News Events Media

What’s the best time to barbecue? Whenever you can get to the grill! Have three feet of snow on your deck (like we did the previous winter ? Prepare your meat and vegies, shovel a path to the cooker, fire it up, slap on the meat and enjoy! Nothing like BBQ ribs when it’s below freezing, right? If you live on the surface of the sun (e.g: Arizona) and never have the snow you’ll never have any excuses not to fire that BBQ up at any time of year.

Now, there’s the slow cooking barbecue and there’s the much faster grilling. Barbecue uses indirect heat, much like your oven on a low setting, while grilling uses more charcoal and whatever you’re cooking is placed right above them. Like a broiler. The BBQ might take 3 or four hours to finish, while you can grill steaks in 10-15 minutes.

Mostly you’ll be barbecuing the tougher cuts, ribs, or meats that may have some gristle or connective tissue. The slow, long heat will break that down and the meat will be totally delicious. Do that with a fish or a good steak, and, well, it won’t be pretty. So grill your steaks & fish and barbecue your baby back ribs.

Speaking of steaks, here’s what you’ll need for a good rib eye steak “barbecue,” (and check out the video of this rib eye steak recipe!)

1. 2 rib eye steaks, 1 lb each
2. 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
3. some diced celery and scallions
4. garlic clove
5. butter
6. charcoal and your grill/weber
7. cast iron skillet

Pile up the coals to one side of the lower grill and fire them up. Since you’ll be grilling these cuts you’ll want a lot of heat, so make a largish pile, but only let them cover abouit half of the lower grill. Once the coals are hot put the steaks on the grill. The heat should be enough that you can hear those steaks sizzle. After a minute or so flip the steaks. There should be some nice grill lines on the meat. (You’ll be searing in the flavor and juices by doing this.)

Once seared, move the steaks away from the charcoal. They’ll stay hot there while you put the skillet over the coals and add the sliced onions and some butter. Saute the onions until browned and then set them aside. Keep the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill and close up the grill. Open it up and turn the steaks over every couple of minutes until nearly done (and done is the way you like it.)

When they’re getting close to “just right” put the skillet back on and toss in some butter, the scallions, and the celery. then mash that clove of garlic and add it to the mix. Move the mix out of the way and put the steaks in the skillet and put the mix on top of the steaks. Add the onions, too. Cook for a minute or so, then serve it all up.

As for real barbecue, which takes a lot longer, take a look at this video which will show you how to make perfect barbecue pork ribs. Now, the real question is this: can you wait three to four hours to eat the ribs while that wonderful barbecue scent drifts through the air? It’s tough, but be strong. The end result is worth it.