Grill Recipes – Own The Grill https://ownthegrill.com Ordinary People, Extraordinary Food Tue, 05 Sep 2023 14:51:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://i0.wp.com/ownthegrill.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/cropped-Own-The-Grill-Icon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Grill Recipes – Own The Grill https://ownthegrill.com 32 32 177643830 How to Grill a Tomahawk Steak – Our Guide & Favorite Recipe https://ownthegrill.com/how-to-grill-a-tomahawk-steak/ Wed, 06 Nov 2019 14:31:53 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=67 It’s hard to imagine a better main event for your dinner than […]

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

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It’s hard to imagine a better main event for your dinner than a properly cooked Tomahawk Steak.  Sometimes known as a Cowboy Steak, a thick cut of tomahawk steak is undoubtedly a meal fit for royalty.

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!

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
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 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
  • 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.

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Best Grill With Rotisserie – Our Top Choices and Buyer’s Guide https://ownthegrill.com/best-grill-with-rotisserie/ Sun, 08 Mar 2020 04:05:05 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=1210 I’ve always loved built in grill features that truly take your cooking […]

The post Best Grill With Rotisserie – Our Top Choices and Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Own The Grill.

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I’ve always loved built in grill features that truly take your cooking capabilities to the next level.  Of course you can make delicious food on any ol’ grill, but if you can add an extra style of cooking into the same cooker – why wouldn’t you?

One of my absolute favorite grill “extras” is the rotisserie.  A rotisserie is a tool that slowly rotates your food over a fire while it cooks and results in juicy, delicious slow roasted results that just can’t be replicated by other cooking methods.

Nowadays, many grills are sold with a rotisserie kit included or as a separate add on – so it’s never been easier to enjoy rotisserie cooked foods.

In this article, we’ve compiled a best grill with rotisserie list for you to compare some options!  We’ll also touch on the advantages of rotisserie cooking and will offer a few tips on how to get the most out of your grill’s rotisserie.

In a Hurry?  Here’s Our Top Picks:

  1. Weber Summit E-470 – Best Overall
  2. Blaze Professional LUX 44-Inch – Best Premium Option
  3. Lion Premium Grills L75000 Propane Grill
  4. Napoleon Prestige Pro 500
  5. Broil King Regal S490 Pro
  6. Monument Grills 4 Burner Gas Grill – Budget Choice

A Quick Note On Rotisserie Grill Prices

A proper rotisserie set up includes a couple of pieces of equipment that need to be built on to your grill.  First is the actual rotisserie kit, which is comprised of a spit and fork, and a motor that rotates the skewers on an axis.

The second thing that needs to be in a rotisserie grill is a rear burner.  A rear burner for rotisserie should use infrared heat, which is a more reliable, even, and consistent method of heating compared to a traditional gas burner.

It’s for these reasons that gills with rotisserie setups are typically more expensive than other grills, all else equal.  Typically, you’ll find rotisserie kits as optional add ons for grills in the mid-range price point – they often come standard on high-end and luxury grills.

Why a Grill with Rotisserie?

The standard, most common view of cooking is that we move heat around food to cook it.  Most types of grills, smokers, and ovens rely on this methodology of moving heat around your food in one way or another.

Rotisserie is a little bit different.  Instead, your food is skewered and rotated around the flame which over time ensures an even, self-basted, and slow roasted cooking results.

Nowadays, a dedicated rotisserie oven has become a more obscure appliance.  Instead, built in rotisserie kits for your grill are more popular, and add a level of versatility to your outdoor cooker.  The best grill with rotisserie provides you with an excellent outdoor cooker and access to a tried and true cooking method that makes succulent, juicy, and delicious food.

In addition to great tasting food, rotisserie cookers are incredibly easy to use.  It’s a true set it and forget it style of cooking.  All you have to do is place your food on the split, turn on your flame (or build it if using a charcoal fire), and sit back and relax while your food cooks evenly!

Best Grill with Rotisserie – Our Reviews

Weber Summit E-470

Weber is one of the most prominent grill manufacturers in North America, and their Summit Series is their high end family of outdoor cookers.  In particular, the Weber Summit E-470 is our choice out of this line for best grill with rotisserie capabilities.

This grill comes with burners galore.  There are four 12,000 BTU main burners, one 12,000 BTU side burner, one 10,600 BTU sear burner and one 10,600 BTU rotisserie burner.  Size wise, there are 580 square inches of primary cooking surface area.  The grates are stainless steel, which is a definite upgrade from enameled cast iron – stainless steel makes beautiful marks, won’t rust, and are easy to clean.

The rotisserie kit is also one of the most advanced out of any grill on this best grill for rotisserie list.  It’s a tuck away system that includes a pop up motor that stays out of the way while it’s not in use.  Also, there’s separate spit and fork storage for practicality and convenience.

Another handy feature is an LED lit tank scale display, which lets you see in real time how much propane is left in your tank.  It’s a great visual reminder and eliminates situations where you lose propane supply mid cook.

The side shelves provide a generous amount of work space to utilize while you prepare or serve your food.  Each shelf also has 3 tool hooks each for easy accessory storage.

Last but not least, the E-470 is backed by Weber’s signature 10 year limited warranty – which offers great protection if you end up with this grill.

Things We Like:

  • Every design feature and material used in the grill construction is premium
  • Dedicated side burner, sear burner, and rotisserie burner
  • Tuck away rotisserie system
  • Lots of shelf and tool storage space
  • 10 year manufacturer’s warranty

Things We Don’t

  • Price is high, there’s no way around it.  It’s a great grill but might be out of some budgets

Blaze Professional Lux 44-Inch Gas Grill

Professional Grade

If you’re looking for a commercial quality grill to complete an outdoor kitchen, the Blaze Pro 4 Burner Built-In gas grill is an excellent choice that comes with a rotisserie attachment standard.  It also comes in a freestanding configuration on a cart.

There are also plenty of other Blaze Grill options that are compatible with their rotisserie kit, you may just have to pay a little extra on top of the base unit.

This grill is powered by 4 commercial quality stainless steel H shaped burners, which each supply 18,000 BTU’s of heat.  On the back of the grill there’s an infrared burner specifically for use in tandem with the rotisserie, so you can ensure an even cook every time you use it.

Theres also quite a bit of cooking surface area on this grill – 1,050 square inches in total, plenty cook for a large party.  A drip tray beautifully manages grease so that clean up is a breeze.

Illuminated control knobs create a sophisticated look and aid your night time cooks.  There are interior lights that can turn on when the grill lid opens to further help with later cooking.

Lion Premium Grills L75000

Lion L75000 32-Inch Built-In Gas Grill
  • 830 sq. in. total cooking surface area
  • Four burners have 15,000 BTUs heat output each
  • Rear infrared burner for rotisserie
Check Price on BBQGuys Check Price on Amazon

If you’re in the market for a built-in grill, Lion Premium Grills is one of our favorite manufacturers for built-ins.  Their L75000 32″ Gas Grill is one of their most solid products and worthy of consideration.  Pretty much every single component is constructed of a high quality stainless steel that can last decades.

It features 830 square inches of cooking surface area across premium stainless steel cooking grates.  The stainless steel grates are a perfect surface for cooking just about anything, and make beautiful grill marks on your food.

Each of the 4 main burners and a rear rotisserie burner have a 15,000 BTU output capacity.  The rear burner relies on infrared grill technology to reliably and safely cook rotisserie style.

On top of all of that, this grill comes with a grill cover, smoker box, griddle cooking surface, and a griddle remover included.

For more on this brand, check out our Lion Grills review next!

Things We Like:

  • Premium built in grill
  • All parts are made of stainless steel (including stainless steel grates)
  • Comes with rotisserie kit, cover, smoker box, and griddle
  • Lifetime warranty on burners

Things We Don’t:

  • Price is pretty high
  • Built in style might not be ideal for everybody

Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 Built-In Grill with Infrared Rotisserie

Napoleon Prestige PRO 500 Built-in Propane Grill
  • Four main burners put out 16,000 BTUs each
  • Signature Napoleon wave shaped grates
  • Stainless steel exterior with chrome finish
Check Price on BBQGuys Check Price on Amazon

A built in alternative to the Lion Premium Propane Grill is the Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 Built-in.  Instead of being fueled by propane, this iteration of the Napoleon Prestige Pro is fueled by a natural gas connection.

The grill is constructed of stainless steel with chrome accents.  Napoleon has uniquely shaped grates – they’re more of a wave pattern instead of straight rods.  Practically, they function very similarly if not the same as traditional stainless steel grates.  The grill marks made by this grill are pretty unique though!

The Prestige Pro features four main 16,000 BTU stainless steel burners, one 16,000 BTU infrared grill burner, and one 15,500 BTU rear infrared burner.

If you want to read more about what Napoleon is all about, check out our review of their Prestige Pro 825.

Things We Like:

  • Powerful burners, including an infrared burner and a rear infrared burner
  • Wave shaped stainless steel grates perform beautifully and make bold grill marks
  • Stainless steel exterior with chrome finish
  • Natural gas fuel source is as easy to use as it gets

Things We Don’t:

  • Even though it’s set up for rotisserie, it doesn’t come with rotisserie kit included (kit must be purchased separately)
  • On the expensive side

Broil King Regal S490 Pro

The Broil King Regal S490 is another great choice for your back patio.

This is a 4 burner gas grill (offered in either propane fueled or natural gas fueled) and features 805 total square inches of cooking surface area.  555 of those square inches are on the primary cast iron cooking grates, and the other 260 are split between a warming rack and dedicated side burner.

Broil King has a patented burner design and cooking system which ensure even heating throughout the cooking chamber of your grill.  The cast iron cooking grates also do a fantastic job of this, and will make some beautiful sear marks on your food.

A powerful 15,000 BTU dedicated rotisserie burner sits on the back side of the grill, and comes with a premium spit rod and motor to ensure that the rotisserie cooking experience is top of the line.

All around, this is an incredibly versatile gas grill that can handle just about anything you throw at it.  It’s a best grill with rotisserie choice for us because the rotisserie kit on this grill in particular is really nice and high quality.

4 locking wheel casters make transporting the Baron around your patio pretty easy.  The two foldable side shelves are practical and give you access to extra preparation space for your cook.

One thing I love about this grill is that Broil King backs it with a pretty generous warranty.  There’s a lifetime warranty on the cook box, a 10 year warranty on the burners, and a 2 year warranty on all other parts.

Things We Like:

  • Premium rotisserie kit with powerful dedicated burner
  • Retains heat well and distributes it evenly
  • 805 square inches of total cooking surface area (side burner included)
  • Covered by a generous warranty
  • High quality burners are reliable and can get as hot as you need them to

Things We Don’t:

  • Assembly of this grill is a pain, and the instructions aren’t the easiest to follow

Broil King Regal S590 Pro Gas Grill

The Broil King Regal S590 Pro Gas Grill is pretty similar to their Baron 590 model, but with a few clear upgrades.

First off, the cooking grates are rod stainless steel instead of porcelain coated cast iron.  These 9mm stainless steel cooking grids are heavy duty and built to provide incredibly even heat and consistent results.  The sear marks made by these grates are beautiful, and with proper care they will last a long time.

There’s also a little extra primary cooking surface area with 625 square inches to work with.  250 more square inches are spread across a side burner and swing away warming rack.

When it’s time to switch out your propane tank, a slide out tank holder makes the process as simple and pain free as possible.  The powerful rotisserie burner is complimented by a premium spit rod and motor to make the entire set up very easy to use.

