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Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling?
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48 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
Alright, thanks for that.
I’ve been very happy with Meathead’s burger technique… maybe I can use a panade with meatballs…?
I’ve been frying my meatballs, which gives a pleasing crispy exterior and juicy interior but which is a lot of work. Easy to either make it greasy or burn them if you’re not paying attention, too.
I'm going off of Meathead Goldwyn's book. In a nutshell:
Cook on indirect heat, keep temp in the indirect zone around 225.
After 15 minutes check the temp, and then every few minutes after.
When the internal temp is 110 (about 30 minutes for this ribeye), take it off the grill.
Pat it dry (to prevent steam) and then put it on high direct heat (I used the searing burner), dry side down. Sear each side, aiming for internal temp of 130 (i did just over a minute each side).
Serve sizzling and enjoy 😁
- YouTube. For more than just grilling. I fixed my furnace multiple times off of YouTube.
- Grilling thermometer. Just take a bunch of guesswork right out of it. (you can avoid a lot of food poisoning this way)
- Find one source and stick with it. If you Google too much you'll end up just confused because there's contradicting info for everything. I chose this book because understanding WHY I do things helps me remember WHAT to do. https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
I suggest this book as an excellent resource to get started.
In terms of getting started, I’d suggest trying chicken thighs (short cook) and pork butt (long cook) for familiarization. Both are incredibly forgiving to mistakes.
While not a recommendation on a grill all by itself.
If you are just starting out and trying to get into grilling, I highly highly recommend the book "Meathead".
https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
Not only does it have a good set of recipes, but it also has great information about methods, tools and accessories.
Anything you can cook on a gas grill you can cook on a charcoal grill and visa versa. A solid midrange kettle like a Weber will likely be a way better experience than a very cheap gas grill
Great, please post a review when you do a few cooks!
That site is killer. It's essentially "Cook's Illustrated for barbecue". Recommendation: add the founder's book to your birthday or Christmas wish list and forget about it for a few months. It's a great gift for someone to give you that isn't more rub or barbecue gloves. :)
Going to make a book recommendation here. It will help you make far fewer mistakes.
Meathead: The Science of Great Bar-B-Que and Grilling
This is a great companion to your Traeger.
Unpopular opinion, based on what I learned reading Meathead's book: dry brine thawed meat. Do not bother with other sauces or marinades; they simply do not penetrate into the meat because the molecules are much too large to penetrate. You can use a meat marinade injector but don't go hog wild. Sous vide followed by a ice water bath then overnight chill in fridge then smoking then searing on a wicked hot cast iron skillet in ghee (coat meat in a light coat of Kewpie mayonnaise first). Looooordy. Really don't need much more than salt and pepper and I love me some mesquite wood. Takes me back to my childhood for some odd reason; think my mom used to take me out to a steak joint that used mesquite to cook their steaks and ribs. Pellet grill makes smoking much easier (it's basically a wood pellet fuelled oven), but it doesn't add as much smoke as a charcoal or "stick burner" smoker. Eventually I may upgrade to a proper offset stick burner, but the vertical smoker is a really nice place to start.
The best kind of cookbooks are not the ones with the recipes in them. At least not exclusively recipes. I love this book because I know it has recipes in it it also has a lot of science and it as well
https://www.amazon.com/dp/054401846X/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_0AZ9DGSJW31X6YTKFJEC
I learned the foundations for smoking by reading this book
Meathead gives excellent tips and explains the rationale/science behind what he’s telling you to do.
According to Meathead (and science) you want to cook poultry at 325 not the typical 225-250 like pork or beef. If you don't have his book, go get it RIGHT NOW. It is awesome. Science-based and busts many very common myths.
This is a great deep dive. Dispels lots of myths.
Try this book, it helped me out: Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling https://smile.amazon.com/dp/054401846X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IFBrFbGV636CN
What I was trying to say above didn’t come out right. My point was it’s ok to not be good, but there’s an overwhelming amount of free info online. Most people aren’t taught how to do bbq well by anyone other than themselves. You’ll do yourself a favor in the long run by getting familiar with resources and seeking knowledge prior to cook time.
Not sure how much of a nerd B is, but I treated myself to the hardcover edition of Meathead last year and it’s amazing. Super detailed, tons of info about every part of the smoking process- it’s really a fantastic resource. I use it all the time.
Oh man. I've been at smoking for only a couple years now, but Meathead's book is so ridiculously helpful and interesting. I've only read through the first 50 pages or so, but it's ridiculous. A must read.
There is no "one best book." There are a couple of general guides that touch on various aspects of grilling, smoking, BBQ, etc. but there's no one book that gets you all the detail you want about specific types of food.
The Steven Raichlen books are good, as pugnax88 mentioned. They're written for a newbie audience so they're very accessible. The Barbecue Bible is a good start, and Project Smoke would be more of a step into the world of smoking.
Raichlen is much more of a grilling guy than a traditional BBQ/smoking guy.
Meathead's book should definitely be on the list.
If you like traditional southern BBQ, then definitely consider Myron Mixon's introductory books, Smokin' with Myron Mixon or Everyday Barbecue.
Rodney Scott's new book is exceptional as well.
For Texas-style BBQ like brisket, you probably want Aaron Franklin's book, Franklin Barbecue, A Meat-Smoking Manifesto.
