Aged steak can be delicious if you know how to prepare it correctly. The only problem that you might be facing is the fact that most aged steak is also dry.

And, this is where the trick comes in. Preparing your dry, aged steak can be hard if you don’t exactly know the tips and tricks for making your steak juicy and delicious.

With this guide, you will know everything there is to know about dry aged steak and how to cook it correctly, to enjoy the steak with friends and family.

This is the secret to most chefs that are preparing aged steak.

It Is Always Best to Purchase Grade a Aged Steak

The first thing that you need to know, is that if you are purchasing aged steak, you should make sure that you are purchasing the highest quality steak. This is the only way that you can be sure to have the best tasting steak that isn’t going to end up dry.

This is why you should look for the sealed pack with grade A aged steak.

Then, the chance that you are going to struggle with dry-aged steak will be a lot less. This is one of the biggest mistakes that people are making. They are looking for the cheapest aged steak, and end up with something that is dry and tough to eat.

The Secret Isn’t in the Spices but in the Preparation

A mistake that everyone is making is that they are using a huge variety of spices, herbs, and even marinade to ensure that their aged steak isn’t dry.

If you want to have marinade steak, the last thing that you should do is to purchase aged steak. You are just going to ruin the taste of the aged steak.

Salt and pepper. This is all that you need if you want to make sure that you are going to have the best-aged steak that isn’t going to end up dry.

However, you need to realize that if you want to have a steak that isn’t dry, you should be sure to know how to prepare the steak. Great aged steak lies in how you are preparing and cooking it.

Which Way Is Best to Cook Aged Steak, Oven, Grill, or Smoke?

This is a question that many people are asking. Which way is best to cook an aged steak? Should you use your oven, grill, or smoker?

There isn’t really a right or wrong answer. It doesn’t matter what cooking method you are using, with the right preparation, you can use any method.

The only one that we won’t recommend is smoking. The smoker is going to take the aged steak, taste away.

There are different methods that you can grill or oven cook your aged steak. The secret lies in how you are preparing the steak.

The Basic Step by Step Guide to Cook Aged Steak

If you want to have the best tasting aged steak that will not end up dry, you want to make use of this basic step by step guide on how to cook aged steak.

This will give you an idea about how to ensure that your steak doesn’t end up dry.

• You need to have a thick aged steak, like the ribeye for this method. And, you will need to have salt and pepper.
• Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). You are going to use your stovetop at first, but you’ll need the oven as well. If you want to use your grill, you should still preheat the grill.
• The next step is to season your steak with the salt and pepper to taste. Then, you should preheat your cast iron skillet to high heat on your stove top.  The hotter the pan, the better.
• With the pan hot, you are now searing your steak for about 2 minutes on each side. Not longer than two minutes is essential. Next, you will be searing the fatty end of the steak for just 30 seconds.
• Place the steak in the oven or grill for about 8 minutes. Baste the steak with melted butter for about 2 minutes.
• Let the steak rest for about 10 minutes before cutting the meat. Serve the steak while it is still hot. Never reheat your steak in any way.

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Conclusion

Having aged steak is always great if you have prepared it correctly.

This is why you should make sure that you are cooking your dry-aged steak correctly.

Then, you will not even realize that it was dry. Any aged steak can be juicy and soft with the right preparation.

We hope that we have given you all the information on how to cook dry aged steak for your family.

This can be a really great tasting steak if you are preparing it correctly.

When you have a smoker grill, next to the best smoker box, you need to use the right wood to create the best smoke.

There are smoker chips available that you can now purchase to create the right amount of smoke.

However, it is important to make sure that you are using it correctly and you should know all the dos and don’ts about the smoker chips.

Then, you will get the most out of your smoker grill and have the best smoking meat.

What are smoker chips?

Before you can use smoker chips, you need to make sure that you know what smoker chips are.

This is the wood pieces that you are going to use for creating smoking in the smoker or griller.

