It’s easy to take for granted that brisket actually comes from the muscular chest area of the animal, which gets worked hard and carries a lot of weight.  Because of that, it’s actually a pretty tough cut of meat to work with.  If you aren’t careful with how you prepare a brisket, you could easily end up with dry and tough results.

One of the ways you can increase the moisture levels and tenderness of your cut is by using a brisket injection recipe.  Brisket injection is actually pretty easy, and can most definitely lead to more tender and juicy BBQ brisket vs only using a dry rub.

In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know for how to do a beef brisket injection.  After that, we’ll share a few different brisket injection recipe ideas and go over some FAQ about the process!

Brisket Injection – What Is It?

Brisket injection is a way to infuse flavors, seasoning, and other nutrients deep into the core of the beef.  It’s a way to distribute flavor and moisture across the entire cut of meat, as opposed to just the outer portion that’s seasoned with a traditional brisket rub (but you should do that too!).

Remember, brisket is typically cooked low and slow – it will be on the smoker for a long time.  So the extra moisture that comes from injection helps for it to remain juicy, tender, and moist as the smoking process plays itself out.

Injecting meats is a practice that is fairly common, and the basic principles apply to lots of different meats – not just brisket.  Ham, turkey, and pork are some other common meats that are prime candidates for injection to name a few.

Brisket injection is equal parts art and science.  There are a few things about the injection process and technique that are pretty unanimously agreed upon in the cooking community.

Some other things have a little more opportunity for variation and personal preference – like which recipe to use, or how long before cooking you should do the actual injection.

As we give our brisket injection recipe and tips, we’ll be sure to point out which is which.  Now let’s get into the how of brisket injection!

Brisket Injection – How To

Things You’ll Need

If you’re going to get the job done right, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct equipment.  Thankfully, you won’t need to break the bank to get everything you need.

First, you’ll need a quality meat injector.  Stainless steel is the ideal material of choice because it is sturdy, long lasting, and won’t retain flavors or smells after the fact like plastic injectors tend to do.

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For home use, you just need a syringe style injector.  As far as the needle size goes, you’ll want to make sure you get something big enough to handle your injection liquid of choice.

If you plan on injection recipes that have pepper, herbs, or other sediments – a thicker needle will probably be necessary.  Or, if the consistency of your injection fluid is more pasty – a thicker needle is the right call.

Many kits on the market come in packs with multiple needles to handle different needs.  Each needle for injection should have a sharp tip with multiple holes on the side of the needle where the liquid gets distributed throughout your meat.

You’ll also want to make sure your injector holds 2 ounces of fluid or more.  Anything less than that will cause for you to spend too much time refilling!

The second piece of equipment you’ll need is a bowl or large vessel to contain the injection fluid.  It should be big or deep enough to accommodate your injector’s needle easily.  I’ve also seen people use a tall drinking glass for this part.

Last, you’ll need a workspace you don’t mind getting messy.  For some that could mean a countertop.  If you have an extra large pan that can contain the juices, that works too.  Brisket injection gets pretty messy, and you can 100% count on some sort of juice clean up process after the fact.

Injection Overview

Remember, the overall purpose of brisket injection is to add moisture and flavor to the insides of your cut.

It’s important at this point to quickly note the two main sections of a brisket.  The “Flat” of a brisket has more meat, is lean, and has relatively little fat.  The “Point” (or Deckle) of a brisket on the other hand has more fat.

As far as moisture goes, the most benefit will be seen in the leaner brisket flat portion of your brisket.  By nature, the lack of fat means there will be less moisture and tenderness in the flat.  This will probably be the most beneficial area to inject because it will enhance both moisture and flavor.

The point portion of a brisket will also be enhanced by injection.  But it’s less of a benefit in terms of moisture as the fatty part of a brisket typically stays pretty moist.  It’s more for flavoring when it comes to the point.

It’s also worth pointing out that this article assumes you’ve already trimmed your brisket.  If you need some guidance on how to trim a brisket, check out this article before you get started.

Step by Step Guide

The goal is to completely and evenly inject your brisket.  The best way to do this is by utilizing a checkerboard pattern of injections across your meat – on both the brisket point and/or the flat.

1. Fill your injector with your injection fluid.
2. Puncture the brisket with your injector’s needle between fibers.  Be sure to puncture with your needle at a slight angle, not perpendicular to the meat.  There’s some debate on whether it’s better to inject against or with the grain.  Personally, I think it’s better to inject with the grain, but it’s completely up to you to experiment with this.
3. Press the plunger of your injector as you withdraw your needle.  Press the plunger too hard and the liquid will squirt everywhere.  You also don’t want to inject too much into one spot – if liquid begins to pour out you’ve done too much.  You’ll get the hang of this part with some practice.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 in a 1-2 inch checkerboard pattern across your entire brisket.  Refill your injector with fluid as needed.
5. Clean up any liquid that is leftover once done.  And I can promise you, there will be!  It’s just the nature of the beast when it comes to any brisket injection recipe.

What Goes Into Brisket Injection Fluid?

A brisket injection recipe can be a plethora of different flavors, consistencies, and styles.  Part of the fun is experimenting and figuring out what you like best in your recipe.

With that said, there are quite a few ingredients that are pretty common.  You’ll see these staples as a base or component of almost any brisket injection recipe.

• Butter and/or Olive Oil – we mentioned earlier that part of the purpose of all of this is to add moisture to your brisket.  Melted butter and olive oil are both commonly used in lots of recipes to soften things up and add that extra moisture to your meat.
• Beef Stock or Broth – is probably the most common ingredient found in any brisket injection recipe.  You can actually inject either on it’s own without anything extra and still achieve nice results.  Beef stock and broth intensifies the beefy flavor and adds moisture to your meat.
• Various Types of Alcohol – whether it’s beer or distilled spirits, you’ll very commonly find alcohol as elements in various recipes.  Alcohol is added purely as a flavor compliment to your brisket and is incredibly delicious when used properly.  Think about it, there are hardly better pairings than beer or whiskey and BBQ!
• Worcestershire Sauce –  the more I’ve learned about cooking, the more impressed I am with the versatility of Worcestershire sauce.  It’s a fermented liquid condiment that is savory, sweet, a little vinegary, and a definite value add to almost any injection project.
• Fruit Juices – apple juice and pineapple juice in particular I’ve seen in multiple recipes.  Both of these fruit juices have properties that seriously tenderize meat (which is why they’re also staples in smoked ham injection recipes).  You need to make sure that your brisket doesn’t sit longer than 4 hours after injection if your recipe includes any fruit juices.

Some of you might have used other ingredients for your brisket injection recipe.  The ones we’ve listed above are just the staples.  At the end of the day, it’s all about flavor and your personal preference – so you should try something else out if it looks good and if it will be beneficial in the cooking process.

I’ll also add that you can most definitely add seasonings, herbs, or other solids to your solution.  Just remember that your fluid will end up exiting the needle through fine holes, and everything must fit and flow well!  Otherwise you’ll be set back quite a bit with time and headache associated with cleaning and unclogging.

Where possible, ground solids into very fine powders, or at least put some extra effort into getting them into the smallest pieces that you can.

Best Brisket Injection Recipes

In no particular order, here are 5 of the best recipes for you to try at home!

Malcom Reed Brisket Injection Recipe

Source: howtobbqright.com

Our first recipe is simple, super easy to make, and a perfect compliment to your brisket.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp Beef Base
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt

Instructions:

Warm the water in a small pot or sauce pan.  Add the beef base and whisk until combined.  Then, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk those in.  Once combined, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool completely.  From there, you’re ready to inject.

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If you want to keep things easy and trust the professionals, then give the Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection recipe a try.  It couldn’t be simpler and the pre made combination is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 3 Scoops of Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection
• 2 Cups Water or Beef Broth (Depending on Your Flavor Preference)

Instructions:

Mix the 3 scoops and water or beef broth in a bowl, and stir to combine.  That’s it!

Savory Beef Stock Brisket Flat Injection Recipe

Source: smokingpit.com

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Kitchen Basic’s Beef Stock
• 1/4 Tsp Thyme
• 1/2 Tsp Rosemary
• 3 Cloves Coarsely Chopped Garlic
• Pepper to Taste
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Bay Leave

This recipe is designed specifically for the flat portion of the brisket, although it would be fine to use on the point too!

The concoction is actually prepared and then refrigerated overnight too, so plan ahead if this is the one you want to try.

Instructions:

Pour beef stock into a pot.  Next add all of the other ingredients.  Turn heat on high, and stir contents of the pot occasionally until the solution reaches a boil.  Once it reaches boiling temperature, reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for 1 hour, removing the bay leaf after 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool after the 1 hour simmer.  Strain the liquid stock into a container, then cover and refrigerate overnight.  Use as your injection the following day!

Sweet and Savory

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• 2 Tbsp Black Pepper – Freshly Ground
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Tsp Brown Sugar

Instructions:

This one’s pretty straightforward too.  All you have to do is combine all of these ingredients in a bowl.  Stir until completely combined, and voila, you are ready to inject!

Beef Marinade Injection

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• 2 Beef Bouillon Cubes
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

Place beef broth in a pot, and set heat to high.  Add beef bouillon cubes and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  It’s ready for use after it has cooled.

Brisket Injection FAQ

Injecting a brisket can seem like quite the overwhelming process if you’ve never done it before.  Naturally, you might have a few questions that weren’t answered so far in this post.  In this section, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about brisket injection.

Marinade vs Injection – What’s the Difference?

Marination is a process that happens on the surface of your beef.  While the flavoring will certainly soak in, it will only do so to a point.  With marination, only the outer most portion of your brisket will absorb flavors and moisture.

This unfortunately leaves the bulk of the meat without any flavor or moisture enhancements.  The problem result that often comes from a marinade is a delicious outer bark with a less than stellar inside of the brisket.

Injection on the other hand gets flavor and moisture deep into the inners of the brisket.  When done properly, the entire brisket will have a flavor and moisture enhancement that will immensely help the pit master create a BBQ masterpiece.

Do Professionals/Restaurants Inject Their Briskets?

The answer to this question depends completely on the individual chef.  It’s totally personal preference.

I mentioned earlier that I’m from Texas.  More specifically I grew up in Austin, Texas and for those of you BBQ gurus out there – you’ll know that Austin is also home to Franklin BBQ.  Franklin has arguably the best beef brisket on the planet, and I can tell you from experience that’s not an exaggeration!

