What Makes Good BBQ?

These days, barbecue is serious business. And, good BBQ isn’t always easy to come by. That is unless, of course, you’re sitting down to a lip-smacking-good meal at Adam’s Taphouse & Grille. Learn what makes good BBQ (like the kind you’ll find at Adam’s) and get grilling.

The Grill

Gas grills are undeniably easy to use. But, they don’t impart that same smoky flavor into meats quite like a charcoal grill or smoker will. For the best barbecue around, you need a charcoal grill.

And, not any old charcoal grill will do. You’ll need a grill with a lid. This helps contain the smoke, adding extra smoky flavors to your ribs, chicken and other foods. In addition, the lid helps you maintain a consistent temperature. It’s how you get the meats to cook just right.  

The Fuel

You already know that gas is the wrong type of fuel for good BBQ. But, do know what type of charcoal you should be using?

Charcoal is available in a variety of forms. However, the most common is lump charcoal and charcoal briquettes. For a rich, natural flavor, opt for lump charcoal. It’s made by burning trees or logs. In fact, it is pure wood that’s free of other additives, letting it burn hot and clean.

Besides using charcoal as fuel, good BBQ is usually smoked with wood chips. These natural wood pieces can be made from hickory, oak, mesquite and a large variety of natural woods. Each type of wood chip complements a particular meat. For example, alder wood chips pair great with fish and poultry because of their light, sweet flavor. Hickory wood chips, on the other hand, bring a robust flavor to pork and ribs.

The Meat

Good BBQ starts with good meat. And, fatty meats are BBQ staples. That’s because fat helps the slab of meat stay nice and juicy while cooking. Fatty cuts include sirloin steak and rib-eye steak. The basic rule of thumb: if it’s marbled, it’ll produce juicy results.

You should also pick up thick, high-quality meats. Thicker cuts are less likely to dry out than thinner slabs. Plus, you’ll want to select ‘choice’ or ‘prime’ meats, which are of a higher quality than select meats. The higher grade means the meat will be very tender, juicy and packed with flavor.

The Marinade

Before you even think about throwing your prime meat on the grill, you first need to consider the marinade. Since you’ll be slow cooking your meats, they should be well-marinated before hitting the grates. That means letting them swim in the marinade for several hours or overnight. Remember: you don’t want the smoke to overpower the flavor of the marinade. Rather, it should complement it.

Also, be sure to save some sauce for cooking. Brush your meat or fish with sauce every 10 minutes while grilling to lock in the delicious flavor of the marinade.

Got a craving for good BBQ, but don’t have the time or patience to make some yourself? Stop by Adam’s Taphouse & Grille in Severna Park, and don’t forget to check out our Fab 5 specials available Monday through Friday.

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Color Fire On October 3, 2018   /   Blog, Menu