Barbecue Tricks

BBQ Tips and Tricks

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Tri-Tip Tricks – How to

tri-tip

Tri-Tip Photo: Flickr/jmayer1129

The Best Way to Cook a Tri-Tip

By Bob Moglia

I have attended BBQ contests, mixed and matched spices and rubs and have tasted so-called winners “Best”. Honestly, few have lived up to their billing. While attending a BBQ contest last summer, I spoke with three competitors who all cooked their Tri-tip roasts differently. The first group smoked theirs in a hanging smoker. When served, the temperature was 135 and rare. The sauce a mix of ketchup. The first rule of thumb is…

TEMPERATURE; You need to achieve slightly pink in the middle and totally done around the exterior. In order to achieve this, I pull my Tri-Tip at 138 degrees. Let the meat sit for 15 minutes and it will come up 10 degrees in temperature. Remember, 140 is rare, 150 medium, 160 well. A well done Tri-Tip is chewy and lacks flavor and taste.

The second competitor called their entry “Santa Fe style”. They used a Santa Fe style rub on the beef. They also had a special red tree bark thrown on to smoke the last 10 minutes which was supposed to impart a special flavor on the beef. What I found was very little flavor from the rub, and no extra special taste from the bark.Dull and bland!

PREPARATION: I have found little to no difference utilizing countless rubs on Tri-Tip. Remember you are cooking a roast. If you really want to impart flavor, use a wet marinade. You have a thick piece of beef and you need penetration. Try to marinate for at least 24 hours with potent flavors to build character and flavor profile. You can add your spices to the marinade.

The last competitor and winner of this BBQ Tri-Tip award was a local winery, whose chef did little to no prep but creatively hid his trip tip in a small brioche bun with a bit of home made chutney. I thought it was smart, but far from showcasing the meat product. He hid it!

BUILD CHARACTER AND FLAVOR: the meat should be marinated to build a rich flavor. The longer the better but try for over night. Sear the outside of the roast first to help build a char and a crust. If you have a bit of a fat layer, this will help build a good crust. A total of 5-10 minutes over direct heat when you are getting the coals going should do the trick. Once the sear is complete, pull it across the grill and indirectly smoke it. Use chip and chunk and a mix of hickory, apple, cherry or other fruit. Hickory for its pungent signature and fruit wood for its mild taste. Watch your temperature and pull it at around 138 degrees. Sit it for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it ENJOY!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Moglia
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Featured

The Best 10 Tips for Smoking Meat and Using BBQ Smokers

smoked meat

Smoke Is Good

By Luther Caddell

In the near future the seasons will change and spring & summer will be here once more. Accordingly, the chance for relaxing outdoors and igniting the grill is just around the corner. You, as a your family’s skilled grill expert, are expected to cook up some mouth-watering, delicious grub. Relax, we are on-the-spot to lend a helping hand. Thus, the most helpful ten pieces of advice for smoking food and grilling with BBQ smoker grills. this advice is certain to have your meals worshiped by all.

Plenty guess that smoking food can be an awfully arduous and daunting affair. Smoking food is something that everyone can pull off. But few have the perseverance for. firstly, you need the right equipment. You have your pick of a wood smoker, charcoal, electric or gas smoker A modest upright smoker may be priced at less than fifty dollars online. However you Will not be capable of using it for much food.

Finally for the ten tips:

1. When you originally shop for your portions, go over with the butcher how long to smoke and grill and also what kinds of wood they suggest. They ARE the meat professionals and can give you helpful guidance.

2. You have got to carefully pick the flavor of wood you will grill with. There are available a few great cooking chips. Apple, Alder, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Oak and Pecan and even more. An individual Wood chip contains its peculiar unique taste, thus select intelligently as which wood would compliment the meat the greatest.

3. As you are setting up the barbecue smoker grill you will need to build your fire pile on one side and position the food on the other side as far as you can do from the embers. Try to remember smoking your food is all about cooking the meal at a very,very slow pace. Consequently causing the great flavor to go completely within the food.

