BidPrime Reviews Tried and True BBQ Recipes

Everything is bigger here in the Lonestar state and we decided to go big this past weekend to celebrate the end of summer and the approaching sub-100 degree days of fall. How better to do it than to dive in, feast, and put together our first ever BidPrime reviews of some tried and proven barbeque-related recipes?

Our chefs and the BidPrime reviews team were tasked with researching, finding or using tried and proven recipes, head into the laboratories/kitchens/grills and do their best to replicate the recipes, and then, well, eat. It wasn’t that difficult for anyone involved. For Texans, barbeque in in our collective DNA.

After the recipes were prepared and served, the pressure was on. Not only did our team try the recipes, but people committed to offering thoughtful, honest BidPrime reviews. The names were kept secret to protect the innocent... and full!

Feel free to give these recipes a test drive and let us know your opinions on our culinary delights.

Rib Eye Steak

Josh S - Josh went big, and somewhat expensive, by breaking out the grill and giving his marbled rib eye steak recipe a good grilling.

Ingredients

• Six 1-pound, bone-in rib eye steaks. Thickness to preference.
• Virgin olive oil, for brushing.
•  Salt and ground black pepper.

DIRECTIONS

• Fire up the grill and heat, until it reads 400 degrees. Give the steaks a light brushing with the virgin olive oil and season liberally with salt and ground black pepper. Place the rib eyes on the grill with direct heat for 2 minutes. Turn the steaks and put on direct heat for 2 additional minutes.
• Remove the steaks from the grill and let them sit for 20 minutes. Keep grill heated. 
• Place the rib eyes back on the grill, close the grill, and cook the steaks for 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and cook for an additional 5 minutes. BE ALERT FOR FLAMES!
• Note: For those who like the rib eyes cooked a little longer, add 2 minutes of cooking to each side, but remember to only turn the rib eyes once!
• Remove the rib eyes, let them sit for 5-10 minutes, and bon appetit!

BidPrime Reviews: “I like my steak a little more well done, but the texture and flavor more than made up for it!”

“I like how Josh went conservative on the seasoning. Not a big fan of steaks that taste more like seasoning than steak!”

Brisket

Stephen H - Nothing really says “Texas” more than a good brisket. We left the brisket recipe in the hands of one of our native Texans.

Stephen made a morning of it and a lot of folks were happy Stephen had the early wakeup call and the results were magnificent! A great brisket isn’t fast food, takes time, but if you follow Stephen’s recipe, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

• Salt and fine pepper.
• Bolnar Fiesta Brand Brisket Rub
• 6 lb brisket (I usually go to HEB). Since there were 12 of us at the cook-off, I calculated ½ pound/person.

DIRECTIONS

Important! You need a meat thermometer!

• Combine the salt, pepper, and brisket rub in a bowl. Mix.
• Place the meat on a baking pan. 
• Roll up your sleeves and liberally rub the brisket with salt/pepper/rub mixture.
• Place the brisket away from direct sunlight and let sit at room temp for one hour.
• Now, it’s time to prep the fire!
• Soak your mesquite wood chunks for one hour.
• Load your chimney starter with charcoal, light the charcoal, and let it burn until the charcoal is ash colored.
• Move the coals to one side of your pit.
• Take 4-5 pieces of the mesquite and rest on top of the coals.
• Take your drip tray and place over by the coals.
• Put the grate back on the grill and close the grill.
• Regulate the heat, using the thermometer, by placing the thermometer into the vent. Your temp should be at approximately 250 degrees. Also, by now, the mesquite should be putting off smoke.
• Use the upper and lower vents to regulate the temp. Temp control is critical to the process!
• After the grill is set at 250, put the brisket over the drip pan.
• Cover the grill, make sure the vent is right over the brisket.
• Repeatedly check the temp to make sure you’re in the 250 degree window!
• Exercise heat control by removing and applying new coals. Do the same with the mesquite chunks.
• Rotate and turn the brisket approximately every 1 ½ hours. 
• After approximately 4 hours, check the temp on the brisket’s fat end. Take the brisket off the grill when you get a reading of 170 degrees.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
• Tightly wrap the brisket in foil, place on a baking pan.
• Finish the cooking process by cooking the brisket for 5 hours, or when the brisket gets to an internal temp of 200 degrees.
• Remove the brisket from the oven, let sit for 2 hours.
• Slice the brisket, remembering to cut against the grain!

