Our biggest tip: use meat temperature, not time, to know when food is done

Marbling is a good indication of quality meat - think tenderness and flavor. Look for good marbling when picking out your cuts. 

Reverse Searing meat will help you lock in the flavors and can give you a nice crust. Once you get meat within 10 degrees of finishing temperature, pull it off the smoker and finish it on a hot, hot grill until you reach the desired temp. If you’ve never done it before give reverse searing a try and let us know what you think! 

 This is more of a kitchen tip but it’s a good one. We talked about knives a lot last week. Good maintenance is key to the longevity of a good set of knives. No dishwasher and no cutting on hard surfaces. Get some good knives then take care of them! 

The key to good grill lines is if it sticks, let it sit. Wait until the meat doesn’t stick to the grates before you rotate. 

 Don’t pull meat off the grill or smoker and slice right into it. Giving it time to rest will help seal in the flavors and keep it juicy. 

 Just like your oven, your grills need some time to heat up. This is especially true of smokers. Plan ahead - give it time to warm up! 

When placing a thermometer into the meat make sure to place it into the thickest part and make sure it is firmly placed all the way into cut of meat. 

 When placing a thermometer into the meat make sure to place it into the thickest part and make sure it is firmly placed all the way into cut of meat. 

Look at the color of the smoke coming off your smoker. White smoke is normal but black smoke could mean something is burning or the juices are running off. 

When you use wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water before inserting them into meat! They can actually burn if you don’t.
 

 Barbecue sauces are for flavor on the outside and crust. Don’t add them to your meats too early. Wait until they are almost done, then brush your sauce on and let it caramelize. Remember sauces can burn and char quickly at high temps. 

Tongs (or even a spatula) are a better choice to flip meat than a bbq fork. Poking meat with a fork could drain juices and dry out your meat.