This is the one thing that you need to have if you want to make sure that you have smoke tasting meat or even vegetables.

This is also the one thing that many people are doing wrong. They don’t make use of the right smoker chips and this results in them not getting the right result.

Know the different wood for smoking food

There are three different wood options that you can choose from when you are going to smoke your food.

The first one is the smoking chips or the wood chips we are talking about here. Then, there are the smoking chunks and smoking logs.

Between all three these different wood options, the smoking chips are the best for smoking. It is giving more smoke than the other wood. And, this is why this is the one that is the most recommended for smoking grillers.

Using it for more than just getting smoked meat

Did you know that you can use the smoker chips for more than just in smokers?

That you can use it in charcoal grillers and gas grillers as well. Meaning that you are going to get the smoking taste, even if you don’t have a smoker?

There is a secret about how to use the smoker chips for smoking on normal grillers, and we will discuss it later on.

This is another reason why smoking chips are the better option than the other smoking wood. It can be used in other grillers as well, for getting the right smoking taste.

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Different wood used for smoker chips will result in different tastes

When you are going to purchase smoker chips, you need to make sure that you are going to know what type of wood the chips are made from. There is a really important reason for it.

Different wood types are giving different flavors. And, this will give your meat different flavor and taste. These are the different smoker chips that you can get and the flavor that you can expect from the smoke.

• From the apple wood, you will get a fruity flavor
• The pecan wood gives a nutty flavor
• Maple wood gives a sweet flavor
• Cherry wood also gives a sweet flavor
• Hickory, oak and mesquite wood is going to give a smokey flavor

What if you don’t have a smoker and want to use the chips for a smokey taste?

You want to have smoked meat, and you don’t have a smoker. Is it possible to make use of the smoker chips for creating smoked meat on a regular griller?

This is good news.

If you are making use of the smoker chips and you are wrapping it in aluminum foil and poling holes through the foil, you can use it as a smoker.

The smoke will escape from the foil and it will cover your meat. Giving you the delicious smokey flavor. And, you didn’t even need to purchase an expensive smoker. 

It might take a bit longer to prepare the smokey meat, but it will taste the same at the end of the day.

To soak or not to soak your smoker chips

This is a debate that is going on for years. Should you soak your smoker chips before using it, or doesn’t it really matter. Some believe that when you are soaking the chips, you are going to have long lasting smoke and will give a much better smoking taste.

With the chips not soaked, the meat can taste as it burned and you will need to change chips throughout the process. But, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you soak your chips or not.

It isn’t hard to use your smoker chips if you want to smoke some meat and vegetables.

You can use the chips to smoke the meat, using a smoker or to smoke your meat by using a normal griller and your chips covered in aluminum foil.

Now, that you know all the information about the smoker chips and how to use them correctly, you will be able to smoke the best tasting meat. And, enjoying every minute of it.

For a long time, you’ve wanted to try your hand at making some smoked delicacies for your family.

After considering various types of smokers, you decided to choose a smokehouse. But you have no clue on how to use a smokehouse. Luckily, we are here to guide you through all the steps.

So what are you waiting for? Jump right in and learn all the tips and tricks to use a smokehouse like a pro!

How to Use a Smokehouse?

Unlike other smokers, a smokehouse is a small enclosed building located outdoor, usually in the backyard. It is built out of wood, stones, or concrete blocks.

A firebox, a room to hold the smoke, a place to place the food, and a draft control near the top of the bottom are four major features of a smokehouse that you need to familiarize yourself with.

Basically, a smokehouse’s purpose is to reduce airflow, enclose heat, and smoke so that the food inside can absorb the flavor of the smoke itself. The result is the tangy, somewhat ‘smoky’ taste and the dark, crust-like bark of the food.

What to Put in the Smokehouse?

Many kinds of food can be put in the smokehouse. You can smoke fish, cheeses, sausages, vegetables, and even beverages like beer or whiskey.

