To brine or not to brine...

One thing I have noticed about barbecue is that there is about 100 ways to get the same result. Everyone thinks their way works the best. The thing is, whatever works for you, works the best. By the way, I am referring to wet brining for the purpose of this blog.

To brine or not to brine has been as old an argument as whether or not to soak wood chips for smoking or cooking the brisket fat cap up or down.

Here is the answer to whether or not you should brine your meat: if you like how it comes out, then do it. It's as simple as that. Everyone has their own way of doing things.

We are getting to that time of year where the media and retailers make us start to think about the holidays coming up.

A very popular meat to smoke during the fall and holiday season is turkey. The brining question doesn't hold more true for this bird.

You see, brining is simply soaking in a salt water solution. As many know, salt is made up of sodium chloride. When meat is subjected to heat the moisture in it starts to evaporate. Sodium chloride binds with the meat proteins and keeps moisture from evaporating so quickly. Hence, salt can help keep meats juicier when barbequing. The problem is, salt draws moisture out of the meat so the natural meat juices are replaced by salt water which is not a good thing. The most simple brine solution is to take a 2 cup measuring cup and pour 1 cup of hot water into it. Then add enough salt to bring it to 1 1/2 cups. Then pour that salt water solution into one gallon of water. You need enough gallons of water to completely submerge whatever you are brining.

Salt not only helps tenderize the meat but adds to the flavor. Salt takes away any bitterness from a food that our taste buds pick up.

Many people like to add to their brining solution. Sugar, spices and using other liquids than water are wildly popular. Poultry does very well with sweet; so sugar and the use of orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, etc work great. We carry a prebrine solution by Urban Accents at the store. No hassle, no fuss, just follow the instructions to use the preblended brine. 

This takes all the guess work out of the process and make brining so simple. 

All this being said and done, people ask me what I prefer to do. Well, I actually prefer dry brining. Rubbing salt and spices on the meat without liquid. We carry so many rubs to choose from that there are just about endless possibilities. 

Stop in the store sometime and let us know which you prefer: to brine or not to brine. 

Dan

New class added!!!

I was informed by a customer today that my blog was very outdated so here I am putting one up. :)

For this blog, I am really just informing everyone that Daren and I have added a new class to our repertoire at CBO.

This one is called the BRP class which stands for Brisket, Ribs and Pork Shoulder.

We will go over how to smoke the best brisket, ribs and pulled pork.

The class not only walks you through each of those items step by step but also will go over food safety, some handy accessories that will make your bbq life easier, and how to set up your grill/smoker to make these.

Our first one will be September 14th, Saturday, starting at 6:30 pm. I am hoping to keep these to about 1 1/2 hours.

If you are interested, call us at 719-465-1041 to get a seat before it fills up.

Dan
Colorado BBQ Outfitters
6850 N. Academy Blvd
CSC 80918

Green BBQing!!

Many people tell me that barbecuing isn't "being green" due to the use of woods for the smoke, use of lighter fluid to start charcoal, the smoke that is emitted from the smoker/grill, etc, etc.

We here at Colorado BBQ Outfitters believe in "green barbecuing". What the heck does that mean you ask? Well, let me tell you...

1. Own a good grill/smoker! According to Popular Mechanics, replacing a grill every 3 to 4 years does far worse for the environment than purchasing a good quality grill/smoker for the simple fact those crappy cheap made grills end up in landfills more often than quality grills do. Grills don't need to be tossed away when something goes wrong. There are many places that sell parts for grills and repairing is cheaper than replacing.

2. Never light your charcoal with petroleum based products such as lighter fluid, etc. Always use natural ways to light your charcoal such as all natural gels, or Primo Quicklights, or a chimney charcoal starter.

3. Use all natural hardwood lump charcoal instead of briquettes. I know what you are thinking: "but Dan, they have to chop down rain forests and trees to get that charcoal". Not necessarily. Many companies have government contracts to extract what they call Slash from the forest floor (fallen trees, etc) to use to make the charcoal. Many charcoals that come from South America are produced on private farms so as not to cut down natural growth. Our charcoal line, Wicked Good, is a perfect example of this.

4. If you are a pellethead (own a wood pellet grill), make sure the pellets you are using are all natural and do not come from cut trees. Our line of pellets, Lumberjack, also have a government contract to clear out fallen slash from forests which promotes better growth in the forest.

5. If a branch falls from your apple tree and decays, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it puts off the same amount of carbon as it would if you burned it.

6. Want to pollute the environment? Grab the family, jump in the car, drive to a restaurant, over spend for prepared food, then drive back home. Instead of doing that, buy fresh meats and vegetables from the store and make it yourself. Grilling/smoking in the summer decreases your use of your oven and stove which, in turn, saves on your utility bill.

