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Barbecue Cooking, Barbecue Recipes, Barbecue Sauce
Barbecue Grills are heating up everywhere with the savory smell of California BBQ and Texas Barbecue. "Jake" is a 3rd Generation Barbecue Gourmet Cook with tasty BBQ Recipes certain to make you the next great Barbecue Chef!

Bringing Europe Into The Barbecue Union

We've been off the blog circuit for the past few weeks as we've been focusing on introducing our products to Europe. We officially kicked off our European tour with travel to Norway where we presented our premium line of Jake's Barbecue Sauce, Dry Rubs and Marinades. This event was many months in the planning stage focused on taking full advantage of Norway's very limited summer period which amounts to approximately 10 weeks. Our key entry location Jacobs Markets. Jacobs is a very high quality market and grocery targeting superior service and support for its customer base. The market specializes in delicacies we don't normally see in the United States with things such as alligator, buffalo, wild game and including whale meat along with their standard offerings.


We focused on a two day event just outside the front entrance to the market with a long flat grill chocked full of burning white oak charcoal. Our faire, country style cut pork ribs, ground beef burgers and Norwegian sausages.

The crowds were amazing as lines formed around the market. Sales of Jake's Barbecue Sauce moved at a brisk pace simply by way of the extra barbecue emphasis.

The second day saw even more people come out for the event as well as purchase Jake's fine barbecue sauces. While there we had the opportunity to talk with customers, chefs, store managers and more. We also shared our recipes and the great American experience of Barbecue. Our Burgers were mixed with Jake's Barbecue Sauce, Jake's Dry Rubs and ground beef. The ribs were marinated in Jake's Barbecue Sauce and sprinkled with our Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub. The sausages were a wonderful blend of Jake's dry rubs, ground meat, curry and cheese, a really wonderful taste.

Following the outside barbecue we brought our operations into the market where we met with customers and discussed ways to Barbecue especially in areas where the weather isn't always the best. As well we discussed distinct barbecue styles, methods and recipes.

The photo at the right is an image of one of the shelves holding Jake's Barbecue sauce. Note, the pricing of items is a fair bit higher than prices in the United States. With conversion rates a small 8 oz jar of Jake's BBQ sauce is effectively $8.00 which goes along with their outrageous $10.00 a gallon gasoline. Now we clearly understand why Europeans prefer their sauces in small containers...simply cost.

In the coming months we plan to visit more European countries and further extend our support for the European market as we truly work to Bring Europe Into The Barbecue Union.

Jake
How To Use Marinades

Marinating meat can be one of the simplest and easiest ways of bringing flavor to foods. The only real limitation is "time". Planning ahead is crucial to determining the tenderness and impartation of flavor that meats experience. In this article we discuss some suggestions regarding the use of marinades, planning and the do's and don'ts to watch out for when marinating.

Regarding the actual time needed for marinating that time is usually determined by the type of meat to be marinated and the size of the cut. Typically it can take from two hours for chicken, and as long as eight hours for pork or beef. The focus being that the pork or beef has not been sliced into thin strips. When the meat is sliced into strips the marinade can cover and coat more of the surface area of the meat and will require less time to do its job.

There are some basic common sense rules that one can use to ensure that you get the maximum use out of your marinade.

•  First consider the type of container to be used when marinating. Marinate meat in a glass, heavy plastic or heavy plastic bags. Using metal aluminum and copper containers may cause the marinades' acidity to react with aluminum or copper and cause both the metal and the meat to darken leaving behind a metallic taste.
• Remove the meat after marinating and discard the leftover liquid.
• Use about 1/4 cup of marinade per pound of meat. For example, for 2 pounds of beef or chicken strips, use 1/2 cup of marinade.
• Make extra marinade and set it aside if you want some of the mixture for basting.
• Planning ahead by starting the marinade in the morning before work or school will ensure that the meat is properly marinated by the end of the day.
• Once the meat is prepared and covered with the marinade place the meat covered, in the refrigerator.
• Don't leave meat in marinade longer than 12 hours. Over marinating can make meat mushy.
• Never allow marinating meat to sit out at room temperature -- even for a short period of time.
• Discard all marinade that has touched raw meat. Do not use it in cooking.
• DON'T use marinade from raw meat or fish as a sauce.
• DON'T reuse leftover marinade for other food.

Try teriyaki marinade for an Asian dish, a red-wine based marinade for steak or a yogurt-based marinade for a Middle-Eastern dish.


How Do Grill Vents Really Work?
Although there are millions of kettle type grills in the world very few people actually know what the air vents are for or how to use them.  Here's a short primer on just what they do and how to use them. 

With a charcoal grill, air circulation keeps the coals burning. Even the largest pieces of food can be cooked just the way you like, because you control the fire temperature by opening and closing the top and bottom vents. Fire needs oxygen to burn and thus cook your food.  Opening the vents will allow more oxygen availability to be drawn into the kettle for cooking.  Managing the amount of flame and heat is relatively easy.  If the food is cooking too fast, lower the heat by closing the vents a bit. To raise the heat, open the vents to let in more air. While preheating the grill, keep the bottom vents open to help start the fire. Many charcoal grills are equipped with a lever that can be pushed to sweep the bottom vents clear of ashes, which should be done occasionally throughout the cooking period. Enough can't be said about keeping the bottom of the grill clean.  The amount of air flow and thus the amount of even cooking is determine by an even amount of air into the grill.  If the bottom grill vents are blocked by debris this may cause poorly burned charcoal and worse yet unevenly cooked food.  

