The 3-2-1 Process *Exposed* and How You can make Professional Barbecue Beef Ribs with "Twist" thrown in. Well just about everyone in the US has had their hands on a beef rib at one time or another with the exception of vegetarians. And at least 50% of them has had the opportunity to make beef ribs or be at a barbecue or some restaurant serving beef ribs.  We all know that beef ribs done right takes time to make.  In fact they can take two to three times what it takes to make exceptional pork ribs.  And unlike pork ribs which can be cajoled into better taste beef ribs are less forgiving.  Sometimes it seems as if they have a mind of their own. 

Well today I'm here to demystify that process and to teach you an amazing step that will blow the roof off the 3-2-1 process.  Some say life changing and life affirming and even stupendous but I wouldn't go that far.  In fact what I would say is once you work this process you'll never want to have beef ribs any other way.  

Now lets get to the basics of beef ribs.  Almost everyone knows that beef ribs come from the ventral section of a cow.  That's a mouthful and actually means that ribs are taken from the lower mid section of the cow from about the 6 to 10 rib segment known as the plate.  And since the plate only consists of about 10 ribs they are commonly called short ribs. The short part having more to do with the length of the ribs as opposed to the quantity of the ribs available.  

Since you can get two segments of the best sections of ribs that being that the cow has two sides then the ribs are segmented and displayed usually in sections of between 4 and 5 rib bones per segment.  Beef ribs are fatty and by that we mean that they are usually left with the inner bone fat on the ribs.  Unlike pork ribs where one pulls back the silvery membrane to remove the layer of fat film beef ribs require cutting and shaping.  I find the best time to trim beef ribs is when they come out of the standard part of the refrigerator.  The beef ribs are cooled and firm whereas if they were warm they might feel greasy and slick and harder to trim.  So consider temperature if you decide to trim your ribs. 

Regarding the trimming process and the fat actual trimming is relatively unnecessary.  You might want to trim away some of the overlapping fat at the top end of the bones and maybe just a little of the fat on the inner curve of the ribs.  Because the cooking process is not high heat grilling then one does not need to remove a large portion of fat as in the case of the pork ribs or other spare ribs.  We will be taking our time with these ribs so you might want to consider that when purchasing beef ribs. 

To the process of grilling which term is basically a misnomer since grilling refers to high heat and barbecue refers to slow time and low heat cooking we will actually barbecue this ribs.  And since we're going to use the 3-2-1 process with a twist one must be prepared to spend at a minimum 6 hours in the process not including the time it takes to get your charcoal up to speed or the movement time in the process. 

By the way this 3-2-1 process with a twist as discussed will apply to charcoal barbecue.  Yes, you can easily use your gas barbecue for beef ribs but in this discussion we're going to use a smoking method that is usually easier in the charcoal barbecue method.  

Let's talk rib preparation.  Let's say you've trimmed some fat from the ribs and have cleaned and washed them thoroughly to remove any bits leftover. Now what?  Well if you seen any of the online videos there's lots of discussion about how you prepare your ribs.  Some say just add good quality kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.  Some say add a little onion powder, black pepper and table salt and some say just put the ribs in a container with a marinade.  Now of course the quality of the ribs you buy will probably determine just how you prepare them.  If you buy ribs that are in the $5 to $8 range for a rack then you might want to prepare them in some basic marinade.  If the ribs run $10 to $30 for a rack then you're getting the better section of ribs that don't need as much preparation and a nice dash of kosher salt and pepper will do. 

We are going to focus on the $5 to $8 dollar ribs that almost everyone buys.  Let's start with the most basic of marinades.  We like Yellow Mustard.  Why because it really helps tenderize and break down the muscle fibers of the meat I know some will argue with that but we've done hundreds of racks and we've done them with and without and each time we used the mustard the end result and taste was always better.

So, let's get the mustard on the ribs covered completely front to back and side to side.  Now let's allow the ribs to rest.  I find that if I rest the ribs for at least 3 hours then the next step drives the flavor profile even higher.  After resting it's time for the dry rub.  Of course we'll be using our Jake's Famous Righteous Tri Tip Steak and Rib Rub.   We use it because it contains kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, garlic, onion and some nice herbs to bring up the flavors of the meat.  So, let's get that on then allow the meat to rest at least another 2 or more hours.  Ideally if you prepared the meat in the morning at say 7 AM you could easily get the ribs on the barbecue by 12 Noon and have the result for dinner around 6:30. But if you can't do that then preparing the ribs the night before is the best bet.  