You’ll notice in that video that nowhere does Aaron Franklin inject or even mention injecting his brisket.  He simply goes with a rub on the outside and uses a spray to keep the brisket moist while it cooks – he also wraps his brisket in pink butcher paper to achieve a bark and keep the insides moist simultaneously.

On the other hand, you have an award winning pit master like Malcom Reed who always injects his competition briskets.

Those are just two easy examples – but the point is that it’s different strokes for different folks.  There is no one dead set way of doing things.  At the end of the day, the goal is to make sure your brisket tastes delicious and has enough moisture to cook properly.  As long as that is all happening, you can’t go wrong.

How Much Injection Should I Use?

Meat is already almost fully saturated with water, so you really shouldn’t need a ton of fluid.  A good rule of thumb is to prepare 1 ounce of injection recipe for every pound of brisket you have.

How Long Before Cooking Should I Inject My Brisket?

This also largely comes down to personal preference.  Some folks prefer to inject a brisket and let it rest overnight.  Personally, I don’t think letting an injection sit for a long period of time gets you much.  Part of the appeal of using an injection is that it’s almost instantaneous moisture and flavor addition.

Also, if you’ve used some more acidic ingredients like apple or pineapple juice, you don’t want to let the meat sit for more than a couple of hours.  Anything longer you’ll run the risk of breaking down and ruining your meat.

So, it doesn’t necessarily matter how far in advance you inject – but I’m unsure that there’s any benefit to doing it more than an hour or two before cooking.

Can I Also Season My Brisket?

Yes!  You most definitely should also season your brisket in addition to using an injection.  Proper seasoning is key for a couple of reasons.

First and most obviously, seasoning the outside of your brisket with a rub will enhance the flavor.  Everything that we do with a brisket is done with the goal of complimenting and enhancing the meat, and a rub seasoning is a key part of this.

Second, a good rub seasoning will lead to that signature, crispy bark on the outside of your brisket when everything is done properly.

Feel free to use your rub of choice or keep it simple with a 1 to 1 mix of salt and pepper.

Are Pre Made Brisket Injections OK To Use?

Absolutely.  In fact, pre made commercial brisket injections are often just as good as what you could make yourself at home, and they are much more convenient.  The “catch” is that on a price per ounce basis, you’ll pay a little bit more for the commercial stuff.

You can find most reputable pre made powder brisket injections in your local grocery store or online at places like Amazon.

Here’s a list of our favorite commercial brisket injections:

• Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection
• Kosmos Q Original Barbecue Beef Brisket Injection
• Butcher BBQ Liquid Brisket Injection Base Flavor Barbecue Seasoning
• Lethal Injection Beef

Plastic Injector vs Stainless Steel vs Injector Gun – Which Should I Get?

The answer to this question comes down to your budget and how often you think you’ll be injecting meat.

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that you should not get a plastic injector.  They are usually cheaply made, and are prone to absorbing flavor over time.  The flavors and smells will begin to contaminate future foods you wish to inject.

Stainless steel meat injectors aren’t much more expensive and frankly are way higher in quality.  They are easier to keep clean and won’t ever absorb flavors over time.  Most come with all of the necessary accessories and interchangeable needles.

Injector guns are the most expensive, and the highest quality when it comes to meat injectors.  Most injector guns have extra features – like the ability to choose how much liquid to release on each pull.  As you’d expect, a well made injector gun should last you a lifetime.

Wrap Up

Now you’ve got the how and why when it comes to injecting brisket!  It’s up to you from here to go and try it out for yourself and see what your results are like.

Remember, just try to keep things simple.  At the end of the day, the goal is to compliment and enhance the flavor of your brisket.  We aren’t reinventing the wheel.  In fact, many successful chefs make delicious brisket without using an injection recipe at all!

Let us know how it went in the comments section below.  Did we miss something in this post?  Let us know about that in the comments section below too.

If you’re short on time but still want BBQ brisket for your next cookout, check out our hot and fast brisket recipe next!

The post Brisket Injection Recipe & How To Guide appeared first on Own The Grill.

Steak is a meal that you pretty much cannot go wrong with. There are multiple cuts of steak and you can select whatever you prefer. There are special ways to cook some of the different cuts and there are even cultural differences for preparing them.

One specialty steak worth taking a closer look at is the picanha steak. This cut of beef is very popular in Brazil but it is flavorful and delicious. In the U.S. you might know of this steak as a rump cap. You might even be enjoying it when you eat things like round steak or the loin, it’s just cut differently by the butcher.

You may have never heard of picanha steak. Or maybe you heard the name and it piqued your curiosity! That’s why we’re here! In this guide, we will share with you just what picanha steak is and provide you with a few different ways for how you can cook it as well.

By the time we’re finished, you will be well prepared and ready to cook this delicious steak at home!

What is Picanha Steak?

Picanha steak is the most popular in Brazil. In fact, in Brazil is one of the favorite cuts of meat to cook. This cut comes straight from the top of the round of the cow. It has a layer of fat over it and that fat is left intact until the steak is cooked and served. In Brazil, the fat is left on the steak. In the U.S. the fat is often removed.

Tri tip is often considered to the most similar or perhaps the best substitute but it truly is a different cut. The flavor is pretty similar to sirloin. The fat on the meat makes it incredibly tender and juicy.

Picanha is highly-sought after because it has a lot of natural flavor. When you look at the meat, there is very little fat inside of the meat itself.

This meat can be challenging to cook. Since there is little fat in the meat, it can be challenging to cook it just right and not find yourself with a tough piece of steak when you’re finished. The good news is if you know how to cook it properly you probably won’t mess it up!

You can cook picanha on the grill. This is our preferred method. You can also cook it in the oven using a slow-roast method. If you do cook it in the oven, we recommend searing it first for the best results and look. You could also use your stovetop, griddle, or flat top grill as well.

We will get into each of these methods individually for you.

How to Cook Picanha Steak on the Grill

If you want the very best option, we recommend that you cook this steak on the grill. It is the most flavorful way to cook it and it really doesn’t take all that long to cook to perfection. With the grill, you get the best flavor plus you get those grill marks and color that you simply can’t mimic with other cooking forms.

There are different methods to follow when you use picanha steak for skewers rather than using them for steaks. Both of these are cooking on the grill for the best results but we will share the differences shortly.

Steak Grilling Method

If you have a picanha cut of meat, you may need to slice it into steaks. It all depends on what you ordered from the butcher. As you are trimming, leave the fat cap in place. This is where the flavor comes from during cooking. You can always trim the fat off when the cooking is completed.

This meat requires very little seasoning. It is flavorful on its own. Season it as you like but we recommend just a light layer of salt and pepper. You can season after you’ve cut the steaks for the easiest route. You can score the fat cap if you prefer.

To cut your steaks, be sure to slice with the grain. This cuts your steaks properly to prepare for cutting into your steak when they are finished and you are ready to eat them!

We are going to walk you through a basic grilling process but be aware that you can also prepare these sous vide or with a reverse-sear method if you prefer.

Again, be careful not to overcook. Even if you prefer well-done steak, we recommend not cooking past medium doneness. This is because the steak is meant to be lightly cooked and juicy. This is what makes it so delicious and flavorful!

Skewer Grilling Method

Many people like to cook picanha on a skewer. You can skewer just the picanha or you can skew it with your choice of vegetables and such.

Use a long, fully metal skewer capable of placement on a grill for this task. If you are going to skewer the picanha, it will need to be cut differently than you cut the steaks.

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Skewering picanha is normal and it is often cut in large pieces and then folded and skewered for cooking. When you skewer picanha, you are most likely just skewering the meat for cooking.

To cut for skewering, take the picanha and cut it into 3 equally-sized pieces (or as close as you can get). You will cut against the grain for this method – and any chef’s knife will do. We still recommend that you score the fat to really let it soak into the meat.

You can add your seasoning before you cut it or after you skewer it. We recommend waiting until you skewer it so you’re not rubbing off any seasoning while cutting. Just like with the steaks, we recommend a simple salt and pepper for seasoning purposes.

Again, we recommend only cooking to about medium rare or medium at the maximum. If you prefer well-done steaks, give medium a try and see how you like it! Medium rare is 128 to 130 degrees internally measured with a probe thermometer.

Here’s a great video outlining the process for preparing delicious picanha skewers:

Expert Tip: Many people think they can just cut right into the meat without resting it. They assume that it’s still rested before it is served so it’s sufficient. The trick is to rest the meat for 5-10 minutes BEFORE you cut into it.

The resting period is one of the most important steps in the process. It allows the muscle fibers in the meat to fully relax, which means your steak will be juicier, more tender, and more flavorful when you serve it.

In Brazil, picanha is served with the fat but you can cut it off if you prefer not to have fat on the meat you are eating. Just don’t cut it off until you’re serving it!

Slow-Roasting Picanha in the Oven

To really get the most of the flavor, we recommend a slow-roast method if you cook picanha in the oven. You can also sear and then bake as well if you like that grilling look and want to maintain the exterior appearance of the steak.

This process will walk you through how you can slow roast your picanha and have a delicious meal. While grilling only takes about 30 minutes of cooking time, this process is more likely to take 2-3 hours

This method does include some pre-searing steps because we really feel like this is the best way to draw out the flavor and get the juicy, perfectly cooked picanha you’re after. You won’t need to cut the steak in this method until you’re ready to serve it.

You can roast potatoes with it as well if you want to. They make a really nice side dish to accompany the meat.

Here are our steps for slow-roasting picanha in the oven.

As with grilled picanha, we recommend cooking to a doneness of no more than medium. This is the best temperature to maintain the juicy flavors this meat is loved for.

Print

Grilled Picanha Steak Skewers

A classic recipe for tasty and beefy grilled picanha

Course Main Course

Cuisine Brazilian

Keyword Picanha, Picanha Steak, Steak Skewers

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 360kcal

Equipment

• 4 to 6 metal skewers

Ingredients

• 1 Picanha steak 3-4 lbs
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil to lightly brush beef

Instructions

• Slice Picanha steak into 1 inch thick slices, cutting against the grain
• Score the fat with your knife, about a quarter of an inch deep
• Fold each section of beef in half, with the fat side facing out. Once folded, place each piece on the skewer, poking through the fatty exterior of the beef
• Brush skewers lightly with olive oil then sprinkle salt and pepper mixture on top to season the beef
• Preheat grill to 450°F – if possible create two temperature zones on your grill
• Place skewers on grill grates, ideally over the indirect heat side of the grill. If you have to place the skewers directly over a burner just be sure to check on your beef every couple of minutes to ensure grill does not flare
• Close the lid and cook the skewers for about 20 minutes, flipping every 5-7 minutes
• Remove skewers from grill and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Read more about two zone grilling here.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal

Final Thoughts

No matter which way you slice it, picanha steak is a treat and a fantastic way to get some tasty beef on your dinner plate.  And if you cook it right, the flavor can stand up to some of the most popular steak cuts like NY Strip and Ribeye.