Things We Like:

  • Lots of cooking surface area to work with (875 square inches total)
  • 10 year warranty on burners, 2 years on everything else
  • Stainless steel cooking grates are a perfect grilling surface
  • Premium rotisserie set up
  • Slide out tank holder built in

Things We Don’t:

  • Price is on the higher end of the spectrum

Monument Grills 4 Burner Propane Grill

In terms of bang for your buck, our top pick for best grill with rotisserie might be the Monument Grills 4 Burner Gas Grill with Rotisserie.  This grill performs well and is offered at an extremely reasonable price.

All of the major components are made of stainless steel, including the burners, lid, cabinet, side trays, and burner plate.  The cooking grates are porcelain enameled cast iron, and provide 513 square inches of primary cooking area to work with.

You’re also afforded an additional 210 square inches of cooking surface area between a swing away warming rack and an extra side burner on the right shelf.  The warming rack is ideal for keeping foods warm and the side burner is great for sautéing veggies or whipping up a side sauce.

The Monument 17842 is also really easy to use.  Your propane tank conveniently fits inside of the grill’s cabinet.  From there, all you have to do to get started is open your propane tank connection, turn your burner knobs, and press your grill’s quick ignition button.  The rotisserie attachment comes included, and works intuitively with the design of this grill.

Things We Like:

  • Made with quality stainless steel parts (burners included)
  • Great price point for what you get
  • Rotisserie kit is easy to set up and use
  • 513 square inches of primary cooking surface area with additional warming rack and side burner
  • Powerful burners, this grill can get up to high temperatures for that perfect sear

Things We Don’t:

  • Porcelain enameled cast iron grates are great to cook on, but can rust over time if you don’t take good care of your cast iron grates

Monument Grills 6 Burner Propane Gas Grill

If you’re looking for a little extra cooking surface area, the Monument Grills 6 Burner Gas Grill is a comfortable choice.  It’s one of our favorite 6 burner gas grills, and offers a really nice blend of performance and affordability.

This grill offers a whopping total of 900 square inches of cooking surface area.  The primary surface is 634 square inches, and the warming rack comprises the other 266 square inches.  Stainless steel is the material of choice for the cooking grates, which as you know by now is a great material for even and consistent cooking.

A few practical features make this grill very easy to use.  An electric ignition quick start system means you can fire up your grill with the press of a button.  When it’s time to clean up, a removable drip pan is easy to take out and dispose of your drippings.  A slide out shelf also holds your propane tank conveniently inside the cabinet.

The rotisserie kit comes included, and the burners are backed by an 8 year warranty.  All other parts are covered by a 1 year warranty.

Things We Like

  • Lots of cooking surface area (900 square inches)
  • Stainless steel cooking grates
  • Quick ignition system
  • Removable drip pan and slide out propane tank shelf
  • 8 year warranty on the burners
  • Low price

Things We Don’t

  • The large cooking surface area is nice, but this grill takes up a lot of space and might not be ideal if your patio is tight on space

What Can I Cook on a Rotisserie?

The first food that comes to mind as a candidate to go on the spit is chicken (which is a great choice!), but what else can you cook on the rotisserie?  Here’s a list of different foods you should try out after you get your best grill with rotisserie:

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Lamb
  • Prime rib roast
  • Roast beef
  • Prime rib
  • Pineapple
  • Pork shoulder
  • Pork tenderloin

Best Grill with Rotisserie – Buying Tips

Everybody’s needs are different, and especially when it comes to grills there are a lot of factors to consider before making a big purchase.  With that in mind, we’ve put together a little list of things to look out for when comparing different grills.

Cooking Surface Area and Grill Size

Perhaps the first consideration of any grill purchase should be the practicality of how big your grill is.  First, consider the crowd you’ll be cooking for.  Are you planning to grill for many people at large tailgates or cookouts?  Or are your needs just going to be for a small family at home?  The answer should inform your desired cooking surface area – having enough grilling space is crucial and will make your life a lot easier as the grill master.

On a relatable note, you should measure out how much space you have on your patio where your grill can stay.  Especially when you take into account side shelves, these grills can have a pretty wide footprint.  With that in mind, it’s important that you buy something that fits into your outdoor cooking space.

Propane vs Natural Gas

Your typical grill with rotisserie is going to be a gas grill.  Most rotisserie burners rely on infrared technology to cook your food, and this can be fueled either by propane or natural gas.

Propane fueled grills connect to portable and refillable 20 pound propane tanks.  The fuel is cheap and can be refilled at your local home improvement store.  They’re very easy to use and portability is nice.  The downside is that it can be a pain to have to refill your tank, especially if your gas runs out mid cook.

Natural gas grills on the other hand connect to your in home gas line.  So you have to have an outdoor natural gas connection.  The fuel is also cheap, and the nice thing is that you’ll never have to worry about running out of fuel.  The downside of natural gas is that you’re limited to placing your grill where it can reach your gas connection.

Each type of gas fuel is viable and burns clean, but it’s something you should consider before making the big purchase.

Warranty

Any time I make a big purchase, grill or otherwise, one of the first things I look for is the manufacturer’s warranty.  Not only does the warranty protect your purchase, but it’s a signal from the manufacturer that they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is.

Most grills have anywhere from a 1 to 10 year warranty.  Ideally your grill’s burners, at a minimum, should be covered by a 5 or more year warranty.

Price

Obviously, price is always one of the top factors to consider when looking at different grills.  When it comes to the best grill with rotisserie, expect to pay around $500 for lower end grills and up to $3,000 for high end grills that come with all of the bells and whistles.

There’s a trade off at all price tiers, and the lower end will feature bare bones grills that can certainly get the job done and make delicious food.  They just won’t have any additional features.

On the other hand, with a multi thousand dollar grill, you should expect lots of great ease of use and cooking features that enhance your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Add a Rotisserie to Any BBQ?

You can add a rotisserie attachment to most types of barbecue or grill, but it is best to check compatibility before purchase. Many rotisserie attachments are universal, but they need to be suitable for the length and width of the grill.

The attachment will often consist of pronged forks, a rotating motor, and counterbalances. This simple device is then screwed or fixed to the barbecue. You may also need to consider the heat source.

Rotisserie is often cooked by indirect heat, typically from the back or sides. Depending on the type of grill you own, this may require adjustment.

Adding a rotisserie attachment is a good way to try out a type of cooking without making a huge investment. If you already own a grill, attaching a rotisserie gives it a new versatility. For another option, standalone rotisseries can also be purchased.

Are Rotisserie Grills Worth It?

Yes, if you want a new way to cook food, and enjoy a hands-off approach. A rotisserie slowly moves the meat around, ensuring an even cook with minimum interference. It’s a great way to ensure that large cuts of meat cook evenly. For meats such as chicken and duck, a rotisserie locks in moisture during a slow cooking process.

A big advantage to the rotisserie is that it doesn’t require much attention. Rather than moving the heat, a rotisserie moves the food, and it does so all by itself. If you prefer to let the grill do the work, then a rotisserie provides the perfect chance to sit back.

If you’re interested in purchasing or upgrading a grill, a rotisserie grill is a fantastic option to have. However, they are generally a more expensive option. If you’re worried about the price, consider a rotisserie attachment.

What is a Rotisserie Burner on a Grill?

The rotisserie burner is a back burner on a grill that cooks using infrared technology to create a radiant heat source. There are many advantages. By heating from behind, the rotisserie burner is protected from dripping grease, preventing scorching or fires.

The infrared technology turns a burning flame into an even heat source, allowing the food to cook slowly to retain maximum juiciness. Using a rotisserie burner is the easiest way to cook thick cuts without drying them out, or burning them.

Rotisseries typically cook from the back, but this isn’t always possible with a non-rotisserie grill. The rotisserie burner is a fantastic upgrade as it heats quickly, cooks slowly and evenly, and is the safe way to cook thick cuts of meat. The infrared technology does the work, while you can sit back and wait for your meat to finish cooking.

What Can You Cook on a Rotisserie Grill?

There are many things that can be cooked on a rotisserie grill, and it goes far beyond just poultry. Although whole chicken may be the first food that comes to mind, beef, lamb, pork, and even vegetables can all taste fantastic when cooked using a rotisserie grill.

The rotisserie grill is best for cooking big, thick chunks of meat. Due to the slow movement and even heat source, it ensures a safe cook without drying the meat out.

Use a rotisserie grill for cooking: chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, rib roast, prime rib, beef joints, pork shoulder, and pork tenderloin. You can use a rotisserie to cook vegetables, and even a pineapple for dessert.

The best foods to cook on the rotisserie are a uniform shape, to ensure an even cook. Use marinades and rubs to lock in the flavoring, and enjoy experimenting.

What’s the Difference Between Rotisserie and Roasting?

There isn’t much difference between rotisserie and roasting, at least in terms of end result. In the original meaning, roasting was used to refer to any food cooked over an open flame, typically using a shaft.

Nowadays, this method is generally known as rotisserie. Rotisserie uses a spit, which either self rotates or is hand turned, to cook the meat thoroughly. The modern usage of roasting now refers to food that’s cooked using the convection heat of the oven.

Rotisserie cooking is typically used to indicate that the food was cooked using a rotating spit. Although this is commonly done using an open flame, a rotisserie can also be installed in a typical oven. Both methods are good for cooking large cuts of meat slowly, and locking the moisture in.

In terms of nutrition, there’s little difference between roasted and rotisserie style food.

Do You Close the Lid When Using Rotisserie?

It is best to close the lid when using a rotisserie, as this traps the heat in. With the lid open, the heat of the grill escapes, so that only the bottom of the food is cooking at any time. This means it takes significantly longer to cook, and likely won’t cook as evenly.

By closing the lid, you keep the heat in, and allow the rotisserie burner to work at its best.

However, you can cook using a rotisserie with the lid open, the results just won’t be as good. The larger cuts of meat can take a long time to cook, especially when the heat is escaping out the top. This results in the meat drying out, and potentially some areas becoming overcooked.

If you have a grill with a built-in rotisserie, check the user’s manual for the correct usage.

How Much Weight Can a Rotisserie Hold?

A rotisserie will typically be designed to hold between 15 and 20 pounds. Smaller rotisseries may only be equipped to comfortably hold 10 pounds. A large rotisserie grill will generally hold a midsized turkey, but might not be able to handle a large one.

If you overload the rotisserie spit, it will often bend and can break. If it’s too heavy, the spit may not be able to turn properly, meaning the food won’t be cooked correctly.

Sometimes, you may need to add weight to the rotisserie using the counterweight. This balances out unusually shaped cuts of meat, so that the spit can rotate smoothly. The counterweights should be factored into the total weight that the rotisserie can support.

To be sure of the weight your rotisserie will hold, check the user’s manual. This will give you the exact specifications for your grill.

Final Thoughts

I hope this list of our top best grill with rotisserie choices has helped to get you off on the right foot in your search!  At the end of the day, buying a grill is a big decision and can lay the foundation for many delicious meals in your future.

By looking for a rotisserie set up, you’re already off to a great start.  This tried and true method of cooking will lead to delicious results, and great memories amongst your family and friends.

Which grill did you end up with?  We want to hear about it in the comments section below!

The post Best Grill With Rotisserie – Our Top Choices and Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Pellet Grill Steaks – How to Fire Up a Delicious Steak on Your Traeger, Pit Boss, Etc. https://ownthegrill.com/pellet-grill-steaks/ Mon, 30 Mar 2020 21:24:26 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=1384 So you’ve acquired a pellet grill and now it’s time to satisfy […]

The post Pellet Grill Steaks – How to Fire Up a Delicious Steak on Your Traeger, Pit Boss, Etc. appeared first on Own The Grill.

