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

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

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

Brisket Injection – What Is It?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brisket Injection – How To

Things You’ll Need

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Injection Overview

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

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

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

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

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

Step by Step Guide

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

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

What Goes Into Brisket Injection Fluid?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Brisket Injection Recipes

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

Malcom Reed Brisket Injection Recipe

Source: howtobbqright.com

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

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

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

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

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

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

Savory Beef Stock Brisket Flat Injection Recipe

Source: smokingpit.com

Ingredients:

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

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

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

Instructions:

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

Sweet and Savory

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

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

Beef Marinade Injection

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

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

Brisket Injection FAQ

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

Marinade vs Injection – What’s the Difference?

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

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

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

Do Professionals/Restaurants Inject Their Briskets?

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

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

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

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

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

How Much Injection Should I Use?

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

How Long Before Cooking Should I Inject My Brisket?

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

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

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

Can I Also Season My Brisket?

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

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

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

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

Are Pre Made Brisket Injections OK To Use?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wrap Up

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

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

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

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

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

However, if you’ve never prepared a brisket before, you might be wondering: Where do you probe a brisket?

In this article, we will cover some key information about cooking a brisket, including where to probe a brisket. So, next time you’re cooking your BBQ, you know exactly when it’s done.

Let’s get into it.

Where to Probe a Brisket

To probe a brisket, you will need to take your meat probe and insert it into the thickest part of the brisket point, which is the thicker section of the brisket found next to the flat. You can read more about the anatomy of a brisket here.

If you happen to have multiple probes – you should stick the second one in the thickest part of the flat section of the brisket.

The thickness of the meat is measured by the brisket fat cap. The fat cap is the layer of fat that surrounds the muscle tissue in the center of the brisket.

When it comes to cooking the perfect brisket, you need to be aware of the fact that the point and the flat reach a safe internal temperature at different times, which often catches inexperienced cooks out. This simply comes down to the fact that the flat is thinner than the point.

The internal temperature of the brisket should be between 190 and 205ºF before it comes off of the smoker. The majority of people try to achieve a temperature that lands in the 200 to 205ºF ballpark.

That being said, the exact temperature that you are targeting will entirely depend on your personal preferences and how you like your meat cooked.

However, you will want to make sure that you aren’t taking your brisket out too soon, which is usually indicated by how tender the meat is.

What Tools Do You Need to Probe a Brisket?

So, what are the best tools for probing a brisket? You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your brisket. There is a wide range of meat thermometers on the market, and you can find them online or at most kitchen stores.

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Many of these meat thermometers are known as digital instant-read thermometers that have a digital display, so you can easily read the temperature.

This means that you don’t have to guess how long it took to reach the desired temperature. Some of them also have a handy auto-shutoff feature. This means that it automatically shuts off once the desired internal temperature is reached. 

Other meat thermometer choices include leave-in thermometers. These thermometers are great for pieces of meat that take longer to cook, such as briskets.

They are safe to keep inside the meat whilst the brisket is cooking, allowing you to track the progress of your meat literally as it cooks. This can be super handy towards the end of the cooking process.

When choosing the right meat thermometer, make sure that you do your research and opt for a durable one that will withstand the test of time.

How Do You Know When a Brisket is Done?

While the temperature is a great guide for checking when your brisket is done, tenderness is also one of the biggest indications of whether the brisket is done and ready to remove from the oven.

Brisket is a tough cut of beef, but if it is cooked correctly, it will become super delicious and tender. The meat needs to be cooked low and slow for many hours in order to achieve this melt in the mouth tenderness, so you have to remain patient while the meat is in the oven.

For the best results, you should wait until the brisket is incredibly tender to the slice, and the outside is sticky with a nice barky color around the edges.

Most of the time, your brisket will be wrapped in either aluminum foil or butcher paper when it comes off of the smoker. It will need a couple of hours to rest, ideally in a cooler, before you slice and serve your BBQ.

When you transfer your brisket from the smoker to a cooler is a great opportunity to double check that your brisket is a proper tenderness. It should have something of a jiggle to it and be tender to the touch at this point in the cook.

How Do You Clean a Temperature Probe?

For the maintenance of your temperature probe, it is essential to clean it regularly. This is important because, over time, bits of food and grease can get stuck to your temperature probe, which can lead to inconsistent cooking times as a direct result.

To clean a temperature probe, all you need to use is a sponge and a bowl of soapy water. The water should be hot, so make sure that you are wearing a pair of kitchen gloves to ensure that you don’t accidentally burn yourself during the cleaning process.

To begin, you will first need to dip your probe in the soapy water and allow it to soak for a few minutes. The soaking process will help to remove any stubborn bits of meat and grease, especially if you’ve been using the temperature probe throughout the cooking process and the meat juices have dried on there.

Once you have allowed your temperature probe to soak, dip the sponge in the soapy water, and begin scrubbing the end of your temperature probe. The dish soap will help to cut through any grease and grime leftover on your temperature probe. 

If you’re still struggling to remove any stubborn bits of meat, use a scouring pad to help you along the way, and this should remove any last little bits.

Once you have thoroughly cleaned your temperature probe, make sure that you dry it properly with a clean dishcloth before you put it away again.

This will ensure that you are keeping your temperature probe in the best condition possible and that it’s ready to go next time you need to use it.

You should make sure that you are cleaning your temperature probe after every single use so that it is clean and ready to go the next time that you want to use it.

Final Thoughts

You should probe your brisket probe and insert it into the densest part of the brisket point at least, and ideally the flat as well if you have two probes.

Knowing where to probe your brisket will lead to consistent results, meaning that you minimize the risk of overcooking your brisket. After reading this article, I hope you have a better idea of where to probe your brisket.

Good luck cooking your delicious brisket!

The post Where To Probe Brisket appeared first on Own The Grill.

Hickory vs Mesquite are by far two of the most popular types of wood to use on the smoker. They’re used for many similar foods, but they impart a different flavor profile onto your BBQ.

Here we’ll explain how we compare hickory and mesquite. Read on to learn the differences and similarities between these two types of BBQ smoking wood!

Hickory vs Mesquite – Overview

Hickory – What You Need To Know

Hickory wood has a medium flavor strength that pairs well with pork, though it can also be used on chicken and beef when grilling.

The Hickory wood, which is known for its robustness and smoky taste, is widely considered a medium-strength wood.