How do you prefer to cook it?  On the grill, with skewers, or roasted and why?  We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

The post Picanha Steak – What Is It? Our Recipe, and The 3 Best Ways to Cook It appeared first on Own The Grill.

The key to avoiding dry meat, and making sure your brisket stays moist, is all in the extra steps.

A rub before cooking, wrapping at a certain temperature, and a spritz can keep your brisket perfectly tender. Talented smokers will keep a brisket spray on hand, to regularly douse the meat as it cooks.

Barbecue experts and smoker enthusiasts all have differing opinions on the best way to keep a brisket moist. Finding the right brisket spritz for your favorite cut of meat might involve some trial and error, but the juicy end results are totally worth it.

Take a look at this guide to find the best brisket sprays around, and how to use them.

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Why Use A Brisket Spritz?

The first use of the brisket spritz is to increase the humidity in the smoker, and stop the brisket from drying out. By using the brisket spray, it’s easy to control the amount of moisture on the meat.

The second use is all to do with the brisket bark. The bark is the hard outer layer on the brisket, formed by the rub, meat, and fat. Spritzing the brisket can help the rub stick, and prevent it from drying out and becoming chewy. The right spritz can give you a dark and rich bark.

Smoke sticks best to cold and damp surfaces, which are lost during the cooking process. With added moisture from the spritz, more smoke will stick. Some even think using the spritz can give your brisket a better smoke ring.

You can also use a brisket spritz to create different flavors in your barbecue. For example, if you want to make a spicy barbecue sauce, you can add a little bit of hot pepper flakes to the spritz. Or, you can try something with sugar, to help caramelize the rub. 

Finally, using a spritz can slow the process if your brisket is cooking too fast. When brisket cooks quickly, the meat goes tough. A slow cook gives the connective tissues a chance to break down, and go tender. This slowing spritz will also help prevent the bark from going chewy.

What To Spritz Brisket With

There are plenty of options for brisket sprays, depending on what effect you hope to achieve. Below are some of our favorites.

Apple Juice

Apple juice is one of the most popular brisket sprays because it adds both moisture and flavor. The sweet and sugary apple juice also helps to caramelize the rub, and get it to stick to the surface.

To use, simply mix one part apple juice with one part water. Other fruit juices can also be used as a brisket spray. Try using pear or pineapple, for a tender brisket.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Another option is apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known as ACV, is inexpensive, and can create a crunchy and tangy bark.

For a simple apple cider vinegar spritz, mix two parts ACV, two parts apple juice, and one part water. Some mix ACV with beer, for a tenderizing brisket spritz.

Other chefs prefer to use red wine vinegar. It has a less powerful tang than ACV.

Beef Broth

If you’re looking for a safe brisket spritz, broth is the way to go. It adds liquid, making for a moist brisket, but doesn’t overwhelm the flavors. Broth can be a simple savory flavor, or incredibly complex, so you can have some fun experimenting for an amazing taste.

Hot Sauce

One of the easiest ways to spice up your brisket is by adding hot sauce. Hot sauces come in many varieties, including Tabasco, Sriracha, and Cholula. They all work well, but we recommend starting mild and building up, because hot sauce adds a punch of flavor. Mix with water for an easier spray.

Butter

Make sure to melt it before using, but butter is fantastic as a brisket spray. A tablespoon of melted butter mixed into a half cup of water makes an excellent brisket spritz. It adds richness, without diluting the flavor. Keep the bottle warm, so the butter can’t solidify.

Beer

Yes, you can add beer to your brisket. Dark ales are ideal, adding moisture, sugar, and a complexity of flavoring. Beer can be sprayed on as is, or mixed with water, ACV, and a dash of hot sauce.

Olive Oil

Mixing olive oil with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder creates a flavorful coating for the brisket. Olive oil isn’t the most popular brisket spray, but it’s a fun one to experiment with.

Worcestershire Sauce

A classic choice, mix your Worcestershire space with water so it sprays better. Barbecue sauce is another obvious, yet still delicious, choice.

Water

Sometimes, simple is best. Water alone works great as a brisket spritz, adding moisture and nothing else.

Mopping Versus Spritzing

Spritzing applies a mist of liquid to the brisket. The spray has to be thin enough to get through the nozzle on the bottle, and only a light amount will be added each time.

Mopping is applying a liquid using a brush, keeping the rub in place so the bark can form. While a spritz needs to be thin to work properly in your spritzer, a mopping liquid can be a thicker sauce.

Some choose to baste their briskets, but this method will often cause the rub to drip away.

With spritzing, it’s very important that you choose the right spray bottle. It should spray evenly, with an easy-squeeze trigger. It must be made of food-grade materials, and accommodate a slightly thicker spray.

How Often Should You Spritz A Brisket?

You should only spritz the brisket a few times, or you’ll slow down the cooking process, and cause the bark to lose integrity.

When you start cooking, leave the brisket alone for at least 90 minutes, preferably 2 hours. In this time, the smoke will start to penetrate the brisket, and the rub can stick. 

Aim to spray your brisket roughly every hour. It might not even need this much! With a really flavorful spritz, every 90 minutes will be enough. In this case, less is often more.

Do You Have To Spritz A Brisket?

Ask any barbecue expert about the brisket spray, and you’re likely to get back some hotly debated opinions. The brisket spray is a controversial topic.

The consensus seems to be that if you want a good bark, then yes, you should spritz. If you don’t want a good bark, there’s no reason to spritz.

Spraying the brisket will slow down the cooking time, as heat is released and the smoke has to combat the added moisture. If you intend to do an overnight smoke, the spritz isn’t really necessary.

While some grill masters such as Aaron Franklin think the brisket spritz is an essential, others have their own chosen method.

Final Thoughts

Brisket is one of those meats where everyone has their favorite methods. Some prefer to spritz, while others like to mop, and others just cook without anything added.

If you’re new to barbecuing, try out the spritz, and see what it can do for you.

The post What To Spritz Brisket With [9 Ideas] appeared first on Own The Grill.

What is Eye of Round Steak?

The eye of round steak is a lean cut of beef that comes from the rump and hind legs of a cow. Since both the rump and hips are muscles that are worked hard by the cow, the eye of round is a lean piece of steak that’s tougher than the cuts you’re probably used to. You will typically see each cut around 1 inch thick and an average of 8 ounces.

How Do You Prepare Eye of Round Steak?

Start by properly tenderizing the meat beforehand. I’m a big fan of tenderizing so get that mallet out and wack that steak. Once your steak is beaten up let’s talk marinade.

Using an acidic-based marinade can create a more tender steak. This helps to deconstruct the meat’s connective tissue and lends the steak a more tender texture rather than a tough one. Let the marinade sit for a minimum of 4 hours but up to 24 hours. The longer the better!

Here is our favorite homemade marinade blend:

• 4 tbsp lime juice

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp coriander

• pinch of kosher salt and pepper

• 2 8oz Eye of Round Steaks

  *Use this blend for all of your round steak recipes

Ways To Cook Eye Of Round Steak

This requires some knowledge to achieve the desired result. Experts too may encounter challenges when cooking eye of round steak.

What we have found is our tenderizing and marinating method listed above plus the proper cooking technique can help you achieve the most tender and juicy eye of round steak in town.

Here are the methods we recommend with eye of round recipes:

1. Grill

It’s important to look for eye of round steaks that are at least 1 inch thick. This will ensure that the steak will cook evenly and not dry out too quickly. You’ll want to tenderize the steak with a mallet. Do not skip this step. Since this particular cut of meat is lean and tough, breaking up the connective tissue is mandatory.

Marinating can help tenderize and infuse it with flavor. Season with salt and pepper and/or your favorite dry rub or seasoning blend.

Grill the steak for about 4-6 minutes per side on medium heat for medium-rare, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature and avoid overcooking the steak. You can leave it on longer if you want a more well-done steak however our preferred way to eat is medium rare.

2. Sous Vide

While not difficult, this method requires more specialized equipment and time, but it results in a perfectly cooked roast every time.

This cooking method involves vacuum-sealing the steaks in a plastic bag and cooking them in a temperature-controlled water bath. The vacuum-sealed bag also helps to lock in the flavors and juices of the meat (use that marinade we talked about above).

Once the steaks have been cooked to the desired level of doneness, they can be seared in a hot skillet or roasted in the oven for a few minutes. This will give a nice brown crust on the exterior with flavor and juice on the inside.

3. Bake

Who doesn’t love a classic way to cook beef? With just a few ingredients, you can have the best-tasting steak.

First, you’ll need to tenderize and season the steaks. Next, sear in a cast iron skillet or saute pan with olive oil (you can also add a little unsalted butter) on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side. This will give a crusty outer layer before cooking the inside. Last, place them in a roasting pan and bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C).

We highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to ensure it’s cooked to your liking. For medium-rare doneness, the internal temperature should be about 135°F (57°C).

Once they’re cooked, remove them from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, so you’ll end with a tender and juicy steak.

4. Slow Cook

Using a slow cooker can be beneficial for a few reasons. This cut of meat is known for being lean and relatively tough. Just like beef stew, slow cooking allows the meat fibers to break down slowly and become more tender. It can also enhance the meat with flavor. You can add herbs and spices to the cooking liquid.

This method tends to be the most convenient way to cook. Make sure you tenderize the meat prior to cooking and I always like to give a quick sear on the outside before adding to my crock pot. Using beef broth and little beef stock adds a ton of flavor. Once it’s prepared, there’s very little to worry about. Make sure to add veggies and serve with mashed potatoes. You can pour the amazing juice over them and enjoy!

*You can also use this method and cook in a Dutch oven.

Is Eye of Round Steak and Roast the same?

