Backyahd BBQ | @backyahdbbq

When considering which wireless thermometer to buy you need to look at how it measures ambient temperature - which is the temperature that surrounds your meat.

If you use a digital smoker or grill, like a pellet smoker, then you don't really need to be concerned with measuring ambient temp because you just set it on the smoker. Ambient temp measuring really comes into play with analog smokers because there is no temp dial.

If you were doing direct heat grilling then you want to find a probe that can handle a 1000 degrees. If less than that you risk melting the internal components. I have tested all of the probes with direct grilling and didn't have any melting issues, but having that 1000 degree limit is a nice safety net.

There are two ways to measure ambient temperature. The first is a sensor in the handle of the device. The second is a separate probe. The problem with having the sensor in the handle is that it is so close to the meat it’s often 50 degrees lower than the actual temperature of your smoker, so it’s not really reliable anyway.

The clear winner for the ambient temperature category is the ThermoWorks RFX. The probe itself can get up to 1000 degrees, and it comes with a separate ambient temperature probe. I. just wish that it was wireless as well.

You can dig into all these details on my Wireless Thermometer blog at bkyhd.com/wt.

#bbq #bbqgear #learn #howto

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I like to add some liquid tallow to the top of my fat cap after I boat, I feel like it gives that fat cap an extra boost to help it render faster. #bbq #brisket

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Before you start cutting on your cutting board you want to make sure it’s not going to slide around.

You could put a wet paper towel under it, but you shouldn’t. You don’t want that water to leach into your wooden cutting board and potentially cause it to warp.

Instead grab some non-slip shelf liner, cut it to size, and put it under your cutting board. It won’t slip around, unless you force it from the side at an angle. It’s easy to clean and is reusable. You can usually find them on sale at your local discount store or at bkyhd.com/liner. I’ve tested both of these options and they work really well - definitely worth the $6.

#bbq #foodpreptips #foodprep

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I just wrapped up trimming a brisket and a lot of people ask what I do with the trimmings. I render that fat down into tallow and put that in my vacuum seal bags when I vacuum seal my leftovers. That way when it's reheated, it has extra moisture in there, so it doesn't get dry. I take that meat and grind it up into burgers and sausage and I chunk it up for stews. None of it goes to waste.

Lots of people on this app will shade me for trimming briskets at all, but I do it because I like a uniform brisket that will cook as evenly as possible. And a nice amount of fat that will render during the cook.


#bbq #brisket #brisketprep #briskettrim

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To celebrate the 3 year anniversary of Backyahd BBQ, I’m re-posting the first video I ever published.

If you are just getting started smoking meat, then the Weber kettle is a great way to go. You’ll obviously graduate to a better smoker some day, but in my opinion the best smoker is the one you have.

Layout the charcoal on one side, put on some wood chunks, and then light one end. It will slowly burn from one end to the other - and keep a pretty consistent temp.

Put foil down on the other side of the charcoal grate, and add optionally a water pan. You can run your probes through the vent holes or under the lid.

When the temp is around 250, you’ll close the bottom vents about half way to stabilize the temp.

Keep the top vents open for good airflow. And put the vents over the meat so the smoke flows towards it.

I have a ton of other Weber kettle videos that go into this process in more depth. But I wanted to post this again for old times sake.

#bbq

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I have a perfectly sized small family, so when I smoke a brisket, there’s usually leftovers. I’ve slightly tweaked my vacuum seal process, so I thought I’d share an update.


For me a portion size is one slice of point and two slices of flat. Don’t judge my portion size, just figure out a size that works for you and go with it.


I put the brisket and a tablespoon of tallow in the bag - that tallow helps keep it moist when it is reheated. I then put it in the ice bath with the bag still open and upright so water doesn’t get into the bag. This allows the brisket to cool before sealing. If you seal when it is warm, then it will trap the moisture and may cause freezer burn.

After a few minutes, I vacuum seal each bag and then put it back into the ice bath.

Once they are thoroughly cooled, I put them in my freezer to be eaten later.

Let me know in the comments how disappointed you are in me for even having leftover brisket.

#bbq #brisket #smokedmeat #mealprep

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Brisket has a big hunk of fat between the two muscles so when that is rendered well the two pieces of meat will jiggle like this.

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October 12th is National Pulled Pork day, which I’m convinced is just a marketing scheme - but it is a good time to reflect on my smoked meat journey.

Pulled pork is what got me into smoking meat. For years, my favorite thing to get from BBQ restaurants was a pulled pork sandwich. Pork butt was the first thing I smoked. My neighbor shared one he smoked on his Weber Smokey Mountain and gave me some tips. Since then I’ve smoked a ton of pork butts.

Whenever someone asks me how to get started with smoked meat, I always point them to the pork butt because it is very forgiving.

It’s one of the easiest things to smoke, but to keep it moist you have to wrap it in foil after you have a nice bark. And to keep it well seasoned you have to add more rub after you pull it.

Needless to say, I don’t need to order pulled pork sandwiches anymore.

Let me know in the comments how you got into smoked meats. What was the first thing you smoked and on what smoker?

#pulledpork #nationalpulledporkday #smokedmeat #bbq

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Pork Butt Prep Tips

Here are some tips that should help you prep your next smoked pork butt.

Trim off any fat from the fat cap that is hard or sticking out. You can render that fat down into lard and add it back into the shredded pork.

You’ll want to inspect the whole thing and look for any glands. If the butcher didn’t already remove it, there will be a gland above the bone.

In this pork butt, I found a gland that I didn’t want in my end product, so I carefully removed it, being careful not to cut too deep, but enough to remove the whole gland.

I also cleaned up any fat that didn’t look appetizing.

You can optionally score the fat cap to help the fat render faster.

I like to slather pork butts with sriracha for extra color and also apply rubs with paprika to get a nice red/orangeish color. But I also like more pepper so I usually add some of that as well.

Wrap in foil when the bark is dark and the fat cap is rendered like this.

When shredding, I like to add the juices from the foil, and add more rub after it is shredded to make sure it is all seasoned well.

Hopefully those tips help you out on your next pork butt cook

#bbq #pulledpork #smokedmeat

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