But newcomers like you should start with the most common ingredient for smoking: Meats.

The meat can be beef, pork, lamb, or chicken. Which type of meat you choose is purely a matter of taste. Just remember, you don’t have to pick tender, choice cuts for the smokehouse.

Cheaper, tougher cuts will do just fine. The most popular smoking options are ribs, brisket, or pork shoulder.

You should choose the parts with plenty of intramuscular fat and collagen to infuse the moisture throughout the entire piece of the meat (and no, not ones with giant fat caps outside). This will ensure the juiciness of the finishing products. 

After washing and cutting the meat to your desired size, you need to season your meats for some extra flavor.

The two most essential seasonings are salt and pepper. You can also add extra herbs or spices or, in some cases, sauces to spice things up.

How to Trim a Brisket

Prepare the Woods

You can’t just throw in random logs of wood and hope for the best. In fact, the wood you use will determine the final flavor of your meat. 

The first thing you must know is that hardwood is the right kind of wood to use in the smokehouse. Avoid pine and other sappy woods as they give off undesirable bitter flavor and tend to create too much smoke.  

Different types of wood bring different amounts of heat and smoke, as well as yield different tastes.

For example, hickory has a really smokey taste reminiscent of bacon, while maple wood is sweeter and milder. 

If you’re still confused about what to pick, we suggest using oak as it is easy to find and works well with most ingredients.

Not only the type of wood matters, you must pay attention to the moisture within the wood. Since freshly cut wood has more water in it, it will smoke extensively and burn more slowly. 

Meanwhile, seasoned (air-dried) wood is very low in moisture and thus burns much hotter and faster. 

Finally, before using, the wood has to be cut into chunks or chips. If you can’t do that, simply buy wood pellets from the hardware or grocery store.

The Smoking Process

This is when you put the smokehouse to good use. Let’s build a good hardwood fire in the firebox, then let it burn to form a bed of red-hot coals.

Add handfuls of dampened hickory or other chips, or any wood that smokes well on top of the coals. 

Hang the food on cords or place them on the grill, then close the door of the smokehouse. You are more than ready to start smoking! 

But during the process, keep in mind the following things:

Temperature 

While smoking, keep an eye on the internal temperature of the meat as well as the smokehouse. You will need two separate thermometers: one placed in the meat, the other in the room where the meat sits. The second one, however, can be installed right on the smokehouse. 

Our target internal temperature for meat is usually between 195°F and 205°F. This temperature range is hot enough to kill dangerous bacteria while not overcooking the meat. On the other hand, the ideal internal smokehouse temperature is somewhere between 225°F to 250°F.

You will have to make sure that the smokehouse temperature is never too high. Why?

Because you need to give the smoke enough time to sink into the meat, allowing it to heat up internally before the outside is caramelized. 

To adjust the smokehouse’s temperature, you can add sawdust into the firebox to keep the temperature down and the fire smoldering. Or you can add twigs and shavings to increase the speed and temperature of the fire. 

Smoke

Just remember, the best smoke is almost invisible. The goal here is to maintain a light-colored stream of smoke inside the smokehouse.

You’ll need to continuously add more wood to keep producing smoke as long as you need. 

A rookie mistake is creating billowing white clouds of smoke. While the smoke creates the signature smoky taste of smoked dishes, too much smoke will bitter the meat after just an hour. 

To produce more smoke, you can drop sawdust or some green hardwood twigs into the firebox. To reduce the smoke, let the excessive smoke flow out through the smokehouse’s ventilator and only add dry wood.

As some woods create more or less smoke than other types of wood, you’re free to test out and find the right amount of wood – and thus the right amount of smoke – for your preference.

