How to Season and Maintain Your Cast Iron Plancha

• Before using your new plancha, wash it with warm soapy water and a plastic brush or scrubber to remove any factory grease or dirt. • Dry well, then wipe […]

How to Build a Bacon Weave

Follow the step-by-step instructions below: Moisten your work surface with a damp paper towel and cover with parchment paper, plastic wrap, or heavy-duty aluminum foil. Arrange several slices of bacon […]

12 Tips for Making Better Bacon Weaves

Buy the best bacon you can afford. Farmers’ markets are a good place to look for artisanal smokehouse bacon—and support your local farmers in the process. If buying bacon at […]

10 Performance-Enhancing Techniques for Your Big Green Egg

Start with a full load of natural lump charcoal. That means 5 pounds lit with a paraffin fire starter cube or an electric lighter. No chimney needed (the Egg’s unique […]

How to Use Curing Salts for Curing and Smoking

General • Label all meats in the curing process precisely, noting any special instructions and the date(s) they need attention (turning, refreshing the brine or dry rub, smoking, etc.). Transcribe […]

8 Steps to Making Your Own Bacon at Home

Choose the right pork belly. If you go to the time and trouble of curing and smoking your own bacon, start by procuring a pork belly worthy of your efforts. […]

Made-from-Scratch Bacon

How to Grill Corn: Dos & Don’ts

Do buy corn at farmers markets and farm stands—preferably the same day it was picked. Don’t refrigerate corn unless you have to. Chilling deadens the flavor. Do grill the corn […]

What Every Griller Needs to Know About Clams

Avoid any clams (or other bivalves for that matter) with cracked shells or gapped shells that fail to close in a few seconds when you tap two clams together. Remember […]

Direct vs. Indirect Grilling

The first step towards achieving master grillmanship is to understand the difference between direct grilling, indirect grilling, and smoking. DIRECT GRILLING This is what most of the world means when […]

The Art of Smoking

Wood smoke is an integral part of the true barbecue. Wood comes in three forms for smoking: chips, chunks, and logs. Chips and chunks will handle the needs of most […]

How to Grill Perfect Vegetables Every Time

In general, vegetables benefit from a direct, high-heat grilling method. The exceptions are dense root vegetables, like potatoes and turnips, that are best grilled by the indirect method or parboiled […]