If there were a church of pork, Memphis in May would be its Mecca. For 35 years barbecue aficionados have converged on the bank of the Mississippi River to demonstrate their mastery of ribs, shoulders, wings, whole hogs, and so on. Men’s Health is no stranger to the competition, and this year we once again signed on for three days of bacchanalian gluttony. Pigs were demolished. Beers were consumed. The details are hazy, but at one point there may have been an ice luge and a jug of moonshine. You will find few who will admit to this.

What isn’t hazy is the camaraderie and respect that competing teams showed each other during the three-day contest. Once the coals were glowing and the pork was seasoned, the world’s best pitmasters opened their doors to their rivals, offering them food and beer in exchange for stories and secrets. Only the top teams received trophies, but all teams left with full bellies and freshly charged inspiration to take back to their restaurants and backyards. Oh, and there may have been a hangover or two, but it wasn’t anything that eggs and thick-sliced bacon couldn’t cure.

In Memphis, baby backs dominate the rib category, but that’s not always the case. At The American Royal competition in Kansas City, for instance, spare ribs are more common.

Teams work quickly to get their ribs to the smoker.

David Bottagaro of The National Pork Board demonstrates how to butcher a hog.

The competition is held in Tom Lee Park, directly across the river from Arkansas.

The competition lasts only three days, but teams set up elaborate structures to welcome guests and judges.

A meat-loving festival goer competes in a Frank’s RedHot wing-eating contest. You’ve, um, you’ve got a little sauce on your … ah nevermind.

A hungry crowd attacks the table during a crawfish boil put on by The Fatback Collective.

Yep, there’s more than one way to cook a pig. This guy will hang here through the night.

Teams decorate their grills to impress the judges that come by to score the barbecue.

A team cooks down their sauce to concentrate the flavor and help it cling nicely to the meat.

Is this a perfect rib?

The teams cut carefully to extract the most pristine ribs for judging.

The Shed’s “Robo-Pig” makes for easy eating. Just reach through the skin and pull out a handful of warm pork.

You fellas know where a guy can get a bite to eat? 

Via: Go Behind Americas Best BBQ Battle

READ MORE - Go Behind Americas Best BBQ Battle

Let me tell you something you may not know. You know those guys behind the meat counter at your local supermarket? The guys shoveling briskets, T-bones, and porterhouses onto the shelves? Those guys aren’t butchers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calls these employees “meat cutters,” in charge of trimming and packaging proteins for retail sale. Now, look, there’s nothing wrong with a profession as a meat cutter. But a good butcher can offer you so much more. A good butcher can inform you of where the meat comes from, how it was raised, and the best way to cook it to perfection.

And a butcher like Pat LaFrieda, owner of Pat LaFrieda Wholesale Meat Purveyors and face of Food Network’s Meat Men, well, the wisdom he carries from the years he’s spent turning his New York/New Jersey butchery operation into a nationwide empire can change your life.

We asked Pat to take us on a tour of his three favorite steakhouses in Manhattan. He happily obliged, selecting steaks that he thought represented the three components of the ultimate steak. And then we ate. Well.

Steal these steakhouse secrets and grill up better steak all summer long.

 

Via: MH Eats Pat LaFriedas Secrets To The Ultimate Steak

READ MORE - MH Eats Pat LaFriedas Secrets To The Ultimate Steak

Whipping up your own Bloody takes less than ten minutes, and the payoff is worth it: A salty, spicy, slightly tangy blend that you can tweak as you see fit. We snagged this recipe from the chefs at NYC's Cafeteria. The kicker: A charred Serrano pepper for a hint of smokiness and an extra jolt of heat. Top the drink off with skewered olives, a few turns of fresh-cracked pepper, plus a stalk of celery to serve as swizzle stick, and you're ready for action.

Cafeteria's Inferno Bloody Mary

What You'll Need:

For the drinks:
1 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes
10 Tbsp lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons)
2-4 Tbsp  horseradish
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes)
6 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp black pepper

For the garnish:
6 Serrano peppers
Celery stalks
Lemon
Lime

How to Make It:

Blend all drink ingredients until smooth and set aside. Heat Serrano peppers, whole, on the grill or stovetop over medium heat until nicely charred. Place a Serrano pepper in each glass, top with ice, 1.5 oz vodka, and 6 oz mix. Garnish with lemon, lime, a celery stalk, and three skewered olives. Top off with a dash of pepper and serve. 

Via: Blend The Perfect Spicy Bloody Mary

READ MORE - Blend The Perfect Spicy Bloody Mary

If there were a church of pork, Memphis in May would be its Mecca. For 35 years barbecue aficionados have converged on the bank of the Mississippi River to demonstrate their mastery of ribs, shoulders, wings, whole hogs, and so on. Men’s Health is no stranger to the competition, and this year we once again signed on for three days of bacchanalian gluttony. Pigs were demolished. Beers were consumed. The details are hazy, but at one point there may have been an ice luge and a jug of moonshine. You will find few who will admit to this.