With the ribs all prepped and ready to go let's focus on the bbq grill.  We'll be using a standard Weber kettle about 18 inches across.  Since we're going to focus on the low and slow process we want to make sure that we manage the burning of our charcoal.  Now, again we've performed this process at least 150 times and we've learned how to manage charcoals and heat so follow along carefully.

The charcoal bbq grill is easy to use if you work methodically to ensure some basic action steps are followed.  First ensure that your bbq grill is cleaned and all debris removed. Second ensure that the bottom and top vents are wide open. Third we'll be using standard non-infused charcoal.  Get some of the traditional stuff in your local area.  We're going to make a charcoal ring inside the grill and by that we means we'll place charcoal cubes side by side following the circular shape of the bbq grill.  Layout your charcoal into two rows side by side then place one charcoal briquettes on top of the row all the way around until approximately 3/4 of the grill has a row of charcoal.  

Wood smoke which we have not covered but will cover here.  We like the flavor add of wood smoke and so we add about 8 ounces of wood chips spread evenly around the charcoal ring.  If you have small chips you can place them evenly.  But if you have larger segments like Red Oak then decide if you'd like the meat to receive the maximum amount of heat at the front end of the cooking process or at the near end.  With larger segments of red oak we place those near the front when the meat is tender and receptive.  

On heat management we're focusing on a temperature range of 225 to 250 degrees.  A good digital or remote thermometer will help you determine the heat level but if you don't have one a decent kitchen thermometer will work as well.  So, how do we start this thing you ask? Easy and it all depends on if you have a charcoal chimney or not.  But no matter we'll go over the ways with and the ways without.  With a charcoal chimney we take about 10 charcoal briquettes and place them in the chimney.  We take newspaper or some other balled up paper and use that.  A really good item if you don't have either is to take lint from your dryer.  Get a big ball of lint and place that under the chimney which lights amazingly well. 

If you don't have a charcoal chimney you can place the paper or lint in the center or the grill.  Place the briquettes on top of the paper or lint pile leaving enough of it for lighting.  Then light the charcoal in either method.  Allow the charcoal to burn until most of the coals are ashed white.  This can take up to 20 minutes.  You must ensure that the vents are open in the bottom of your grill if placing the charcoal in the center ring.  After the charcoal has reached an ashy state place at the head segment of the charcoal ring.  Keep in mind the charcoal will create a domino effect burning charcoal around the grill as the cooking process continues.  Give the charcoal an additional 5 minutes to burn in the open then place the lid on the grill.  Allow the charcoal to burn at least 5 minutes then measure the temperature through the open vent holes.  If you've achieved your desired temperature around 225 to 250 then it's time to place the meat on the grill.  If the temperature has not been achieved allow the charcoals to continue burning for a few more minutes then check again.  In extreme cases if you've spread the coals too far apart they will burn out so you'll need to check them to asure they are touching.  

Now with the charcoals ready it's time to place the meat on the grill.  Position the beef ribs so that they will be opposite the burning charcoals.  Keep in mind over the 3 hour cooking process the charcoals will burn in the circular pattern.  When positioning the ribs it's a good idea to consider where the charcoal will burn next then place the ribs so that they won't get scorched or part of them overcooked. 

Now comes the monitoring time.  A couple of things to keep in mind.  As the charcoal burns and as it starts to burn the wood chips the temperature will rise.  This is natural and if you've done it correctly once the wood is burned the temperature will drop down again until it reaches the next segment of wood.  Adjust the top vent only if the temperature exceeds 260 degrees and do that by adjusting the vent by a 1/2 inch turn.  This will reduce the airflow out of the grill which means that the entering oxygen from the bottom of the grill is burned up leaving carbon monoxide and when that happens it slows down the burning rate and thus the temperature is decreased.  The reaction happens quickly so since you are outside there is no effect as oxygen is constantly regenerated by trees, grass and plants.

