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- #301
I know what I want for the new year. 22 1/2 Weber Smokey Mountain
The Ultimate BBQ Thread
- Thread starter Trollhole
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yooper
SILVER Star
I considered getting a Smokey Mountain at home so I don't have to keep moving around the one I have out at the cabin but they look like a big PITA to me. I decided to get another side firebox smoker from Chargriller instead.
- Thread starter
- #303
You need to find a friend who has one and borrow it for a weekend. It will change your mind really quickly.
- Thread starter
- #304
Really good article. Cool website as well. Nice music.
http://commoninterestbbq.blogspot.com
Also for some really cool southern cooking articles go here. Dan Gill is the man when it comes to souther cooking and history.
Start with this article link and then go down to the bottom of his page to go to the next.
http://www.pine3.info/THE_Virginia_Sandwich.htm
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue Part I - The Partnership of Heat and Meat
Making good barbecue is an art. This is the first in a series of articles that will discuss the many ins and outs of creating the culinary delight known as barbecue. We will define it, deal with the science, and discuss cooking equipment, fuel, seasonings, and techniques. The goal is simple; to guide both the novice and experienced cook toward barbecue utopia.
Let’s take a look at the words: Barbecue, barbeque and BBQ. Does each spelling describe the same thing? Possibly, but not necessarily. Are the various spellings confusing? The answer is - yes. Are the definitions conflicting? The answer is - always. Barbecue is said to be a noun describing cooked tender, well seasoned and sometimes sauced meat. Barbeque often refers to the gathering that takes place in your back yard when you are cooking for the 4th of July party; it is often mistaken for grilling. BBQ is generally a meat and sauce mixture that is bought at a joint on the side of the road. Without the different spellings and nuance of meanings I doubt it would be quite as much fun being a part of researching, preparing and cooking great barbecued meats.
Dan Gill who writes for Pleasant Living Magazine in Virginia writes: “Making barbecue is the art of cooking tough cuts of seasoned meat slowly in the presence of wood smoke until they are tender and flavorful and can be easily pulled apart. “
The USDA gives us a working definition: “Barbecued meats, such as product labeled "Beef Barbecue" or "Barbecued Pork," shall be cooked by the direct action of dry heat resulting from the burning of hard wood or the hot coals therefrom for a sufficient period to assume the usual characteristics of a barbecued article, which include the formation of a brown crust on the surface and the rendering of surface fat. The product may be basted with a sauce during the cooking process. The weight of barbecued meat shall not exceed 70 percent of the weight of the fresh uncooked meat.”
The two definitions are very similar, the major difference being the stated source of heat. Heat sources will stir up controversy in just about any barbecue aficionado conversation, especially on the competition circuits. I am a purist at heart. That said, we will keep our focus on wood burning and coals, and give all fuel sources their due when the need arises. Purists demand hardwood coals to make real barbecue, and refer to other processes as “smoke roasted”. Where you stand on the issue is your choice. Meat is mandatory, smoke is essential, seasoning is necessary, and technique is critical.
Meat is the most important part of barbecue. All meats are fair game. In fact most game is great barbecued. Dan Gill writes, “Working muscles, such as pork shoulders and beef brisket, are held together by collagen, a tough connective tissue. When heated to 160 degrees or more for a long period of time, collagen breaks down to gelatin and water, which accounts for the tenderness and moistness of properly cooked barbecue.”
Barbecuing is a process of exposing meats to heat at low temperatures for an extended period of time to break down the connective tissues and relinquishing a succulent product. This process is usually reserved for large cuts of meat. Pork is the choice in the south. Whole hogs, shoulders and ribs rise to the top of the Pit Masters list. In the Mid West and South West especially Texas, beef is king. Brisket is the top choice, with shoulders (Chucks) being used commercially too. Smoke cooking is cooking meats on a pit until done. This process is great for any mammal, fowl or fish. Sausages are great in the pit too. Chicken is very popular with backyard enthusiasts, and fish is wonderful when exposed to proper smoke cooking techniques.
Here is one of my best recipes: Wake up early in the morning about 2 or 3 hours before sunrise. Make a pot of good coffee that is made from beans that you have roasted the day prior and ground that morning. Start a fire in a cooker and watch the cooker come alive. The fire dances in the night. Just before the sun rises the meat that was meticulously prepared the evening before gets introduced to the cooker, make sure to add some sausage, breakfast time is near. Sit on a stump light a cigarette, sip the coffee and enjoy the sounds of quite and mother nature coming alive as the sun begins to light the sky. Once the earth has warmed a bit, cook a breakfast fit for a king. Add chunk of baloney to the pit. Lunch plans are eminent. Make a Bloody Mary from a recipe found in a food magazine that came in the mail this week. Enjoy the morning, do a little work around the house, enjoy your children and your spouse. Make another Bloody Mary and slice some fresh sourdough bread that was made yesterday in anticipation for this event. Smoked baloney and cheese with homemade mustard on fresh grilled sourdough is lunch. Tend the fire and find the bottle of Bookers that was set aside for this special occasion. Make some beans, a salad, a sauce, and a cream pie. Enjoy more bourbon. Stuff some jalapenos with cheese and meat, wrap them in bacon and put them on the cooker. These will make the resting period tolerable. Keep sipping the bourbon; it’s turning into a quality day. When the proper time arrives, rest the barbecued meats for a couple of minutes. Get a shower and clean up. The meal will taste much better if you can get some of your olfactory senses back. Enjoy the appetizers with a quality micro brew that was just introduced at the grocery store. When the proper resting period has passed slice, pull or chop the meat, serve it with the beans and salad and enjoy a meal second to none. Bed time will come early; it’s been a day to write about. Repeat as often as possible. Serves many.
Making good barbecue sounds fairly simple until you give it a go yourself. Whether you are creating traditional barbecue or smoke roasting you will have many factors to consider. Learning to use a quality cooking vessel and taking part in the ritual known as barbecuing is great fun. Choosing meats, cooking vessels, fuel, seasonings, and using sound techniques, will bring you many great meals with the results you crave.
Jack Waiboer is the Pit Master and Chief cook for Common Interest. He is also an instructor for the Carolina Pit Masters Barbecue Cooking School and a SCBA Master Judge. His blog can be accessed at www.commoninterestbbq@blogspot.com. Information for Carolina Pit Masters can be found at Home_Page.
Dan Gill is the Pit Master at Something Different Country store and his articles are published by Pleasant Living Magazine. Dan’s articles can be found at roastery
http://commoninterestbbq.blogspot.com
Also for some really cool southern cooking articles go here. Dan Gill is the man when it comes to souther cooking and history.
Start with this article link and then go down to the bottom of his page to go to the next.
http://www.pine3.info/THE_Virginia_Sandwich.htm
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue Part I - The Partnership of Heat and Meat
Making good barbecue is an art. This is the first in a series of articles that will discuss the many ins and outs of creating the culinary delight known as barbecue. We will define it, deal with the science, and discuss cooking equipment, fuel, seasonings, and techniques. The goal is simple; to guide both the novice and experienced cook toward barbecue utopia.
Let’s take a look at the words: Barbecue, barbeque and BBQ. Does each spelling describe the same thing? Possibly, but not necessarily. Are the various spellings confusing? The answer is - yes. Are the definitions conflicting? The answer is - always. Barbecue is said to be a noun describing cooked tender, well seasoned and sometimes sauced meat. Barbeque often refers to the gathering that takes place in your back yard when you are cooking for the 4th of July party; it is often mistaken for grilling. BBQ is generally a meat and sauce mixture that is bought at a joint on the side of the road. Without the different spellings and nuance of meanings I doubt it would be quite as much fun being a part of researching, preparing and cooking great barbecued meats.
Dan Gill who writes for Pleasant Living Magazine in Virginia writes: “Making barbecue is the art of cooking tough cuts of seasoned meat slowly in the presence of wood smoke until they are tender and flavorful and can be easily pulled apart. “
The USDA gives us a working definition: “Barbecued meats, such as product labeled "Beef Barbecue" or "Barbecued Pork," shall be cooked by the direct action of dry heat resulting from the burning of hard wood or the hot coals therefrom for a sufficient period to assume the usual characteristics of a barbecued article, which include the formation of a brown crust on the surface and the rendering of surface fat. The product may be basted with a sauce during the cooking process. The weight of barbecued meat shall not exceed 70 percent of the weight of the fresh uncooked meat.”
The two definitions are very similar, the major difference being the stated source of heat. Heat sources will stir up controversy in just about any barbecue aficionado conversation, especially on the competition circuits. I am a purist at heart. That said, we will keep our focus on wood burning and coals, and give all fuel sources their due when the need arises. Purists demand hardwood coals to make real barbecue, and refer to other processes as “smoke roasted”. Where you stand on the issue is your choice. Meat is mandatory, smoke is essential, seasoning is necessary, and technique is critical.
Meat is the most important part of barbecue. All meats are fair game. In fact most game is great barbecued. Dan Gill writes, “Working muscles, such as pork shoulders and beef brisket, are held together by collagen, a tough connective tissue. When heated to 160 degrees or more for a long period of time, collagen breaks down to gelatin and water, which accounts for the tenderness and moistness of properly cooked barbecue.”
Barbecuing is a process of exposing meats to heat at low temperatures for an extended period of time to break down the connective tissues and relinquishing a succulent product. This process is usually reserved for large cuts of meat. Pork is the choice in the south. Whole hogs, shoulders and ribs rise to the top of the Pit Masters list. In the Mid West and South West especially Texas, beef is king. Brisket is the top choice, with shoulders (Chucks) being used commercially too. Smoke cooking is cooking meats on a pit until done. This process is great for any mammal, fowl or fish. Sausages are great in the pit too. Chicken is very popular with backyard enthusiasts, and fish is wonderful when exposed to proper smoke cooking techniques.
