Cooking a juicy and perfectly grilled steak can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to choosing the right cooking method. Two popular methods are the “Reverse Sear” and the “Sear” method. While both methods produce delicious steaks, they have their differences. In this article, we will compare the Reverse Sear vs Sear method to help you decide which one is best for your next steak dinner.

The Reverse Sear Method

The reverse sear method is a relatively new cooking technique that has gained popularity in recent years. The basic principle of the reverse steak sear method is to cook the steak at a low temperature and then sear it at a high temperature for a short period of time. This method aims to achieve an evenly cooked steak with a juicy interior and a crispy crust.

The reverse sear method starts by preheating your oven or grill to a low temperature (around 250°F) and placing the steak on a baking sheet or right on the grill grate. The steak is then cooked in the oven or grill for about 30-45 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 115°F.

Once the steak has reached the desired temperature, it is removed from the oven or grill and seared on a hot pan or grill for about 2–3 minutes on each side. The high heat of the pan or grill creates a crispy crust and locks in the juices.

One of the benefits of the reverse sear method is that it eliminates the risk of overcooking the steak. By cooking the steak at a low temperature first, you have more control over the cooking process, and the steak will cook more evenly. This method also allows you to add additional flavors to the steak, such as herbs, spices, or marinades, while it is in the oven.

Reverse searing a large Steak

Many times the only way to get a good large steak cooked to higher doneness levels is reverse seared. Here is what I mean, searing a two inch thick steak at high heat will crisp too much and even burn if you are trying to get its internal temperature above medium. However, reverse searing the steak will allow to bring that internal temperature up slowly.

After get the internal temperature to where you want it you can get the crisp with a nice sear. Reverse searing is essentially cooking your meat until it’s almost done and then cranking up the heat on to get a nice crust.

The Sear Method

The sear method is a traditional cooking technique that involves cooking the steak at a high temperature from start to finish. This method starts by preheating a pan or grill to a high temperature and placing the steak on the hot surface. The steak is then seared for about 2-3 minutes on each side until it reaches the desired internal temperature, creating a crispy crust and locking in the juices.

One of the benefits of the Sear method is that it is quick and easy, making it a great option for busy weeknights or those who enjoy rare to medium steaks. This method also produces a steak with a crispy crust and a juicy interior, which is perfect for those who love a good steak.

However, the sear method also has its drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks is that the steak can easily become overcooked, resulting in a tough and dry steak. This is because the high heat of the pan or grill can quickly raise the internal temperature of the steak, making it difficult to control the cooking process. 

Additionally, the Sear method does not allow you to add any additional flavors to the steak during the cooking process.

Is all About High Heat For a Crisp Crust

Heat is king when it comes to searing a steak. For best results and avoid overcooking the steak, remove the meat from the grill, let the grill come up to temperature and then sear the steak.

Reverse Sear vs Sear: Which Method is Better?

The answer to this question depends on your personal preferences and cooking skills. Both the Reverse Sear and the Sear method have their pros and cons, and the best method for you will depend on what you are looking for in a steak.

If you are looking for an evenly cooked steak with a juicy interior and a crispy crust, then the Reverse Sear method is probably the better option. This method allows you to have more control over the cooking process and eliminates the risk of overcooking the steak. 

Additionally, the Reverse Sear method also allows you to add additional flavors to the steak during the cooking process.

If you are looking for a quick and easy cooking method that produces a steak with a crispy crust and juicy interior, then the Sear method may be the better option for you. This method is great for busy weeknights and allows you to have your steak on the table in no time.

Reverse searing takes longer than regular searing—about twice as long. However, you can infuse a lot more flavor and if using a pellet smoker or grill, a lot more smoke flavor. Reverse-searing is also a great way to cooking with flavoring woods like cherry, or oak and infuse the steak with tons of flavor.

In conclusion, both the Reverse Sear and the Sear method are great options for cooking steaks. The Reverse Sear method is a great choice if you are looking for an evenly cooked steak with a juicy interior and a crispy crust, while the Sear method is a great choice if you are looking for a quick and easy cooking method. The best searing method for you will depend on your personal preferences, the meat, and cooking skills. 

So, the next time you are cooking a steak, consider trying both the Reverse Sear and the Sear method to see which one works best for you.

In either case, it is important to remember to allow the steak to rest for a few minutes before serving, as this will help to redistribute the juices and result in a juicier and more flavorful steak.

We hope this article has helped you to understand the differences between the Reverse Sear and the Sear method and has helped you decide which method is best for your next steak dinner. Happy cooking!

Why are steaks seared 

Is all about getting a nice brown crispy crust.

The reverse technique 

If you haven’t tried reverse searing a steak, I would definitely recommend this technique. 

Key Takeaways:

• The Reverse Sear method involves cooking the steak at a low temperature first and then searing it at a high temperature for a short period of time.
  
• The Sear method involves cooking the steak at a high temperature from start to finish.
  
• The Reverse Sear method is a great choice if you are looking for an evenly cooked steak with a juicy interior and a crispy crust.
  
• The Sear method is a great choice if you are looking for a quick and easy cooking method.
  
• The best method for you will depend on your personal preferences and cooking skills.
  

Butcher paper is very common, and many of us have used or handled a piece of meat wrapped in this kind of paper. Many people have heard or seen butcher paper but have no idea what it is or what it has to offer. 

What is it, why is it used to wrap meat, what are the different types, and what else can butcher paper be used for? This article will answer these and many other questions.

First, let’s establish what butcher paper is. 

What is Butcher Paper

Butcher paper is a type of paper heavily used in the food industry for wrapping, storing, and even cooking meats. Made out of wood pulp, this paper is strong, heat resistant, and moisture resistant, which is why it is often used to wrap and smoke meats. This paper still allows meat to “breathe” while stored or being cooked.

It is very common for butchers and food retailers to use this paper to wrap and label cuts of meat and package food items for customers to take home. 

Chefs also use these types of paper for baking, wrapping, and storing food. There are different types of butcher paper, but more on that later. The common attribute among all the different colors and types of butcher is how they are made using wood pulp extracted using the kraft process. 

The pulp is wood fiber extracted from trees but also recycled paper, which adds a sustainability factor to butcher paper. 

Butcher Paper

Butcher paper starts like many other paper products, from wood pulp, but it’s available in different variations and colors, each with their own specific attributes and purposes. The classic butcher paper is recognizable for its brown, pink, or reddish color.

The more common red or pink butcher paper gets its color naturally during processing by leaving more wood cellulose intact. [1] This also adds strength to the paper.

Different types of butcher paper

All these different types of butcher paper share the same quality, which is why butcher paper is so well liked for smoking meat in the BBQ world. Even though these different types of papers serve different needs and have different moisture absorption qualities, they all let food and meats breathe while being cooked or stored.

So when you wrap a brisket using butcher paper, smoke will penetrate the paper and add flavor to the meat while it sits for hours in the smoker. 

Similarly, after purchasing meat from a butcher, it can breathe while wrapped in paper, preventing it from becoming soggy before you get home.

White butcher paper

White butcher paper is another popular variation of butcher paper, and I use the word variation carefully because I don’t want you to think that this is something special but simply paper manufactured with wood pulp that has been treated to remove the lignin and other plant cells, removing its natural brown color. In simple terms, the paper has been bleached. 

White butcher paper is often preferred because the color white provides a good background to write on and display food better, and in some cases, it hides grease stains better. However, because FDA-approved white paper is excellent for wrapping items other than meat, such as perisbales or sandwiches, you’ll often see retailers use white butcher paper to wrap sea food.

Gardenia butcher paper

Gardenia Butcher Paper is another popular type of butcher paper that is known for its excellent liquid and moisture resistance. This is good paper for packaging meat cuts like picanha and other cuts that can exert lots of fluid.

Parchment butcher paper

Parchment paper is another type of paper used by butchers and in the BBQ and grilling world. This type of paper is coated with a thin layer of silicone, creating a very good non-stick surface. This paper can be used as a liner for baking sheets or on any cooking surface to prevent food from sticking while cooking or baking. 

Butcher paper vs parchment paper

Many people confuse butcher paper and parchment paper and get the two mixed up. There are differences between these two types of paper that primarily lie in the paper material itself. Butcher paper is made from wood pulp, and the paper is absorbent, heat-resistant, and can be written on.

On the other hand, parchment paper is coated with silicon, making it very “slippery,”  non-stick, but also difficult to write on and not absorbent as well as butcher paper. 

Butcher paper alternatives

Butcher paper is not as widely available in regular stores as you might think. To find this type of paper, it is often necessary to visit a butcher or a specialty store. There are some alternatives, including aluminum foil, parchment paper, and wax paper.

Why is butcher paper used and good for smoking meat

There are two main reasons. First, butcher paper can protect the meat from direct heat, avoiding dry spots or even burning the meat. Second, when you wrap a large cut of meat like brisket, the paper helps hold its juices and tenderize the meat. 

Although butcher paper can seal in the juices of the meat, it still allows some smoke to penetrate into the meat, allowing smoke flavor to infuse the meat even while wrapped.

Key Takeaway

Butcher paper is more than just a much-needed toll for butchers and meat retailers. It is something you can cook and smoke at home to make amazing brisket or store foods. By now, you know what it is, the different types, and what it can be used for. 

References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211285520312106

There are many pellet brands that claim to be the best, but one company stands out, Bear Mountain. 

Bear Mountain makes amazing, high quality wood pellets, and I personally have had the pleasure of cooking with these pellets and burning through a few pounds of this stuff. Their pellets provide not only high quality but also plenty of smoke and flavor. 

However, this is not the only reason I like these pellets so much, we also like the company behind this product. 

For that and other reasons, I believe it is worth the time to write a review of the Bear Mountain pellets and introduce you to this amazing brand.

The Beat Mountain Company: who are they?

When you think of the name “Bear Mountain,” your mind might think of the state park in New York—what a beautiful place—but this company is far from that wonder of nature. The Bear Mountain Company is located in Louisville, Colorado, or about 1800 miles west of the state of New York.

One impressive fact about this company is that they have been in business for over 30 years and were founded in the 1990s. Since then, this company has been manufacturing high quality, natural wood pellet fuel and leading in this industry.

What Makes Bear Mountain BBQ Pellets among the top

Bear Mountain does two things absolutely right, which makes them among the top. First and most importantly, they manage to deliver every last bit of flavor that a BBQ pitmaster like me wants when smoking low and slow. Second, somehow they manage to deliver this level of quality at a good price. These pellets are more affordable than other well known brands but less quality.

We did a test to find the top wood pellets, and Bear Mountain came out on top for both quality and price, a fine line hard to beat. There are other wood pellet brands making great products and even using real trees as opposed to recycled wood dust from mills.

Our Review of the Bear Mountain wood pellets 

For this review, I purchased a bag of Bear Mountain’s Gourmet blend which is a neutral well balanced mix good for just about every protein. I wanted to start there because I wanted a good starting point. 

I used my Z Grills 700D4E for this test, and because I like to do things the hard way, for the test and review I smoked a brisket. Yay me!

The first thing I noticed is that the pellets seemed to burn flawlessly providing a nice thin blue smoke, which is a good indication that I have good amounts of smoke in the cooking chamber and likely will get a nice smoke ring.

First Impressions

Bear Mountain wood pellets smell amazing. But before I jump into that, let’s take a few steps back. You will quickly start experiencing quality when dealing with this product, starting with the plastic bag. Bear Mountain uses nice, strong, recyclable bags to protect the pellets and protected they arrived.

Now, you might think this is not relevant, but it is. The more protected the pellets the less chances of getting a bunch of broken small pellet pieces and a bunch of wood dust in the bag. 

Also, good packaging will protect the pellets from humidity, which is the nemesis of BBQ pellets. One cool thing about this company is that they are strong supporters of protecting the environment, and that involves using a sustainable source of wood, recycled wood dust from mills, but also making their packaging bags from recyclable plastic. 

Flavor

Ah, Flavor! This is one area  where these pellets do not disappoint. As you would expect, these wood pellets are available in different flavors, but for this review, I used their Gourmet blend. This blend includes oak maple and cherry. This mix goes well with anything, and is sort of the “balanced” mix for any food. 

In other words, if you are not sure what to pair food with, the Gourmet Mix is a good place to start.

If you are wanting to barbecue low and slow in a smoker, they carry other flavors like hickory, apple, mesquite, and a nice range of mixes.

Ash

Ash production in an important topic when taking wood pellets. This is because if you are cooking your pellet smoker for long periods, ash buildup will eventually degrade its performance. 

Also, pellets that leave behind too much ash create more maintenance work for you. You will have to clean your ash cup and pellet grill more often. 

I didn’t notice any more or less ash when compared to other top brands, which is, in my opinion, a good thing. I have tested other brands with dissipating results in the ash department. 

Pricing

I find the pricing for these pellets pretty fair considering the level of quality. This is a good thing because if you enjoy grilling often, you can burn through pellets fairly quickly. If you are buying pellets for your smokers, expect them to burn much slower, but the point is, this is a fuel, it doesn’t last forever. 

What we like:

• Price – considering the quality Bear Mountain BBQ wood pellets deliver.
• Quality – Consistent quality in every pellet bag. Not a lot of “wood dust” , nothing but pure hard pellets.
• Flavor – Flavor is very prominent when cooking with these pellets.

What to consider:

• For some reason, these pellets are not available at many of my local retailers, easiest to find online.

Conclusion

I like food, that’s not a secret, but I love good tasting food. Which is why I’m always looking for that extra source of flavor, in this case, good pellets. I enjoy cooking over charcoal, but the truth is, pellet grills are just easier to use, you just have to find good pellets. 

I give Bear Mountain BBQ and their entire company a big 5 stars for the excellent, quality product they are offering to consumers every day. 

Brisket is one of the most popular BBQ dishes you can experience. When a brisket is properly smoked to perfection and done the right way, it is meat heaven. 

To achieve good results, you employ a few tricks, including wrapping, but for this method to be effective, it has to be done at the right time, so I will teach you when to wrap a brisket to push through temperature stalls but still cook a juicy, tender brisket.

Nevertheless, because brisket is a large, tough cut of meat, smoking it to perfection does come with its challenges. One is to smoke it until done without drying the meat, which is when wrapping techniques can help.

I will discuss when, how, different methods, and other tips so that you know how to deploy these techniques, but most importantly, when.

When to Wrap Brisket Meat

You need to start thinking about wrapping your brisket when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

When to wrap the brisket is indicated by a culinary term we like to call the “stall.” The stall is exactly what it sounds like—the internal meat temperature stops climbing for a noticeable period of time.

If you are using a smart thermometer, it is very easy to see the stall happening in real-time. If you don’t have one of these thermometers and are using an instant-read probe, you have to check the brisket constantly and make notes until you start noticing that the temperature is no longer rising.

Why Brisket stalls

Beef Brisket, as with other cuts of beef, is considered well-done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. But when it comes to brisket internal temperature, we want to smoke this meat past that point to allow for all the connective tissue and fat to melt and render for tenderness and moisture.

However, this very same thing—”melting the fat”—we want to achieve when smoking a brisket can become our nemesis. 

This is because of something referred to as “evaporation,” or more accurately, “evaporative cooling.” As the brisket cooks and heats up, the meat contracts, pushing juices from the rendered fat and tissue out. 

Evaporative cooling is when all the internal meat juices surface and evaporate on the meat’s surface. Think about how our bodies sweat to cool us down during a hard workout session.

This effect naturally cools down the brisket and slows its cooking progress. This happens because the heating rate, the speed at which the brisket’s internal temperature is rising, and the ambient temperature inside your smoker’s cooking chamber have matched the point of the brisket’s juices evaporation point, and this, my friends, is when it is time to wrap.

How and Methods to Wrapping a brisket

The problem is that if you don’t address the stall, eventually the meat will dry out and the brisket won’t be as tender and juicy as it can be. Sure, you could “weight it out” or increase the grill or smoker’s temperature, but if you are trying to achieve the best results, then you should consider wrapping the brisket.

Wrapping Using Butcher Paper Wrap

The butcher paper wrapping method is when we use paper, more specifically pink butcher paper. Butcher paper is traditionally used by butchers to wrap fresh meat due to its absorbing qualities after they trim and cut it and package it before packaging and turning it over to the consumer.

Wrapping a brisket using butcher paper is a very popular method to wrap a brisket because it conserves the bark a bit more. I will get more into that later. 

To wrap a brisket using butcher paper, cut a large sheet of paper; don’t be shy, you will need lots of it. I usually cut a sheet about 30 to 38 inches long, but it varies depending on the size of the brisket. Then fold the paper sides to create a strong foundation for the wrap. Place the brisket vertically in the center of the paper sheet, about five inches from the paper’s edge.

Grab the edge of the paper and wrap around the brisket and tuck it under the brisket tightly and give the brisket one roll. Pull the brisket towards you and make sure everything is tight, roll it again.

Fold in both top and bottom sides then wrap up ( roll ) the paper around the brisket creating a tight fit end seal.

Wrapping Using Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is the original Texas crutch method. This method became very popular, among competition pitmasters who wanted to cook their brisket fast but preserve the juiciness and tenderness. The name stuck, and the rest is history.

The key to wrapping with aluminum foil is to wrap it tightly around the brisket. You want to use the foil as a tight seal to not only hold all the juices in but also restrict the meat from sweating and cooling. The opposite can create a steam bath and soften the brisket and bark a lot.

To wrap the brisket using aluminum foil, cut a long sheet of foil. Place the brisket about halfway vertically on the length of the foil. Roll the brisket once, bring the sides in tight, and roll the brisket on its sides until the end of the sheet. Make sure everything is tight.

It is important to remember that you want to apply this method and any other wrapping method following the temperature guidelines I discussed at the beginning of this article. 

You do not want to wrap your brisket too early, and you certainly do not want to rush; you will be cooking the brisket for hours!

The Half Boat wrap

The half boat wrap is popular among backyard warriors and is good for those who don’t want to do a paper warp, have aluminum foil handy, and want to control the stall but not so much. Some people find it hard to wrap with butcher paper, others just like using what they have at home but most people using this method just like to change things a bit

This is because the half-boat wrap kind of combines the advantages of the two wrapping methods I just discussed, which I will compare in a second. 

To do the half-boat wrap, grab some aluminum foil and create a shallow aluminum “base” in the shape of, well, something close to a boat. The goal here is to cover the brisket’s bottom and sides while leaving the top exposed.

The Texas Crutch

People have come up with creative ways for wrapping brisket, but no method is as popular as the Texas Crutch. The method was made famous by BBQ and Pitmaster in competitions where they tried to shorten the cooking time of their briskets. 