Fantastic, three hours have gone by.  Now comes the *TWIST*.  Take a large segment of foil and lay that out on your counter.  Curve the foil inward as we will be adding some ingredients to the foil to complete the cooking process.  Now you can decide if you want your ribs to have a sweet flavor, salty flavor or savory flavor on completion.  We like to flavor our ribs.  We do this because over time ribs will just be plain old ribs if you grill them enough.  So to make the process exciting we experiment with different syrups and flavors.  We've found some killer combinations which take rib making up to a whole new level.  So, we'll take some concentrated pomegranate syrup like what they use at bars and restaurants.  We'll also layer some brown sugar approximately 1/4 cup along with 2 tablespoons of honey and 1/4 cup of orange juice.  You'll need to be careful when placing the ribs in so that you don't tear the foil.  In fact you might want to place two layers of heavy duty foil before adding the mix of ingredients.  Here's a key step in the process *remove the ribs from the grill and place them meat side down on the foil.*  

Now wrap up the ribs folding the foil over the top. The foil does not need to be hermetically sealed but seal enought to allow some steam to escape. Place the ribs back on the grill and close the lid.  After about 10 minutes check to ensure that the temperature of the grill is steady at around 225 to 250 degrees.  Now most in the barbecue world tell you to follow through with the two hour wrapped in foil process but we're going to change that step completely.

After 1 hour and 30 minutes open the foil and turn the ribs over so that the meat side is up on the foil.  There will be a lot of liquid below the ribs so be careful not to tear the foil when turning the ribs.  Fold the foil over the ribs again loosely.  Ensure that there are still some wood chips on the burning section of coals.  Now replace the lid on the grill and allow the ribs to smoke for about 40 minutes. 

After the ribs have completed smoking remove them and place them in a container.  Some have dry coolers that can take the ribs.  I just use my oven.  I've placed them in an aluminum pan as they were slightly sealed then I close the door of the oven but place some folded paper between the door and the frame to allow moisture and steam to escape.  This is the resting process so we'll allow the resting process to take a minimum of 30 minutes.  If you have more time you can rest the beef ribs for an hour.  But if you add up all the time used in this process it's now around 6 pm and believe me if you're not hungry by then I sure am. 

One thing I'm sure you've done while this cooking process is going on I've been making a side salad and some baked potatoes or while I was changing the ribs I place some asparagus on the grill.  Why not take advantage of some prime charcoal heat. 

Now if you haven't burned through all your charcoal a good way to save the left overs is to pull out a few of the charcoals between the burned and un-burned section.  Once the charcoals are pulled out close both the top and bottom vents so that the oxygen is burned up and the coals put themselves out. After about an hour the grill will be cool to the touch.

With the beef ribs properly rested they can be sliced and placed along side your dinner items.  Press lightly on the top of the ribs and notice how juicy they are not to mention the aroma of the ribs is just heavenly. 

This 3-2-1 Beef Rib Process with a *Twist* is absolutely, hands down the best way I've ever made beef ribs.  Once you make them a few times you'll get the hang of it and it will become second nature

Enjoy your ribs! If you have questions on this process or comments please don't hesitate to let me know.  You can contact us with your comments at orders@jakesfamousfoods.com.

Over the last few years Memphis Styled Barbecue Sauces have reached new heights. Our Memphis Barbecue Sauce for baby back ribs is the culmination of many months of travel and constant focus.   Living in California we knew that it was difficult to get a traditional Memphis barbecue sauce in our state.  So, after weeks of planning we set out to create a true Memphis inspired Barbecue Sauce.  We traveled, stop and talked with the brothers in the professional trade and along the we learned what truly makes a Memphis Barbecue Sauce great.  Memphis barbecue sauces are great not so much for their ingredients but for their single minded focus on creating a truly great experience for their customers.  We can all get just about the same ingredients but what we can't all get is the secret bits and pieces that the most inspired creators have come up with.  Well folks we are here to tell you that we have cracked the code.  Through our association with Memphis pitmasters and sauce creators we have confirmed what is the traditional Memphis BBQ Sauce for sale for baby back ribs.  While we'll keep the secret ingredients to ourselves what we will do is offer the best, authentic, inspired Memphis Style Barbecue Sauce for baby back ribs West of Colorado.  Although you may not be able to go to Memphis In May each year you can have our outstanding, inspired, traditional Memphis Style Barbecue Sauce.  The barbecue sauce is sweet and tart with subtle hints of celery seed, garlic, mustard, molasses and more. When you pair it with baby back ribs you get hints of Old Memphis combined with sparks of pepper and touches of molasses.