Here is one of my best recipes: Wake up early in the morning about 2 or 3 hours before sunrise. Make a pot of good coffee that is made from beans that you have roasted the day prior and ground that morning. Start a fire in a cooker and watch the cooker come alive. The fire dances in the night. Just before the sun rises the meat that was meticulously prepared the evening before gets introduced to the cooker, make sure to add some sausage, breakfast time is near. Sit on a stump light a cigarette, sip the coffee and enjoy the sounds of quite and mother nature coming alive as the sun begins to light the sky. Once the earth has warmed a bit, cook a breakfast fit for a king. Add chunk of baloney to the pit. Lunch plans are eminent. Make a Bloody Mary from a recipe found in a food magazine that came in the mail this week. Enjoy the morning, do a little work around the house, enjoy your children and your spouse. Make another Bloody Mary and slice some fresh sourdough bread that was made yesterday in anticipation for this event. Smoked baloney and cheese with homemade mustard on fresh grilled sourdough is lunch. Tend the fire and find the bottle of Bookers that was set aside for this special occasion. Make some beans, a salad, a sauce, and a cream pie. Enjoy more bourbon. Stuff some jalapenos with cheese and meat, wrap them in bacon and put them on the cooker. These will make the resting period tolerable. Keep sipping the bourbon; it’s turning into a quality day. When the proper time arrives, rest the barbecued meats for a couple of minutes. Get a shower and clean up. The meal will taste much better if you can get some of your olfactory senses back. Enjoy the appetizers with a quality micro brew that was just introduced at the grocery store. When the proper resting period has passed slice, pull or chop the meat, serve it with the beans and salad and enjoy a meal second to none. Bed time will come early; it’s been a day to write about. Repeat as often as possible. Serves many.
Making good barbecue sounds fairly simple until you give it a go yourself. Whether you are creating traditional barbecue or smoke roasting you will have many factors to consider. Learning to use a quality cooking vessel and taking part in the ritual known as barbecuing is great fun. Choosing meats, cooking vessels, fuel, seasonings, and using sound techniques, will bring you many great meals with the results you crave.
Jack Waiboer is the Pit Master and Chief cook for Common Interest. He is also an instructor for the Carolina Pit Masters Barbecue Cooking School and a SCBA Master Judge. His blog can be accessed at www.commoninterestbbq@blogspot.com. Information for Carolina Pit Masters can be found at Home_Page.
Dan Gill is the Pit Master at Something Different Country store and his articles are published by Pleasant Living Magazine. Dan’s articles can be found at roastery
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #305
Barbecue 101 - A Guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part II, The Vessel, Section 1
Making barbecue properly is an art. This is the continuation of a series of articles that will discuss the many ins and outs of creating the culinary delight known as barbecue.
In the next few articles we will discuss cooking vessels. In the barbecue world most of the cooking vessels are referred to as “Pits”. A pit can be as simple as a hole in the ground, or as complicated as a double wall insulated box, complete with self feeding fuel, self regulating damper systems, and complete video and sound systems built in. Grills can be a suitable heat source, but generally run too hot and cause meats to cook too quickly and dry out before they get tender.
This section will be for home enthusiasts. There are basically two inexpensive, readily available choices; the bullet and the offset. Both styles are available at your discount supercenter, home building center, or online. Keep this adage in mind: “It’s not the cooker, it’s the cook”. This saying has been stated so many times on the circuits it’s almost cliché. It is one of the truths of barbecue. A true Pit Master can make good barbecue on any kind Pit.
That said, what makes a good pit? It is critical that the beginner choose a good vessel. A positive experience is crucial to keeping interest in the hobby. Look for a well made, well behaved pit. The technique is to be able to control the convection in the cooking chamber. Heat and smoke should spend quality time with the meats, not run by it and wave on their way out. Think carefully about what you want or need to cook and buy the vessel that fits those wants and needs. The rule of thumb is to buy one size bigger than you think you need. You won’t regret it. This article will get you started, after that you’re on your own.
The offsets have a history in the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma. Originally made from leftover large oil pipe, these pits are two cylinders welded together horizontally. One chamber serves as the cooking chamber and one as the firebox. A stack is generally located at the opposite end from the firebox. Offsets have the advantage of being able to burn logs, but they require constant attention to control the fire. Since the fire is on one end of the cylinder, temperatures vary significantly firebox to stack end, and top to bottom.
Bullet pits or “water smokers” are vertical cylinders with a grate on the bottom for fire, a water pan over the fire to help regulate pit temperature and humidity, a center chamber with racks for meats, and a cylindrical lid. Cheap models are hard to regulate and are difficult to control. Better models have vents on the bottom to control air intake and a vent in the lid to help control convection. By far the best pit for beginners is the Weber Smokey Mountain, or “WSM”. It is a bullet style pit that is very popular both in the backyard and competition circuits. Once it’s adjusted, it can hold a constant temperature for a long period of time on one charge of charcoal. The WSM is ceramic coated and used correctly will outlast all of the cheaper models like it, hands down. The pit is used successfully in competitions up against pits that cost a small fortune to own. It can be bought at any True Value or online. Weber sets a price minimum so prices are fairly consistent dealer to dealer.
Homemade pits are very popular. Some are made out of drums; 35 or 55 gallon drums are cut in half and grates are added to hold meat. Coals are either banked on the sides or spread out under the meat. Stacks or vents are added on top to provide an outlet and aid convection.
Choosing a good pit can be a challenge. There are many factors to consider. Size, style of convection, fuel use, and length of time on a charge all need equal consideration. The most important factor is your budget. Making your own cooker is a great way to spend a few Saturdays with a cooking buddy or teaching a youngster how to weld. Once you choose your pit, season it well and get cooking.
Making barbecue properly is an art. This is the continuation of a series of articles that will discuss the many ins and outs of creating the culinary delight known as barbecue.
In the next few articles we will discuss cooking vessels. In the barbecue world most of the cooking vessels are referred to as “Pits”. A pit can be as simple as a hole in the ground, or as complicated as a double wall insulated box, complete with self feeding fuel, self regulating damper systems, and complete video and sound systems built in. Grills can be a suitable heat source, but generally run too hot and cause meats to cook too quickly and dry out before they get tender.
This section will be for home enthusiasts. There are basically two inexpensive, readily available choices; the bullet and the offset. Both styles are available at your discount supercenter, home building center, or online. Keep this adage in mind: “It’s not the cooker, it’s the cook”. This saying has been stated so many times on the circuits it’s almost cliché. It is one of the truths of barbecue. A true Pit Master can make good barbecue on any kind Pit.
That said, what makes a good pit? It is critical that the beginner choose a good vessel. A positive experience is crucial to keeping interest in the hobby. Look for a well made, well behaved pit. The technique is to be able to control the convection in the cooking chamber. Heat and smoke should spend quality time with the meats, not run by it and wave on their way out. Think carefully about what you want or need to cook and buy the vessel that fits those wants and needs. The rule of thumb is to buy one size bigger than you think you need. You won’t regret it. This article will get you started, after that you’re on your own.
The offsets have a history in the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma. Originally made from leftover large oil pipe, these pits are two cylinders welded together horizontally. One chamber serves as the cooking chamber and one as the firebox. A stack is generally located at the opposite end from the firebox. Offsets have the advantage of being able to burn logs, but they require constant attention to control the fire. Since the fire is on one end of the cylinder, temperatures vary significantly firebox to stack end, and top to bottom.
Bullet pits or “water smokers” are vertical cylinders with a grate on the bottom for fire, a water pan over the fire to help regulate pit temperature and humidity, a center chamber with racks for meats, and a cylindrical lid. Cheap models are hard to regulate and are difficult to control. Better models have vents on the bottom to control air intake and a vent in the lid to help control convection. By far the best pit for beginners is the Weber Smokey Mountain, or “WSM”. It is a bullet style pit that is very popular both in the backyard and competition circuits. Once it’s adjusted, it can hold a constant temperature for a long period of time on one charge of charcoal. The WSM is ceramic coated and used correctly will outlast all of the cheaper models like it, hands down. The pit is used successfully in competitions up against pits that cost a small fortune to own. It can be bought at any True Value or online. Weber sets a price minimum so prices are fairly consistent dealer to dealer.
Homemade pits are very popular. Some are made out of drums; 35 or 55 gallon drums are cut in half and grates are added to hold meat. Coals are either banked on the sides or spread out under the meat. Stacks or vents are added on top to provide an outlet and aid convection.
Choosing a good pit can be a challenge. There are many factors to consider. Size, style of convection, fuel use, and length of time on a charge all need equal consideration. The most important factor is your budget. Making your own cooker is a great way to spend a few Saturdays with a cooking buddy or teaching a youngster how to weld. Once you choose your pit, season it well and get cooking.
- Thread starter
- #306
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part II: The vessel, Section 2
Making barbecue properly is an art. The series of discussing the pros and cons of vessels and techniques to create the best barbecued meats continues here with a discussion of more efficient and of course more expensive barbecue cookers. In our last article we discussed popular, readily available cookers. Exposing meat to low temperatures in the presence of hardwood smoke for an extended period of time so as to break down connective tissue and relinquish a succulent product does not have to have many of the challenges associated with less expensive pits.
Home enthusiasts still have choices. Adding insulation, and self feeding fuel systems are all available today for the backyard barbecue chef. These cookers come in a variety of sizes to accommodate your BBQ needs.
