Cooking techniques and how-to guides from We Know Meat, from searing and smoking to sous vide, so you can cook any cut with confidence.
The skillet is already roaring when the first slab of point cut hits the iron, and the sound it makes is a violent, satisfying hiss that fills the kitchen with beef and smoke. This is the deckle, the thick, marbled shoulder end of the brisket, and it does not sear politely. It crackles, it spits,…
Beef Subprimal Flat Cut: Slow-Braised Until the Knife Becomes Optional The brisket flat is a slab of beef that punishes impatience. It comes off a steer that has spent years moving its chest muscles to support its own weight, the result is dense, collagen-laced meat that starts the cooking process with the texture of a…
Barbecue and grilling are not the same thing. Grilling is fast and hot, straight over the flame. Barbecue is low and slow, the method that turns a tough brisket or a rack of ribs tender over hours. Here is how we run a backyard cook. Direct vs indirect heat For barbecue you cook with indirect…
Cooking meat well comes down to one idea: match the cut to the method. Tender cuts want fast, high heat. Tough cuts want low, slow heat. Get that right and the rest is details. Match the cut to the method Tender cuts (steaks, chops, loin) cook fast and hot so the outside browns before the…
Most meat that comes out dry or gray was not ruined by a bad recipe. It was ruined by one of five basics. We cook across seven proteins and the same handful of things decide whether dinner is good: how you season it, how you track the heat, whether you build a crust, whether you…
Smoking is barbecue with wood: low heat, long time, and smoke that works its way into the meat. It is the method behind great brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. Here is what a beginner needs. Heat and wood Hold the smoker around 225 to 250°F. Use hardwood (oak, hickory, fruit woods); skip softwoods, they turn…
The savory, mouth-filling taste of cooked meat has a name: umami. And the deep brown crust that carries most of the flavor has a cause: the Maillard reaction. Understanding both makes you a better cook. Umami, the savory taste Umami is the fifth basic taste, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Meat is rich in…