Love Your Meat Archives

Where’s Summer? We’re Ready to Grill!

April 18, 2022 By Ms. K

Well, we’ve cracked the mid-April threshold, and we’re still digging ourselves out from yet another load of snow. In these parts, we love a good extreme-conditions, winter-grilling tale – but we are chomping at the bit for some warmer grilling times!

Here’s hoping that many of you in the Nation are already stripping down to shirtsleeves and grilling to your heart’s content. But for those of us still floundering in flurries, here’s a gallery of some of last year’s greatest hits from our still-rather-new Yoder Smoker, the Yoder YS640s pellet grill. Let’s hope these pics help to coax summer grilling time our way…

Burger Patties
Building Burgers
Burger Art
Beef Short Ribs
Smoking the Short Ribs
Shorts Ribs in Red Wine Braise
Short Ribs Plates
Pork Shoulder
Pork Shoulder Seasoned with Killer Hogs Rub
Pulling Apart Tender Smoked Pork
Pulled Pork for Days
Pulled Pork Sandwich
Seasoning a Beef Brisket
Come closer…
Brisket in Butcher Paper
Brisket Plated
Salmon
Salmon Flaking Beautifully
Salmon Plated and a Crisp White
Baby Back Ribs
Traditional Boston Baked Beans
Best Version Ever of Pork and Beans

You’ll notice a few common themes in our gallery that deserve a shout out. First, all this glorious food was prepared on our spectacular Yoder Smoker’s Yoder YS640s pellet grill. We bought ours through the good folks at Luxe Barbeque Company – assembled and delivered, thank you very much. We often find ourselves stocking up on pellets, specialty seasonings and other grilling supplies at this one-stop luxury bbq stop.

Speaking of seasonings, we’ve been taking our grilling and smoking to the next level with the superb line of Killer Hogs barbecue rubs and seasonings, created by brothers Malcolm and Waylon Reed. Big shout out to Malcolm not just for the killer blends, but also his awesome recipes and smoker video tutorials. We’ve certainly learned more than a thing or two about doing ribs, pork shoulder, brisket and more from his award-winning competition bbq expertise.

Finally, as you can tell from our pics, we like our wine. Our go-to local shop for the finest bottles as well as curated cottage cases for easy summer sipping is Jones and Company Wine Merchants. A friendly, first-class shop!

Looking forward to summer (- if you find it, let us know)!

Korean Inspired Pork Tenderloin with Cabbage, Garlic and Pho Broth, Veggies and Noodles

August 6, 2018 By Dr. T

Made this dish the other night inspired by a great selection of Korean-inspired marinades at our local grocery store, a fresh cabbage, and a charcoal grill.

As torrents of rain came pouring down on our little corner of Grill Nation, we feasted on hot pho and charcoal- grilled pork tenderloin, cabbage and garlic. In fact, we pulled the whole thing in and off the grill just as the first drops started to fall…

So, yeah. It was going to be a good night.

Pork and cabbage just off the grill

Used a Korean-inspired marinade for the pork, and charcoal-grilled it on the Weber Kettle Grill (~ 45 minutes). To this we added wedges of cabbage drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

Pho bubbling on the stovetop

While the meat was cooking, we made a tasty soup. Our aim was to go heavy on the flavour, veggies and noodles, and relatively light on the liquid, so we could enjoy it more like a sauce for the pork and cabbage than in its own a bowl. Spotted a tasty prepared pho broth at the store, so we used that and kicked it up with a single Thai chili pepper adding a noticeable hit of heat. Veggies and noodles went in right at the end to keep things bright and crisp.

Pork Platter Perfection

Giving my self major bonus points for presentation here. Just look at this awesome platter. Sliced up the tenderloins (4 in total) fairly thick, fanned them out on the board and garnished with cilantro and lime wedges. Beautifully charred cabbage also went on the board to amp up the visual feast.

Pork Tenderloin with Pho Broth and Grilled Cabbage

Served the whole thing family style. Everyone helped themselves, first piling on some pork with cabbage wedge on their plates, then ladling broth, noodles and veggies on top to make a sort of ‘undone saucy soup’ you can eat with a fork. A squeeze of lime over top brought it all together.

Grill-perfect for a cool, rainy summer night.

Cedar Planked Salmon on Weber Charcoal Kettle Grill

June 30, 2018 By Dr. T

1 Kilo of Canadian Salmon Goodness

Saw this B.C. beauty being unloaded at the fish market and got inspired. When asked “How much of it do you want?”, just had to respond: “All of it.”

Salmon looking good on the Weber Grill

Soaked a cedar plank for a couple of hours, then fired up our Weber Charcoal Kettle Grill. Used one Weber Rapidfire Chimney – full of coals (handy, that thing). Set up the salmon to cook over indirect heat – top vent closed ~75%- for about ~20/25 minutes.