Despite the fact that it does not have its own distinct flavor profile -the way certain woods like apple and maple do – it is known for its impact on the flavor of smoked meat, especially bacon.

Upon being exposed to the smoke of hickory for a while, you become accustomed to its vaguely sweet, intensely fragrant flavor.

Since hickory is a medium-strength smokey flavor wood that has a little bit of sweetness to it, it makes it a very versatile wood that can be used in conjunction with just about any type of meat on the grill or smoker.

Mesquite – What You Need To Know

Mesquite on the other hand definitely falls into the “strong” category.

It is best used for meat cuts, particularly brisket, that have big flavors that can hold up to strong smokey flavor.

Mesquite-smoked foods, when cooked properly, are so delicious and full of rich smokey flavor that even diners who haven’t tried them before will recognize the flavor the moment they bite into them.

A lighter wood like apple or pecan is often mixed with it to tone down the intensity for less strong foods. When smoking mesquite for the first time, amateurs should be cautious.

There is a certain amount of caution even among BBQ masters because it can overwhelm even a small amount of ingredients. Furthermore, its use should be reserved for low and slow cooking processes.

Which Foods Are Best For Hickory?

The fact that it goes naturally with bacon means that hickory pairs well with most pork cuts. Additionally, it enhances the natural sweetness of beef, and it gives a nice depth to chicken, especially dark meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs.

Interestingly, some grillers have even used hickory to smoke fish and cheese, which can turn out quite tasty when done right.

Which Foods Are Best For Mesquite?

The flavor of mesquite is renowned in Texas, where it is almost exclusively used for hearty beef cuts. Most frequently, mesquite wood is paired with brisket.

However, you can also use mesquite for smoked chuck roasts, beef ribs, or even pork ribs if you want to lay on the smokey flavor.

In addition to intensifying the smoky qualities of pulled pork, this wood can also be used together with a mellower wood to further enhance the taste.

This really is a strong flavored wood that you need to be careful when choosing what to cook with it.

Does Size Make A Difference?

The optimal wood size you should use depends on the type of grill or smoker you have.

Especially when you use a gas or charcoal grill, wood chips or pellets are best for adding smokey flavor. Wood chips burn quickly, so you need to replace them frequently.

We recommend against using them for large cuts like briskets or pork shoulders unless you are infusing other types of wood with their flavor. 

Next, we have wood pellets, which are composed of compressed hardwoods that have been ground into sawdust and reshaped into small cylinders.

If you have a pellet smoker, this is your fuel of choice, since you will have more access to the flavors that come from the wood pellets and how they affect the meat. However, these can also be used in conjunction with a pellet tube smoker on other grill types.

It’s important to remember that chunks of wood work similar to wood chips, but they are bigger and last longer when smoked. This makes them an excellent choice for charcoal grills and offset smokers.

For large offset smokers, split logs provide both heat and flavor. They are the largest of all logs. When you are smoking large amounts of meat and the wood has to burn for hours on end, they are the best choice.

The use of this wood is typical for big festivals if they have a long-lasting program that involves serving food for a long period of time.

Final Thoughts

So which is better? Each has its place in the world of BBQ. The good news is that you can try both!

In fact, we’d recommend that you try both hickory and mesquite at some point – smoke a brisket with mesquite this time and hickory next time so you can taste the difference for yourself.

With virtually any barbecue dish, hickory makes a great choice. Discover your signature flavor with fruitwood and different types of meats.

Hickory vs mesquite burn at about the same rate, so this should be your first point of reference. Because of that, you will not have to adjust your cooking time based on which wood you use.

It will taste nicely balanced if you haven’t over-smoked. The type of wood that you have used can only be determined by experts like you. Smoky undertones could be noticed by some, but others will fail to notice.

The lighter meats should be smoked with mild wood, while the heavier meats should be smoked with stronger wood.

Smoking chicken, fish, or even ribs and pork shoulder with mesquite may be too overpowering. However, you should give it a try.

In general, mesquite does not give meat the same rich color as hickory. Each of these woods smokes well and has its own distinctive flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hickory Or Mesquite Better For Brisket?

As mesquite burns much faster, it’s best to add it at the beginning or at the end in small amounts to avoid overpowering the hickory smoke flavor or making the meat bitter.

Brisket has a richer taste, so it can handle strong smoky flavors. You will typically come to find that mesquite is paired with brisket the most and it delivers great flavor every single time.

Can You Mix Hickory And Mesquite Together?

To make your food taste good, you can mix hickory and mesquite together. Using a mix of hickory and mesquite offers a good middle ground if you’re not sure whether to use either one.

Consequently, you will have a smoke blend that is not as strong as mesquite but contains more flavor than hickory.

Where Can You Get Hickory And Mesquite?

Hickory vs Mesquite are both readily available at grocery stores around the country.

Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to pick some up online too. Places like Amazon and specialty stores can ship your preferred wood type straight to your doorstep.

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Can You Use Too Much Wood?

You will want to be careful not to overpower the flavor that you add yourself by using too much wood. You should only use mesquite wood sparingly if you have never smoked meat before, or if you have only used the weaker woods. 

You may want to soak dry hickory pieces in water beforehand or burn larger pieces before cooking. The taste of food can be ruined by too much hickory wood smoke.

It is best to use it in conjunction with another wood at a ratio of perhaps twenty percent hickory to eighty percent other wood.

It’s important to be cautious when using these woods or any wood for that matter because the smoke from these woods will bury the raw natural flavors of the meat.

For this reason, before you start cooking, make sure you use the right amount. You will be able to serve your guests a great-tasting meal if you decide to use the right amount of wood.

The post Hickory vs Mesquite for Smoking BBQ appeared first on Own The Grill.

BBQ smoked brisket is one of those foods that always will have a special place for me.  I grew up in Texas so I was spoiled with an abundance of delicious Texas style BBQ brisket just about everywhere I turned.

Eventually I started making it on my own at home in my smoker.  Over time I’ve come to appreciate just how much work, preparation, and love goes into making a legendary brisket.

One of the most talked about aspects of smoking a brisket is whether to wrap it, whether to smoke it bare (with no foil or brisket butcher paper), and if wrapping, which type of wrap to use.  Personally, I’ve used all of the methods at different times to achieve different results.