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So you’ve acquired a pellet grill and now it’s time to satisfy your craving for a meaty, mouthwatering steak.  No matter what your favorite cut of beef is, the pellet grill is a perfect cooker to prepare a delicious steak dinner.

In this article, we’ll go everything you need to know for how to make incredible pellet grill steaks.  By the end, you’ll be a bona fide grill master and ready to grill up some delicious wood fired beef.

So read on if you’re ready to fire up your Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Green Mountain, Req Teq, or other pellet grill brand of choice!

The Pellet Grill – A Quick Overview

How Your Cooker Works

Many people do not realize that pellet grills are actually convection cookers.  The firepot where pellets are ignited is covered by a deflector plate.  A fan then distributes air and heat around the cooking chamber in a convection-style manner.

Because of this, you might logically think that a pellet grill can’t sear since direct heat grilling isn’t used.  While that’s somewhat true, it’s certainly possible to get a sear and beautiful grill marks on a pellet grill steak.

Getting That Perfect Sear

Searing happens when food comes into direct contact with heat.  If you were to cook a steak on a griddle, for example, the entire side of the steak comes into contact with the cooking surface – so an entire seared crust builds up on the outside of each steak.

A pellet grill steak can achieve seared grill marks where the steak comes into contact with the scorching hot grill grates.  The key is to really crank the grill’s heat up when it’s time to sear – ideally up to 475 or 500°F if your grill supports it.  Searing will occur on the portion of the steak that directly contacts the grate, forming beautiful grill marks.

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The Best Way To Cook Steaks On A Traeger or Pit Boss

When it comes to preparing steak on the pellet grill, there are really two main methods to get the job done.

Method 1 – The Reverse Sear

If I had to choose the best way to prepare a pellet grill steak, I’d definitely have to say the reverse sear.  Reverse searing is a process in which your steak is smokes on a lower temperature for a period of time.  During this time, your steak not only cooks evenly, but it picks up some delicious wood fired smoky flavor off of your pellet grill’s ignited wood pellets.

After your steak smokes on the grill low and slow, you remove it from the grill grates and crank up the heat.  Once your grill has heated all the way, the steaks go back on the grill – but this time for a relatively quick sear to finish it off.

With the reverse sear you get the best of both worlds in the sense that you can get a solid sear along with complex, tasty smoky flavor in your steak.  The “catch” is that the reverse sear method takes a little bit longer than cooking steak with a more traditional sear.

The Reverse Sear – Step By Step

Here’s a step by step guide for reverse searing steak on a pellet grill.  Note you’ll need a probe meat thermometer to best cook your steaks!

  • Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F.  If your pellet grill has a high smoke setting, turn it on for this part.
  • Season steaks generously with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.  My personal opinion is that if you buy a good cut of steak, that’s all the seasoning you need – but certainly feel free to substitute your own seasoning mixture or favorite steak rub!
  • Smoke your steaks on the pellet grill until they reach an internal temperature of 110°F.  Then remove them from the grill and set on a plate or cutting board to rest.
  • Crank up your grill’s temperature to 500°F if it’s supported.  Anything 450°F or above is great though.
  • Once grill temperature is up, place steaks back on the grill.  Sear for about 4 minutes per side, so 8 minutes total.  Flip only once halfway through.
  • Measure your steak’s internal temperature and remove from the grill once they reach your desired doneness.  I like my steak medium rare and typically pull it off the grill at 128°F.  Pull at 135°F for medium and 145°F for medium well.
  • Let your steak rest Your steak will continue to cook and get a few degrees warmer while it rests, and this will also allow the juices to redistribute to the entire steak.
  • Slice, serve, and enjoy!

*Note* the USDA recommends steak be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F but the above temperatures are the standard doneness preferences for experienced and professional chefs.

Method 2 – The Traditional Sear

If you’re a little bit short on time or just prefer a more “traditional” method of cooking a steak, here’s what you need to do:

Step By Step For The “Traditional” Sear

  • Preheat your pellet grill to 450°F.
  • Season your steaks generously with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  • Once grill has preheated, place steaks on the cooking grate.  Cook for about 5-6 minutes per side, so 10-12 minutes total.  Flip halfway through and try to resist the temptation to open the lid and peek except for when you’re flipping.
  • After 10 minutes total on the grill, measure your steak’s internal temperature with a probe meat thermometer.  Remove from the grill once the beef reaches your desired doneness.

Which Wood Pellets are Best for Steaks?

When I cook steak, I typically stick to either Hickory, Mesquite, or Pecan.  Hickory and Mesquite (Mesquite especially) are on the stronger end in terms of smokiness.  Steaks are very beefy and strong cuts of meat though and hold up very nicely to strong smoke flavor.

If I’m looking to mix things up I’ll go with pecan.  Pecan is an under-appreciated wood type for grilling and smoking in my opinion.  It’s just a tiny bit less strong on the smoke flavor compared to hickory but has a vanilla and nutty finish that adds some fantastic layering and complexity to steak’s flavor profile.

I know many people who also use Oak wood pellets for steak and rave about the results.  Oak is also a great choice, I just personally don’t use it for steak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Pellet Grills Good for Steaks?

Yes, pellet grills are good for cooking steaks. In fact, pellet grills are perfect for cooking steaks. A good steak is juicy and mouth-watering, and seared on both sides, and you can achieve this perfection with a pellet grill.

Pellet grills are packed with wonderful features that make them excellent, from efficiency to less mess, and the fact that they do not run on charcoal. All of these features that make pellet grills excellent, also explain why they are so good for cooking steak.

For example, the last thing that you want is to be eating a steak that stinks (and even tastes) of charcoal. With a pellet grill, this will never happen.

So, yes, pellet grills are good for steaks. This is mainly because a pellet grill will showcase the natural flavor of the steak, instead of masking it with the scent of charcoal. So, if you have a pellet grill, you definitely can cook your steak on it.

Do You Need to Flip Meat on a Pellet Grill?

We discussed earlier how pellet grills are akin to convection ovens in many ways. Because of this, it’s not 100% necessary to flip your steaks (in other words, you could conceivably not flip your steak and still have it cook through all the way), but flipping is highly recommended.

The reason is because you’ll want to have an equal sear and grill marks on each side of the steak. Presentation and the eating experience would be a little goofy if you had a significantly stronger caramelization on one side of your beef vs the other.

What Temperature Do You Cook Steak on a Pellet Grill?

One of the most difficult things when it comes to cooking is knowing what temperature to cook meat at.

The ideal temperature varies based on how thick your cut is, and subsequently how long you’re cooking your steak.  Generally speaking, we like to sear at or above 425ºF then let it finish closer to 300-325ºF.

Your cook will be much more consistent if you preheat your grill. So, around 15 minutes before you want to cook, set your grill to this heat and close the lid.

After the grill has preheated, it is ready to use to cook your steak. You should then keep your steak on the grill until the internal temperature of the meat matches your desired doneness (rare/medium rare/well done/etc.).

How Long Does It Take to Cook a Steak on a Pellet Grill?

The amount of time that it will take to cook your steak depends heavily on how well done you like your steak. If you like your steak served rare, then it will take significantly less time to cook than a steak that needs to be well done.

Generally speaking, it will take around 12-15 minutes to cook a steak on a pellet grill. This is based on the assumption that your grill is set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If you choose to cook at a lower temperature, then it will take longer for your steak to cook.

As long as your grill was preheated, and you keep the lid down on the grill, then your steak should cook in no time. But remember to keep an eye on the temperature throughout.

Pellet Grill Steaks – Final Thoughts

I hope this guide to pellet grill steaks has you excited to go pick up some beef from the store!  Steak is a classic grilled food and the pellet grill is a perfect cooker to prepare it on.

We’ve dedicated an entire article to picking out the best pellet grills for searing that you can check out if you want to make sure your cooker is capable of delivering beautiful sear marks.

Did you try out the reverse sear?  How did it go?  What’s your favorite type of wood pellets for grilling steaks?  We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section below.

The post Pellet Grill Steaks – How to Fire Up a Delicious Steak on Your Traeger, Pit Boss, Etc. appeared first on Own The Grill.

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How Long to Grill Ribs [Tender, Tasty, Delicious Results] https://ownthegrill.com/how-long-to-grill-ribs/ Mon, 11 May 2020 22:51:09 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=1651 When it comes to a delicious and authentic BBQ cookout, ribs are […]

The post How Long to Grill Ribs [Tender, Tasty, Delicious Results] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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When it comes to a delicious and authentic BBQ cookout, ribs are one of the first types of food that come to mind.

In terms of how to best prepare a rack of ribs – well, conventional BBQ wisdom is that ribs should always be cooked low and slow on a smokerBut that’s not the only way to enjoy this all American classic.

As it turns out, cooking ribs on the grill is a perfectly viable and easy way to get the job done as long as you know what to do and how long to grill ribs.

So if you were asking yourself “how long do you grill ribs?”, you’ve come to the right place.  In this article, we’ve created a complete guide to grilling ribs for legendary results.  By the end, you’ll be well on your way to BBQ glory!

A Couple of Quick Notes

Hot and Fast or Low and Slow?

How long your ribs stay on the grill largely depends on how hot your grill is running. The hotter your grill runs, the less time you spend cooking.

The tradeoff is that the shorter your ribs cook at higher heat, the less tender your end results will be. That’s why we typically recommend that you take it low and slow with grilled ribs.

Below when we discuss how long to grill each type of ribs, we’ll highlight a hot and fast cooking time compared to a low and slow option.

What Type of Ribs?

The first thing that comes to mind for many when they think of ribs is classic pork baby back ribs.

While these are an incredibly popular option, there are actually quite a few more types of ribs out there to choose from.  And which type of ribs you’re cooking can make a pretty big difference on how long you should grill ribs.

Compare pork baby back vs St. Louis style ribs for example.  Each come from a pig and are actually cut right next to each other on the rib cage.  But baby back ribs are markedly more tender and therefore require less time in the heat, reducing the required cooking time for a rack by as much as an hour.

You’ll also notice below that there’s a fairly wide range of time we recommend for how long to grill ribs.  The reason is because there can be a little bit of variance in size between rib slabs, and not all rib slabs are created equal.  Bigger slabs will require a longer time on the grill than smaller ones.

Patience Is Key

One more note before we touch on specifics in terms of how long to grill ribs.  Any cut of BBQ isn’t going to be the type of food that you can just throw in the microwave like it’s a bowl of ramen noodles.

For ribs, a little bit of time and patience is going to be crucial to a successful cook.  You’ll also need to pay attention to them and be able to check on progress every so often while they’re on the grill.

If you aren’t careful, you run the risk of under cooking or over cooking your ribs.  Under cooking ribs leads to food with a tough and chewy texture.  Nobody wants that.

Over cooking ribs on the other hand leads to meat falling off the bone when you pick them up, especially if you are spritzing often.  While “fall off the bone” might sound catchy, that’s not exactly what we’re looking for when it comes to cooking ribs.

There’s definitely a sweet spot when it comes to cooking a rack of ribs.  The goal is to cook a tender rib that can be picked up by the bone and eaten with your hands.  Achieving that perfect balance of tenderness and flavor on the grill simply requires a little bit of time and patience.

Tip: Use a Two Zone Grilling Set Up

You want to use a two zone grilling set up when grilling ribs, essentially turning your grill into a convection side cooker where your food is cooked with indirect heat.