4. When you are using coal, it sometimes takes forty five minutes to burn down before you can rest your food in the grill. Thirty minutes for a self lighting charcoal. You should always use brand-new coal.

5. Leave all the fat on the food as you are smoking and grilling meat. It will up the great flavor to the food and this fat melt off into the pit or grill.

6. Keep the heat low in your smoker. This will usually serve to keep the portions tasty.

7. There should not be any flames as you are smoking your meat. If it flares up, take off the food and increase the rack distance above the flames. Or, spray down the flames using water.

8. As you smoke make sure to get a sear on the meat. Don’t flip it over till the surface is a crisp dark brown or almost black.

9. Before serving briskets, roast turkeys or chickens, allow the meat to sit and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve steaks and pork chops right after cooking.

10. Don’t leave your meat to remain in the smoker when it is done or it will dry out.

OK finally,, always remember to cook more than you intend to eating for one meal. Due to your great cooking, all are certain to return for more than two servings. And so, put your smoker grills, BBQ smokers and electric smokers to full use. Undoubtedly, everybody loves smoked and grilled meat.

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Article Source:  The Best 10 Tips for Smoking Meat and Using BBQ Smokers

Competitions

BBQ Smoking Wood – Guide

Smoking wood for barbeque is a must if you are cooking low and slow.  The only question is “what kind of BBQ wood do you use?”

The answer is a matter of taste and what’s available.   In the South East the mainstay is Hickory.  In Texas it’s all about Mesquite.     Some swear by Oak or the sweet smell of Apple wood.   To make it even more complicated others will mix a combination of woods or use aged oak whiskey barrels!

Here’s a quick guide on where to start when you’re picking wood.

Cooking Wood Chart
Acacia Mesquite Family – Strong Most meats, beef, vegetables
Alder Delicate with a hint of sweeness Fish, pork, poultry, light meat game birds, great with Salmon
Almond Nutty & sweet smoke flavor, light Ash Good with all meats
Apple Slightly sweet, but dense, fruity smoke flavor Beef, poultry, game birds, pork and ham
Apricot Milder flavor and sweeter than Hickory Good on most meats
Ash Fast burning, light but distinctive flavor Good with fish and red meats
Birch Medium hard wood with a flavor like Maple Good with pork and poultry
Cherry Slightly sweet, fruity smoke flavor Good with all meats
Cottonwood Very subtle in flavor Good on most meats
Grape Vines Aromatic, similar to fruit woods Good with all meats
Grapefruit Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness Excellent with beef, pork and poultry
Hickory Pungent, smoky, bacon-like flavor, the most common wood used Good for all smoking, especially pork and ribs – Most popular in the South
Lemon Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness Excellent with beef, pork and poultry
Lilac Very light, subtle with a hint of floral Good with seafood and lamb
Maple Mild smoky, somewhat sweet flavor Good with pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds
Mequite Strong, earthy flavor Most meats, especially beef, most vegetables – Most popular in Texas
Mulberry Sweet smell and reminds one of apple Beef, poultry, game birds, pork and ham
Nectarine The flavor is milder and sweeter than Hickory Good on most meats
Oak The second most popular wood, heavy smoke flavor, red oak is considered the best by many Pitmasters Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game
Orange Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness Excellent with beef, pork and poultry
Peach Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor Good on most meats
Pear Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor Poultry, game birds and pork
Pecan More like Oak than Hickory, but not as strong Good on most meats
Plum Milder and sweeter than Hickory Good on most meats
Walnut Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter wood, like Pecan or Apple. Can be bitter if used alone or not aged Good with red meats and game
NOTES: New Variation: Whiskey Barrell – Aged Oak from Jack Daniels barrells

Recipes

Smoke This

Don’t limit your babecue to just smoking with hickory and mesquite. Try Basil Twigs. If you happen to grow fresh basil during the summer months you’ll likely find that you have an dry bush of twigs as winter nears. Not good looking… but good for cooking!

Use the completely dried twigs to add flavor to your next cook out. Soak the twigs as you would any wood chips and use them to add that secret basil flavor to pork chops or a good London broil. Enjoy a cold one while your buddies argue over what wood your using!