Knowing why some pit masters wrap and how to do it can make a huge difference to help you reach your desired result.  Each method – or combination thereof – will lead to quite different results.  How you wrap your brisket changes cook times, moisture levels, and the bark exterior of your brisket.

In this article, we’ve made a complete guide for wrapping brisket.  We’ll go over each method, how to do it, and talk about the implications of each on your final result.

Wrapping Brisket – What Are Your Options?

Brisket comes from the lower chest area of a steer, and it’s a muscle that’s used to support huge amounts of weight throughout the life of the animal.

Because of this, it’s a pretty tough cut of meat to work with – which is why it’s best cooked on a smoker for long periods of time.  Cooking brisket this way allows the meat to tenderize and come out moist and delicious.

When it comes to wrapping brisket, you really only have 3 options that are used by pit masters.  You can wrap the brisket in either foil or butcher paper, or you can smoke it bare (also referred to as naked).

Each technique yields a different end result, and also has implications in terms of how long your brisket should stay on the smoker.  Here’s a breakdown of each technique of wrapping brisket!

Wrapping Brisket in Foil

Using foil to wrap your brisket is on the opposite end of the spectrum from smoking it bare.  Foil is less breathable than butcher paper and will create a bit of an oven effect for your beef.  A foil wrapping will retain heat really well and essentially braise your brisket in addition to smoking it.

As you can imagine, smoking a brisket in foil takes the least amount of time out of these 3 methods for wrapping brisket, and you can skip the infamous brisket stall if you don’t have the patience.  Expect cooking times to be approximately 5-10% less compared to a brisket wrapped in butcher paper.

Foil also is a great choice for beginners or hot and fast brisket – since the foil retains heat so well your brisket is less likely to be negatively impacted by fluctuations in temperature.  So if you’re not comfortable with your abilities to maintain a consistent fire, foil is a great choice to alleviate some of those worries.

Flavor wise, expect a lot of the beefiness to come through.  Since the foil makes the brisket cook and braise in its own juices, don’t be surprised if the eating experience has semblances of a pot roast or something similar.

The downside of wrapping brisket in foil is that you’re blocking off the direct heat from your fire almost completely.  Because of this a foil wrapped brisket is less likely to develop a signature crunchy bark, and you’re also less likely to pick up smokey flavors and notes in your end result.  Of course, if you prefer beef forward flavor and aren’t crazy about smokiness, that might be perfect for you.

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Wrapping Brisket in Butcher Paper

Brisket in butcher paper is the way most of the professional pit masters and competition BBQ teams do it.  Wrapping brisket in butcher paper truly gives you the best of both worlds and takes the best parts of wrapping in foil and smoking bare.

Using butcher paper to wrap your brisket decreases your cooking time – typically about 10% less time compared to smoking one bare.

As your brisket cooks low and slow on the smoker, your paper wrap gets soaked and absorbs moisture.  The paper then is essentially a warm blanket of moisture that perpetually braises your brisket cut – which helps tremendously to keep it from drying out.  The end result is often has a perfect to near perfect moisture level.

It’s also a little better than foil in the sense that the butcher paper will breathe a little bit.  What this means in practical terms is that the smoke from your fire will still be able to get to your beef.  So you don’t have to choose between smokey flavor and moisture in your end result.  With a paper wrapped brisket, you get both!

Butcher paper also doesn’t completely block out direct heat, so it’s quite possible to achieve an impressive BBQ bark that has a really nice crunch to it.

Wrapping with paper is probably going to lead to the most happy eaters and is a perfect medium between bare and foil.  The end results are equally moist, smokey, beefy, and with a crunchy bark.

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Naked (Bare) Brisket

If you’re in a rush or forgot to pick up supplies at the store, sometimes cooking a brisket naked is your only option.

While most experienced pit masters wouldn’t necessarily do it this way, it’s a viable method of cooking brisket and can still lead to some tasty results.

Basically, when cooking a naked brisket all you do is season it and put it on the smoker.  That’s it!

Since brisket is such a tough cut to work with, and also because you don’t have any material to help keep moisture in – you’ll be looking at about a 10% longer cooking time for a naked brisket compared to a wrapped one.

You should also be careful of smoking your meat dry.  With no wrapping and the longer cook time, you have to be extra careful to not over do it and end up with a dried out end result.

Compared to wrapping brisket with either foil or paper, this method will end up with the least amount of moisture in the final product.

There are some good things that come from not wrapping brisket!  Since bare brisket is more directly exposed to your heat source, it will absorb and retain more smokey flavor.  It’s also much easier to get a signature crunchy bark on the outside of a bare brisket.

So if your ideal brisket has a crunchier outer bark and a more distinct smokey flavor, smoking it bare just might be your best way to cook brisket!

For all of my visual learners out there – here’s a great video from the legend Aaron Franklin himself testing the difference between these 3 methods:

Brisket is one of those foods that can take a lifetime to truly master.  Our advice?  Change only 1 thing at a time each time you smoke a brisket.  Pay attention to how the result was different, and tweak something else the each next time until you perfect it.

No matter which method of wrapping brisket you choose, you should look to take it off of the smoker once it’s reached an internal temperature of 190°F.  You can measure with a probe smoker thermometer to make sure you get it right!

Remember, smoking bare will lead to less moist, less beefy, and smokier results with a crunchy to very crunchy bark.

Smoking with paper leads to moist, beefy, smokey results with a somewhat crunchy to crunchy bark.

And smoking brisket with foil leads to super moist, super beefy, less smokey results with a non crunchy to somewhat crunchy bark.

There’s no “wrong” way to do it – although in my experience butcher paper results tend to work for the most types of eaters.

Which brisket wrapping method did you try out first?  How did it affect your brisket rub?  Let us know how it went in the comments!

Looking for more information on brisket?  Check out our brisket ultimate guide right here.

The post Wrapping Brisket Guide: Foil, Butcher Paper, or Bare – Which is Best? appeared first on Own The Grill.

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

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

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

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

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Why Use A Brisket Spritz?

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

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

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

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

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

What To Spritz Brisket With

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

Apple Juice

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

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

Apple Cider Vinegar

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

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

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

Beef Broth

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

Hot Sauce

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

Butter

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

Beer

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

Olive Oil

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

Worcestershire Sauce

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

Water

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

Mopping Versus Spritzing

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

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

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

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

How Often Should You Spritz A Brisket?