Indirect heat cooking will lead to even, tender, and tasty results when it comes to low and slow cooking on a grill.  Using direct heat will mean that you run the risk of over cooking the outer layer of your ribs before the inside has had a chance to properly cook.  The end result of that would be a charred outside and a tough, chewy inside.

You can read more about indirect heat grilling here, but essentially you should turn on the burners on only one side of your grill, and place your food on the other side of the grill (the indirect side) to cook.

How Long To Grill Ribs?

Here’s a quick reference guide for how long to grill a few of the most common types of ribs.  For each type, we’ll give guidelines on how long to cook the fast way (higher temperature) or the slow way (lower temperature).

Remember, it’s generally best for your end results to go with the lower temperature and longer time option.  Personally, I would never cook ribs “fast” as I believe far superior results can be achieved by doing things the low and slow way.  But sometimes life happens and we get into a hurry before dinner time.

It’s also worth noting that these guidelines for how long to cook ribs are only general rules of thumb.  What you’re really trying to do is cook your ribs until they reach an internal temperature of 203°F (measure using a probe thermometer), which is the optimal time to take your ribs off of the cooker.  More on this in a moment.

The longer you cook (and the lower the temperature), the more time your meat has for fat to render and connective tissue to break down – which leads to the mouthwatering and tender results we’re after.

How Long to Grill Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs are cut from the loin section of a pig, and come from the part of the rib cage that connects to the backbone of the pig.  If you’re lucky, your butcher might have even left an inch or so of tender loin meat on the top side of your rib rack.

Baby backs typically come in slabs of 11 to 13 ribs and are incredibly tender and not quite as meaty as some other cuts.  Because of this, they don’t need to spend as much time on the grill or smoker to break down connective tissues and reach optimal tenderness.

The Slow Way (Ideal):

If you’ve got time on your side, set your grill’s temperature to 225°F and cook your ribs for about 4 to 5 hours, depending on the size of your slab.

The Fast Way:

If you’re looking to get baby back ribs done in a hurry, set your grill to 325°F and place your ribs on the indirect side and cook for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.  By then, the meaty section should have shrunk back from the bone a tiny bit and the meat should have a nice tenderness to it.

How Long to Grill St. Louis Style Ribs (or Spareribs)

St. Louis style pork ribs come from the sparerib portion of the pig, which is cut just below the baby back section of the rib cage.  Spareribs have the rib tip section attached, whereas St. Louis style has the rib tip section chopped off.

This cut of ribs is naturally larger and tougher compared to baby backs, and tastes meatier and can be much more flavorful.  Since they are larger and tougher, they require a little bit more time on the grill to finish.

The Slow Way (Ideal):

For proper low and slow grill cooking, set your grill’s temperature to 225°F and place the ribs on the indirect side to cook for about 5 to 6 hours.

The Fast Way:

If you’re in a rush for St. Louis style ribs, set your grill’s temperature to 325°F and grill the ribs on the indirect side for approximately 2 to 3 hours.

How Long to Grill Beef Back Ribs

Beef back ribs come from the same section of a steer as the prime rib roast.  In case you didn’t know, prime rib is a prized cut of beef and butchers can typically get top dollar for it.  Because of this, beef back ribs typically have bone exposed and minimal meat on top of the bones.  The fingers in between each of the bones will house the meaty goodness of beef back ribs.

Beef back ribs are a tough cut of meat that requires some time on the cooker to truly tenderize.  Get it right and your BBQ ribs will be the stuff of legend.

The Slow Way (Ideal):

For low and slow cooking, set your grill’s temperature to 225°F and place the beef back ribs on the grill to cook for about 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours.

The Fast Way:

For low and slow cooking, set your grill’s temperature to 325°F and grill the ribs on the indirect side for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

How Long to Grill Beef Short Ribs

Beef short ribs are a prized cut of BBQ pit masters around the country.  They’re known for being high in fat and full of incredibly robust and delicious beefy flavor.

Additionally, the meat is all on top of the bones when it comes to the short rib section.  With this cut, we’ll want to cook them low and slow on the grill at 225°F.

The amount of time it takes to cook beef short ribs has more to do with the thickness of the beef layer on top of the bone.  Most cuts will have 1 to 2 inches of beef on top.

  • For 1 inch thick beef: cook at 225°F for about 1 hour for medium rare results (130°F internal temperature)
  • For 1 1/2 inch thick beef: cook at 225°F for about 1 1/2 hours for medium rare results (130°F internal temperature)
  • For 1 inch thick beef: cook at 225°F for about 2 hours for medium rare results (130°F internal temperature)

How to Tell If Ribs Are Ready to Eat

The USDA recommends that pork and beef both be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F to be considered done.  Many professional chefs cook beef steak cuts to only 128°F or so before they are served.

It’s important to note here the difference between “safe to eat” and finished.

Since ribs are tougher cuts of meat, they should be cooked longer and until they reach a higher internal temperature so that the connective tissues and fats have ample time to break down and render.

Ribs (and many other BBQ cuts like brisket) are generally cooked until an internal temperature of 190°F to 205°F.  Aaron Franklin, a BBQ idol of mine, recommends that you cook to an internal temperature of 203°F.

The best way to tell if ribs are ready is to measure internal temperature of your meat with a probe meat thermometer.  When measuring, make sure that the probe measures a thick section in the center of the slab.  The bones are sure to be piping hot and will throw off your temperature reading if the probe gets too close.

There are also a couple of quick checks you can do if you don’t have a thermometer handy:

Slightly Twist a Bone

Grab the tip of a bone from the middle of your slab and give it a slight twist.  You should feel the bone easily start to break from the meat, indicating that your meat is the perfect tenderness.  If the bone comes out without resistance, you might have cooked them a little too long.  If it doesn’t tear free from the bone at all, they might need to spend more time cooking.

The Bend Test

You can also pick up your slab with a pair of BBQ gloves or thongs.  The meat should just start to bend and separate off of the bone when they are perfectly finished.  Be careful to not do this test too quickly, as your slab could be ruined if all of the meat fell off of the bone onto your grill grates!

Which Type Of Grills Are Best for Grilling Ribs?

When it comes to how long to grill ribs, the type of grill doesn’t make a huge difference.  In other words, you can expect your cooking time to remain the same whether you’re using a charcoal grill, gas grill, kamado grill, or pellet grill.

That being said though, it’s more ideal to use grills that use charcoal or wood pellets as a fuel source.  Wood pellets and charcoal both smoke when ignited, and the smoke will impart delicious smokey flavor into your ribs.

Other Tips and Advice

If you’re a beginner, try baby back pork ribs first.  These are definitely the easiest cut to work with, and frankly pretty hard to mess up.  On a per pound basis, they’re also the cheapest cut of ribs so if you mess them up bad you won’t be out too much money.  After you’ve mastered baby backs, move on to a more challenging cut of pork or beef ribs.

Caramelize BBQ sauce on top in the oven after coming off the grill.  If you want to truly wow your crowd, broil a layer of BBQ sauce on top of your ribs before serving – it’s simple and quick!  Just set your oven to broil at 500°F, baste a layer of sauce on top, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes.

Use a water pan in your grill to help maintain moisture.  Ribs have a tendency to dry out, so it won’t hurt to include an aluminum foil pan filled with water inside of your grill while your ribs cook.  This will help to keep the cooking environment nice and moist.  You could also spritz apple cider or water onto your ribs every hour or so as an alternative to a water pan.

Don’t go too crazy with different seasonings.  If you cook your ribs properly, the flavor will be incredible – period.  Just use your favorite BBQ rub to prepare your ribs.  Personally I love Texas style BBQ so I only season my ribs with salt and pepper.

Plan ahead for leftovers.  A full slab of ribs is a big hunk of meat, so leftovers are likely – so plan ahead and check out our guide on how to reheat leftover ribs!

Final Thoughts

There you have it – if you came to this article asking how long to grill ribs, I hope you know the answer now!  At the end of the day, you want to make sure your ribs reach about a 203°F internal temperature, but use the above guide as a reference point for expectations of how long you should grill ribs.

Did you grill ribs recently?  How did it go?  Which type of ribs did you make?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments section below.

Looking for more ideas and grill expertise?  Check out our resource on how long to grill chicken next.

The post How Long to Grill Ribs [Tender, Tasty, Delicious Results] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Grilling Frozen Steaks – How to Get the Most Out of Your Frozen Beef https://ownthegrill.com/grilling-frozen-steaks/ Mon, 18 May 2020 20:42:10 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=1698 It’s almost time to fire up the grill.  You’ve got all of […]

The post Grilling Frozen Steaks – How to Get the Most Out of Your Frozen Beef appeared first on Own The Grill.

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It’s almost time to fire up the grill.  You’ve got all of your gear out and you’re just about ready to go, but then the moment of dread hits you.

You forgot to thaw your steaks.

It’s a mistake that I’m not afraid to admit I make from time to time – it happens to the best of us.  But the hungry stomachs waiting for their steak dinner might be less forgiving.

Fortunately for you and I, grilling frozen steaks isn’t the end of the world.  In fact, it’s entirely possible to deliver a steakhouse quality result from a frozen start; you just need to know what to do.

In this article, we’ve created a complete resource to grilling frozen steaks.  By the end, you’ll know exactly what to do to make the most out of your frozen beef – and a few tips for how to avoid the situation altogether in the future.

Can You Grill Frozen Steaks?

Before we get into a step by step guide, it’s worth pointing out a few items of note about grilling frozen steaks.

First and foremost, it’s perfectly safe to grill frozen steaksAccording to the USDA, there is nothing unsafe about grilling frozen steaks – you just need to bear in mind that it’s going to take longer for your food to reach a safe internal temperature.

Starting out with a frozen steak also does not impact the flavors at all.  If grilled properly, your frozen steak will end up just as beefy, tender, and delicious as a thawed out steak would.

Pros and Cons of Grilling Frozen Steaks

Here are the benefits and drawbacks of throwing your ice cold beef on the grill:

Pros

  • It actually might be easier to achieve a delicious outer crust on a frozen steak.  Since the inside of the steak is nice and cold, you can crank up the heat on your grill to sear the outside without worrying too much about overcooking the center while you sear.
  • You can bring out lots of flavor.  Naturally, the steak is going to have to spend more time on the grill to get the internal temperature up to a safe eating level.  While it takes extra time to get there, the positive is that your steak will almost slow cook – giving the fat marbling more time to render and develop into deeper flavor.
  • It’s easier to retain moisture, which will lead to tender steak.  Since the moisture in the steak is frozen, it’s less likely to escape the meat quickly as your sear develops.
  • You don’t have to wait for the steak to thaw.  Unlike smoking frozen meats on the BBQ, you can throw a fully frozen steak on your grill and it will be safe to eat if you cooked properly. While your steak will definitely spend more time on the grill compared to a thawed steak, you don’t have to sit and wait for the steak to thaw out to get started.

Cons

  • It takes longer to grill a frozen steak.  Compared to grilling a thawed steak – you’re looking at 50% to double the cooking time.  So if you remember to thaw your steak, it definitely cuts down on your cooking time.
  • You can’t wing it.  If you’re an experienced grill master, you’re probably more than capable of searing a thawed steak to perfection just with your eyes and with feel.  You can’t rely on looks and feel with a frozen steak and you 100% need to utilize a probe meat thermometer.  Undercooking beef is not something to mess around with, and you simply can’t know what’s under the outside layer of a frozen steak without measuring the internal temperature.
  • Higher probability of flare ups.  Since moisture will naturally warm up, turn to water, and drip down onto your heat source, the probability of grill flare ups is a little higher.  Just something to keep in mind and prepare for in advance.

