by Grillers Gold | BBQ, Featured, Grilling
From the fine Floridians at Grill Junkie, here’s a whole lot of hot info on grilling and smoking in cool spells. Yes, even in Florida, wind and weather can challenge the outdoor cook. You need to make adjustments to help ensure success. Read this excerpt, check the forecast, and get ready to BBQ with attitude all year ‘round.
The Prime Directive: Keep your BBQ hot enough to smoke, no matter how cold it is.
Smoking in cold temperatures presents several challenges. When operating a charcoal, gas or wood-fired backyard smoker, the weather is always something you need to pay very close attention to. When temperatures are very low you need to be especially careful. Reaching and maintaining ideal smoking temperatures can be difficult at best, and very hard if the wind is blowing. Metal smokers are particularly challenging because the metal acts to conduct the heat quickly away from your BBQ, grill or smoker.
Temperature
The first thing to imagine is the temperature difference. On a nice warm summer day, you might find that your smoker, sitting in the sun, has an internal temperature around 100° F. without a fire in it. Open the lid to get things ready and maybe it cools down to 85° F. If your target temperature is 225 degrees F. then you need a fire that will increase in smoker temperature by 125-145° F. If, on the other hand it is a cold, overcast day the internal temperature of your smoker could be 35° F, meaning you need to increase the temperature by 190° F. This is near twice the temperature difference. This means that you will have to have better temperature control, a hotter fire, and more fuel than usual on hand.
Wind
Now we need to take into account the wind. The most important thing about wind is the direction relative to your smoker. Some smokers, like the large offset smokers, have a definite airflow path. Air comes into the smoker through the firebox and moves across the cooking chamber and out the stack. If the wind is blowing in this direction the increased airflow will burn your fuel faster and can cause high-temperature spikes. This means keeping the vents closed down more than normal. If the wind is going in the other direction it can stop the airflow entirely and keep the heat out of your cooking chamber. It is best to let the wind add to the airflow and not stop it so if possible position your smoker so that the wind is blowing in the direction of the natural smoker airflow. It is very important to keep an eye on the wind as well as your smoking temperature.
Precipitation
Of course, it’s very difficult to smoke in heavy rain but cold weather also brings the occasional unanticipated light rain or snow. When water hits your smoker it is going to evaporate. Evaporation pulls heat from your smoker. If, during the course of a smoke you find some rain or snow falling it is time to open up the vents, getting things stoking, and bring up the temperature to offset this heat loss. Keep a close eye on it and you should be okay.”
Read more about the technical aspects of smoking and cooking on a wood pellet grill in this article about Indirect Heat.
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by Grillers Gold | BBQ, Flavor, Grilling, Holiday
Here are two things about wood pellet grills that should fill your heart with gratitude this Thanksgiving:
1. True indirect heat, just like your oven.
2. Great taste unlike any appliance in your kitchen can deliver.
Do something different with that bird this Thanksgiving!
Roasting your Thanksgiving bird in the oven is the traditional way to go. But if you’re looking to take Thanksgiving to the next level, why not riff on tradition this year, using your wood pellet grill’s special super powers? You can get that crispy-skin-on-the-outside/juicy-meat-on-the-inside goodness, and fantastic flavor, too.
Indirect heat isn’t just something any grill can deliver. A wood pellet grill, however, controls temperature and circulates heat evenly throughout. There are no hot spots, no undercooked areas, no variation from one place in the bird to the next. It’s all good with indirect heat!
What’s even more amazing is the flavor. Wood pellets add a smoky taste that’s special. And simply delicious.
Let’s get cooking!
The farm-to-table experts at the University of Illinois Extension spell out simple turkey-on-the-grill guidelines here. And depending on how big your grill is, you can also fit in a few baking dishes on the side. Anything that you could cook in the oven, you can bake on a wood pellet grill. Try this scalloped potatoes recipe for a classic Thanksgiving side. You can also check out some tasty autumn vegetable dishes here for more inspiration!
Smoky flavor for everyone
If you’re one of those confident outdoor cooks who knows how to get indirect heat on your conventional grill, you can get smoky wood pellet flavor for your bird with a smoker box or tube. Thanksgiving is a great time to get smokin’ without a wood pellet grill.
Enjoy the holiday and thanks for reading!
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by Grillers Gold | BBQ, BBQ Pellets, Grilling
While America justly claims barbecue as its own today, there’s history to this cooking technique. And it goes way back in time – to the days when cavemen (and women!) discovered the kind of miraculous combination of meat and heat. The idea of roasting food over a fire was embraced by many ancient civilizations around the globe.
First, let’s travel back about 200,000 years.
That’s the age of the cooking artifacts found near Carmel by archaeologists at Israel’s University of Haifa. The evidence there tells us that large, meaty hooved animals, such as cattle, deer, and boars, were on the menu. Our ancestors would have probably first just thrown the meat into an open fire, then eventually discovered the effectiveness of green, inflammable wooden skewers to hold the meat over the flame.
Things inevitably got more sophisticated.
(It’s a long way from a green stick to a wood pellet grill!) Wooden frames held larger pieces meat far enough away from the flame so as not to incinerate dinner and cookware alike; this approach mandated slower cooking times and added the flavor of smoke. With that taste came preservative qualities: smoke reduces the moisture that allows bacteria to grow, so perishable meat could be smoked, dried and salted for future consumption. In ancient China, India, and Japan, smoking food has been popular for thousands of years. Ceramic urns for smoking are called kamados in Japan and tandoors in India.