The Texas Crutch has been adopted by BBQ backyard warriors, and a few variations have emerged, but the concept remains the same. 

Using Paper vs Aluminum Foil When Wrapping

This is a good topic to touch on because by now, you are probably wondering, “Okay, wrapping brisket based on what method?” Well, let me explain and dive into the first two warping brisket methods because those are the most effective and popular.

Both using aluminum foil and butcher paper are effective for wrapping brisket and speeding up the cooking progress; however, because of the characteristics of these very different materials, the brisket will cook and even taste different.

Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is the easiest method for wrapping brisket. First, aluminum holds its shape, so it is easy to get it nice and tight around the brisket. You don’t have to work too hard to get the foil nice and airtight. 

The main advantage of aluminum foil’s airtightness is that it can create such a nice sealed environment, which means nothing escapes, including very little evaporation. This makes the foil wrap optimal for cooking speed, tenderness, and juiciness.

However, what makes this method “fast” is also its downside. Making an airtight completely sealed wrap around your brisket means that a lot of the juices will stay in the foil wrap and all the evaporation stays in. This creates a soft bark on the brisket, and you also lose some of the seasoning, which, if you’re not careful, is almost like boiling the meat.

Flavor is another area where the characteristics of foil have another drawback. Because aluminum foil completely seals or shields the brisket from the outside in, that also means that while it is wrapped, it is not absorbing wood smoke. Lastly, heat penetrates and gets to the meat.

Butcher Paper

Now, let’s talk about butcher paper. I personally like using butcher paper because to me it still does the job but it “tones down” the side effects of wrapping with aluminum foil

Butcher paper is not as beginner-friendly when it comes to wrapping. This is simply due to the fact that it is paper and does not retain its shape or fold as well as a thin sheet of aluminum. So you do have to apply a few techniques to make sure the paper doesn’t open up in the middle of the cook.

Nevertheless, butcher paper works great for wrapping paper, and just like aluminum foil, it has its pros and cons. 

The first benefit is that because butcher paper absorbs fluids and meat juices, you don’t “boil” the brisket as much. This contributes to a crispier bark and a less soggy brisket. Still juicy, just a tad dryer. 

Flavor is another area where butcher paper shines. Paper allows for a small amount of smoke to penetrate, so even when wrapped, the brisket will still get some smoke flavor.

Butcher paper also lets in more heat, so it is important to monitor the smoker’s temperature closely.

Results	Wrapping Method
Juiciest Brisket	Aluminum Foil
Cripier Bark	Butcher Paper
Cooks faster	Aluminum Foil
Flavor	Butcher paper wrap

Why wrap a brisket

The purpose of wrapping a brisket is to push it through a temperature stall and increase the cooking temperature without drying out the meat. In short, you don’t always have to. If you are smoking a small brisket, you likely don’t have to wrap it. 

In BBQ, there is a big misconception surrounding “wrapping,” and many experts, including myself, agree that you don’t always have to wrap.

Juicer and Tender Brisket

You can wrap the brisket to manipulate its tenderness and juiciness. As I mentioned before, you don’t always have to wrap the brisket, especially when smoking small meat cuts. But if 

You don’t always have to wrap

The wrapping techniques I mentioned here are useful but don’t always need to be applied. The main indicator is a temperature stall. Also, if you know you are smoking a large brisket, then anticipate having to wrap.

Other factors like humidity, your smoker, and the weather will have a slight impact on whether you’ll need to wrap your brisket or not.

Preserve the Brisket Bark on Paper Wrapped Briskets

When you wrap a brisket, there is always a small chance that you might lose some of its seasoning and soften the bark. One way to preserve the bark is to use a binder such as mustard or olive oil. Is it necessary? Not really. But some of us like to shoot for perfection. 

When wrapping brisket Keep these drawbacks in mind

There are a few drawbacks to any wrapping method. First, there is flavor. Wrapping the brisket results in less smoke flavoring the meat.

If you are not careful, the meat’s texture will also turn out “soggy.” Sometimes warping the brisket makes it soft, but you’ll learn to manage this with time.

Lasly, temperature needs to be closely monitored. While the brisket is wrapped, its internal temperature will fluctuate a bit. Keep an eye on this.

Conclusion

We went at what temperature to warp a brisket which usually is when it reaches about 160 to 165 degrees internal temperature. We also went over three popular wrapping methods including using aluminum foil, butcher paper and the half boat

This is a technique, and like any other, it will take some time to master, but once you do, you will enjoy juicier, more tender briskets. 

💾

The MeatStick and the Meater are both leading the wireless smart thermometer race and have inspired many household brands to release their own versions. Many of our readers get stuck making a decision between the MeatStick and the Meater, so in this article, I breakdown the main differences and compare the MeatStick vs the Meater.

The MeatStick

First, let’s talk about each of these thermometers before we jump to the comparisons. The MeatStick is almost a carbon copy of the Meater, but they did a few things right. The MeatStick is a wireless thermometer, meaning there are no wires attached to the probe, and it transmits all the temperature information wirelessly to an app on your smartphone. 

The MeatStick is available as a standalone probe with a Bluetooth extender and a Wi-Fi bridge. 

The MeatStick probe on its own will give you a range of about 65 feet, but if you get the MeatStick with the Extender, which doubles as the charging base, you will get about 260 feet of Bluetooth wireless range. If you opt for the bundle with the WiFi bridge, then Internet access is the only range-limiting factor, meaning you can access the MeatStick from anywhere.

In all options, the MeatStick is the same “probe hardware.” Whether you get the extender combo or the WiFi bundle, it’s the same probe. The bases are what are making the differences in range, but the probes are the same device and have the same components and temperature tolerances. 

You can read my full review of the MeatStick to learn all the details about this meat thermometer. 

Read More: The MeatStick Full Review

The Meater ( and Meater Plus )

The Meater started the truly wireless smart thermometer revolution. Both the MeatStick and the Meater are not only absolutely, definitely wireless, but they are also smart. Their smartphone applications have built-in algorithms that predict and estimate when the meat will be done at the doneness level you choose. 

The Meater started this revolution and companies like Traeger noticed it and quickly adopted them and integrated these probes with with their news grills like the Timberline XL

I wrote a complete review of the Meater explaining everything there is to know about this amazing product. But since this is a comparison article on these two popular probes, let’s jump in and compare them.

You can read our full review of the Meater Plus, which goes into greater detail about his thermometer.

 Read More: The Meater Plus Review

The MeatStick Vs Meater: Differences and Compared

Both manufacturers have done a great job of highlighting the benefits of their thermometers, making it hard to choose between these two probes.

I don’t want you to misinterpret what I’m saying. Both the MeatStick and the Meater are good, and you won’t be disappointed by either one of these two products.

However, if you are on the fence about which one to get, let me break down the major differences between these two probes.

Wireless Range

The first and most important difference between these two thermometers is their wireless range. Both brands use a Bluetooth repeater to boost their signals, and both provide WiFi bridges for connecting to your home wireless network. Wireless range and other features I mention below earned the MeatStick a top spot on our wireless meat thermometer roundup article.

So let’s break down the range of these probes one by one so you can understand the differences.

 Meater has three main products: the Meater, the Meater Plus, and the Meater Block. As far as the probes are concerned, they are all the same hardware; what changes is the range in all their models. 

MeatStick also has three main variants of their probe, with the only differences being range. The MeatStick ( just the device and charger ), the MeatStick X ( bluetooth extender and repeater), and the MeatStick with the WiFi bridge. 

The Meater, which is the original device, on its own has a range of 33 feet, as does the MeatStick ( just the probe ). 

Without their extenders, both vendors’ probes have a limited range. This is okay for those who want to get one of these devices at a low cost and don’t mind the range limits.

However, it is important to note that the estimated 33-foot range of these probes is achieved when the probe’s head is not covered and exposed. Meaning if you use the probes inside an oven or a thick-walled grill like a kamado grill, the range will reduce drastically, to more like six feet.

Both brands then have a second-tier bundle, which is their probes plus a signal repeater that doubles as the battery charger. This is the Meater Plus and the MeatStick X, and here is where the differences are benign. 

The Meater Plus, even with its repeater, only has a range of 165 feet, whereas the MeatStick X, also with its repeater, has a range of 260 feet. 

I tested the MeatStick Mini, which is a small mini version of the MeatStick but does come with the extender, and I have to say, you get every inch of those 260 feet. 

Both brands have wireless blocks that can connect to your home WiFi, and when it comes to wireless range, the limiting factor is your home wireless setup. So, if your wireless network can reach your patio or wherever the WiFi block is, the probe and receiver will be connected to the Internet. 

The WiFi block then sends the signal to the cloud (via the internet) and accesses all the information from the cloud using the internet. This is how both brands work, and it is how you get whole-house coverage and the ability to monitor your cooking session while you shop or go for a Sunday ride. 

Both brands offer cloud technology to give you access to your temperature data from anywhere, but there is one small difference that might be a deciding factor for some related to getting wireless functionality with both of these devices. 

To get wireless functionality with Meater, you have to purchase the Meater Block, which includes the charging block with a built-in WiFi bridge and four probes. With MeatStick, you also have to buy the MeatStick WiFi bridge, but you get two probes instead of four. The setup costs half as much, and you can always add more probes later.

As far as functionality goes, both brands give you a Wifi block with a built-in display that shows the cooking temperatures, cooking times, and signal strength. 

Device	Range	Range
MeatStick Probe only	33 Feet
MeatStick X ( Bluetooth Extender )	260 Feet
MeatStick Wifi	Limited only by your home Wifi range
The Meater ( Probe Only )		33 Feet,
The Meater Plus		165 Feet
The Meater Block		Limited only by your home Wifi range

Probe Durability

This is one area where I have not found obvious issues with either brand, but as I was reviewing the Meater instruction manual, it did recommend not to pull the meater by the head if it’s exposed to extreme temperatures or past its 572 degree resistance mark. 

I can assume that the reason is that heat can loosen whatever adheres the head to the metal part of the probe, and, well, you will have a real mess on your hands. 

Meater is also adamant about not using their probe over direct fire or charcoal. Something that MeatStick does not mention but does say not to exceed their specified temperatures. 

One thing worth noting is that the Meater has a small mark on the probe that lets you know how far to insert it into the meat, both for accuracy and to protect the internal components. The meatick must be inserted completely or it will be damaged. Remember that batteries and other components are inside these little tubes.

Features

These two brands offer many of the same features, and besides their Bluetooth range, you get a lot of the same features with both. One area where the MeatStick shines compared to the Meater is in their LED charging status light. I know it’s a minor point, but I like how the MeatStick lets me know exactly what’s going on when it comes to charging the probe. To me, this is something I like but is not a big deal.

In the Meater, there is no LED light indicating how the charge is going; instead, the Meater charges “passively.”

Probes App

This is another area where these two probes differ. The MeaStick app is very responsive and works well, but I feel the Meater’s app looks nicer. This is again a preference thing, but to me, the apps on these two devices are pretty much the same. 

Price

This is another area where these two brands have some similarities but vary just a tiny bit.

First, the Meater block is more expensive than getting the block Meatstick WiFi setup. You get two more probes with the Meater block, but it is also more expensive. 

As far as the meater plus and the MeatStick extender, both cost the same, but the MeatStick is modular, so the price of entry is the same, but you can add more probes and monitor multiple probes with one extender, so it is fully modular. 

The Original Meater is the least expensive model and costs the same as the MeatStick Mini. However the MeatStick mini has only a meat temperature sensor and no ambient sensor with range of 260 feet whereas the original  

Conclusion

Both of these thermometers are great options. If you enjoy cooking BBQ and want to monitor what’s happening inside your smoker or grill and even while cooking in kitchen appliances, these are great products. 

If you enjoy cooking or grilling but want to keep tabs on temperatures, these two thermometers are great products. However, the MeatStick can be fully submerged, so for those looking for a thermometer that can work in devices that use water to cook, the MeatStick takes the lead. The Meater also outperforms the Meater in wireless range, and the MeatStick is more affordable.

Still, both are great products.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Pit Boss by now. Pit Boss has been making affordable pellet grills for many, many years. Not only do they make pellet grills, but they also offer other types of smokers, including verticals.

In recent years, Pit Boss has been working on improving the quality of its grills and matching up with other grill vendors who are offering modern features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Pit Boss Platinum Laredo 1000 is one example of that.  

Pit Boss is evolving

Pit Boss is better known for making affordable smokers and grills than for making the strongest, highest-quality grills. Their older grills were not bad; they were simply a step behind companies like Trager and others. However, affordable grills were and continue to be Pit Boss’ strongest selling point.

It’s fair to say that poor quality, particularly in technology and features, hurt Pit Boss’s name a few years ago, but their newer models are vastly improved.

Pit Boss’ new line of grills is changing that, with consumers looking for and willing to pay more for a higher-quality pellet grill than the most common brands and different models.

The Pit Boss Platinum Laredo Pellet Grill

The Pit Boss Laredo is a higher-quality grill with lots of space and features. This is a very large grill, offering 1000 square inches of cooking space with three cooking racks. Pit Boss’ “Smoked It” tech and app allows you to control your grill’s temperature and monitor other aspects using your smartphone.

The Big Bus lot of Laredo 1000 also offers higher quality, lots of space, a better-insulated cooking chamber, multiple cooking racks, and other nice modern features.

This Pit Boss Platinum grill has a nice powder-coated finish commonly found in higher-end grills. It features four caster wheels with locks, a shelf for food prep, a cooking chamber light, a front ash clean out tray, a pellet clean out door, a prep side table, and a digital temperature (PID) controller.

First Impressions of the Laredo 1000

Pit Boss definitely paid a lot of attention to customer feedback and improving quality when they were building the Laredo 1000. Right away, you can see and notice the heavy-duty steel used to construct this grill. 

Also noticeable is the bottom shelf, which not only helps with storage but also makes the legs and frame itself stronger.

The Laredo 1000 has a large 26-pound pellet hopper and a large-screen PID controller, both of which are easy to notice. The hopper also has a clean-out door, which allows for quick pellet swaps or to simply empty the hopper for storage.

The PID controller has a large digital screen that displays temperatures and other functions of the grill. I will get more into this display screen topic later; there are a few things I didn’t quite enjoy about it.

Overall, the look of this grill feels solid, and it is one heavy piece of metal. The grill comes almost fully assembled. Unlike other grills I have put together, the Laredo 1000’s hopper, auger, and cooking chamber are all assembled at the factory. Mainly, you need to install the legs, shelves, and racks.

A Walkthrough of the Laredo 1000

The Laredo 1000 will greet you with a large 1000-square-foot cooking area, large enough to cook large briskets, pork shoulders, or multiple racks of ribs. This grill is WiFi and Bluetooth ready and works with Pit Boss’ Smoke It app.

This is not to be confused with WiFi-only grills. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth grill means that the grill can connect to your home wireless network, where you can access its features and temperature controls from anywhere as long as you have Internet access. 

If you happen to be in a place where you do not have a wireless network, you can connect directly to the grill using its Bluetooth antenna and create an ad-hoc connection between your phone and the grill.

The Pit Boss Laredo 1000 can operate at temperatures between 180 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, this might not seem much different than most grills, but here’s one feature that most will enjoy: the “grill” configuration.

The Laredo 1000 can be used as a regular grill or smoker, which means operating temperatures of 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. However, Pit Boss has a feature called the Flame Broiler, which is, in simple terms, a shield that you can remove by pulling a lever. The flame from the burning pot goes straight into the cooking chamber, which can get up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is an excellent grill and smoker. You can set it up to cook low and slow, but you can also pull a lever and set the grill for direct flame to sear the perfect steak.

Many manufacturers say that their grills are very versatile, but the Laredo 1000 truly is. Because it can operate at temperatures between 180 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, it can grill, smoke, roast, bake, and sear a steak. 

Another nice feature of this grill is its built-in lighting for night grilling. Many of us enjoy cooking at night, where lighting isn’t as good as in our backyards. Having a light not only allows you to see where you’re putting your hands and how close you’re getting your hands to the grates, but it is also easier to see how well food is cooking, check for burn spots, and move food around.

 Another feature that I came to appreciate in many pellet grills was the built-in, front-mounted ash cleanout tray. Ash buildup is the nemesis of a pellet grill’s performance. That is, the more ashes accumulate in the bottom of the grill and inside the burn pot, the less air flows, which means poorer performance.

The burn pot and bottom of the grill can be difficult to clean at times. With the Laredo 1000, simply pull the tray out and empty the ashes. With other grills, a shop vac needs to be used to clean out the ashes. 

Pit Boss The Laredo offers two ways of cooking

One distinct feature of the Pit Boss Laredo 1000 is its ability to “switch” from grill to smoker. You might think that the majority of pellet grills can do the same thing, and you’d be right; however, smoking and grilling functionality is assumed in some grills. By this, I mean that it is assumed that the grill can smoke because it can operate at temperatures anywhere from 180 to about 300 degrees, and it is expected to also be able to grill because the grill can operate at temperatures above 300 degrees.  

This grill’s “Flame Broil” feature, on the other hand, can heat up to 1,000 degrees because the heat shield can be moved out of the way to let the fire cup flame into the cooking chamber, which heats the chamber to more than 800 degrees.

There are other pellet grills that can do this; some Z Grills models and the Oklahoma Joe’s  Rider DLX can do this as well. This feature is offered by a shack in Seattle, but with limited success.

Using the Pit Boss Laredo 1000 as a smoker

To use the Pit Boss Laredo 1000 smoker, the setup is quite simple. Set the lever on the grill’s side to the “smoke” position and set the desired smoking temperature. Normally, if you want to smoke pork ribs, a pork shoulder, or a brisket, you will be operating at temperatures anywhere from 225 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using the Pit Boss Laredo 1000 as a grill

It’s also a simple idea to use the Laredo 1000 grill too. Slide the lever to the grill possession to open the heat shield. With the Laredo set up to grill, you can maximize its heat output, and this grill can reach temperatures of upwards of 800 degrees. 

One thing I’m hesitant to do is place very greasy foods, such as steaks or pork belly, directly over the burning pot because it will cause flare-ups.

How the Pit Boss Platinum Laredo 1000 Stacks Up

Pit Boss has done a great job in recent years of adding new technology to their grills. A grill that can get hotter than 800 degrees is a great example of this. 

Pit Boss has added Bluetooth capability, wireless connectivity, and a digital PID controller to most of their grills, and these new features can be found in high-end grills such as Tragers, Rec Tecs, and Z Grills.

Pti Boss is definitely a bit late to the game, but it seems their focus is still on building affordable grills for everyone to enjoy.

