Backyard Blogging.

Did you know that May is National BBQ Month?

It’s the perfect time to really get in touch with your inner grill master. In this article, we put together four tips for sharpening your barbecue skills. You’ll soon have everyone wanting to eat at your backyard restaurant!

#1: Tips for Cooking Ribs

This is a key meat to master when harnessing your inner grill master.

We love ribs, and if you’re looking for a great recipe, try our 3-2-1 rib recipe. Then, check out these tips for mastering ribs:

1. Apply the rub so it penetrates the meat. To do this, you need to apply a sticky substance to the meat first. Consider using mustard. Then, apply the rub, and it will stay in place to flavor your meat.
2. Tenderize the ribs by using a slightly acidic ingredient on the outside of your ribs. Great solutions are plain vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. This helps loosen the meat fibers so the meat gets tenderized while it cooks.
3. Seal in the flavor after a long smoke. To do this, sauce the ribs with BBQ sauce after the long soak, wrap them loosely in foil, and cook for another two hours. This allows the flavor to get deep into your ribs.

#2: Tips for Cooking Chicken

A wood pellet grill, like Traeger, creates great tasting chicken. Here are some tips for having great tasting, flavorful chicken every time.

1. Brine your chicken to provide moisture and flavor, and to keep it from drying it out. What’s more, brining creates a crispy outside, too.
2. Let your chicken rest after it’s finished cooking. This helps the moisture and flavor reabsorb into the meat so it’s juicy and flavorful when you cut it.
3. Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Less than this, and you might get sick.

#3: Tips for Cooking Brisket

We love brisket, and it’s a great meal any day of the week. Here are tips for the best, most delicious brisket:

1. Season it with a wet or dry rub – you choose!
2. Let it marinate. Once you’ve seasoned the brisket, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Cook it low and slow. Generally brisket needs 90 minutes of smoke time per pound. You can smoke a brisket overnight.
4. Once the beef’s internal temp reaches 180 degrees, wrap it in foil and continue cooking until the internal temp is 200-205 degrees. This tenderizes the meat and helps it retain moisture and flavor!

#4: Tips for Cooking Pork

There’s nothing quite like pulled pork in the summer. Here are our favorite tips:

1. Add moisture – while it’s smoking on your grill, spray it with apple juice. Once it’s time to roast it, put the meat in a foil pan with the juice on the bottom. This will keep it moist, tender, and flavorful.
2. Don’t let your pork get any darker than toasted brown. If you need, add foil to keep it from overcooking and drying out
3. After you shred the pork, add a rub seasoning. You’ll be surprised how much flavor that adds.

Final Thoughts on National BBQ Month

Wow. Now that you’ve finished this article, we bet you’re hungry! If so, head on over to our blog and check out all of our Traeger and Big Green Egg recipes.

Don’t have a grill? Or maybe you need a second grill? Stop by one of our three locations today!