The best dry Rubs and Mops

     Many people ask me about Dry Rubs and Mops. The questions I get often are, "Do you season all sides of the meat?" and "What is the best brand to use?" or, "How long should I cook it for?" lets not forget, "What is a Mop?" That one usually comes with a wrinkled nose and scrunched eyebrows. So lets tackle these questions one by one.

     "Do you season all sides of the meat?" Yes I do! Weather it is grilling or slow smoking I want that meat to be full of flavor, but not over powering! This takes practice, you need to know what you are cooking with. Gas, Coal, or Wood? If I am doing burgers, steaks, chicken, fish, hot dogs, veggies or something else that cooks quick I like to use the gas grill. If I am cooking something that needs several hours like, a Pork Shoulder, Ribs, half a Chicken, Beef Brisket, or slow smoked Salmon I like to use wood. For my base I like to use Cowboy Charcoal 16488 Hardwood Lump Charcoal, 8.8-Pound this gives your meat that nice natural woody flavor and it is easy to get started. For my smoke flavors I like to use different types depending on the meat type. For Fish and Pork I like to use either Weber 17004 Apple Wood Chips, 3-Pound or (Mainly ribs and pork shoulders)Char-Broil 2184767 Mesquite Wood Chunks, 5-Pound Bag.
For beef and chicken I like to use Char-Broil 2184766 Hickory Wood Chunks, 5-Pound Bag. Some people ask me about whiskey flavored wood chunks. I find it to be cheaper to just head to the local store and buy a bottle of your favorite whiskey and instead of soaking your wood chunks in water, soak them in a little bit of whiskey (Since I am in the USA, this is for those of us who are 21 years of age or older ONLY).

     "What is the best brand to use?" Again it is all about your own personal tastes. I like to use the following:

• McCormick Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning, 15.5-Ounce
• McCormick Grill Mates Seasoning, Brown Sugar and Bourbon, 13.5-Ounce
• McCormick Grill Mates Pork Rub (3.46 oz)
• Grill Mates Cowboy Rub (Case of 6) I get this one by the case!!!
• Grill Mates Bacon Seasoning, Molasses, 2.75-Ounce (Pack of 9) This is awesome for Steak and Burgers!!!
• Emerils, Ssnng Rub Rib, 4.72 OZ (Pack of 12) This stuff is awesome for ribs!

 Not every one is a fan of premixed seasoning, but the stuff listed above is awesome and I use it all!

     "How long should I cook it for?" There is a rule of thumb and you must do your best to follow it if you are doing a large cut of meat like a pork shoulder or a beef brisket. An hour and a half of cooking time per pound. Your temp for low and slow should be steady around 250 to 270 and try not to go over 300. Remember real BBQ is never and I mean NEVER wrapped in tin foil! You are here to BBQ your meat not steam or boil it! When your meat is at it half way point for cooking time it is time to start "Moping".

     "What is a Mop?" The term came from the popular tool used to baste large cuts of meat. Thats right, when you go to any major BBQ competition you will see some people using kitchen mops to apply their secret marinade to their large cuts of meat. The video below is a good starting point for any one who wants to make their own mop. I used this as abase for my last pork shoulder and added some things to make it more to how I wanted it.

     So there you have it! Now its time to go out and select a nice cut of meat and some veggies to match! Even if this is your first time just remember to not rush! Low and slow is always a good call if your aim is tender and juicy BBQ meat. So invite some friends and be sure to enjoy some 

Moxie Soda 12 oz 6 pack 4/6pks!!! This goes best with brisket!!!

-Case

Grilling Steak

     It is hard for me to go to some ones house and watch them grill meat the wrong way. The worst is when some one just slaps a nice T-Bone steak on the grill with no seasoning! You want to know how to make a nice juicy steak on the grill? Below is what I do when grilling steak.

     The first step is selecting a quality cut of beef. Which means you need to know who you are buying from. Some places will have nice looking meat but when you get to it the beef feels tough. The raw meat should be tender and not tough at all. There should also be very little fat in the meat, it is ok to have fat on the outside edges but if the beef looks marbled with lots of fat I recommend to keep looking for a better cut. Once you have selected your cut of beef it is not time to think about seasoning. What flavors get you excited when you think of beef?

     When prepping steak for the grill I like to have the meat marinade for a few hours. I will usually season it the night before. I like to start with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (regular Olive Oil is ok to use as well) make sure you spread it on both sides. Then I will sprinkle some Onion Powder, then some Garlic Powder (If you prefer fresh onion and garlic that is fine to use as well). I then like to use a steak rub from McCormick's line called Grill Mates. I used just a touch of their Cowboy Rub then a lot of their Molasses Bacon Rub. Be sure to season both sides of the steak! One step people seem to almost overlook when getting ready to cook steak on the grill is allowing it to get to room temperature before slapping it on the grill. Its easy to get excited and forget but don't!

     The one thing you never want to do is over cook or under cook your steak! I like mine medium-rare to medium, the wife likes hers well-done.  It will take some practice but once you know and love your grill you'll knock it out of the park every time! The key to quality grilling is knowing what you like and being able to not cook things too fast! Allow yourself time, your steak needs a minute or so to rest before you serve it.

Some T-Bone's I tossed on the grill last weekend.

     Summer is coming to an end but that does not mean that the grill needs to be shut down! Do you grill in the fall or winter? Share with us what you like to grill in the colder seasons! Or if there is something you would like us to review or try feel free to tell us about it! Good vibes and happy grilling!

-Mike