3 BBQ & Grilling Tips to Kick Off Memorial Day Weekend
Three Tips to Get the Summer BBQ Season Started Right
Memorial Day is nearly here, and we are looking forward to the long weekend, where we honor our country’s fallen soldiers and spend time with family and friends. Memorial Day festivities often include barbecuing, grilling, and drinking with those close to us and this year looks far different than last year when many of us decided to forgo hosting large gatherings.
As many people begin putting on parties, there’s never been a better time to brush up on your cooking skills. Here are three tips to help get your barbecue and grilling season off to a great start.
Stay safe by wearing gloves when placing food on a hot grill and avoid hanging clothing that could easily catch fire. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Safety First
Grilling and cooking meat outdoors is a lot of fun but it’s important to stay safe. Thousands of house fires are started each year because of grills, and accidents happen all too often. Avoid placing your grill or smoker too close to the house and watch out for overhanging branches, decks, and other objects that might easily catch fire. In addition to fires, it's easy for any number of injuries (especially thermal burns) to occur when grilling. Avoid wearing loose clothing that could catch fire and protect your hands with gloves when coming into close contact with the grill or smoker. Here’s a good resource for tips on staying safe this grilling season.
A good digital thermometer is a must-have tool for any barbecue and grilling enthusiast. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Get a Good Meat Thermometer
A high-quality digital meat thermometer (such as the ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4) is a good investment for any barbecue enthusiast. Not only will you be able to quickly and easily tell when your meat is ready, but you’ll also avoid serving undercooked meat to your family and friends. Be sure to insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat and avoid touching the bone to get the most accurate results. You should also consult the USDA chart showing recommendations for minimum internal temperature.
Let your meat rest before slicing into it after taking it off the grill and you will be rewarded. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Don’t Forget to Give it a Rest
After cooking all day, it’s easy to get excited (and hungry) and want to eat as soon as possible. However, once you pull your meat off the grill, you should do yourself a favor and let it rest a few minutes (or even a few hours for larger cuts like brisket and pork shoulder). This will help retain moisture and give the juices a chance to settle down. You will be rewarded if you loosely tent aluminum foil over steaks and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Brisket and pork shoulder have their best results when they are allowed to rest for at least an hour.
These are just a few simple tips that might be helpful for you as you host this weekend and in the future. We hope you have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend filled with great barbecue!
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist) & Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Stock up for grilling season with this amazing FOGO Charcoal giveaway! Prizes retail for over $500 and they include:
FOGO Bundle (1 Super Premium 17.6lb, 1 Premium 17.6lb, 1 FOGOstarter, and 1 FOGO Rub)
Rosewood Block's custom FOGO board
Black Hawk Farms' Wagyu beef Memorial Day gift box
—Roegels Barbecue Co. was named among the best BBQ joints in Houston by Thrillist. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Without a doubt, Houston is one of the top destinations for barbecue in the U.S. Part of what makes Houston special is its diversity of cultures, which in turn greatly impact the culinary and barbecue scenes. So where to start if you want to hit up some joints there? Writer Brooke Viggiano rounds up 12 of the best barbecue joints in Houston in Thrillist, which includes Blood Bros. BBQ, Fainmous BBQ, Feges Barbecue, JQ’s Tex Mex BBQ, Smokin’ Z’s BBQ, and Roegels Barbecue Co. READ HERE.
Jones' Bar-B-Que Diner in Marianna, Arkansas, reopened this past week after a terrible fire closed the iconic restaurant about three months ago. Jones' Bar-B-Q is "one of the oldest African-American-owned restaurants in America," according to the James Beard Foundation, which honored the diner with its America's Classics award in 2012. Owner James Harold Jones, 76, will be "cooking on a new portable barbecue grill until he gets a metal building finished around his barbecue pit behind the diner." READ HERE.
In the world of barbecue, Asian American pitmasters and restaurateurs have been gaining recognition for their inspired takes on Texas-style barbecue. Tam Le writes in The Spruce Eats about how Asian-influenced joints have taken off such as San Antonio’s Curry Boys BBQ, Houston’s Khói Barbecue, Austin’s Loro, and Portland’s Eem. “If I was younger and I saw us doing this, I would think being Asian is sick, being Asian is cool. That’s one of the big reasons we wanted to start this ... to make other Asians feel empowered,” Houston-native Sean Wen, one of the three co-founders of San Antonio’s Curry Boys BBQ, said. READ HERE.
Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn recently took a trip through North Carolina and instead of analyzing the pork (what NC is known for), he went in search of Texas brisket. “Stunningly, the state even has two Texas-style barbecue joints that would hold their own in the Lone Star State: Prime Barbecue in Knightdale and Jon G’s Barbecue in Peachland,” Vaughn reports. READ HERE.
The past few weeks have brought many announcements from some of the most popular pitmasters in Atlanta and the Southeast. Acclaimed pitmasters Bryan Furman and Rodney Scott are opening new joints in Atlanta, plus local mainstays like Fox Bros. and DAS BBQ are expanding with new locations. Carly Cooper in Atlanta Magazine rounds up the latest with all of these joints. READ HERE.
ADDITIONAL READS
This past Wednesday, the sixth Home Team BBQ location officially opened in Greenville, South Carolina after numerous delays.
J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle writes that change comes slowly to Texas barbecue, but it does come.
From grilling gear to ingredients, here is everything you need for a Spanish barbecue “a la plancha.”
The most popular barbecue style found in Georgia today is now Memphis-style barbecue.