Grilling Frozen Steaks – Step By Step

As promised, here’s our step by step guide to grilling delicious frozen steaks:

Step 1: Prepare Your Grill

The key to any successful cook on your grill – especially when it comes to grilling frozen steaks – is setting up your grill properly.

First, you should set your grill up for two zone grilling.  When it comes to grilling frozen steaks, a two zone set up (with one side of your grill scorching hot and one side cooler) is key to great results.  Your steak will sear on the hot side of the grill, then you’ll move it eventually to the cooler, indirect heat side to finish.  Set your grill to about 450-500°F on the hot side for the sear.

Note: If you are struggling to set up two heat zones on your grill, it’s ok to sear on hot temperature then lower your temperature after the sear is done.

On a similar note, you should preheat your grill about 10-15 minutes in advance to make sure it’s up to temperature before your steaks go on.  Preheating your grill is always a good idea, but especially when it comes to grilling frozen steaks you’ll want to ensure your grill is fired up and hot before the steaks go on.

The type of grill you have at home also doesn’t make a difference in terms of grilling frozen steaks.  No matter whether you are grilling with a gas, charcoal, electric, or pellet grill, all of the steps we outline will work!

Last but not least, you should have a probe thermometer handy.  I mentioned this already, but measuring the internal temperature of your steak with a probe thermometer is the only way to ensure it’s cooked all the way through and to your liking.

Step 2: Sear the Steak

The next step is to sear your steak, typically for about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on how thick it is.  Thin steaks will sear for less time and thicker steaks can handle more time searing.  Don’t be afraid to press your steak down onto the grates firmly to ensure nice grill marks begin to form.

I also like to rotate my steak 90° halfway through each side, which results in a beautiful checkerboard style pattern of grill marks on the steak.  Doing this also adds more surface area to the sear that takes place on each side of the steak.

After the steak has seared for about 5 to 7 minutes per side (so about 10 to 14 minutes total), it’s ready for the next step.

Step 3: Finish the Steak with Indirect Heat

After the steak has finished searing and has developed an even crust on the outside, move it to the indirect heat side of your grill, or the top rack so that it no longer cooks directly over the flame.

Here is where you’ll want to season your steak a little bit too.  With a thawed steak, you want to season it before it goes on the grill – but seasonings will fall right off of a frozen steak.  After the sear, the outside will have some moisture on it and will be much more receptive to a little bit of salt and pepper.

At this point, insert your probe meat thermometer into the center most point of the steak.  Most times after the sear, the temperature will read somewhere between 80°F and 90°F – but don’t worry if yours measures a little higher or lower than that.

Close the lid of the grill and allow your steak to cook over indirect heat until it reaches your desired doneness.

Steak Doneness Guide

  • For medium rare, remove the steak from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F
  • For medium, remove the steak from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F
  • For medium well, remove the steak from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F
  • For well done, remove the steak from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F

For more knowledge on meat doneness, head on over to our complete guide on the topic next!

Step 4:  Let Your Steak Rest

One of the most important parts of the steak cooking process comes at the end, when you’re probably most ready to devour your delicious looking steak.

Letting your steak rest for about 10 minutes before serving, believe it or not, can take your steak from good to great, or great to legendary.

When the steak cooks on high heat, the juices all concentrate to the center of the steak.  As it rests, that moisture redistributes back evenly throughout the steak, so each bite is tender, tasty, and a beautiful texture.

Step 5: Enjoy!

Now comes the easy part – enjoy your steak!  After all of that hard work, now it’s time to dig that fork and steak knife into your beautiful cut of beef and admire your work.

Keys to Freezing Steak

Since fresh beef typically only stays fresh for 3 to 5 days, it’s fairly common practice to freeze it.  Freezing beef extends the shelf life of your food and allows you to access the flavors up to a couple of months into the future.

With that in mind though, there’s a right way and a wrong way to freeze steak.  If you want to get the best flavor and longest shelf life from storing your beef in the freezer, we’ve compiled a few guidelines to follow below.

The key is to try to reduce the surface of the steak’s exposure to air.  When your steak’s surface touches the air, problems begin to happen and in terms of storage, freezer burn becomes a more likely possibility.

  • Wrap each steak individually with plastic wrap.  Make sure that the plastic wrap covers the whole steak and is wrapped as tightly as possible.  The better you wrap the steak, the better the flavor will be preserved.
  • Place the wrapped steaks into a sealable freezer bag for an extra layer of protection.
  • Bagged steaks should be placed into a freezer that’s set to 0°F or as close to that temperature as possible.
  • Frozen steaks that are wrapped properly will last for about 3 months.  Technically they will last longer but after 3 months the flavor will begin to be affected by freezer burn.
  • Pro tip: write the date your froze the steaks on their bags in a permanent marker so you know exactly how long they have been frozen!

Does It Matter Which Type of Steak I Freeze?

Nope!  No matter whether you’re eating a T-Bone, Porterhouse, NY Strip, Ribeye, Tomahawk, or otherwise, all of the above principles apply the same.  You won’t lose any flavor by freezing steaks, and as long as you grill your frozen steak the right way, the end results will be spectacular.

The big thing to keep in mind is that the thickness of your steak will greatly affect the cooking time.  Some cuts of steak are naturally thicker than others, so you should plan accordingly for your grilling times depending on which type of steak you cook.

Final Thoughts on Grilling Frozen Steaks

Even though you might have a moment of panic when you realize you forgot to thaw your steak, the situation is most definitely salvageable.  With the above advice, you can easily make some incredibly tasty and delectable steak on your grill starting from a frozen cut of beef.  Just don’t panic, and plan for a little bit of extra cooking time on the grill.

In fact, starting with a frozen steak has its benefits – you might find your seared steak crusts to be just a little bit crispier and your steak’s insides to be a little tastier too.

Have any other tips for grilling frozen steaks?  Did we miss something in this article?  We’d love to hear from you about your experiences in the comments section below!

While you’re here, check out our resource on grilling frozen burgers next so that you are equipped for the same situation on burger night.

The post Grilling Frozen Steaks – How to Get the Most Out of Your Frozen Beef appeared first on Own The Grill.

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How Long Should You Grill Chicken? [For Tender, Tasty, and Juicy Results] https://ownthegrill.com/how-long-to-grill-chicken/ Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:27:43 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=1939 If you’re on looking to grill the perfect chicken and create some […]

The post How Long Should You Grill Chicken? [For Tender, Tasty, and Juicy Results] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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If you’re on looking to grill the perfect chicken and create some happy stomachs, you might be wondering just how long to grill chicken for the best results.

You definitely don’t want to overcook it and be left with a charred, chewy hunk.  On the other hand, undercooking it is definitely worse and can lead to some serious food poisoning or a salmonella infection.

How long to grill your chicken depends on a few different factors – most notably, the size of your chicken, which cut you’re working with, and how hot your grill is running.

In this article, we’ve created a complete guide for you to know exactly how long your chicken needs to stay on the grill.  We’ll go over all of the different parts of the chicken, how long you should grill them, and pass along our recommendations for grilling temperatures and times.

Cooking Chicken Safely

First and foremost, the reason you should know how long to grill chicken has to do with safety.

We already mentioned that undercooking chicken can cause some serious problems – but how do you know when chicken is done and safe to eat?

Also, you want to make sure you’ve safely thawed your chicken if it was frozen beforehand.  If you have any doubt on how to do this, check out our guide on how to defrost chicken here.

Recommended: Pick Up a Probe Thermometer

The only surefire way to know your chicken (or any food for that matter) is cooked all the way through is to measure the internal temperature of the chicken piece at the center point of the thickest section of the meat.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve eyeballed it myself when I’m in a hurry or just cooking a thin chicken breast on the grill.  But I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that method – with a probe thermometer you can know with 100% certainty that your food is safe to eat.

Especially if you are new to grilling or cooking chicken, I highly recommend acquiring a probe thermometer.  It’s a handy tool to have around the kitchen and the grill for chicken and many other types of meat.

Top Wireless Thermometer

Safe Internal Temperature for Chicken

When it comes to chicken doneness, the USDA advises that you cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F before consumption.

There really isn’t any wiggle room there either – you’ll really want to make sure your chicken has been finished to an internal temperature of 165°F, minimum.  For some chicken pieces (like legs and thighs), the ideal temperature to remove from your grill is a little bit higher – but at the very least you’ll know they’re safe to eat after reaching 165°F.

If you have fresh chicken, some visual indicators exist that will let you know that your chicken is safe to eat.  The chicken will be cooked through, with no pink at the center, and the juices will be clear when you cut into your meat.

It’s ok to use the visual indicators, especially if your chicken is fresh, but we’d still always recommend measuring internal temperature to determine doneness.

How Long to Grill Different Types of Chicken

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that the answer for how long to grill chicken depends on a couple of main factors.  Which type of chicken you’re cooking and how hot your grill is running.

The chicken piece, how thick it is, and whether or not there are bones inside of it all make a difference for your cooking time.  Similarly, the heat of your grill matters – cooking your chicken on too hot of a temperature can lead to burnt skin and an undercooked inside.

Here we’ve created a guide on average times for how long to cook different types of chicken – and which temperatures you should use for each.

Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is one of the most common and popular cuts to throw on the grill.  Place the breast on a bun for a chicken sandwich or slice it up and serve over a salad.

For boneless, skinless chicken breast, preheat your grill to 350°F and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes total.  Place the chicken on your grates directly over the heat.  Flip the chicken breast about after about 5 to 6 minutes.

Bone-in breast with the skin on will likely take closer to 25 minutes to finish – and you’ll need a two zone set up on your grill.  You want to be extra careful to not burn the skin here, so the best way to do it is grill over direct heat for the first 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.  By then, the skin should be crispy – from there, move the chicken to the indirect side to finish off for the last 12-13 minutes of the cook.

Chicken Wings

With chicken wings, the end goal is tasty insides and a nice, crispy skin on the outside of the wing.

The way to accomplish this is to preheat your grill to 350°F-375°F, and plan on cooking them for about 22-25 minutes.

Place all of your chicken wings on the grill grate and begin your cook.  Every 4 minutes, turn the wings to ensure that each side gets crispy and browned evenly.  It’s an active process to grill chicken wings to ensure that none of the skin gets over charred.

Starting at about the 18 minute mark of total time with wings on the grill, insert your thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the wings.  They’re ready to come off the grill after they reach 165°F.

Chicken Leg Quarters

Chicken leg quarters have big bones and feature a thigh and a drumstick.  A lot of meat and a lot of thick bone equals more cooking time on the grill.

Not only that, the ideal internal temperature of leg quarters is closer to 180°F.  They are safe to eat after reaching 165°F, but since there is dark meat the chicken will taste much better and will be more tender if you cook until it reaches 180°F.

You’ll want to set your grill temperature to 350°F with a two zone set up.  Start out with your chicken quarters on the side of the grill without burners on (or on the top rack) to cook for about 30-35 minutes.  Flip halfway through.

After the chicken has been on the indirect side for 30-35 minutes, move it over direct heat to finish off.  Finish over direct heat for about 5 minutes per side over direct heat, so 10 minutes total.

Chicken Thighs

Similar to cooking chicken quarters, you’ll want to cook chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 180°F.  There are two ways you can go about it.

First, you could cook them almost exactly the same way you’d cook quarters.  That is, preheat your grill to 350°F and cook with indirect heat for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Then finish over direct heat for about 5 minutes per side, 10 minutes total.