When you're finished cooking, close the vents completely to snuff out the fire (do not pour water into the grill).

With a gas grill, leave the lid closed at all times in order to maintain temperature. Gas grills work best with the lid closed during cooking, so that the heat circulates around the food. 

Keep in mind that a windy day will make a charcoal grill a bit hotter (because it will oxygenate the coals), while a gas grill will run slightly cooler. Choosing a location that's sheltered from strong winds can help maintain grill temperature. 

Ensure that there is reasonable clearance between the back of the grill and any volatile surfaces like houses, plastic tables, plants and animals.  

It's also a good idea to test the vents in different positions when grilling.  Keep in mind the settings may need to be changed depending on the type of meat to be cooked and the time it takes to cook it. 

Happy Grilling!

Buying BBQ Sauce Online - What To Look For and What To Watch Out For........

There are literally hundreds and thousands of people if not more who claim to have made a super duper, mouth smacking, slap your mama, kiss the dog, bend over twice and hop, head splitting, nose burning, award winning barbecue sauce. I could go on but you get the point. The great majority better than 95% have gleaned a recipe from someone they know, gone home and transcribed it, made a couple of minor changes and call it their own. How do I know this? Because, about 20 years ago that was what we did back home. The initial recipe was handed to someone, who handed it to someone else and so on. In fact having been in this business for so long I've actually seen people take recipes off say Betty Crocker or About.com and even Cooks.com and twist those just a hair then marshal their forces, contact friends and actually sell those same copyrighted works of art in stores. Some of the most famous brands you use have actually come by way of this very process.

In this article I'm going to show you how to determine what a good barbecue sauce is made of and also what you should look out for. The field of Barbecue Sauce is vast and interpreting the field takes time. Anyone can make a recipe but blending in the right ingredients and creating a consistent product that will expand well for mass sales takes know how and patience.

Here are the top ten things to look for in a Great BBQ Sauce.

Keep in mind when I say Great I'm talking about a BBQ sauce that focuses on taste and quality and further doesn't leave you feeling bloated or with headaches or complications.

1. Ingredient mix: State and Federal requirements demand that food producers display their contents in a specific way. Disclosure means that the item that is carried in the highest volume is displayed first. For example a good recipe Barbecue sauce like http://www.jakesbbqsauce.com/ will display something other than water as the first ingredient. Water is typically the most common ingredient in recipes and is used in multiple ways, primarily to thin the product and also to allow the product to move easily during mixing. Water has no real intrinsic value for anything other than those purposes. In most cases the water that is added may or may not be filtered for processing.

2. Thinness or thickness: The viscosity of the sauce will ultimately determine how well the sauce covers your meat or can be used as a dip. Food processors use a device that measures flow and viscosity and will give a rating for BBQ sauces. Typical viscosity ratings are not disclosed as part of the labeling practice. But for the average consumer the best way to determine viscosity depending on whether the container is clear or not is by tilting the container from one side to the other. The way in which the contents move from side to side will give you your best hint of flow and clinginess when in use. It's also a good idea to hold two containers side by side tilting as you go to determine viscosity. Online though, viscosity is very difficult to determine. The best way is through the descriptive content. Words like Southern style or Texas style will give some hint as to its thickness. Also, if you hear the words mop, just think of mopping floors. Typically, mopping is done with thin liquids which require a great deal of effort (basting) during use so be prepared to spend time with products like this.

3. Sugar content: Measuring sugar contents takes some real effort. The FDA requires that all labels contain a standard nutrition panel which discloses the amount of sugar contained in a product among other things. Sugar is also one of the best ways to define a product by region. Products that are higher in sugar are typically focused in the western half of the United States. Those with less sugar typically come from the South, South East and North through Memphis all the way up through Carolina. Diabetics and those with particular sensitivities to amounts of sugar really are focusing on the total amount of sugar that can be consumed during the course of their day. It is often misleading to look at a sugar level and presume that this represents the total amount in which you will consume. The best way to determine actual consumption rates is to look at the term: Serving Size. Once you determine the serving size and consider what the product will be used for i.e., beef, pork, ribs., etc., then consider that if you cook with the Barbecue sauce that 20% of that sugar will be burned off in the cooking process. Using the Barbecue Sauce as a dip or ladling it on will increase the amount of sugar you may ingest.

4. Fat Content: Fat is in some ways a mysterious part of the Barbecue world. You would not normally think that there would be fat in Barbecue sauce. But much to the contrary fat is contained in some of the key ingredients. What matters in the case of fat is whether or not the fat is saturated or not. In 2005 the Federal Government mandated that all products identify themselves as to whether they contain fat or not and at what levels and also if that fat is saturated or not. Compliant Barbecue sauces will be quick to disclose on the label the following terms: "Not a significant source of saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber and calcium". Note this representation is based on the FDA standard Percent of Daily Values for a 2000 calorie diet. A good Barbecue sauce will indicate things like olive oil or some other oil combination. Bad Barbecue sauces may not fully disclose where their fat comes from. I knew a company once that actually captured the drippings from pork ribs and bottled that with their sauce. They say they loved the taste but the fat content was so high the sauce barely moved in the jar when it was cold. Best bet, consider a healthy focus on minimizing your fat intake.