Our first venture into marrying technology with tradition will be the double wall insulated cookers or cabinet smokers. These pits are a little on the expensive side, but will reward the user in fuel efficiency. The most popular brands are the Backwoods Smokers, and Stumps. The Backwoods is a water smoker much like the WSM. The firebox is on the bottom of the cabinet, a water pan is set over the firebox and the cooking chamber is on top. The Backwoods smoker has a unique feature where the heat travels up around the cooking chamber through a space in the walls of the cooker and enters the cooking chamber from the top, and exits out through an outlet set at the bottom of the side wall of the cooking chamber. The water provides a very moist environment for cooking.
The Stumps is a classic offset smoker with a gravity feed fuel system. Charcoal is loaded into a chute over a firebox and the fire feeds itself as it burns. Burn times of 12 hours on 20 pounds of charcoal are not unheard of from these units.
Double wall insulated cookers do have an inherent weakness; they all have a difficult time recovering when the door from the cooking chamber is opened. A forced air convection system like a BBQ Guru or a Stoker will easily solve the problem . I’ve been known to use what I call the Red Neck Guru. After I open and close the door to the cooker to mop, baste or glaze, I’ll use an old hairdryer to stoke my fire and get my cooker temperature back to target in a short time.
Pellet feed cookers are becoming popular. The cooking chambers are very similar to most cookers. In pellet burners, wood pellets are fed into the firebox by an electric auger system. A thermostat controls the speed and frequency that the auger turns. One of the largest advantages to the system is it truly is a “set it and forget it” type of cooker. Pellets come in many different wood types and it is very easy to mix “flavors” of woods to get your desired flavor profile. The Traeger and the Cookshack are the most widely known. Cookshack has the advantage of NSF approvals for commercial cooking.
Ceramic cookers are gaining market share. Primo and Big Green Eggs are the brand names that lead the market. With these types of cookers the firebox and cooking chamber are jacketed with thick ceramic. They provide very efficient fuel use and a very moist envoirnment for cooking. These cookers are versatile too. They can grill a steak or cook a pizza at very high temperatures, or cook low and slow for perfect barbecue. The trade is the cash outlay for the amount of usable cooking space. These cookers are also very heavy and transportation is awkward.
When you are buying your cooking vessel take some time to consider exactly what you want to do with your pit. Weigh the advantages of moisture, available cooking space, difficulty of operation, and how much time you actually want to spend tending to your cooker. Once you make the choice, season it properly and get to cookin’.
Making barbecue properly is an art. The series of discussing the pros and cons of vessels and techniques to create the best barbecued meats continues here with a discussion of more efficient and of course more expensive barbecue cookers. In our last article we discussed popular, readily available cookers. Exposing meat to low temperatures in the presence of hardwood smoke for an extended period of time so as to break down connective tissue and relinquish a succulent product does not have to have many of the challenges associated with less expensive pits.
Home enthusiasts still have choices. Adding insulation, and self feeding fuel systems are all available today for the backyard barbecue chef. These cookers come in a variety of sizes to accommodate your BBQ needs.
Our first venture into marrying technology with tradition will be the double wall insulated cookers or cabinet smokers. These pits are a little on the expensive side, but will reward the user in fuel efficiency. The most popular brands are the Backwoods Smokers, and Stumps. The Backwoods is a water smoker much like the WSM. The firebox is on the bottom of the cabinet, a water pan is set over the firebox and the cooking chamber is on top. The Backwoods smoker has a unique feature where the heat travels up around the cooking chamber through a space in the walls of the cooker and enters the cooking chamber from the top, and exits out through an outlet set at the bottom of the side wall of the cooking chamber. The water provides a very moist environment for cooking.
The Stumps is a classic offset smoker with a gravity feed fuel system. Charcoal is loaded into a chute over a firebox and the fire feeds itself as it burns. Burn times of 12 hours on 20 pounds of charcoal are not unheard of from these units.
Double wall insulated cookers do have an inherent weakness; they all have a difficult time recovering when the door from the cooking chamber is opened. A forced air convection system like a BBQ Guru or a Stoker will easily solve the problem . I’ve been known to use what I call the Red Neck Guru. After I open and close the door to the cooker to mop, baste or glaze, I’ll use an old hairdryer to stoke my fire and get my cooker temperature back to target in a short time.
Pellet feed cookers are becoming popular. The cooking chambers are very similar to most cookers. In pellet burners, wood pellets are fed into the firebox by an electric auger system. A thermostat controls the speed and frequency that the auger turns. One of the largest advantages to the system is it truly is a “set it and forget it” type of cooker. Pellets come in many different wood types and it is very easy to mix “flavors” of woods to get your desired flavor profile. The Traeger and the Cookshack are the most widely known. Cookshack has the advantage of NSF approvals for commercial cooking.
Ceramic cookers are gaining market share. Primo and Big Green Eggs are the brand names that lead the market. With these types of cookers the firebox and cooking chamber are jacketed with thick ceramic. They provide very efficient fuel use and a very moist envoirnment for cooking. These cookers are versatile too. They can grill a steak or cook a pizza at very high temperatures, or cook low and slow for perfect barbecue. The trade is the cash outlay for the amount of usable cooking space. These cookers are also very heavy and transportation is awkward.
When you are buying your cooking vessel take some time to consider exactly what you want to do with your pit. Weigh the advantages of moisture, available cooking space, difficulty of operation, and how much time you actually want to spend tending to your cooker. Once you make the choice, season it properly and get to cookin’.
- Thread starter
- #307
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part III: Fuel, Section 1
Making barbecue properly is an art. This is the continuation of a series of articles that will discuss creating the culinary delight known as barbecue. I have defined it to state: Barbecuing is a process of exposing meats to heat at low temperatures, in the presence of hardwood smoke, for an extended period of time to break down the connective tissues and relinquish a succulent product.
Following up the articles on vessels, fuel should be the next consideration. Choosing your heat source and more importantly, deciding how much attention you want to pay to that source, will indicate which fuel to use. Fuel will vary as to the cooker. Propane, natural gas, electricity, pellets, wood, and charcoal are all fuel sources that can provide the heat needed to make proper barbecue.
Propane, natural gas, and electricity are the easiest fuel sources to manage. A quick adjustment to a dial or valve will keep heat consistent over a long cook. The systems may be controlled with thermostats or thermocouples and will provide many hours of consistent heat with minimum work. Many commercial barbecue operators will use these sources.
Propane is popular for mobile cookers. Portability and availability are the key factors. All these sources need to have a method or system to provide hardwood smoke. Chip and chunks pans are often placed on top of the fuel source burners to satisfy the requirement.
Pellets provide ease of operation too. An electric auger system will automatically feed a small fire in a pan. The system is usually controlled with an electric thermostat. Pellets are produced in a wide variety of flavors and can be mixed in the hoppers to produce a customized smoke flavor. Insulation is effective in most of these style cookers and a large fire is not necessary to keep the units up to temperature. Many cooks and judges agree that pellets may not be providing the smoke flavor that is becoming more popular in contest que. However the set it and forget it feature makes this source very popular.
Propane, natural gas, electricity and pellets are by far the easiest sources of heat to manage over the long hours it takes to produce great barbecue. A turn of a dial and a thermostat will provide an operator with time to sleep or work around the house while the barbecue is cooking. Chips or chunks or pellets will provide some smoke flavor. Team it up with a great rub and sauce and you will be able to make a special product for both the contest and the kitchen.
Making barbecue properly is an art. This is the continuation of a series of articles that will discuss creating the culinary delight known as barbecue. I have defined it to state: Barbecuing is a process of exposing meats to heat at low temperatures, in the presence of hardwood smoke, for an extended period of time to break down the connective tissues and relinquish a succulent product.
Following up the articles on vessels, fuel should be the next consideration. Choosing your heat source and more importantly, deciding how much attention you want to pay to that source, will indicate which fuel to use. Fuel will vary as to the cooker. Propane, natural gas, electricity, pellets, wood, and charcoal are all fuel sources that can provide the heat needed to make proper barbecue.
Propane, natural gas, and electricity are the easiest fuel sources to manage. A quick adjustment to a dial or valve will keep heat consistent over a long cook. The systems may be controlled with thermostats or thermocouples and will provide many hours of consistent heat with minimum work. Many commercial barbecue operators will use these sources.
Propane is popular for mobile cookers. Portability and availability are the key factors. All these sources need to have a method or system to provide hardwood smoke. Chip and chunks pans are often placed on top of the fuel source burners to satisfy the requirement.
Pellets provide ease of operation too. An electric auger system will automatically feed a small fire in a pan. The system is usually controlled with an electric thermostat. Pellets are produced in a wide variety of flavors and can be mixed in the hoppers to produce a customized smoke flavor. Insulation is effective in most of these style cookers and a large fire is not necessary to keep the units up to temperature. Many cooks and judges agree that pellets may not be providing the smoke flavor that is becoming more popular in contest que. However the set it and forget it feature makes this source very popular.
Propane, natural gas, electricity and pellets are by far the easiest sources of heat to manage over the long hours it takes to produce great barbecue. A turn of a dial and a thermostat will provide an operator with time to sleep or work around the house while the barbecue is cooking. Chips or chunks or pellets will provide some smoke flavor. Team it up with a great rub and sauce and you will be able to make a special product for both the contest and the kitchen.
- Thread starter
- #308
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part III Fuel, Section 2
Proper preparation of high quality barbecue takes time, effort, a good sense of flavor, a good cooking vessel, and fuel. Gas, propane, electricity and pellets are good sources for heat but in my humble opinion the best barbecue is prepared over wood or charcoal.
