’s BBQ in Hemingway, SC about how he does it with the whole hog skin. On the grill you fire the skin with intense heat to cause the blistering or popping.  The end result is a bit different but equally delicious.

My full interview with Rodney is in the new BBQ Blueprint Book – http://amzn.to/1VrfMBR

 

https://barbecuetricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/rinds-01.mp4

May 10, 2016 Cook

New Podcast – NASH Country Cooks


Thanks for taking a look at the Podcast.  **ALSO on iTUNES Here**  I get opportunities to talk to some super interesting country artist as well as cooks from all walks of life.  So I’m happy to start sharing the conversations here.

We’re Off to a great start with a nice chat with Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn revealing his “Cookin’ It With Kix” Cook book is on the way.  Take a listen.  He knows his stuff.

Also Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town was completely charming in episode 2. I’ll never think of Cracker Barrel the same way.

Please listen. If you enjoy it please subscribe and rate and comment on itunes and audioboom.

Questions? Reach out – [email protected]

NASH-Country-Cooks-1800x450

Pull up a chair in the country kitchen as we talk country music and country cookin’. Savor the conversation with musicians, chefs, foodies, and country fans as we talk about country food, country music, and the interesting people who create both.

Host Bill West is the Program Director of NASHFM969 in Charleston, SC and is also the founder and resident foodie at the popular food site https://barbecuetricks.com

December 30, 2015 Featured

How to Cook Traditional Beef Brisket the Melvin’s Way

*Click to watch via YouTube*

*Click to watch via YouTube*

How to cook a Traditional Beef Brisket WATCH HERE. In Texas, it’s the Holy Grail of the grill. For the true BBQ Fan it’s almost an obsession. Getting it right is not complicated… but I wouldn’t call it easy. We make a visit to Mount Pleasant to the legendary Melvin’s Barbecue and the of wood smoke hangs heavy in the air. Here in my hometown This is THE PLACE for BBQ and I am on a mission to find some of the barbecue tricks to creating true traditional BEEF brisket. South Carolina is typically all about pork – but here things are changing a bit. Melvin’s name actually comes from Melvin Bessinger and that last name – Bessinger – is known all over the state as the first family of mustard based BBQ. For decades the focus has always been pork. And they’ve got it down. Melvin Bessingers roots in barbecue here in South Carolina started way back in 1939. In fact – To this day – Big Joe Bessinger’s legendary golden secret recipe sauce is considered like the gold standard in mustard based BBQ sauce. Again we’re in South Carolina…. and years later the pit masters still are known for pork and mustard but lately they’ve been broadening the menu to include BIG Beef ribs, succulent burnt ends and thick brisket, They have now mastered BEEF brisket and they do it the traditional way. So Today I’ve sought out some expertise from a long time Pit Master here at Melvin’s – Christopher Hill – to help me break down how to do traditional beef brisket RIGHT.melvins open.Still002

“You Just need simple ingredients. You need a great products. Beef. You need a smoker, good wood and you need time. That’s about it. ”

“We use the pink butcher paper. It’s much better than foil or any other wrap. It doesn’t stick to the meat. What we do is when we cook it we let it get up to 165 or so and we’re going to seal it tight with this butcher paper. This will keep all the moisture in and keep it from burning on the outside and let it cook on the inside. We cut it to order. Every time we’re done we will re-wrap it up as tight as possible and put it back under the warmer. ”
“So it’s ongoing in the paper. It’s not just in the cook process.”melvins open.Still001

“This is actually part of the cook process because after we take it out we immediately wrap it and it will still climb a few degrees. It will still be cooking a little bit. We let it rest and get it down to 140 and keep it there. But it is still cooking a little bit.

“A lot of people just come in here and they just say they want brisket… and we’re happy to serve them. But we also have signage out to give them the option. (flat or point) I’d say it’s three fourths they say they want the leaner part – maybe for health reasons – maybe for flavor but the whole things delicious.”
“What part do you prefer?”

“I like the point just because the Burnt Ends are awesome… they just melt in your mouth.” Once it became part of our menu it’s really simple for us to do. Since more people prefer the leaner part we have this point left over – we’re season it separately – we put it on a baking pan. Season it with apple cider vinegar, a little dash of brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix it all together add some Melvin’s dry rub on top and put it back in the cooker for about a half an hour.”

This is going to cook probably about four to five hours or so again we’re looking for 165 or so temperature… the first four hours we want to keep this door shut we don’t want to mess with it at all. We don’t interrupt that cooking process. After four hours we’ll come to check the wood and the temperature. We’ll spritz with a little apple juice for a little extra flavor and moisture and after it gets to about 165… about five hours we wrap it tight with that pink butcher paper to keep the moisture in. Then we just let it go for another 35 degrees or so to about 200 degrees.”