5. Salt and Sodium: Just like Sugar the same can be said for Salt intake. Keep in mind where the term salt is placed on the ingredient label. Count the number of lines down before you get to the word salt. If salt appears in the first three words of the formula think seriously before buying the product if it is a barbecue sauce. In some products like dry rubs salt may be one of 5 components that make up the product so in that case the focus should be more on use as to why the product is being selected. Salt intake is easy to overlook. You'll find it in cereal and mayonnaise, and popcorn and bread and everything else we eat. Keeping tabs on the 2000 calorie diet and what percentage salt should play can be difficult. The FDA says that for a healthy 25 year old sodium intake should not exceed 1500 mg per day. Think twice if you see Sodium levels displayed at greater than 10% of your daily volume. The lower the better, but good sodium levels for Barbecue Sauce range in the 4-8% levels.

6. Chemical additives: This is a key are of concern for many Barbecue shoppers. Unknowingly buyers will select a product based on their "catchy" name thinking that the contents will some how be glorified by that name. We are a visual society and fancy, catchy names tend to drive sales. But go beyond the catchy names and labels and look deeply into the ingredient listing. Look for words like MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), Dextrose (a simple sugar derived from grains like corn, wheat and rice), Xanthan Gum (A natural carbohydrate gum used as a thickener and emulsion stabilizer), Sodium Benzoate (a white crystalline salt used as a food preservative and antiseptic), Modified Food Starch (a food additive which is prepared by treating starch or starch granules, causing the starch to be partially degraded) and others. These items not only indentify the make up of the product but can help you quickly determine the lack of creativity used to create a product. In cases where High Fructose Corn Syrup (malt dextrin), sodium benzoate, msg, and modified food starch are used these signal the desire of the manufacture to use the least amount of ingredients to expand their sales. Selling barbecue sauce is a balancing act like many products and manufacturers have to decide if they want to sell something great and natural which costs more and may not sell as fast or if they want to sell something cheap which sells more quickly. Attraction and return purchases are appealed to by increased uses of salt, liquid smoke, sugar and msg. I know two very large providers of Barbecue sauce who started with really great recipes, but when they expanded their products for mass markets they found that could not compete against cheaper products. They got those sales by thinning out the product, adding chemical sugars and food enhancers and stepping up the amounts of liquid smoke to simulate a hickory taste. Bad barbecue sauces will seek to hide those ingredients with attempts at high degrees of advertising to redirect the ingredient focus and sell their products.

8. Shelf life: It is a good idea to pay specific attention to the shelf life of the product. A good barbecue sauce will have shelf life in excess of 12 months. This is important primarily for opening and usage. A sauce may identify its use as 12 months but because of the ingredients contained may only last 3 months after opening. Most labeled sauces have either the address or website on the container. On the internet one can send an email to the website host to question not only the longevity of the sauce but its lividity as well. If a Barbecue sauce has been opened the product should remain usable for ½ the overall shelf life. This of course depends on the conditions in which the product is stored, i.e, room temperature, not over 75 degrees F, or in overly moist area that can promote mold. As for coding, there are a number of ways to identify the shelf life date on containers. Some containers will identify the date with Useby011012 which is interpreted as the product is "best" used by January 10, 2012. Note the term best does not mean that the product automatically spoils once it reaches that date. Instead the term is meant to identify that the greatest or highest flavor of the product is achieved prior to that date and will decrease over time following that date. Further some manufacturers will use lot numbers such as 8095B1618 to identify their product dates. This information requires the sales location or the producer to identify the production date and the shelf life.

9. Label Combinations: Over the years manufacturers have used many, many combinations of ingredients to create products. With the increase is copyright violations and trademark infringements lawyers and corporations began cracking down on manufacturers who knowingly use trademark terms in their labels. Terms such as Tobasco, or Dr. Pepper or Best Foods or other may open up manufacturers to lawsuits. These corporations want to be paid for their specific naming use and certainly are happy to have their products used in the sauce but of course they will allow usage of their names at a price. Manufacturers got around this by hiring Food Scientists and Food Developers that are trained in the art of food chemical make up and reactions. Working with these individuals, manufacturers are able to mimic certain shelf products. The FDA requires that mimicked products be identified. Two very common mimicked products are Ketchup and Tobasco. Ketchup uses a formulation similar to (tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, onion powder, spice and natural flavoring). Tobasco will be indentified in a similar way but serves to recreate the taste of the product without having to identify the trademark maker.

10. Price: This is usually the best identifier for determining whether you'll end up with a quality Barbecue Sauce. Producers who focus on price as opposed to quality have a lower threshold to meet in order to break even on the sale of their products. Their overall belief is that by selling in quantity they will make back their initial investment in a faster way and will outsell the competition. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that is so very far from the truth. Our experience has always been that people will pay for what they believe to be quality Barbecue Sauce, as long as the producer is up front and honest with the consumer. A quality product need not be flashy or have some comical name that promotes something audacious. A quality product need only identify itself plainly, outline its true reason for existing as well as exulting the benefits for the consumer which that person will undoubtedly determine once they use the product. In addition highly regulated testing organizations which can test and review products and hold their reputations in high esteem are integral in determining whether Barbecue products are good and a good value.