American barbecue draws it roots from a process where meat was cooked over a fire on a structure of sorts. This was called barbacoa. This is not a bad method of creating good barbecue, if you have the time to spend with an open pit. The lean meats from wild game, fish and fowl didn’t cause problems with fire management. Flare ups were kept to a minimum. However, the introduction of the fatty pig caused fires to become unmanageable, and the early settlers learned to burn wood to coals to keep from burning meats. They also started to dig trenches to better focus the heat. These trenches were generally two or three feet deep and as the “pits” evolved, covers made of wood then cardboard to enclose the vessel for a more efficient burn. Traditional barbecue was then made by burning wood to coals in a separate area and then sprinkling the “live” coals under the meat. This method started the “thin blue smoke” that creates the subtle flavor that barbecue cooks desire.
Modern wood burning pits are designed to keep grease drippings from directly falling on the fire. Raw wood must be burned carefully on a hot bed of coals to keep the wood from smoldering and the smoke sweet. Most cooks use charcoal for heat and add a few chunks of seasoned hardwood for smoke flavor.
If you prefer to burn wood, it should be dry and well seasoned. Green wood produces bitter smoke. Fires should be built to be hot enough to keep wood from smoldering. Smoldering creates creosote which is not very tasty on the meats. Most hardwoods are good for smoking. Enthusiasts prefer wood from fruit or nut trees. Hickory, pecan, apple and cherry are the most popular. Softwoods and pines contain too many resins and tars that produce bitter smoke and should be avoided.
Charcoal is wood burned to coals then deprived of oxygen. It burns hot and clean leaving very little ash. Once the coals are fired up they act just like live coals and are a good fuel choice for pits.
Charcoal is available in different forms.
· The best is natural lump. It is the purest form of charcoal and burns hot and very clean. Most of the residuals have been burned off so it imparts very little smoke flavor.
· Natural charcoal briquettes are a good product. Wood char is made into a paste, a vegetable binder such as cornstarch is added and the resulting mix is formed into pillow shapes. They are uniform in shape, easy to handle and burn at a fairly predictable rate. They are becoming easier to find but are still a bit pricey.
· The most recognized charcoal is the formulated charcoal briquette. This is the product that you purchase at the grocery store or at discount stores. They are made from a mixture of carbonized sawdust, clay, limestone, sodium nitrate, anthracite coal and soft coal. They contain some raw sawdust for smoke flavor and paraffin to aid in quick lighting. Clay and limestone leave a lot of ash which will block air flow and interfere with heat transfer. Coal has a characteristic odor when burned which can be detected in barbecue, particularly when unlit coals are added during the cooking process. In some contest cases this can work to your advantage. Inexperienced judges are reminded of backyard barbecues; an experienced taster will object. Briquettes are good for open grilling, but when the environment is enclosed and meat is exposed to charcoal for a long period of time, caution should be exercised.
Taking the time to learn how to build and maintain a good clean fire will result great tasting, traditional style, barbecue. If burning sticks is not something that is viable for you, then charcoal is a great alternative. Using good charcoal mixed with some high quality wood chunks will produce a barbecue product that you will be proud of. Propane may become traditional in the future, but for now, I like my fire and live coals.
Proper preparation of high quality barbecue takes time, effort, a good sense of flavor, a good cooking vessel, and fuel. Gas, propane, electricity and pellets are good sources for heat but in my humble opinion the best barbecue is prepared over wood or charcoal.
American barbecue draws it roots from a process where meat was cooked over a fire on a structure of sorts. This was called barbacoa. This is not a bad method of creating good barbecue, if you have the time to spend with an open pit. The lean meats from wild game, fish and fowl didn’t cause problems with fire management. Flare ups were kept to a minimum. However, the introduction of the fatty pig caused fires to become unmanageable, and the early settlers learned to burn wood to coals to keep from burning meats. They also started to dig trenches to better focus the heat. These trenches were generally two or three feet deep and as the “pits” evolved, covers made of wood then cardboard to enclose the vessel for a more efficient burn. Traditional barbecue was then made by burning wood to coals in a separate area and then sprinkling the “live” coals under the meat. This method started the “thin blue smoke” that creates the subtle flavor that barbecue cooks desire.
Modern wood burning pits are designed to keep grease drippings from directly falling on the fire. Raw wood must be burned carefully on a hot bed of coals to keep the wood from smoldering and the smoke sweet. Most cooks use charcoal for heat and add a few chunks of seasoned hardwood for smoke flavor.
If you prefer to burn wood, it should be dry and well seasoned. Green wood produces bitter smoke. Fires should be built to be hot enough to keep wood from smoldering. Smoldering creates creosote which is not very tasty on the meats. Most hardwoods are good for smoking. Enthusiasts prefer wood from fruit or nut trees. Hickory, pecan, apple and cherry are the most popular. Softwoods and pines contain too many resins and tars that produce bitter smoke and should be avoided.
Charcoal is wood burned to coals then deprived of oxygen. It burns hot and clean leaving very little ash. Once the coals are fired up they act just like live coals and are a good fuel choice for pits.
Charcoal is available in different forms.
· The best is natural lump. It is the purest form of charcoal and burns hot and very clean. Most of the residuals have been burned off so it imparts very little smoke flavor.
· Natural charcoal briquettes are a good product. Wood char is made into a paste, a vegetable binder such as cornstarch is added and the resulting mix is formed into pillow shapes. They are uniform in shape, easy to handle and burn at a fairly predictable rate. They are becoming easier to find but are still a bit pricey.
· The most recognized charcoal is the formulated charcoal briquette. This is the product that you purchase at the grocery store or at discount stores. They are made from a mixture of carbonized sawdust, clay, limestone, sodium nitrate, anthracite coal and soft coal. They contain some raw sawdust for smoke flavor and paraffin to aid in quick lighting. Clay and limestone leave a lot of ash which will block air flow and interfere with heat transfer. Coal has a characteristic odor when burned which can be detected in barbecue, particularly when unlit coals are added during the cooking process. In some contest cases this can work to your advantage. Inexperienced judges are reminded of backyard barbecues; an experienced taster will object. Briquettes are good for open grilling, but when the environment is enclosed and meat is exposed to charcoal for a long period of time, caution should be exercised.
Taking the time to learn how to build and maintain a good clean fire will result great tasting, traditional style, barbecue. If burning sticks is not something that is viable for you, then charcoal is a great alternative. Using good charcoal mixed with some high quality wood chunks will produce a barbecue product that you will be proud of. Propane may become traditional in the future, but for now, I like my fire and live coals.
- Thread starter
- #309
Barbecue 101 - A guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part IV Meat, Section 1
Now that we have chosen a vessel and some fuel, it’s high time to consider cooking some meat. This article will focus on the selection of readily available red meats. High end meats, poultry and fish will be dealt with another time. For now, let’s discuss meats that can be obtained easily at the grocery store.
Meat is muscle fibers that are organized and bundled together with connective tissue, with a sprinkling of fatty deposits. How these muscles develop and are used by the animal usually determine how they should be cooked.
When you are selecting meat for your pit, fat is important. Surface fat prevents meat from drying out in later stages of cooking, and contributes to “bark” formation. Internal fat adds the rich flavor and keeps the interior strands from drying out, offering the sensation of juiciness; a highly desired trait. When buying package meats from the grocery store take a careful look at the label to be sure that there is not water added. Major retailers have started engaging in the dreadful practice of adding a saline solution to meat. Meat should not need an ingredient label. If your grocer carries such products, shop elsewhere.
In the south pork is the King of barbecue. There are very few differences in commercial pork. It is all uniformly ordinary. Hogs are bred and fed to be lean. They are raised in confinement and fed controlled diets to make them more appealing to the consumer. Look for enough surface fat to keep the exterior from drying out and cook properly.
Buying beef is more entertaining. There are clearly better choices. Buy USDA Choice Beef and look for good marbling. Surface fat is good but should be kept thin. Unless you have honed your skills in choosing beef, it pays to buy Certified Angus meats. The Certified Angus program offers a minimum quality guarantee. When selecting ribs and briskets, look for packages that are uniform in thickness and choose packages that are more pliable.
Basically, there are two kinds of meats to choose from: tough or tender. Tender cuts like loins help hold the skeleton together and get very little use for work. There is not very much connective tissue and the texture is fine. Tender cuts are generally smoke roasted or grilled at higher temperatures and cooked to a desired doneness. Tough cuts come from the working muscles like brisket or shoulders, are chock full of connective tissue, and are generally suited for “barbecuing”. Remember our definition of barbecue: meat that is slow cooked over a long period of time to melt collagen and connective tissue making the meat tender and succulent.
Raw meat contains aging enzymes which continue to affect flavor, tenderness, and appearance until they are destroyed by heat. These enzymes continue to break down connective tissue and muscle fibers over time. These enzymes do their best work on whole beef carcasses that are hung in coolers for weeks at a time. This is called “dry aging.” The industrialization of meat packing plants has brought the demise of the practice of dry aging. There is some done at the local level and in high end supermarkets. Wet aging, a process where you leave a primal cut in the cryovac in a refrigerator for a week or two before using it, will help develop flavors. Sometimes, these bags will have a strong odor when opened. A quick rinse and a sniff test will tell whether you have been successful at aging or the meat is spoiled and should be disposed of. Aging enzymes are most active in meat warms. Many cooks will allow meat to come to room temperature before cooking. Slow cooking also takes full advantage of the aging process.
Careful planning and choosing meat is critical to the process of successful barbecuing. Whether choosing to cook tender or tough cuts, be discerning in your pick. Choose good quality unenhanced meats from a reputable source. This will provide a solid foundation to the cooking processes and allow the science to better work in your favor.