The use of spits and metal implements in ancient Greece is documented in Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey. Then there’s the gridiron, the precursor to today’s grill, which was developed early in the Iron Age. Note that the Greeks basted the meat in wine and salt, and feasted outdoors. Sound familiar?
Look in the Hebrew Old Testament books of Exodus and Leviticus for references to burnt offerings of animals. The smoke rose to God, but the meat of the animals was eaten by Moses and company.
Fire plus food – that’s the simple, but absolutely brilliant idea.
No wonder barbecue has endured, and pleased the world’s palates, through the ages. If you’re looking to add even more flavor to your BBQ, check out our bbq series, Sauces of Honor: Chicken and Sauces of Honor: Pork.
Thanks to our source for these historical facts, amazingribs.com. If you want to dig into a great big fun serving of their barbecue scholarship, visit the site and check out the best-selling Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, authored by website founder Meathead Goldwyn.
Come back to this blog for more history lessons in the months ahead!
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by Grillers Gold | BBQ, BBQ Pellets, Flavor, Grilling
The burger is the American griller’s favorite food choice. Surveys from organizations like National Cattleman’s Beef Association and Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association say so year after year. How much better can it get for the burger? A few food writers at the Detroit Free Press and Huffington Post shared their tips and perspectives to do better by your burger. Here’s how to upgrade your hamburger grilling game.
Look at all the elements together.
The meat, the condiments, the toppings and the bun. Choose all with equal care. Get creative!
Burger meat needs fat.
Experts generally recommend a mix that’s typical of ground chuck: 80% lean meat and 20% fat. Ground round is a bit leaner, 85% meat to 15% fat. Ground sirloin is usually labeled 90% lean. If you’re cooking with grass-fed beef, check out these helpful tips here.
Season your meat.
Don’t add too much in the way of ingredients, just spices.
Handle the burger as little as possible to avoid making the meat cook up rubbery.
Less is more! Mix the burger meat and seasonings gently, shape patties with a soft touch, and resist the urge to squeeze the juices out with a spatula.
Form the perfect patty
Use about 6 ounces of meat in a patty that is at least ¾” thick and 3-1/2” diameter. Put a little dent in the center of the raw patties with your thumb so the burgers don’t puff up on the grill; it works!
For a great burger using condiments and toppings that come from Greek cuisine, try the Olympian Burger recipe from beefitswhatsfordinner.com
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by Grillers Gold | BBQ, BBQ Pellets
You love to eat BBQ. What do you pair with it? Beer is the beverage of choice for so many grillers. Stock your bar for your next BBQ with these beer-lover finds.
Custom cozies
You can call them drink holders or beer cozies or beverage coolers. Whatever the name, these handy little accessories keep things chill by insulating individual cans and bottles. Mark a special occasion and generally impress your guests by personalizing your drink holders. Choose from dozens of options with many under $1.
High-tech tubs
Keep the BBQ going into the night with a seriously cool cooler for your drinks. This illuminated beverage tub is lit by an LED light for your after-sunset drinking pleasure. It holds a 12-pack at a time.
Groovy glasses (made of plastic)
When it comes to outdoor dining, many smart hosts pass on glass. Well-designed plastic beer glasses are just the ticket for your BBQ. The little thumb groove is an ergonomic touch that makes it easy to keep hold of your brew. And they’re reusable.
Smoked beer
You heard that right. Smoked. Beer. If you can’t get enough of good smoked flavor when you’re grilling, then this is the craft brew trend you need to check out. Rauchbiers from Bamberg, Germany are the famous originals; their distinctive smoke flavor comes from using malted barley that’s been dried over an open flame. Today’s craft brewer smoked beers use generally the same process, but their flavor is lighter with a “BBQ sweetness,” according to Josh Cody of Colorado Malting Company.
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by Grillers Gold | BBQ, Flavor
Because grass-fed beef is extremely low in fat, nutrition and medical professionals sing its praises. (Grass-fed beef has about the same amount of fat as skinless chicken.) But the extremely low-fat content that delivers those health benefits can also make overcooking a problem. You can avoid disappointment and enjoy your healthy grass-fed beef by using a few key principles:
Watch the clock.
Whatever cooking time a recipe recommends for ‘beef,’ cut the time by 30 percent when you go with grass-fed. And when in doubt, remove the meat sooner rather than later. Even one extra minute can take grilled steak to an overcooked place.
Aim for rare to medium rare.
Grass-fed beef should be served rare to medium rare when grilling. Since the meat has less fat, you definitely don’t want to dry it out.
Bring to room temperature.
Bring to room temperature before cooking. Defrost slowly in the refrigerator or wrapped in plastic and immersed in water. (Never, ever defrost in a microwave.)
Add moisture.
Coat with virgin olive oil, truffle oil, or any light oil. It will enhance flavor, add to browning, and prevent drying. Alternately, cook in liquid to up the moisture content (braising is a great option on a wood pellet grill). And always marinate the leanest cuts, like steak, especially before grilling. Learn more about marinades or try this simple but super-tasty Marinade recipe.
Sear, Baby, Sear!
When you grill grass-fed beef, give a quick sear over medium-high heat to seal in juices, then reduce to medium or low for the rest of your cooking time.
Combine marinating and grilling techniques with this savory recipe for Tamari-orange whiskey kebabs. Use grass fed kebab meat, or cut 1-1/2” cubes from a London broil, sirloin, top round or eye of round.
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