This list represents 10 of the most common things to look for when selecting a great versus bad barbecue sauce. Sauce tastes are objective and the only way for most people to truly differentiate quality from commonness is by the products' makeup. We have presumed here that most consumers would rather have products which are wholesome, healthy and great tasting, leaving behind the sodium, sugar, and chemicals that make up so many products nowadays. We will in the coming days identify more ways to determine quality barbecue sauces and hope that this information has been helpful to you toward making your buying decisions.

We look forward to providing more information soon.

Jake, and Jake's BBQ Sauce Company (http://www.jakesbbqsauce.com/) maker of all natural barbecue sauce, dry rub seasonings and marinades.
Do You Really Need To Clean Your Grill?
Over the years I've received this as one of my most asked questions. To help people get started working the grill this year I'm re-posting this response. Grilling is one of the most fun and easy things you'll do in life. It pays to do it right so that you can enjoy it and spend more time doing the thing you really love....eating barbecue.






Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Dry Rub What is it?
Over the past couple of months the weather has started to get a bit warmer. This is usually the time that online searches start to heat up for all things Barbecue. All in all this is great for me as I run a company that sells barbecue products. I also notice a growing interest in something I've promoted on my site Jake's BBQ Sauce http://www.jakesbqsauce.com from the very beginning...Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Dry Rub and recipes. For those of you who don't know Santa Maria Tri-Tip barbecues came into existence in the 1800s primarily in the region known as Santa Maria. Santa Maria is situated on the Central California coast about 70 miles north of Santa Barbara and 30 miles south of San Luis Obispo, CA. The Vaqueros and Caballeros or essentially the western ranch Cowboys held Bar-B-Ques in which every part of the cow was actually cooked. Those Bar-B-Ques were popularized at gatherings and broadened in towns surrounding the central coast. For that reason this style of barbecue has been known as a primarily western style held mostly in this region.

The meat however can be located in different parts of the country but unfortunately few butchers east of Denver have even cut a Tri-Tip let alone know what it is. That is unfortunate for them becasue once they've tried it they ask the same question every time. Where can I get the meat? Well we can't get you the meat be we can get you the dry rub formulas. Now, keep in mind when these barbecues became really popular the cuts of meat became more expense so cooks opted for the use of Top Round Sirloin. But over the years there was a re-birth of all things western which was considered unique so Santa Maria laid claim to that old style of barbecue now called Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip and even went so far as to copyright the name. The Santa Maria Elks Club went one step further by gravitating back to the original style of meat used in these barbecues know as Tri-Tip. This cut was both flavorful and easy to cook. And it took care of a cut of meat that would have normally been discarded or sold for soups.

To help people better utilize this excellent cut of meat I've laid down a series of Tri-Tip Dry Rub Recipes that I've collected over the years. Each is labeled with a name that's easy to remember and the ingredients I'm sure you can find most of them in your kitchen. But, in the big scheme of things making recipes is "work" it takes time and energy and a great deal of focus to make a really great recipe...believe me I know. If you find that you don't have the ingredients, time or just don't want to do the "work" then I would suggest you shortcut the process and just buy Jake's Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub, it's simpler and the taste we believe is far superior than some of the rubs shown below.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. One other note in the coming days I'm going to begin a new series devoted to global barbecue. I've traveled the globe for years doing barbecues so it's time to start laying out how barbecue is done all over the globe. I'll also have a new eBook out that focuses on global barbecue as well as some of my adventures, you'll see that on my BBQ site.

-- Jake

Tri-Tip Rub Standard Format
• 1 part coarse salt, such as sea salt
• 1 part coarse ground pepper
• 1 part dried parsley flakes
• 1 part dried garlic flakes
• Mix and shake as normal

Culinary Style Tri-Tip Dry Rub Recipe
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 cloves crushed garlic

Basic Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
A simple recipe that works best when the meat is cooked over red oak fire.
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Citrus Style Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
• 4 teaspoons Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Paprika
• 2 teaspoons Dried orange peel
• 1 teaspoon Chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Herb Based Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

Beef Roast Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
• 4 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard

Sandwich Style Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Quick Version Tri-Tip, Dry Rub Recipe
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper

Enjoy. Jake (http://www.jakesbbqsauce.com)
10 Easy BBQ Techniques That Work
Use these proven techniques to improve the quality of your next meal.

1. Save money and time by selecting the best cut of meat you can afford.

• Good quality meat relies on tenderness and flavor and is directly related to what part of the animal the meat comes from and also in a lesser way how you cook it. Your selection for beef will depend primarily on the purpose for the cut as well as key factors like color of the meat, cherry red, marbling or fat content, age of the cut and days until the meat is determined unsafe to eat. Buy the highest USDA grade available that is compatible with your purse strings. Be careful not to get caught up in the hype of supermarket "fantasy" names like butcher's cut or Five Star Prime. The terms are focused on deception as they attempt to sell lesser quality meats for upper quality prices to an unknowing public.

