Yes, another pre-Memorial Day BBQ Primer

“10 Hot Grilling Tips for Memorial Day” –Knitting Monthly.
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 Nearly every publication puts out a barbecue guide this time of year.  Although I was tempted to write up a “Braising 101” post to satiate my nonconformist itch, I just couldn’t help but fall in line because cooking with fire rules. It’s in our DNA. People love to cook with fire. In fact, there is a compelling evolutionary hypothesis that cooking with fire is what allowed our human ancestors to develop larger brains. The only negative here is that over the weekend, people who rarely step foot in the kitchen are tending grills by the thousands. I’d guess part of the reason barbecue sauce is packed with spices and sugars, is to help mask the overcooked meats of the bi-annual griller.
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Fortunately for me, I was raised in a barbecue loving family. Before the internet, the tenants of grilling and smoking were handed down from your elders. My dad, my uncles, and my grandpa were/are all skilled outdoor cooks. Nearly every family celebration, even in the dead of winter, revolved around barbecue. My predominantly catholic family used to smoke pork ribs on the last day of Lent. When 12:01am hit, St. Louis 

​style ribs were the indulgent welcome of the sinful life. I was lucky to have been mentored by such skilled and passionate pit masters. And now, we are lucky to live in a time where BBQ knowledge is so accessible. 

​A quick Youtube search of “BBQ Ribs” yields more than 250,000 results. Now the problem isn’t finding information, it’s determining which information is worth a damn. Luckily for you, I am here to act as a filter. “But how do we know you’re giving us reliable information?” you might ask. Well, am I not writing in an authoritative manner?  What more proof do you need?  While I cannot truly speak as authority on barbecue, I’d wager I’ve read more about cooking than anyone you know (I’m at least in the top 3). I’ve also grilled a couple of times, too.

​There are plenty of barbecue/grilling topics that could be discussed in great detail, the nuances explored 1000 words at a time. Fortunately/unfortunately I’ll be posting some high level tips just like the other publications. Hopefully mine will be better. If not, or you want to read more in-depth 

articles that discuss the ​science of great barbecue, I recommend you give amazingribs.com a visit.

​Things to keep in mind or whatever:

1. Clean your grill. Especially if it doesn’t see much use. If you do nothing else, at least clean your grates. Rancid grease will not help impress the neighbors. Get some hot coals going and lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the grates for about 5 minutes. Remove foil and scrape with a grill brush.
2. Oil your grates. Keep your product from sticking.  Food will look and taste better. Charred bits of stuck-on food will impart bitter compounds to your finished product.
3. Dry your meat. The brown crusted sear, which does not seal in juices by the way, is a big part of why grilled foods are delicious. Use paper towels to dry the surface of meat prior to searing. The Maillard reaction (browning) does not occur until temperatures reach the 300-350°F range. Water boils at 212°F. Evaporative cooling will keep meat surface temperatures at or below 212°F, preventing browning.
4. Two zone cooking. Even if you’re just cooking a thin steak, it’s a good idea to keep an area of the grill free of charcoal. You can juggle food back and forth between zones if needed to prevent overcooking. Also, this works great for food that you want to cook slower. You can sear meat and move it away from the coals and cover.
5. Save your trim. The delicious “grilled” taste is primarily caused by fat and juices dripping onto hot coals. The juices combust and the resulting “smoke” flavors the food. Any bits of fat or connective tissue trimmed (chicken wing tips too), I like to place on the grate directly above the hot coals while the main attraction sits in the cool zone of the grill. Cover the grill and let the magic happen. This technique should not be overlooked. It’s one of the more impactful things I’ve incorporated over the years. This goes for veggies too. Consider filling a spray bottle with cooking oil. Sprits the fire occasionally to take your vegetables to the next level.
6. Do not soak woodchips. This is one of those things I had done wrong for years. The smoky aromatics that flavor your food are produced by burning wood at high temperatures. I’m too lazy to look up the exact temperature were the flavoring compounds are produced, but I assure you it is well north of 212°F. Wet wood chips steam. Wood will not give off the smoke you desire until it dries out and combusts.
7. Scruff. If you are using a marinade or a sauce, scoring the surface of meat is a good way to maximize surface area and sauce adherence. Marinades only penetrate the surface of the meat, so using this technique can increase flavor retention. Score cross hatches on the meat surface no more than 1/8th of an inch deep.
8. Salt meat ahead of time. For thick steaks, it’s a good idea to salt them about 15 minutes before grilling. This gives salt time to migrate throughout your product seasoning all the way through. For larger cuts of meat I’d try and salt 30-45 minutes ahead of time.
9. Cook at the right temp and to the right temp. You can make some tasty ribs cooked at 350°F. But ribs cooked at 225°F are superior, 225°-250° is generally regarded as the ideal smoking temperature range. I’ll spare you the details, but the lower temp allows for more connective tissue breakdown and minimizes the overcooked areas of meat. Digital thermometers with grill probes are great for monitoring cooking temps. For thin cuts of meat you need a ripping hot fire. You want to create a nice crust without overcooking the interior. For extra thin cuts, you might consider freezing the meat beforehand. One of the most common questions is “How long do I cook my product?”  Cook your food until it’s done. If you’re relying on cooking times in recipes or comparing the spring of a steak to your grubby hands, you’re going to be inconsistent. Granted, with steak I do often cook till the steak feels medium rare by touch, but it is not the most reliable technique. A digital thermometer is your best friend. Get one. You won’t regret it.
10. Rest your meat. This is where I part ways with the people at amazingribs.com. They make compelling arguments for ignoring this advice, but from what I gather from Nathan Myhrvold, resting is advisable. After all your hard work, make sure to let your meat stand 5-10 minutes before carving. Give larger cuts and whole chickens 15-20 minutes. A few things are happening, your meat continues to cook (make sure to pull your food off the grill a few degrees short of target) and juices are thickened by the degraded proteins and rendered collagen.  

​Well, there you have it, another BBQ primer. I know I say this every post, but I hope you found something helpful here. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. I plan to write more specific barbecue centric posts throughout the summer. Have a great holiday.  
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Until next time,
-Ryan