BBQ Time - Introduction - Best Steaks Ever!

Here in this region in Texas, which actually is probably the same with most of Texas, we like to BBQ as frequently as we can. Drive through any neighborhood on any day close to sunset or anytime on the weekend with your windows down and you'll soon believe me.

There is a long history of grilling meat in Texas, and it all goes back to the days of when it was a part of Mexico and the methods the vaqueros (cowboys) implemented. There are many different cuts of meat with unique cooking methods that are still in use today, but we'll save all that for future posts!

Last night we were craving steaks, so we picked up some meat and other ingredients, and fired up the bbq pit!

Since we got a late start last night I only had time to take quick pictures of what we made. Recipes soon to follow!

Guacamole with Chicharrones (Pork Rinds)

Cauliflower Mac'n'Cheese

Smoked Sausage and Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese

Guacamole with chicharrones to snack on while we keep grilling. At this point the Mac'n'Cheese is in the grill smoking for 20 minutes. Everything at this point has been smoked using cheery wood chunks.

Mac'n'Cheese after smoking. We added bacon slices before putting it in the pit, and the bacon does really well smoked!

Now the best for last! Over the last several years I've been dedicating some serious time to cooking different types of things. After the typical fajitas, chicken, ribs, etc. I started with about a year of brisket and another year of just burgers from scratch! Last year was about a year of grilling only steaks. I might go back to brisket and ribs next!

Steaks right off the grill with a bit of herbed butter before serving

I started with sirloins. When those got great, I took on the challenge to get the best out of unlikely candidate cuts, like chuck steaks or other inexpensive cuts never meant to be grilled as steaks. This forces you to really try to tenderize the meat, season it, and grill it with different techniques. Most of these cuts are very thin and tough, so it makes your job harder. You really learn a lot with that challenge, which makes future attempts at steaks some of the best you've ever tasted! Once you master the inexpensive cuts, moving on to finer cuts allows you to really see and taste the difference!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures and I'll start writing about some of the recipes and methods I use so you can try them at home! Don't forget to follow me to stay up to date!

I'll be glad to read any questions, comments or feedback!

Until next time, have a great day!