2. Never reuse Marinades

• A tenderizing marinade contains a food acid or a tenderizing enzyme. Acidic ingredients include lemon or lime juice, vinegar, Italian dressing, salsa, yogurt and wine. Marinades are generally used with less tender beef cuts- usually from the chuck, round, flank and skirt marinating from 2 to 4 hours. Less tender steaks should be marinated at least 6 hours, but no more than 24 hours. Longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy texture.
• Never save and reuse a used marinade. Reuse may not only spoil or contaminate meat, be reused marinade may contain bacteria which can make you and your guests sick, costing you discomfort and certainly time.

3. Soak wood chips before using to prolong smoke and life.

• Soaking wood chips allows the wood to absorb the water causing longer periods of smoldering where smoke is produced. Always hold some chips aside that are continuously soaking in water. As the used chips burn add handfuls of new chips to keep up a continuous level of smoke. Un-soaked wood chips will burn faster requiring more chips and thus will cost you more to maintain the same smoke level.

4. Never add lighter fluid directly to a flaming grill.

• Adding lighter fluid will not only produce carcinogens but will cause flare ups and may lead to training flames that follow the liquid into your container. The worst part is that lighter fluid can leave a sour taste to the meat spoiling your meal.

5. Using the right amount of heat to grill foods will save your time and money.

• Heat management is key to a great barbecue. buy one or two small grill gauges that measure heat. Place the gauges at opposite corners of the grill and measure the heat. Add more charcoals or turn up the gas to keep a good average amount of heat. You will find that there are sections of the grill which are hotter and cooler. Keeping the heat managed will cook your meal evenly saving you time.

6. Thaw food properly before grilling.

• Improperly thawed foods will cook much like thawed foods and may produce the same doneness signature when temperature are measured. However, improperly thawed foods will remain cold and raw in the center and may actually increase production of bacteria when left out. Always allow meats to thaw properly in the refrigerator then properly season and grill.

7. Keeping food warm during transport is just as important as keeping warm when removed from the grill. Try out two or three of the methods to see which one works best for you.

• Water coolers can be used to keep food warm too. Line it aluminum foil, and pad it with towels. Avoid having hot dishes touch the sides of the cooler directly so that it doesn't melt the plastic cooler.


• Make a hot water bath. You can put smaller pots or bowls into a bigger pot with a little bit of hot water, then cover it. It will keep things nice and warm, and moist.


• Use a chafing dish. The high-end version of the water bath is to use a chafing dish. They can be pricey, but if you entertain a lot, they look nice on the table, and they're very convenient.

8. Knowing which woods to use for wood smoking will save you time and illness. Wood smoking involves three basic forms of wood smoke. Hot smoking, Smoke-roasting or Smoke-baking, Cold smoking. The most common safe woods are:

• Alder: A subtle, medium smoky flavor.
• Hickory: Heavy smoke flavor. One of the most popular woods.
• Mesquite: Light, sweet and subtle. Another very popular wood.

There are many other woods to use, however, always check online guides and information to make sure the wood you use is safe. Woods like Eucalyptus are known for their sub level poisonous nature and may not only sauce illness but death, be careful to use woods that are commonly known for safety.

9. Cleaning your grill before use can actually improve its performance and produce a better meal.

• Most grill manufacturers recommend cleaning your grill after every use. By cleaning the grill you actually allow the grill grates to heat to their intended temperature creating a better sear and grilling result on your meat. Caked on or charred on meats from previous grill sessions can actually distort the cooking temperature requiring more heat and time to cook your meal.

10. Using quality all natural barbecue sauce, dry rubs and marinades can not only improve the taste of the meal but increase the satisfaction of your guests.

• Barbecue sauces, dry rubs and marinades are all intended to tenderize the meat and add flavor. Lesser sauces, dry rubs and marinades use ingredients although not considered unsafe can actually collect to leave one feeling bloated and heavy. These ingredients may actually burn faster on the meat causing increased usage and thus more money to get the same flavor. A good quality, naturally made barbecue sauce, dry rub and marinade uses better, natural ingredients that tenderize the meat naturally. These ingredients will stay on the meat longer and will actually require less of the ingredients to do the same job of the cheaper sauces and dry rub. Using all the natural ingredients will also help you stay in shape improving how you feel after the meal because they do not contain, corn syrup, MSG, high amounts of sodium, artificial sweeteners and strange chemical combinations. The end result you use less, get better flavor and your guests are happier for your effort. See what all the talk is about by trying Jake's All Natural BBQ Sauce, Dry Rub Seasonings and Marinades today.

-- Jake
Steak Diane Jake's Style
This is one of the best, and tastiest steak recipes I've ever adapted. Do yourself a favor and try this recipe!

Steak Diane Jake's Style with fingerling potatoes and asparagus

Ingredients:
• 4 Shallots slices
• Olive Oil
• 4 Button Mushrooms (Optional Baby Portabello Mushrooms)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 Clove Crushed Garlic
• 3 Tb Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tb Mustard
• 3 Tb Brandy
• 2 Rib Eye or New York Steaks
• 1 Cutting Board
• 1 Roller Pin
• 2 Tb Jake's Tri-Tip Rub
• 1 Cast Iron Cooking Pan
• 1/4 cup Double Cream
• 1 Bunch Asparagus

Fingerling Potatoes Recipe:
6 Fingerling Potatoes
Salt Pepper
Rosemary Dried or Fresh
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Tbs butter

Steps:
Season cutting board with with 1 Tb jake's Tri-Tip Rub (Sprinkle rub all over clean board), add 1 tsp salt and pepper to board as well. Lay steaks on board. Season tops of steaks with dry rub, salt and pepper. Roll steaks with rolling pin to flatten steaks. Press firmly rolling 4 or 5 time over the steak.