Now that we have chosen a vessel and some fuel, it’s high time to consider cooking some meat. This article will focus on the selection of readily available red meats. High end meats, poultry and fish will be dealt with another time. For now, let’s discuss meats that can be obtained easily at the grocery store.
Meat is muscle fibers that are organized and bundled together with connective tissue, with a sprinkling of fatty deposits. How these muscles develop and are used by the animal usually determine how they should be cooked.
When you are selecting meat for your pit, fat is important. Surface fat prevents meat from drying out in later stages of cooking, and contributes to “bark” formation. Internal fat adds the rich flavor and keeps the interior strands from drying out, offering the sensation of juiciness; a highly desired trait. When buying package meats from the grocery store take a careful look at the label to be sure that there is not water added. Major retailers have started engaging in the dreadful practice of adding a saline solution to meat. Meat should not need an ingredient label. If your grocer carries such products, shop elsewhere.
In the south pork is the King of barbecue. There are very few differences in commercial pork. It is all uniformly ordinary. Hogs are bred and fed to be lean. They are raised in confinement and fed controlled diets to make them more appealing to the consumer. Look for enough surface fat to keep the exterior from drying out and cook properly.
Buying beef is more entertaining. There are clearly better choices. Buy USDA Choice Beef and look for good marbling. Surface fat is good but should be kept thin. Unless you have honed your skills in choosing beef, it pays to buy Certified Angus meats. The Certified Angus program offers a minimum quality guarantee. When selecting ribs and briskets, look for packages that are uniform in thickness and choose packages that are more pliable.
Basically, there are two kinds of meats to choose from: tough or tender. Tender cuts like loins help hold the skeleton together and get very little use for work. There is not very much connective tissue and the texture is fine. Tender cuts are generally smoke roasted or grilled at higher temperatures and cooked to a desired doneness. Tough cuts come from the working muscles like brisket or shoulders, are chock full of connective tissue, and are generally suited for “barbecuing”. Remember our definition of barbecue: meat that is slow cooked over a long period of time to melt collagen and connective tissue making the meat tender and succulent.
Raw meat contains aging enzymes which continue to affect flavor, tenderness, and appearance until they are destroyed by heat. These enzymes continue to break down connective tissue and muscle fibers over time. These enzymes do their best work on whole beef carcasses that are hung in coolers for weeks at a time. This is called “dry aging.” The industrialization of meat packing plants has brought the demise of the practice of dry aging. There is some done at the local level and in high end supermarkets. Wet aging, a process where you leave a primal cut in the cryovac in a refrigerator for a week or two before using it, will help develop flavors. Sometimes, these bags will have a strong odor when opened. A quick rinse and a sniff test will tell whether you have been successful at aging or the meat is spoiled and should be disposed of. Aging enzymes are most active in meat warms. Many cooks will allow meat to come to room temperature before cooking. Slow cooking also takes full advantage of the aging process.
Careful planning and choosing meat is critical to the process of successful barbecuing. Whether choosing to cook tender or tough cuts, be discerning in your pick. Choose good quality unenhanced meats from a reputable source. This will provide a solid foundation to the cooking processes and allow the science to better work in your favor.
- Thread starter
- #310
Barbecue 101 - A Guide to Ultra Barbecue - Part IV Meat, Section 2
The science of cooking meat is interesting reading but, like most science, can be difficult to understand. Put as plainly as possible, meat is 70 percent water. Even though it is mostly water it is not “juicy”. As meat cooks, cells rupture and release their water. Once the meat reaches about 130 degrees the proteins break down into savory amino acids and start to help out flavor. At this temperature the internal water has started to migrate to the surface and slow the cooking process.
At about 140 degrees collagen will start to shrink, squeezing out water and making the meat firmer. The aging enzymes have all but been destroyed and the myoglobin has been denatured producing a brown color. By the time the meat temperature reaches 150 degrees the cooking process will stop as most of the energy is being used to evaporate water. This is commonly known as the first stall. Just about all meats at this stage are considered inedible. Tender cuts have been deprived of moisture and the tough cuts are dry and very tough. These moisture losses are certain, no matter the cooking technique.
At higher internal temperatures, water continues to evaporate from the surface faster than it can migrate out. This evaporation is what contributes to the browning and bark formation known as “milliard browning reactions.” Good manipulations of this process will produce intense flavors.
Tough cuts are coached through the first stall and continued to be heated until collagen and connective tissues start to break down and fat is rendered. This point is usually referred to as the second stall. Once the second stall is reached most of the energy in the cooking process is being used to drive this reaction. This point is where the Pit Masters are separated from the Pit Cooks. Moisture management is critical at this step. Many cooks will employ foil or raise the temperature of their pit to bring them through the plateau at the expense of the final product. Foil might as well be kin to boiling, and raising temperatures will speed the drying process leaving behind a bitter burnt flavor as a result. True Pit Masters will use this time as an opportunity to develop the deep flavors inherent in great barbecue. Pits are left alone or sometimes even left to fall off a little while collagen breaks down and fat is rendered. Some Masters will employ basting techniques to layer flavors and slow the drying process to prevent burning.
While we are discussing some science, let’s look at “smoke ring” formation. Myoglobin is the protein that makes meat red. Myoglobin denatures over time with heat and turns brown, indicating doneness. In a pit, nitrogen compounds found in the smoke will react with the myoglobin to form a stable pink zone around the outside of the meat. This pink ring is known as the “smoke ring”, and is an indication of proper barbecuing techniques. Some deceitful characters will add nitrogen rich curing salts to the outside of the meat and create and artificial smoke ring; Judges beware.
Once the meat exits the second stall, we are making true barbecue. Connective tissue and fat will continue to render until the meat is very tender and succulent. The point where a piece of meat is done to perfection now becomes a personal decision. The internal temperatures can range from 185 to 210 degrees. The barbecue will have different characteristics depending on the final temperature you choose. Lower temperatures will tend to have a little more “chew”, while higher temperatures will yield a more tender product. Pit Masters must use care when judging when a product is done. If the meat is left on the pit too long it will become mushy and dry start to dry out. Take time to practice cooking meats to different temperatures to find the temperature that satisfies your personal preferences.
Understanding the science of cooking different meats can be a cumbersome task. Patience and understanding of the different processes that meat goes through to make great barbecue is essential. The stalls are a very important part of the process. Managing them correctly is the trick. Patience is the key, enjoy your experience and don’t try to rush a great day.
The science of cooking meat is interesting reading but, like most science, can be difficult to understand. Put as plainly as possible, meat is 70 percent water. Even though it is mostly water it is not “juicy”. As meat cooks, cells rupture and release their water. Once the meat reaches about 130 degrees the proteins break down into savory amino acids and start to help out flavor. At this temperature the internal water has started to migrate to the surface and slow the cooking process.
At about 140 degrees collagen will start to shrink, squeezing out water and making the meat firmer. The aging enzymes have all but been destroyed and the myoglobin has been denatured producing a brown color. By the time the meat temperature reaches 150 degrees the cooking process will stop as most of the energy is being used to evaporate water. This is commonly known as the first stall. Just about all meats at this stage are considered inedible. Tender cuts have been deprived of moisture and the tough cuts are dry and very tough. These moisture losses are certain, no matter the cooking technique.
At higher internal temperatures, water continues to evaporate from the surface faster than it can migrate out. This evaporation is what contributes to the browning and bark formation known as “milliard browning reactions.” Good manipulations of this process will produce intense flavors.
Tough cuts are coached through the first stall and continued to be heated until collagen and connective tissues start to break down and fat is rendered. This point is usually referred to as the second stall. Once the second stall is reached most of the energy in the cooking process is being used to drive this reaction. This point is where the Pit Masters are separated from the Pit Cooks. Moisture management is critical at this step. Many cooks will employ foil or raise the temperature of their pit to bring them through the plateau at the expense of the final product. Foil might as well be kin to boiling, and raising temperatures will speed the drying process leaving behind a bitter burnt flavor as a result. True Pit Masters will use this time as an opportunity to develop the deep flavors inherent in great barbecue. Pits are left alone or sometimes even left to fall off a little while collagen breaks down and fat is rendered. Some Masters will employ basting techniques to layer flavors and slow the drying process to prevent burning.
While we are discussing some science, let’s look at “smoke ring” formation. Myoglobin is the protein that makes meat red. Myoglobin denatures over time with heat and turns brown, indicating doneness. In a pit, nitrogen compounds found in the smoke will react with the myoglobin to form a stable pink zone around the outside of the meat. This pink ring is known as the “smoke ring”, and is an indication of proper barbecuing techniques. Some deceitful characters will add nitrogen rich curing salts to the outside of the meat and create and artificial smoke ring; Judges beware.
Once the meat exits the second stall, we are making true barbecue. Connective tissue and fat will continue to render until the meat is very tender and succulent. The point where a piece of meat is done to perfection now becomes a personal decision. The internal temperatures can range from 185 to 210 degrees. The barbecue will have different characteristics depending on the final temperature you choose. Lower temperatures will tend to have a little more “chew”, while higher temperatures will yield a more tender product. Pit Masters must use care when judging when a product is done. If the meat is left on the pit too long it will become mushy and dry start to dry out. Take time to practice cooking meats to different temperatures to find the temperature that satisfies your personal preferences.
Understanding the science of cooking different meats can be a cumbersome task. Patience and understanding of the different processes that meat goes through to make great barbecue is essential. The stalls are a very important part of the process. Managing them correctly is the trick. Patience is the key, enjoy your experience and don’t try to rush a great day.