The Laredo 1000 definitely feels stronger than older people’s models. The build quality is stronger; the chamber is solid, and its legs are strong. We enjoy the fact that the grill has three cooking racks, which is enough to fit large cuts of meat but also cook vegetables and keep food warm during a long day of cooking. 

The large display on the temperature controller (PID) It’s nice to have but lacks the resolution of high-end grill controller displays. The display is not as easy to read in direct sunlight as it is with other grills. It looks like a 1980s Casio calculator display, but it is not something that many will find troubling. 

However, it would be nice to be able to see the display better when cooking outside in direct sunlight.

What we like:

We loved how simple it is to pull the lever and unleash the full fury and power of this grill. Being able to cook at temperatures of 700–800 degrees is Kamado grill territory. This cooker offers another level of versatility that many pellet grill companies claim to offer.  

Cooking at 600 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, means you can drop a pizza stone on this grill and bake your favorite pizza recipe. This also means you can get a nice big rib-eye steak or Tomahawk steak, nicely seared, for dinner.

We also enjoy the fact that the grill has both Bluetooth and wireless capability because not everyone will be at a place where wireless is available. The difference between Bluetooth connectivity and wireless connectivity is that Bluetooth allows you to create a direct connection between your smartphone, whereas with a wireless connection you need a wireless router and Internet access.

 One thing worth noting is that Pit Boss has designed this grill so it can actually work with a 12-volt battery. That is, if you take this grill on the road, which will require some assistance because it is large, you can use it with your car’s battery.

The catch is that you must unplug the built-in pellet igniter and manually light the pellets, as specified in the owner’s manual. But the point is that the grill can work with a car battery, and it is beneficial that this grill supports a Bluetooth connection. If you’re in the middle of nowhere but have a 12-volt battery nearby, such as your pickup truck’s and a Bluetooth-capable smartphone, you can control this grill.

The Laredo 1000 also has a very intuitive control display. The display in the temperature controller, or PID, shows you the basics, including cooking chamber temperature, meat probe temperature, and, of course, your “set” temperature. 

 You also get a couple nice little treats, including a pellet sensor that tells you when you run out of pallets. Now, this is not as useful as the pellet level sensors found in newer Traeger models, which actually tell the actual level of pellets in the hopper. The Pit Boss just tells you when you run out of pallets, and my friends, with pellet grills, you know when you run out of pallets because, well, the temperature drops like a ball and you stop cooking.

 Another option is to send the display when the fan is running, which I don’t see the point of because you can hear the fan running. 

This grill also supports two meat probes, and you can see the temperature of each of those probes and the internal temperature of the meat displayed on the main display.

Another nice thing about the Laredo 1000 is that there is a door on the side of the hopper that allows you easy access to the internal components, including the fan and other connections, so if you do have to replace a part, you should be able to get in there very quickly.

Things to consider

There are a few things we did not enjoy about the Pit Boss Platinum Laredo. The first is that, for some reason, people choose to offer this grill through only select retailers, and I think that is going to deter some customers, as people might just want to have the option of ordering the grill online or simply going to a store where they have a membership or they like.

 I’m sure they have reasons, but in my opinion, this is something I don’t like.

One thing that concerns me about the Loredo 1000 is how flat it is and where the temperature controller display sits. The LCD display is almost flat on top of the hopper lid, and I am concerned that it will be damaged over time as people place tools on it, drop food on it, or do anything else on it. 

Conclusion

This grill will not win any beauty or quality contests, but it will surely come in second. But for less than $600, you get a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capable grill built with decent quality materials, lots of tacky features, and plenty of space.

This grill is ideal for someone looking for a capable yet affordable option. If you are looking for higher-quality better technology and have the budget that I suggest looking at Brands like Traeger Rec Tec and Z grills.

The Meater Plus is a new line of wireless grill thermometers and the future of cooking. BBQ meat smoking and grilling often require paying close attention to the meat’s internal temperature. When smoking meat, it is extremely helpful to monitor the progress of the internal temperature as it rises and, better yet, set alerts for certain temperature points during the cook.

While many thermometers can do this, not many can do it without using any cables or wireless at all.

Now, I want to clarify that the term “wireless meat thermometer” is often used by brands to also describe Bluetooth and other thermometers that “wirelessly” transmit temperature data to your phone or another device, but the temperature probe still uses a wire to transmit the data to a receiver.

The Meater + is truly wireless

The Meater Plus is a truly wireless device, meaning that it doesn’t have any wires and also transmits temperature data wirelessly. The thermometer probe houses all the components, including a rechargeable battery, and on the other end, there is a smart app on your mobile phone that gathers all the data and handles many features, including alerts.

Companies like Meater have managed to take the good old probe we are all familiar with and design it to fit all the components needed to read temperature and transmit data wirelessly.

Let me introduce you to the Meater Plus

The Meater Plus is the successor to the original Meater. I will get more into the differences between these two thermometers, but I want to introduce you to the newest model, the Meater Plus.

You have likely heard some chatter about these new types of wireless food thermometers, and they are pretty revolutionary. So, of course, we had to get our hands on one. 

The Meater Plus is a stainless steel probe a little over five inches long with a ceramic head. The probe houses temperature reading complements, and the head houses electronics like the Bluetooth transmitter.

The Meater Plus probe has two sensors in one single device: the stainless steel probe measures food temperature while another sensor in the probe’s head measures the ambient temperature, that of the grill cooking chamber or smoker. A wood pellet grill normally displays the cooking chamber’s temperature, but with the meater plus, you can have an extra eye inside the grill or for

For those with grills that do not display internal or cooking temperatures, the Meater can deliver that information.

The meat thermometer looks more like a writing pen, and its wooden base doubles as a wireless transmitter and charging base. The base is made out of real wood, which adds a touch of elegance and a high-end look to this device.

Meater + Specifications and Performance

The Mater uses Bluetooth LE technology, which stands for Low Energy and allows the Meater Plus to reach a maximum range of 165 feet, which is 5 feet more than the width of a football field ( not the length). There are other wireless thermometers out there with a longer range, including the MeatStick, Meater’s closest competitor.

The sensor and probes can read temperatures up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and the ambient temperature sensor can read and withstand temperatures up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to keep these temperature limits in mind because exceeding them will damage the probe. in part because some of the components inside these probes will simply “cook” above these tensiles. Remember, there is a rechargeable battery inside these probes.

All the information gathered by the Meater Plus is translated into numbers and very informative graphs by software, which are all colorfully displayed on your phone via the mobile app. The Meater App is another noteworthy feature of this product. I have tested many thermometers and probes, and the app is often their pitfall.

The product can be amazing, accurate, and of good quality, but if the app is not user-friendly, reliable, and easy to configure, it will deter many users, and often those brands end up inadvertently getting bad reviews online.

I have to say the Meter app is crisp, responsive, and very colorful; everything is color-coded, which helps direct your eyes to the information you are looking for quickly.

The app is also very easy to use. Everything from cook time to remaining times can be easily seen in the app.

The app also tells you the battery status and how much power the Plus has left. The battery in these probes will last 24 hours. That is plenty of battery to monitor brisket and plenty for monitoring a steak.

This wireless meat probe has a range of 165 feet, and Meater has cloud service that allows you to connect to your home WiFi and access the Meater from the mobile app anywhere your phone has Internet.

The base of the Meater doubles as a charging station, and one AAA battery can charge the Meater about 100 times. 

Warranty

Mater offers a one-year warranty on these probes, and quite frankly, I wish the warranty was longer. As these devices are susceptible to failure as they are exposed to fire and heat, one thing that is very important is that the Meater manual suggests that the Meater be used on indirect fire and not over hot coals or fire. 

This could be to protect the thermometer from direct fire, extreme heat, and flare-ups, but it would be nice if they were a bit more upfront about it. I can see many people just throwing the probe into a cut steak and going for a hot sear. 

This is not recommended by Meater. [1]

Meater instructions are to reverse sear the steak first; once the desired doneness level and temperature are reached, remove the probe and then sear the steak. 

It is very important that customers are aware of these, because by simply reading Meater’s website, you might believe that because the probe can withstand temperatures of over 200 degrees and the head over 500 degrees, direct coal cooking is feasible, but you could actually damage the device.

Also important is the fact that the Meater Plus is water resistant, not waterproof. Meater states that the probe should not be submerged in water for prolonged periods of time. 

The Meater Plus wireless meat thermometer Review: in detail

Ok, now that you are familiar with the Meater Plus, what it does, and all its features. Let’s go over our review of the Meater and what makes it a Plus!

We received the Meater Plus with much anticipation and excitement. Our first impressions were how cool the thing looks and how light it is. Pictures don’t do it justice. The wooden base looks very elegant, and I can see many just leaving their Meater right on top of the modern kitchen counter or fancy kitchen tops.

Setting up the Meater Plus is easy. Simply install a AAA battery in the charger, insert the probe in the base, and it will passively charge. This was confusing to me because when I tested the MeatStick, you actually had to press the power button to start charging the probe, and the LED blinked to let you know it was charging. 

Read more: The MeatStick Full Review

That’s not the case with the Meater. It charges passively, and you have to trust that the battery in the probe is charged. The Meater charging block/extender LED does show different colors to let you know the state of charge of the AAA battery.

During our tests, we noticed we needed to charge the Meater for about 2 hours.

Another thing that is worth mentioning is that the Meater Plus cannot be fully submerged in water or other liquids for long periods of time, which is something its bigger competitor, the Meatstick, can do.

To pair the Meater, simply download the Meater app, hold the black button on the base, and Bluetooth connect the Meater to your phone. 

Using the Meater

To use and set up the Meater Plus for cooking, it’s easy: simply start the app, insert the Meater into the meat, and set the cooking session. Setting the cook is simple: select the type of protein and alerts and start your cook.

There are a few things you should know about using the Meater. First, the probe has to be inserted all the way, or at least to the set safety “notch” on the probe ( you will see a line on the probe ), or you risk damaging the probe. In a way, the meat around the probe protects it from overheating and damaging the internal components, including the battery.

In fact, I took a look at the Meater manual, and it states to not use the Mater over direct heat or over charcoal, and if an overheating alert goes off, use eye protection to remove the Meater from the grill.

It is also important that the Meater thermometer stay inside the meat while the meat is being removed from the grill. 

So why do I bring this up? Because Meater states that their probe can withstand temperatures of 572 degrees and the probe is 272 degrees, yet their manual seems to contradict this a bit by stating to only grill in indirect heat. To me, it seems like Meater is really trying to play it safe, but just keep that in mind. 

Nevertheless, using the Meater is very easy and does the job. During our tests, we found no issues using the Meater and the temperature readings were accurate. We smoked a pork butt and a brisket and never had issues using this probe or monitoring temperature. Overall, the test went well, and this probe did its job as intended.

This brand has become so popular that Traeger has picked it up and integrated it with their newest pellet grill. 

Related more: Traeger Timberline XL Pellet grill review

The Meater App

The Meater app is another area where this product shines. The mobile application is intuitive and easy to use. To setup the probe, simply follow the steps in the app, and in a matter of minutes, your Meater will be ready for use.

One thing that is important when setting up your Meater probe is to ensure you choose the right product. The app supports all three Meater models, including the Meater, the Meater Plus, and the Meater Block. The app will ask which smart meat thermometer you want to configure.

One very nice thing about the app is that it has a “Getting Started List,” which takes you step by step through the process of getting your phone ready to connect to Meater and vice versa. This is a very useful feature, and it is something that I think Meater did right.

What we like

• Smart, easy to use.
• Good support from Meater. Email, phone and a helpful knowledge base page.
• Easy to clean.
• No wires anywhere.
• Long Battery life.

What could be improved

• It isn’t waterproof so it cannot be used in certain cooking appliances. 
• Would be nice to see a blinking led or something showing when the battery is charging 

The Meater Block

One cool bundle is the Meater Block. Basically, it is a set with multiple probes, and the charging block has a built-in temperature display. This is great for those who want multiple probes to monitor multiple meats or simply want extra probes. 

The “Block” also acts as a WiFi bridge capable of connecting to your home WiFi for world-wide access to your Meater probes information.

Is it worth the Price

In my opinion, the Meater brand has created a small device that is easy to use, the app interface is friendly, and it works well. This is a device that can be very helpful for some, especially those who are starting to grill and cook and want a watchful eye keeping food temperature in check. 

Compared to a simple instant-read thermometer, the Meater can be a bit pricey, but it offers a lot of convenience, and the cooking alerts are very helpful.

I think that for some, the price of 99 dollars might seem like a lot to spend on a temperature probe, but you are paying for convenience and technology. The Meater Plus performs as intended, although I feel one must be careful or run the risk of damaging this gadget.

Also, more traditional wireless meat thermometers with a cable attached to the probe can withstand higher temperatures. 

The Meater plus vs the Meater

As you have likely noticed, Meater has two probe models. The Meater and the Meater Plus The difference between these two thermometers is their wireless range.

The “original” Meater has a Bluetooth range of 33 feet. This is because it doesn’t use a repeater, and also because things like your grill’s wall reduce range.

The Meater Plus, on the other hand, has a range of 165 feet because it connects to the block, which acts as a repeater, and the block connects to the app on your phone. 

Also, the Meater Plus works with Alexa. If you purchase the Meater block, it connects to your home WiFi and uses the cloud to give you access to the probe information and temperatures from anywhere in the world as long as your phone and the block have Internet access.

Why is the Meater smart meat thermometer the new way of cooking?

 Meater automates cooking and gives people a lot of information right at their fingertips. These levels of automation can be very helpful and convenient. The old probes with wires are still effective and work well, but as we move more towards a connected world, these newer wireless thermometers are taking the lead.

Also, those metal wires can get in the way, are harder to clean, and make it hard to move food around after you set up the cook.

Conclusion

The Meater Plus is an amazing wireless meat thermometer. I truly enjoyed using this probe and found myself sometimes playing more with the app than checking the grill, but I think that’s the point of this gadget. It gives you a bit of freedom when cooking on your grill or smoker.

I think many will enjoy the Meater Plus and all its features. It is a replacement for a good ol’ instant read thermometer? No, it is not. Is it a replacement for traditional probes with wires, even the Bluetooth ones? Oh yes!

Using an instant read is still the fastest way to walk up to something cooking and check its temperature, but the Meater products are not that far behind and give you much more features and convenience. 

References:

https://support.meater.com/overcooking-help

Building a smoker can be both very rewarding and a great way to save a few bucks. Besides building an amazing machine to smoke meat and cook amazing foods, the real reason why many people DIY smokers is because it’s a great way of getting everything you want the way you want it and how you want it. 

This article will teach you how to make a smoker, or, in simpler words, how to DIY your own smoker. Smokers are not the most expensive BBQ cooking apparatus, but some models can be highly prized for what they are: a metal box with a grate. 

If you have the proper tools and skills, you can actually build one at home and, in some cases, even save a few bucks or simply build what you want.

I will go over unique ideas and plans. I will also share step-by-step instructions, different methods, and what the smoker needs to achieve to smoke great food.

Let’s explain what a smoker is

Many of you know what a smoker is, but we frequently get asked what a smoker really is. The reason why is because grill vendors and brands often use the terms “grill” and “smoker” to describe the same product. 

Brands like Traeger will use the term “smoker” to describe some of their pellet grills, and by that they mean that some grills can also cook low and slow or hold low steady temperatures for long periods, making them great for smoking. 

But a true BBQ smoker might not be able to grill. simply because it might not get to high enough temperatures to grill food. For instance, an offset smoker might not be able to get to temperatures of 400–500 degrees to grill or sear a steak.

Another example are vertical smokers. These smokers are purpose-built to smoke meat and normally operate in a temperature range of 180 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes even less.

 A smoker, simply put, is a type of grid that is meant to maximize the amount of smoke that can be infused into food by cooking at low temperatures for long periods of time. 

What makes a smoker work well and effective

What makes a smoker effective and work well is, number one, the ability to cook at low temperatures, followed by the ability to retain that temperature well, and lastly, a fuel type that can generate good, clean smoke to infuse flavor into the meat.

Heat retention is one of the most important factors and what makes a smoker good or, well, useless. 

If you look at the top-performing smokers, one standout feature they have is a double-insulated chamber. This is to retain heat even in cold weather. So consider insulation and heat retention when designing your DIY smoker.

Smoker characteristics

There are a few components that a smoker must have in order to not only be considered a smoker but also operate as one. If you want good-tasting smoked meat, the following components must be part of your DIY smoker design: 

The first is a good, sealed cooking chamber. The cooking chamber is where the food will be placed, and it is good for it to be as sealed as possible to retain heat and, second, to retain smoke.

As the smoke and heat rise, it will find ways to escape, so it is important to have a well-sealed chamber to avoid temperature fluctuations but also to retain as much smoke as possible.

Second, a cooking grate. A good grill grate must be made of a good material; these are typically made out of stainless steel or cast iron. The grate will transfer heat to the food and hold it in place away from the fire. 

Lasly, another important component of a smoker is the firebox. In an offset smoker the firebox sits outside the main cabinet, usually on the side of the smoker hence and name “offset smoker” 

This is a good set-up because these offset smokers cook using indirect heat from the firebox, and only heat and smoke cook the food. Normally, wood and charcoal are fed to the firebox along with a healthy amount of fresh air flow to create a nice, healthy fire.

Different Shapes

There are different types of smokers, each with their own pros and cons, but what makes the smokers different in many ways is the type of fuel they use, their shape, and their size.

For example, pellet smokers will burn wood pellets. These can be found in a vertical or horizontal format. Then there are charcoal smokers, which use charcoal. These are more commonly found in a vertical shape. Offset smokers are very popular; these are horizontal with an outside fire box and normally burn wood.

And lastly, we have electric smoke smokers.

Read more: Types of Smokers

Decide what type of smoker you will build

Before you put on your DIY hat and start grabbing your cutting tools and starting to chop the neighbor’s trash can, you need to decide what kind of smoker you want to try to emulate. Are you leaning more towards being a vertical smoker, or are you leaning more towards being a horizontal smoker?

 Make these decisions ahead of time to see what type of design you will go with. Because horizontal smokers are gray from feeding large amounts of food, and wild article smokers can fit a lot of smoke and a lot of food, everything is stacked horizontally, and they take up live space on your back.

This also should be considered if you are planning on using wood charcoal. If so, this will influence the type of charcoal basket or trade you will need to design and keep in mind during your build.

How to Make a Smoker

I have seen my fair share of, let’s say, creative ways of making things, and let me tell you, none of them work or should even be mentioned. I have seen everything from file cabinets to hazards. Making your own smoker Canby we’re goois can be done, but anything that resembles a box and is made out of metal should not be turned into a smoker. Below are three proven and effective homemade ways of making a smoker.

