Begin with the Marinade and Rub

Begin with the Marinade and Rub

by | Flavor, Grilling

More than ever, you should make a marinade or rub a part of your wood grilling routine. Whether you’re using BBQ wood pellets or any other grilling fuel, rubs and marinades contribute to fuller flavor and more delectable texture. (You probably knew that!)

 

What’s the Difference?

Marinades are liquids that help tenderize the meat before you cook it, and infuse it with flavor, too. Marinades work best if you let the meat marinate for 30 minutes or longer, depending on the tenderness of the meat you’re cooking. Tender cuts of meat like chicken breasts won’t require long marinating times, but tougher cuts of meat like flank steak for tacos usually require longer marinating times. (Remember: sweet marinades with a lot of sugar in them can burn at high temperatures, so you’ll want to be cautious about following directions regarding heat level and cooking time.)

 

Rubs are a mix of spices and seasonings that contribute to the development of a delicious crust on the outside of your meat, but don’t aid in tenderizing it. Apply your rubs a few hours in advance and refrigerate the meat in plastic wrap for maximum flavor. During cooking, don’t move the meat around—just let it sit and get crusty as it hits your target degree of doneness.

 

Cooking Methods

Any dish in which you’d use a marinade or rub can make its way onto your wood pellet grill. Since wood pellet grills do so well across a range of cooking techniques—from smoking, braising, and barbecuing to high-temp grilling—your food is sure to come out with maximum flavor. If you’re using a wood pellet grill, even better, and here’s why.

 

Make your own Marinade or Rub

While the pros offer many rubs and marinades for sale online and at your local store, it’s ridiculously easy to make your own. Get creative. Better Homes & Gardens serves up some pretty wild marinades here: BHG Grilling Marinades. AllRecipes users have contributed and rated these zippy spice rubs: Spice rubs from AllRecipes.

 

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Welcome to Wood Pellet Grilling

Welcome to Wood Pellet Grilling

by | BBQ Pellets, Flavor, Grilling

Wood. It’s what makes wood pellet grilling different, special, and just plain better.  Wood has been used for cooking for centuries. It’s a natural product. And as a cooking fuel, it imparts flavors that are natural, too.

 

Think about where wood comes from.

Trees! There are plenty of different kinds of trees, and the species vary according to geography. There might be cherry or hickory or maple or mesquite trees or some combination near you. That’s what’s nice about buying wood pellets instead of chopping down your own trees – you can take your pick, depending on the flavor profile you prefer. (Not to mention the fact that chopping down a tree is a pretty serious undertaking.)

 

A tried and true flavor enhancer.

Using wood pellets to smoke or grill with enhances the flavor of whatever meat or vegetables you are cooking. Cherry trees bear sweet fruit, and maple trees produce golden syrup, so it makes sense that their wood would deliver unique flavors as it burns in your wood pellet grill. Curious about the flavors associated which different types of wood? Find out more from the National BBQ Association here. 

 

You Don’t Always Need a Wood Pellet Grill.

Don’t own a wood pellet grill? Don’t worry: There are many accessories to get smokin’ without a wood pellet grill.

 

When you’re planning your next weeknight meal or taste-tempting, mind-blowing grilling adventure, remember to use the right ingredients. When you’re doing wood pellet grilling, the main ingredient is wood.

 

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