BidPrime Reviews: “I don’t know how Stephen did it, but I’m glad he did. I’ve had brisket from many of the local spots, but this fresh, juicy brisket is beyond words!”

“I’m more a fan of brisket done over hickory, but mesquite is a unique flavor and the meat was so incredibly tender.”

Sausages

Kevin H - Kevin harkened back to his days at Texas A&M where he was usually put in charge of grilled sausages for Aggie football game days! As far as we can taste and tell, he hasn’t forgotten a thing! Gig ‘em!

Ingredients

• 3 packages of Kiolbassa Roasted Garlic Smoked Sausages.

DIRECTIONS

• With grilling sausages, it’s mostly about fire control!
  • One side of grill is for cooking, the other side is for fire control.
• Place the sausages between the grill bars. This will decrease burning and you’ll end up with some nice grill marks on the sausages.
• If excessive flames happen, move the sausage(s) to the fire control side of the grill.
• To achieve the crispy skins, grill on high heat, a little flame is ok, heat until the internal temps are 160°F.
• Expert tip: Don’t cut, stab, or pierce the sausages! You’ll lose from the sausages and this will only increase your fire issue!

BidPrime Reviews: “I’m not the biggest fan of sausages that are crispy on the outside, I like sausages cooked medium, but these were still pretty good.”

“Kevin nailed it! I was already a Kiolbassa fan, but chef Kevin did a great job on cooking these just so, so right!”

Baked Beans

Lauren J - Lauren turned to a fan favorite, her grandmother’s family baked beans recipe. Most in the group agreed that Grandma Jones knew what she was doing!

Ingredients:

• Soak a pound of Navy beans, any brand, overnight.
  • Drain water from beans prior to making recipe.
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup spicy ketchup
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• One medium onion, chop fine.
• Slice six ounces of hickory flavored bacon into ¼ inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons any brand of cider vinegar. Optional!

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 325.
• On stove, cook the bacon pieces until cooked completely.
• In baking pan, combine the bacon, including grease, with 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and the onion. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the onion pieces are cooked thoroughly.
• Combine the spicy ketchup, dry mustard, molasses, and navy beans into the baking pan.
• Add 4-5 cups of cold water and stir.
• Bring combination to a boil.
• Cover and place baking pan into oven.
• Cook for 2 hours, or until the liquid cooks down to ½ of original.
• Uncover the beans and bake for one hour, or until desired thickness.
• Optional: stir in vinegar, if preferred.

BidPrime Reviews: “The beans were good, especially along with the brisket. Not particularly keen on the vinegar, but still good.”

“Wow! The best! I’ve had Lauren’s baked beans before and they never disappoint!”

Barbecue Sauce

Gary G - Gary has travelled around the world, and has eaten at some of the finest restaurants the world has to offer. He knows food. Gary cheated (just a little), by borrowing a recipe from nearby Franklin’s, but if Gary says something is good, we believe him. You should, too!

Classic Barbecue Sauce, by Aaron Franklin. Gary’s source: https://www.eater.com/2015/7/2/8864653/franklin-barbecue-sauce-recipe-meat-burgers-ribs

Makes about 3 cups

• 1 3/4 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 tablespoons plus 11/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 11/2 teaspoons
• Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients. Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

BidPrime Reviews: “Franklin’s has the reputation and this sauce is among the best I’ve had. I’ve had a lot!”

“I used the sauce on the brisket and it was a terrific combination. Not sure if it was the sauce, or it was the brisket, but I know it tasted really, really good.”

To learn more about these recipes, or to find out what we’re doing when we aren’t at the grill or stove, visit BidPrime or give us a call at 888.808.5356.