1. Using Cinder Blocks

 The cinder block method is a hell of a way of making your own smoker; in fact, I grew up on an island where many people couldn’t afford to buy a fancy smoker, and cinder blocks were the kitchen of the neighborhood. I grew up seeing my family cook whole hogs using cinder block smokers, and I remember sitting behind them and thinking that I might turn into a hog all day long. Although a little different, the concert is much the same. You are going to use cinder blocks to build a chamber, or firebox, and smoke stack.

2. Using a Steel drum

This is perhaps my favorite way of building a smoker. This is because a steel drum is easily accessible; it’s already shaved to the perfect shape to create a smoker and is extremely easy, if not the easiest method, to build a smoker. The problem with using a drum or building a drum smoker is that he does require a different set of tools that you will need to cut into metal, which means that you will need either some strong cutting pliers or, in some cases, even welding equipment.

 You can use a 10, 30, or 50-gallon steel drum, which you can order online, or recycle one as long as it is cleaned. 

To build the smoker, simply build a charcoal basket out of stainless steel or use a cast iron box. You can pretty much use anything else as long as it can withstand the extreme heat the charcoal will generate and allows proper air flow.

Depending on the size of the drum you use, you can find many “off the shelf” grill grate options or you can go to a welding shop and have someone make you one. All you have to do is measure the diameter of the drum, and you are ready to go.

Next, you will need to cut a hole in the lid to build a smoke stack. The stack needs to be wide enough to aid in air flow. Three to four inches in diameter should be appropriate for these size drums. You can install a cap to control air flow, although you will see that most offset smokers in competition don’t have one. 

These are the basic materials needed to build a drum smoker, also called an “ugly drum smoker.” 

These things work well because the cylindrical shape creates an amazing hot air convection effect to cook meat evenly. Heck, I have seen people make these ugly smokers out of garbage cans.

There are companies selling these “ugly smokers,” and one popular brand is Pit Barrel.

3. Using Large Plant pots

This is what I like to call a “home brew kamado.” Kamado grills are the most versatile cookers in the grilling world. These things can grill, bake, and smoke foods. Here is the deal: most kamado grills are made out of ceramic, about an inch thing, and guess what large plant pots are made of? Yep, ceramic. 

Making a DIY meat smoker out of ceramic pots is simple. It’s pretty,  but it is simple. First, grab two pots. It’s likely you have someone who has two laying around. Order the smoker heat gasket and apply it to the top lips of the pot. 

Now you will need to do two things for this smoker to work, and if you get them right, you just made a Kamado for likely 75 percent of the cost of the cheapest model out there.

First, with charcoal, you need to work on airflow. You need to build a smoke stack and an air inlet for the charcoal. You can very carefully drill these holes with a concrete-concrete drill bit. 

The last step is to build a charcoal basket. I like to use baskets that are already built, which you can find easily at your local Ace Hardware or Lowes. But if you feel creative, you can build your own.

Making the smoker work

Ok, so we just talked about how to build a smoker, but now let’s talk about how to make it work. There are a few things that the smoker needs to do well for it to work.

First, you need a good, or at least decent, “seal.” If you build a smoker that leaks hot air and smoke all over the place, it will not work very well. 

Use gaskets where needed, and make sure you cover and fill gaps as needed.

Second, you need good air flow. Good airflow will make a good fire! Make sure you build a good inlet and smoke stack. The diameters of these two pieces should match. 

Build a good charcoal or wood basket. The basket should have enough holes to let enough air in so that the coals or wood can catch fire and get enough oxygen to burn cleanly. 

An Ugly drum smoker

Ugly smokers, or drum smokers, are one of the most popular DIY smokers. For years, people have been making these smokers, and they do work. You can actually buy these smokers for cheap and save yourself some work. Our guide to drum smoking lists some of the top models, including drum smoker kits, that you can buy at great prices. 

Meat Smoker Care

Just like any other grill or smoker, you need to maintain your creation. Prepare to spend some hours cleaning grate surfaces, seasoning, and performing overall maintenance. Get some good cleaning tools and spend some time taking care of your smoker. Whether you spend a thousand bucks or a few hundred dollars, every smoker needs maintenance to extend its lifespan.

Smoker Plans

If you want to make the time and learn how to build your own smokers, I have also mentioned that there are smoker plans and kits available on the market. You can buy these kits and smabale them at home. Sure, it’s not the same as building your own, but it’s very close.

Pro Tips

Here are some tips to make your build successful: First, make sure you have a good set of tools handy; you will need them. Second, take your time. Like any DIY project expect some setbacks and having to make some adjustments. The first step is to think about the type of smoker you want to build 

Conclusion

Smoking meats is a great pastime, and I call it a passion. Here, I shared how to make and build your own smoking machine, but if you don’t feel like you have to know how to build these machines, there are many options on the market that will help you get closer to your dream smoking machine. 

But if you feel like you can handle a few tools and want to build something unique, Enjoy the ride.

The term “uncured” can often be indecently misleading as many believe that it refers to a healthier or better than cured ham. In this article I explain what uncured ham really is what defines ham as incurred, how to cook uncured ham as well as more information to help lea 

Let’s start with a ham. 

Ham is a type of pork meat derived from the pork’s rear legs and is then trimmed and sliced into ham slices or sold whole. Ham is very popular and can be used in many different ways. It is a simple addition to a sandwich or a main dish. Whole hams can be smoked for prepping and a great Thanksgiving dinner or as a side dish.

You can also find ham from other areas of the pig, including the shoulder. These are often referred to as “should ham” or “picnic ham” but do not pack the same flavor as ham carved from the leg.

Ham is cured, but there are two distinct processes, giving the name “uncured ham.” But as I will discuss later in this essay, the word “uncured” does not mean “not processed”. Instead, the industry uses the term to describe a more natural way of curing the meat using non-chemical, man-made ingredients.

What is uncured ham?

Uncured ham, also referred to as “fresh ham,” is the same meat as cured ham in terms of the type of pork cut. The distinction is that uncured ham is not brined or injected with chemicals or artificial preservatives.

Uncured ham is more of a term to describe ham processing. The types of hams have not gone through additional chemical curing processes where things like artificial nitrates, brains, and preservatives have been added and injected into the hams. This doesn’t mean that “uncured” has not been preserved in some form, it means the ham is free of man-made traditional curing chemicals and the preservation was done using natural preservatives. I always recommend you read the meat information and check for any “added” ingredients.

There are more natural ways of preserving ham, including smoking or using natural salts. The downside, and as you could expect, is that  uncured in some cases, has a shorter shelf life than cured. The term “uncured” should not be confused with “uncooked” or “raw.”

It is also important to explain that because hams have not been preserved with chemicals, they are chemical free. I know confusing right!, think cured ham uncured. Some vendors will use natural salts that still contain nitrates, but this will be disclosed on the packing label. 

There is another uncured type of ham that is free of chemicals and even lower in sodium; it is the type of uncured ham made using drying, curing, or smoking methods. Fundamentally, smoking methods are a way to slow down fat oxidation and slow down bacterial growth, but this method also adds flavor while making uncured ham healthier.

I must highlight something I have read in other articles:

Even products that are labeled as “uncured,” like organic hams, are in fact cured with the nitrites that naturally exist in celery salt or beet brine [1]. Nitrites are still present; however, they are not produced in a laboratory. These sodium compounds are responsible for preventing the growth of Clostridium botulinum, also known as botulism, which is a dangerous pathogen that can be found in cured meats and other preserved foods [2]. This is why you will see on the label of hams “no nitrates or nitrites added except for those naturally-occurring”.

How is uncured ham made?

As I mentioned before, uncured ham is still cured. However, more natural methods are employed. For instance, instead of injecting chemical nitrates, celery powder is used instead of man-made sodium nitrate and other factory-made chemicals. Often, a salt-based brine is also used to preserve the meat. However, nitrates are still used, just in natural form by using natural spices and salts. This should be written on the package as “natural nitrates present” or something similar.

There is the simplest and most natural way of naturally curing ham, which is by smoking the meat. Curing meat by using smoke or smoking the ham This is the most ham-flavored item in stores and is a form of “uncured.” The method is quite lengthy and, on average, it takes days to smoke and cure ham. This can raise its price, but it is the most natural ham people can buy. So, for those looking for a no-chemical uncured ham, smoked ham is a good alternative.

Smoked ham does have a “smoky” taste, but it is often less salty. At the stores, you can easily identify this kind of ham by looking for smoked uncooked, and some brands will also state that the ham has no added nitrates or preservatives. The package might also say “fully cooked.”

Is the taste of uncured ham any different?

For some, the taste is almost the same, but there are differences. Cured ham tends to taste salty and is very moist as it is often packaged with a preservative brine. Uncured ham will taste more like tenderloin, and uncured smoked ham will have a slight hint for smokey flavor.

Which stores sell uncured ham? Where to find it

Ham is a very popular item and is available at many major retailers. These stores normally also carry uncured ham and all other variations. I find that smaller retailers and niche stores like Whole Foods do a better job at storing high quality uncured ham.

You can also shop online at retailers such as Snake River Farms and other food delivery companies.

Ham Price

Simply put, uncured ham on average costs less than cured ham. This is because it is uncured, meaning it does not go through the more expensive processing methods applied to cured ham. However, if you shop at stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, sometimes uncured ham can be categorized as a specialty meat and sold at higher prices.

Is uncured ham healthier 

Uncured meats are often seen as a less processed, tastier choice, and the same applies to uncured ham. The main reason is that by not injecting the meat with chemicals and preservatives, or curing it, there is less cost, and you, as the consumer, are buying a product that is more natural and with fewer chemicals. Since there is less pricing, less chemicals, on-artificial nitrates and less salt, uncured ham is seen as a healthier option.

Preparing the uncured ham

Preparing uncured ham is not that much different than other meats, but you can cook it or smoke it to make it fit your recipe. Some fully cooked hams are ready to be sliced and steamed as soon as you open the package.

What does uncured ham taste like 

I have to be very honest here. Sometimes I cannot tell the difference between these and hams. To me, the uncured ham taste is not that dissimilar to cured ham, but one can definitely notice the difference in saltiness. Also, the texture of uncured hams is often a tad dryer since they are not soaked in brine.

Other Helpful Hints

Always read the product packaging info and see if what you are buying and consuming.

Uncured ham storage

Store ham in your refrigerator at at least 40 degrees and keep an eye on its expiration date.

What to look for when selecting hams

Look for brands that do a good job of disclosing what’s in the packaging. 

Conclusion

Now you know the differences between cured and uncured ham, and I hope this article helps you when you go to the store and are trying to decide which one is a better choice for you.

References

[1] https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/healthtalk-will-hot-dogs-and-bacon-preserved-with-celery-powder-still-increase-my-cancer-risk/

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/index.html

Many of our readers have asked us to compare a porterhouse and a ribeye steak. Which one is better? How to tell the difference between the two and how to identify them if they are placed on a plate in front of you.

Both are amazing and tasteful cuts of meat. Both steaks pack a punch of flavor, are easy to cook, and are great for grilling. However, there are some differences between these two cuts of meat.

In this article I will explain the main differences between these two cuts, talk a bit about their flavor profile and how to identify them. Put on your seat belt; you are on for a meaty ride.

Let define what a Ribeye Steak is

Ribeye is a delicious, tender steak and very popular due to its rich fat content and marbling. One of the most delicious aspects of a ribeye is the marbling. These steaks are very flavorful and are great for cooking on a grill because the fat protects the steak from drying out and remains juicy. Normally, ribeye steaks are smaller than porterhouse steaks, but these steaks can be cut as large as 8 pounds.

The ribeye comes from the ribs of the cow. It is also known as the spinalis dorsi, its anatomical name is or also known as the ribeye cap. This steak can also be trimmed as a cowbow steak or tomahawk.

Ribeye Flavor Profile

As far as the flavor of a porterhouse vs ribeye, I prefer a ribeye because its fat content makes the meat very juicy even on a high heat cook. Compared to a porterhouse, the ribeye is very tender an the porterhouse has a stronger beef flavor.

Now Lets define what a porterhouse steak is

A porterhouse is easily identifiable by its size and shape. This steaks are large and carry have a tear drop kind of shape. A porterhouse steak can wight up to two pounds and its larger size and ticker cut is what differentiated from is slimmer lighter brother the T bone steak. The T bone steak is a smaller, slimmer steak cut with a smaller tenderloin portion, the porterhouse is a cut closer to the rear end of the short loin containing a larger portion of tenderloin ( fillet mignon) and strip.

There are also specifications defined by the U.S department of Agriculture [1] which states that a porterhouse suggest weight should be 10 to 12 ounces and its maximum width in relation to the parallel length of the back bone, one and a quarter inch thickness. This is important because is one of the difference on a  porterhouse and a T bone steak.

 Both steaks are the same cut and come from the same part of the animal and both have that recognizable T-shaped bone.

The porterhouse packs a lot of flavor as it offers two cuts of the steak, a tenderloin (the fillet mignon ) and a strip steak (the New York strip) split between the bone. The porterhouse steak is cut from the tenderloin and the top loin, joined by the bone which is why you get two steaks and why this steak is so flavorful and popular.

Porterhouse Flavor Profile

The porterhouse taste is beefy with a good balance of flavor and tenderness. It is does not have as much aft and marbling as a ribeye but it still has a tender texture. Unlike in ribeye steaks, this cut has a stringer beef flavor and different texture profiles to to the tenderloin portions and the strip, the trip side being slighter tougher than the tenderloin.

The Difference: Porterhouse vs Ribeye 

The first and most obvious difference is where the actual steak cut is from. There are eight primal cuts of beef. These are the first meat cuts from the cow carcas. From these primal cuts, different subprimal cuts are butchered, including porterhouse steaks.

The porterhouse steak is a subprime cut from the loin, more specifically the lower back portion. The loin is a relatively inactive muscle in the cow that runs along the spine.

The ribeye is another subprimal cut extracted from the ribs, the rib being the primal cut. As its name suggests, this steak is from the upper area of the rib and is well known for its slightly “salty” beef flavor. This is because a ribeye steak has a higher fat content than a porterhouse steak and it is noticeable. Ribeye steak can also be trimmed and cut in different ways, making either a cowboy steak, a tomhawk steak or just a ribeye. Surprisingly, the only difference is whether the rib bone is attached and its length.

Then there is flavor

Porterhouse steaks have a stronger beef flavor than ribeyes. This is due to the lower fat content in porterhouse steaks. Ribeyes have a higher fat content and more marbling . Expect the ribeye to have a very rich flavor and the porterhouse to be a tad more balanced with a stronger beef flavor. Because ribeyes have more fat, it is easier to cook these steaks to higher temperatures and doness levels. The fat keeps the meat juicy during long cooking and renders well during a high sear.

Tenderness and Texture

Somethings things like flavor and texture c an be subjective but the ribeye thanks to all its marbling and fat will feel more tender. The porterhouse will have a combination of tenderness and toughness due to its two cuts, tenderloin and the strip; the strip being a tougher cut.

Fat Content difference of ribeye and a porterhouse

This is also a major distinction. Ribeye has a lot of fat, and the marbling difference is obvious. Porterhouse steaks contain some fat, but not as much as ribeye steaks. 

In ribeyes you will notice a wide spread of marble throughout the entire cut and often a thin outer ring of fat on one side. A porterhouse, on the other hand, still has fat and some marbling, but not as pronounced as on a ribeye steak.

Appearance of each Steak Cut

The porterhouse steak has a t-shaped bone with two different cuts, and its overall T shape is very recognisable. The ribeye is taken from around the rib, whereas the porterhouse is carved from the loin. The shape of these two steaks is very reconfigurable. The porterhouse contains a “T” shaped bone which sahpes the meat around it and keeps that “T” shape, and the ribeye has a rounder shape to it.

Price

Price is another area where these steak differ. This is one hard point to score because meat prices change all the time. Also there are different grades of of meat, everything from choice, prime and even black grade influence the price of the meat.  

But here is what I go by, I look at top of the online suppliers and monitor their prices and prices I found are from of the US top meat suppliers. I personally use and recommend Snake River Farms, the short story on them, the provide most high end restaurants and businesses with impeccable cuts of meat and most BBQ and Grilling Pros use them too.

As you might know the USDA has a beef grading scale to let consumer knows the quality of the meat. The are other guides out there but the USA beef grades are the standard and the guide used across the US. This guide grades the marbling and thus quality of the meat,

One thing to know is the higher the grade the more expensive the steak will be. The grades USDA Prime, USDA Choice, and USDA Select [2]. Black grade is above USDA prime, yeap, think about melts in your mouth juicy steak.

Porterhouse 

A two pound Black Grade porterhouse will cost about 130 dollars. This is the highest grade wagyu meat money can by but if you want a real steak, this is it. Now this is top grade, best in town steak. This is the type of cut you likely find at a high-end restaurant.  On everage you can find a porterhouse steak for about 17 dollars per pound and up. Of course the better the quality expect to pay more.

Ribeye

On the other hand two pounds of black grade wagyu ribeye will run you about 155 dollars. Now I’m comparing two of the best cuts and highest grade of steak you can buy but you get the point. In average this steak will cost you about any where from 20 to upwards of 70 dollars per pound depending on its grade. I always find myself going with the ribeye, although more expensive at times, because I truly enjoy its flavor.

So you can see there is a good price different between these too steal cuts. I have seen steak prices change a lot over the last months but when comparing a porterhouse vs ribeye the always seems to be the more expensive steak.

One Last Word

When comparing a porterhouse vs ribeye, side by side the first difference is their visual appearance. The porterhouse has that distinguishable T bone and T shape whereas ribeye steaks have a lot of marbling and a tear shape. Both are great steaks but if you want the biggest bang for your buck the portions on porterhouse. 

Refrences:

[1] https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/IMPS_100_Fresh_Beef%5B1%5D.pdf

[2] https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/01/28/whats-your-beef-prime-choice-or-select

Charcoal is ready to cook when there is a grey ash cap covering the coal and any lighting fluid or other igniter has completely burned off. Charcoal can take up to 20 minutes to be ready, but this time frame can be affected by the type of grill, weather conditions, and, of course, the type of charcoal you are using.

Also, the process you choose to light the charcoal will affect how soon it will be ready. Using a charcoal chimney generally takes about 20 minutes and is chemical-less, whereas using lighter fluid can reduce the time to about 10 or 15 minutes, but there is often a strong chemical smell left behind. Usually you have to wait a few extra minutes to burn off that chemical smell.