In cast iron pan heat till hot adding olive oil until oil smokes lightly. Add steaks cooking them on both sides until medium. Remove steaks and hold on a warming plate.

In cast iron pan combine shallots, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, mustard, worcestershire sauce, Jake's Tri-Tip Rub, salt and pepper. Sautee 5 minutes until shallots and garlic have completely blended and are soft.

Add double cream and let simmer for 3 minutes. Add steaks and simmer for 4 minutes turning halfway through.

Flambee with Brandy. To Flambee, Add Brandy to simmering steaks and sauce mixture. Tilt pan towards stove flame and light brandy. Keep a pan lid handy in case fire gets out of hand. Let flame burn down completely. If your stove does not contain gas burners use an all purpose lighter to burn off brandy. Simmer 2 minutes.

Remove from cast iron pan, place on warming plate and hold.

Fingerling potatoes
To make fingerling potatoes, cut potatoes in half. Put Olive oil in Cast Iron pan and bring to heat. Season potatoes with salt, garlic, and rosemary. Add Olive oil and butter to pan. Place potatoes in hot pan cut side down and cook until done. Turn potatoes at the end and cook 1 additional minute.

Remove potatoes and join with steaks.

Asparagus
Clean asparagus and remove white ends if any from stems. Add olive oil, salt and butter to cast iron pan and sautee until asparagus is tender. Remove and combine with steak and potatoes on warming plate. If desired asparagus can be grilled to reduce oil content.

Add garnish of chopped parsley on plate.

Serve.
Pulled Pork Recipe Takes Tailgating to New Heights
With new found focus on tailgating at sports events Jake's matched skills with JT (New Jersey) who created a warm and hearty meal just right for tailgaters. This recipe is called JT's Hot & Sweet Pulled Pork.













Jake's Family Secret Steak Recipe
Summertime means summer barbecues with steaks, ribs and chops with great salads, desserts and drinks. We have the perfect steak recipe that's easy to make and everyone will enjoy. This is a no hassle recipe that will leave your steaks grilled to perfection. So, pass this along to anyone that doesn't know how to grill steaks or has difficulty with grilling.



Published Review - Jake's Barbecue Sauces - Medium Hot and Inferno


Keeping food warm during and after grilling or transporting
When catering, one of the biggest issues we have is keeping the food warm after it has been grilled sometime earlier or in a different location from which it is served. This is a common problem many people face and so we'd thought we'd help shed some light on the different ways we've tried to do this. Try out two or three of the methods to see which one works best for you.

Water coolers can be used to keep food warm too. Line it with aluminum foil, and pad it with towels. Avoid having hot dishes touch the sides of the cooler directly so that it doesn't melt the plastic cooler.

Use coffee carafes or ice buckets. Thermal carafes and insulated ice buckets are also great at keeping things warm. You probably can't fit as much, but they're the perfect size for something like gravy.

Use a tinfoil hat. No, not to make sure that aliens can't read your mind. Make a tent with the foil with the shiny side down, and cover things like turkey to retain the heat.

Make a hot water bath. You can put smaller pots or bowls into a bigger pot with a little bit of hot water, then cover it. It will keep things nice, warm, and moist.

Use a chafing dish. The high-end version of the water bath is to use a chafing dish. They can be pricy, but if you entertain a lot, they look nice on the table, and they're very convenient.

Use your crockpot or slow cooker. Just set it on low and use it for things like soups, mashed potatoes, or stuffing.

For ovens, use a moist towel under the pot cover. If you are putting dishes in the oven to keep them warm, consider putting a damp towel under the lid of dishes that you want to keep moist like mashed potatoes.

Steam trays. For pastas and lasagnas these trays will keep items warm for hours, many can be purchased along with sterno or heat gels or rented.

Portable electric and butane grill plates. In outdoor environments often times the only source of energy available is electrical. If that's the case you can either bring along a small one or two burner electric or purchase a small butane gas grill plate. Either will provide exceptional point of use heat similar to stove top cooking. The portability of the units make them well fitted for quick setup, use, and removal.
Jake’s @ San Francisco Fancy Food Show 2009
Jake’s Barbeque Sauce and Seasonings Company attend the 2009 San Francisco Fancy Food Show. This is Jake’s 4th year of representation at the show presenting many of its current and future products. “This year’s show was special because we were able to showcase our Kiwi Lime Raspberry Marinade, a marinade and basting sauce and dressing consisting of 100% Natural Kiwi, Raspberries, extra virgin olive oil and Lime Juice enhanced by a splash of all natural pineapple juice for sweetness. This is a true gourmet product,” said Cleo Calloway, of the Jake’s team. In addition to our Kiwi Lime Raspberry we announced some exciting new products from our product alliance team, in the coming months you’ll see Jake’s in all new forms and types. Our export team has been working on re-packaging Jake’s into sizes suitable for our international customers, we now believe we have an innovative form of presentation not seen in the United States.“