- Thread starter
- #311
Barbecue 101 Part IV-A: The Seasoning
By Dan Gill
Barbecue, by definition, is seasoned meat cooked slowly with wood or wood by-products (live coals or charcoal) until it assumes the usual characteristics. Raw meat is relatively tasteless: in order for a hunk of meat to be transformed into flavorful, succulent and savory barbecue, many natural processes must be managed and manipulated before, during and after cooking through the judicious use of seasonings, time, and temperature. Herein lies the true art of meat cookery in general and barbecue in particular. There is a fine line between "roasted pork" and "barbecue". The transformation occurs after most of the free moisture has been cooked out of the meat, allowing internal temperatures to exceed 170° F. During this late cooking stage, collagen melts, fats render, and protein breaks down to flavorful peptides resulting in the usual characteristics of barbecue in terms of taste, texture and aroma. You can tell when barbecue happens by the smell alone. Spices and seasonings enhance this process and complement natural barbecue flavors (but should not overwhelm them). They may be added before, during or after cooking – with different results for each method. Meat, poultry and fish cooked by other methods also benefit from the judicious use of seasonings. For this discussion, we will use the broad definition: Seasoning is anything applied to meat that affects its organoleptic qualities - not only flavor and aroma, but also texture and tenderness.
The Players
Salt: Salt is the real work-horse of seasonings and is the only essential seasoning for barbecue: The absolute epitome of the art is a whole hog, seasoned only with salt, and cooked about twenty-four inches above glowing hardwood coals for eighteen hours or so. Though best when pulled directly from the hot carcass with no further seasoning, it may be dipped in an "Eastern North Carolina sauce" consisting only of vinegar, hot peppers, salt and maybe a little sugar or molasses (though not for purists).
In conjunction with other seasonings, salt balances flavors, moderates bitter, sour and sweet tastes and intensifies umami or the savory quality of food (see PL January – February 2006). The heavy hitters (such as peppers and herbs) can swagger all they want, but most owe their real magic to a little salt. Salt is the vehicle which transports flavor into meat tissues: When applied to meat surfaces, salt draws free water and immediately dissolves into positively charged sodium and negatively charged chloride ions. Not only do these ions readily penetrate meat tissues by diffusion but they can also latch onto and drag some water-soluble flavor components along with them.
Salt simply makes most foods taste better. It enhances umami by participating in the alteration of protein during aging and cooking processes, then by combining with complex molecules (amino acids and inosinates) to create flavor. For example, when sodium ions from salt join with glutamic acid from protein, they form natural MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Contrary to popular belief, salt does not make meat dry during cooking. In fact, salt causes moisture to be retained within cells allowing the final product to be juicier – even when overcooked. Salt denatures protein, causing the component strands to relax. During cooking, protein strands do not contract as much and so do not squeeze out as much water. This is why turkey breasts are often injected with a saline solution during processing and why salt is the key ingredient in dry rubs and brines.
Salt acts as a preservative, protecting meat as it slowly warms and during prolonged cooking in an oxygen-poor (smoky) atmosphere. This is especially important when smoking fish. Salt also firms the flesh of delicate fish species, improving texture.
All salts are not created equal. The best way to measure salt (and many other ingredients) is by weight. Kosher salt is less dense than table salt and takes longer to dissolve. It may take a cup and a half of kosher salt to equal the salinity of one cup of table salt in a brine or dry rub. Sea salt contains minerals and other salts in addition to sodium chloride and may require more volume or weight for the same effect.
Sugar is used in conjunction with salt to moderate saltiness, enhance flavors and retain moisture. It dissolves and penetrates into the meat along with salt during the preparation stage and aids in browning and bark formation during the final cooking stage. Thus sugar is an important ingredient in rubs and bastes, but must be used with care so that it doesn't burn or scorch. Molasses (my favorite) brings its own flavors to the party and is used in brines, bastes and sauces. Dry rubs usually contain brown sugar, which now is just refined sugar with molasses added back in, or raw sugar, which has not had all of the molasses removed during processing.
.
Vinegar is used mostly in bastes and sauces as a solvent to reduce greasiness and to provide brightness. Strong acids break down raw muscle tissue and can make meat mushy; therefore they are usually used in the later stages of cooking or in condiments.
Herbs and Spices, including capsicum peppers, owe most of their flavor to complex fat-soluble molecules, which are released by acids and oils but don't move around much and are difficult to get into meat. Therefore, herbs and spices are used to advantage in marinades, bastes and sauces but only to flavor meat surfaces. For the same reason herbs and spices are of limited value in brines. In dry rubs they just lie on the surface, basically intact, until the later stages of barbecue when the flavors are released by heat and rendered fats and they can participate in browning reactions and bark flavor.
Tomato products play a special role in bastes and sauces: In bastes they provide sugars for caramelization, acids for brightness and amino acids for flavor. In sauces, tomato juice or catsup provide a platform for other flavors, but can also overwhelm or mask hard-earned barbecue characteristics. By the same token, tomato based sauces can be used to disguise inferior barbecue.
Milk products are included in brines for meats and poultry that are to be smoke-cooked. Milk provides calcium, which stimulates aging enzymes thereby tenderizing and improving texture and flavor. Fermented dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt add mild acid and even more flavor.
The Dark Side: Chocolate and coffee, brewed or instant, are among the "secret ingredients" used to add depth to sauces and bastes. Many award-winning chili recipes contain a little cocoa powder and mole (moh-lay) sauce is defined by a small amount of chocolate.
Time and Temperature: Raw meat contains enzymes that break down protein and connective tissue as part of the decomposition process thereby improving flavor and tenderness. Under controlled conditions, beef, lamb and venison benefit most from aging. Vacuum-packed primal cuts can be "wet-aged" in the refrigerator for several weeks without going bad. If you discover that the packaging has lost vacuum, then open and evaluate the condition of the meat right away: Once air gets in the packaging, meats go downhill fast. If the package starts to swell, indicating the production of gas inside, the meat is probably bad or going bad. There is normally a strong smell to the juice when the package is first opened, so rinse meat well before giving it the sniff test.
Aging enzymes work best when the meat is in the danger zone (40° to 140°). Allowing meat to reach room temp for a few hours after rubbing and before cooking accelerates the process. Also, low pit temperatures give meat more time to warm slowly, allowing the enzymes to work at top speed until they are de-activated at about 130° F.
Seasonings, primarily salt and sugar, need time to penetrate and to do their work. How much time depends upon meat thickness and temperature. Large pieces, such as pork shoulder and briskets should be dry-rubbed and refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours, or held at room temperature for several hours before cooking to accelerate rub penetration. Salt in the rub or brine helps protect raw meat from microbes as it warms. Thin pieces, such as ribs, can be dry rubbed shortly before going on the pit. I like to warm pork spare ribs in hot water (warming also makes the membrane easier to remove), then dry-rub about one hour before they go on the pit.
Smoke is a distinctive flavor component. I have discussed fire control and smoke quality at length in previous articles available in back issues of Pleasant Living and on our web page. Smoke flavor should be subtle and pleasant, never bitter, harsh or predominant. Though not a flavor, the "smoke ring", or pink zone below the surface of smoked meats can be either an indicator of proper technique or nefarious trickery: Nitrogen from smoke combines with myoglobin in meat to form persistent pink molecules; but the smoke ring can also be faked by including a little curing salt, containing nitrates, in dry rubs. Smoke is most effective during the first half of the cooking time while the surface of the meat is still moist enough to facilitate penetration, and enzymes and myoglobin are still active.
By Dan Gill
Barbecue, by definition, is seasoned meat cooked slowly with wood or wood by-products (live coals or charcoal) until it assumes the usual characteristics. Raw meat is relatively tasteless: in order for a hunk of meat to be transformed into flavorful, succulent and savory barbecue, many natural processes must be managed and manipulated before, during and after cooking through the judicious use of seasonings, time, and temperature. Herein lies the true art of meat cookery in general and barbecue in particular. There is a fine line between "roasted pork" and "barbecue". The transformation occurs after most of the free moisture has been cooked out of the meat, allowing internal temperatures to exceed 170° F. During this late cooking stage, collagen melts, fats render, and protein breaks down to flavorful peptides resulting in the usual characteristics of barbecue in terms of taste, texture and aroma. You can tell when barbecue happens by the smell alone. Spices and seasonings enhance this process and complement natural barbecue flavors (but should not overwhelm them). They may be added before, during or after cooking – with different results for each method. Meat, poultry and fish cooked by other methods also benefit from the judicious use of seasonings. For this discussion, we will use the broad definition: Seasoning is anything applied to meat that affects its organoleptic qualities - not only flavor and aroma, but also texture and tenderness.
The Players
Salt: Salt is the real work-horse of seasonings and is the only essential seasoning for barbecue: The absolute epitome of the art is a whole hog, seasoned only with salt, and cooked about twenty-four inches above glowing hardwood coals for eighteen hours or so. Though best when pulled directly from the hot carcass with no further seasoning, it may be dipped in an "Eastern North Carolina sauce" consisting only of vinegar, hot peppers, salt and maybe a little sugar or molasses (though not for purists).
In conjunction with other seasonings, salt balances flavors, moderates bitter, sour and sweet tastes and intensifies umami or the savory quality of food (see PL January – February 2006). The heavy hitters (such as peppers and herbs) can swagger all they want, but most owe their real magic to a little salt. Salt is the vehicle which transports flavor into meat tissues: When applied to meat surfaces, salt draws free water and immediately dissolves into positively charged sodium and negatively charged chloride ions. Not only do these ions readily penetrate meat tissues by diffusion but they can also latch onto and drag some water-soluble flavor components along with them.