Cooking Time and Other Factors

We can’t provide you with a cheat sheet on which meat needs how much time to smoke. However, you should take into account these factors to calculate the best smoking time:

• Type of meat
• Size of the cut (Bigger pieces, longer time) 
• Temperature of the smokehouse
• The amount of moisture on the meat (The more moist the meat, the longer the time) 
• The weather (cold weather requires a longer time)

On average, the duration is from 6 to 8 hours, but some like brisket or pork butt can take up to 12 hours if you smoke a large quantity.

Another thing, you can place a water pan above the firebox. The water helps maintain a stable temperature inside the smokehouse and adds the much-needed humidity to keep the meat juicy.

You’ll need to refill the water now and then if you smoke for a long time.

The Differences Between Ways of Smoking Food 

Using a smokehouse, you can utilize two ways of smoking: cold smoking and hot smoking. But what are the differences?

Well, hot smoking both smokes and cooks the meat somewhere between 225°F and 300°F (or at least 165°F). This is our usual barbecue method, and the food is meant to be eaten right away. 

Meanwhile, cold smoking keeps the temperature around 90°F to 120°F, and only flavors the food without cooking it. The process of cold smoking can last for weeks, but its products can be kept for months after.

In Conclusion

While smoked food is not healthy if consumed too regularly, sometimes it is still great to make yourself and your family some good old smoked ham or smoked ribs.

And what’s better than to own a smokehouse for that very purpose! And with that, we hope our guide has provided you with useful knowledge about how to use a smokehouse. Now get up and smoke some meat!

Many are trying to smoke or grill a brisket. But they aren’t as successful as what they hoped to be. This is mostly because they don’t trim the brisket, or they don’t trim the brisket correctly.

There are many delicious recipes that you can enjoy when it comes to a brisket. But, with all of these recipes, they are saying that you should trip it first. The recipe doesn’t always say how to trip the brisket, just that you should trim the brisket to get the best results.

With this guide, you will get to know everything there is to know about how to trim a brisket correctly, to get the best flavors out of your piece of meat.

What is Brisket?

First of all, what is a brisket? A brisket is a large piece of meat that is cut from beef or a cow. This is a tough piece of meat that needs some preparation in order for you to make it tender and juicy.

The brisket is normally cut from the breast part of the cow. This is why this is such a tough piece of meat, and why you should consider trimming it.

The main reason why not many people are purchasing the brisket is that they don’t know how to spice it correctly, and they might not even know that it should be trimmed.

Why Should You Trim a Brisket Before Smoking or Grilling?

The question now is why should you trim a brisket before you can smoke or grill it? Should you cut the piece of meat into pieces so that it can cook faster?

You should trim the brisket, because of the top layer. The top layer prevents your rub from flavoring the rest of the meat. The top layer is a hard, fat layer, that is making the meat tougher and harder to tenderize and to flavor.

This is why you should make sure that you are trimming your brisket before you are smoking and grilling your meat. It’s the reason why many are struggling to prepare the meat correctly.

What Will You Need to Trim a Brisket?

There are a couple of things that you need to have in order for you to trim your brisket correctly. You might be able to get away without having all these things, but it will make trimming your brisket just so much harder.

These are the things that you will need in order for you to trim your brisket correctly.

• High-quality grade brisket
• A large cutting board
• Large sharp knives. The sharper the knives, the better.

The one thing that is really essential is the knives. You should make sure that the knives are as sharp as possible. A knife that is designed for cutting meat is recommended.

There are different types of knives available. But, purchasing the right one is essential for trimming brisket.

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Step by Step Guide in Trimming a Brisket

With this step by step guide, you will not make a mistake in trimming your brisket.

Remember that you don’t want to cut too much off your meat, but only want to cut off the fat and muscle layer off the brisket.

1. Always cut away from you, and never towards you.
2. Start by cutting away the fat from the meat. Doing it piece by piece.
3. After the fat is cut away, then you should start cutting the grey areas in the meat. This is the muscles and the tough part of the meat. Don’t cut too much into the meat, during the process. Taking it slowly is essential.
4. You should also make sure that you cut the fat between the flat and the pointed end that runs deep. Make sure you go deep to remove the fat as well.
5. It’s fine if you don’t remove all the fat. Leaving small amounts of fat is fine, but you should remove most of the fat.
6. Now, your brisket is ready for your spice wrap and for smoking or grilling.