Roasted Chicken in Kiwi Lime Demi Glace
This is a timeless roasted chicken recipe your guests and family will love. Recently, I worked with a gourmet chef at a very well know LA restaurant to develop this recipe. These ingredients combine to deliver an exceptionally high class meal with some very everyday foods and spices like chicken, black pepper, brown sugar and more. Try this recipe for the family or some special friends they will be impressed.
Jake’s Portabella Mushroom Blue Cheese Hamburgers
I recently had a football viewing party and wanted a special recipe that would not only fit the bill but leave the audience talking. I came up with this recipe as a blend of gourmet mixed with some everyday great American cooking.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground Top Sirloin beef
4-5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons Jake's Southwestern Hickory Dry Rub
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
6 Medium Size Portabella Mushroom
2 teaspoon dry mustard
6 Kaiser Buns, French rolls or hamburger buns
8 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Smoked Hickory Salt

Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly blend together the blue cheese, chives, Southwestern Hickory Dry Rub, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, smoked hickory salt, and mustard. Once dry ingredients are blended completely mix in the ground Top Sirloin. Form into 6 or more hamburger patties and place in container. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Clean and de-stem the Portabella mushrooms. Coat with olive oil and place in container. Brush buns lightly with olive oil or butter. Buns will be toasted later on the grill.

Preheat grill for high heat. Oil the grill grate to reduce sticking of burgers. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until they reach desired doneness.

While grilling burgers, grill Portabella Mushrooms. Grill high heat 4 minutes per side. Mushrooms may look black or charred which is fine. Once mushrooms or burgers become done remove and replace with buns.
Once grill marks and golden appearance is complete on buns remove from grill.

Condiments:
Deli style ground mustard
Tomatoes
Spring lettuce
Pickles
Ketchup
Mayonnaise

Remove grilled/toasted buns and baste both sides with mayonnaise mustard and ketchup. Place burger on bun and top with Portabella mushroom. Add Tomato, lettuce and pickles.

Serve.

Old School Barbecuing and Grilling
As the weather gets cooler it can make it a little tough to get the grill going. But don't let that stop you. In fact I was watching the Santa Ana winds whistle through the trees in my yard the other day when I noticed my Old School Grill just standing there proudly waiting to be used. Over the years I've used at least a hundred different types of grills, small ones, big ones, fancy ones, and really expensive ones. But the one grill I always go back to is my Old School Grill. I think it's because of the construction and the way that it just sort of naturally smokes the food even without having to add wood chips. My grill was constructed by my brother and after some furious negotiating, I'm sure he thinks he got the better of the deal. But let me tell you, no he didn't, I rolled away with the grill of a lifetime. I've included a two pictures of my grill for inspection.

The Secret to keeping your sauce fresh for 3 extra months
Along with getting asked a number of questions about our sauces, many people ask about simple preservation methods. Meaning, how long can you actually keep a barbecue sauce in the refrigerator before it spoils? Jake's sauces are good for 18 months on the shelf, unopened. But of course how long can they keep when opened? Typically, a good sauce constructed out of quality ingredients can keep in a cool dry place with a 40 degree temperature for about 5 months after opening and before you can begin to notice some taste changes.

New Food Trends: Glazes and Glazing
Over the last two months we've been doing cooking shows and barbecue events. Although these have been quite time consuming I've managed to keep my ear to the ground regarding a new trend-Glazing.










Marinades and Marinating
About a week ago while in the midst of demonstrating our sauces and seasonings at Bristol Farms someone told us how much they liked our marinades. The timing on this conversation was impeccable because I told them we were just about to re-release our Kiwi Lime Raspberry marinade. We held the Kiwi Lime Raspberry off the market until we reformulated it and could personally supervise the production. Well, all that reforming and production happened just the other day so now it's time to get the product out the door.

• A flavoring marinade is many times used with tender beef cuts for a short time - 15 minutes to 2 hours.


• A tenderizing marinade is used with less tender beef cuts - usually from the chuck, round, flank and skirt.


• A tenderizing marinade contains a food acid or a tenderizing enzyme.
  Acidic ingredients include lemon or lime juice, vinegar, Italian dressing, salsa, yogurt and wine.


• Tenderizing enzymes are present in fresh ginger, pineapple, papaya, kiwi and figs.


• Less tender steaks should be marinated at least 6 hours, by no more than 24 hours. Longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy texture.


• Tenderizing marinades penetrate about ¼ inch into the meat.


• Marinate in a food-safe plastic bag or a nonreactive glass or stainless steel container.


• Turn steaks or stir beef strips occasionally to allow even exposure to the marinade.


• Allow ¼ to ½ cup of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of beef. About half as much can be used for fish or chicken.


• ALWAYS marinate in the refrigerator, NEVER at room temperature.


• If a marinade will be used later for basting, or served as a sauce, reserve a portion of it before adding the raw beef.


• Marinade that has been in contact with uncooked meat MUST be brought to a full rolling boil before it can be used as a sauce.


• NEVER save and reuse a marinade.

With these great tips you'll be able to use any marinade effectively and safely. If you need some great recipes follow our link. If you need assistance with the process don't hesistate to give us a call.