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

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

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

Do You Have To Spritz A Brisket?

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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

After all, what is wrong with good old-fashioned wood and coals?

In actual fact, the beauty of the pellet grill is that it takes some of the good from traditional charcoal grilling and makes it easier and more reliable.

Wood pellet grills offer consistency and convenience, without losing any of the flavor or fun of traditional grilling. If you want to find out exactly how they work, then read on!

Understanding How a Pellet Grill Works

What Are Wood Pellets?

The most obvious difference between a wood pellet grill and any other type of backyard unit is the fuel source. Pellet grills are fuelled by wood pellets made from compressed sawdust.

The pellets are cylindrical in shape, and approximately pill-sized. They are made for culinary purposes and so are non toxic and contain high quality, natural wood. They should not be confused with industrial wood pellets intended for heating only.

What Are The Benefits Of Wood Pellets?

When compared to charcoal, wood chunks or chips, gas grills and electric grills, wood pellets offer a number of notable advantages.

Economic & Efficient

Firstly, because they are made of compressed wood pulp, pellets are densely packed and therefore highly efficient. They contain less moisture and more energy than wood chunks, and therefore burn for much longer.

A 40 pound bag of wood pellets will last you much longer than the equivalent weight in logs and sticks, and will cost you less than a bag of premium charcoal.

Clean Smoke

As pellets combust without the need for charcoal, they produce clean, blue smoke that is not dirty or bitter tasting. This smoke is ideal  for slow cooking meat over a low heat for several hours, and results in deliciously tender and smoky results.

Consistency

As the pellets are all uniform in shape, size and density, and are funnelled into the firebox automatically, they are able to produce consistent temperatures and sustain them for extended periods of time.

This, in turn, benefits the texture and consistency of the meat.

Good Flavor

Depending on the type of wood used in the pellets, they have  different aromas and flavors.

These flavors can be chosen specifically to compliment the meat or food that is being cooked, as the smoke will infuse into it and add another flavor dimension. Different types of wood can even be mixed in order to create a ‘blend’. 

Less Mess

Charcoal fires create lots of dirty soot and ash that has to be cleaned up at the end of any party. While wood pellets create ash, it is cleaner and is contained within the firebox.

Most pellet grills have an ash dispenser system too, whereby the ash can be removed easily and emptied without the rest of the grill being affected.

Hands-Free Functionality

One of the key advantages of wood pellet grills is their ease of use. Rather than having to tend to a charcoal fire, stoke the flames and load up the logs, the pellets are fed continuously into the firebox by the auger, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

As long as the hopper has been sufficiently filled, you can even leave these grills to work their magic overnight, and they will not die out or waver in the slightest.

What Are The Parts Of A Pellet Grill?

So, now that you understand what the benefits of a pellet grill include, let’s take a tour of its component parts.

The Hopper

The hopper is the chamber into which the wood pellets are loaded. The capacity of the hopper will affect how many pellets can be loaded at any one time, and therefore the length of time that your grill will be self-sufficient for until it needs topping up.

The Auger

The auger is a screw-shaped mechanism which twists automatically in order to funnel the pellets from the hopper into the firebox. It needs to be good quality and reliable to prevent annoying blockages.

The Firepot

The firepot is where the pellets are heated by a hotrod until they combust and ignite. Once lit, the fire burns steadily and constantly in the pot, producing clean, blue smoke and heat, which are both channelled into the cooking chamber.

The Cooking Chamber

The cooking chamber is the main grill. It looks like a regular grill with racks and a domed lid or hood that is closed in order to keep the heat and smoke trapped.

The meat and food that is being grilled or smoked is placed directly on the racks, and left to slowly cook through.

The lid of the cooking chamber should seal closed, and usually has a thermometer on the outside which lets you know what temperature the chamber has hit.

The Water Pan

The water pan is not on most pellet smokers but it is a fixture on some. it usually sits in the base of the cooking chamber and is used as a heat regulator and a cooking aid. It can be filled with pure water, or seasoned water, and as the liquid heats up it turns to steam.

This steam helps to keep the meat moist and also adds flavor.

The Chimney & Dampers

The smoke and steam have to escape the chamber to prevent it from overheating, and they do this via the chimney. The chimney allows old smoke to leave so that new smoke can enter the chamber and the cycle can continue. 

The dampers are vents located at the top and bottom of the unit. They allow you to control the temperature of the pellet grill.

The lower damper draws oxygen into the firebox, causing the flames to grow and intensify. The upper damper lets hot air out of the central chamber.

If you close your lower dampers, you can lower the temperature of your grill. If you close all your dampers, you will kill your fire. If you open your bottom damper, you will increase the temperature of your grill.

How Do You Use A Pellet Grill?

Having gone through all the component parts of a pellet grill, let’s look at how you use it in order to get the most out of it.

Step 1: Fill The Hopper

The first step when using any pellet grill is to fill the hopper with your chosen wood pellets. The bigger the hopper, the more pellets it will hold, allowing you longer to relax and hang out with your friends and family.

The hopper can be topped up during the cook without causing any disturbance to the cooking process, as it has its own, remote access door.

Step 2: Fill The Water Pan (Optional)

Before igniting any flames, it is important that your water pan is filled and in place, as this is a heat regulator and moisture source. The cooking chamber will become overly hot and dry without this crucial element. 

Step 3: Get The Grill Started

To power up your wood pellet grill, it is simply a case of plugging in and switching on. Most pellet grills have a digital LCD display, like the Camp Chef Woodwind Series, however this is not an essential feature.

The power button will automatically turn the auger and begin feeding pellets into the firebox, where the hot rod will heat and ignite them.

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Step 4: Heat The Cooking Chamber

You need to allow your cooking chamber to reach its optimum temperature before you add your meat or food. To do this you must make sure that the lid is closed and sealed.

You can open the lower damper to fuel the flames with oxygen, and open the upper damper to encourage a healthy heat flow. This will quicken the preheating process.

You can keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chamber by looking at the lid thermometer. But be warned, these thermometers are notoriously hit and miss, so be sure to consult the LCD temperature reading as well, if your grill has one.

Step 5: Load The Meat (Food)

Once your cooking chamber has reached the desired temperature, you can add your meat. The meat should be placed directly on the rack, and directly above the water pan.

This way, the water pan will catch any juices and fluids that drip down and can recycle all that delicious flavor in the steam it creates.

