Grill Master: A Backyard Barbecue Hero's Guide to Summer
It's that time of year again: let's kick off the summer season by firing up that grill! We're ready to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather, along with delicious grilled meats, refreshing drinks, and everything in between.
We'll let you in on a little secret: just like fingerprints, no two grill masters are alike. We all have different tips and tricks to make the juiciest burger or most tender rack of ribs.
So, grab a nice drink, get in your comfy seat, and get ready to take notes from some of our Foodie Fanatics at the Brookshire Brothers Corporate Office—for a little BBQ crash course, if you will!
Charcoal Choosin'
Quality grilling starts with a method of preparation. Should you go with propane, briquettes or something different entirely?
Randy Deal, our director of perishables, prefers charcoal when he starts the grill. "CharKing is a great brand," he said, "but I definitely prefer to avoid insta-light varieties for flavor."
Steve Hancock, our meat and seafood category manager, prefers a gas grill for convenience. Charcoal requires consistent management to make sure it remains at the appropriate temperature, whereas a gas grill stays at the temperature it's set to.
"However, I also have a SmokinTex Smoker," he said. "I'll add wood blocks or chips in it for briskets and pork butts."
Turn Up the Heat
Randy has different methods he's developed for years through trial and error for a variety of meats.
"To get the perfect steak or ground beef, a cast iron wok is the absolute best," he said. "Sear it in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and season with your favorite steak seasonings like Montreal and TexJoy."
Steve's grilling philosophy is to keep it simple. "I'm a firm believer in letting a steak's flavor shine through on its own," he said. "I go for quality and fire up the heat."
Pro Tip: Remember your temperature. Different meats cook at different temperatures, so it's extremely important to consult a reliable source for grilled meat temps to avoid ingesting bacteria like E. coli. Randy says to watch out for ground beef, chicken, and pork in particular.
"You can have a bloody steak but not a bloody burger because of the composition of different meats," he said. "When you sear a steak, you get rid of the bacteria, but since ground beef is minced up to make a burger patty, any bacteria living on the meat is more difficult to cook out."
He also recommends finding the thickest part of a chicken thigh or breast to take an accurate temperature reading.
Savor the Flavor
Steak:
Steve recommends taking your steaks out of the fridge until they reach room temperature two or three hours before cooking. (This is something that will only be found in at-home grilling, as restaurants will not be allowed to do this by industry standards.)
"This loosens up the fibers and avoids stressing of the meat by moving it from one temperature extreme to the other," he said. "It produces a much more tender steak."
After taking it off the grill, Steve also recommends letting the steak rest for a bit before cutting to further capture the flavor profile. This allows the internal juices to reabsorb and redistribute throughout the steak.
Brisket:
Check out these brisket recipes: Apple BBQ Brisket; French Onion Brisket; Chipotle Coffee Braised Brisket
Randy's favorite brisket recipe includes salt, pepper, and a light coat of olive oil, which helps everything stick and provides moisture.
But the real key to flavoring brisket? Randy says it's the wood choice!
"I like using a mix of oak and a bit of mesquite for briskets," he said. "Sometimes I'll change it up with woods like apple for a sweeter, holiday flavor, but oak is always in the mix."
He seasons the brisket, sets it on the rack, and leaves it at 200 degrees for 13 hours.
Chicken:
Check out these chicken recipes: Grilled Shredded Chicken Tot-Chos; Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Zucchini Tostadas; Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Randy's chicken (and pork) go-to is none other than simple Italian dressing. "It has enough liquid and seasoning to provide moisture and a delicious flavor. You can even use a meat injector to add the dressing straight into the chicken."
Steve prefers his chicken with lemon flavor. "Lemon Pepper or McCormick's Lemon & Herb Seasoning are my favorite," he said.
Ground Beef:
Check out these burger recipes: Smoky Cherry Pepper Burgers; Bacon Cheeseburger Skewers; Tuscan Turkey Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato
Randy prefers using 73/27 beef for a fattier burger, cooked in a wok until the pink is gone inside. "I like using a dry rub of McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning," he said. "and at the tail end of cooking, I'll place bacon and slices of pepper jack and American cheese right on top."
"My tried-and-true ground beef blend is 80/20," Steve said. "I use simple salt and pepper to capture the natural flavor of the beef."
Ribs:
Check out these rib recipes: Grilled Sweet & Sticky BBQ Ribs; Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs; Instant Pot Honey Garlic Spareribs
"One thing's for sure, removing the membrane on the underside of your ribs before grilling will make the flavor come through better," Steve said. "If it's not removed, it acts as a sort of plastic barrier, and the smoke of the grill won't be able to penetrate it."
Don't Forget the Sides and Sweets!
Here's a few of our favorite summertime grilling sidekicks for you to try alongside your star entrées, as well as some treats for after!
Sides:
- Grilled Asparagus with Spicy Blueberry Corn Relish
- Antipasto Bruschetta Dip
- Grilled Avocado Romaine Salad
- Corn Chip Salad
Desserts:
Clean Up Time
It's likely that none of us are excited about the cleanup process after a good grilling session. Take some advice from these grilling connoisseurs to minimize cleanup time (and your own frustration!).
"The trick is purchasing disposable aluminum pans to cook and serve in so I'm not worrying about washing the dishes later," Randy said.
"Aluminum foil, here," Steve said. "I always put a bed of foil at the bottom of the smoker to catch any debris or drippings. It makes clean up a breeze."
Pro Tip: Simply Done, a Brookshire Brothers select store brand, has you covered for every single-use utensil, trash bag, cleaning product, and organizer you could need!