Lump charcoal lights up faster and can be ready in about 5 to 10 minutes, and briquettes take longer, up to 20 minutes in some cases. This all depends on the grill and the type of charcoal, but once the coals are ready, expect hours of heat.

When is charcoal ready to be used to cook food?

When the charcoal turns grayish-white.

When the briquettes are a uniform black color, even if on fire, they are neither ready nor ready to cool. The coals will burr for a while and start generating heat, but that doesn’t mean they are ready. If you used lighter fluid, it can be absorbed by the coals and create a fire frame, but that does not mean your grill is ready. Also, when using lighter fluid to light coals, it’s important to open every air vent in your charcoal grill to avoid a flare-up.

Cooking times once the charcoal is ready vary depending on whether you are using lump or briquette coals. Lump charcoal burns faster than briquettes, but lump burns hotter and puts out more heat per pound. I wrote an article on the differences between these two types of charcoal, and there are many.

Charcoal is part charbon, or char, which is the product of cooking wood in low-oxigen silos. The process burns off tar, moisture, and other compounds until the wood turns to char and before it turns to ash.

The white or grey cap on the coals is an indication that the coals are fully ignited and combustion is in full swing. When charcoal is first ignited, you will notice a blue flame at first. This is an indication of hot gases burning, not combustion. Eventually you start seeing that orange color around the coals and the white caps, which is why the white caps are a good indication that combustion is fully on.

Steps for Getting Charcoal Good and Ready for Cooking

Grab your favorite bag of charcoal, whether it is lump or briquettes. Remember, there are many ways of lighting charcoal, and my preferred method is using a chimney starter and not lighter fluid. There are many methods and alternatives to lighting charcoal without using lighter fluid.

If you are using a charcoal chimney, which works great, fill it to the desired level and light up the bottom of the chimney until the coals are lit. I have a detailed guide on using chimneys to light charcoal. To start a fire and light the charcoal, place newspaper at the bottom of the charcoal chimney starter.

If you don’t have a charcoal chimney, pile the coals in a pyramid shape and use a lighting wax cube or smoker stick; whatever you use, try to avoid using chemicals to avoid a chemical odor on your food.

Open all your air vents in your grill to allow oxygen into the grill and get a healthy fire going. Always be sure your charcoal grill is away from flammable items and things that can get damaged by high heat.

Let the charcoal or briquettes burn until they’re covered with white-gray ash, adjust the airflow in your charcoal grill, and you are ready to cook.

Get the grill Prepared for charcoal

Make sure your grill is ready, clean, and ash free. Old charcoal ash can prevent new charcoal from lighting correctly, disrupt air flow and prevent you from getting a healthy fire. I like to scoop old ash and coals out of my kamado grill before each cook, and sometimes using a shop vac is necessary.

Once you make sure you grill is clean it is ready for the new charcoal.

Tips when getting charcoal ready

Before you start grilling, I also recommend doing a temperature check to make sure the charcoal is at the temperature you desire. Some grills make this simple as they have a built-in lid or cooking chamber thermometer. If you are cooking something simple like burgers and hot dogs, you do not need to add too much charcoal to the grill. Half a charcoal chimney full of charcoal will generate enough heat.

When getting charcoal ready, weigh in the amount of food you are planning on cooking and the temperature at which you want to cook it at.

If you are planning on cooking for long periods, add a full charcoal chimney full of charcoal and use the air vents in your charcoal grill to control the temperature.

If you use an electric starter, make sure it’s long as they tend to make the charcoal spark a lot. Pile up the coals in a pyramid shape and light the bottom charcoal first. As the flames consume the bottom charcoal, they will light up the top ones, but keep in mind that it does work as well the other way around. Always light the bottom coals first.

Make sure that you are find a good place in your home to work and cook with your charcoal grill. These grills can get very hot and generate a lot of smoke, so a good open area is always best.

One Last Word

Regardless the type of charcoal you like to use, it is ready when the charcoal firsts turns white. The lighting process can take up to 20 minutes. To speed up the lighting process open all the air vents on your grill and wait until it is to temperature before cooking any food. 

In this article, I will answer how long does ground beef last in your fridge but also how long it lasts in the freezer, signs of spoilage, and tips to help extend the life of the beef.

Ground beef is a popular meat and works for many recipes and dishes. However, one ground beef does not last as long as other meats. Sometimes we go to the store and grab a pound of meat, thinking ahead while planning our weekly family menu. 

However, life gets busy and dinner plans get postponed. Now that you know that ground beef will sit in the fridge, you are wondering how long ground beef lasts in the fridge before it goes bad. 

How long Does ground beef last in the fridge – Raw Meat

Food is our precious fuel, but it does have a shelf life, and that also includes ground beef meat. 

Ground beef can last one to two days in a refrigerator as per the U.S. Food and Safety website. This also depends on the freshness of the meat, which can be calculated by looking at the “sell by” stamp on the meat package. If you buy fresh meat and store it in the right compartment in your fridge, you can get up to two days out of the meat from the date of purchase before it starts showing signs of spoilage. 

If you buy ground beef close to the end of its “sell by” date, then unfortunately you might get about a day out of the meat even if stored in the fridge. Also, meat that has been sitting on the store shelf and is too close to the “sell by” date will not taste as fresh and will not last as long in the fridge as a pound of beef that has just been placed on the store cooler. 

Ground beef has a short “fridge life,” but the key is to buy as fresh as you can.

How Long does Ground beef last in the freezer – Raw

Just like with other meats and foods, storing ground beef in the freezer can extend its shelf life. Ground beef can last anywhere from three to four months and be free of contamination. Just keep in mind that when you thaw the meat, it might not taste as fresh as if you cooked it right after you purchased it. 

I like to use unfrozen ground beef in grilling recipes because the smokey flavor and seasoning help to mask any signs of lack of freshness. 

And here is the important part: unfrozen raw ground beef should never be refrozen. I calculate my meal plans so that if I take food from the freezer, it is cooked immediately. 

I sometimes buy meat from club stores and buy in bulk to save some cash, but I have a large freezer in my garage where I can keep large cuts of meat frozen for long periods safely.  

How long does “Cooked” Ground Beef last in the Fridge 

Just as with other cooked meals and meat cuts, ground beef can last about 3 to 4 days in your refrigerator. So, if you cooked extra meat and have leftovers, you can eat the ground beef after a few days. Always follow the USDA guidelines on how to safely handle leftovers.

As with every food and raw meat, the point of following safe and healthy guidelines from sources like the USDA and other Health and Food organizations to make sure you are handling food correctly. 

The biggest issue with mishandled food is bacteria growth. If you consume bad ground beef or any other meat, even if kept in your refrigerator, it can cause health problems.

Also, spoiled food can contaminate other foods in your fridge. Also referred to as food cross-contamination. 

What causes raw ground beef to spoil in just a few days

Ground beef spoils quickly because it is skinless and very exposed, allowing for greater levels of bacteria and microorganisms to come into contact with the meat during packaging and manufacturing.

Meat comes from animals, and bacteria and microorganisms are already in the animal and thus in the meat before it is processed, packaged, and delivered to stores. 

During the stages of processing and butchering, the meat is exposed to more bacteria and contamination. Even though butchers and food processing companies follow strict guidelines, more bacteria get into the meat during these steps. Pre-handling of live sticks also plays a factor in meat quality and post-processing slicing speed.

Things like butchering, cutting, and processing the meat through different machines expose the meat to bacteria, microorganisms, and lipid oxidation. In turn, this bacteria is killed when food is cooked to proper temperatures, but the point is that the bacteria is there and is actively growing. This is why, once again, meats must be cooked to proper internal  temperatures to ensure bacteria are killed.

The way livestock is handled prior to being processed also contributed to the meat’s quality and likelihood of early spoilage. Factors like nutrition, transportation methods, and lairage contribute to meat products’ spoilage rate.

Most fresh ground beef is uncured or preserved using preservatives with no nitrites, organic acids, or sulfides, so we can say that its freshness is also its downfall.

Refrigeration and freezing ground beef are ways to slow bacteria growth and spoilage. Sure, there are other ways of preserving ground beef, but some are far-fetched and more factory methods than stuff we can do in a home kitchen. 

How can you tell that ground beef is going bad

There are a few telltale signs of ground beef spoilage, or at least that it is starting to go bad. As we discussed earlier, storing the meat in the refrigerator as soon as you can slows down bacteria growth and avoids spoilage for a couple of days, but if you believe you have passed that mark, there are a few signs that the ground beef is going bad or has been in the fridge for too long.

Color change

It’s important to know that the color of ground beef can change due to lighting or exposure to oxygen in fresh air. Fresh ground beef should have a red tone as its levels of oxymyoglobin absorb oxygen (2). As you open the ground beef package, the meat in the inner and bottom portions of the package might look more pink or even grayish because of a lack of oxygen, and that is normal.

However, if the outside portion of the ground beef has turned gray or has a brown tone, it has started to spoil and is best to dispose of.

Also, if you notice any mold spots or green and blue spots, the meat has spoiled (4).

Texture change

Another way to tell that the ground beef is bad is by doing a quick texture test. Touch the beef, and if it feels slimy, it should be disposed of. Good ground beef should feel firm to the touch and break apart when pulled, but it should not have a slimy, sticky consistency (5). Please remember to wash your hands after touching the meat.

Ground Beef Smell 

Fresh raw ground beef has very little smell, but if the meat has a tangy smell, it is likely going bad and should not be consumed. The smell comes from bacteria (Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas spp.) and is no longer safe to eat (6).

The reason we list color and texture tests higher than this smell test is because pathogenic bacteria does not smell, but at this stage you should notice color and texture signs of spoilage (4). 

Expiration Date

This is pretty obvious, but I have often rushed in and out of the supermarket and forgotten to check the expiration date on the ground beef package. There are two type of date stamps you need to be aware and they both have different meanings,

First you have the sell-by dates, which indicate how long the store can display the ground beef on their shelves. The ground beef can be safely stored in your fridge and consumed up to two days from the “sell-by” date (7).

Then there is the “expiration date or best before date,” which is when the ground beef will start to go bad. If you have frozen the meat before these dates, it can last up to four months, but if you have not, then it will need to be trashed (7).

So it is important to pay attention to the labels and clearly understand their meaning. 

Stages of Ground Beef Spoilage

So we have talked about how long beef will last in your fridge, but below you can view different spoilage stages.

• Color Change
• Texture Change
• Surface slime

Tips for preserving Ground Beef and Food

Bacteria starts growing on food rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, referred to as the danger zone. In a matter of hours, food left outside your refrigerator can reach these temperatures, and bacteria growth will accelerate.

Try to plan your trip to the grocery store, and if you are planning on buying meat, it is best to stick to a quick route. Plan on going to the grocery store and returning to your home as soon as possible so that you can place your groceries in your fridge as soon as possible. 

Sure, Walmart and Home Goods have sales, but leaving raw foods in your car means it can reach “danger zone” temperatures, which accelerate spillage.

Take a small cooler with you. I know this sounds drastic, but it is effective. You can take a small Yeti or any type of cooler with you in the car and place those perishable items in the cooler as soon as you get to your car. This will help a lot in keeping the meat fresh and slowing any bacteria growth.

Lastly, put perishable items like ground beef in your refrigerator as soon as possible. Other canned goods, cereal, and rice can wait.

In Conclusion

Raw ground beef can last up to two days in your refrigerator and up to four months in the freezer. Always be sure to read the expiration and sell-by dates, and don’t hesitate to throw away bad beef if you suspect it has gone bad.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6811465/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4081/ijas.2015.4011

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/#16

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27898846/

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/ground-beef-and-food-safety

Beef brisket is one of the most popular BBQ dishes, and when smoked the right way, following all the proper steps and methods, and cooked to the right internal temperature, the results are one of the most delicious and juicy cuts of meat you can have.

One of the most important aspects of smoking a good brisket is getting it to the right internal temperature. This seems simple enough, but with so much misinformation from a so-called “BBQ site” and poor technique, it is easy to overcook a brisket.

In this article, we will teach you what internal temperature to cook your brisket to as well as other tips for getting success when smoking a brisket. I have studied and read many hours of material just on brisket, which I share in this article.

Recommended Internal Temperature for brisket

The ideal internal temperature for well-smoked, tender, and juicy brisket is 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that after the brisket is removed from the smoker, its internal temperature will continue to climb, and you do not want it to exceed 210 degrees.

I like to take my briskets out once the internal temperature reaches 205-degrees. I will explain later how I do it, monitor these crucial temperature points, and make sure you always hit the ideal brisket internal temp.

There are many opinions and preferences when it comes to brisket doneness levels and internal temperature, but I can tell you, I learned from the best. Some like to aim for a lower temperature and others for a higher one. 

There will always be different opinions in the BBQ world, but let me tell you how I learned and where I get my secrets from.

I have smoked hundreds of pounds worth of brisket, and cooking brisket is always a challenge. I have tried many techniques, BBQ seasonings, and recipes. 

I have read many books and studied a lot of great pitmasters, and when it comes to brisket, very few have been as successful as Aaron Franklin. Aaron has his own BBQ restaurant in Austin, Texas, and is one of the most renowned pitmasters in the US. 

Internal Temp

Monitoring the brisket’s internal temp as it cooks is as important as knowing the proper smoked brisket temperature. Also important is the speed at which the brisket cooks. To smoke a juicy and tender brisket, its internal temperature needs to raise slowly and, very importantly, gradually.

You want to see a nice straight climbing line in your thermometer app without any temp spikes or temperature drops. The brisket needs lots of time for fat and connective tissue to break down for tenderness and keep the brisket moist. If you thermometer doest not have smart functions like temperature plotting you I suggest looking into smart wireless thermometers.

Many of use the probe test, which is that when tissue and fat melts, the probe goes right in with very little resistant, like butter.

You will learn how to throttle a brisket cooking progress with time, but one sure way to get consistent good results is to use a smart thermometer or at the very least, a cooking probe alarm. These thermometers allow you to set internal temperature targets and hit the ideal internal temperature each and every time, accurately.

Brisket Meat

Brisket is a muscle, and if not cooked perfectly, it can turn out tough and dry. The most important thing to do when cooking a great brisket is to monitor the temperature and not let the brisket get to its serving temperature too fast.

It takes hours for the smoke to penetrate and infuse the brisket with flavors and for the fat to render.

Many people come up with creative ways of but the key is to cook the brisket slow and monitor it.

We like to use techniques from one of the best at brisket, Aaron Franklin. His career has been very successful, and his restaurant is a hit. Every day, he sells out of food, and his main hit is brisket. His restaurant has hosted everyone from presidents to celebrities as well as regulars like you and me. Aaron is most known for his briskets, and his methods have worked perfectly for me.

He has released a few top cooking books and has been featured in the New York Times best sellers list multiple times. 

So in short, when it comes to brisket, I follow the man.

Three important brisket temperatures to monitor When cooking and Smoking Brisket

Temperature control and action at various stages of the smoking, low and slow cooking processes, are the keys to a juicy smoked brisket. Here are three brisket temperature stages you want to keep an eye on.

1. The Stall

The stall is a term to describe when the brisket’s internal temperature stops rising. As the muscles, meat, and tissue contract, the brisket will experience what’s known as evaporative cooling, which means that as the meat’s muscles contract, they let juices out, cooling down the meat.

A brisket stall happens when the meat reaches approximately 160 to 165 degrees, which is technically when beef is done as per the USDA guidelines (which you should always follow), but at this temperature the brisket will be tough and “gummy.”

First, make sure you use a meat thermometer to monitor the stall and detect the stall. Second, wrap the brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil to push it through the stall. Wrapping the brisket is not always necessary, but smoking large briskets, slow rising temp can be a problem.

If you wait some time an the temp plot chart on your thermometer looks flat, get busy wrapping. If you let the brisket in the smoker unwrapped for too long the outer parts of the meats and thing ends will start to dry and even burn. This is why we wrap a brisket before cracking the up heat and pushing through the stall.

The paper wrap ( or foil ) will not only protect the brisket from higher temps but it will also keep it from drying as all the juices will collect on the foil, some will steam up and roll back down the side off the brisket.

After your wrap your brisket, increase the temperature of the smoker by 15 to 20 degrees before lowering it once you’ve passed the stall and unwrapped the meat.

At about 180 degrees, collagen will melt down to gelatin and start tendering.

2. Time to remove the Brisket from smoker

A crucial temperature stage to keep a close eye on is the time to take the meat out of the smoker and let it rest. This is very important because you do not want to overcook the meat. Set your meat thermometer to alert you when it reaches 205 degrees, and then let the meat rest.

While the meat rests, its temperature might rise, but you want to let the brisket rest to about 145 degrees before slicing.

3. The smoker’s temperature

Besides the brisket’s internal temperature, you also need to monitor your smoker’s cooking temperature. The cooking temperature inside your smoker can hover anywhere between 250 and 275 degrees, but try not to exceed those temperature marks. If the temperature spikes to say, 300 degrees, you’re no longer smoking meat my friend, you’re grilling.

This is the type of meat you don’t want to rush and certainly don’t want direct flame or hight heat hitting those beef-ends.

A good smoker thermometer can help you here. Monitor the ambient temperature in your smoker’s cooking chamber using a good probe. There are many probes with multiple sensors to monitor the meat and the cooking chamber’s ambient temperature.

What is a brisket

Did you know that the word brisket is a synonym for breast meat? Brisket, or beef brisket, is one of the nine primal cuts from the cow, brisket deriving from the cow’s chest specifically.

Brisket is a tough cut of meat because it is one of the animal’s most active areas and is densely packed with connective tissue. You would think this cut of meat could never be tender, but that’s why it is smoked low and slow.

On the other hand, this is why it is critical not to overcook smoked brisket to avoid drying it.

How to monitor the Brisket to get the right doneness temperature

I’m glad you made it this far in this article because we are about to talk about something very important. How to keep an eye on temperature. You’ve seen how much I’ve hammered home the point of “monitoring the meat’s temperature.” Well, because hitting those crucial temp targets is the key to a good brisket.

After cooking so many briskets I can tell you that after a while, you’ll be able to know the cook is going just by feel or just “poking” the brisket with a probe.

Here is where the magic happens. You will come across many “opinions” on the internet on how to cook a brisket, but let me tell you, magic happens when you hit the internal temperatures just right.

You can get the best smoking rub and the best meat, but if you do not hit those target temperature  right, you will not get a nicely smoked brisket. Many people focus too much on the seasoning of the brisket—fat side up or down, injecting or not, you name it—but the most important part of the brisket cooking process is internal temperature monitoring. 

