RECIPE OF THE WEEK: A NEW MACARONI AND CHEESE

The Raichlen mac and cheese harnesses the power of fire and smoke at four stages in the preparation.

Perfection in 5 Steps: Reverse-Seared Prime Rib

Prime rib costs more than virtually every other cut of meat at the market. It’s intimidating, too, because a roast that’s perfectly cooked or hopelessly overcooked can make or break your reputation as a grill master. I can feel the fear on social media channels this time of year. Many of you have posted photos of recently acquired hunks of meat on my Facebook page and Twitter account (my kind of pinup!), complete with the price you paid in full view (usually in three figures). The message is clear: Steven, I don’t want to mess this up! You won’t. Read More…

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Game On! Your Guide to Grilling Game Meats

’Tis the season. I speak not of Christmas, but to a topic of burning interest to many members of this barbecue community: game meats. Because hunting season has commenced in many states for certain species of wild game (check with your state’s Department of Natural Resources for specifics), we thought this would be a great time to address the many grilling, smoking, and barbecue questions we receive from people who appreciate game. Read More…

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THE FATTIE: BACON SAUSAGE CHEESE ROLL

Try out your bacon weave skills on a bacon sausage extravaganza called the Fattie.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

The weather outside is frightful—87 degrees in Miami last week—but the fire is so delightful … the fire in my grill, of course. As I smoke-roasted the turkey for the Raichlen family Thanksgiving, I gave some thought to what I would want on my holiday gift list.

The beauty of the following list is that it works for both your favorite barbecuer and YOU. Best of all: you can shop from the comfort of home while other people duke it out in stores. Read More…

Perfect for the Holidays: Suckling Pig

First he gave us the “McRob” (a real boneless barbecued rib sandwich). Then his unique twist on the onion bomb (hint: it involves both onions and bell peppers). BBQ U alum, Project Smoke grill wrangler, and recipe tester extraordinaire Rob Baas is always up for a challenge. So in honor of the holidays, we asked him to smoke a whole suckling pig. (Said pig recipe will appear in my forthcoming Project Smoke book, due out in May 2016.) Looking for a dish to blast your holiday party into the stratosphere? Fire up your smoker and read on. Read More…

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THE CHIVITO: URUGUAY’S STEAK AND EGG SANDWICH

The chivito was the first thing I ate on my first trip to Uruguay and it foreshadowed the onslaught of red meat that would accompany my visit. You start with thin-sliced steak and pile on bacon, eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.

12 Dos and Don’ts to Cook the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Is it just me, or does America seem even more Thanksgiving-obsessed than ever? Practice turkeys. Turchettas. Turduckens. Brining kits. We just can’t seem to wait for this festival (make that orgy) of food, football, and family (not necessarily in that order).

It’s no secret that turkeys destined for the Raichlen table never see the inside of an oven. No, our turkeys cook in one of my many grills or smokers. Read More…

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Grilled or Smoked: Our Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes

In most households, turkey is the rock star of Thanksgiving dinner. Smoke-roasted whole and brought to the table with fanfare, it is the enduring symbol of this uniquely American holiday. But have you noticed, once plates are piled high, our forks tend to go to one of the side dishes? We can’t get enough of our herbed stuffing/dressing, candied yams, corn pudding, smashed potatoes, and inexplicably, old-school green bean casserole. Read More…

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: BEER CAN TURKEY

Here’s an eye-popper that involves one of Australia’s favorite beers. Crisp skin, moist meat, and a wow power presentation.

Our Top Picks: Tailgating Gear

What’s so appealing about hosting a party in a parking lot before a sporting event? Everything! Americans love tailgating and take credit for inventing this unique form of entertaining, usually a triumvirate of beer, balls, and barbecue.

Recently, we posted our top 10 tailgating tips. Embedded in that blog post was a promise to share with you our favorite equipment. Now we’re making good on it. You won’t see any battery-draining margarita blenders, big screen plasma TVs, or silver candelabra here. Just useful stuff that will make you look like the serious and capable tailgater that you are. Read More…

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How to Make a Schwenker (German Swinging Grill)

What’s the world’s best grill? In the U.S. the debate usually circles around charcoal versus gas. But as you travel around Planet Barbecue, you find a stunning array of wood burning grills. This blog post—written by Paula Marcoux—focuses on a grill that enjoys cult status in Germany, but is virtually unknown elsewhere: a unique hanging grill called the schwenker. Read More…

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: SMOKED DEVILED EGGS

Smoke and fire take eggs in gustatory directions you’ve never dreamed of.

Game On! Our Top 10 Tailgating Tips

Tailgating has come a long way since November 6, 1869, when spectators lowered the buckboards (tailgates) of their horse-drawn wagons to serve picnic lunches from hampers at the first intercollegiate football game, Princeton vs. Rutgers. Today, the real competition’s on the asphalt, not the AstroTurf. Read More…

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How to Cook with Wood

For years I’ve heard reports of a remarkable restaurant in Tulum, Mexico—run by American expats—where all the cooking is done over wood fires, and the flavors explode in your mouth like fireworks in a 4th of July sky. Well, now you can experience the restaurant Hartwood and the timeless wisdom of wood fire cooking from founder-chef Eric Werner in a stunning new book. Read More…

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: GRILLED MEATBALLS

The common meatball is about to get a lot better. Grilling sizzles the fat, endowing the meatball with a crusty exterior.

10 Indispensable Tips from Brooklyn Sausage Master Jake Klein

Jake Klein, owner of Jake’s Handcrafted in South Slope, Brooklyn, is one of the most creative sausage makers in North America. And not just because he’s my stepson. Jake has channeled Spanish paella, New Orleans oysters Rockefeller, Miami’s cubano sandwich, and a New York deli Reuben in a sausage casing. To make the aforementioned brisket sausage, Jake folds home-smoked burnt ends into ground fresh brisket meat, which he re-cooks a second time in his smoker. Think of it as barbecue’s second coming.

With tailgating season upon us, I asked Jake for his top 10 tips on making and grilling sausage. Even the old man learned something new. Read More…

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Wagyu and Kobe Beef: Cutting Through the Udder Confusion

Unless you’ve been in a food coma for many years, you’ve likely heard of Kobe, the ultra-premium beef named after the capital city in Japan’s Hyogo prefecture. Kobe beef is renowned for its outrageous tracery of white intramuscular fat (called shimofuri, or “beautiful snow”), unctuous, buttery texture, and complex umami flavors. When raw, it resembles nothing so much as a red or pink tablecloth overlaid with delicate white lace. Adding to its mystique are those rumors, largely unfounded, producers say, of sake massages and diets supplemented with beer. Read More…

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