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When Is the Best Time To Put BBQ Sauce To Steak

When Is the Best Time To Put BBQ Sauce To Steak

Want steak with bbq sauce then you'll need to know what so many want to know. How do you know When to put Barbecue Sauce on Steak? The question seems simple enough...but wait there's more.

When to put Barbecue Sauce on Steak is a deep abiding question that requires further investigation as well as How To Use BBQ Sauce on Steak.  Most of the experts I talk to in the BBQ biz who have made hundreds of steaks, chicken and ribs have thought critically about the question, can you put barbecue sauce on steak? Let's talk about the consensus of Executive Chefs, grill masters, bbq cooks, restaurateurs and general industry folk along with some key factbites.  In almost every case (97% to be exact) said, putting Sauces on Steak while on the grill was a NO, NO. But they did agree that having the right BBQ Sauce on steak while grilling added immense flavor without covering up the taste of the steak. 

The above response leads us to the question when should it be applied? If adding a BBQ Sauce for steak is the question then how do you want your steak to turn out? Is your meat a tender filet, or a tough sirloin? If the answer is tough sirloin then you'll want the BBQ Sauce to marinate on the beef assisting in breaking down some muscle fiber which acts to tenderize the meat. A Brine will achieve the same thing in terms of marination but one must be careful to remove the brined meat in a timely fashion so as not to make the meat soggy. If using BBQ Sauce on the sirloin place the meat in a container, either plastic bag with a seal or container with a lid. The container should not be more than 2 times the size of the steak.

First check the ingredient label of the BBQ Sauce, note where things like Vinegar, and oil, and any mustard are listed relative to all the other ingredients. This will tell you whether or not your sauce is a marinating sauce or a strictly tasting sauce. When Vinegar appears at the end of the label you can bet the sauce has more taste capabilities than marinating. Overall this will mean that you need to add at least 30 minutes to an hour more of marinating time to achieve results when the amount of vinegar or mustard is small. 

Marinating and Barbecue Sauce - When to put it on steak

After marinating remove the steak from the marinade and discard. The marinade should not be used for anything else. For safety and health reasons just toss it away. You don't have to scrape any off your steak just wrap it in foil or put it in a clean bag or container and rest it in the fridge until your grill is ready. Once the grill is set place the steak on. Keep in mind a really good steak needs a really high temperature. Most stoves can't achieve the temperatures that a restaurant can (700-800 degrees) but you can achieve that level if you have either a cast iron pan or a nicely managed wood fired grill. When grilling steaks after they've been marinated it is not necessary to put additional BBQ Sauce during the grill process. If you want heavy BBQ Sauce flavor you can baste on some sauce a couple of time during the grilling process. Most good steaks cook for about 8-10 minutes a side when the temperature exceeds 500 degrees. For Medium Well the steak should be on the grill at least 8 minutes per side.

Check our temperature and cooking charts for steaks to be sure. Once grilled remove the steak and place in a warm container, not a cold one. Cover the steak and let it rest about 8-10 minutes. DO NOT cut into the steak after pulling it off the grill without it resting. If you do the juices will run out of the meat leaving the pieces tougher than they would have been if rested. Restaurants will only rest a steak for 2-3 minutes before serving but they do rest them. 

The Second Method I mentioned earlier is the method we prefer. Steaks are expensive and most people buy them because they want the true taste of steak. We seasoned our steaks with our  Tri Tip, Steak and Rib Rub then we let the steaks marinate in the seasoning for at least an hour. The meats are covered and placed in a fridge on a middle shelf during the marination process. We like using wood fire (Red Oak) or Charcoal with smoking chips. If using smoking chips make sure you soak the chips in water for at least 2 hours. Then put a handful of chips on the coals or in a smoke box once you have reached the right temperature for grilling. If I can't use a grill then I use a cast iron pan on high heat. I season the pan with a little butter first then add one (1) steak at a time.

Before cooking I cut off a small portion of the steak and cook that alongside the larger steak. This allows me to check the cooking status of the beef without cutting into the larger steak releasing the juices. I cook the steak about 8 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the steaks. Once cooked I rest the steak for about 10 minutes. I take the BBQ Sauce that I want to use and put it in a warmed container. That sauce becomes more of a condiment at this point and my guests are afforded the opportunity to lather on as much sauce as they prefer during their eating process. 

The long and short of this conversation is what kind of meat are you going to cook and how do you want it to turn out. The best steaks are planned especially where the cooking/grilling process is concerned. The best marinating bbq sauces have a decent level of vinegar and mustard to break down muscle fiber. Most chefs and grill masters typically don't marinate steaks in bbq sauce but actually prefer salt and pepper shaken onto the steak about 5 minutes before grilling. 

Condiments Really Nice Mild BBQ Sauce - Sriracha Ketchup

Love grill marks on steaks? I know I do.

