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Boys and grills Everyone’s ready for the delights of the open air BBQ! Who should know more about it than Peter Sass, Master Butcher of South African restaurant The Butcher Shop & GRILL? It’s BBQ time once more. Patios and balconies across the Emirates become the centre of a grillfest for friends or families, enjoying the cooler air and savouring the scent of smoke and the anticipation of grilled food. But all that’s for nothing if you don’t get the basics right! We asked Master Butcher Peter Sass from The Butcher Shop & GRILL to answer some of your pressing questions. In addition to its restaurant operation, The Butcher Shop & GRILL is a one stop shop for the best meat in Dubai - the only retail shop in town to sell USDA select beef and with highly trained and helpful staff who’ll match your desires with the best perfectly aged cuts. Need advice? Just ask the butcher in any of the outlets. And, while you’re there, don’t forget to pick up a good selection of sauces, bastings and marinades. There are three outlets in Dubai: Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre and JBR The Walk. In-house butcheries are open from 9am daily.
THE EQUIPMENT What’s the difference between wood chips and wood chunks? Wood chips are used for smoking as they do not give off a flame. Instead, they just smoulder, giving off smoke which is used to cook the meat. Wood chunks, however, are used to help get the fire going and are also used for conventional cooking as they get much hotter and do not smoke. What’s the best way to light charcoal? Using a solid firelighter is preferable to liquid as it eliminates the temptation to spray on more liquid firelighter after the fire has been lit - which can cause major problems! It also holds a flame for longer giving the charcoal or wood more time to catch alight. Please, never be tempted to use petrol or diesel as the fumes are toxic and will impart a flavour onto whatever you are cooking. Which produces better tasting food? Charcoal or gas? Gas tends to be cleaner and it’s easier to regulate the temperature of a gas BBQ but it does not impart any flavour to the meat. Charcoal can impart a slight smoky flavour to the meat but, more importantly, it depends on how the meat is seasoned before grilling.
THE MEAT What meats are best for smoking? Most kinds of meat can be smoked but in
my view the best are beef striploin, inside top-round or rump. Chicken and fish are also fantastic when smoked correctly - do not try to smoke meat without consulting a good recipe book that covers the subject as there’s more to it than people think! I’m throwing a BBQ for a load of friends. What mix of meats would you recommend? Different meats such as beef, lamb, chicken and even seafood in the form of kebabs are usually the easiest and most popular for parties.
whole roasts, whole chickens and so on. Direct grilling is when the meat is directly above the fire, resulting in a much faster Master Bu cooking time - this is tcher, Pete r Sass usually done for smaller cuts of meat like steaks, kebabs etc.
How do I get a smoky flavour into food when using a gas grill? By using a basting, BBQ dry rub or adding liquid smoke to your marinade. We have some great bastings in stock now.
I’m new at grilling and love a thick juicy fillet mignon. What’s the secret? First of all, buy the best chilled fillet you can afford - never buy frozen as all the juices will escape after defrosting, leaving you with a dry tasteless piece of meat! Protect the fillet from the heat by using a basting, dry-rub or olive oil and seasoning - it has very little fat to protect it, so it will burn quickly if this is not done. When grilling, do not be tempted to continuously move the meat around. Instead let the fire do the work. Finally, when the fillet is cooked, take it off the heat and wrap it loosely in tinfoil for about half the time it took to cook. This will let the juices go back to their natural places resulting in a juicy, tender fillet.
What’s the difference between indirect and direct grilling? Indirect grilling is when the item to be cooked is not placed directly above the fire but rather to one side - this is more commonly used for larger cuts of meat and
Why do I get a bitter flavour on smoked meats? When meat that has a lot of fat in it is smoked, the fat can impart a bitter taste. Also be careful not to smoke meat for too long as this will make it bitter as well.
What meat do you sell most of at The Butcher Shop & GRILL for BBQ? The cuts that have some fat in them like rib-eye, rump and t-bone are the most popular.
THE TECHNIQUE