We used Humble and Frank Salmon Finishing Rub (found it at the local Safeway – nice!) to season it up.

Cedar Planked Salmon – ready to serve

Looked and tasted spectacular – nothing like fish on the charcoal grill.

Beef Tenderloin on the PK Charcoal Grill

May 21, 2018 By Ms. K

Beef tenderloin ready to grill

Mmm…we sure like our beef, and we are loving our PK360 Grill and Smoker. (Kicking off our second grilling season with it – very, very pleased.)

We’ve been hibernating a bit in these parts, but are dusting off the grill and starting things off with tenderloin steaks. Went super-simple tonight, seasoning a trio of good-looking tenderloins with salt and pepper – that’s it that’s all.

Preparing to cook on the PK Charcoal Grill

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again – the PK 360’s smart design means it’s a cinch to clean up, quick to prep for grilling, and easy to tend while cooking. (Getting excited thinking of all we’re going to cook on it this summer…)

I have created fire!

(Just an action shot as we get those coals ‘a-glowing.)

The PK Grill in action

(And flames make for cool pictures.)

Delicious – enjoyed with Heartland’s Director’s Cut – Cabernet Sauvignon (2013)

Success.

Served medium rare with a simple Greek salad and beautiful bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Here’s to summer grilling!

Custom Backyard Platform for Karubecue KBQ C-60 Pit

September 26, 2017 By Ms. K

So, we love our Karubecue KBQ C-60 Pit and also like having a not-burned-down wooden deck. This summer, in anticipation of KBQ smoker goodness, we had a stone platform constructed where we can safely use this wood-burning wonder for hours and hours. And, it looks great – don’t ya think?

No, this is not an archaeological dig. (Maybe barbecuelogical.)

Custom BBQ Platform Step 1

Getting things on the level…

Custom BBQ Platform Step 2

Ingenious pattern devised by a brilliant 17-year-old mind (after applying much-appreciated 17-year-old muscle to the excavationary details…)

Custom BBQ Platform Step 3

Cool stones that are going to weather years of bbq to come…

Custom BBQ Platform Close Up

Almost there…

Custom BBQ Platform Step 4

Pit platform perfection!

Inaugural rib fest. Totally. Worth. It.

Karubecue in Action on Custom Platform

Flight of Ribs on the Big Green Egg

June 23, 2017 By Ms. K

It’s the beginning of summer. The hose has been uncoiled. The deck furniture has been dusted off and set out. The comforting hum of distant lawn mowers fills the air… You’ve probably been grilling and even bbq-ing all winter, but now begins the season of ‘low and slow’. What better way to herald in those glorious pitmaster meals than by smoking up a tasty rack of baby ribs?

Baby Back Ribs with Assortment of Rubs

The answer is by smoking up four racks of baby back ribs.

And for bonus points, why not approach each rack like the work of art it is and treat it to its own rub? That’s what we did for a recent gathering of hungry pit aficionados. We took four different approaches to our racks using a couple of stellar spice blends from The Spice House and some other tasty favourites:

Gary Wiviott’s Barbecue Rub – a tangy/herby blend with definite spicy zip. The paprika gives the meat a gorgeous reddish-orange colour. They look yummy even before the smoking begins…

Bronzeville Rib Rub – You’re gonna get a sweetly spicy hint of nutmeg here – sensitive noses may catch a unique smoky sweet scent as it cooks. Mmmmm…

Rub Some Butt BBQ Seasoning (from Old World Spices and Seasonings Inc.) – as a Carolina-style rub, this one’s mustard-based combined with tangy apple cider vinegar and a sweet dose of brown sugar. Definitely stood out as different among the other two where chili and paprika played more of a leading role,

Last but not least, we went salt-and-pepper only, then brushed on some Rufus Teague’s Honey Sweet Sauce, a great sticky-sweet sauce whose name says it all.

Preparing for the Flight of Ribs with the Big Green Egg

Three hours or so of smoking goodness on our Big Green Egg resulted in our first ever ‘Flight of Ribs’, our bbq spin on what you might find on a fine-dining menu. (Frankly, paired with Two Left Feet, an unctuous Molly Dooker Shiraz/Cab/Merlot, our meal was as exquisite as it gets. And it’s inspired us to develop a beverage pairing for our next Rib Flight. It’s going to be one, luxurious summer.)

As for the verdict on which rub was best, each approach was appreciated, but one of our guests singled out the saucy goodness of the “Rufus” ribs while another preferred the spicy bite of Wiviott’s blend. A lengthy discussion ensued on the ideal order for the various ribs to be eaten (spicy to sweet? tangy to saucy?) and how that might have affected the palate. Debates are great because to resolve them, you have to revisit the evidence, so to speak.

Fours Racks of Baby Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg

To sum up, ‘food flights’ are no longer for the fancy folk. Get creative with your ribs – but put out the white cloth napkins at your peril.