"Soul Food Scholar" Adrian Miller’s new book Black Smoke was highlighted by the New York Times.
Tex-Mex barbecue restaurant Braeswood BBQ has debuted in Las Vegas’ Gateway District with spare ribs, brisket, and more.
A new takeout location of Atlanta barbecue restaurant Wood’s Chapel BBQ will open in June at Krog Street Market.
Backpacker outlines how you can “throw the perfect backcountry barbecue.”
Barbecue media site Barbecue Bros just celebrated its 9th anniversary and shared the origin story of how the site came to be.
Thank you to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. spoke recently with The BBQ League and Tales from the Pits.—
WATCH
Meet the Pitmaster: Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. — The BBQ League
In this new video from The BBQ League, pitmaster Ernest Servantes from Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, Texas, spoke about his cooking history, his restaurant, and his future. Cervantes explores how his early memories of family help inspire his barbecue, what it was like working in various restaurants, how he became obsessed with BBQ competitions, and how he followed his dreams despite being “broke as a joke.” WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Burnt Bean BBQ Co. — Tales from the Pits
Ernest Servantes had made a name for himself in the competition barbecue circuit and on food television for years, earning the reputation of a smart, talented chef. Ernest and David Kirkland met and became fast friends during their competition days, and as both were ready to move away from the wild world of “one bite BBQ,” they turned their attention to retail barbecue. Ernest and David started doing pop-ups in small-town Seguin, Texas, and quickly built a following. They began the process of building out a brick and mortar restaurant in the picturesque downtown of Seguin and in the fall of 2020 opened Burnt Bean Co. Serving traditional central Texas-style barbecue with some unique twists on side and dessert items, Burnt Bean has been an immediate hit both with the locals and the BBQ hounds that travel the state in search of great barbecue. LISTEN HERE.
READ
One-Beer Grilling: Fast, Easy, and Fresh Recipes for Great Grilled Meals You Can Make Before You Finish Your First Cold One — Mike Lang
Grilling just got better. Nothing beats cracking open a crisp brew over flame-grilled food on a hot summer afternoon. But who wants to be stuck behind the grill all day? With Mike Lang's One-Beer Grilling, you can create that awesome, smoke-infused meal before you finish your first cold one. Complete with grill-savvy tips to master the flame and a variety of recipes from essential food groups like red meat and pizza, you’ll be kicking back with great food in the time it takes to drink a beer. Enjoy over 75 mouthwatering dishes with friends and family. Every recipe includes the perfect beer pairing to make mealtime even more enjoyable. Whether you’re a new cook or a cedar-plank pro, One-Beer Grilling makes it easy to grab a beer and fire up the grill for great meals in minutes. ORDER HERE.
When it comes to measuring cooking temperatures with speed and accuracy, Thermapen Mk4 is in a class by itself. Click here to learn more.
—If you are short on time, watch this video recipe to learn how to make Texas-style brisket in just four hours.—
Hot and Fast Texas-Style Brisket on the Big Green Egg
By Fogo Charcoal
We all know how great low and slow brisket is. From the beautiful smoke ring to the tasty bark to the juicy slices, it's as close to BBQ perfection as it gets. But, what if we crank up the heat and cook it hot and fast? Can it still turn out as tasty, tender, and juicy? That is what FOGO Charcoal set out to find out and they were pretty surprised with the results.
Dalstrong creates best-in-class tools at unrivaled price points. Click here to learn more about Dalstrong Knives.
—Early 2021 may be light on larger barbecue events, but we expect many to happen later in the year.—
June 4-5, 2021: Hogs For the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hogs For the Cause barbecue competition and festival is back in 2021 with a few changes. Proceeds still go to fight pediatric brain cancer, but this year's event will be held at a 15-acre site in Belle Chasse on the east side of the city. Organizers are limiting ticket sales to only 25% of the venue's capacity, and they will make the event cashless. MORE INFO HERE.
July 9-11, 2021: Kansas City BBQ Festival — Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City is about to get a big new barbecue festival with the “KCQ,” a non-competition barbecue event that celebrates barbecue from Kansas City and many other barbecue towns. It will take place in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium and feature barbecue from KC-based mainstays Joe’s Kansas City, Jones Bar-B-Q, and Plowboys BBQ. Out-of-towners will also be there, including 2M Smokehouse, Black’s BBQ, Central City BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse. MORE INFO HERE.
July 9-11, 2021: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival — Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and typically features the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. Read our to learn about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
July 16-17, 2021: Golden Days Championship — Fairbanks, Alaska
The northernmost barbecue competition (maybe in the world?) is taking place in Fairbanks, Alaska, which is also the birthplace of the Alaska BBQ Association. This competition follows the KCBS sanctioned rules as the Grand Champion receives an invitation to the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational. It’s also notable in that the sun basically doesn’t go down the entire time the comp is happening. MORE INFO HERE.
July 31 & August 1, 2021: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival — Brooklyn, New York
NYC’s Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival is back and better than ever! Get ready to enjoy all those pleasures that true Southerners live by – Beer, Bourbon, Barbecue, Boots, Bacon, Biscuits, Bluegrass, and Smoked Beasts. It’s a great day of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’. One admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. MORE INFO HERE.
August 21-22, 2021: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Sydney edition) — Sydney, Australia
Meatstock returns with a typically stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The sell-out, two-day event brings big-name American pitmasters Down Under; sees comp teams from across Sydney go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks and pop-up bars. MORE INFO HERE.
Thanks for reading our newsletter!
Want to be featured in or sponsor The Smoke Sheet?
Email us here!