For best results, you should keep your meat refrigerated up until the last moment. This is because cold meat absorbs smoke more efficiently than room temperature meat.

Note: You don’t have to only cook meat on your pellet grill! You can cook pizzas, or side dishes like veggies or mac and cheese easily on a pellet smoker.

Step 6: Be Patient

Once your meat is in the chamber, the only thing to do is wait. Pellet grills are designed to cook slowly, over a long period of time, and the slower the process, the more tender and juicy the result will be.

It is important not to frequently lift the lid of your pellet grill whilst your meat is cooking, as this will introduce cold air into the chamber and affect the consistency of the cooking temperature.

Smoked meat tastes best when the cooking temperature remains very steady throughout, so fluctuations are not desirable. Instead, trust your timings and use the lid thermometer as a guide.

Step 7: Probe The Meat

When your cooking time is almost complete, you can lift the lid and probe your meat in order to check its internal temperature.

The lid thermometer and LCD temperature reading, refer only to the internal temperature of the chamber itself, not of the meat.

The meat will take much longer to heat up on the inside than the outside, and this is why it is important to probe right to the center of the cut. Once the center has reached the desired temperature, you will know that your meat is cooked and good to eat.

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How Do You Clean A Pellet Grill?

As we mentioned earlier, pellet grills are less messy than traditional charcoal grills, however they do still produce ash that needs to be cleaned up.

Many pellet grills have an ash disposal system that can be removed from the unit like a drawer and emptied directly into a bin. These are very handy and really speed up the cleaning process.

The also allow you to clean the ash periodically throughout long cooks, without disrupting the cooking process.

It is as important to clean the grill racks and chamber interior on a pellet grill as it is on any other kind of grill unit. We recommend scraping fat and juices off the racks at the end of each use, and vacuuming the excess away.

Then, every three uses or so, it is a good idea to give your pellet grill a more in-depth clean and wipe down the full interior as well. This prevents bacteria from developing, and extends the lifespan of your racks and surfaces.

What Wood Pellets Are Best For A Pellet Grill?

One of the keys to success when it comes to pellet grills is picking the right pellets for the job.

The most important thing is to make sure that you buy cooking/ smoking pellets as opposed to standard heating pellets.

Heating pellets are used to fuel boilers and heaters, and therefore contain sawdust and low quality wood pulp that is not suitable for consumption. Smoking pellets are more expensive than heating pellets, but do not be tempted to scrimp. 

When it comes to smoking pellets, you have the choice between hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods are generally thought to be the better option as they burn more slowly and give off more smoke.

However, if you don’t like your meat to taste too intensely of smoke, softwood pellets will give a more subtle finish.

Red meats handle strong woody flavors like hickory and mesquite. Pork and white meats work well with sweeter fruit woods like apple, pecan and cherry. And alder wood goes with pretty much anything.

Final Thoughts

Pellet grills are easy to use, easy to maintain, and produce delicious results every time. The science behind them is innovative, and the inner workings of these units is beautifully simple.

Once you have given one a go, you certainly won’t look back!

The post How Does A Pellet Grill Work? appeared first on Own The Grill.

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

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

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

What Is The Flat Iron Steak?

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

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

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

The Taste Of A Flat Iron Steak

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

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

Where To Purchase Flat Iron Steaks

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Store Flat Iron Steaks

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

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

How to Cook Flat Iron Steak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summary

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

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flat Iron Steak Good For You?

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

Is Flat Iron Steak Good?

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

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

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

However, many people debate which is better – chopped brisket or sliced brisket? The great thing is that both of them taste absolutely incredible and deserve their own recognition.

Our guide will hopefully help you to decide which one is best for you and how to cook and prepare them. At the end of the day, it’s always good to understand your meal before making it so that you can produce the best results.

What Is Beef Brisket?

Beef briskets are very popular because they’re generally big, fatty cuts of beef with tons of flavor.

In fact, these types of muscles are what gives the beef its rich flavors. Because of this, when you get a cut like a brisket, you’re getting the full range of flavor. That’s why it tastes so delicious!

What’s The Difference Between Sliced And Chopped Brisket?

Chopping or slicing fresh beef brisket is going to depend on what type of meat you prefer.

When we say that you can chop brisket, we mean that you could chop the whole brisket into pieces that are equal to your preferred thickness.

For example, you could slice against the grain for thin slices of beef or into strips for thicker chunks. This will allow you to create the meal that you want and suit the texture to your needs.

If we say that you can slice brisket, we mean thick slices of beef that still retain some structure to them. These slices are perfect for sandwiches and are especially helpful when you’re serving them for brisket tacos.

Either way, it’s important to remember that you want to serve brisket after it’s rested and not overcooked so that you still maintain the juiciness that you love about this kind of beef.

How To Slice Brisket

You’ll want to wait for around an hour before you place the meat onto a cutting board. Make sure that the board is big enough that all the meat will fit, otherwise you risk the meat touching surfaces that might be unclean.

It’s always good to use a sharp slicing knife so that you can get the best results possible. There’s nothing worse than having to use too much effort and energy when cutting your meat. The sharper the knife, the easier the cutting.

Find the grain and place the beef into a position where you can slice against the muscles and their fibers. Note that the brisket point and flat will have grain running in different directions.

The smoother the cut, the better the quality of your meal. There should be a slither of fat on each cut so that you have the option to cut it away or enjoy it with your meat.

The best technique is to slice in the same direction whilst sawing back and forth.

This will gently ensure that the cut is smooth but thorough, making sure that the beef doesn’t seem like it’s been torn apart with someone’s bare hands or with a blunt blade.

Once you’ve cut as many slices as you need, you can plate up the meat and prepare it ready for serving. It’s not too complicated once you get into the process!

How To Chop Brisket

When you chop brisket, it’s going to be a lot different because you’re not really slicing the meat. Instead, you’re chopping it together into smaller and more manageable parts.

If you were to try to chop the whole piece of meat, it would be a lot harder to work with than if you sliced it in half first. You’ll also find that the pieces tend to crumble more easily since they aren’t as well-defined.

Firstly and most importantly, make sure that the brisket has had enough time to rest once it’s cooked. This will ensure that the textures and the flavors are just right and will make your job a lot easier.

We recommend leaving the meat to rest for at least an hour, and up to three hours in general. The first hour is vital to ensuring your food is perfect.