So the beef is from the same part of the cow, but they are not the same cut. The eye of round steak is thinly sliced (1 inch thick), lean, and tough. The eye of round roast is a larger cut of meat(3-4 inches thick) and has less fat than other beef roasts, but is still lean and a bit tough. I promise though, when prepared and cooked properly both can be amazing!

How Do You Tenderize an Eye of Round Steak?

Tough cuts of meat have a lot of connective tissue that can make them chewy and difficult to eat. Tenderizing the meat can break down this tissue, making the meat more tender.

When you tenderize meat, you create small channels in the meat that can help to distribute seasoning and marinades throughout the meat. 

Here are the steps on how to tenderize steak:

1. Place the steak on a cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from tearing.

2. Using a meat mallet, gently pound the steak with the flat side of the mallet. Start at the center of the steak and work your way out to the edges.

3. Avoid pounding the steak too hard, as this can cause the meat to become too thin and lose its shape.

4. Flip the steak over and repeat on the other side.

Does Eye Of Round Steak Go By Other Names?

Almost every cut from the round primal will have ‘round’ in the name, which can make things quite confusing. There are a few different names commonly used to describe the eye of round steak.

These names include:

• beef round

• beef eye

• round steak

• beef round

• steak boneless

Other Cuts Similar to the Eye of Round Steak

Here are a few other lean cuts of beef that come from the hindquarters of the cow. Just like eye of round, they are a tougher cut of meat.

• Bottom Round

• Top round

• Sirloin tip

• Flank steak (comes from the lower abdominal area or flank of the cow)

Where Can You Buy Eye of Round Steaks?

• Most supermarkets carry eye of round steaks in an affordable pack, usually containing three or four thinly sliced steaks. For thicker cuts that you’re looking to grill, you’ll probably be better checking at the meat counter or at a butcher.

Do You Have a Favorite Eye of Round Steak Recipe?

It’s tough to determine the “best” eye of round steak recipe since personal preferences and tastes can vary. We are happy to share our simple and flavorful round steak recipe that’s our “go-to” when cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound eye of round steak

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. 1. Preheat the grill to high heat.

   2. Using a mallet, smack the meat to tenderize, about 15 seconds on each side.

   3. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

   4. Brush the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the steak.

   5. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until desired doneness is reached.

   6. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Other Steak Cuts for Home Grilling

Here are a few more of our favorite steaks and how to grill them:

How to Reverse Sear a T-Bone

How to Grill the Perfect New York Strip

Kobe Beef Cooked at Home

Top Takeaways for Eye Of Round Steak

• Comes from the rump and hind legs of a cow.

• Is a leaner tougher cut that should be tenderized and marinated prior to cooking.

• The top ways to cook are to grill, sous vide, bake, or slow cook.

• A round steak and round roast come from the same part of the cow but they are not the same cut.

• Similar cuts of meat are bottom round, top round, and sirloin tips.

• Most supermarkets carry the eye of round steaks and roasts. If not check with a local butcher.

   

The post Eye of Round Steak (What it is + 4 Ways to Cook it) appeared first on Own The Grill.

External gristle from the muscle is removed leaving lean steak with a nice marbled texture

With the popularity of flat iron steaks gaining momentum, you can find them in more grocery stores as well as on restaurant menus as a more affordable alternative to more expensive steak; it is almost as tender as a tenderloin at a fraction of the cost.

The purpose of this guide is to tell you everything you need to know about flat iron steaks and how you can cook one yourself using proper technique, so that this could become your new favorite at home! 

What Is The Flat Iron Steak?

Originally, flat iron steaks were part of the blade roast’s top section. In the middle of the blade roast is a hard connective tissue; it is from this that flat iron steaks are born.

During the butchering process, the bottom section of the steak is made into a flat iron steak, while the remainder is a top blade steak.

Its appearance resembles the traditional metal flat iron, for which the meat received its name. An even thickness and rectangular shape characterize the flat iron steak. Tender, flavorful marbling adds to the taste and texture. The steak is suitable for many different recipes.

The Taste Of A Flat Iron Steak

Steaks like flat iron steak, or top chuck steak, have marbling to give them a rich, beefy taste. With ingredients such as herbs and black pepper, you can add extra flavor to the beef cut by marinating it.

This marinated steak will be mouthwatering, flavorful, and juicy for a hearty appetite, no matter what marinade you choose. The marinades that we show you are good examples of what you can cook with, because they will improve the taste of your steak when you taste it.

Where To Purchase Flat Iron Steaks

You need to think about your options available to you before you purchase the best flat iron steak to cook with. We have compiled a couple of our favorite places you really need to be getting your steak from the next time you decide to cook it. 

Holy Grail Steak is one of the best places you need to be purchasing your steak from. A number of ranches and farms partner up with them because of their passion and meticulous attention to detail for raising cattle.

We agree. They use only the best cuts of meat on their website and you can order online whenever you want. You can get everything from luxury wagyu flat iron to grass-fed prime cut flat iron steaks.

Another option that we recommend would be using Amazon Fresh, since they offer top quality steaks at very affordable prices while still delivering the flavor you expect from the more expensive top cut steaks. If you have never ordered food from Amazon before, you might want to consider it as an option now.

Lastly, if your butcher is staring indifferently at you when you ask for a flat iron steak, it may be that the name or the cut hasn’t caught on in your area.

You can ask for a top blade steak if you’re not successful requesting a flat iron steak. Make every effort to locate one and taste it if it is still unavailable. It might be the steak of your dreams.

How To Store Flat Iron Steaks

Flat iron steaks tend not to last too long in the refrigerator, so plan to cook them within three to five days of purchasing them. Be sure to wrap it well in the packaging without adding too much air.

Keeping the food for later use requires removing from the store packaging and resealing it in a freezer bag or butcher paper, sucking out any excess air. You can keep the steak for three to six months if you do this.

How to Cook Flat Iron Steak

Several hours before cooking, season your steak with spices. Rub your favorite spices onto the meat about 2-4 hours before grilling it for the best results.

Any dry spice mix that you prefer, like garlic powder, oregano, or cumin, can be used. A few pinches of each spice should be combined in a small bowl, and the mixture should be blended together.

Once your steaks have been spiced, rub them with clean hands and let them rest in the fridge until you’re ready to grill them. It is of course possible to simply add a few pinches of sea salt if you wish as your seasoning.

Many grocery stores and online retailers sell ready-made spice mixes for steak. In cases where you aren’t sure what to use, these are a good option.

After that, marinate your steaks in the sauce for at least an hour. Your steaks will be flavorful and juicy if you marinate them. Spices can be combined with oil, vinegar, and any other ingredients you like.

Everything has to be mixed together in a large bowl or plastic bag. If you are using a pre-made marinade, you can buy it at any grocery store. You can marinate your steak for at least one hour, or up to 12 hours.

Let the steaks rest at room temperature for an hour before cooking. Make sure that the steaks are kept somewhere away from children and pets in your kitchen.

Grilling cold meat on a hot grill can cause the meat to tear. The flat iron steaks can get too warm and become dangerous to eat if left out for more than one hour.

Prepare your grill for cooking by preheating it to about 600 °F. If you’re cooking steaks on a charcoal or gas grill, fire it up several minutes before you plan to cook them.

You’ll get a nice sear on the meat as the grill has time to get hot. Modern grills often come with thermometers, which can be very helpful. Even without one, you can still grill.

Just let the grill heat up for a bit before you start cooking. Don’t forget tongs for flipping the steaks, extra seasoning, if you wish to add it during cooking, and a clean plate for serving the steak.

Depending on your preference, you should grill the steak for two to five minutes on each side. Cook the steaks on the grill until done, about two minutes per side.

Whichever side you use first is not important. About 2 minutes per side is the recommended cooking time to get medium rare steaks. About 3-4 minutes is the recommended cooking time for medium steaks.

About five to six minutes per side is sufficient for well-done steaks. Make sure the steak is at the temperature you prefer using a meat thermometer. A medium-rare steak should be about 130°F, a medium steak 140°F and a well-done steak 160°F.

For the juices to redistribute, let the meat rest for 5 minutes. On a cutting board, let the steaks rest for about five minutes after they come off the grill.

A delicious, juicy steak will result from the juices settling throughout the steak. If you cut into your steak too soon, you might dry it out. Set a timer.

Keep the steak tender by cutting against the grain with a sharp knife. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. Across a piece of meat, the muscle fibers are aligned in accordance with the grain.

A flat iron steak has a vertical line of muscle fibers. Rather than following the grain, cut them across horizontally in this case. You won’t end up with stringy steaks.

It is typical to slice flat iron steaks thinly when serving, but you may prefer to leave them whole. To store leftovers in the fridge for three to five days, place them in an airtight container.

Summary

As a result of reading this guide thoroughly, you should now understand what a flat iron steak is, and you should also know how to grill it according to the best method.

Even if you have never used a flat iron steak in the past, you will undoubtedly be considering it now because of the various options you have at your disposal.

Think about all the different marinades you might use when you cook your steak, and how delicious it will be with all the different flavors you’re going to get.

We have provided you with a list of a couple of places where you can try to purchase your flat iron steak and hopefully you will be able to cook it exactly as we have described.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flat Iron Steak Good For You?

Protein and zinc are high in flat iron steak, as they are in most cuts of beef. Approximately 23 grams of protein and half of the recommended daily amount of zinc are present in a 3-ounce serving. In addition, it provides 15 percent of the recommended daily iron intake.

Is Flat Iron Steak Good?

Grilling this steak really brings out the rich flavor of the meat due to the high heat and short cooking time. A flat iron steak is very similar to any flat steak, so you will be able to use it in any recipe calling for skirt or flank steak.

A steak that has a nice amount of marbling is tender and is full of flavor as a result of the thick layers of marbling.

The post Flat Iron Steak – What Is It And How To Cook It appeared first on Own The Grill.

Speaking of legendary dinner, nothing quite satisfies like a properly cooked steak.  As it turns out, a griddle surface is one of the best ways to cook steak.  Do it right, and the results will rival those of steaks cooked on a grill or on a cast iron skillet.

Fortunately, cooking steak on a griddle is a simple process.  In the rest of this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know for how to cook steak on a griddle surface.  Stick around until the end for one of our favorite simple griddle steak recipes.

Why Flat Tops Are Great for Steak

There are quite few reasons why a griddle surface is actually very well suited for cooking steak.  By nature, the griddle blocks flames from directly contacting your food so you don’t have to worry about flare ups complicating your cook.