The brisket will go through several cooking stages, during which it may slow down cooking, a stage known as “stall”. The stall and when to remove the brisket from the smoker are two critical stages when smoking brisket, and both are stages you want to get right.

To be safe and not miss these critical temperature stages, I use a meat thermometer, but not just any thermometer. I use a smart thermometer because it allows me to set alerts and get those on my phone.

That’s right, folks, that’s my secret to getting perfectly smoked and juicy briskets every time. I monitor the temperatures with precision. I set alerts, get those on my mobile phone, and take action based on the stage I’m on during the cooking process. 

I use thermometers like MeatStick or other wireless thermometers that allow me to set alerts for the stall temperature, which is around 160 to 165 degrees, and another alert at 205 degrees, which is when I remove the brisket from the smoker.

Conclusion

Consistency is key, and knowing the internal temperatures you need to cook your brisket at is a sure way to get great results every time. But it is also as important to monitor the brisket internal temperature.

Follow this guide and use a good smart thermometer or, at the very least, an instant read thermometer to make sure you monitor and hit these internal target temperatures.

💾

Cleaning your grill brushes regularly is important to preserving their effectiveness, extending their lifespan, and keeping bacteria at bay.

In this article, I will show you three methods to clean your grill brush and keep it in top shape. It’s not hard to clean these brushes, but it is important. 

Why is it important to clean grill cleaning brushes?

As with anything that comes into contact with food, cleanliness is crucial when it comes to grill brushes and cleaning your grill. Although brushes do not directly touch food, they do come in contact with the grill’s grates. Therefore, any bacteria, dirt, old grease, or other contaminants that become lodged in the brush will be transferred to the grates and ultimately to your food.

So in order to have the most clean cooking environment possible, we encourage everyone and teach our readers to keep every tool around the grill clean, including your brushes used to clean grates.

Effective Methods for Cleaning a Grill Brush

Method 1: Soft Cleaning

If you take the time to clean your grill brushes after each use, you will save yourself some hardware later and keep the brush in a better state. I like to heat up the brush using the grill itself. Sometimes you can see old grease and gunk melt away from the brush. 

After exposing the brush to heat for a few minutes, I grab a plastic kitchen brush and rub it against the grill brush to dislodge any food particles and old grease. This is a simple cleaning method that you can use every time you use your brush. I like doing it because it keeps me from having to do Method 2.

Method 2: Deep Clean

Use dish soap. That’s right. Just like dish soap breaks down and cleans grease and food residue from plates, it can do the same for grill brushes. To deep clean a grill brush, simply fill a pot or bowl with hot, soapy water and sink the brush in it for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the water cools down, it is no longer as effective, so I like to sink the burhs for no more than ten minutes.

If you need to repeat this process a few times, that is fine. I sometimes find myself going through 3 rounds of hot, soapy water to get my brushes clean. However, this is why I like using dish soap and hot water to clean my brushes.

First, dish soap’s chemistry is designed to remove and dissolve grease from soiled food utensils. That same benefit will apply when cleaning grease brushes. The hot water, combined with the cleaning characteristics of soap, will help soften and dissolve caked-on food and grease off the brush.

Second, dish soap will also help kill bacteria and sanitize the brush.

Last, grab a garden hose to rinse the brush. Make sure you let it dry well and inspect the brush. 

Method 3: Deeper Cleaning

This is a more drastic approach, and you should ask yourself if it’s worth cleaning the brush or throwing it away. I still apply this method to some of my favorite brushes. 

My “deeper cleaning” method built on Method 2, but it had a power tool, a pressure washer. This method can get messy, and I recommend you pick a grassy area or sidewalk that you don’t care much about, because again, it will get messy.

Just as I mentioned in the method, I use a small electric water pressure washer. Deep the brush in hot, soapy water, and then rinse the brush using water pressure. This method works but, again, it is messy.

Inspect BBQ Cleaning Brushes

There are four types of grate brushes, each with advantages and disadvantages, but regardless of the type of brush, you want to inspect it often. Here are some tips for what to look for when inspecting your brush.

Wire bristle brushes

I have to be honest and tell you that this is my least favorite type of brush. Even good quality brushes tend to loose wire bristles over time which can get logged in your grill grates and thus food.

To inspect these brushes, grab a flashlight and look for signs of missing bristles, bending, or damage. If you suspect the brush is missing a few bristles or they look damaged, it is best to toss the brush.

Stainless Steel Woven Brushes

These brushes are, in my professional opinion, a better option, although not as effective as true wire brushes. To inspect these brushes, use a good light and look for signs of wear or tear. Although these brushes do not have bristles, the woven stainless steel strands wear out and break.

Plastic, nylon, or soft brushes

These brushes are made out of some sort of plastic composite and are for those who do not want any metal around or near the grates and food. These brushes are not recommended to be used on hot grates, but from time to time they do get damaged due to contact with hot surfaces. Look for signs of melting or deforming. 

Cloth, kevlar brushes

Ok this are my favorite brushes although one most know how to use them. These brushes no only clean but also steam grates. To inspect look for tears or signs of material melting.

Conclusion

I hope these methods come in handy and help you keep your grill brushes clean. Remember that most grill brushes are cheap products and will not last more than a few months. So inspect your tools, and if it’s better to trash the brush, then so be it, but if the brush is in good shape and the metal bristles look good, these methods will help you clean it.

BBQ grills can be a large investment, and some grill models can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. So it makes sense to take the necessary steps to safeguard your grill and your investment.

Some people don’t really care much about upkeep and maintaining a cheap grill, but if you spent a few thousand dollars on a grill, you might want to read these simple tips to keep your grill in tip-top shape. Let’s get started!

Hear are 7 simple tips to keep your grill in top shape

1. Keep it clean

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep your grill clean. A clean grill is a happy grill. It doesn’t matter if your grill is a top-of-the-line Blaze or a budget Z Grills; if you don’t clean and maintain it, its lifespan will be shortened.

For example, let’s say that you cook often and you leave food residue all over the grill. Grease fires caused by greasy trays can produce filthy black smoke that can contaminate food, but more importantly, grease fires can damage your grill’s coating and ruin food. Once the coating on your grill is damaged, the material can start to rust.

Grease fires can get out of hand quickly, and I have seen people lose their grills to these types of fires.

Also, keeping the grill clean makes sure that it works the way the manufacturer designed it to. Grills that are dirty need more fuel to run. When this happens with pellet grills, when the fire pot is full of ashes, it needs to burn more pellets to keep the temperature stable, wasting more fuel and working harder.

I recommend doing a basic cleaning on your grill every time you use it. We wrote a nice guide on how to clean your grill, which can teach you how to do both, a deep cleaning and routine cleaning of your grill.

2. Don’t use harsh chemicals

Sure, it’s easy to spray down your grill with trendy cleaning products, but the reality is that you can do the same with soapy water, vinegar, and other natural products. Sure, you might have to apply more elbow grease, but soapy water will be more gentle, help maintain the finish of your grill, and keep chemicals away from your grill.

I like to use soapy water to clean the exterior of my grill and remove any grease splatters and grease spots. I use a good microfiber cloth to get the job done.

3. Protect the exterior and finish of your grill.

Cleaning the exterior coating or finish of your grill is not enough. Go the extra mile and protect it. Protecting the exterior of any grill is easy and simple. I like to use vegetable or spray cooking oils on my grills. I simply wipe the grill with an oily rag to create a protective layer of oil that keeps rust away.

This is important, especially after using soap water, as the detergent in the water removes oil and lubricants. I do this often, at least once a week, as I cook on my grill almost daily. 

4. Don’t use wire brushes

For a very long time, it was believed that the best method for cleaning grills and grill grates was to use hard metal bristle wire brushes. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! Wire brushes can damage porcelain-coated grates, removing the coating and leaving the raw metal exposed on the grates and rusting away.

Wire brushes also pose a different issue because the metal bristles can come loose and become stuck on the grill grate, then transfer to and end up in your food. You can have a bad day if you consume these small metal bristles.

I like to use a simple aluminum foil ball to scrape the grates and a wet rag. But you can also look at brushes like the Fire Rescue Brush, which is made out of kevlar and uses steam power to clean the grates.

There are also plastic brushes and other natural products you can use to clean your grill grates.

5. Use an Appropriate Grill Cover

This is perhaps the most overlooked item in every grill-owning household. However, a good grill cover can protect your grill from the elements, harsh UV rays, and the sun. If you don’t grill often, it’s best to keep the grill covered.

Something a cheap grill cover will help extend the lifespan of your grill and even keep pests away during long storage periods when you are not using the grill.

6. Use good fuel

Always be sure to use good fuel. Although this may not seem important to some, it is. For example, if you are using cheap charcoal in your kamado grill, you will end up with more ash buildup, which then means you have to do more cleaning. If you do not clean your grill properly, it will not perform as intended.

As far as pellet grills go, using good pellets will help keep the auger and firepot working as designed. Cheap pellets tend to clog up the auger screw, which puts extra strain on the entire system, shortening the life of your grill.

7. Avoid extreme heat

This may seem paradoxical, but please hear me out. Preheating your grill is an effective method for bringing all of its surfaces up to temperature, cleaning it, and preparing it for cooking. However, increasing the heat to its maximum and leaving it there for extended periods of time can cause damage to the grill, including warping, and paint damage.

Therefore, whether you are preheating your grill or need to sear a steak at a high temperature, you should not do it for too long. This may not be an issue if you have a high-quality grill, but it is with cheaper grills.

Last word

I hope you find these simple tips useful. Every bit helps when it comes to maintaining your grill and extending its useful life. After all, we like using our grills and want to be able to cook without having to fight it first.

Happy Grilling!

We all love our pellet grills and enjoy cooking with them. When the fun is over, it is time to clean. I know we just want to keep grilling and cooking good food, but if you don’t take care of your grill, it doesn’t matter how good or expensive it is, it will go bad. Cleaning your grill is an important part of ownership and a crucial step to its longevity.

So, in this article, I’ll show you how to clean your pellet grill in just a few steps. I will deep dive into two different types of cleaning. One method I call “routine cleaning,” and the other I refer to as “deep cleaning.” Let’s get started.

What do you need to clean a pellet grill?

You don’t need to overcomplicate things by using complicated gadgets or even chemicals to clean your pellet grill. I actually hate using any type of chemicals on my grills and prefer to keep the area where I cook my food chemical-free. It is OK to use grill cleaners that are 100 percent natural, though.

A reliable shop vacuum or shop vac

The way pellet grills operate, and similar charcoal grills, create ash buildup because of the combustion of wood pellets. Due to the burning of pellets, a lot of wood ash will accumulate at the bottom of the grill. If the ashes are not cleaned, they will end up on your food.

When the ashes obstruct the air flow holes in the burning pod, this becomes a problem. As more ash builds up inside and around the burning pod, the more your grill’s performance will degrade and even burn more pellets to stay at temperature.

Cleaning clothes and rags, paper towels (lots)

Gather your old t-shirts, cloth or paper towels, and cleaning clothes because you’ll need a lot of them to clean and wipe down your grill. The clothes and paper towels help absorb grease and also apply oil around the surfaces of the grill during the cleaning process.

Any clean rag will do, but to clean an antique stainless steel surface, you want to use a good microfiber rag to avoid scratching the finish.

A good spatula, putty knife, or scraper

A good scraping tool, putty knife, or spatula will be your friend here. You will need to clean the grease tray on your pellet grill. Yes, one thing that I do not like about pellet grills is that they have a grease tray that sits on top of the burning pot, collects all grease, and directs it to the grease bucket.

The grease drip tray is a fundamental component in pellet grills. These keep grease away from the heat baffle and burn pot. The drip tray also directs grease and food particles to the grease bucket.

Tip: Once the grills cool down, the grease adheres to the tray. If you don’t like scraping, use aluminum foil on your grease drip pan.

Some soapy water

Grab a bowl of warm soapy water. This water will be used to clean areas like the grill’s lid and other areas where grease and oil run off. Soap water will help clean off grease splatters around the grill as well.

A good grill brush to clean the grates

A good grill cleaning brush is your friend here. The key here is “good.” You will need it to scrape the grates and clean all the grease, sauce, and food residue off the grates. I personally do not like to use brushes with metal bristles, but do like brushes with scrapers. I have an article on cleaning brushes if you want to learn a bit more about the different options you can get.

You can also use plastic brushes and other cleaning brushes without wire bristles. I have a nylon scrubber, but keep in mind that to use plastic brushes, the grill has to be cold.

Routine cleaning of your grill

First, I’m going to teach you how to perform routine cleaning and maintenance on your pellet grill. This is where it all starts and, depending on how well you keep up your grill’s maintenance, will dictate how long your grill lasts and how well it performs. I always tell people, it doesn’t matter how good or expensive your grill is, if you don’t maintain it, it will not outlast a cheap one.

Routine cleaning will reduce the amount of work when it is time to do a deep clean. So a little bit of work after each cook can save you from having to spend hours later doing a deep clean.

Also, many people experience grease fires simply because they do not clean their grills. I have read hundreds of stories where people complain about their grills catching on fire, but it all boils down to poor maintenance.

What’s involved in a routine cleaning (using my ECF process)?

Keeping your grill clean by doing routine maintenance is just as important as maintaining your car. It will help not only prolong the life of your grill, but also ensure that your grill will always be ready for the next cook.

For routine cleaning, I like to use a process we teach here at BBQ Grill Academy we call the E.C.F. process, which stands for Exterior, Chamber, and Firepot. This simple process will pay off by reducing lots of hours of deep cleaning.

This process is very simple and involves addressing three main areas of your grill. The exterior finishing and surfaces of the grill. Second, address the cooking chamber, which pretty much involves cleaning the grill grates and grease tray.

And lastly, you want to clean the ash buildup from the pellet burn box.

These simple three steps will keep your pellet grill in top shape and help it perform in top shape. So let’s go over the ECF method in more detail.

E ( Exterior ) – After cooking your meal, grab a clean rag and wipe clean the exterior of the grill. Clean up any grease, food, or sauce spills. If you want to protect the grill’s exterior, apply a bit of vegetable oil or cooking oil spray to the grill. This will help keep corrosion at bay and dirt and grime from adhering to the exterior of the grill.

C ( Cooking Chamber ) – The cooking chamber is where you cook your food, so be sure you do your best to keep it as clean as possible. After each cook and while the grill is hot, carefully grab a grill brush and clean the grates. This is the best time to clean the grates because while the grates are hot, it is much easier to remove food particles and residues, plus grease and sauces haven’t settled yet.

I know you want to rush off and enjoy your meal, but spending an extra 10 minutes cleaning the grates while they are hot will pay off when it is time to use the grill again.

Also, as part of taking care of the cooking chamber, you want to carefully grab some heat resistant gloves and remove the grill grate. Again, while the grill is still hot, scrape off all the grease and food residue from the grease tray. Believe me when I tell you that it is much easier to grab a spatula and scrape clean the grease tray when it is warm.

Once the grease tray cools off, you will need to use more muscle power to scrape it clean. If you do not want to deal with the grease tray and think it gets messy, simply put down some aluminum foil over it.

As part of cleaning your grease tray, you also want to empty the grease bucket while it is hot.

F (Firepot ): The fire pot is the most important component of your pellet grill. The fire pot is where the wood pellet combustion happens, the engine of the pellet grill if you will. The fire pot houses the igniter and also has holes to soak the wood pellets with fresh oxygen for igniting. So if the burn pot is clogged or dirty, you might still have a fire but not an efficient one.

Some grills have an ash cup, making it easier to clean the ashes, but with others you will need to use a shop vac to get the ashes out.

How to Deep Clean a Pellet Grill

Deep cleaning your grill is also necessary to keep it in good shape and remove more grease and food residue from tough areas of the grill.

Deep cleaning your grill is a good way to inspect crucial components in your grill and take your time and get into those areas that routine cleaning does not allow for. If you spend more time on your routine cleaning and keep up with your regular maintenance, your deep cleaning will be much easier and you will spend a lot less time scraping and cleaning.

So this is how you deep clean your pellet grill. We apply the same concepts explained in the ECF method above, but we are going to spend more time in a few areas of the grill and also be more detailed.

Start with the exterior of the grill. For routine cleaning, just wiping the exterior of the grill is enough. For deep cleaning, you want to take it a step further and use some sort of natural detergent, or at the very least, soapy water.

Grab a rag and clean up any grease splatter, old sauce grime, and residue. Clean the grill and then apply a nice coat of vegetable oil or natural grill protector. If you don’t have any, you can use cooking oil spray.

Second, following the ECF method we teach in BBQ Grill Academy, move to the cooking chamber next. Just like we suggest you do with the exterior, you will want to up your game when deep cleaning your grill.

During routine cleaning, you should primarily clean the grates, grease pan, and ashes. However, when deep cleaning your grill, you should take things a step further. There are a few things that need attention inside your cooking chamber that should be addressed during the deep clean.

First you want to inspect the grill’s lid and, if necessary, use a scraper to scrape off any excess grease built up on the lid. This will help you avoid old grease dripping on your food, foul odors, and even reduce the possibility of old grease catching fire.

Second, you want to inspect and clean the cooking chamber’s side walls. Scrape and wipe old grease, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

This is a good opportunity to also check your pellet grill’s internal temperature sensor. This little probe looks like an old car’s antenna and is usually stuck up on one side of the grill. Wipe clean to prevent the probe from failing or failing to send accurate temperature signals to the temp controller.

Lastly, during the deep cleaning, you want to spend some time cleaning the fire box as best as you can. Start by vacuuming up all the ashes. Carefully scrape any hardened ashes inside the fire pot and inspect the “air holes” in the firepot.

Airflow is important for a good fire, and your pellet grill’s firebox is fed fresh, oxygen-rich air by a small fan through small holes in the burning pot.

This is a good opportunity to inspect other components of your grill, including the auger screw, the igniter, and the convection fan.

Extra Tips

• When doing a deep clean, use plastic gloves to avoid getting your hands dirty. Deep cleaning a grill can be as messy as changing the oil in your car.
• Keep a trash can near by. If you are using paper towels, you will want to throw them away right away.
• If you are working with a hot grill, be sure to have the proper safety gear.
• Never use a metal grill brush on porcelain grill racks. Most pellet grills and smokers are fitted with porcelain-coated grates to prevent rusting. However, using any metal grill brush may deteriorate your porcelain surface and introduce rust.

Conclusion

Cleaning your grill is part of the ownership experience. But more importantly, it helps protect your investment. Take some time to clean your grill after each cook. That extra time will help a lot.

I hope you found this guide useful. Enjoy grilling!

