The 3 Ps of Barbecue

The 3 “Ps” of Barbecue!

Good Day!

As I meet people and continue down this journey, or lifestyle I should say, of BBQ, I hear people’s comments on how they don’t know how to barbecue. Or, comments like “I don’t know how you can cook like that”, “I don’t think I could ever cook that good on a grill”, “How do you know what you’re doing?”.

Well, my friends, barbecuing is like anything else in life, you will never get to where you want to be, if you don’t start! We all start somewhere, and while some may have more help than others, the most important thing to do is START. But I may warn you, once you get into barbecuing, you will understand that it really isn’t a hobby……it’s a lifestyle! It’s a passion, and most of all, it’s fun!  

Now understand, I am by no means an expert. And, you will never hear me say that to anyone. The fact of the matter is, there is no perfect way to do anything, but there is a good way to do things…...your way. This means that you cook how you want to, you grill on the grill of your choice and you season your protein the way you want to (but you will probably be much cooler if you used Stegy’s 😉)!

I wrote this blog to help you with some basic steps, or really the first steps you need to do in order to not have a heart attack, or a meat throwing fit if things don’t go as planned. Instead, continue reading so after your cook, you will already be focused on the 3 Ps for your next cook.

3 P’s – Plan, Prep, Patience

PLAN

Oh boy, here we go! Planning for you cook must be done no matter what you are cooking. This is especially the case if you are cooking for your family. Whether its burgers, brats or pulled pork, planning ahead will help your cook go even better, and help minimize that lovely question all of us LOVE to hear – “When is supper going to be done?”.

Plan your protein (aka meat), and then plan your anticipated meal time. Once you have your protein in mind you can plan your cook time. For example, if someone likes hockey pucks for their hamburgers, then you have two choices – cook them suckers hot and fast, or cook at a lower heat for a longer time. Either way, they could probably break a window if thrown at it, which if you remember from the statement above, the meat throwing fit, yep, don’t do it.

I always like to start with my protein source, and then figure out what time we want to eat. Then decided on what grill you want to cook on. Don’t worry if you only have one grill, trust me, by the time you get a new “Best Dad Ever” or “King of BBQ” apron, it’s time for another grill. Now this is sometimes where people fail, they are afraid to ask for help. Whether this is friends, family or the internet, there is nothing wrong with seeking help on how long it takes to cook something.

On longer cooks, you may have to plan a little more. Are you cooking a pork butt, brisket, ribs, you know, protein that you may have to trim or perhaps want to season overnight. Don’t forget about weather. You know the old saying, Mother nature can be a booger sometimes. Do you have other sides you will be grilling? How long of resting period will be needed? Well, that depends on what protein you are cooking, but all protein needs time to rest.

PREP

So, we planned our cook, now it is time to get our hands dirty. We PREP!!!! This step often times gets missed, and then pandemonium starts to set in. Prep your pans, your grilling tools needed, seasoning, misting device, foil/butcher paper etc. Maybe you want to bring your protein to room temp a little bit before putting on the grill, well do it lol. But one thing that makes me laugh, and yes, I have done it many times before, is failing to prep the grill. You go to start the grill and bam, no fuel source, or not enough fuel to last through the cook. Yep, been there done that before. It’s one of those things that we kind of keep to ourselves, isn’t it? You know…. nobody needs to know kind of thing. Now, if you are like me when cooking, I normally cook the entire meal. So, don’t forget to prep any other dishes, especially if they are going on the grill. But, hear me out, this is probably the most important item you can do in this category……you ready……PREP your family on what time you are thinking you will be done with supper. Yep, that’s right, you must prep your family and/or guests too. I know it sounds crazy, but unless you want to hear the lovely question mentioned above A MILLION times, you gotta do it. Because that question can lead to one too many “cold ones”, and then, in a blink of an eye to you…… 4 hours to others……the meat is ruined. I’ve heard stories ok…..lol.

PATIENCE

Well, you knew I had to break out that nasty P word. However, for me, this is probably my most enjoyable step of the three. By practicing this step, I get time to spend with my family and friends. Whether it is playing yard games, sitting by a fire or in the house playing cards, it is time that you can use to create memories with loved ones. What we have to understand that by doing this step, we are understanding that all grills cook differently and every piece of meat is different and will cook different. Remember when I said earlier that there is no perfect way to barbecue, here it is. There will always be variables when you cook, and the longer you are cooking a piece of meat, the more variables that will come into play. Stay the course my friends, keep your temp’s level and hit temps, not time. Trust me on this, you will get better and better at this step the more you cook. Remember, this step is for you! For you to spend time doing whatever you want to do during your cook. Now on shorter cooks, you won’t have as much time to do things, but as you grow with your grilling skills, you will learn how to extend cook time to create more flavor, and memories, without sacrificing the end result of your food. You will learn direct and indirect techniques, when to use high temps and the benefits of cooking on lower temps. Searing on the front end or back end, wrapping or not wrapping, spritzing or not and the list goes on and on. But don’t worry, if you are grilling by yourself, or you need “alone” time, I will do my best to keep these blogs going for you so you have something to do while you practice patience.

I truly hope you enjoyed this blog and can take something away from it. Remember, you cook how you want to cook. Nobody is an expert the first or second time they do something. Practice these 3 P’s and you will start to enjoy this lifestyle, and before you know it, you will have at least 5 grills to pick from for your next cook!

Cook like a Pro!

Aaron