Last Tips When You Are Buying and Trimming a Brisket

If you are buying better grade brisket, you are going to get better quality meat that will not be as tough as the lower grade meat. The more fat layers you are going to cut away, the better the brisket is going to taste.

People think that you should not cut the fat away because then you are going to have dry meat. This isn’t the case at all.

With this guide, you will know exactly why and how you should trim your brisket before you are smoking or grilling the meat.

This is the best way to get the most out of your brisket and to get the best possible taste. You can enjoy your brisket if you are trimming it correctly.

When it comes to cooking a turkey, you need to cook it for the correct time. It doesn’t matter if you are cooking a ground turkey or if you are cooking pieces of turkey. But this is something that many people are struggling with. They don’t know how long they should cook your ground turkey. By cooking it too long, you are going to have dry ground turkey.

If you are cooking ground turkey, there are a couple of things that you should consider and make sure about. And, the time that you should cook it, is one of these things. This is the complete guide to cooking the ground turkey.

What Is Ground Turkey and Why Is This a Healthy Alternative to Ground Beef

The first thing that you might want to know is what is a ground turkey? How is this different from other turkey meals? Ground turkey is turkey meat that is grounded and fine. It is similar to ground beef, but only with turkey. You can make a huge variety of different meals with ground turkey.

It is a much healthier alternative to ground beef. The main reason is that there isn’t really any fat included in the turkey. In general turkey meat is a lot healthier than red meat.

Turkey meat is also high in Protein. A lot more than red meat. This is why many professionals are recommending eating turkey over red meat.

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Why Is It Important to Cook Ground Turkey Thoroughly?

In birds like turkey and chickens, there is a virus that can really make people sick if it isn’t cooked thoroughly. It can also be found in chicken eggs as well. We are talking about the Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bacteria. You will not know that the meat is infected until you are eating it and getting sick from it.

There are reports that people have died from the Salmonella virus. This is why it is so important to always make sure that your ground turkey is cooked through. The heat of the cooking is killing any signs of the virus and is making it safe to consume.

Cooking Too Long Can Give You Really Dry Ground Turkey

You know now that it is important to cook your ground turkey thoroughly. However, the moment that you are cooking it too long, you are going to get a really dry ground turkey. And, there is nothing worse than turkey that is dry.

It is important to make sure that you know exactly how long you should cook your ground turkey. And make sure that you know how the cooked turkey should look like. If you aren’t on a healthy diet, you can add some form of fat, to ensure that the turkey isn’t getting dried out during cooking.

What Is the Recommended Time for Cooking a Ground Turkey?

The question that everyone is asking is what is the recommended time for cooked ground turkey. This is so that you don’t eat raw turkey, but to ensure that your turkey isn’t dry as well.

In general, it will depend on the amount of turkey that you have, and what you are doing with the ground turkey.

But you should never cook your ground turkey for shorter than 3 minutes. And, with 5 minutes you might start to over-cook your turkey.

If you are unsure about the exact time, you should follow a recipe that is telling you the exact time for cooking the meat. If the ground turkey reaches a temperature of 165°F., you can know that your turkey is cooked through.

Mistakes That People Are Making When Cooking Ground Turkey

If you are always getting dry ground turkey, then you might be doing something wrong. The moment that you know what you are doing wrong, you will be able to correct it and get the best tasting ground turkey meals.

These are some of the common mistakes the people are making when it comes to preparing and cooking the ground turkey.

• You might have used ground turkey with the wrong fat content
• You didn’t season your turkey correctly and it tastes bland
• Handling the ground turkey too much can make it dry and tough to eat
• You have cooked it too long, or you might have cooked it not long enough
• Buying or using old turkey

Ground turkey. A great alternative to ground meat. However, there are so many people that are cooking the ground turkey not correctly. They don’t want dry turkey, so they serve it undercooked. Or, they have cooked it too long and it turns out dry.