Also, griddle surfaces do an excellent job of evenly distributing heat.  One of the biggest issues with a low quality grill is the presence of hot and cold spots – these can put a serious damper on your ability to make great food.

With a griddle, you don’t have to worry about that.  Heat is thoroughly and evenly distributed throughout the cook top so that your food gets a nice and even cook.  This is especially true for high quality grills like the Camp Chef Flat Top Grill and the Blackstone Flat Top Grill, which both have a cook top made of quality cold rolled steel.

Nothing beats the satisfaction of a pure, even outer crust on your steak from a griddle top.  Let’s dive into a step by step guide for how to do it!

Cooking Steak on a Griddle – Step by Step

Season Your Steak

After you’ve chosen your steak (some of our favorites are NY Strip, Ribeye, Porterhouse and T-Bone), season or marinade to your liking.

Personally, my philosophy with steak is to buy a quality cut of beef and not do anything too crazy to let the beef be the star of the show.

For me, that means a very light coat of olive oil followed by a generous seasoning of salt and fresh ground pepper.  Let your steak rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature before placing on the griddle.

Prep Your Griddle

Ignite your griddle’s burners and set your burner knobs to a high setting.  The goal is for the griddle surface to get to about 400°F (this can be measured by an infrared thermometer if you have one).

You’ll also want to form a base layer on your cooking surface after the griddle has preheated.  This part can be done in a few different ways.

The most widely used method is to place a small amount of butter or cooking oil on your flat top.  From there, spread the butter or oil around on the surface, ensuring that the entire area where your steaks will cook is covered with a light film.

This will aid the cook in a couple of ways – first, it will ensure that your steak doesn’t stick to the griddle cooking surface.  Second, and more importantly, it will facilitate a beautiful, delectable crust formation on your steak while it sears.

If you’re caught up on which type of oil to use for your griddle, we’ve written a guide to help with that.  Check it out if you need help deciding which oil you should use with your griddle.

The other way you can form a base layer is sure to impress your friends and family.  You can actually take one of your steaks, and rub one of the fatty ends of your beef on your flat top.  If there is enough of a fat cap on your steak, you could even slice a sizable piece of fat off and rub it on your heated cooking surface.

The heat from your cooking surface will melt the fat off and in turn provide a great base layer to cook your steaks.  Rub fat on the entire area where your steaks will cook.

Cook the Steak

Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for.  The beautiful thing about cooking steak on a griddle is that the process is really quite simple.

Place your steaks on the griddle over your base layer of butter, oil, or fat.  Press the steak down firmly with your spatula to ensure complete and solid contact with the cooking surface.

From there, let the grill do its magic.  The goal is to cook the steak until each side has enough time to build up a nice seared crust.

Resist the temptation to constantly flip the steaks.  They only need to be flipped once during the cook.  When you first place the steaks on your griddle, you can watch the bottom half of the steak as it browns and cooks.  After each passing minute, the brown will creep up the sides of the steak, indicating that it’s cooking well.

Feel free to lift the bottom of the steak and peek at how the sear is coming along if desired.

Here’s a great video of the cooking steak on a griddle process for all of my visual learners out there:

1 inch thick steaks in my experience typically spend close to 15 minutes on the flat top (so I flip them after about 8 minutes).  It can be more or less depending on the cut of beef and the size.  A 1/2 inch thick steak will cook faster, for example.

Those time guidelines are just for your reference.  Really, you should be cooking steaks until they reach your desired doneness regardless of how long they’ve been cooking.  If you’re experienced and think you can eyeball it, go for it!

For me, I rely on a bluetooth probe meat thermometer to measure my steak’s internal temperature.  Utilizing a probe thermometer means you know exactly when your food is ready.  Here is a little doneness guide for steak – take your steak off of the grill at the below temperatures for desired doneness.

• Medium Rare: 128-135°F
• Medium: 135-145°F
• Medium Well: 145-155°F

Let It Rest

One of the most important parts of the steak cooking process is allowing your steak to rest for at least 5-8 minutes before cutting into it.  Many people skip this part and miss out on extra deliciousness because of it.

While your steak rests, it actually continues to cook and warm a little bit.  So if you take a steak off of the grill at 130°F and allow it to rest, it will actually continue to rise in temperature by a couple of degrees.

But more importantly, resting your steak allows juices to redistribute.  When your steak sears and cooks on high heat, juices absorb to the very center of the beef.  If you cut into it too quickly, your moisture will be a little out of whack and can lead to your steak tasting dry when it shouldn’t be.

When you allow it to rest, the juices redistribute themselves evenly throughout your steak – that’s how you achieve steakhouse level tenderness and juciness!

Print

Griddle Steak – How to Cook Steak on a Griddle

Simple and Delicious Recipe for Cooking Steak On a Griddle

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Beef

Keyword Beef, Griddle, Griddle Steak, Ribeye, Ribeye Griddle, Steak

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 250kcal

Ingredients

• 1 14-16 oz steak Ribeye, T-Bone, or NY Strip
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tpsp fresh black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat griddle to high heat
• Lightly coat steak with olive oil
• Season steak generously with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• Form a base layer on your griddle using either a little bit of butter, oil, or by rubbing the fatty end of your steak on the griddle
• Place steak on base layer and press down to ensure firm contact with cooking surface
• Cook until desired doneness is achieved, flipping halfway through. For a 1" thick steak, it takes about 18 minutes (9 minutes per side)
• Remove steak from grill and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

Measure internal temperature of your steak with a probe thermometer.

• For medium rare, remove steak from grill once it has reached an internal temperature of 128-135°F.
• For medium, remove steak from grill once it has reached an internal temperature of 135-145°F.
• For medium well, remove steak from grill once it has reached an internal temperature of 145-155°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal

Final Thoughts

This guide to grilling steak on a griddle has me hungry!  The flat top is a prime cooking surface for steak, and I hope this article was enough inspiration for you to get out there and try it.

Did you try out our recipe?  How did it go?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments section!

The post Cooking Steak on a Griddle – Our How to Guide and Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

But it’s important to not gloss over one of the most overlooked parts of the brisket smoking process.  To get the most out of all smoker grills, you need to be using the right kind of wood.

The best wood for smoking brisket undoubtedly will take your food to the next level.  Many beginners overlook this part, but it’s super important, and as you’re about to see – each type of wood will impart a different flavor to your brisket.

In this article, we’ll go over our picks for getting the optimal flavor out of  your cooked beef.  From there, we’ll touch on some types of wood that you should definitely avoid on your quest for brisket glory.

Here is a quick glance at the best wood for smoking brisket:

HUMOS Olive Smoking Wood Chips for BBQ, Smoker, Kamado and Gas, Charcoal & Electric Grill (Olive)

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Fire & Flavor Apple Wood Chunks for Smoking and Grilling All-Natural, Long-Lasting with a Mildly Sweet Flavor Large Chunk Wood Chips for Smokers,Green 4 Pounds

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Camerons All Natural Pecan Wood Chips for Smoker - 260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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Camerons All Natural Cherry Wood Chips for Smoker -260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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Camerons All Natural Maple Wood Chips for Smoker - 260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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MacLean's Mesquite Wood Chips Bundle

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What’s the Best Wood for Smoking Brisket?

It’s not uncommon for a brisket to cook for as long as 12 hours or more depending on the size.  That’s an incredibly long time – and for that entire duration, your beef will be exposed to the smoke created by the fire you create.

That’s not a bad thing!  The best wood for smoking brisket will impart delicious, complex, traditional BBQ flavoring onto your food.  It’s what you want!

This is not an exhaustive list – there are certainly other woods you can smoke brisket with to achieve delicious results.  We came up with our top picks for best wood for smoking brisket based on flavor, ease of use, and how widely available the wood is.

Hickory

Hickory is the MVP when it comes to smoking meat.  It’s versatile and works with just about any cut, and brisket is no exception.  On a practical level, hickory is widely available and relatively inexpensive to acquire.

Flavor wise, hickory will impart the “traditional” smoky flavor that many of us have come to expect with our BBQ.  The flavors are pretty strong relative to other woods and interact very well with strong beefy flavors.

One thing to note with hickory is that it’s a wood that produces a lot of smoke.  With that in mind, you want to be careful to not go overboard.

Most Versatile BBQ Wood

Smoak Firewood Hickory Cooking Wood Logs

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Oak (Post Oak)

Texas Monthly does a yearly roundup of the best BBQ joints in Texas.  You don’t have to spend a ton of time scrolling through the list to notice a pattern – almost all of the top joints use Post Oak as their wood fuel of choice.

That’s not to say everybody should feel the need to use Oak – variety is good!  But at the same time, Texas style brisket has earned a reputation as some of the best of the best in the world of BBQ.

Oak is one of the best woods for smoking brisket for a few different reasons.  First of all, it burns for a long time and is very consistent and easy to manage.  Those are really nice attributes for a day long brisket cook.

The other main reason is the flavor of oak smoke.  On the scale of light to strong smokiness, it’s pretty firmly in the middle.  Because of that, it’s a great, safe choice that will appeal to many different types of taste buds.

Oak’s flavor strength also makes it a great candidate for blending with other woods.  No matter whether you blend oak with stronger woods like mesquite, or lighter ones like cherry, oak is a definite value add and will add a beautiful layer of flavor to your brisket.

What the Pros Use

Western Premium BBQ Products Post Oak

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Mesquite

If you’re looking for a more intense flavor profile, smoking with mesquite a try.  Relative to the rest of this list, mesquite definitely gives off the strongest flavor.  It’s the wood of choice for lovers of strong smoky flavor.

If you like the flavor of mesquite but want to soften it a little bit, it might be a good idea to blend with a different type of wood.  This is a great way to get the benefit of delicious mesquite flavor with a little less intensity!

Mesquite is one of the fastest burning woods, so you should take this into account – especially considering you might be smoking a brisket for an entire day.

Maple

Maple falls a little bit lighter on the smoky strength spectrum – and many people use maple as a primary wood for meats like ribs, chicken, pork, and turkey.  Because of that, you might not first consider it as a top choice for brisket – but brisket and maple can be a great match.

With maple, the wood is long burning and imparts a somewhat mild flavor onto your brisket.  It’s a great choice for beginners because it’s really hard to over smoke your brisket when using maple.  So if you’re just getting the hang of smoking, this is one of the best woods that you can start out with.