I'll show you right here one of the best methods for achieving those all too popular grill marks. I find that the best grill marks come from bbq grill units that deliver the most intense levels of heat. It's really hard to achieve a quality grill mark if your grill only delivers an average temperature in the range of 250 degrees. Trying to achieve grill marks in the oven can be futile but not impossible especially when you use some basic ingenuity. So, let's get after the process of getting grills marks on your favorite steak using a bbq grill. I like to start with a standard plain steak that has been rested at room temperature for about 20 minutes. The meat should not be thawed or left in the cooler for a long period. And the steak should not be left out overnight as we're not looking to cause the growth of potential harmful bacteria. So, let's take a steak out of the fridge about 20 minutes before we intend to grill it. Also, let's focus on having a steak that's at least 3/4 to an inch thick.

Now that the steak is rested and close to room temperature we'll prepare the steak for the grill. The most basic way to get a steak prepared is to use salt and pepper. A Kosher blend of salt and a medium fine blend of fresh black pepper. If the pepper is milled it will present at the peak of flavor. Coat the steak nicely with the salt and pepper. Flip the meat over and coat the steak again so that both sides are fully coated. Place the steak in a container or on a plate and rest it in your fridge until the grill is ready.

The grill should reach an average temperature of about 500 degrees. We know that not all grills will reach that temperature so it's really more of a target. The best way to reach that temperature using a charcoal grill is through piling the charcoals into a mound. If you have a chimney starter use that to get you coals going. Then spread that out over the existing coals. I would use a minimum of about 1/3 or 5 pounds of a 15 pound bag of charcoal. Once the chimney coals are ashed white place them on the existing coals. Spread the coals evenly over the existing coals now leave the lid off the grill. Allow as much oxygen to reach the charcoals as possible until all of the charcoals are hot and ready.

Now comes the critical part, take an oven mit and a long set of tongs and move the coals into a mound. This mounding will concentrate the heat. Once the coals are mounded leave them to burn for about 10 minutes. Check the temperature of the coals by placing a thermometer near the coals. If you don't have a thermometer you can use the tried and true old fashion method. Just place your hand over the center of the coals, if you cannot hold your hand over the coals at least 5 inches above for 1 second then the coals are ready. Be careful not to burn yourself. Also, only grownups should perform the heat test.

OK let's get that steak on the grill. Pull the steak out of the fridge and take it directly to the grill. You will be cycling the beef which will take about 8 minutes total time. Place the steak on the grill and let it cook. Place the lid on the grill. Leave the lid closed for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and turn the steak 1/4 turn, when done place the lid back on the grill and allow the grilling to continue. After the 4th minute remove the lid and turn the steak over. Allow the steak to cook for two minutes then turn the steak 1/4 turn. At this point check the temperature of the steak. If the steak is at 130 degrees this is perfect for medium rare, 140 is basically medium. Any higher and the steak will become tough when cutting and chewing.

** It is important to note how we are adjusting for time and temperature. Each time the lid is removed you will lose about 4 minutes of cooking time. In this instance cooking time means full heat applied to the steak. How do we compensate for the loss? Well, what we do is restart the clock adding in an additional two minutes to the cooking cycle for each complete rotation of the steak. So, after the steak follows its quarter turn you would add the 2 minutes making the total cook time on that side 6 minutes. The same would apply to the opposite side of the steak. The old adage is "if you're lookin' you're not cookin'." So, to make up for that lookin' loss we add some additional minutes to each side. Of course if you don't care so much for grill marks you can simply leave the steak in one position for the full 4 minutes then turn the steak over at which time you would add an additional 2 minutes to make up for the heat loss.

With the steak finished pull it off and allow it to rest for at least 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the steak. Now with the steak completed you can add bbq sauce or garnish with potatoes or even horseradish. One thing we did not mention was that we like to add a dusting of our Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub just to add a little more flavor.

You know when talking about steak Jake's Famous has the best bbq sauces and dry rub on the market today. In fact our sauces and seasonings have been recognized more times than any other brand we know. And speaking of flavors we have sauces that are mild and sweet all the way to really spicy for those who love the tingle without all the sugar. And our dry rubs go from rich flavored garlic and brown sugar blends perfect for steaks to our more moderate sugar free options for those who love the flavor without the calories or just can't digest sugar in copious amounts. Whatever the reason or desire we have what you need when it comes to barbecue sauce as bbq rubs for steaks. Follow these links to get your favorite beef Barbecue Sauce and get our discount code to make sure you get more of what you want for less.

Really Good Mild Barbecue Sauce

Medium Hot Barbecue Sauce

Really Hot Barbecue Sauce

Maple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Memphis Blues Barbecue Sauce

Asian Style Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Sriracha Ketchup Spicy Sauce

Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub

Memphis Style Rib Rub

Awesome Carolina Sugar Free Steak Rub

Get one or all of these great barbecue sauces and dry rubs Today!  Don't hesitate to get ahead of the pack by choosing the right sauce for you.  When it comes to making steak for you and your friends, do you want to experiment or deliver proven results?  Right, you want to deliver proven results.  So, let's put our sauce where our money is, right now you can get these famous barbecue sauces on Special for an amazing price.  Normally these bbq sauces sell in 2 Packs for $15.98.  We've taken all the guesswork, efforts and time loss out of the equation.  Just use our code: Barbecue10 now to get an extra 10% OFF at Checkout.

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When to put bbq sauce on steak while grilling along with learning more about: Different Cuts of Meat

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This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 21 September, 2017.