Jake

Mile Long Barbecue



Six Tons of Charcoal, Twelve Tons of Beef, and a Barbecue Grill over a mile long. All enough for a World Record Barbecue - Watch it!
Journey of a Barbecue Champion

It's a long road and lots of hard work to become a Barbecue World Champion. Watch this video to see how two pros do it.
Grilled Corn On The Cob
I was out in my garden collecting corn for tonight's dinner when I thought...hey, I haven't put my Grilled Corn On The Cob recipe on line....well here it is. Enjoy!





Fish Marinated in Tomato and Caper Paste with Jake’s Mesa Breeze Basil Lime infused Marinade

I have many, many great recipes and so while thumbing through some of them I found this great fish recipe. This is a dish that can be prepared on the barbie or in your oven. It's an upscale dish that's really easy to make. In addition to that when you use Jake's Basil Marinade you get this nice Rosemary, Tarragon flavoring with a little spice kick behind it...exceptional!

Serving size: Serves 6
Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes

Excellent for fish, chicken, beef, lamb.

Fish is best marinated for no more than 20 minutes. Recipe is best cooked just before serving.

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup mayonnaise
cooking oil spray
6 thick firm white fish fillets

TOMATO AND CAPER PASTE
¼ cup tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2/3 cup capers, rinsed, drained
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small red chili, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves
4 oz Jake’s Mesa Breeze Basil Lime Infused Marinade


PROCESS
TOMATO AND CAPER PASTE: Blend or process tomato paste, garlic, capers, fennel seeds, oil, chili and dill leaves until almost smooth.

Combine ¼ cup of the Tomato, Caper Paste and Jake’s Mesa Breeze Basil Lime Infused Marinade with the mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Line an oven tray with foil, spray with cooking oil spray.

Place the fish on the prepared tray; spread the remaining Tomato and Caper Paste on top side of fish. Cook the fish under a preheated grill or covered barbecue until the flesh flakes and is just cooked through.

Serve fish with green salad, lemon wedges and the mayonnaise mixture.

This marinated fish recipe is a true crowd pleaser. All fish lovers will line up early to get their share!
Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Barbecue Cooking

Back in the 70's I was fortunate enough to go to college on the Central Coast of California. Soon after renting off campus apartments came my first contact with Tri-Tip. One of our neighbors had been an Ag major and decided he would cook up some Tri-Tip, a meat I'd heard little about. But being from the Central Valley of California we knew meat, ribs, chicken, pork, you know the mainstays and we knew how to barbecue. But, the Tri-Tip he grilled that day set my tastebuds off like nothing else. I can still remember like it was yesterday the techinique he used and the garlic bread and beans....

Now, just imagine your own sights, sounds and smells of Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip barbecue, the kind that was normally grilled on large grated open air barbecue grills, along with buttered and grilled french bread, fresh salsa, and pinquito beans piled high. Imagine them all cooking in your backyard with that special secret recipe Santa Maria Style Barbecue rub enhanced with tarragon, oregano and golden brown sugar, now all you need is your favorite beverage and to be left alone.

Here's our very favorite recipe for great Tri-Tip.
Season your Tri-Tip with Jake's Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub. Allow Jake's Barbecue Seasoning Rub to marinate on the Tri-Tip no less than 45 minutes before grilling. Barbecue grilling is the preferred method but your Tri-Tip can be oven cooked if desired. After seasoning and marinating place your Tri-Tip on the hottest part of the grill. Coals should be ashed over completely white before adding the meat. Sear the meat for 3-4 minutes per side. Once done move the meat to the coolest portion of the gill. Cover the grill with the lid and cook for approximately 15 minutes. After the 15-minute interval turn the Tri-Tip over and begin checking the Tri-Tip with a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature, which in turn determines how well to cook the meat.

Finish the Tri-Tip to your preferred temperature listed below.

If you choose to use our Barbecue glaze make special note as the meat nears 15-20 degrees of your desired temperature begin applying the Glaze. Fully cover the Tri-Tip and allow the glaze to cook on for 5 minutes, turn and apply again. Coat the meat at least 3 times on both sides ultimately allowing the glaze to bake on for fifteen minutes or more. Once done allow the meat to cool for 2-3 minutes then go to the cutting board. The glaze can be reapplied to the meat one last time just before cutting if you desire.

Follow the scale below:
125 to 130 Degrees --- Rare
130 to 140 Degrees --- Medium Rare
140 to 150 Degrees --- Medium
150 to 160 Degrees --- Medium Well
160 to 170 Degrees --- Well to Very Well

This Tri-Tip recipe is easy to prepare and is incredibly delicious! In fact it's so great I use it in my Jake's Gourmet Chicken Grill W/Can recipe.

This Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Recipe will kick your barbecue skills into high gear and make other BBQ Rub recipes pale in comparison.
How To Make A Trashcan BBQ Smoker
Great Tasting BBQ does not have to come from an expensive BBQ Grill! Ingenuity and know how make a great BBQ Smoker from materials you can get at a Garage Sale or Second Hand Store!



Make SURE you don't buy a galvanized trash can. Ask the nice man at the hardware store before you give up your cash. You don't want to be grilling up toxic chemicals!

If you make one of these home made smokers, send us a picture of it and we'll make you famous!

Nothing brings out the flavor in Smoked Meats like Jake's BBQ Sauce and Dry Rubs..

Try some on your new Home Made Smoker!

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