The “downside”, if you can call it that, with maple is that for some, it might not be quite strong enough of a flavor if you prefer smoky flavor in abundance with your brisket.

Like oak, it’s also a great wood to blend with.  In particular, maple is a great companion to mesquite if you want to soften out your strong mesquite flavoring.

Camerons All Natural Maple Wood Chips for Smoker - 260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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Cherry

If you’re the type who can appreciate the complexity and maybe a little bit of sweetness in your smoked brisket, cherry is a fantastic choice.  It’s a milder flavor that works well with lighter meats like turkey, but it also has plenty of flavor to hold its own with beef.

Fruitwoods flavor works extremely well with this cut of beef.  It also provides the added benefit of imparting a beautiful, dark red color to the surface of your brisket that just makes it look even better.

For those who enjoy a stronger smokey flavor in your brisket, cheery is also a great blending candidate.  When paired up with a stronger wood like oak, hickory, or even mesquite, you’ll still get that hint of fruitiness combined with an elevated smokiness.

It may not be the best to blend with mesquite, as mesquite’s flavor can completely overpower cherry’s flavor profile.

Camerons All Natural Cherry Wood Chips for Smoker -260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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Pecan

Where I live, pecan is a little harder to find than some of the other woods on this list, but it’s a great wood for smoking brisket.

Similar to maple, pecan is a great choice for beginners as the flavoring is pretty mild.  It would be really hard to over-smoke a brisket with pecan.

Of course, if your audience prefers a stronger flavor you can certainly blend pecan with woods like oak or hickory.

Pecan is one of those flavors that you kind of have to taste to appreciate.  It adds a certain delicious sweetness and nuttiness to your brisket that you just don’t get from other woods.

Camerons All Natural Pecan Wood Chips for Smoker - 260 Cu. In. Bag, Approx 2 Pounds- Kiln Dried Coarse Cut BBQ Grill Wood Chips for Smoking Meats - Barbecue Smoker Accessories - Grilling Gifts for Men

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Apple

As far as suitability for brisket goes, apple isn’t too far off from cherry.  Apple is a hair further on the mild side of things though, and will lead to a sweet and lightly fruity flavor addition to your brisket.

Just like cherry, apple is a great choice to blend with other woods like oak, hickory, and maple if you want to layer different flavors into your brisket!

Fire & Flavor Apple Wood Chunks for Smoking and Grilling All-Natural, Long-Lasting with a Mildly Sweet Flavor Large Chunk Wood Chips for Smokers,Green 4 Pounds

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Olive

Olive is another one that’s a little harder to come across but can provide really nice results for a brisket.

Flavor wise, it’s actually pretty similar to Mesquite, but it’s got a lighter flavor profile.  It’s a great intro to Mesquite and also works well in blends with other woods, depending on what you want to go for.

HUMOS Olive Smoking Wood Chips for BBQ, Smoker, Kamado and Gas, Charcoal & Electric Grill (Olive)

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Benefits of Using Wood Smoke With Brisket

The brisket comes from the chest area of a cow – it’s a muscle that upholds the gargantuan weight of a steer.  So naturally it’s a pretty tough cut of beef to work with.

That’s why smoking is an ideal cooking method.  It needs to cook low and slow over long periods of time to tenderize and break down tough parts of the meat.  Trimming your brisket the right way can also make a big difference in the end result of your brisket.

Sure, you could definitely cook a brisket without using smoke.  But there’s a reason the professionals and avid pit masters always utilize smoke when it comes to cooking brisket.  Smoke, along with their brisket rub, are the two most important factors when it comes to the end flavor of brisket.

The best wood for smoking brisket will impart smoke into your food for hours and hours, many times an entire half day.  It takes that much time for the smoke to penetrate deep into your brisket so that it reaches every delicious bite.

Smoke is also what makes properly smoked brisket end up with a beautiful and scrumptious bark.  I promise you if you prefect the bark, your brisket will be the stuff of legend amongst family and friends.

On top of all of that, you can experiment with different types of woods and wood blends until you perfect your brisket recipe.  Half of the fun in smoking is the discovery process of figuring out what’s best for you!

Different Sizes of Wood Fuel

Wood fuel for smoking comes in a few different shapes and sizes.  Most commonly, wood for smoking comes in the form of wood pellets, wood chips, wood chunks, and logs.

Wood chips are a nice option especially if you’re smoking in an electric smoker or in charcoal grills that don’t have enough room to fit chunks.  Chips are super easy to work with and are very easy to burn.  This size of wood is widely available in all sorts of flavors.  Check out the differences between wood pellets and chips here.

Wood chunks are another step up when it comes to size.  If you’re smoking with a charcoal grill or even an offset smoker, wood chunks are a really nice choice.  Chunks are a little more robust and only require a couple of them to a handful for an entire smoke.

Wood chunks are great in tandem with charcoal and are also widely available in different flavors of bags.

Wood logs are the size of choice if you want a pure, wood only fire to smoke your brisket.  Quality logs are typically a bit harder to find, and they mostly only fit in large fireboxes or offset smokers, but if you are able to pull it off – wood logs are the way to do it.

Lump charcoal is also a fantastic source of fuel for brisket.  Lump charcoal is a little healthier and organic and is sold in all sorts of different wood species.  A quality bag of lump charcoal will come with many pieces sized between chunks and logs.

Best Wood for Smoking Brisket – Wrap Up

Smoking a brisket takes a ton of time.  It’s not the easiest food to prepare, but it’s without a doubt one of the most rewarding when you get it done the right way.  And you’ll be set with tons of leftovers after all of that hard work!

The only way to get there is to pair your beef cut with the best wood for smoking brisket.  Experiment with different types of wood and figure out what works best for you!  All of the suggestions on this list are a great starting point.

I hope this article is a springboard for you in your journey to delicious brisket!  Which wood did you choose to use?  Let us know about it in the comments section below.

The post Best Wood for Smoking Brisket – Our Top Picks For Legendary Results appeared first on Own The Grill.

As memorable as it can be, though, what if I were to tell you that steak is not entirely fond of being the center of attention? Instead of being considered the star of the show, what if steak were more like an invitation – a call beckoning us forth to something greater?

That’s right: steak needs a companion, and that companion is red wine. Consuming delicious food can be a thrilling experience in and of itself, but to neglect the corresponding wine pairing can be like leaving a puzzle unfinished.

So it goes with steak. An expertly prepared steak demands a quality glass of red wine; a poorly prepared steak needs it.

Best Wine With Steak – Varietals

Today we’ll discuss some of the best wine options to consider next time steak is on the menu, whether it’s at a restaurant or during your next grill session at home.

Even though the world of steak is full of a variety of different cuts and cooking techniques, each one needing a more tailored wine pairing, consider this the first of many steps to better understanding how wine can complement your steak.

Cabernet Sauvignon

What may be considered the quintessential grape varietal for pairing with steak, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon can remarkably enhance your dining experience and can also be the gift that keeps on giving as the wine evolves throughout your meal.

This grape varietal is known for having a high amount of tannins which helps counteract the steak’s fat content and juices. Tannins are a compound most commonly found in red wines. These compounds attribute to the complexity and dryness of the wine, thus allowing it to truly stand up to a rich, savory piece of red meat.

When it comes to choosing the right Cabernet Sauvignon, try setting your sights on a selection from California.

For folks looking for an even more intriguing and satisfying experience when it comes to pairing Cabernet with steak (or wine with food, in general), one aspect to consider is the vintage. In the United States, for a wine to reflect a specific year on its label, at least 95% of the designated varietal must have been harvested during the year listed.

Paying attention to the vintage of a wine, especially for wine pairing purposes, can be crucial. Understanding the nuances of various vintages can be daunting, but a general rule of thumb is that younger wines will drink on the more robust and lively side, while older more mature wines will be more balanced and refined, thus causing them to exhibit more elegance and finesse.

Whether mature or youthful, Cabernet can truly sing when carefully paired with just the right steak. Whereas a rich, decadent bottle of 2008 Caymus “Special Selection” would pair nicely with a larger-than-life Porterhouse, a more elegant bottle, like 1992 Heitz Cellar “Martha’s Vineyard” would be better suited for a carefully prepared filet mignon.

Looking for Cabernet Sauvignon suggestions? Try these:

1. Michael David Winery, “Earthquake” Cabernet Sauvignon
   
2. Amici, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
   
3. Elyse, Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
   

Michael David Winery Earthquake Cabernet Sauvignon

Check Price on Wine.com

Syrah

One notable aspect of the world of wine is the sheer diversity in how many grape varietals there are around the world that are used for winemaking purposes. While some garner an immense amount of attention, some fly under the general public’s radar, just waiting to be discovered. Syrah is one such varietal.

Syrah (or Shiraz, as it’s called in Australia) is grown in numerous places around the world and can taste quite different depending on a variety of factors. One glass of Syrah can smell like bacon fat and stewed meat, while another glass can smell like a jar of fruit jam; another yet can smell like pencil shavings and eucalyptus.

This wide range of expressions found in the world of Syrah can make for one exciting journey in-and-of-itself. Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah exhibits robust enough characteristics that allow it to stand toe-to-toe with a nice cut of grilled red meat.

While the individual steak’s preparation ought to be considered when selecting a particular bottle of Syrah, overall the union of the two can be a match made in heaven.

Just like a wine’s vintages is worth considering before choosing a bottle, so also is the region the wine comes from – that is to say, the geographical area where the grapes were grown and harvested. Where the grapes are grown can have a profound impact on how the wine looks, smells, tastes, and ages.

This is where the French word terroir comes in. Terroir is an incredibly dense word packed with meaning and is used to describe all the natural environmental characteristics that winemaking grapes are grown in and exposed to. This can include aspects like rainfall, soil types, exposure to sunlight, elevation, and so much more.

You will find that the same varietal can drink entirely different all because of where the grapes were grown, thus allowing a consumer to determine where he/she prefers their Syrah (for example) to come from.

Some wine drinkers gravitate towards more fruit-forward selections that exhibit notes of ripe red fruits like cherries and raspberries, as well as dark fruits like plums and blackberries.

On the other hand, some wine drinkers may enjoy the juicy notes of red and black fruits while also searching for more inorganic notes to add further dimension and complexity to the wine. Inorganic notes can be anything ranging from pencil lead, sawdust, asphalt, tar, and pepper (both white and black), all of which are characteristics commonly found in Syrah.