The Meat: All of our meats here at Melvin’s are hormone free as natural as you can get and no added anything.”
The Crust: It’s called the bark…The salt and pepper contributed to that – and the fat as well. Just cooking it gets a little crusty on top and it really adds to the flavor.”
“Biggest mistake: Rushing the process. You want to take your time. We go to 165. We wrap it and let it go to near 200 degrees. You just don’t want to rush that process. It usually takes anywhere from six to eight hours.”

Brisket secrets – Use simple ingredients… salt pepper mustard- and of course fantastic beef. Here they actually uses Meyers beef out of Montana. As for the cooking process… take it slow and then wrap it tight with that pink butcher paper. keep it wrapped up. And keep that grill closed as long as you can. Simply put – you don’t want to rush tradition.

November 22, 2015 Featured

Turkey Fry Without The Oil

no_oil_fried_turkey.Still005Fried Turkey without the oil! It’s safer. Less Fat… but can you get the same taste with an air fryer?
Oil-Less Frying
BIG BOSS 1300-Watt Oil-Less Fryer, 16-Quart First you will need to have this fryer…  (get it here and support the site) Amazon has it and you will be amazed.

This cook is an attempt to achieve an air fried version of the smo-fried turkey. the deep frying in the driveway always seems a little dangerous for a once a year job…plus it’s a ton of oil that a lot of people use for the single cook. Here’s how no oil version with apple wood comes together.

Prep for the bird is pretty straight forward. We always rinse the bird before seasoning. Dont forget to remove everything from the inside and outside of the turkey. Including the thermometer in this case. We’re using the Big Boss Oil less fryer here and it gets really hot due to using a combination of Halogen, convection and infrared heat – not sure the plastic thermometer would melt or not.

I seasoned with a BBQ rub and salt – getting under the skin. Poultry third base… I did NOT inject but you could – the tip to that is injecting from the inside of the cavity… We did trim up thicker sections of fat andno_oil_fried_turkey.Still002 skin to help the rendering.

Here’s where I tried to add smoke I applied via this smoking gun and applewood. I also needed to use the extender ring for the big boss and some plastic wrap to seal in a good dose of smoke. I then let the bowl bird, lid and all chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Then – it’s simply place the bird and set the timer and temperature

Whole Turkey 6 lb. LOW 350°F 1.5 hours (15 min/lb. from thaw) — The manual says you can even cook from frozen — but obviously i didn’t do that…

My main issue was the size of the bird – in this case it was still a bit too large for the size of the bowl even with the extender ring – the skin turned out great but very close to burning on top… which leads me to a great tip i learned from Carolina Pitmaster’s Jack Waibore who suggests for ANYONE… instead of always “going large” on the turkey every year with a 20 ponder… Consider two smaller turkeys instead… double the coveted drumsticks and wings plus in the oven it’s actually quicker to heat.

Because it cooks the skin so quick I was extra careful to make sure the INTERNAL temperature was up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickets part of the thigh and breast too – check a few points… but that’s it. The final product is very rotisserie like – which I love. Let it rest before carving.

As for the smoke flavor – I couldn’t really discern any distinct applewood taste so you may not want to worry about that step.

Nonetheless the end result was a fantastic air fried oil – less “fried turkey” that got rave reviews at the table. The skin was perfect.

https://barbecuetricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/no_oil_fried_turkey_small.mp4

July 19, 2015 Featured

Grilling for Beginners: 8 Easy Marinades for a Delicious Barbecue Dish

marinateBy Adrian T. Cheng

Flavor is what defines whatever you cook on the grill. The longer you marinate your meat, the more flavorful it will be. Keep in mind that chicken is ideally marinated for a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 12 hours, beef, pork and lamb for a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 24 hours while fish and other seafood will be most flavorful if marinated for a minimum of 10 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes only.

So whether you’re in the mood for just a classic steak or something more festive, here are 8 quick and easy meat marinades for grilling:

Classic Steak

Perfect for grilled beef, pork or chicken.

What you need:

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsps. brown sugar
  • 2 tsps. balsamic vinegar
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Sweet and Spicy

Best for grilled chicken and pork and can be used as a glaze as well.

Photo:Flickr.com/adactio

Photo:Flickr.com/adactio

What you need:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. or more brown sugar

Classic Grilled Seafood

Use for any kind of fish. Works great for shrimp, too.

What you need:

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Rind of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsps. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsps. chopped parsley
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Mexican Style

Great for grilled beef or chicken.

What you need:

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 2 tsps. oregano
  • 2 tsps. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsps. salt
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • Chili powder to taste

Italian Style

Ideal for chicken, pork, fish and shrimp.