Like with slicing your brisket, you want to aim against the grain for the best results.

If you cut with the grain then you’re going to end up with meat that’s too chewy to enjoy and that’s the last thing you want after investing so much time and effort into making your brisket.

The aim is to have meat soft and tender enough so that it’s perfect for sandwiches.

We also recommend adding some sort of vinegar or acidic juice to your meat to help enhance the flavors and to help keep the fat levels balanced.

Barbecue sauce is almost always used when cooking brisket, however, lemon and lime juice is also a great idea. These are both good and will all depend on which flavor you want to experience when eating your brisket.

What Part Of The Cow Is Beef Brisket?

You may wonder where beef brisket comes from. Well, technically speaking, beef brisket actually comes from the chest area of the cow.

How To Cook A Brisket

Cooking a sliced brisket is pretty simple. First off, you need to make sure that the brisket has been trimmed well, and then season it all over with a rub. This will help to let the flavors explode in your mouth once you start to eat the brisket.

Then the brisket goes on the smoker, usually between 225 or 250ºF, for up to 16 hours depending on the size of your cut.

Once cooked, remove it from the smoker and place in a cooler to rest.

Sliced vs Chopped Brisket – The Final Breakdown

What should you look out for when deciding on which method to use? Well, you need to make sure that you know what you’re going to use the brisket for.

For example, if you know that you’re going to eat this beef on a BBQ platter, then the sliced version is best.

However, chopped beef brisket is a useful option to enjoy a good sandwich or roll because of how small you can cut the beef. Chopped is also the way to go for dishes like brisket mac and cheese!

Another thing to consider is the texture. Sliced brisket will need to be cut and therefore will probably take longer to eat as a result.

However, there are many who prefer chopped brisket because it’s smaller and easier to eat when accompanied by sandwich bread and other similar foods.

Because of how small these meat sizes can be, they can be bite-sized and will be amazing as a part of a larger meal.

Final Thoughts

Many people like to chop their brisket if they prefer smaller portions that can be transformed into bite-sized versions of beef.

Ultimately, the way you prepare your brisket will come down to what you’re planning to accompany the meat with and how many people intend to eat it.

Beef brisket is easily one of the most versatile options when it comes to cooking beef and will allow you to have creative freedom over the meals you’re looking to incorporate it into.

Why not experiment? Find some recipes and have some fun making some good food!

The post Sliced vs Chopped Brisket – Which is best? appeared first on Own The Grill.

Don’t get me wrong – I appreciate the expert level of craftsmanship that most high-end grill manufacturers put into their products.

It’s just not every day that I come across a truly unique product that makes me feel like I’ve discovered something different.

But that’s exactly what happened when I saw an Arteflame grill for the first time.  These grills deliver an elite cooking experience – plus they’re just flat-out cool and create an unbeatable ambiance in any outdoor kitchen.

My encounter led me to create this complete Arteflame review for anybody who might be interested or on the fence about picking one up.  So read on to learn more about a fire pit grill and what makes them so special!

What Are Arteflame Grills Exactly?

In a nutshell, Arteflame Grills are high end, standalone flat top grills that are designed to be the center of your outdoor parties and get togethers.

Aesthetically, the grills present elevated, contemporary, and sleek centerpieces to your outdoor space.

Functionally, the grills work as a wood or charcoal fired flat top grill.  A centrally located fire pit is the heat source for a circular cooking surface that surrounds the cooking fire pit.  The cooking surface can also be removed and the unit can be enjoyed simply as a fire pit.

While the ultimate prize is a full size Arteflame Grill, they also offer a few accessories that allow for you to have a taste of the Arteflame experience at a more budget friendly price point.

Specifically, they offer carbon steel grill inserts that fit inside a Weber Kettle or a Kamado-style grill (such as a Big Green Egg or a Kamado Joe).  These inserts just pop right in to replace your grill’s cooking grate and feature a quality flat top surface around the circumference – with a traditional grill grate in the center.

Arteflame Classic 40″ Review – A Close Look

Arteflame Classic 40" Grill w/ Tall Round Base

• Uses both wood and / or charcoal
• Removable cooktop is laser cut from 1/2" steel
• Optional center grill grate
• Can be used as a fire bowl with, or without the cooktop
• Cooktop "lift and remove" tool included
• Virtually maintenance-free: all residue can be scraped into the fire
• Fire bowl is spun from a single piece of corten steel without seams or welds
• After cooktop cools, wipe clean with a cloth or paper towel and food safe oil
• Can be left outside year-round; base develops a beautiful, maintenance free patina over time
• Includes seasoning puck for seasoning of cooktop
• Designed and Made in the USA using US steel
• DIMENSIONS: 40" Wide x 18" High, 290lbs. (102cm x 46cm, 132Kg)
• Base diameter is 21"
• Arteflame Grills are all steel making the grills quite heavy, shipping weights can be over 500lbs!

Check Price on Arteflame

The best way to illustrate how great Arteflame Grills are is to dive into their flagship Classic 40″ tall base grill for a look at its features and how it performs.

For starters, the unit is 38″ tall – the bottom of the base has a 20″ diameter and the top of the base, where the cooking surface is set, has a 40″ diameter.

The fire bowl is a single piece of Cor-ten steel, so there are no seams or weld marks.  Cor-ten steel is a special type of weathering steel that has increased resistance to corrosion compared to other steel.  That means repeated exposure to rain, snow, and ice won’t affect the quality of your fire bowl.

To get the grill going, you build your fire in the center of the grill – with either wood or charcoal or both – and this fire serves as the energy source to heat your flat top cooking surface.

Essentially, the fire in the centerfire bowl heats your cooking surface to the ideal cooking temperature.  What’s really cool about this configuration is that naturally, the inside of the ring gets much hotter than the outside of the ring, which means you can simultaneously cook different types of foods at their ideal temperatures.

The cooktop is made of 1/2″ carbon steel, which is generally considered to be a superior cooking surface to cast iron.  The inside of the cooktop can reach upwards of 500ºF with a large enough fire, ideal for searing steaks, burgers, and much more.  The outside of the cooktop reaches about 250ºF, ideal for peppers, veggies, or simply to keep already cooked food warm before it’s served.