– Ms.K

Steaks Defined: T-Bone vs. Porterhouse

January 22, 2009 By Chip Carter

Hey Roy, “Love Ya Meat” from up here in Buffalo! Need you to settle a bet: What’s the difference between a Porterhouse and a T-bone?

Devon
Buffalo, New York

Thanks Devon. Lets start with what they have in common (other than being delicious and ideal for grilling!!!). Both the T-bone and the Porterhouse consist of a ‘T’ shaped bone with meat on each side. The larger side contains meat from the striploin while the smaller side contains meat from the tenderloin.

Example of Porthouse Steaks

The Porterhouse is a big beautiful steak – pushing 2 to 2 ½ pounds. It’s cut from the large end (rear) of the short loin and contains more of the tenderloin than the T-bone. Usually pretty pricey, but worth every penny when the mood strikes you.

The T-bone is cut from the narrow end, which is further forward in the short loin and also very tasty!

But in case you need numbers to settle this bet, the good old USDA is here to help. According to their Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications document, the tenderloin must be at least 1.25 inches (32 mm) thick to be classified a porterhouse, while the tenderloin must be at least ½ inch (13 mm) thick for the steak to be classified a T-bone.

Nice.

Devon, you gotta let us know who won the bet and what the ‘steaks’ were!!!

Until next time – like I always say…

Love Your Meat,

Making the Grade: Prime, Select, and Choice Beef

January 16, 2009 By Chip Carter

Choosing Your Meat

Hello Roy, a great big “Love Ya Meat!” from the good people out here in Portland. My question concerns the grading of beef – what does it really mean?

Rich
Portland, Oregon

Thanks for your question Rich. It’s an important one and something that many of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about!

For the griller, grading is a standard way to assess the quality of meat you are buying. From the industry perspective, grading helps in the promotion and marketing of quality beef, while assisting producers in getting a fair price for their product. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been grading beef for more than 75 years and currently operates a voluntary beef grading program.

Whoa, that was heavy! So lets get down to the part that I like…

Grade depends on the so called ‘quality grade factors’ of age and marbling. Age refers to the estimated age of the animal at slaughter and marbling refers to the amount of intramuscular fat in the meat itself. There are actually eight USDA beef quality grades but only three that matter to us – Prime, Choice and Select.

Prime grade beef is of the highest quality and features the greatest amount of marbling. As you know from my previous ranting, marbling plays a key role in producing the tenderness, juiciness, flavor and the overall ‘palatability’ of a given cut of beef. (See my “Love Your Meat Post” post on Marbling for all the details). Only 2% of graded beef in the United States is considered Prime and this grade is typically be found in finer restaurants and select meat stores.

Choice grade beef is of high quality and falls between Prime and Select grades. This is the grade found widely in the retail and food service sectors.
Select grade beef is the lowest grade typically available at retailers. It is lower priced and leaner, but tends to be less tender and flavorful than Choice or Prime grades.

I often get asked whether the premium price tag on Prime grade beef cuts is worth the price. Well, this really depends on you, what you’re willing to spend, and ultimately what you like to eat. No doubt that if tenderness, juiciness and flavor are what you’re after, you’ll get better examples of these characteristics in the higher grade cuts.

Until next time – like I always say…

Love your meat,

What is Marbled Beef? Does it Taste Better?

January 14, 2009 By Dr. T

Marvelous Marbling

Question:
Hey Roy, loved your porterhouse post. Got a question for you concerning ‘marbled beef’. Does it really taste better and what do you look for?
Scott in Ann Arbor, MI

Answer:
Thanks Scott. I really like this question because ‘marbling’ is a term that gets tossed around a lot in cookbooks and on cooking shows, but I don’t think is really understood by a lot of people.

First let’s take a look at what we are talking about here:

Example of Perfectly Marbled Beef

So the ‘marbling effect’ pictured above is produced by the fine evenly distributed flecks of white intramuscular fat distributed throughout this steak – NOT the dense outer fat around the outside.

Compare this to the steak below:

Example of Poorly Marbled Beef

Pretty obvious that there is no marbling in this cut.

Now that we are all on the same page, the next part of your question gets really interesting. Does marbling make for a juicier, more tender better tasting steak? There is no doubt in my mind about the answer here – YES – and if the years of experience aren’t enough for you, believe it or not there is data to support this!

In the May 31, 2007 issue of the well respected Journal of Food Quality, author G.C. Smith published “RELATIONSHIP OF USDA MARBLING GROUPS TO PALATABILITY OF COOKED BEEF”. Their conclusions – and I’ll just cut to the chase here, because you know I could go on for hours about this stuff – “as marbling increased from practically devoid to moderately abundant … steaks were more palatable about 2/3 of the time …”. Don’t you just love science?

Until next time – like I always say…

Love your meat,