Selecting meat for BBQ

Good BBQ starts with good meat.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good meat, but quality matters for the best results. In this article, we’re going to cover meat selection and what to look for in various meats like beef brisket and steak, pork shoulder and ribs, and chicken.

What to look for when selecting meat for BBQ

Don’t be afraid of fat — Fat is flavor. No, you don’t want a judge or your guests to bite into a hunk of grisly fat, but fat is crucial in the cooking process to ensure your meat doesn’t dry out. Fat, once rendered, gives you that juicy, rich result that you and the judges want.

When selecting beef, marbling and intramuscular fat are good. When it comes to ribeye steaks, for example, seek out a cut with a tri-heart and/or spinalis around the outer edge. Marbling, as well as a beautiful money muscle, is key for pork shoulder selection, too.

Look for uniformity — A uniformly cut piece of meat will cook evenly. You don’t want part of the meat to be done long before the rest. Look for uniform thickness, regardless of the cut. This is especially important when it comes to pork ribs. Look for straight, even bones and consistent thickness. The rack itself should be flexible enough to curve, but not crack.

Check the color — The color of a piece of meat can tell you a lot about it. For example, when selecting chicken, you want it to be pink and even in tone, with no blotchy areas. Beef should be bright red. Dark red or browning meat could be a sign of oxidation.

Consider the cut and how you’re going to cook it — Different meats are better for different things. For example, are you smoking or roasting meat, or cooking it in the crockpot? A big piece of meat can stand up to a long cook without drying out. It will slowly break down over time as it cooks in its own juices.

Or are you grilling or cooking hot and fast? If so, look for lean meats like filet mignon or chicken breasts. They are delicious with a nice crisp sear or grill marks on the outside, which can easily be obtained in a short cook.

Where to find great meat

As a professional BBQer for nearly 20 years, I’ve sourced meat from all over the place. In my opinion, and many BBQ competitors will agree, Snake River Farms is the pinnacle for all things beef. Prairie Fresh has served as a solid supporter of mine when it comes to pork products.

I scour Costco, the grocery store and local butcher shops. Make friends with the butcher or meat purveyor at your neighborhood mom-and-pop meat market. They can help you find what you are looking for and maybe even order it for you.

Whether I have a cook coming up or not, I’m always on the hunt for a good piece of meat. If I find one, I’ll set up a practice cook (around here, we like to call it cooking for sport) or put it in the freezer for a future cook. Good meat is hard to find — so don’t let it get away!

Top three tips for meat selection:

• Start with high-quality meat. Think USDA prime for beef.

• Look for marbling. Some fat is good, but avoid large or thick pieces of fat — or be prepared to trim them down.

• Consider the cook. How you’re planning on cooking or preparing the meat will determine what cut to look for.

What to do once you’ve selected your meat

Meat selection isn’t everything. You still gotta cook it. Whether you are cooking for a BBQ competition or in your backyard for your family and friends, a lot of factors will determine how your meat turns out. Seasoning, temperature, style of cooking, airflow, time management — there are so many things that can affect the result. The bottom line is that meat selection is important, but it’s not everything.

Start with high-quality meat and maintain that same level of attention to detail in every part of your process. Don’t forget practice. Perfecting a skill like BBQ’ing, or any other cooking method, takes practice, the willingness to learn and to try again if something doesn’t come out quite right. Relax and keep it fun. It’s just meat. Happy smokin’!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Selecting meat for BBQ

Q: Do I always need to buy the most expensive meat for great BBQ?
A: Not always. Yes, higher-quality meat can give you better results, but you don’t have to spend a fortune on every piece of meat. Spend where it’s going to make a difference. But knowing what to look for, like marbling, uniformity and freshness, is just as important as quality.

Q: Is fat good or bad when selecting meat for BBQ?
A: Fat is essential for flavor and moisture, especially during long cooks. Look for good marbling and intramuscular fat, but avoid large, hard chunks of fat unless you’re going to trim them.

Q: How important is uniformity when choosing meat?
A: Uniform thickness helps meat cook evenly, reducing the risk of dry or overcooked sections. This is especially important when it comes to ribs and steaks.

Q: Does meat color really matter?
A: Color can help you determine the freshness of the meat. Beef should be bright red, pork should look fresh and pink, and chicken should have an even pink tone with no blotchy spots.

Q: Should my cooking method affect the cut of meat I buy?
A: Large, well-marbled cuts are best for low-and-slow cooking, while leaner cuts are better for hot-and-fast cooking, grilling and searing. Matching the cut to the cook is key to great results.