It’s hard to overstate just how good looking of a grill this is – it truly looks like a piece of art in person and creates a unique ambiance for any outdoor setup.  In addition to the Classic 40″ version, Arteflame offers a few other tall base configurations that present a slightly different aesthetic – namely a Euro base and a classic base with built-in storage.

Euro Base:

Classic Base with Storage:

Furthermore, they offer the classic and euro styles in a low base configuration, which is only 18″ tall compared to the 38″ tall standard base.  The low base options still have a 40″ diameter cooking surface.

Last but not least they offer a fire bowl only set up, which is ideal if you plan to install a custom built-in flat top grill configuration.  The bowl-only version can be set into various styles of outdoor pits or sturdy countertops to complete your outdoor kitchen.

Getting the Most Out of Your Arteflame Grill

Accessories

Arteflame has developed quite the suite of well thought out accessories to compliment their already incredibly functional grills.  Here’s a quick look at some of our favorite add ons:

Food Saver

If you ever plan to load up your grill or cook foods that can roll around (like hot dogs), the food saver is almost a must.  This stainless steel insert fits to the outside of the center ring and creates a little blockade to prevent your food from falling into the fire.

Center Grill Grate

The center of your Arteflame grill – where your fire is built – is left uncovered by default.  However, you can cover the center space over your fire with a carbon steel grill grate if you want to utilize the center area of the cooker.

The center grill grate sits flush with the flat top cooking surface and makes it easy to get beautiful grill marks on your food.  Not to mention, food from the grate is sure to pick up some incredible smoky flavor as it cooks directly over your fire.

Bottom line, the center grill grate is a nice way to add versatility and significantly more cooking surface area to your set up.

Grill Grate Riser

The Arteflame grill grate riser is designed to work in tandem with the center grill grate attachment.  Instead of setting your grate flush with the flat top cooking surface, the grate riser lifts your grate about 9″ above the cooking surface.

This adds functionality in a couple of ways.  First, it allows for you to place a cast iron pan directly on the center grate without smothering your fire.  Second, it serves as a lower heat zone to set food that you want to cook a little slower and pick up extra smokey flavor.

Rotisserie Kit

Everybody loves a good rotisserie set up, but the problem is most are a pain to deal with.  Arteflame’s rotisserie kit is designed to be as straightforward as possible to use.

The kit fits perfectly into the center of an Arteflame grill with a simple squeeze and release system.  That’s all it takes to be well on your way to delicious rotisserie chicken, turkey, and much more.

Pizza Oven

If you’re the type who enjoys a good Neapolitan style pizza, the pizza oven kit provides an excellent way to make ’em right there on your grill.

The kit is designed to sit over the center of the grill, which creates a cooking chamber that’s well ventilated and perfect for cooking some spectacular pizzas over the wood fire.

The best part is that once your pizzas are done in the oven, all you have to do is pull them out and set them right there on the Arteflame’s cooktop where they can be sliced and stay warm until you’re ready to grab a slice.

Grill Scraper

A grill scraper is a versatile tool in the pit master arsenal.  When it comes to Arteflame grills, the grill scraper serves two main functions.  It allows you to corral foods that you are cooking on the flat top surface, like veggies.

The grill scraper is also the perfect no fuss tool to clean your cooktop quickly.  Simply scrape your food bits and excess oils into the fire pit and boom, you’re ready to go for your next cook.

Arteflame Insert for Weber Kettle and Kamado Grills

If you’re interested in the Arteflame cooking style – that is, flat top grill cooking over a charcoal or wood fire – but don’t need a full sized grill, the inserts are an excellent alternative.

These inserts are a carbon steel cooking surface, with a flat top surface around the outside and grill grates over the center.  The Weber Kettle insert is obviously designed to fit all sizes of Weber’s Kettle grill, and the Kamado insert is designed to fit the most popular Kamado grill brands like Kamado Joe or Big Green Egg.

Caring For Your Arteflame Grill

First and foremost, it’s worth reemphasizing here that Arteflame grills are incredibly durable.  In fact, they’re designed to be able to be left outdoors, uncovered, in any kind of weather, and still perform well for years.

But with that being said, at Own the Grill we are big proponents of grill care, so we’d still recommend covering your Arteflame just to make sure it stays in tip top shape (Arteflame sells grill covers that fit each of their products).

You’ll also need to be prepared to season your cooking surface as it will arrive unseasoned.  The purpose of seasoning the cooktop is to remove any leftover residue from the manufacturing process, but also to form a natural non-stick cooking surface that will make your Arteflame more durable and easy to cook on.  Here’s a resource Arteflame created which walks through the process of seasoning their grills:

Last but not least, it’s important to give your grill a quick clean at the end of each cook.  We mentioned already that a grill scraper helps immensely for this – all you really need to do is scrape any food bits and oil into the center fire pit.  If you want to re-season your cooktop, do so by giving it a light wipe with a rag that has been dipped in your griddle cooking oil of choice.

From there, scoop out the ashes (after they have completely cooled!!) and dispose.  You can reuse charcoal or wood that has not burned.

Arteflame Review – Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Arteflame grills might not be for everybody – they aren’t exactly budget grills and you need to have some patio space to dedicate to your cooker.

But those who dive in to the Artiflame family are handsomely rewarded with a grill that not only will cook tasty food time after time.  They’re rewarded with a bona fide centerpiece to any outdoor cooking set up that will make people gather around for memorable cookouts time and time again.

We hope you’ve found this Arteflame grill review to be helpful!  Let us know if you’ve come across one before and what your experience was – we love to gather feedback and are constantly trying to improve the quality of our content!

The post Arteflame Review – Insights Into a Distinctive Brand appeared first on Own The Grill.

Of course, everyone likes different foods and different tastes, but rare and medium-rare are seen around the world as somewhat of a household favorite.

With regard to the other levels of how much these meats should be cooked, many meat-eaters believe that well-done is too chewy and blue is too undercooked.

At the end of the day, we all want to enjoy our food in the ways that we think it tastes best. Making sure that our meat is cooked to perfection is a lot of the process, with the flavors and textures improving because of the doneness.

Follow our guide to find out the differences between medium rare and rare, with the benefits of cooking your meat in these ways.

Six Main Levels Of Doneness In Steaks

There are lots of different ways to cook steaks, with lots of different techniques. However, one thing that stays the same is the levels of doneness that people will use as a guideline when cooking their meat.