Memphis is known for the great notables who lived and traveled through its great land.  And while they focused on music and perspectives close to each of them there was always one prime uniter...food.  Memphis BBQ has a long and storied history that dates way back to the 1800s with its keen eye focus on driving the Southern style of living and lifestyle forward through it culture and its people.  Our Memphis BBQ Sauce captures the essence of true Memphis BBQ Sauce.  A sauce that is a hint spicy, a hint sweet and of course a great deal flavorful.  Pour our Memphis on Brisket or Pulled Pork or lather it on BBQ Ribs and chicken.  This is a sauce that marinates and reaches deep down into the meat to deliver flavor and taste.  Put just a bit on sandwiches or burgers.  Add it to chili or just plain hold it over for dips.  Keep it on the table for the all to enjoy.

We've experimented in many different ways with this wonderful Memphis Barbecue Sauce. We found that the sauce is excellent on ribs and really stays on the meat working to get deep down into the muscle fibers. The Memphis barbecue sauce never disappoints and always delivers rich smooth flavor to every item we've ever tried. A few weeks ago we decided to give sweet potato fries a try. We used the double fry method. But before we get into the double fry method, our friends practically swear by the standard fry method. That method involves slicing the Sweet potatoes into thin long slices. They hand wash the slices then place them in a large bowl to which they add cold water. The fries are allowed to rest in the water for about 30 minutes. Following the cold water bath they dry the fries completely on paper towels. The fries are then placed on a cooking sheet and baked in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Once done the fries are removed and oil is then allowed to reach a temperature of 350 degrees to which the fries are then placed. The fries are then cooked for about 6 minutes due to their softness after coming out of the oven. Once out of the fryer the fries are allowed to drain for about 2 minutes then they go directly to the Memphis Barbecue sauce. They actually reserve half of the fries coating them in the Santa Barbara Smoked Rub then join those with the other half for the barbecue sauce. They enjoy the somewhat cleaner cooking process although they still use the oil to finish the fries. I found the fries to be very crispy but still prefer my double fry method.

In the Double Fry method First we slice the sweet potatoes then we wash them thoroughly. We put the sweet potato slices into a water bath and placed them into our fridge for about 5 hours. The water helped stabilize the fries and remove any starchiness that might remain if not cooked properly. Second we used about 1-1/2 quarts of clean cooking oil. We used vegetable although many have said that peanut oil is cleaner and delivers a better flavor to the fries. We brought the oil up to 360 degrees making sure to have a lot of air movement to draw off any smoke so we turned our fans up to high and opened out doors. We also drained the fries while the oil was warming. You can do this by placing a couple of paper towels in the bottom of a large bowl. When you think you've removed most of the water by hand wringing simply toss the fries into the bowl on top of the paper towels. Shake the bowl from side to side which allow them to turn and dry within the container. Now with the washing done and the oil ready we moved to step three.

Step three we slow place the dried sweet potato slices into the hot oil and allow them to fry for about 4 minutes. After 4 minutes we remove the fries and place them on a rack so that excess oil will drip off. We them allow the oil to rise back up to temperature. This time we will allow the oil to rise to 400 degrees. Once the temperature is reached we take the fries and place them back into the oil. We cook the fries and additional 6 - 8 minutes. This will allow the fries to cook thoroughly and to crisp nicely in the oil. After frying we remove the fries and place them back on the drainage rack. We let the excess oil drip off for about 2 minutes them we sprinkle with Jake's Famous Santa Barbara Smoke Rub. At this point we filled a small bowl with Jake's Famous Memphis Barbecue Sauce then we set that next to the fries as a dipping sauce. We love the tanginess of the Memphis Barbecue sauce paired against the Santa Barbara Smoked Rub and the subtle sweetness of the Sweet Potato Fries....Excellent.