Salt simply makes most foods taste better. It enhances umami by participating in the alteration of protein during aging and cooking processes, then by combining with complex molecules (amino acids and inosinates) to create flavor. For example, when sodium ions from salt join with glutamic acid from protein, they form natural MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Contrary to popular belief, salt does not make meat dry during cooking. In fact, salt causes moisture to be retained within cells allowing the final product to be juicier – even when overcooked. Salt denatures protein, causing the component strands to relax. During cooking, protein strands do not contract as much and so do not squeeze out as much water. This is why turkey breasts are often injected with a saline solution during processing and why salt is the key ingredient in dry rubs and brines.
Salt acts as a preservative, protecting meat as it slowly warms and during prolonged cooking in an oxygen-poor (smoky) atmosphere. This is especially important when smoking fish. Salt also firms the flesh of delicate fish species, improving texture.
All salts are not created equal. The best way to measure salt (and many other ingredients) is by weight. Kosher salt is less dense than table salt and takes longer to dissolve. It may take a cup and a half of kosher salt to equal the salinity of one cup of table salt in a brine or dry rub. Sea salt contains minerals and other salts in addition to sodium chloride and may require more volume or weight for the same effect.
Sugar is used in conjunction with salt to moderate saltiness, enhance flavors and retain moisture. It dissolves and penetrates into the meat along with salt during the preparation stage and aids in browning and bark formation during the final cooking stage. Thus sugar is an important ingredient in rubs and bastes, but must be used with care so that it doesn't burn or scorch. Molasses (my favorite) brings its own flavors to the party and is used in brines, bastes and sauces. Dry rubs usually contain brown sugar, which now is just refined sugar with molasses added back in, or raw sugar, which has not had all of the molasses removed during processing.
.
Vinegar is used mostly in bastes and sauces as a solvent to reduce greasiness and to provide brightness. Strong acids break down raw muscle tissue and can make meat mushy; therefore they are usually used in the later stages of cooking or in condiments.
Herbs and Spices, including capsicum peppers, owe most of their flavor to complex fat-soluble molecules, which are released by acids and oils but don't move around much and are difficult to get into meat. Therefore, herbs and spices are used to advantage in marinades, bastes and sauces but only to flavor meat surfaces. For the same reason herbs and spices are of limited value in brines. In dry rubs they just lie on the surface, basically intact, until the later stages of barbecue when the flavors are released by heat and rendered fats and they can participate in browning reactions and bark flavor.
Tomato products play a special role in bastes and sauces: In bastes they provide sugars for caramelization, acids for brightness and amino acids for flavor. In sauces, tomato juice or catsup provide a platform for other flavors, but can also overwhelm or mask hard-earned barbecue characteristics. By the same token, tomato based sauces can be used to disguise inferior barbecue.
Milk products are included in brines for meats and poultry that are to be smoke-cooked. Milk provides calcium, which stimulates aging enzymes thereby tenderizing and improving texture and flavor. Fermented dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt add mild acid and even more flavor.
The Dark Side: Chocolate and coffee, brewed or instant, are among the "secret ingredients" used to add depth to sauces and bastes. Many award-winning chili recipes contain a little cocoa powder and mole (moh-lay) sauce is defined by a small amount of chocolate.
Time and Temperature: Raw meat contains enzymes that break down protein and connective tissue as part of the decomposition process thereby improving flavor and tenderness. Under controlled conditions, beef, lamb and venison benefit most from aging. Vacuum-packed primal cuts can be "wet-aged" in the refrigerator for several weeks without going bad. If you discover that the packaging has lost vacuum, then open and evaluate the condition of the meat right away: Once air gets in the packaging, meats go downhill fast. If the package starts to swell, indicating the production of gas inside, the meat is probably bad or going bad. There is normally a strong smell to the juice when the package is first opened, so rinse meat well before giving it the sniff test.
Aging enzymes work best when the meat is in the danger zone (40° to 140°). Allowing meat to reach room temp for a few hours after rubbing and before cooking accelerates the process. Also, low pit temperatures give meat more time to warm slowly, allowing the enzymes to work at top speed until they are de-activated at about 130° F.
Seasonings, primarily salt and sugar, need time to penetrate and to do their work. How much time depends upon meat thickness and temperature. Large pieces, such as pork shoulder and briskets should be dry-rubbed and refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours, or held at room temperature for several hours before cooking to accelerate rub penetration. Salt in the rub or brine helps protect raw meat from microbes as it warms. Thin pieces, such as ribs, can be dry rubbed shortly before going on the pit. I like to warm pork spare ribs in hot water (warming also makes the membrane easier to remove), then dry-rub about one hour before they go on the pit.
Smoke is a distinctive flavor component. I have discussed fire control and smoke quality at length in previous articles available in back issues of Pleasant Living and on our web page. Smoke flavor should be subtle and pleasant, never bitter, harsh or predominant. Though not a flavor, the "smoke ring", or pink zone below the surface of smoked meats can be either an indicator of proper technique or nefarious trickery: Nitrogen from smoke combines with myoglobin in meat to form persistent pink molecules; but the smoke ring can also be faked by including a little curing salt, containing nitrates, in dry rubs. Smoke is most effective during the first half of the cooking time while the surface of the meat is still moist enough to facilitate penetration, and enzymes and myoglobin are still active.
- Thread starter
- #312
Barbecue 101 Part IV-B: Seasoning Methods
If you do it right, you don’t need sauce
By Dan Gill
Barbecue and smoked meats are normally seasoned before they go on the smoker. Most folks use brines and dry-rubs for flavor development, but the practice actually evolved for food-safety reasons and is a holdover from curing techniques. Making traditional barbecue and smoked foods involves keeping meat, poultry or fish in the “danger zone” and in a low-oxygen environment for many hours; ideal conditions for the growth of unfriendly microbes. Dry rubs and brines contain salt, sugar and spices that can retard microbial growth. Cold smoking for prolonged periods at temperatures below 100°F can actually foster growth of the dread and deadly C. botulinum bacterium; therefore, “curing salts” containing nitrates and nitrites are often added to brines and dry-rubs for cold smoked (uncooked) sausages, fish, and cured meats but are neither needed nor recommended for barbecue or smoke cooking.
Brines were initially used to “pickle” and preserve meats, fish and vegetables. Salt was added to water until it would float a potato or fresh egg, and then the meat was soaked until it absorbed sufficient salt to preserve it. Fresh eggs were specified because stored eggs, such as those available commercially, have larger air pockets and float at lower salinities. Saturated brines were also used to “strike down” fish and meat before they were packed in dry salt to keep. We now use much weaker brines to flavor meats, fish and poultry and to prepare them for slow cooking. It is still salt that does the work and makes it a brine, but we now add other things to develop more flavor such as buttermilk, herbs and spices and sugar or molasses. Some brine recipes call for soft drinks because they contain water-soluble flavorings, which can add an interesting dimension, and sweeteners to balance the saltiness of the brine. Avoid any soft drinks containing high fructose corn syrup. You may have to look around, but there are some brands that still use real cane sugar - notably Royal Crown, NEHI, and some bottlers of Dr. Pepper. Fish sauces, such as Nuok Mam or Worcestershire, also add an interesting dimension. Always taste your brine before adding the meat; it should be salty but pleasant. Turkeys and large cuts of meat are generally brined overnight, whereas smaller pieces and chicken parts can be brined in a few hours.
Dry rubs containing salt work just the same as brines except that there is no additional liquid to dilute meat juices. Herbs and spices applied to the surface stay there and contribute to flavor development during the cooking process. When applied to the moist surfaces of raw meat, salt attracts free moisture from the tissues and dissolves or dissociates into charged atoms of sodium (positive) and chlorine (negative), which can then penetrate tissues taking along water soluble flavorings. This process accelerates as meat warms, therefore meat can either be dry rubbed and refrigerated overnight or left out at room temperature for a few hours.
Slathers composed mostly of plain old yellow mustard may be used to coat meat prior to rubbing or just before cooking. Prepared mustard contributes flavor and acts as an emulsifier to reduce surface oils, thereby allowing rubs to adhere and penetrate better and allowing bastes to coat the meat evenly without beading. Since I baste Kicken Chicken during the final cooking stages, I use a mustard slather just before it goes on the pit.
Marinades may be useful when grilling or braising smaller pieces of meat, but are of little value in barbecue. Marinades are generally composed of oils, herbs and acids (vinegar or fruit juice). Though vinegar and oil mixtures may release some fat-soluble flavor compounds from herbs and spices, they don’t carry them into meat tissues and therefore flavor only the outside. Marinades are most effective with thin cuts, such as steaks or sliced meats. Acids and vegetative tenderizers, such as enzymes found in papaya, pineapple and ginger, are often added but must be used with caution. If left on too long they will make meat mushy. Also, as meat becomes more acidic, salt has less effect on protein, therefore salt should be restricted in acidic marinades.
Injections of salt, water, seasonings and flavor enhancers, which would not normally or readily penetrate into meat, may be inserted deep into muscle tissue with syringes or meat pumps. Several commercial products are available and are used extensively and successfully in competition, though seldom by hobbyists. One product that is popular on the competition circuit contains hydrolyzed soy protein, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils, sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate and xanthan gum.
The turkey industry has been selling “flavor enhanced” and “water added” product since the 1960’s when market researchers realized that most consumers tend to overcook poultry, ending up with dry breast meat. The solution was to “quick brine” by injecting a saline solution into the breast so that it would remain relatively moist even if overcooked. Unfortunately, this nefarious practice is now spreading to the red meat industry and consumers have to read the labels on packaged steaks and pork roasts to avoid buying flavored water at meat prices. Caveat emptor!