Get great grilling/smoking cook books, not necessarily kamado specific. You can figure that out with help from Reddit!
My favorites are:
"Meathead, the Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling" by Meathead Goldwyn. It explains the science behind grilling and will help you understand the best way to use the kamado.
"How to Grill Everything" by Mark Bittman. This is packed with recipes for all types of foods, including veggies. One of the best things about it is that it gives you lots of flavor variations so you can try different things with the same foods.
I like Meathead’s bbq cookbook (and his website for that matter). You don’t need a pellet-specific book.
Or book form:
Boston butt/ pork shoulder/ butt blade is a great starter meat. It’s super forgiving and tasty. I like to use Meathead’s Memphis Dust as the rub and his Lexington Dip as the Barbeque sauce/ mop sauce. Don’t forget to dry brine as both the Memphis Dust and Lexington Dip have no salt in it.
Good luck and have fun :)
Meathead from Amazingribs.com wrote a very good one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/054401846X/ref=nodl_?tag=amazingribs--20&th=1&dplnkId=71431989-78d1-4078-aa0b-727ad4915043
Meathead is the one you want.
Goldwyn and Blonder address this in meticulous detail in the book Meathead.
TL;DR - never ever rest a steak.
A good book is Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. You can also have him check out Amazingribs.com.
If you dad is like me, homemade gifts are cool and you could go and get something like Meathead's Memphis Dust Recipe and make a big batch of it to give him.
I'll second the thermometers (ThermoWorks, ThermoPro, Fireboard are three good brands), glove liners and nitrile gloves are useful too.
A cover to keep it clean while out in the weather is great, as are storage and labeling for pellets and other types of pellets to try if he only has one
A insulative cover to improve efficiency and performance in the winter months can save him pellets and keep him cooking when it is cold.
Book: Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling
Website: AmazingRibs.com
Suggestions on a beginner smoker? Not enough information. What's your budget, do you want to follow tradition and tend a fire regularly or do you want push-button convenience, do you have other time commitments and want something you can easily walk away from for hours at a time, or are you looking for something to fill the hours? Do you want to use charcoal, wood, pellets, propane, or electricity? There are so many options and half of it is personal preference that I would never make a suggestion without knowing more unless it was to buy a Weber kettle, because it is cheap and if it isn't what you end up wanting you aren't out much but you can do anything on it.
Beginner tips:
- do a biscuit test when you get a smoker for the first time to find the hot spots on your smoker (just get a can or two of biscuits and space them out and set your smoker to do a low and slow cook)
- Start with smaller and shorter cooks until you are comfortable with those and then go for longer things. The longer things aren't any harder per see, but you will be a lot less bummed if you had ruined food after 4 hours than if you had done a 20-hour cook.
- Always cook to temperature, not time.
- everyone has their own opinion about what "proper" BBQ is. Ignore them. make what you like and improve upon that.
https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
ISBN-10: 054401846X
Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling by Meathead Goldwyn with Greg Blonder, PhD
Amazingribs.com is my go to for nearly everything. The creator of the website also put out a book that I use like a Bible.
Book wise here: https://smile.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
https://www.scienceofcooking.com/meat/slow_cooking1.htm
Most of what I learned is through a bunch of videos, books, and just general research.
Check this out:
https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/turkey-recipes/bbq-and-grilled-turkey-recipe
Everyone that grills or smokes needs his book. MANY myths busted by science!
Meathead: https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
And a good instant read thermometer.
Deal link: Amazon
I followed the recipe in ‘meathead’, start with corned beef, soak/change in water then apply rub meathead
The best way to improve your bbq game is to understand what is going on, not following recipes.
This is a great book to get you going.
If you buy/read one book on BBQ, make it Meathead's. Covers the basics really, really well; nothing i've seen elsewhere will give you as rounded and solid a foundation.
250 at the dome is probably too hot. Im no expert. I just picked this up, he has some great thoughts on temp targets, and plenty more. The book is Meathead: https://www.amazon.com/dp/054401846X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZQ0IFbF029NVN
Not Kamado specific, but super useful:
Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling https://www.amazon.com/dp/054401846X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Hj4IDb1ZBC3AV
Go to www.amazingribs.com and read the everything or buy Meathead's book . It's mostly the same information in the book, but definitely much more logically organized and easier to follow. If you do nothing else, get a decent thermometer (Thermoworks ThermoPop is easily the best value) and learn how to build a two zone fire and you'll up your grill game immeasurably.
Check out the fine folks over at /r/grilling, then read through Amazing Ribs for the best way to set up your grill (You'll have much better results if you aren't always using just straight direct heat), or better yet check out the book which is mostly the same information, just much logically organized and easier to digest. I'd stay away from their mobile site though, it's like phone cancer.
You need one more thing Meathead https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/054401846X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KtOyzbWJ0AV9G
Do yourself a favor and do some reading on http://amazingribs.com. Better yet, get yourself a copy of Meathead's book. It's mostly the same information that's on the site, but it's presented in a much more logical order and digestible format. Also, the grilling subreddits /r/grilling, /r/smoking, and /r/BBQ are a great resource for grilling and smoking.
It's a great book by a great guy, I'd highly recommend it if you're into grilling or meat in general really. https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X
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