Sometimes, choosing a steak comes down to personal preference, but being aware of the distinctions between the various steak cuts can help you make an informed choice and ensure that you get what you want. 

In this article we will explain the differences between New York strip and ribeye. Both of these cuts of meat are excellent and great for grilling, but there are clear distinctions between them. 

I will explain the main differences, talk about their flavor profiles, and much more.

New York Strip vs Ribeye Steak: Here is the Difference

New York strip and ribeye steaks are both excellent steak options. However, there are distinctions between each cut that you should be aware of since they might influence cooking methods and eating choices.

The primary distinctions between a New York strip and a ribeye steak are the fat content and fat distribution throughout the meat. The New York strip’s fat content concentrates on the outer area of the meat cut, forming a distinctive thick fat rim on the outside edge of the steak.

This fat cap is typically discarded and not consumed, but it keeps the steak moist during cooking or grilling.

Whereas ribeye has most of its fat content and marbling through the entire meat, including edges, center, and everywhere. This fat content distribution allows for a few things. First, the meat has a more tender texture and, second, a richer flavor. 

Lastly, and the most factual difference, between a New York strip and a ribeye is where the steaks are cut from the cattle. 

A New York strip is cut from the short loin behind the ribs , a subprimal cut from the loin. The loin is a primal cut that yields both the sirloin and the short loin. This muscle, which doesn’t see too much action, helps with the tenderness and texture.

On the other hand, ribeye comes from a primal cut, which is the rib portion of the cow. The “eye of the rib” is trimmed off the rib bone to yield the “ribeye” steak.

Know your Ribeye Steak

This muscle, the longissimus dorsi, stretches from the hip bone to the shoulder of a cow. The rib section is one of the nine principal cuts of the caracas of a cow. Ribeye is a subprimal, boneless rib cut.

Compared to other steak cuts, ribeye steaks are exceptionally tender and marbled with fat. Ribeye is a popular cut of beef often served at barbecues and restaurants. This is because the fat in the meat imparts a delicious flavor and a supple, juicy texture.

Flavor Profile

Ribeye steak has a very juicy, salty fat rich flavor profile thanks to its heavy fat content and marbling. This amount of fat content helps keep the meat moist. 

Know your New York Strip

The New York strip is a steak cut from the short loin. This cut is from a muscle, the longissimus, which does not see too much action, so it is tender. The NY strip does not have as much fat or marbling as the ribeye, which means it has a “beefier” flavor, which some like. 

However, the NY strip is not as lean as the filet mignon. This steak can also be found in a T-bone steak. Basically, an NY strip steak with the filet attached to the T bone is a T bone steak.

Flavor Profile 

The NY strip is a happy medium as far as texture and tenderness. It’s not as “marbley” as a ribeye but not as lean as a filet. As far as flavor goes, the ribeye will greet you with a juicer, “saltier” taste profile, while the NY strip will taste more like beef.

Comparison Table

	New York Strip	Ribeye
Which has more fat?		X
Which is more tender?		X
Which is more expensive?		X
Where is the steak cut from?	Short loin	Rib ( primal )

Similarities between a New York Strip and Ribeye Steak

Both come from the longissimus dorsi, which refers to two muscles along the spine and outside the rib cage. While the ribeye originates from a region around the neck and along the top ribs, the New York Strip is taken from the short loin primal in the back.

Since both of these cuts are derived from underutilized muscle groups, they are renowned for their robust flavor and tender texture.

Where to Find a Good New York Strip or Ribeye Steak

Where you buy the meat is as important as how you cook it. You can have all the skills and the best equipment in the world, but if you don’t start with a good cut of meat, the results won’t be the best. 

To get good cuts of meat, find a good local butcher shop. Butcher shops are more selective and are likely to offer you better quality meat than a big chain grocery store. Butchers can also trim steak cuts and give you a ready-to-cook piece.

My preference, and many chefs’ and pitmasters’ trick, is to purchase from high-end butchers like Snake River Farms, as they can offer a wide range of steak cuts, including NY strip steaks, loin steaks, beef steaks, and even WAGYU beef.

Most people are OK with cooking an OK steak from a big box store, but if you are serious about steaks and are looking to make a flavorful steak, are cooking for a special occasion, or simply want a premium steak, I recommend taking a look at Gold Grade Steaks. These are going to be your most tender and juicy steaks. 

It is hard to find black and gold-grade steaks in local markets because, first, the average person does not know what black and gold grass stakes are, and second, these cuts are high-end choices that come at a premium price. Again, if you are serious about your steaks and want to cook premium steaks, the Black and Gold grades are above USA Prime.

Best Cooking Methods

There are different ways to cook a good steak, but in the end, the goal is for the steak to be cooked properly. Some people like to pan fry, a hot skillet. Others use an indoor electric grill but to get the most flavor and because we are all about BBQ and grilling, we like to grill our steaks over an open fire. 

Grilling 

I like to use a method called reverse searing. The reverse sear method is when you first grill or cook the steak at a low temperature to allow the internal temperature to reach the desired doneness level and then sear the steak. This is a good method, especially if you like your steak medium or medium well.

The traditional searing method can dry or even burn the meat if exposed to high heat for too long while trying to get the steak to such high temperatures. If you want to grill a rare steak, even medium rare, a quick sear will do. 

I like to set up a two-zone grill so I have indirect heat for cooking the steak to temperature and direct heat to perform the sear.

New York Strip Steaks on the Grill

Add salt and pepper to taste and place the steak on indirect heat until it reaches the internal temperature you are after. Then throw the steak over direct heat to do a quick sear. Let the steak rest and serve. 

Grilling a ribeye-The beauty steak

Ribeye is a tender cut, but if you cook it too fast, it can be ruined. If you are dealing with a thick cut of steak, the reverse sear method is a good way to achieve good results. 

Add a little salt and pepper or a good steak rub and slow cook until the steak is cooked to the desired doneness level, then sear.

Q & A

Conclusion

NY strip and ribeye are two steaks with a rich beefy flavor. The ribeye is a juicy steak with a lot of marbling. The NY strip is leaner. The main difference is the location of the stakes. The NY strip is a strip loin steak, whereas the ribeye is from the upper rib cage. 

In the ribeye, the fat is spread throughout the meat, whereas in the NY strip, the fat is on the outer rim of the meat.

The Traeger name is synonymous with pellet BBQ grills, and for good reason. Traeger created the pellet grill and has produced a wide range of grill models over the years. 

Traeger is the industry leader in grill technology and innovation, but all that innovation comes at a hefty cost. Also, not everyone wants a Traeger grill. After all, that is one of the freedoms we all enjoy; the freedom to choose what you like. 

We did an analysis of Traeger alternatives by considering brands that offer similar products and are comparable with every budget and feature. There are other products that offer the same cooking experience, some for far less and some for about the same price.

So, if you are into pellet grilling or perhaps looking for more affordable options to a Traeger grill, this article will cover other popular brands and alternatives available on the market today.

Why Choose an Alternative to Traeger wood pellet smoker?

Traeger makes amazing pellet grills, and their brand is known for bringing leading innovation to the pellet grill market. They invented the pellet grill and have a substantial advantage over many companies, having vast experience in grills and being the first. 

Traeger is also a large company with hundreds of employees devoted to the research and design of their grills. However, all this comes at a price. Traeger grills can be expensive. You do have to pay to get all the gadgetry. Traeger’s latest grill, the Timberline XL, even has a touchscreen temperature PID controller. 

With that being said, there are two reasons why you might choose a different brand to Traeger. The first and most obvious is to find a more affordable smoker or grill, and the second is to find other quality attributes and features that Traeger might not deliver.

Not everyone has a couple thousand dollars around to throw at a grill, and some people don’t grill that often, in which case a more affordable option can be a better fit. Others don’t care for all the gadgetry and technology, so there is a cost-saving point. 

Others are looking for basic features or are looking for a starter grill. Something simple and easy to use.

Lastly, we have those who are looking for exceptional quality and even a grill made in the USA. There are smaller pellet grill companies still making their products here in the USA. These grills tend to be more expensive and cater to a smaller niche of hardcore BBQ enthusiasts, but they offer exceptional quality and great alternatives.

Top Traeger Options and Alternatives

Below is a list of great Traeger competitors and alternatives, including high-end brands. All of these companies manufacture and sell excellent grills, and we will briefly discuss each of them to let you know which ones are the best at what they do.

Z Grills

Z Grills is a company better known for offering very affordable pellet grills and manufacturing grills for other well-known brands. That’s right. Z Grills has been manufacturing grills for over 30 years, including making grills for popular brands like Traeger.

What makes Z Grills a good alternative to Treager’s is price. Z Grills are untouchable when it comes to their prices and bundles. Some of their grills include advanced features like digital temperature controllers, meat probes, and even WIFI. 

The fit and finish are not as good quality as Trager’s, but on average a Z Grill retails for about half the price of a comparable Traeger grill. This is because since Z Grills manufactures and sells direct to consumers, there isn’t a middle man or much overhead compared to brands that outsource every aspect of manufacturing. 

Read more about Z Grills vs. Traeger. 

Top Selling Z Grills pellet grills

The Z Grills 450B

The 450B is small but mighty. This model is very popular for various reasons, but mainly because you get a lot of bang for your buck. This is Z Grills’ entry level grill, so it is priced affordably. Still, you get a digital temperature controller, a meat probe, and enough grilling surface for a small family. 

This grill is very popular among beginners, those looking for something simple and easy to use.

You can read our in-depth review of the 450B in this article. 

The Z Grills 700D4E

The 700D4E is another well-rounded grill manufactured by Z Grills. This is a larger and more desirable model because it is closer to the typical size of most backyard grills, has more usable space, and is still priced well below every other grill on this list. 

The 700D4E offers over 600 square inches of cooking surface, two meat probes, a digital temperature controller for precise temperature control, and two cooking grates. 

We tested the 7004DE and were impressed with its large storage area, which is great for storing pellet bins and containers as well as BBQ tools.

Read More: Z Grills 7004DE Full Review by BBQ Grill Academy.

The Z Grills Multitasker

The Multitasker is the most technologically advanced of this particular brand’s larger models. It features a wireless temperature controller and over 900 square inches of cooking space. This grill is pretty much as close as you can get to an older Traeger Timberline series, they even look the same but almost half the price.

Pit Boss Grills

Pit Boss is another brand offering good grills to consumers at affordable prices. Pit Boss, in terms of quality, goes a step above Z Grills by offering thicker, stronger steel-built grills. Their price is also higher, but as far as features go, both Z Grills and Pit Boss are equal.

With Pit Boss, you will find a large range of models at different price points with slightly different features, but as far as gadgetry and technology go, they are pretty equal to Z grills, priced just a bit higher. 

One area where Pit Boss shines is in their direct heat feature, which consists of a manual operated lever that opens a shield above the fire pot to allow direct flame to come into contact with the grates. This allows you to sear steak or substantially increase the temperature for high and fast cooking. 

Read More: Pit Boss VS. Z Grills

Top Pit Boss Grills

The Sportsman Series

The Pit Boss Sportsman is Pit Boss’ entry level grill and are available in different models, including portable models. The Sportman is simple and easy to use but packs all the basic features you need to cook a good BBQ dinner.

Camp Chef

Camp Chef is better known for its wide variety of outdoor camping cooking products. They do also have a nice range of pellet grills, among other things. Camp Chef pellet grills are comparable to Z Grills in terms of build quality. (The latest Pit Boss models use pretty decent thick steel). 

However, Camp Chef is superior to both Z Grills and Pit Boss in terms of technology and features, while their construction quality is comparable. With Camp Chef, you get an amazing mobile app to wirelessly control the grill from anywhere in your home. 

A WIFI digital temperature controller, meat probes, and unique to Camp Chef, their SideKick gas-powered accessories. More on that later.

Camp Chef pellet grills are a few hundred dollars more expensive than Z Grills, and the price difference is all in the technology and gadgetry. Price wise, Camp Chef is comparable to Pit Boss, but in technology and features, they are almost there with Treager, almost. 

One unique and winning feature is their SideKick system. The SideKick is a platform on the grill that allows you to “snap on” various gas/propane powered accessories, making this grill an excellent gas/pellet combo grill for those looking for maximum versatility.

The Sidekick system supports a propane-powered side griddle, a pizza box, and even a searing side burner. So you can have a full pellet grill on one side and your side table can be turned into just about anything. 

This is a great invention by Camp Chef. Pellet grills are amazing and easy to use, but with most of their models, the average temperature range is from 160 to 500 degrees, meaning that if you want to bake a pizza or sear a steak, the grill might not get hot enough. This is when the SideKick system delivers. 

Top Camp Chef Grills

The Woodwind Line up

Camp Chef keeps things straightforward, unlike competing brands. The Woodwind grills are the name of Camp Chefs’ product line. Among this line up you will find different sized models, all with the same features but with the expectation of size. There is a Woodwind 24, a 36, and so on. 

New to their line up is the Apex grill, which is their largest and newest wood pellet smoker and grill.

Green Mountain Grills

Green Mountain grills are well known for their portable pellet grills. This brand also makes good quality large grills. They are best known for their portable pellet grill, the David Crocket. This little guy can connect to your car’s 12 volt battery and operate. 

This makes it a good option for RVs and campers. Grab your favorite campfire cooking gear and pack this little guy for a weekend full of flavorful BBQ.

Grilla Grills

Grilla Grill is another cool brand and another wood pellet grill company offering well rounded wood pellet grills. This company incorporates their name into the design of their grills and has come up with interesting shapes and features.

Top Selling Traeger Grills

Now there isn’t to say that there isn’t good affordable Trager grills Check out these models and top selling Traeger grills.

The Pro 575 series

The Pro 575 is Traeger’s entry level grill but packed with features. The only thing you do not get with this grill is the double walled cooking chamber found in their more expensive models, but you still get Trwager quality, warranty, and best of all, their D2 temperature controller. 

The D2 controller is smart and controls a variable speed fan to deliver the most precise cooking temperatures. 

Other High-End

As I mentioned before, there are smaller wood pellet grill companies offering great alternatives to Traeger. Some of these companies are focusing more on quality and building materials, but it is still hard to beat Trager innovation and technology. Traeger, as a large company, has plenty of resources to devote to things like mobile app development and grill technology.

Twin Eagles

In case you are wondering or looking for the pinnacle of pellet grill luxury, quality, and technology, then let me introduce you to Twin Eagles. Many have not heard about this brand, but its company is the Mercedes Benz of pellet grills.

With Twin Eagles, you get state-of-the-art technology, including touchscreen controls and an outstanding mobile app.

These grills are the absolute best in terms of luxury and style when it comes to outdoor cooking appliances. Twin Eagle takes the lead. These grills are great for luxurious outdoor kitchen setups and for those with large budgets. Yes, these girls are not cheap.

Memphis Pellet Grills

If you like the finer things in life, and that includes a good looking grill for your outdoor kitchen, these Memphis grills deliver. These grills are built using fine and high quality materials such as stainless steel. But unlike rectqe, these companies pride themselves on delivering highly refined grills with the latest technology.

Expect to pay a premium for these grills, but their technology and features are comparable or better in some ways than Traeger.

Recteq

Recteq is a direct competitor to Traeger and, despite being a smaller company, manages to offer a full line of electric pellet grills primarily to the consumer. These grills are built exceptionally well using top quality materials, and the main cooking chamber is all 304 stainless steel. 

As you can expect, these rec teq ain’t cheap, but because they are built so well, you can expect to get hours out of your investment.

One area where recteqw falls short of Traeger and even other grill brands is technology and refinement. Reqteq grills, though they boast amazing build quality, look and feel more like smaller hand-built grill brands. Also, although they use digital temperature controllers, you will not see the technology found in a traditional traeger. 

There are other small details that scream “homemade”, like exposed wires, and even an ol’school wireless antenna that sticks out of the controllers. 

Nevertheless, this company is known for its quality, amazing warranty, and customer support. So if quality is all that matters to you, rec teq can deliver. 

Yoder Pellet Smokers

Yoder Smokers is another high-end brand known for building tanks on wheels for smokers and is made in the USA. These pellet smokers will set you back a few thousand dollars, but you get a large, heavy-gauge steel smoker. Tech is not where these grills shine; it’s in their build quality.

Q&A

What Makes Traeger Smokers So Special?

Traeger is a well known brand, and most people have heard of or owned a Traeger. This isn’t necessary because they are the best, but they were definitely the first pellet grill company. 

Are wood pellet grills worth the investment?

Wood pellet grills are definitely a good buy, but a lot depends on the type and brand of pellet grill you choose. As far as cooking with wood pellets and pellet grills, you get great flavor and these grills are easy to use.

As far as which is best, our article on wood pellet grills is a good start to finding a good fit, but a good rule of thumb is to find a reliable brand with a good warranty and built using decent materials. But remember, a good pellet grill won’t make you a better cook.

Conclusion

Traeger grills are market leaders in innovation and technology when it comes to pellet grills. However, they are not the only game in town. As we showed in this article, there are good options to Traeger grills and also very high-end, better quality wood pellet grill companies. 

What’s important when choosing a wood pellet grill is to know how much you are willing to spend, find a company with a good warranty and the features you need.

If you’re new to the BBQ and grilling world, or simply looking for a grill to get you started, this guide will show you five great grills for those starting out in BBQ and grilling.

We will share with you a list of the best grills for beginners and also what you should consider before getting one. We will also teach you about different types of grills and fuel types.

When I first started exploring the BBQ world over two decades ago, I knew I needed a grill but didn’t know where to begin. I will use my 20 years of experience, trial and error to save you some trouble, overspending and headaches.

And no, you don’t need a thousand dollar grill if you are a beginner or to cook good BBQ.

Top Best grills for Those Starting in Grilling and barbecue

1. The Z Grills 450B – Best Grill for Beginners

This grill is one of my favorites and our top recommendations for barbecue beginners because it checks many boxes, including ease of use and low purchase cost. The Z Grills 450B is a budget-friendly pellet grill but still offers good quality and features found in more expensive models.

The 450B offers 459 square inches of cooking space, is fueled by wood pellets, and has a digital controller to manage temperature. It even includes a meat probe, so you can monitor the meat’s internal temperature as you cook, and the meat temperature is displayed on the grill’s LCD screen.

One noteworthy aspect of the 450B is that it is compact and light. I can grab this grill and move it around my patio with ease. It is also easy to fit into small backyards.

You can read our full review of the Z grills 450B.

Why our top choice?

We chose the Z Grills 450B as our best overall because, first, it is reasonably priced, and second, it offers all the features necessary to grill and smoke foods. This grill is small which makes it great for those looking for something simple, inexpensive, easy to handle and maintain.