What you need:

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsps. mustard
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. mixed dried herbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Korean Style

Perfect for beef, chicken or any kind of seafood.

What you need:

  • 8 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 red apple, grated
  • 1 brown onion, finely sliced
  • 3 tbsps. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil

Japanese Style

Can be used for beef, chicken and seafood.

What you need:

  • 3/4 cup mirin
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

Greek Style

Best for grilled chicken, lamb and seafood.

What you need:

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp. oregano leaves
  • 2 tsps. thyme leaves

These recipes are for 1-1 1/2 kg. of meat. Enjoy these simple yet deliciously flavorful marinades for your meat the next time you grill!

Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger and a BBQ expert. Through years of grilling experience, reviewing various top quality grill accessories and trying delicious and unique recipes, he is sharing his knowledge with everyone through his blog. For more grilling secrets, tips, recipes and more, head over to Adrian’s page.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_T._Cheng
http://EzineArticles.com/?Grilling-for-Beginners:-8-Easy-Marinades-for-a-Delicious-Barbecue-Dish&id=9047563

 

 

November 23, 2014 Gadgets

BBQ Tool Hacks

Shopping for new BBQ gear?  Here are a few “Tool hacks” that you can use

when visiting your local Home Improvement store.

Watch HERE

Ready for Thanksgiving? Try Rolling YOUR BIRD:

 

 

rotissthis

 

 

 

 

 

 

brush

November 23, 2014 Gadgets

Rotisserie Chicken and Rotisserie Turkey

rotissthisCLICK FOR VIDEO There’s something about a rotisserie chicken.

They’re everywhere these days in supermarkets – slow roasting by the dozen on display in industrial cookers the size of your guest bedroom. But the truth is if you have a rotisserie kit (it may have come with that fancy new grill and is now in a box in the attic somewhere) it’s actually pretty easy.

Every attempt we made with our gas powered Sam’s Club spit and electric motor set up ended with incredibly succulent and golden brown bird.

There’s only about four ingredients.

Here’s an updated video overview using turkey: http://youtu.be/xqB5mLKevxI First start with a clean bird – Chicken and small Turkey seem to work equally as well. Rub lightly (watch for too much salt) with BBQ Tricks house seasoning UNDER the skin and over the entire outer surface of the skin. Rub seasoning generously inside the cavity of the bird (remove any “spare parts.” Let the bird rest (upright if possible) uncovered in the refrigerator for about four hours to allow the seasoning to take and also to dry the skin a bit (this helps to crisp the skin later). My hunch is you could bypass all the above and still have an incredible meal but the little things do make a difference. Remove the bird and let it come to room temperature about an hour before you plan to cook. two or three hours before you plan to serve. Before you put the chicken or turkey on the spit mark the location of the grill’s burner with two marks (with a Sharpie Permanent Marker) so you’ll always know exactly where to slide the meat in the future. The most important thing to accomplish is to balance and secure the bird firmly on the rotisserie prongs so that the entire mechanism rotates smoothly on the spit. Use trussing to help if needed. Test it by rolling the spit ends on a flat surface or even on your hands. After you have it on a hot grill it’s very difficult to adjust. Also use pliers to secure thumb screws. You don’t want an end to slide.

rotisserie poultryFinally make sure the spit is secure in the motor mechanism. Confirm there is no way for it to slide out (does it sound like it happened to me?)! After you start the spin and cook come back and sight check everything after five minutes. Let it Cook til golden brown checking infrequently for one to two hours. Our 4.72 lbs chicken took just over two hours.

When golden check the temperature with a good thermometer and remove to a cutting board to rest. BBQ Tricks House Seasoning 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt 1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper (grinding is a little bit more work but worth it) 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder add Paprika for color

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome To BBQTricks!

Hey Y'all... Thanks for stopping by. I'm Bill West. I blog about BBQ and occasionally country music. When it comes to BBQ I try to find solid time saving tips and tricks to make the grilling life a bit easier. It's life hacking for the backyard cooker. Read More…

Your Gateway to Barbecue Information

This site is a member of The Smoke Ring BBQ Webring A linked list of BBQ websites

Next BBQ Site - Next 5 BBQ Sites - Prev BBQ Site - Random BBQ Site

Join the BBQ ring or browse a complete list of The Smoke Ring BBQ Webring member's BBQ sites

If you discover problems with any of The Smoke Ring BBQ Webring sites, please notify the Ringmaster

fb

Footer

DISCLOSURE:

Posts on this site may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something via one of these links you won’t pay more but the site operator gets a small commission. Or as I like to call it: “beer money.”

Copyright © 2025 — Barbecue Tricks • All rights reserved.