For a lower temperature alternative, check out our smoked chicken thighs recipe.

Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks are cooked the exact same way as chicken thighs.  Aim for an internal temperature of 180°F.  You can choose between the indirect/direct heat combo or a roast style where you cook over high heat and turn the drumstick every couple of minutes.

Whole Chicken

Most whole chickens will weigh between 5 and 7 pounds and will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to cook completely.  It’s a larger cut to work with than any of the individual pieces – so the only way to really do it right is with a longer cooking time on lower temperatures.

Preheat your grill to a range of 250°F to 300°F and place the chicken on an indirect heat portion of the grill. After about an hour, start spot checking your chicken’s internal temperature.  It’s ready to come off when all of the pieces measure at least 165°F at their thickest, meatiest points.

Check out our beer can chicken recipe if you’re looking for some inspiration for your next grilled whole chicken.

Direct vs Indirect Heat

We’ve mentioned the terms “indirect heat” and “direct heat” quite a few times in the how long to grill chicken conversation.  Just in case you aren’t familiar with these terms, here’s a quick rundown.

When grilling, one of the most useful ways to set up your grill is with two zone heat – which can be done no matter which type of grill you have.  Essentially what this means is that you create heat on only one side of your grill (the direct heat side).  The other half of your grill will still get warm and cook your food, but your food won’t be cooking over a direct flame.  On the indirect heat side, your food cooks evenly in almost a convection style cooking environment.

So if you have a gas grill, you can create two temperature zones by only turning half of your burners on.  Alternatively, charcoal grillers can create two temperature zones by siloing your charcoal fire to one side of the grill, leaving the other side open underneath the cooking grates.

Cooking with indirect heat is especially useful for grilling chicken that has skin still attached to it.  Cooking skin over direct heat can lead to over charring if you don’t turn the meat frequently.  When you cook on the indirect side of the grill, your chicken can cook evenly without having to worry about your skin getting burnt by a direct heat source.

How Long to Grill Chicken Per Pound

You know by now that the answer for how long to grill chicken doesn’t have so much to do with time on the grill per se.  It’s more about how long it takes for the chicken to reach a safe internal temperature.

However, if you’re looking for a quick rule of thumb – plan to grill chicken for about 20 to 25 minutes per pound.

Of course the actual cooking time can vary based on which chicken piece you’re cooking, if it has bones, and how hot your grill is.  But if you’re looking for a quick estimate just to help you plan out your meal prep, then grilling for 20 to 25 minutes per pound of chicken is a good estimation.

What Happens if You Cook Chicken Too Long?

We’ve covered pretty extensively that undercooking chicken is bad news, but what happens if you cook it too long?

The good news with overcooking chicken is that you aren’t going to put anybody’s life in danger.

The bad news?  Overcooking your chicken will probably lead to some unhappy taste buds and potentially some friends and family questioning your grilling prowess.  When chicken is over done, it can be tough, dry, and chewy – or worse, charred and burnt.

Other Factors That Affect Chicken Cooking Time

Chicken type, thickness, bone density, and grill heat all greatly affect your cooking time, but are there any other factors to consider for how long to grill chicken?

Using a wet brine or marinade will likely increase the cooking time of your chicken by at least a few minutes.  This is because it will take a little bit longer for the skin or outside of the chicken to brown and crisp.  Dry rubs or seasonings on the other hand won’t affect your cooking times.

The other way you can reduce your cooking time is to cut your chicken into smaller sizes.  It won’t work for all pieces, especially bone-in chicken parts, but if you have chicken breast for example you could cut down your grilling time by slicing it into thinner or smaller sections.

Final Thoughts

If you came in wondering how long to grill chicken, I hope you found your answer in this resource.  Grilled chicken is a bona fide classic and sure to please many appetites, and I hope you’re now well on your way to delivering tasty food.

What’s your favorite type of chicken to grill?  Disagree with any of our suggestions?  We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

The post How Long Should You Grill Chicken? [For Tender, Tasty, and Juicy Results] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Chicken Wing Brine Recipe https://ownthegrill.com/chicken-wing-brine/ Sun, 06 Sep 2020 18:53:29 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=2707 Chicken wing brine is one of those things that most people don’t […]

The post Chicken Wing Brine Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Chicken wing brine is one of those things that most people don’t think about, but would immediately notice if it weren’t around. Several chicken products are often brined before they are cooked.

The salty brine mixture is absorbed into the chicken, giving it that salty and savory flavor that freshly cooked chicken has.

Brining your chicken is part of getting that tender, fall-off-the-bone experience that chicken wing lovers need. It’s about finding that right combination of salt and spice to make a rich savory flavor and tender, moist texture.

So today, we are going to talk about our classic chicken wing brine recipe and how to make it at home. The best part is that it can be made in just a few minutes and can salt your chicken in just a few hours. You only need a couple of hours to go from brine to a deliciously cooked chicken on your plate, so it’s a great quick meal choice.

Why Do You Brine Chicken Wings?

Chicken is a very lean type of meat, meaning that it has relatively low fat and moisture content. As such, chicken is prone to drying out if not properly moisturized. Chicken brine is absorbed by the skin and seasons the meat all the way through, keeping it juicy and moisturized.

Chicken wing brine also prevents you from overcooking the chicken. Even if you overcook it a bit, the brine ensures that the chicken comes out tender and juicy.

Ingredients – What You Will Need

To make this chicken wing brine you will need:

  • 1 gallon of water
  • ¾ cup of kosher salt
  • 1 lemon
  • ⅔ cup of cane sugar
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • A large pot
  • Plastic storage bags

(Note: If you want to spice up this mixture, you can add some spices such as rosemary, thyme, peppercorn, or parsley. One of the best features of this recipe is that it is so simple and versatile.)

Here is a quick rundown of what you will be doing: First you need to create the brine itself. Afterward, you can add the chicken and let it marinate for a few hours.

Step-By-Step Directions

Making chicken wing brine is super easy. There are really only two steps!

  1. Pour the gallon of warm water into a container twice its volume. Add in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil and bring the pot of water to a boil.
  2. Stir the contents of the bowl thoroughly until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved and the mixture is a uniform color and consistency. Turn off the burner, and allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
  3. Place chicken wings in a plastic bag and fill with brine until the pieces are mostly submerged. Then place the brined chicken in the fridge to marinate. The amount of time you let it brine depends on the kind of chicken you have. Once the chicken has been marinated, pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking.

So there you have it, a quick and easy chicken wing brine to prep your food for the oven or the grill. This brine literally takes minutes to make and is enough to marinate an entire week’s worth of wings!

How Much Brine For How Much Chicken?

As a general rule of thumb, you should have about 2 cups of brine for every 1 pound of chicken wings.  The recipe we’re outlining here produces a little bit over a gallon (16 cups) of brine, so it would be good for 8 pounds of wings – which is a lot!  Don’t be afraid to half or even quarter the recipe to get your proportions right.

Recipe Tips

  • If you want more flavor, add in more spices. You can even add in a few slices of lemon orange to each marination bag to get a fruity zest for your chicken.
  • Make sure that you are using kosher salt with this recipe. Kosher salt has different measurements than table salt and will be absorbed by the chicken differently. Table salt may make your chicken too salty and rubbery.
  • This recipe is versatile and you can basically put whatever you want in the brine. If you are feeling adventurous, you can add in some honey, dried chiles for an extra kick, or even some onions. Whatever pairs well with chicken can be used as part of the brine.
  • Fully pat the chicken off after it is done marinating. Wet chicken skin will cook all soggy like instead of making that crisp golden skin that we love in our wings.
  • Make sure that you let the pot fully boil as the mixture needs heat to dissolve the sugar and salt completely. If these ingredients are not dissolved, then they could clump on the skin.
  • Also, make sure that the water fully cools before placing the chicken in the brine. Placing chicken in warm brine raises the uncooked meat’s temperature and puts it in a range conducive to bacterial growth. Once the brine cools off, then you can fully submerge the bird or the cuts.
chicken wing brine recipe
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Easy Brined Chicken Wings

Chicken Wing Brine Recipe to Prep Your Wings For Juicy and Tender Results
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken Wing Brine, Chicken Wings, Grilled Wings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Brining Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 lbs of chicken wings
Calories 10kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Plastic freezer bags or equivalent

Ingredients

  • 1 gal warm water
  • 3/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 lemon
  • 2/3 cup cane sugar
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Pour the gallon of warm water into a large pot, ideally the pot has a capacity of at least two gallons.
  • Add all other ingredients to the pot and stir thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once the brine mixture is uniform and salt and sugar have completely dissolved, turn off your heat source and allow brine to cool to room temperature.
  • Place chicken wings into plastic bags and fill each bag with enough brine to almost completely submerge the wings.
  • Place bags of chicken and brine in the refrigerator to marinate. Marinate for at least 4 hours.
  • When ready to cook, remove chicken from bags, and pat wings dry with a paper towel before cooking. Dispose of the used brine.

Nutrition

Calories: 10kcal

How Long Should I Brine the Chicken Wings?

The amount of time you should brine the chicken depends on what kind of chicken you have and whether it is skinless or skin-on. For bone-in wings, at least 4 hours is recommended. If you were to use this recipe with a whole chicken, 8 hours is the recommended mark.

You can actually keep the chicken brined much longer if you want. It is common to marinate a chicken for 12 full hours. We only recommend that you do not go past 24 hours of marination. Once you go past 24 hours, the chicken gets overly salty and will not cook as well. Also, the chicken might get too mushy and lose its tenderness.

Dry Brine

If you don’t want to make a wet brine, then you can make a dry brine instead. A dry brine is exactly the same as a wet brine except you just don’t add water. You can just directly apply the brine ingredients to the skin of the wings. Since there is direct contact, the ingredients will immediately be absorbed into the skin – so it’s a nice go to if you’re pinched for time.

To make a dry brine, combine all of the ingredients mentioned above into a bowl, leaving out the wet, liquid ingredients. Mix until it is even and homogeneous.

Then apply the dry mixture evenly to the chicken wings and keep the bird in the fridge. Like the wet brine, you only need to apply the brine for a few hours to have tender marinated chicken.

Once the brine is marinated, rinse off the mixture with water and pat dry before cooking. The dry brine method is probably faster, easier, and creates less of a mess but it will result in a crispier skin because there is no liquid to submerge the chicken in.

Liquid brine, in contrast, makes the chicken more favorable because the liquid is absorbed more readily by the chicken.

Brining and Frying

If you want to fry chicken wings, then it is recommended that you brine it first. You can actually make an excellent brine out of buttermilk that is perfectly suited for frying. Brining chicken before you fry it ensures that the moisture is locked into the meat so you have that crispy, golden friend outer later and tender warm, juicy chicken in the middle.

Final Thoughts

There you have it!  Chicken wing brine can make all the difference when it comes to getting those tasty and tender wings we all love so much.  Start out with our recipe then don’t be afraid to experiment with new flavors and ideas!

What is your favorite way to brine chicken wings?  We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section below.

Check out our guide to reheating chicken wings next for more info on how to get the most out of your brined chicken wing leftovers!

The post Chicken Wing Brine Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Beer Can Chicken on the Grill – Our Recipe https://ownthegrill.com/beer-can-chicken/ Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:02:47 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=2761 A beautifully roasted chicken is hard to beat. Add some notes of […]

The post Beer Can Chicken on the Grill – Our Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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A beautifully roasted chicken is hard to beat. Add some notes of beer, even better!