This way, people know how raw or cooked they want their food to be. This is always determined by the internal temperatures and has a direct effect on the taste and the texture of the food.

Blue-Rare Steak

The lowest level of doneness for steaks, blue implies what the steak looks like.

With a purple-blue color and a colder temperature, compared to the other levels of doneness, this is what people will ask for when they want to have their food basically raw.

However, as long as the steak doesn’t have any chemicals present when packaged, the meat is safe to eat.

This level of doneness is achieved by quickly searing the beef on a hot grill, making sure the outside is seared but the inside remains uncooked and raw. The internal temperature of the steak should be a temperature of around 115 F.

Rare Steak

As opposed to blue, which is considered raw, this level of doneness refers to what the meat looks like. A red-pink color, more similar to pink than purple, is what you’ll see when looking at a rare steak.

The internal temperature of this type of steak should be 125 F. Many people think that the juiciness and the redness of this doneness are down to blood in the steak, however, this is just proteins and myoglobin in the meat.

The texture of rare meat compared to blue is still soft to the touch, but not raw and squishy.

The edges of the steak are mainly seared and charred slightly to ensure that the eater enjoys a more-cooked version of the steak, compared to the other level of doneness we mentioned.

Medium-Rare Steak

If you’re not into having your meat very rare, then this may be the level of doneness that you’d like to achieve.

As opposed to a medium-rare steak, which is where the steak starts to look slightly pinkish red, medium-rare means that the meat is starting to turn a bit browner.

An internal temperature of 130 F is the goal here, and will have a lot less juice and redness when eating.

This is usually the level of doneness that people aim for when they want a fairly middle-of-the-range finish to their meat.

Medium-rare is still tender and soft to the touch, however, the outside of the steak will be more seared and firm. This is always a great level to choose from.

Medium Steak

When cooking your meat, there’s no such thing as too much. For some people, a medium steak would be perfect. It can vary from person to person, however, if you prefer your meat to be more well done, then a medium steak isn’t going to do it for you.

This steak isn’t as juicy compared to the other doneness levels and is often used in steak burgers because of the firm texture.

A more golden-brown color and an internal temperature of 140 F are what you’ll get when you go for a medium steak.

The texture of the steak will be firm throughout, and the outside will also be slightly more seared to give the steak a different flavor from the other levels.

Medium-Well Steak

For those who enjoy their meat cooked longer, then medium-well is probably the level of doneness for you. Once again, there is no such thing as having too much with steak, so take your time and enjoy your meal!

If you’re aiming for a medium-well steak, then make sure to cook it for about 7 or 8 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the cut.

For the most accurate finish, an internal temperature of around 155 F will be the target here. The steak will appear darker and firmer overall.

Again, the texture of the steak will remain firm throughout. and will be more cooked than the previous options, forming a bridge between medium and well-done steak.

Well-Done Steak

If you really love your meat cooked until it’s almost burnt, then this might be the one for you. Well-done steaks are cooked past 160 degrees Fahrenheit internally.

To get to this stage, you need to cook them for around 10 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat. Because of this being cooked thoroughly, this is the toughest and driest out of all the steak types.

As you can imagine, these steaks are extremely dark and will be quite dry. They will also have a crusty exterior and won’t be as moist as the others.

However, if this is the level of doneness you’re after, then you’ll find that the steak tastes incredibly rich and delicious.

What’s The Difference Between Medium And Medium-Rare Steak?

The difference between medium and medium-rare steak is pretty simple: the former has been cooked through but is not yet fully cooked, while the latter has been cooked beyond medium.

There’s also a slight difference in taste, as medium-rare is slightly sweeter and juicier than medium.

Taste Differences

If you’re looking for a good balance of flavors, then you should consider choosing medium-rare over medium.

While both have a similar taste profile, the former is a little better at balancing the beefiness of the meat.

And if you like spicy food, then medium-rare will be the way to go. Medium has fewer juices compared to medium-rare and will have a slightly drier taste.

Texture Differences

While they may look similar, medium and medium-raze steaks are actually very different in terms of texture. The former has a firm texture, which means that it’s not as soft as medium-rare.

On top of that, medium-rare is softer and juicier compared to medium. So if you want a tender and juicy steak, then medium-rare is probably the way to go. However, medium tends to have a more neutral finish, which many steak novices love.

Differences In Temperature

As mentioned earlier, medium steak has been cooked past medium-rare, meaning that its internal temperature is higher than what we normally call medium-rare.

This makes it the perfect option for people who prefer their steaks cooked hotter. The internal temperature of medium steak ranges from 135F to 155F.

On the other hand, medium-rare steaks are still below medium levels. As a result, they cook faster and end up having a lower internal temperature.

These steaks range from 130F to 135F and will taste fairly similar, despite their different names and the amount that they’re cooked.

Which One Should You Choose?

There are several factors that play into how you choose your steak. First off, knowing the difference between medium and medium-rare steaks is essential to making the best choice.

Next, you should know what kind of flavor profile you’re going for. If you’d rather enjoy something with a lot of boldness, then medium is the way to go. But if you’re more about subtlety, then medium-rare is the way to go instead.

In addition, you should think about the texture that you want. If you want something that’s tender and juicy, then medium-rare is ideal.

However, if you just want something that’s flavorful with more firmness, then the medium option is the best bet.

Both taste great, and many people don’t mind too much about which they have because of how similar they are. However, it usually falls down to the texture and the searing when people look for the main differences.

As we’ve mentioned, the amount of juices present in the meat is usually a deciding factor for some people because of the kind of experience they’re looking to have.

Many people love to have fries or larger forms of potato food because they soak up the juices and add extra flavors to their meal. Wonderful!

Final Thoughts

Since most of us can never get enough of our favorite foods, it becomes difficult to find out which level of doneness is ultimately best.

Most of the time, it falls down to personal preference. But once you do decide which one you want to eat, you’ll have to make sure that you prepare it correctly.

Medium and medium-rare are two of the most popular ways to cook steak, with many people often going for these levels.

Steak preparation requires a few things, such as a sharp knife and a sharp pan. It also needs to be properly seasoned. A steak needs salt and pepper so that it tastes delicious.

So, as long as you can do this, and find the perfect level of doneness that suits your needs, then you’re bound to have a great meal.

The post Medium vs Medium Rare – What’s the Difference appeared first on Own The Grill.