What we like:

• It’s easy to use – Add pellets to the hopper, push the power button, and set the cooking temperature. 
• Good quality for the money.
• Three year warranty.
• Includes meat probes.
• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Great smoky flavor.

What to consider

• You will need to become familiar with pellet flavors to be sure you are pairing meats with the right flavors. 
• Cooking temperatures on pellet grills range from 160 to 500 degrees, which are good for smoking and grilling but not high enough to bake pizzas or get a nice sear on steaks.

2. The Weber Spirit E-210 Propane Gas Grill – Runner up

Available at:

The Weber Spirit is a two burner propane gas grill with enough cooking space for a small family or couple. This grill is very easy to use and gets the job done without any gadgetry to get in the way. 

This propane gas grill is very easy to use. Turn on the burners using a push-start piezo igniter and set the burners to low, medium, or high heat, or until the built-in lid thermometer shows the desired temperature.  

Weber grills are good quality, and most of us started our BBQ journey using one. This grill has a fuel gauge to let you know the fuel level in the propane tank, flavorizer bars, and two cooking grates. It is a simple grill, but that’s what makes it so good. 

This Weber is one of the best beginner grills because of its simplicity but it also includes all the aids ad feature you need for grilling great food.

What we like:

• It’s simple to use and get started.
• Two burners can get the grill to a high enough temperature to get grill marks on steaks.
• of grilling space for a small family or entertaining a small group. 
• The cooking area is split between a main cooking grate and a warming rack, which comes in handy to keep food warm.  
• The flavorizer bars help with flare ups.
• Stainless steel burners should last a long time.

What to consider

• Propane grills do yield real BBQ flavor since fuels like natural gas and propane don’t have flavor. ( like charcoal or wood pellets ) 
• If you want a “smoky flavor” you will need to use a smoker box with wood chips.

3. The Z Grills 7004DE – Good Choice

Available at:

This Z Grills is a larger, more refined version of the 450B we mentioned above, and it is also larger. This means that the Z Grills 4004DE shares the same easy to use controls and includes many of the same features, but it is larger. 

This grill can double as a smoker, so if you are wanting to start your grilling career and are also interested in learning how to smoke meats, the 700D4E is a great grill smoker combo grill. 

This grill offers you a large cooking space, the well-liked automation of a digital temperature controller, meat probes, and two cooking racks. This is a grill that you can easily learn to use and grow with. It is very easy to use and versatile. Its temperature range is from 180 to 450 degrees, so you can cook a variety of foods, smoke meats, and grill.

This is the best grill for those who are looking for good wood-fired flavor and have the space and budget for a slightly larger grill than the top two on this list. If you budget allows it I would recommend this 700 over the 450B since you get a lot more space and a nice storage cabinet for not that much more.

Read our full review of the Z Grills at 7004DE with all the details. 

What we like

• Larger grill with plenty of space to cook large meat cuts.
• Very easy to use, digital temperature controller and two meat probes to monitor the food.
• It has a large store space with doors to store tools and pellets.
• Great outdoor grill only needs a power source and pellets.
• Only maintenance routine includes emptying the grease collector and grease tray cleaning.
• Large LCD display
• Affordable

What to consider

• Is a larger grill so be sure you have the space.

4. The Weber Kettle Premium Premium Charcoal Grill : Best beginners charcoal grill

Available at:

The Weber Kettle is not only easy to use and simple, it is a classic. The shape of this grill is Weber, which is the most recognizable shape in the BBQ world. This BBQ grill is fueled by charcoal but is designed with simplicity in mind. 

Charcoal grills give you total control over the cooking process and can be easily adapted to work as pizza ovens, charcoal smokers, and, of course, grills. 

However, many people get intimidated by the idea of having to deal with charcoal or grab a bottle of lighter fluid to light charcoal. This is all eliminated by using a chimney starter, some good quality lump charcoal, and you are ready to go. There are different methods of lighting charcoal without using chemicals or lighter fluid.

What we like:

• Easy to use grill for beginners wanting to start on a charcoal grill.
• Simple airflow controls to manage the fire and temperature.
• Easy to arrange lump charcoal for indirect heat cooking when smoking meats.
• Portable since no power is needed, just coal.
• Very little maintenance, just empty the charcoal ash and clean the grates with a good brush.
• Works well for both high heat grilling and low and slow cooking.

What to consider:

• The grill can get hot to the touch. 
• It takes a little while to find a good air vent setup for optimal airflow and heat control.

Helpful: How to light charcoal using a chimney starter

5. The Ninja Foodie Smart XL – Best Electric Grill for Beginners

Available at:

The Ninja Foodie Smart is a different type of grill, and it is electric. This grill is considered more of an indoor electric grill than an outdoor one, but for some who live in apartments. This can be a good start. 

The Ninja has two heating plates, so it cooks food evenly. It also has a smart digital temperature controller that handles all aspects of temperature control.

What we like:

• As easy as it gets- press a button and start cooking.
• Can be used indoors 
• Small and compact, fits in many places.

What to consider:

• Limited cooking surface.
• No smoky flavor.

6. The Joe Classic Kamado Charcoal Grill

The Joe Kamado is a premium charcoal grill. It can be your first grill and your last. The reason I say this is because kamados are incredibly durable and versatile. You can cook virtually anything with them, and because they are ceramic, they will not rust. However, these grills are on expensive side.

Things to consider As a beginner when selecting a grill

Have you ever been to a golf course where a beginner claims his golf clubs are terrible and that is why he curved the ball? Then a more experienced golfer grabs the same set of clubs and hits a straight 200 yard drive. Well, the same can be said about BBQ grills. Your skills will play a major role in how good or bad your food tastes. Nevertheless, when looking for the best grill for beginners, our test and research teams look for the following attributes, and so should you.

The flavor of the food will be affected by factors such as the type of fuel used, the type of grill, and, of course, your grilling skills. 

But to help you navigate the world of grills, here are a few things you should consider when purchasing your first grill or if you are a beginner.

Price of the Grill

If this is going to be your first grill, you might want to start with something inexpensive and budget friendly. There are budget smokers on the market that will cook just fine, and great gas grills under 500 dollars that will also do a fine job. 

The point here is that you do not need to overspend to get a good grill, especially if this is your first grill. 

If you are sure you are in the BBQ game for the long haul and want to spend on a good grill now so you don’t have to buy another grill later, then there are good American made grills that will outlast most budget options. 

Grill Quality

You should look for quality characteristics in any item you purchase, but especially in grills. These are poor quality grills which succumb to the abuse of high temperatures, moisture, grease, and eventually rust. 

Good quality grills will also include a good warranty and great support. 

Good quality characteristics include the use of high-quality materials to construct the grill, such as stainless steel and heavy-duty steel. Also, cast iron grates, stainless steel grates, and stainless steel components are often found in good quality grills.

The Grill Fuel Type

There are grills powered by a variety of fuel types. I will elaborate on this later in the article, but it’s important to note this now. Each fuel type has its own list of advantages and disadvantages, but in summary, charcoal grills are very versatile and, in some cases, inexpensive, but require more effort and expertise to manage. A charcoal grill is a good grill to learn on if you want to learn how to cook authentic BBQ and delicious food. 

The common fuel types are gas or propane, charcoal, pellets, and electricity. Think about what type of cooking you will be doing , what fuel you feel comfortable using, and what type of flavor profile you are after. 

Your Cooking Style

If you want to learn how to grill simple dishes like hot dogs and burgers, it’s one thing, but if you want to learn how to cook real BBQ, it’s another. For grilling a few hot dogs now and then, any grill can do, but to cook real BBQ and get lots of flavor, a charcoal grill / charcoal smoker, or pellet grill should be on the short list of options. 

Common Types of grills

This is very important and here is why. There are quite different types of grills and all have their own pros and cons, which I dive more into detail in my grill and smoker types guide. 

However, here is a quick list of grill type available on the market.

Gas Grills ( propane or natural gas )

Charcoal

Electric

Pellet

Wood

BBQ Grill Smokers 

The first thing you need to know is that when it comes to grilling and BBQ, there are two main and more common types of “cookers,” namely, smokers and grills.

Smokers are traditionally larger grills designed to cook meat for a longer period of time and cook at lower temperatures. When you go to a restaurant, you see on the menu “smoked ribs” or “smoked pulled pork”, those dishes were prepared in a smoker. 

With a smoker, you can cook food low and slow and infuse meats with extra smoke to achieve that authentic BBQ flavor.

Smokers are available in different shapes and fuel types, and if smoking meat is more of what you want to learn and cook, be sure to read our smokers guide to learn all about the different types of smokers.

Smokers’ operating temperatures range anywhere from 160 degrees to about 450 degrees. Smoking cooking temperatures are usually in the ballpark of 190 to 275 degrees.

BBQ Grills

Grills are more common and traditionally what people start with. In retrospect, some grills can work as smokers, but few smokers can get to high enough temperatures to grill. So keep that in mind.

Grills can operate at low temperatures but also reach high temperatures in the range of 600 to 900 degrees, which is enough to sear steaks and bake pizzas. There are a variety of fuels available for grills, and each has advantages and disadvantages that relate primarily to the skills required to operate the grill and to its flavor.

Let’s take a look at the different types of grill fuel.

Ease of Use by Grill Fuel Type

Grills come in all shapes and sizes, but the primary difference is the type of fuel. Below are the most popular grill fuel types, ranked by ease of use.

Electric grills – Easiest

Electric grills are extremely user-friendly, making them ideal for beginners and novices. An electric grill doesn’t burn any fuel. Instead, a heating element or resistance heats up cooking grates or a metal plate of some sort to evenly distribute heat and cook the food. 

Electric grills are great for cooking indoors or for those wanting something small, maybe a portable grill or just the simplest grill to operate. Electric grills are also great for those who live in apartments or have little to no space for a grill.

These grills are often called “ smokeless grills,” which makes them great for cooking indoors.

You can read more about these grills in our indoor grills guide.

The biggest and most significant drawback of an electric grill is that it yields no flavor. Since you are not burning wood, wood pellets, or charcoal, the only taste comes from the seasoning. Quite frankly, this is my least favorite type of grill, although it has its purpose.  

Gas Grill or propane – Easier

Gas grills are the second-easiest to operate, primarily because most of us are familiar with the primary components of a gas grill, namely the gas burners. Many of us already have gas stoves in our homes, and just like a gas stove, a gas grill has one or more burners to heat up the cooking space. 

A gas grill, just like an electric grill, does not yield flavor since you are burning gas from a propane tank. The main difference between your gas stove and a gas grill is that the grill has grates to cook the food on. 

The food will be cooked on some sort of grate, be it cast iron, porcelain coated steel, or stainless steel. This creates a different cooking effect than boiling or braising the meat in a pan, as melted fat, grease, and oils drain and escape from the bottom of the grill. 

Some gas grills have what are called “flavorizing bars,” or shields, above the burners and below the grill grates, and as fat hits those flavorizer bars, the “fat steam” can add flavor to the food. Nothing live changing but it does add some “grill flavor” to foods. 

Nerve the less you can use smoker boxes in your gas grill and add more smokey flavor to your food. It will not be as much as a charcoal or pellet grill, but it will add more flavor than grilling on an electric grill.

Gas grills are simple because all that you have to do to operate one is turn the burner control knob and decrease or increase the flame to decrease or increase the temperature. That’s it.

Pellet grill – Easier

I own a pellet grill and I absolutely love it. Pellet BBQ grills are not necessarily harder to use than electric grills, but because there are a few more steps involved, I rank them below gas or propane grills. 

Now, don’t think these pellet cookers are hard to use; they are not at all, but because high-end pellet smokers and grills have WIFI, temperature probes, and other components, it might take a minute or two to become familiar with the tech, not the grill. 

As far as the grills go, they are as easy to use as a propane or electric grill. In fact, one would say that a pellet grill is the combination of the ease of use of an electric grill with some of the flavor of a charcoal grill.

These grills are my favorite types to use because they are simple to use and you get an amazing smoky flavor from burning wood pellets. 

The only steps required to operate a pellet grill are to add pellets to a hopper, turn on the grill, and set the temperature. The grill does everything for you, including feeding pellets to maintain the temperature setting.

Charcoal grills – Harder

Charcoal grills are the most difficult to learn to use, but they are also the most versatile and rewarding. Charcoal grilling can be a lot of fun and opens the door to a wide range of culinary options because you are in control. Fire, heat, flavor, you control it all. 

I own a kamado grill, and it is by far one of the best grills I own, but even for me, with years of experience, it took me a while to master that grill.

The point here is that a charcoal grill will beat all other grills on this list, but it does take longer to learn and some people simply do not like to deal with charcoal.

If you intend to be in the BBQ game for the long haul, I strongly recommend starting with a charcoal grill. The results will be very rewarding and you will learn skills you can later apply when using other grills or any cooking style.

Conclusion

We go over a lot in this article, but to summarize, the best grill for beginners should be simple to use, and I recommend something affordable. You should also consider the type of fuel you want to use, as this can affect the flavor. 

I hope you found this guide to be helpful. Grill on!

In this guide, I will show you how to clean a flat top grill, more commonly known as a griddle. I own a Blackstone griddle and have tested various methods for removing food debris, old grease, and fat from its surface. 

There are many “suggestions” on the Internet. People have come up with creative names and made up methods to get clicks, but these are three true and tested methods I use to clean my flat top grill surface and keep it in good shape.

How to Clean a Flat Top Grill: Three Effective, Simple Methods

 These are natural methods without using chemicals or special tools or any other nonsense. I have tested these methods to confirm their effectiveness, and as you can see in my video above, when it comes to cleaning  a flat-top grill, simple does it, and you do not need to overspend on fancy cleaning tools or cleaning products.

Method #1: Scrape and clean, add oil ( after each use )

Routine Cleaning – This method is your daily routine cleaning, sort of speaking. This is the method you want to apply after each use of your griddle. This method consists of, after your food is cooked and you are done using the griddle, turn off the burners and scrape the grill top with a spatula, griddle scraper, or any flat scraper. 

Scrape the food and grease towards the grease collector. Grab a paper towel or a piece of cloth and wipe the top clean and apply a small coat of cooking oil. 

Remember, after you’re done scraping and wiping the girdle, apply a small coat of cooking oil or vegetable oil to the flat top.

Method #2: Spray Water, Scrape and clean, add oil ( deep cleaning )

Deep cleaning – I only recommend this method when things like sauces, caramelized sugar, BBQ sauce, and anything sticky have gunked up on the grill top. This deep clean method also works when there is excess grease build up. However, you will remove more of the original seasoning coating you applied when you first got the flat top grill. 

The key here is to turn off the burners and allow the grill top to cool down to at least 300 degrees. This technique consists of spraying or pouring small amounts of water onto a hot flat-top grill.  As the water comes into contact with the hot surface, it will boil and steam, loosening and removing food and grease deposits.

However, because metal can expand and contract in response to thermal changes, you do not want the flat top of your griddle to be too hot to prevent warping and damage. A Blackstone flat top grill is made out of steel, Blackstone still recommends using water to clean their flat top grills only below 300 degrees. 

However, other brands may use stainless steel or even thin metal for their tops, which are susceptible to warping.

So apply this method, simply remove any leftover food, turn off the burners, and let the griddle cool down to about 300 degrees. Spray or pour a small amount of water over a six-inch wide section of the flap-top grill at a time. 

Spray water, scrape, and move to the next spot. Again, spray water every six inches, scrape food and grease towards the grease collector, rinse and repeat. To avoid “shocking” too much of the large surface area of a flat top when using water, you should clean it in small sessions.

Once you are done cleaning the flat top, grab some paper towels or a cloth rag and wipe clean the griddle. Lastly, apply a small amount of cooking or vegetable oil, and now you have a clean flat top grill. 

The cool thing about this technique is that boiling water and steam do all the work of separating grease from the medal and reducing scraping.

The downside of this method is that it removes more of the oil coating required to keep flat tops rust-free and non-stick. So is important, after using this cleaning method, to apply a good coating of oil. This method is going to leave you with a good, clean flat top grill.

Method #3: White vinegar spray, Scrape and Clean, add Oil

Even Deeper clean – This method is good for situations when the laptop grill is extremely dirty or has been left out outside or neglected for some time. This method removes a lot of the oil coating, so it is important to reapply oil immediately after cleaning.

Similar to the other methods, apply some vinegar and water to a hot grill top, scrape the food and grease residue off, rinse with water, and apply oil. I like to “re-season” the griddle after applying this cleaning method. 

These are the steps to cleaning your flat top grill or griddle.

Supply:

• Water
• Vegetable oil

Tools:

• Scraper
• Spatula
• Squeeze Bottles for Water

Materials: Paper towels Paper Towels Cooking oil, vegetable oil

Storing your griddle and keeping it clean

When it’s time to store the griddle, it’s important to take a few extra steps to keep it in top shape. Here are a few tips for storing your griddle to keep it clean and rust free. 

Ensure that the griddle is thoroughly cleaned and oiled before storing it. This means that you have applied the steps we discussed above and the griddle is clean before storing it.

Oil prevents rust and ensures that the grill is prepared for its next use.

Lastly, use a dry or slightly oiled piece of cloth to protect the exterior of the grill from rust, which is especially important if you plan to store the griddle outside. Try to store your griddle in a dry, indoor location. 

Tips for keeping your flat top grill griddle in top shape

Cleaning it after use – Many people create more work for themselves by failing to clean the grille immediately after use. I know we all want to jump in and start eating, but cleaning your flat top grill immediately after cooking is a lot easier than cleaning it when it is cold. Plus, your griddle will be ready for its next cooking session.

While the griddle is hot, right after you use it, is the easiest way to clean it and keep it clean.

Don’t use brushes on your griddle. I know it is tempting, but you will likely damage the grill’s surface.

Avoid using soap when possible. Soap should only be used when you first unbox your griddle to remove manufacturing oils and contaminants and then season your flat top grill. On rare occasions where the flat top grill has been neglected for a long time and you need to revive it, you can use soap, but you will need to “season” the griddle with a couple layers of oil. 

Q&A

Conclusion

Maintaining your flat-top griddle is easier than you think. A daily cleaning routine and cleaning the grill after each use will suffice for the majority of individuals. The best way to maintain the grill is to clean it as soon as you are finished cooking. 

However, if your grill needs a little bit more extra cleaning, you can use water or even a vinegar water mixture to remove excess oil grease and burnt up sugar. One point that you must remember is that it is extremely important to keep the flat-top griddle oiled and seasoned to extend its lifetime and keep rust away. 

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