Our Memphis BBQ Sauce has received numerous awards for originality and taste.  We recommend that you get your hands and your grill on this BBQ Sauce for baby back ribs by clicking add to Cart.

Here's what people are saying about Jake's Memphis BBQ Sauce for sale:

Phil Marlowe wrote: "Having traveled to Memphis many, many times for business with of course the diversion for BBQ I've had my fair share of Memphis BBQ Sauces, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Jake's this is definitely the good! Great flavor, wonderful taste makes this an exceptional sauce. I made Crockpot pulled pork following your recipe and it came out perfect. Thanks Jake for making another fine product. For those on the fence I recommend Jake's Memphis BBQ Sauce...."

Sherman Honline wrote: - "I buy many different types of BBQ Sauces but I must say I like Memphis the best. Jake’s sent me his latest creation and I've got to say, it fantastic. It’s wonderfully rich, and full of flavor with just the right balance of vinegar, molasses, mustard, garlic, onion and more. I use it on pork ribs, chicken and steaks. Great Job Jake."

Are you ready to break from the monotony of bad sauces and try something truly great?

The long and short of this conversation is what kind of steak 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.

Along with our Jake's Famous Memphis BBQ Sauce we've made some really nice Barbecue Sauces that are excellent on steak. Follow these links to get your favorite Steak Barbecue Sauce:

Really Good Mild Barbecue Sauce
Really Nice Medium Hot Barbecue Sauce
Really Hot Barbecue Sauce
Maple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Texas Style Inspired Barbecue Sauce
Asian Style Barbecue Sauce
Sriracha Ketchup Spicy Sauce

Get one or all of these great bbq sauces 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.  We've taken all the guesswork, efforts and time loss out of the equation.  Just use our code: 1707200910 now to get an extra 10% OFF at Checkout.

Learn more about Memphis and Memphis Style Barbecue

Are you ready to break from the monotony of bad sauces and try something truly great?

Learn more about Memphis and Memphis Barbecue

Here's a quick way how to make ribs using our Memphis Barbecue Sauce

1. Clean ribs and remove the white membrane from the back of the ribs. Tip: Use a paper towel to grip the edge of the membrane and remove with a slow steady force.
2. Season the ribs generously with the seasoning.
3. Wrap the ribs and let rest in your refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours and not more than 8 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
5. Place a layer of foil in the baking pan to catch juices from the meat.
6. Remove the ribs from the wrapping and place on the layer of foil.
7. Add the cup of Orange Juice to the bottom of the pan under the ribs.
8. Seal the ribs in the pan so that the meat will braise in the liquid.
9. Cook in the pan for 2 hours.
10. Collect the liquid from the ribs into a cooking pot.
11. Add the Honey, Memphis Blues BBQ Sauce, and Thyme.
12. Cook on High heat and reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency.
13. Pour the syrupy sauce over the ribs.
14. At this point you can use your grill or your broiler to create a glaze on the ribs. If using the grill bring it to a medium high heat then place the ribs on the grill for 10 minutes until grill marks show up. If using your broiler turn it to the broiler setting and place the ribs in the pan under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Check to ensure that the sauce does not burn.
15. After your perfect slow cooked ribs have completed cooking let rest for 3 minutes.

16. Serve.

OUR STANDING GUARANTEE: At Jake's Famous we guarantee you an exceptional barbecue experience. We promise to treat you like friends and family and to serve you our products that have been prepared with focus, uncompromising quality and our thorough standards. If you are not completely satisfied, just let us know, and we will honor our guarantee.

Order Now!