Looking for Syrah suggestions? Try these:

1. L’Ecole, “41” Columbia Valley Syrah
   
2. Ramey, Sonoma Coast Syrah
   
3. Two Hands, “Bella’s Garden” Shiraz
   

L’Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Syrah

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Zinfandel

While this varietal’s ability to pair well with barbecue can easily overshadow its friendly demeanor toward other foods, don’t let it fool you, steak and Zin are totally friends.

Steak offers a flavorful, savory, hearty experience that causes the taste buds to ignite with stimulation. Zinfandel, on the other hand, exhibits bold, jammy notes of ripe red fruits and spices, as well as more exotic notes like tar and asphalt.

Sound weird? Give it a try. A bold Zinfandel with fruit-forward notes that is not overly ripe can truly compliment steak in a tantalizing way. Zinfandel can be easily acquired at your local grocery store or wine shop, and most restaurants have at least a handful of offerings on their wine lists.

Looking for Zinfandel suggestions? Try these:

1. Ridge, East Bench Zinfandel
   
2. Brown Estate, Zinfandel
   
3. Michael David Winery, “Lust” Zinfandel

Ridge East Bench Zinfandel

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Does the Type of Steak Matter?

You might be wondering if there’s a difference in the best wine with steak if you’re having a ribeye vs a New York Strip.  Or maybe you’re having a glorious porterhouse cut and want to make sure you have just the right bottle.

For the most part, the different steak cuts are all similar enough that it isn’t going to affect optimal wine pairing suggestions too much.  Even though some cuts of steak might be more tender or more flavorful than others – the flavor profiles and strength of steak flavor is similar enough for purposes of choosing a wine.

Now if you’re a master sommelier and can pick out an incredible level of detail and nuance in your wine, you might have different wine suggestions for each type of steak.  But for 99.9% of the population, the above recommendations pair nicely with all of the common steak cuts.

Best Wine With Steak – Wrap Up

Take the information presented in this article and start exploring – you won’t regret it! The world of wine can be many things, but stressful and overwhelming should not be some of them. In setting your sights on a narrow, yet common food and wine pairing like steak & red wine, you are setting yourself up for future success with more complex pairings.

Understanding the nuances of the wine and how it interacts with the food on your dinner plate can take time, but it is a worthwhile pursuit – especially when done in the company of friends and family. Start small, start simple, and start having fun!

Looking for more wine pairing guides?  Here’s our guide to pairing wine and lobster and salmon.

The post What’s the Best Wine With Steak? Our Top Pairing Suggestions appeared first on Own The Grill.

Most tomahawk steaks weigh in at 3 or more pounds.  Combined with the fact that they are typically high quality cuts of meat, you’ll want to make sure you know how to grill a tomahawk steak to make sure you’re getting the maximum bang for your buck.

There are a few ways you can go about cooking a tomahawk – some are easier than others and some (we think) produce tastier, more consistent results than others.

Here we’ll go over a couple of our favorite methods along with some tips and tricks for how to grill a tomahawk steak.  If you want to go straight to the step by step recipe, feel free to scroll down near the bottom of this page!

Grilled Tomahawk Steak – Overview

A tomahawk ribeye is a giant cut of steak still on the rib bone, typically 2.5 to 3.5 pounds in weight.  It’s a sight to behold, and you’ll want to make sure you do it justice on the grill.

Seasoning Your Steak

First things first, you’ll want to get your beef seasoned.  I’ve always been a fan of keeping things simple when it comes to seasoning quality pieces of meat – all you really want to do is bring out the delicious flavor within your tomahawk ribeye.

I like to use a seasoning mixture of kosher salt, black pepper, and maybe a little bit of garlic powder, but you can feel free to use your favorite steak seasoning as a substitute.

A tomahawk steak is a HUGE piece of meat, so you want to make sure to be liberal when it comes to applying your seasoning.  Make sure you coat the entire thing, including sides and even the fatty parts.

Let It Breathe At Room Temp

From there, let your steak rest at room temperature for a minimum of about 45 minutes.  If time is on your side, you can also place your seasoned beef into the fridge for a couple of hours before letting it rest at room temperature.

During this time, the beef will absorb the seasoning and flavor will begin to sink in.  Also, the seasoning will absorb some of the moisture inside of the steak which will help create a beautiful crust when we sear later in the process.

Equipment You’ll Need to Grill A Tomahawk Steak

Probe Meat Thermometer

You might be able to get away without a probe thermometer when you grill a traditional steak – when the steaks are thinner, it’s possible to “eyeball” it and do just fine, especially if you have some grilling experience.

That’s not the case with a tomahawk steak.  It’s crucial that you utilize a probe meat thermometer to know the temperature of the innermost section of your beef while it cooks.  You won’t be able to tell when it’s done otherwise!

Great Budget Thermometer

ThermoPro TP-17 Dual Probe Digital Meat Thermometer

• Two probes mean you can monitor two cuts of meat at once
• Large, clear backlit LED display
• Highly accurate, so no second guessing

Check Price on Amazon

Aluminum Foil Pan

This one is optional, but highly recommended!  The pan goes underneath the grilled tomahawk steak while it slow cooks to catch drippings, which then vaporize and rise back up to flavor your steak.

We also like to add ingredients like butter and herbs to the pan for even more flavor depth.  A standard 9×9 foil pan or something similar will do!

Aluminum Foil Pans 9x9 Baking Pans

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Grilling Method 1: The Traditional Route

Preheat Your Cooker

While the steak rests, go ahead and get your grill fired up.  You can preheat your grill while your seasoned steak finishes up its rest.  If you are using a gas grill, you might only need 5-10 minutes to get heated up.

If you’re working on a charcoal grill, you may need a little more time to get your fire right.  Either way, this is a great time to get your grill heated up in preparation to sear your steak.

You’ll want to set up a 2 zone cooking surface – one side of your grill should run piping hot, about 500-550 degrees for the sear.  The other side should be cooler where we’ll cook the steak all the way through with indirect heat by going low and slow.

Steak Goes On

After the searing side of your grill is hot and ready to go, it’s time to get the tomahawk steak on there.  Place the beef on the grate and press down.

After 2.5 minutes, rotate the steak 45 degrees (keeping it on the same side), and press it down into the grate again.  Sear for another 2.5 minutes.

We are ready to flip the steak now (so after 5 minutes total on the first side).  Flip the tomahawk ribeye steak and repeat the last step, searing the other side for 5 minutes total with a 45 degree rotation after 2.5 minutes.

After the sear is complete, move the steak over to the “cooler” section of your grill for the slow cook.  Place the steak on a raised rack or on your grill’s swing away warming rack. The idea here is to finish off the cook with indirect heat.

Monitoring The Cook

At this time, you should insert your probe meat thermometer.  Make sure the probe is measuring temperature at the very center of the loin.

For maximum flavoring, we like to take a shallow aluminum pan and place butter, garlic clove, and fresh herbs inside (thyme, sage, rosemary, or some combination of those).  Place the pan on the grill and underneath the steak to catch drippings from the beef.

All of the contents will combine and homogenize as the steak cooks.  From time to time (I usually do it every 5-10 minutes), baste the contents of the pan back over the steak with a basting brush.

From here, we’re not cooking for a set amount of time – we’re grilling until the inside of the steak reaches it’s desired doneness.  Just to give you a ballpark idea though, plan on slow cooking for around 30-45 minutes.

Finishing The Cook

The USDA says that 145ºF is the safe internal temperature for cooked steak, although most professionals and steak lovers prefer a temperature below that, more in the realm of 123-125ºF.

Personally, I cook my tomahawk ribeye steak to an internal temperature of 125ºF before I pull it off the grill – which usually ends up being medium rare trending a tiny bet towards medium.  One thing to bear in mind – the steak will continue to cook a little bit even after it is off the grill and resting.

After your steak reaches it’s desired doneness, take it off of the grill and place it on a cutting board or serving tray to rest for 15 minutes.

Grilling Method Two: The Reverse Sear

The other way we like to grill tomahawk steaks is by utilizing the reverse sear method.  The key difference here is that we are going to slow cook the steak first to our desired temperature and sear it last, not the other way around.

Preheat Your Grill

We like to get our grill temperature to around 250ºF for a reverse sear. We start with a lower temperature, roast style for a reverse sear.

Slow Cook Your Steak

Place your steak on the top rack with the drip pan below it – juices and drippings will fall off and combine with your mixture of butter, garlic, and herbs.

Depending on the size of your steak, it could stay on the grill for 45 minutes, give or take.

After the centermost point of your steak reaches your desired temperature (we take it off at 120ºF on a reverse sear), remove the meat and aluminum pan from the grill.

Finishing With A Sear

Next, crank up the heat to 450-500ºF.

Once your grill is scorching hot, place the steak on the grill grates directly over your heat.  Sear for about 5 minutes per side or until a delectable crust forms on each side.

Remove from the grill, allow to rest for another 5-10 minutes, then carve and enjoy!

Presenting A Grilled Tomahawk Steak

Now at this point, you’ve got an incredibly tasty piece of meat on your hands. I always like to take things a step further though and wow everybody with the presentation.

All you have to do for a steakhouse style presentation is to cut the steak along the bone line, detaching the meat from the bone.  From there, cut the steak into 1/2 inch wide strips – this is the perfect size for your audience to grab and share!

After you cut all of the strips, press the strips against each other, recreating the shape of the original, whole steak, and place the meat back up against the bone on the cutting board.

Enjoy, and happy grilling!

Where to Get Tomahawk Steaks Online

If you’re lucky like me, your local grocer or butcher will carry tomahawk ribeye steaks on a regular basis.  If that’s not the case for you, don’t worry!

In this day and age, technology can help you out.  The internet is an amazing place, and there are options out there to get tomahawk ribeyes delivered directly to your doorstep.

My personal favorite place to get tomahawk steaks online is from Snake River Farms.  Snake River Farms is a family owned and operated business whose aim is to produce and provide the highest quality farm to market beef in the USA.

Their American Wagyu beef is some of the highest quality, most decadent beef you’ll find just about anywhere.  I can personally attest to the quality of their food!