7. Even so much as rubbing an onion on your grate to season it instead of spraying it with harmful chemicals or non stick spray from a can will help.

Barbequing and smoking are better for the environment than most think!!!

Dan
Colorado BBQ Outfitters
6850 N. Academy Blvd
Colorado Springs, Co 80918
719-465-1041

The ABCs of Charcoal

Charcoal is still a very popular way to grill and/or barbecue so I thought I would jot down some dos and don'ts, etc about the use of charcoal. 

First of all, what is charcoal? Charcoal is simply wood that has been subjected to heat with very little oxygen turning it basically into carbon depleting it of moisture. The result is called CHAR. 

By processing hardwood this way it causes the resulting Char to burn at a hotter temperature and more consistently and offers a wonderful flavor for cooked food. 

First thing I want to point out is that there is a huge difference between the cheaper briquettes you see in most stores and all natural hardwood lump charcoal. Briquettes is a four letter word in the world of barbeque unless they are all natural. Most briquettes contain anthracite coal, mineral charcoal, starch, sodium nitrate, limestone, sawdust, and borax among other chemicals. We here at Colorado BBQ Outfitters never recommend the use of briquettes that are not all natural. 

Also, never, ever, ever use chemicals to light your charcoal such as lighter fluid. Not only can it damage your grill it will impart a petroleum flavor to your food. It is considered a deadly sin in the world of barbecue.

Now that you know what NOT to buy, let's talk about what you should use. Only use all natural hardwood lump charcoal. Although the brand isn't very significant, Colorado BBQ Outfitters carries the Wicked Good Weekend Warrior Blend which has been voted number one by The Naked Whiz website http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm. We also carry Primo all natural hardwood lump charcoal. When it comes to charcoal, you get what you pay for.

So if you shouldn't use lighter fluid, how do you light your charcoal? There are many ways you can do this:

1. My personal favorite is a charcoal chimney starter. We carry the Steven Raichlen chimney starter.

These work very simply. You fill up the starter with charcoal, stuff newspaper underneath, light the paper and let it burn. Air is pulled up through the starter along with the fire from the paper burning lighting the charcoal within about 10 minutes. Better yet, if you have a side burner on your gas grill, set it on there for a few minutes. Then you simply pour the lit charcoal into your grill. Simple as that. 

2. The use of all natural fire starters such as Primo Quick Lights. These are similar to the logs you use to start fires in a fireplace. Always remember to only use all natural fire starters. 

3. Electric charcoal starters work very well also. These do need an electric power source. They are basically a heating element that you place in the charcoal and it ignites the charcoal to cause it to start burning. 

There are other products out there but the above three are what I would recommend for most average grillers/barbecuers. 

How much charcoal you need is directly related to what you are cooking or grilling. A small handful is enough for a steak or two or a few burgers. If you are smoking a big brisket, you will need more to keep it at the temperature you want for a longer period of time. 

Come visit us at Colorado BBQ Outfitters at 6850 N. Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, Co. (Northwest corner of York and Academy) or call us at 719-465-1041 and we can show you some interesting ways to barbecue with charcoal. 

Dan

Colorado BBQ Outfitters

BRP Class coming soon!

First of all, I owe all my customers who have been asking for a more advanced BBQ class than the BBQ 101 a big apology.

Colorado BBQ Outfitters has been so busy this barbecue season that I have been remiss in getting this class going. Guess that is a good thing!

I have the curriculum completed, I just need to do a test class to work out kinks and get my timing down.

I want to keep it to 1 1/2 hours. 20 minutes or so for each topic and then a Q&A session and taste test at the end is my thought.

I will run the test class this week and then get the word out as to dates so keep an eye out for the email and/or the Facebook notice about it. I am hoping to hold the first one next week (July 15-19).

I am really excited about this class and hope people enjoy it as much as I will teaching it!

In the meantime, come on down to Colorado BBQ Outfitters and check out all we have to offer for the bbq season. Whether you are a BBQ master or a grilling fan, we have what you need to make your grilling and smoking feasts super easy.

Thank you to all who have been patient with me in getting this next class set up. :)

Dan MacDonald
Colorado BBQ Outfitters
6850 N. Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, Co. 80918
719-465-1041

July 20th Firefighter fundraiser

This week I just want to reach out to everyone and request help with a fundraiser that Colorado BBQ Outfitters will be involved in on July 20th.

One of our neighboring businesses (Three Tigers Martial Arts) reached out to Daren and I to see if we want to be involved.

The event will consist of setting up an area (either in front of Three Tigers or in front of the shopping center across York from us) where people can come down and either donate items that the firefighters will then donate to the victims of the Black Forest Fire or proceeds will go to help thank the firefighters themselves.