Vacuum tumbling in brine or marinade is gaining in popularity in some restaurants and meat markets. As the name implies, meat is placed in a drum along with a flavoring liquid. A vacuum is applied as the drum rotates and the meat tumbles. When the vacuum is released, liquid is sucked deep into the tissues. The tumbling action massages the meat breaking down and releasing some protein components and increasing tenderness. As with injection, this is a water-added (up to 20%) product sold to gullible consumers at inflated prices. As a confirmed Neanderthal cook, I prefer to adulterate my meat at home, thank you very much.
Basting is the most misunderstood and misused of all seasoning methods. Bastes have two specific roles during the cooking process. First, water and vinegar add moisture to the surface of meat, thereby cooling and slowing the cooking rate through increased evaporation. Bastes often contain oils, which regulate the rate of evaporation, thus extending the cooling effect. Although bastes may be applied at any time, they are best applied during the second stall or after the meat reaches about 160°F and most of the internal moisture has migrated out and evaporated. Dry surfaces may approach the temperature of the pit or oven. Control of the cooking rate allows more time for collagen to break down before the bark dries too much and overcooks. The second role is to add ingredients that enhance bark formation and flavor through Maillard browning reactions. Therefore, sugar and ketchup are often included. If the meat was dry-rubbed or brined, then very little salt is needed in the basting liquid. Care must be taken during these latter stages as sugar from rubs or bastes can burn easily, resulting in bitter bark. Other seasonings including mustard may be added to obtain a specific flavor profile. Contrary to popular belief, basting does not add moisture to meat; the cooking process expels moisture regardless of the environment. You can boil or steam meat until it is so dry that it tastes like cardboard.
Glazes are used primarily to improve and protect appearance and are usually applied to hot meat just before or after it is removed from the pit. Generally high in some form of sugar, glazes require sufficient heat to melt, or even caramelize, but they burn easily. Used carefully and correctly, glazes coat the surface with a shiny layer, enhancing the appearance of moistness.
If all else fails, reach for a bottle of that thick, sweet, red sauce and disguise any shortcomings.
If you do it right, you don’t need sauce
By Dan Gill
Barbecue and smoked meats are normally seasoned before they go on the smoker. Most folks use brines and dry-rubs for flavor development, but the practice actually evolved for food-safety reasons and is a holdover from curing techniques. Making traditional barbecue and smoked foods involves keeping meat, poultry or fish in the “danger zone” and in a low-oxygen environment for many hours; ideal conditions for the growth of unfriendly microbes. Dry rubs and brines contain salt, sugar and spices that can retard microbial growth. Cold smoking for prolonged periods at temperatures below 100°F can actually foster growth of the dread and deadly C. botulinum bacterium; therefore, “curing salts” containing nitrates and nitrites are often added to brines and dry-rubs for cold smoked (uncooked) sausages, fish, and cured meats but are neither needed nor recommended for barbecue or smoke cooking.
Brines were initially used to “pickle” and preserve meats, fish and vegetables. Salt was added to water until it would float a potato or fresh egg, and then the meat was soaked until it absorbed sufficient salt to preserve it. Fresh eggs were specified because stored eggs, such as those available commercially, have larger air pockets and float at lower salinities. Saturated brines were also used to “strike down” fish and meat before they were packed in dry salt to keep. We now use much weaker brines to flavor meats, fish and poultry and to prepare them for slow cooking. It is still salt that does the work and makes it a brine, but we now add other things to develop more flavor such as buttermilk, herbs and spices and sugar or molasses. Some brine recipes call for soft drinks because they contain water-soluble flavorings, which can add an interesting dimension, and sweeteners to balance the saltiness of the brine. Avoid any soft drinks containing high fructose corn syrup. You may have to look around, but there are some brands that still use real cane sugar - notably Royal Crown, NEHI, and some bottlers of Dr. Pepper. Fish sauces, such as Nuok Mam or Worcestershire, also add an interesting dimension. Always taste your brine before adding the meat; it should be salty but pleasant. Turkeys and large cuts of meat are generally brined overnight, whereas smaller pieces and chicken parts can be brined in a few hours.
Dry rubs containing salt work just the same as brines except that there is no additional liquid to dilute meat juices. Herbs and spices applied to the surface stay there and contribute to flavor development during the cooking process. When applied to the moist surfaces of raw meat, salt attracts free moisture from the tissues and dissolves or dissociates into charged atoms of sodium (positive) and chlorine (negative), which can then penetrate tissues taking along water soluble flavorings. This process accelerates as meat warms, therefore meat can either be dry rubbed and refrigerated overnight or left out at room temperature for a few hours.
Slathers composed mostly of plain old yellow mustard may be used to coat meat prior to rubbing or just before cooking. Prepared mustard contributes flavor and acts as an emulsifier to reduce surface oils, thereby allowing rubs to adhere and penetrate better and allowing bastes to coat the meat evenly without beading. Since I baste Kicken Chicken during the final cooking stages, I use a mustard slather just before it goes on the pit.
Marinades may be useful when grilling or braising smaller pieces of meat, but are of little value in barbecue. Marinades are generally composed of oils, herbs and acids (vinegar or fruit juice). Though vinegar and oil mixtures may release some fat-soluble flavor compounds from herbs and spices, they don’t carry them into meat tissues and therefore flavor only the outside. Marinades are most effective with thin cuts, such as steaks or sliced meats. Acids and vegetative tenderizers, such as enzymes found in papaya, pineapple and ginger, are often added but must be used with caution. If left on too long they will make meat mushy. Also, as meat becomes more acidic, salt has less effect on protein, therefore salt should be restricted in acidic marinades.
Injections of salt, water, seasonings and flavor enhancers, which would not normally or readily penetrate into meat, may be inserted deep into muscle tissue with syringes or meat pumps. Several commercial products are available and are used extensively and successfully in competition, though seldom by hobbyists. One product that is popular on the competition circuit contains hydrolyzed soy protein, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils, sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate and xanthan gum.
The turkey industry has been selling “flavor enhanced” and “water added” product since the 1960’s when market researchers realized that most consumers tend to overcook poultry, ending up with dry breast meat. The solution was to “quick brine” by injecting a saline solution into the breast so that it would remain relatively moist even if overcooked. Unfortunately, this nefarious practice is now spreading to the red meat industry and consumers have to read the labels on packaged steaks and pork roasts to avoid buying flavored water at meat prices. Caveat emptor!
Vacuum tumbling in brine or marinade is gaining in popularity in some restaurants and meat markets. As the name implies, meat is placed in a drum along with a flavoring liquid. A vacuum is applied as the drum rotates and the meat tumbles. When the vacuum is released, liquid is sucked deep into the tissues. The tumbling action massages the meat breaking down and releasing some protein components and increasing tenderness. As with injection, this is a water-added (up to 20%) product sold to gullible consumers at inflated prices. As a confirmed Neanderthal cook, I prefer to adulterate my meat at home, thank you very much.
Basting is the most misunderstood and misused of all seasoning methods. Bastes have two specific roles during the cooking process. First, water and vinegar add moisture to the surface of meat, thereby cooling and slowing the cooking rate through increased evaporation. Bastes often contain oils, which regulate the rate of evaporation, thus extending the cooling effect. Although bastes may be applied at any time, they are best applied during the second stall or after the meat reaches about 160°F and most of the internal moisture has migrated out and evaporated. Dry surfaces may approach the temperature of the pit or oven. Control of the cooking rate allows more time for collagen to break down before the bark dries too much and overcooks. The second role is to add ingredients that enhance bark formation and flavor through Maillard browning reactions. Therefore, sugar and ketchup are often included. If the meat was dry-rubbed or brined, then very little salt is needed in the basting liquid. Care must be taken during these latter stages as sugar from rubs or bastes can burn easily, resulting in bitter bark. Other seasonings including mustard may be added to obtain a specific flavor profile. Contrary to popular belief, basting does not add moisture to meat; the cooking process expels moisture regardless of the environment. You can boil or steam meat until it is so dry that it tastes like cardboard.
Glazes are used primarily to improve and protect appearance and are usually applied to hot meat just before or after it is removed from the pit. Generally high in some form of sugar, glazes require sufficient heat to melt, or even caramelize, but they burn easily. Used carefully and correctly, glazes coat the surface with a shiny layer, enhancing the appearance of moistness.
If all else fails, reach for a bottle of that thick, sweet, red sauce and disguise any shortcomings.
- Thread starter
- #313
Ate at the original Dreamland's on Monday. Good stuff.
Not as good as Archibald's, though, even if the atmosphere is a lot better.
Not as good as Archibald's, though, even if the atmosphere is a lot better.
The atmosphere at the original is pretty cool. The ribs are over hyped, though.
Way overhyped, but still better than you can get pretty much anywhere else, except Archibald's. They've also improved dramatically in the past few years. When Mr. Bishop was still alive, they were very good, and then they were pretty s***ty, and they have steadily improved for the past eight years or so.
yooper
SILVER Star
Thanks Trollhole! 
I'll read those this weekend. I might need to smoke something on Sunday....
I'll read those this weekend. I might need to smoke something on Sunday....
- Thread starter
- #318
Lol got this e-mail today.
BBQ RULES
We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity . When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.
Here comes the important part:
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine...
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he flips the meat
Important again:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed ' her night off ' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women!
BBQ RULES
We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity . When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.
Here comes the important part:
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine...
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he flips the meat
Important again:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed ' her night off ' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women!
- Thread starter
- #319
My next cooker.
yooper
SILVER Star
I'm getting one of these.