Snake River Farms Gold Grade Tomahawk Ribeye

The SNF Gold Grade tomahawk is their top-of-the-line, long-bone ribeye steak. Each steak is cut to the generous thickness of the rib bone and has unbelievable marbling

Check Price on SNF

The other recommendation we have to give is for you to check out Porter Road.  Their tomahawk steaks are a sight to behold and won’t completely break the bank.

Porter Road Tomahawk Ribeye

One of Porter Road's most impressive cuts, this steak is over 2 inches thick and sure to turn heads.

Check Price on Porter Road

Full disclosure, these steaks are pricey – but you can be sure that your stomach will thank you later!

Print

Grilled Tomahawk Steak Recipe

A simple, delicious grilled Tomahawk steak recipe that is sure to wow the crowd

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Grilling, Steak

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 900kcal

Author Jimmy Watts

Equipment

• Shallow Aluminum Pan (ideally 8" x 8" or larger)
• Basting Brush
• Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

• 1 Tomahawk Ribeye Steak (2.5 – 3.5 lbs)
• 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 2 tbsp Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
• 5 Garlic Cloves peeled
• 1 bundle Fresh Thyme
• 8 oz Butter
• ⅛ cup Olive Oil

Instructions

• Mix kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.  Use this mixture to season all sides of the ribeye steak generously.  You can also substitute your favorite steak seasoning.  After applying seasoning, let the steak rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
• Prepare 2 temperature zones on your grill.  This can be one hot side and one unheated side on the main cooking grate. Alternatively you can heat the full main grate and utilize your warming rack. I heat one side to ~500 degrees F for searing, and leave the burners off on the other side.
• Sear the steak over the hot side of the grill for 5 minutes on each side.  Halfway through each side (so after 2.5 minutes), rotate the steak 45-90 degrees to form grill marks on the steak.
• After the tomahawk steak has seared for 5 minutes on each side (10 minutes total), move the steak to a raised warming rack or to the cooler side of the grill.
• Stick your probe meat thermometer into the very center of the cut to measure internal temperature.
• Place butter stick, garlic cloves, olive oil, and thyme in the aluminum pan.  Then place the aluminum pan under the steak, if possible, to catch drippings.  After a few minutes, the steak drippings and ingredients will mix together.
• Baste the steak with the aluminum pan mixture every 10 minutes until the tomahawk steak reaches your desired doneness.
• Once the steak reaches its desired doneness, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board or serving dish.  The steak should rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting/serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 900kcal

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Traditional or Reverse Sear Better for Tomahawk Steak?

We tend to lean towards a reverse sear because it generally makes it easier to get a more consistent, uniform inside of the steak.

If you don’t get a traditional sear right or leave it on too long at the beginning, the outside portions of the steak might end up slightly overcooked compared to the inside.

How Long Does It Take to Grill a Tomahawk Steak?

A Tomahawk steak is a pretty large lump of meat, so you might be wondering how long you should grill it for. As you probably expect, it takes considerably longer to grill a tomahawk steak versus a “regular steak”

All in, plan for your grilled tomahawk steak to take about 45 minutes to an hour.

How Do You Reverse Sear a Tomahawk Steak on a Gas Grill?

One of the nicest finishes for a steak is a reverse sear, and the same thing applies to tomahawk steaks. But, knowing how to reverse sear a steak of this size is often difficult, so here’s what you need to do.

To begin the reverse sear, you should cook your tomahawk steak at a lower temperature of 250 degrees with indirect heat. Once the steak reaches about 110ºF internally, take your steak off the grill and crank up the temperature on your grill.

What Do You Serve with a Tomahawk Steak?

If you have cooked your Tomahawk steak, you might find yourself puzzled at what to serve with it. There are lots of wonderful things that you can serve with your tomahawk steak, here’s a list to help you.

These work perfectly with Tomahawk steak:

• Garlic butter mushrooms
• Cheesy scalloped potatoes
• Roasted Brussels sprouts
• Garlic butter potatoes
• Loaded cauliflower bake
• Thick-cut Fries/Wedges
• Mac and Cheese
• And lots more…

So if you are stumped about what to serve with your tomahawk steak, there’s no need to worry because there are lots of things that you can serve with your steak. Just check out the list above for some inspiration.

Final Thoughts

If you really want to take your tomahawk steak experience to the next level, find a great wine and steak pairing here.

How did it go on the grill with your steak?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments selection below!

The post How to Grill a Tomahawk Steak – Our Guide & Favorite Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

Fortunately, grilling frozen burgers really isn’t that difficult and it’s perfectly safe when done properly.  In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know for how to grill frozen burgers and see great results doing it!

So if you’re in a pinch, you’ve come to the right place.  Read on to learn everything you need to know about grilling frozen burgers.

A Quick Note On Thawing/Defrosting

Later we’ll get into a step by step guide for how to grill frozen burgers.  But when possible, it’s ideal to defrost.  The USDA has guidelines on how to safely defrost beef, and they also approve the method of cooking without thawing.

Even if you don’t completely thaw your burger patties, a little bit of time spent to thaw them out can help speed up the amount of time you’ll have to be on the grill. 

If your burger patties aren’t already seasoned, then defrosting at least until the outside layer of beef is thawed can help the burgers be much more receptive to seasoning.  Salt and pepper will stick a lot easier to thawed beef.

There are 3 approved methods for defrosting beef:

Refrigerator Thawing Burger Patties

Refrigerator thawing is probably the easiest and creates the least mess, but it also requires planning ahead.  You more or less need to place frozen burgers in the fridge 24 hours before you plan to cook them if you want a full thaw.

Cold Water Thawing Burger Patties

Cold water thawing is much faster than refrigerator thawing but requires your attention to make sure it’s done right.  Place your frozen burger patties in a leak proof package or plastic bag.  You don’t want your beef to absorb water – that will lead to bad results.

Submerge the bag or package in cold tap water.  You can do this in your sink, or in a large enough bowl or container.  If you only have 1 or 2 burger patties the entire process might take less than an hour.  More burger patties mean more time for a complete thaw.  But, you can cold water thaw for about 10 minutes until the outer layer is softened and ready for seasoning.

You MUST cook cold water thawed food immediately.  If you need to refreeze a portion of the beef it should also be cooked before refreezing.  It’s unsafe to cold water thaw beef and refreeze or refrigerate before cooking it.

Microwave Thawing Burger Patties

Even though we would not recommend thawing burger patties in the microwave (because we think just throwing them frozen on the grill will lead to better results), it’s a safe method of defrosting your burger.  It’s also by far the fastest method if you’re pinched for time.  But with how inconsistent the microwave is at uniformly heating food, we would strongly advise against using a microwave to thaw a frozen burger patty.

Similar to cold water thawing, you MUST immediately cook microwave thawed burger patties immediately after thawing.

Grilling Frozen Burgers Without Thawing

The USDA also says that it’s 100% safe to grill beef from a frozen state.  As a rule of thumb, expect the cooking process to take about 50% longer than normal when grilling frozen burgers.  Here’s a step by step guide to grilling frozen burgers:

Prepare Your Burger Patties

Take your burger patties out of the freezer.  Depending on how they are packaged or pressed, you might need to separate the patties and remove paper separators.  You can easily do this with the same spatula you’ll use on the grill.

If you have trouble with some of the patties sticking together, let them sit out for a few minutes to thaw, then try separating them again carefully with a spatula.  To speed the process up, you can use the cold water or microwave thaw method for only a couple of minutes to help separate the patties.

After each patty is separated, season to your preference with salt and pepper.  We like to season one side of the patty only at first, and put that side face down on the grill. 

Then, as the burger cooks the top side will soften up a bit – that’s when we season the other side.  Doing it this way will make your seasoning stick much better (at least on one side)!

Heat Up The Grill

No matter which type of grill you’re using, you’ll want to get the heat up sooner vs later since grilling frozen burger patties takes longer.  Ideal temperature for burgers is around 375ºF.

Cook the Frozen Burgers

Now comes the fun part!  Honestly, the process itself for grilling frozen burgers is not all that different from grilling thawed burgers.  The big difference is the time to completion – plan on frozen burger patties taking about 50% longer than thawed ones.

Place your seasoned patties firmly on the grill.  Flip them after 5 minutes and continue to flip every 5 minutes until they are completely cooked.  You should see juice rise to the top of your patties – that’s a good thing!  If your burgers stop releasing juice, you might have cooked them too long.

I am a huge advocate for using a probe meat thermometer of some kind to measure internal food temperature – especially when your food starts out in a frozen state.  That’s the only way of truly knowing whether your food is cooked to a safe temperature or not.

Most beginners don’t realize that seasoned pit masters and professionals rely on probe thermometers quite a bit.  It’s the only way you can assure consistent results.  Also, when dealing with frozen food – undercooking the inside just isn’t something I want to mess around with.

The USDA recommends for burgers that you cook to an internal temperature of 160ºF.

Flare Ups

Unless you have an infrared grill that reduces flare ups, it’s quite possible that you’ll experience them while grilling frozen burgers.

When this happens, simply move your burgers to a different part of the grill and wait until the flare goes away.  Then, you can feel free to move the patties back.

The reason is, prolonged exposure to a grill flare up can lead to the outside of your burgers getting burnt to a crisp with an inside that’s not cooked completely.

Serve and Enjoy!

Now it’s time to enjoy your grilled creation!  Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings and condiments.

Grilling Frozen Burgers – FAQ

How Long to Grill Frozen Burgers?

We always recommend grilling until your food reaches a certain internal temperature.  For burgers, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can cook to your own preference.

Generally speaking though, frozen burgers typically spend anywhere from 20-28 minutes on the grill.  Of course, that can vary depending on how thick (or thin) your frozen burger patties are – and how hot your grill is.

How Hot Should My Grill Be?

The most common practice for grilling burgers of any kind is to set your temperature to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit.  That’s a nice temperature where your burgers will cook relatively quickly, but it’s also hot enough where you’ll get some caramelization and crusty properties on the outside of the patty.

Grilling Frozen Burgers – Wrap Up

I hope this article has given you everything you need to confidently grill burgers at home!  The process isn’t all that different from a regular burger and it’s perfectly safe according to the USDA.

Just remember, it’s going to take a little more time and you need to make sure the inside of each patty reaches a safe internal temperature.  Don’t be in a rush when grilling frozen burgers, and you’ll see incredible results!

Be sure to check out our guide on how to keep your burger patties from falling apart next.  We’ve also made a guide to grilling frozen steaks if you want to check out how to grill other types of beef from a frozen state.

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