What isn’t hazy is the camaraderie and respect that competing teams showed each other during the three-day contest. Once the coals were glowing and the pork was seasoned, the world’s best pitmasters opened their doors to their rivals, offering them food and beer in exchange for stories and secrets. Only the top teams received trophies, but all teams left with full bellies and freshly charged inspiration to take back to their restaurants and backyards. Oh, and there may have been a hangover or two, but it wasn’t anything that eggs and thick-sliced bacon couldn’t cure.

In Memphis, baby backs dominate the rib category, but that’s not always the case. At The American Royal competition in Kansas City, for instance, spare ribs are more common.

Teams work quickly to get their ribs to the smoker.

David Bottagaro of The National Pork Board demonstrates how to butcher a hog.

The competition is held in Tom Lee Park, directly across the river from Arkansas.

The competition lasts only three days, but teams set up elaborate structures to welcome guests and judges.

A meat-loving festival goer competes in a Frank’s RedHot wing-eating contest. You’ve, um, you’ve got a little sauce on your … ah nevermind.

A hungry crowd attacks the table during a crawfish boil put on by The Fatback Collective.

Yep, there’s more than one way to cook a pig. This guy will hang here through the night.

Teams decorate their grills to impress the judges that come by to score the barbecue.

A team cooks down their sauce to concentrate the flavor and help it cling nicely to the meat.

Is this a perfect rib?

The teams cut carefully to extract the most pristine ribs for judging.

The Shed’s “Robo-Pig” makes for easy eating. Just reach through the skin and pull out a handful of warm pork.

You fellas know where a guy can get a bite to eat? 

Via: Discover The Secrets Of Americas BBQ Battle

READ MORE - Discover The Secrets Of Americas BBQ Battle

There’s no grilling mistake greater than limiting the hors d’oeuvres to potato chips and pork rinds. Think about it: The best-tasting food in the world comes from a grill. And yours is already fired-up and ready to cook. If you’re not using it to it’s full potential, then you’re missing an opportunity.

So here’s a recipe to help you make good by the grill. The components are refreshingly simple; you need only dates, nuts, cheese, prosciutto, and something to hold them all together. Wooden skewers are best, but toothpicks make a close second. The payoff is a hit of honeyed sweetness from the hot dates balanced with crisp pork and the savory duo of cheese and nuts. It’s a nutritional powerhouse that’s guaranteed to impress a crowd of hungry friends.

Stuffed and Wrapped Dates

What you’ll need:
Wooden skewers or toothpicks
Dates
Goat cheese
Pecans
Prosciutto

How to make it:
1. Slice each date lengthwise to make a pocket. Spread it open, stuff in a pecan, and fill the remaining space with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Wrap the entire thing twice around with prosciutto.

2. Drive the skewer through the date, twisting slowly to work through the pecan.

3. Place the dates on the hot grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 or 3 and serve when the prosciutto is crispy. 

Via: Grill A Killer Appetizer

READ MORE - Grill A Killer Appetizer

Cafeteria's Inferno Bloody Mary

What You'll Need:

For the drinks:
1 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes
10 Tbsp lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons)
2-4 Tbsp  horseradish
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes)
6 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp black pepper

For the garnish:
6 Serrano peppers
Celery stalks
Lemon
Lime

How to Make It:

Blend all drink ingredients until smooth and set aside. Heat Serrano peppers, whole, on the grill or stovetop over medium heat until nicely charred. Place a Serrano pepper in each glass, top with ice, 1.5 oz vodka, and 6 oz mix. Garnish with lemon, lime, a celery stalk, and three skewered olives. Top off with a dash of pepper and serve. 

Via: Blend The Ultimate Spicy Bloody Mary

READ MORE - Blend The Ultimate Spicy Bloody Mary

There’s no grilling mistake greater than limiting the hors d’oeuvres to potato chips and pork rinds. Think about it: The best-tasting food in the world comes from a grill. And yours is already fired-up and ready to cook. If you’re not using it to it’s full potential, then you’re missing an opportunity.

So here’s a recipe to help you make good by the grill. The components are refreshingly simple; you need only dates, nuts, cheese, prosciutto, and something to hold them all together. Wooden skewers are best, but toothpicks make a close second. The payoff is a hit of honeyed sweetness from the hot dates balanced with crisp pork and the savory duo of cheese and nuts. It’s a nutritional powerhouse that’s guaranteed to impress a crowd of hungry friends.

Stuffed and Wrapped Dates

What you’ll need:
Wooden skewers or toothpicks
Dates
Goat cheese
Pecans
Prosciutto

How to make it:
1. Slice each date lengthwise to make a pocket. Spread it open, stuff in a pecan, and fill the remaining space with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Wrap the entire thing twice around with prosciutto.

2. Drive the skewer through the date, twisting slowly to work through the pecan.

3. Place the dates on the hot grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 or 3 and serve when the prosciutto is crispy. 

Via: The Ultimate Fast Grilled Appetizer

READ MORE - The Ultimate Fast Grilled Appetizer

If there were a church of pork, Memphis in May would be its Mecca. For 35 years barbecue aficionados have converged on the bank of the Mississippi River to demonstrate their mastery of ribs, shoulders, wings, whole hogs, and so on. Men’s Health is no stranger to the competition, and this year we once again signed on for three days of bacchanalian gluttony. Pigs were demolished. Beers were consumed. The details are hazy, but at one point there may have been an ice luge and a jug of moonshine. You will find few who will admit to this.

