Barbecue Tricks

BBQ Tips and Tricks

rub

Featured

Coffee BBQ Rub

Starbucks BBQ? … I’m not sure we will see any grande sized Starbucks BBQ sauce cups pop up in stores anytime soon but there ARE a few tips and tricks you can use with coffee to really liven up and give some cowboy swag and extra depth to your sauces and rubs. Watch the video HERE

coffeetricks.Still003Many times coffee is used in sweet or dessert type recipes and it’s not typically thought of as a savory ingredient ( until now). I think of coffee recipes as a “sitting around the campfire cowboy” type food. At least that’s what comes to mind for me.

Coffee brings a little bit bitter, caramel, some earthy, chocolatey flavors to BBQ sauces and BBQ rubs.   Oh, and if you’re making a biscuit gravy you got to have some coffee in there.

Here are a few Tricks to using coffee in BBQ:

  • First, avoid using grounds they’ll leave your sauce mealy or gritty – and never use “used” grounds.
  • A better choice: try the new instant coffees like Starbucks’s Via brand… The fine texture is made todissolve into water and we find it’s dynamite in a BBQ rub. The micro grind allows the flavor to reallymelt into your meat. The stick portion size makes it a nice measuring amount for rubs…You might think it would be too overpowering for a rub but the flavor really mellows with roasting.

coffeetricks.Still001For a Starbucks BBQ rub Mix together 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground

coriander, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 TBSP smoked paprika, 3 to 4 TBSP brown

sugar, & 2 packets of Starbucks VIA. Store in airtight container for months…

 

  • If you’re working on a coffee sauce try to work with a double concentrated brew…. Use a French press like we used here or use half the amount of water in your drip machine… Use a very fine ground coffee if you can…or espresso
  • Finally try chicory as a secret ingredient –Chicory is a plant whose roots can be ground and baked to create a cheap coffee substitute; a practice that is popular in New Orleans. This blend of coffee and chicory from Café Du Monde has a smokier, woodier taste than most coffee.
  • Oh, one more coffee trick – an inexpensive coffee grinder makes a great SPICE grinder for BBQ. Just give it a good cleaning before your next coffee grind.

Coffee… It’s not just for breakfast anymore!  Got a great use for coffee in BBQ share in the comments!

Featured

Reverse Sear BBQ How To

medium rare steakThere are hundreds of ways to cook a steak.  Most BBQ aficionados and backyarders keep it simple.   Fire up high heat and sear the beef and hope the middle is still good.  The traditional thought is that the initial sear “Locks in juices.”  The reality is the sear will not lock in anything… it’s kind of BS… in fact we’ve all seen a seared steak still pool with juices.

But the fast sear is fine for most – honestly I could eat a steak no matter if you cooked it in a crock pot… even when it’s bad – it’s still pretty good….but lately there has been talk of a reverse sear method.  Here’s the deal:

It’s basically the opposite of that fast sear and bake.  In this case you START the steak off low and slow – between 250 and 300 on indirect heat.  You grill until the internal temperature reaches a temperature that is about ten degrees BELOW your final desired internal temp.

Canadian Steak SpiceIf you want it around 150 degrees Medium  -( USDA may differ) target 140 with a quick read thermometer.  Then pull it off the heat for a few minutes until it just starts to drop below 140.  That’s your cue to fire up the high heat or searing burner as you see here and blast ut on both sides to achieve the charred caramelization and crust.   Pull and enjoy.

Some xperts say the low and slow reverse sear method gives you a more tender steak allowing natural anzymes some additional time to do some magic.  Most say it wont affect flavor all that much – but I believe you do end up with a better char and crust.

For traditional flavor use a Canadian or Montreal style spice like the one below.

Print
Canadian Steak Seasoning

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 3/4 cup

Serving Size: one tablespoon

Calories per serving: 0

Canadian Steak Seasoning

For best results season 10 to 15 minutes prior to grilling.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons fresh ground black Pepper (grind it please)
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons coarse ground sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dehydrated garlic
  • 1 tablespoon granulated onion
  • 1 tablespoon ground corander
  • 1 tablespoon dill seeds
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Also known as Montreal Steak spice or seasoning this combination of coarse garlic, salt, and pepper is the perfect blend to compliment the best cuts of beef.

 

 

Recipes

4th Revision BBQ Rub – The Best Recipe

When you’re working on getting the PERFECT flavor for a BBQ competition recipes get tweaked and adjusted to perfection. Rubs are a little like the spelling of the word barbecue (try barbeque, B-B-Q, Bar-b-que, etc) there are a lot of ways to do it. This versatile barbecue rub has endured it’s fourth revision and it’s ready for the public.

A few special ingredients help for the “barbecue trick” here. The turbinado sugar (Sugar In the Raw is available with free shipping with Amazon Prime) may be tough to find but the large crystals don’t burn as easily on ribs and on other meats on the grill. The cumin is also something that adds a robust flavor that is this recipe’s secret.
4TH REVISION BBQ TRICK RUB

  • 4 Tablespoons Paprika

  • 1/2 Tablespoon Chili powder

  • 1/2 Tablespoon Cayenne (optional for heat)

  • 3 Tablespoons Tony Cachere’s Cajun Seasoning

  • 4 Tablespoons Sugar In The Raw
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend thoroughly with forks, slotted spoons, or fingers (eliminating all lumps).

Recipes

Here’s The Rub

If you’re looking for a quick and easy all purpose rub this is it. It’s simple… and once you make it you’ll want to keep it on hand to sprinkle on everything from chicken to ribs. I even like the sweet heat on popcorn! It qualifies as a trick because of the super simple secret ingredient: Tony Chachere’s seasoning available in most grocery stores.

Barbecue Tricks “Anytime” Rub
  • 2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning

  • 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

  • 2 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika

Mix thoughouly with fork and store any remaining rub in and airtight container or jar for up to one month.