I need some good BBQ tips. I plan on making T-bone steaks, beef brisket, and barbecued chicken. What should I use to season the meats, how long should I grill, etc. ? Also, is it better to use a charcoal grill or gas? For the BBQ experts on the board, please give me some good advice
I sometimes marinate my chicken and fajitas in Italian dressing and add pepper, garlic powder (or whatever spice you like yourself). I have a nice little stainless steel gas grill but I will always throw in a few small pieces of mesquite to add some smoke in the mix. which reminds me, I need to go to the supermarket and get some food!
Brisket: Smoking is a must - these can take a long time. Get a "packer's cut" brisket with the fat still on it. Use Paprika/Cayenne/Pepper/Salt/Sugar rub. You can find exact recipes all over the place. Or you can marinade. Rub the meat a good 4-6 hours prior to smoking. Make a sop, I prefer: Fry 5 slices of bacon and a minced onion Put those into a pot and add 1 lemon, in 1/8ths 1.5 cups beef broth a tsp dried thyme salt and pepper Let it stew about 15 minutes. Get your smoker rolling to about 250 degrees - I use natural lump charcoal. Char the meat about 20 minutes each side to seal in the juices. Set it on the smoker fat side up and add mesquite chips to the coals. Let it smoke for about 1-1.5 hours per pound at 250 degrees. Sop the meat every hour or so. It is paramount to cook it SLOW at low heat. Brisket is actually lousy meat with a whole lot of muscle fiber that is real tough. You have to cook it slow to break it down into that "to-die-for" tenderness. The acid in the lemon helps to, as can vinegar. Brisket is hard to get right - takes a bit of time-consuming practice. Good luck!
I know making your own marinade is the way to go, but Stubb's Chicken Marinade is some of the best stuff I've ever tasted in my life.
hey, i'm fasting today, so if you could all chill with the talk about great food, that would be swell!