1.  Preparation is key.  When beginning the process or readying your smoker and the meat you’ll use you’ll want to plan the area for preparation, the area for meat storage and the area in which you’ll get the job done. If space is at a premium then this step is critical to your success.
2. We can’t say enough about safety around the smoker.  When we started our series we advocated starting the chimney starter with charcoal.  After the charcoal was ready one would dump the lit charcoal on top of the charcoal basket after making a small well for the lit charcoal to reside.  One would then lift the basket placing it in the UDS very gingerly while making sure not to come in contact with the hot coals.  Well, we know that most would not be as careful as we are about the process so we’ve changed our stance on handling the basket.  The firestarter is fine when started on a metal surface over concrete.  As for the charcoal basket, we now advocate pouring the lit charcoals over the basket after it has been inserted and positioned in the UDS.  This will ensure maximum safety while reducing any potential for burning. 
3. Use only Non-self ignitable charcoal.  That’s a mouthful but essentially you want to have charcoal that does not carry its own lighter fluid.  Charcoal with lighter fluid will burn too fast causing overcooking of your meats.  This type of charcoal also makes it very difficult to manage heat.  Choose standard non-self ignitable charcoal when purchasing.
4.  Have a good set of heat resistant gloves handy when using the smoker.  If you use the hanging method for meats which we love then you’ll want to make sure that you’re able to get the meat off the hooks when necessary.  If you overcook the meats or they simply shrink around the hooks, separating the meat from the hooks can be an issue.  Gloves will protect you against the heat of the smoker and will assist you in the meat removal process. 
5.  A table as simple as it seems is a big help when smoking meats.  The process of smoking requires a number of steps and somewhere to hold things while you check on the meat, examine the temperature, add more coals and so on.  A small 3 X 5 table will ultimately make your job easier and less tiresome.  

Of course we can’t end this discussion without mentioning the use of a great barbecue seasoning rub or bbq marinade as well as time for preparation.  A good seasoning such as Jake’s will break down the muscle fibers of the meat allowing the seasonings to do their job of marinating.  The same goes for bbq marinades, should you use them?….Of course. 

For more tips and suggestions on using your UDS or barbecue be sure to check back often.  Or simply go to our website at www.jakesbbqsauce.com for homemade bbq sauce recipes as well as dry rub recipes. 

Jake's Red Top Smoker Grill

Rib Rubs
Seasoning pork or beef ribs beforehand enhances the flavor when the ribs are finally cooked.  The best Dry Rub Rib mixture will allow the meat to marinate evenly throughout the ribs.  Since Jake’s makes and sells it very own  Tri-Tip, Steak and Rib Rub this is an easy one for us.  But if you don’t have a dry rub there are a couple of ways we can remedy this.  One, you can simply go to our website at www.jakesbbqsauce.com and order your dry rub using code: 1501062009 at checkout which will give you a 10% discount.  Or you can go to our website at www.jakesbbqsauce.com and search for a copy of one of our open source recipes for dry rubs that we have available free for any site visitor.  Just type in “dry rub recipe” in the search box and you’ll be taken to the web page listing the recipes.
 
Before applying the dry rub you’ll need to clean your ribs.  Take the ribs if they’re pork and simply use a paper towel and your fingers to remove as much of the white membrane on the backside of the ribs.  This membrane barrier when removed allows you to deliver more flavors from the dry rub directly to the meat. After cleaning pat the ribs dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water moisture.  Lay down a long piece of aluminum foil enough to wrap the ribs in when completed.  Following the foil lay the ribs on top of the foil.  Coat the rib with the yellow mustard on both sides of the meat.  If you used your hands to coat the meat you must thoroughly clean your hands to prepare for the next step.  Follow the mustard with the dry rub coating both sides thoroughly.  When done coating cover the ribs with the foil wrap.  Seal as much of the ribs as possible with the wrap.  Now, take the ribs and place them in your refrigerator where they will rest overnight.  The combination of dry rub and mustard will help tenderize the meat and make it juicier when cooked. 


Options for water smoking include wine, juices or even beer. No matter the liquid or liquid combination you choose to smoke with, first soak your wood chips in this liquid. Depending on the flavor you want, you can vary the type of chips used. Alder, Mesquite and hickory are three of the most popular. Soak the wood chips for no less that 1 hour.  After soaking the chips, use the same liquid which will be poured in the water pan and used for the smoking process.


One key issue that can't be repeated enough is heat management.  Keep the doors closed unless absolutely necessary.  Remember, open doors mean heat loss which means longer cooking periods which can also make meat tough.  Manage heat to improve the overall end result.

If you follow all these steps your ribs should turn our perfectly, just remove, cut, and serve.

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

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.