This is why you should make sure that you know exactly how long you should cook your ground turkey. With all this information, it will be a lot easier to have tasty ground turkey meals, without the worry that you might not have cooked it long enough.

Or, even have cooked it way too long and it ends up dry.

Having a top-notch griller is always great and something that everyone wants. And, the moment that you get one, you might realize that keeping the stainless-steel grill grates clean might be harder than what you might realize. You made the first mistake to leave the cleaning for later, and now you can’t get it clean.

This is great to have a top of the range griller, but keeping it clean and in perfect condition can be hard. These tips and tricks might assist you in this little problem. To clean your grill grates correctly and easily.

The Two Things That You Should Always Remember When You Are Barbequing

The secret to having a clean grill grate when you are barbequing all the time. If you remember these two things when you are done with the BBQ, you will not have any problems to clean the grill grates. The top-secret in cleaning the grates easily.

The first thing is that you should clean the grates while the grill is still hot. This is making cleaning easier. The moment that the grill is cold, the grates are getting cold and it will become hard to clean.

The second thing that you should remember is that if you forgot to clean the grill grates, you can wait until you are using it again. Then, you should preheat the grates and brush the debris off before you start cooking your meat again.

Not everyone is in favor of this method because you don’t want to clean your grate when you have visitors with you.

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The Things That You Should Never Do When Cleaning Your Stainless-steel Grill Grates

There are a couple of things that you should never do when you are cleaning your stainless-steel grill grates. This isn’t just going to damage your grates, but it can be dangerous to your family and friends as well.

• You should not make use of a beach cleaner when cleaning your grill grates
• Oven cleaners should never be used on your grill grates. It can damage your grates and then you will not be able to clean it easily ever again.

The Four-step Process to Clean Your Grill Grates

With this easy to remember the four-step process, you will be able to clean your grill grates in no time. And, you will not struggle to keep it clean. These are mostly the process that is recommended by professionals. However, this doesn’t mean that you should do this guide.

There are many people that have other methods for cleaning their grill grates and they are successful with it. This is the method that is recommended for all stainless-steel grill grates:

• Scrape off the access food from the grates while the grill is still hot
• Soak the grates in warm, soapy water for an hour or two until the debris is soft
• Scrub the grates to clean it completely. You should be really careful that you don’t scrub too hard or using the wrong brush that will damage the grates in the long run.
• Rinse the grill grates after you have scrub it clean. Then, you should let it dry, and then you can return the grates back onto the grill for the next use.

Tools That You Need for Cleaning Your Grill Grates

People that have their first griller, are always afraid about the tools that they can use to clean their grill grates. And, this is something that is important to consider. These are some of the tools that you can use or even might need to use to clean your grill grates.

• Metal scrapers that are high quality and that won’t leave some of the metal of the brush behind.
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil for placing underneath your grates
• Pressure washer
• Dishwashing liquid

Cleaning and Caring Tips to Keep Your Grill Grates Clean and in Perfect Condition

Not only is this important to make sure that you are cleaning your grill grates correctly, but there are also some other essential things that you should do for having a griller that will last for a long time.

Even if you are cleaning it after each use, you should still make sure that you are doing a monthly clean. Where you are cleaning the grill grates again.

Making sure that you are removing all debris and old food from the grates. It is also important to make sure that you are doing a deep clean often. Using a power washer or a steam washer. 

After each clean, you should apply a layer of oil to the grates. This will prevent having problems when cleaning the grates.

These is some great tips and ways on how you can clean your grill grates. Especially, if you want to make sure that your griller is staying in the perfect condition for a long time. The one thing that you should always remember.

The sooner you are cleaning the grill grates, the easier it will be to clean.