CELEBRATE THIS WEEK!

From Superman to Monkeys, Bourbon & Beer, Cake, Kitchen Klutzes, and Kisses, this BIG WEEKLY BLEND podcast covers June 11-17, 2023.

Listen here in theYouTube player or download it on Acast.

Check out the page on BlendRadioandTV.com to hear the music playlist (over 40 songs!) and see the ar�cles, recipes, and Big Blend Radio podcast interviews that connect with, celebrate, and honor this week’s holidays and observances, birthdays and birth anniversaries, and more!

It is �me to move your cooking to the backyard. In Arizona, we fire up the barbie year-round but for others, temperatures are just warm enough.

Barbecuing, grilling, and smoking are popular methods for cooking proteins. Each of the techniques impart different flavors and changes the meat’s structure.

Barbecuing uses indirect heat on an outdoor grill to slowly cook the meat. It is usually done at a low to medium temperature over wood or charcoal. Low and slow over several hours allows for increased tenderness and intense flavors.

Tips:

Regulate the heat by using a small amount of charcoal or wood.

Indirectly place the meat (i.e., not directly over the burning charcoal or wood).

Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Don’t put the thermometer in the meat touching the bone.

This method is good for tougher meat cuts that may have been marinated such as pork shoulder or beef round.

Grilling is cooking directly over the heat source to cook meat quickly at high temperatures. Grilling meat results in a shorter cooking �me; o�en less than ten minutes. The goal is to sear the meat’s outside trapping the juices in the meat and crea�ng a tasty char. Capturing the juices results in a protein full of flavorful juices.

Tips:

Best for tender cuts of meat such as steaks (New York strip, ribeye, filet).

Open the grill’s vents to increase airflow when grilling.

Watch over the grilling constantly to watch for flame flair-ups and to ensure that meat does not overcook. This will not take long.

Use chunk charcoal instead of charcoal brique�es to achieve a higher grilling temperature.

Let the juices se�le for at least five minutes a�er removing the meat from the grill.

Smoking (similar to barbecuing), uses indirect heat and a long cooking �me. Smoking uses a flavorful smoke to cook and cure the meat. There are cold and hot smoking techniques. This blog is focused on hot smoking. Using wood chunks vs. charcoal creates a more flavorful smoke that is released from the wood flavoring the meat. The type of wood selected will impart different flavors into the meat and cures/tenderizes the protein.

Tips:

This technique is good for all cuts of meat. For tougher cuts or to impart more flavor, dry rub or marinade the meat overnight. Choose the wood chunk that complements the natural flavor of the meat. Add a pan of water to the smoker to maintain the temperature and prevent the meat from drying out. You can also mist the meat with water every one to two hours.

Add more smoking chunks as needed during the process to maintain consistent temperatures.

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Firecracker Onions and Roasted Potatoes

Spicy Grilled Pineapple Over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Learn more about LDV Winery at h�ps:// ldvwinery.com/ and follow the Big Blend Radio “Wine Time with Peggy” podcast on Acast.