This beer can chicken is full of flavor and is a breeze to make. Once the meat is over the fire, this dish is pretty much on autopilot, and you are now free to mingle with your friends and family.

If you want to make the juiciest and most flavorful chicken you’ve ever had, stick around to learn more about it or jump to our recipe below.

The Juiciest And Most Delicious Chicken You Will Ever Make

Chicken is one of the most popular proteins because it is so easy to make, affordable, and versatile. Chicken is great for day-to-day or you can make a more intricate meal for a special occasion.

Chicken is high in protein and extremely low in carbs, which is exactly what you want. Not only that, but it is much more affordable on average than beef, pork, or even turkey.

The combination of seasonings and spices in this recipe makes it extremely flavorful, and the cooking method ensures that each bite will be dripping with juices.

If you’re tired of grilled chicken that misses the mark and ends up dry and overdone, check out the recipe below to change how you look at simple poultry.

Must-Have for Beer Can Chicken
Koohere Beer Can Chicken Holder for Grill and Smoker
  • Designed so beer can cannot fall out
  • Holds traditional 12 oz beer can
  • Simple to use and easy to clean
Check Price on Amazon

Prep Time

Before you even touch any of your ingredients, go ahead and start preheating your grill to 350 degrees. You want to let it heat up for a good 10-15 minutes so you can make sure it is nice and hot by the time your chicken is placed over the heat.

I make this beer can chicken recipe on my pellet grill (the Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi).  The pellet grill has some distinct advantages for this recipe but by all means you can use any type of grill you have at home for this, whether it’s a charcoal, gas, kamado, or pellet grill.

Pellet grills are great because you can control your smoke levels, and also because the grill cooks with indirect heat, meaning you won’t have to worry about burning your chicken.

If you’re on a traditional gas grill or charcoal grill, we’d recommend that you utilize a two zone grilling set up – where you have high heat on one half of your grill and no heat source on the other half of your grate.  This allows you to cook the chicken with indirect heat on a “regular” grill.

While your grill is coming up to temperature, you have more than enough time to tackle some of the prep work. Many people rinse their raw chicken, others don’t.

If you prefer to rinse your meat, now is the time to do it. Whether you do or not, make sure to pat your meat dry with paper towels before you season. This step is important because it will help get that crispy skin everyone loves.

Spice It Up

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush your chicken with a thin layer of vegetable oil. This will help the dry rub stick and aid in the browning of the skin. Combine all of the seasonings in a small bowl or ramekin. Rub down your chicken with a liberal amount of the spice mixture, ensuring that you get the cavity as well.

One technique that is used on larger birds, is if your chicken still has the skin on it, you can create a deeper richer flavor by separating the skin from the meat by sliding your hand between them and rubbing the spice into the meat under the skin.

Not only will this season the chicken, but it will allow the spices to work with the natural juices and soak into the meat. The skin will also prevent the spices from direct contact with the grill flame, which can make them taste bitter.

The seasoning blend used in this recipe is a pretty classic beer can chicken blend which includes onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, along with a few others.

If you find that this blend is too heavy on cayenne or garlic or onion you can adjust the seasonings according to your personal tastes. Do not be afraid to use a seasoning mix or blend that you are already familiar with, go with what you know.

Beer Time

After your chicken is fully seasoned it’s time for the beer. This is a crucial step, as the name of the dish is Beer Can Chicken. You can use any variety of beer you want.

Light beer, dark beer, or even cider will result in flavorful and juicy chicken. If you don’t like beer or don’t have any on hand, you can put chicken stock or lemon juice and water in a mason jar and use that instead of the beer can.

Pop open your can of beer. You can either drink or dump ¼ of the can and then slide the can into the cavity, making sure to leave the very bottom of the can out of the chicken. You can place your chicken either on a sheet tray with raised edges or you can use a beer can chicken roaster pan, depending on what you prefer and have on hand.

As the chicken and the beer begin to heat up, the beer will begin evaporating and steaming inside of the chicken which will baste the meat while it cooks, so you don’t have to worry about dry meat.

Nearly everyone has overcooked a piece of chicken in their life, and suffering through that chewy disaster is something you will not have to worry about with this recipe.

This is the perfect recipe for those who have difficulty cooking chicken thoroughly, without drying it out. It is also a great method to try out when using a new grill that might not heat exactly as you expect.

Getting the Beer Can Chicken on the Grates

Now that you have completed all of your prep work, it’s time to cook your chicken. Head outside to your grill and with the roasting pan or sheet tray.

  • If using a pellet grill or other convection style grill, place chicken on the center of your grate
  • If using a two zone grilling set up, place chicken on the side of the grill without direct heat underneath the grate

From there, close the lid. At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken should take about two hours to cook completely. Try your best not to peek at the chicken too often, no matter how tempting it might be! Each time you lift the lid, valuable heat escapes and your cook becomes a little bit more uneven.

Really though, we’re cooking until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. This recipe is one where it’s really important to have some kind of probe thermometer handy that can measure the chicken’t internal temperature at multiple points. Check the thighs and breast – when both have reached 165°F, the chicken can come off of the grill.

Side Dishes

While you are waiting the 2 hours for the chicken to finish cooking, this is the perfect time to take care of any side dishes.

Dishes like egg salad and potato salad that have ingredients that need to be cooled ahead of time before mixing should have been made earlier in the day or the night before but if you waited it isn’t a big deal.

You can rest cooked eggs and potatoes in ice water to get them to stop cooking and to cool off completely. Some side dishes that go great with any barbecued meats, including beer can chicken, are potato salad, baked potatoes, risotto, corn on the cob, biscuits, cornbread, mac & cheese, or roasted or grilled veggies.

Beer can chicken goes great with an ice-cold beer, of course. You can choose to serve the same kind of beer you cooked the chicken with or you can go with your favorite brew.

You can also pair this dish with either red or white wine. Just be sure to choose something that goes with the flavors in your chicken. No matter what you choose to serve with your beer can chicken, your meat will be the star of the show.

Time To Carve

You know your chicken is done when a meat thermometer indicates that the internal temperature at the centermost point of the breast has reached a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once your bird has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before you cut into it. After allowing your meat to rest, you are left with the juiciest chicken you will ever eat.

If you end up with leftovers, you can store them in your refrigerator or freezer in a plastic container, plastic bag, or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap.

You can eat the leftovers like you did when the chicken was fresh, you can make sandwiches, or you can shred the meat and make tacos, BBQ, or chicken salad. One of the bests things about cooking the chicken like this is that it easily stands up to reheating without drying out.

Beer Can Chicken Variations

This recipe here is a traditional dry rub that many people use for their beer can chicken. If these seasonings aren’t your favorite, there are a couple of variations you may like.

One thing many people choose to do is a BBQ rub that contains brown sugar and seasonings such as garlic, onion, and paprika. Another option would be a cajun rub, or even using a seasoning blend such as Old Bay.

For the beer, you can use your favorite IPA, stout, a hard cider, or you can swap the beer for a mason jar half full of chicken stock, apple cider, or lemon juice and water. Some people even drop a couple of garlic cloves down into the liquid before they put it inside of the chicken.

For easier adaptation to indoor cooking, or for use during winter months when your grill might not be accessible, there is a spatchcock variation.

There you’d spatchcock the chicken and lay it flat in a roasting pan and pour the beer or other cooking liquid into the pan as well. This way the chicken roasts in its juices and the beer aromatics are also infused into the meat.

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Beer Can Chicken on the Grill

The tastiest, juiciest easy beer can chicken recipe that you can make on the grill
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, BBQ
Keyword Beer Can Chicken, Whole Chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 420kcal

Equipment

  • Beer can chicken roaster pan or stand

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken 3-5 lbs
  • 1 can beer pilsner, IPA, etc.
  • vegetable oil to lightly coat chicken

Rub Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  • Preheat your grill to 350°F
  • Rinse chicken under cool water then ddry the outside of the chicken with a paper towel
  • Lightly coat chicken with a thin layer of vegetable oil
  • Mix all rub ingredients together in a small bowl
  • Rub chicken down thoroughly with rub mixture, season liberally and ensure that you season the cavity
  • Open the beer can and pour out (or drink) 1/4 of the beer. Place the opened beer can in the cavity of the chicken, with the very bottom of the can sticking out
  • Place chicken on a sheet tray with raised edges. You can also utilize a beer can chicken roaster rack instead of a sheet tray.
  • Place sheet tray with chicken onto the center of the cooking grate and cook for approximately 2 hours.
  • The chicken is done once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the centermost point of the breast, regardless of how long it has been on the grill.
  • Allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Carve, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Here is a beer can chicken roaster pan.  These are great and mostly are necessary to ensure the chicken stays standing up.
As long as you have something that props up your chicken, you should be fine.
We do NOT recommend simply putting the chicken on the grill grates without any support.  Doing this creates a risk of the chicken falling over and beer spilling everywhere mid cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal

Final Thoughts

This beer can chicken recipe is a classic that’s easy enough to throw on the grill.  The flavors and tenderness are sure to impress your crowd, and it’s a perfect fall time recipe and even goes great at a tailgate or game watching party.

Did you try out our recipe?  How did it turn out?

The post Beer Can Chicken on the Grill – Our Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Grilled Steak Fajitas Recipe [With Garlic Butter] https://ownthegrill.com/grilled-steak-fajitas/ Sat, 03 Jul 2021 15:46:37 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=4018 Steak fajitas are a crowd favorite both at home and at restaurants. […]

The post Grilled Steak Fajitas Recipe [With Garlic Butter] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Steak fajitas are a crowd favorite both at home and at restaurants. It’s an easy meal to make – and it takes the same amount of time to prepare whether it’s for two or for a larger gathering.

It also makes for great leftovers and can give you something to reheat other days for lunch or dinner.

It can also be a casual meal to serve for a get-together. The best part is it doesn’t take much time or money. People can also customize their plates by adding sauces or other toppings.

Here we’ve created a little guide to creating an epic fajita night – read on to see our steak fajita recipe and more!

Which Type of Steak is Best for Fajitas?

This recipe is for grilled steak fajitas. “Steak” can mean a lot of things as there are quite a few different types of steak out there, and not all of them are well suited for fajitas.

Skirt steak is by far and away the most popular type of steak for fajitas.  If you order steak fajitas at a restaurant, there is a 95% chance you’ll be served skirt steak.  It’s a thin cut of meat that typically has nice fat content, is easy to handle and packs incredibly tasty beefy flavor.

If you don’t have access to skirt steak, flank steak will also do the trick.  I’ve made flank steak fajitas quite a few times and they turn out just as well as skirt steak.  Since flank is a little bit thicker than skirt, flank can just take a little more babysitting on the grill to get it cooked perfectly.

These cuts are similar enough that we’ve actually written a guide on the differences between skirt and flank steak, so check that out if you want more on the topic.

How to Slice Fajitas

This is IMPORTANT!!!  It may not sound like a big deal, but slicing fajitas the wrong way will diminish the end result by making your beef tough and chewy.

The key is to slice your fajitas against the grain.  You want to slice across the long fibers that run down the length of the meat cut.  Doing this will make your fajita bites way more tender compared to slicing with the grain.

After your meat is cooked and ready to slice, place it on a cutting board.  I like to have my fajita pieces be about an inch and a half wide.  Divide up your meat into inch and a half sections by slicing WITH the grain.  Once you have all of your inch an a half wide rectangles of steak, next slice your pieces AGAINST the grain.