My thought is to have us make some pulled pork and sell pulled pork sandwiches and then donate all the proceeds to the fund. Colorado BBQ Outfitters will provide the grills, pellets, rubs and sauces and will be looking to either our friends or local grocers to donate the meat (pork shoulders), plates, napkins, forks, etc.

If you think you can help in any way possible, please contact either Daren or myself. This is chance to help not only victims of the fire but the firefighters as well.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department will have one of the fire trucks there for the public to check out.

Please help any way you can.

We can be reached at the store at 719-465-1041, or email at info@719bbq.com, or hit us up on Facebook on our page.

Dan MacDonald
Colorado BBQ Outfitters
6850 N. Academy Blvd
Colorado Springs, Co. 80918
719-465-1041

BBQ Safety

In lieu of the recent wildfire tragedy I thought it would be appropriate to discuss grilling and barbecuing safely.

First of all I want to make clear that you CAN grill and barbeque even with the current fire ban. You can only do so at a private residence and you still must use common sense.

You CANNOT grill or barbecue at most parks, open spaces, National Forests, etc. The safety of your back patio is perfectly legal in Colorado Springs city limits. Unincorporated El Paso County does have a ban on charcoal only but they informed us they are not enforcing it as long as, again, you use common sense.

One of the reasons Colorado BBQ Outfitters sells wood pellet grills is the fact they are the most safest of all grills on the market. Wood pellet grills; even though they burn pellets, do so in a fire pot that is safe inside the grill. There are no embers that can get outside the grill. Charcoal offers some danger with regard to hot coals that can be fall out of the grill onto wood decks, dry grass, etc. Wood pellet grills do not offer any chance of the fire getting outside of the grill as it is contained in a fire pot that is covered by a heat deflector which is then covered by a drip tray. They only disperse heat which is done through the top of the grill. Never have anything flammable hanging over a grill while it is hot. Below is a diagram of how a wood pellet grill works. Notice the fire pot is safely contained well within the confines of the grill itself.

Gas grills offer some challenge with safety as they have an open flame of course. You should always check your gas grill for gas leaks making sure all the connections are tight. Make sure any rubber hoses are not showing signs of wear. Double check all connections and that your propane tank has not expired. Yes, propane tanks do have expiration dates on them. Always keep your burners unclogged and well cleaned. Never, ever let grease or drippings collect in the grill. Not only will this ruin the taste of what you cook on your grill is can cause flare ups and once melted can drip down out of the grill. If your gas grill comes with a drip cup, make sure it is cleaned regularly. Always turn all knobs to off when done grilling and turn the gass off from the propane tank. The Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA) has a great website on gas grill safety... http://www.hpba.org/consumers/barbecue/gas-grill-safety/

Charcoal grills offer a challenge given the way you must get the charcoal lit. We here in the BBQ community never, ever encourage the use of petroleum based products like lighter fluid. One, it is dangerous and two is ruins the taste of your food. (I know the HPBA site I will share talks about using lighter fluid. Ignore it.) Never, ever, ever put lighter fluid on already lit coals!!! There are plenty of other products that are safer to use when lighting charcoal. Charcoal chimney starters, electric charcoal starters, products like Quicklights are just some of them. All require the use of common sense. Make sure you are not lighting charcoal in the wind. It will blow embers that can start fires in dry condition. Always let charcoal completely cool before dumping out the ash and always dump the ash in a non-combustible container after soaking thoroughly with water. Tips for safe charcoal grilling: http://www.hpba.org/consumers/barbecue/charcoal-grill-safety

Again, wood pellet grills do not offer any of the dangers mentioned above. Turn it on, set the temperature and let it go. My only recommendation is to use a GFI plug for the grill. Since they are electrical, do not use them in a rainstorm so the electrical components can get wet.

Never attempt to grill in a non-ventilated area such as a garage or inside. Know your grill. Read the owner's manual! I know you men out there are thinking yeah right but do it! Make sure your grill will not fall over once lit. Keeping a fire extinguisher handy is important. (Yes, it's time to get those fire extinguishers checked by the way) Never try and move a grill that is hot. Another great resource from the HPBA site is the grilling fact sheet: http://static.hpba.org/fileadmin/factsheets/product/FS_SafeBBQ.pdf

In the event you are grilling on a wood deck or on the ground with dry material, I highly recommend a good grill mat. These are made of noncombustible material and are placed under the grill. I also recommend a good pair of leather or heat resistant silicone gloves when working around a hot grill.

Remember, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GRILL AT YOUR HOME!!! Just please be safe and enjoy the fruits of your barbecuing labor!

Colorado BBQ Outfitters always wants you to enjoy this favorite past time but please be safe when doing so.

Dan