What isn’t hazy is the camaraderie and respect that competing teams showed each other during the three-day contest. Once the coals were glowing and the pork was seasoned, the world’s best pitmasters opened their doors to their rivals, offering them food and beer in exchange for stories and secrets. Only the top teams received trophies, but all teams left with full bellies and freshly charged inspiration to take back to their restaurants and backyards. Oh, and there may have been a hangover or two, but it wasn’t anything that eggs and thick-sliced bacon couldn’t cure.

In Memphis, baby backs dominate the rib category, but that’s not always the case. At The American Royal competition in Kansas City, for instance, spare ribs are more common.

Teams work quickly to get their ribs to the smoker.

David Bottagaro of The National Pork Board demonstrates how to butcher a hog.

The competition is held in Tom Lee Park, directly across the river from Arkansas.

The competition lasts only three days, but teams set up elaborate structures to welcome guests and judges.

A meat-loving festival goer competes in a Frank’s RedHot wing-eating contest. You’ve, um, you’ve got a little sauce on your … ah nevermind.

A hungry crowd attacks the table during a crawfish boil put on by The Fatback Collective.

Yep, there’s more than one way to cook a pig. This guy will hang here through the night.

Teams decorate their grills to impress the judges that come by to score the barbecue.

A team cooks down their sauce to concentrate the flavor and help it cling nicely to the meat.

Is this a perfect rib?

The teams cut carefully to extract the most pristine ribs for judging.

The Shed’s “Robo-Pig” makes for easy eating. Just reach through the skin and pull out a handful of warm pork.

You fellas know where a guy can get a bite to eat? 

Via: Inside the Ultimate BBQ Battle

READ MORE - Inside the Ultimate BBQ Battle

Welcome to the Guy Gourmet Happy Hour series. Check back here each Friday afternoon and we will hit you with a fresh and simple recipe designed by industry pros. This week: Lynchburg Lemonade.

For this holiday weekend we teamed up with Gabe Orta at Bar Lab in Miami who developed a fresh twist on the Jack Daniel’s recipe. The fresh fruit and herbs in this recipe replace dried mix and soda to create an instant, refreshing upgrade to this this classic JD staple.

Planning to crank up the BBQ this Memorial Day? This Lynchburg Lemonade’s sour mash whisky base and perfect blend of sweet, sour and even a hint of savory pair beautifully with Guy Gourmet’s ass-kicking BBQ beef brisket recipe. So cook up, cool down and let’s not forget to hoist one to our troops. Hooah!

What you’ll need:
2 oz Jack Daniel's
1 oz peach pureé (pulse 1/2 peach in a food processor)
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup (Combine 3 parts water to 2 parts simple syrup, fresh lemon and lime juice)
3 thyme sprigs

How to make it:
Add all ingredients into a shaker. Shake well and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s

 

Via: Happy Hour Upgrade Lynchburg Lemonade

READ MORE - Happy Hour Upgrade Lynchburg Lemonade

There's a difference between full and satisfied. Feed a person enough of any food and they will eventually feel full. It takes a real meal to satisfy an eater—a real meal like barbecue brisket.

Sausage, chicken, and ribs are delicious pulled off a smoker, but brisket stands as the crowning achievement of any barbecue master worth his salt rub. Cut from the front portion of the cow, wedged between fore shank and chuck cuts, the brisket is a hunk of hearty beef, tough unless prepared well. Brisket needs low heat and long cook times to turn tender—the type of environment a smoker cultivates best.

But beyond a gentle cooking process, brisket is robust. You can bombard the cut with strong spices. You can hit it with assertive wood smokes. You can even give it a few quick jabs before you throw it on the smoker. Go on, it can take it. Brisket will only reward you with deep, bold, meaty flavors accented by a spice crust so good you'll have to restrain yourself from sneaking pieces.

This Memorial Day, instead of feeding your guests until they're full, feed them until they're satisfied. Feed them with brisket.

Ancho Chile BBQ Brisket
Recipe by Jack Gilmore, executive chef of Jack Allen's Kitchen in Austin, TX

What you'll need:
1 5 to 5 1/2 pound flat-cut (also called "first-cut") with fat trimmed to ½ inch on one side
4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 cups hickory or oak wood chips, soaked in water 1 hour

How to make it:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, and spices. Rub the spice blend over the brisket. Wrap the brisket in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Prepare your smoker to 300°F. Scatter half the wood chips over the hot coals. Unwrap the brisket and arrange fat-side up on the smoker grates.

Allow the temperature to slowly fall to 250°F as the brisket cooks and then maintain that temperature, adjusting vents or adding more charcoal as needed. The brisket is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160°F, about 3 ½ hours. Allow the brisket to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Via: BBQ School Smoke Crowd-Pleasing Brisket

READ MORE - BBQ School Smoke Crowd-Pleasing Brisket