Tips for Perfect Grilled Steak Fajitas

There’s really no wrong way to make steak fajitas. In some ways, they are hard to mess up which means you are bound to always have an outstanding meal.  With that being said, there are a few things you can do that will take your fajita night from good to great.

Marinate Your Veggies

Marinating your main ingredients is an optional step if you have the time.  It takes a little bit of time and planning ahead but if you can do it, marinating will pack a nice flavor punch to  your fajitas.

Slice your peppers and onions first to start making your marinade. Place the vegetables in a large Ziploc bag and zip them both up very tight – then shake them. This allows the sauce and marinade to easily mix with the veggies.

You can then place it in the fridge and allow it to sit overnight. When you’re ready, you can pull it out and begin to follow the rest of the recipe instructions to make your fajita veggies quickly and efficiently.

Grill Your Tortillas

Grill your tortillas for about 15 seconds on each side. This will allow them to get a nice crisp flavor but not make them too stiff or chewy.

You can also heat them in the microwave quickly to make them warm – but we prefer to do this on the grill or stovetop, especially if you already have it fired up.

Overheating can make them very chewy though so be careful when microwaving.

Don’t Use Pre-made Seasoning, If Possible

There are many recipes and instances when using pre-made seasoning is the same as making your own. However, for steak fajitas, your own seasoning can be the thing that takes your beef to the next level. You can also add more spice or less spice depending on what your and your audience likes.

Our steak rub recipe below is a pretty traditional Tex-Mex style fajita seasoning.  Of course, you should feel free to customize your seasoning based on what you like!

Use Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables will cook better and be a great combination of crispy and soft. Older vegetables may get soggy or chewy ruining the flavor of your fajitas. Try not to use vegetables that have already been sitting in the fridge for a few days.

Use the Grill!

The grill is the perfect cooker for fajitas! Using a grill to make your steak fajitas can enhance their flavor and make the cooking process go faster. This will make sure your steak fajitas have optimal flavor.

The best thing to cook on the grill is the steak itself, which will pick up sear marks and develop a little bit of that incredible smokey flavor. Vegetables can still be cooked on your kitchen stove if you don’t have a grill basket.

If you don’t want to use the grill, the next best thing for cooking fajitas is a cast iron on the stove top!

Cook Veggies While the Meat is Resting

It’s best not to serve the meat right after it’s done. Letting steak rest for a few minutes after it comes off the grill will let it soak up the juices and make sure it does not get dry. While the meat is resting, you can cook the veggies since they only take about 5-10 minutes.

They may take less time if you preheat the stove or the pan. Add in just a little olive oil. Using too much olive oil can make the veggies soggy. You can also use cast iron on the stove to add flavor to the veggies.

Add Chicken!

Steak fajitas are great, but sometimes it’s nice to have a combination of steak and chicken fajitas – and it’s pretty easy to add them on if you’ve already got the grill fired up.

Just use the same seasoning on chicken and throw em on the grill.  That’s it!  Chicken is much more naturally tender so you do not need to worry about slicing against the grain.

What Sides Go With Steak Fajitas?

Steak fajitas have a protein, veggies, and carb component with the tortillas. Many people find this to be a meal by itself without added side dishes. However, make sure to add toppings so that people can use them.

Use sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and pico de gallo as add ons. Keep them in separate bowls so that people can choose what they want to add to them.

If you want to add in more Mexican flavors as you find at restaurants, you can also set out chips and salsa. You can also add some chile con queso, rice, and beans.

steak fajitas
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Grilled Steak Fajitas [& Garlic Butter]

Our grilled steak fajitas with Garlic Butter recipe featuring an easy-to-make Tex Mex style seasoning!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Beef, Mexican, Tex Mex
Keyword Bavette Steak Fajitas, Beef Fajitas, Fajitas, Flank Steak Fajitas, Skirt Steak Fajitas
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time (for seasoning) 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb skirt steak can substitute flank steak
  • 8 flour tortillas can substitute corn
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper julienned
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion julienned
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, sliced jalapeños
  • lime wedges to garnish

Tex Mex Rub Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp oregano
  • 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

Garlic Butter Ingredients (Optional)

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic

Instructions

  • Mix rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Coat the skirt steak with the rub mixture evenly and thoroughly
  • (Optional) Let the seasoned beef rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes
  • Preheat your grill to 400ºF
  • Sear both sides of the beef on your grill, about 4 minutes per side
  • After searing, move your beef to an elevated rack to finish cooking to desired doneness. (I like medium doneness on steak fajitas so I finish on the rack only for about 2 minutes)
  • Remove beef from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing
  • Add onions and bell pepper to sauté pan with a splash of olive oil. Sauté veggies over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until they begin to soften
  • In a small saucepan, melt butter and mince garlic into the butter after butter has liquified (you can also melt the butter in the microwave if you prefer)
  • Alive the beef into thin slices, cutting against the grain
  • Serve immediately on warm flour or corn tortillas. Add veggies and avocado slices
  • Squeeze lime wedges over the steak and add garlic butter. Serve alongside optional toppings. Enjoy!

Final Thoughts

Grilled steak fajitas are a great meal for when you have guests or family over. It doesn’t take long to prep or cook, which means you can easily throw this meal together if you’re in a crunch for time. Make sure to follow all the tips and advice above to ensure that your fajitas stay flavorful and moist from grill to table.

The post Grilled Steak Fajitas Recipe [With Garlic Butter] appeared first on Own The Grill.

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Hatch Chile Cheeseburger Recipe https://ownthegrill.com/hatch-chile-cheeseburger/ Tue, 10 Aug 2021 14:52:36 +0000 https://ownthegrill.com/?p=4613 If you’ve never had a hatch chile cheeseburger, you are definitely missing […]

The post Hatch Chile Cheeseburger Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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If you’ve never had a hatch chile cheeseburger, you are definitely missing out. Made with the popular hatch chile from New Mexico, it’s an incredible burger that is the perfect way to change the pace from your same old same old.

All the rest of the ingredients are common ones you would find in a regular burger recipe, so these are pretty to make as long as you can get ahold of some hatch chiles!

Of course, we recommend making hatch chile burgers on the grill for maximum juiciness and flavor. If you don’t have a grill, you can still make these on the stovetop and have a fantastic burger. These are bound to be a family and friend favorite, so be prepared to make them again the next time you have an event or cookout.

Hatch Chiles and New Mexico

Many people are surprised to travel to New Mexico for the first time and learn about the importance of the hatch chile peppers. While they are possible to find in other parts of the country, the hatch chile originated in New Mexico and most residents of the state have a complete love for the pepper ( and the hatch chile cheeseburger!).

The chile is an amazing flavor addition to any burger because it is slightly sweet and has an earthy, onion-like flavor. The peppers can also range from mild to hot, you can get a good versatile option for adding heat.

When cooked on the grill, the peppers can go from crisp to tender in just a few minutes. They also get a smoky flavor that is simply unbeatable.  If you really want to get fancy, you can smoke your peppers beforehand for even more flavor.

Where Do the Chiles Go?

If you live in New Mexico or have traveled to New Mexico, you have probably seen hatch chile cheeseburgers on the menu. If you ordered a regular burger, you may have even been asked by the waitress if you want to add chile.

However, despite it being such a widely practiced part of the food culture, there is still some debate on what part of the burger the chiles should go on.

Some people think they are better placed above the cheese. Others prefer to put their chiles under the cheese blanket.  Others still prefer to only combine chiles into the burger patty.

If you are worried about spice level or have a low tolerance for spice, you should cook your burger with the cheese – like normal on the grill and then add the chile paste on top at the end. This way you can add it for taste. If you end up wanting more spice, you can always add more as you eat.

Putting it under the melted cheese will allow the chiles to cook into the burger more and give you a more powerful chile flavor. Spice lovers prefer this option. In New Mexico, you will see restaurants do both depending on the visual they are going for. The burgers definitely make a better photo op if the chiles are on top of the cheese adding in a pop of color to the burger.

Top With Salsa or Fresh Chiles

For our hatch chile cheeseburger recipe, we used hatch chile green salsa for the burger and fresh chiles to put into the patty itself. The flavor and the spice of the salsa are more consistent and easier to add to the burger.

You don’t have to do it this way if you don’t want to! Roasting fresh chiles in lieu of a hatch chile salsa will often result in a much spicier burger – they will just take a bit longer to prep.

You can also use jarred or canned chiles for the recipe if you are in a pinch. Just make sure to drain them first. You can also add them onto the burger while it is cooking or wait until the end after they have come off the grill.

If you are grilling for guests or at an event, we recommend putting the chile salsa on the side so that people can add however much or as little as they want. This will ensure that no one gets a burger that is too spicy for them to handle.

Using chiles inside the burger and adding the salsa on the top gives the burger an amazing flavor with just enough spice. By using both techniques, you get the best of both worlds.

Burger Prep Tips

Now that you’ve been primed on hatch chiles and how they add so much to the burger, let’s look at some other helpful grilling tips to ensure you make the best burger possible.

Toast the Buns

Toasting the buns is one of the best things you can do when it comes to making the perfect burger. That extra char taste will bring out the other flavors of the burger effortlessly. Just make sure not to burn the bun! Toasting the bun will also help the burger to stay hot longer.

Combining the Ingredients

Adding in the seasonings and the green chiles into the patty mix will create a cohesiveness and greatly enhance the burger’s flavor. It will also help to make sure the meat stays together better and doesn’t fall apart as you are grilling.

While forming the patties after combining the ingredients, make sure you don’t overwork the meat. Overworking the meat or spending too much handling it will remove much of the natural juices. It will also make it more likely to fall apart as you are cooking.

Flip Evenly

Always flip the burger and make sure both sides are cooked evenly. This will ensure the juices don’t drain out and you get a nice crispy flavor on both sides. We recommend grilling burgers on medium-high temperature on each side for about six minutes to get the best flavor.

Consider Smoking Your Burgers

If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, smoked burger patties are a perfect pair with this hatch chile cheeseburger.  The smokey flavor combines really nicely with the hatch salsa and is sure to leave you wanting more.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an enhancement of the classic burger to grill for friends or neighbors, try this hatch green chile cheeseburger. It will add the perfect flavor and spiciness to the burger that will be loved by many, especially those who like things spicy.

It’s also very easy to make (as long as you have access to hatch chiles) because you begin by just forming the patty and grilling the burger like normal. Adding in the chilies and the chile salsa is an easy step and won’t take much extra time.

Check out our bacon ranch burger recipe next for more burger inspiration!

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Hatch Chile Cheeseburger

This cheeseburger is an absolute favorite that is loaded with flavor and the perfect amount of spice from one of my favorite peppers – the hatch chile!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Beef
Keyword Burger, Cheeseburger, Hatch Chile Cheeseburger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 burgers

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chuck
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp hatch chiles peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 jalapeño jack cheese slices
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 6 tbsp hatch chile salsa click link for our favorite homemade recipe, but store bought works great
  • mayonnaise to taste

Instructions

  • In a bowl combine beef, diced onion, chopped hatch chiles, salt, and pepper. Once evenly mixed, shape into 4 burger patties
  • Preheat grill to 350ºF
  • Place burgers on grill. Cook about 6 minutes per side or until both sides of the patties are slightly crispy
  • Place cheese slices on each burger. Allow heat to melt the cheese onto the patty (usually about 45 seconds)
  • Remove patties from grill and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes
  • Spread a little bit of mayonnaise on both sides of each bun. Place burger patty on bottom but, then top with hatch chile salsa on top to taste. Enjoy!

The post Hatch Chile Cheeseburger Recipe appeared first on Own The Grill.

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