Whether it’s early spring, the height of summer, early fall, and sometimes even in the middle of summer—some of us adore firing up the grill and can’t picture burgers, hotdogs, or corn on the cob without the essential BBQ. The American love affair with all things outdoor grilled is well known. A great BBQ is often the focal point for summer family and friends get-togethers for holidays, birthdays, or just to connect.
BBQing food is such a versatile option for meals. A great BBQ can double as a smoker, turns mealtime into a social occasion, is a great way to save a little extra money instead of going out to eat, and there are endless meal options available that cook perfectly on the grill. If you’re new to the world of BBQ or even just looking for a refresher, we’ve got suggestions for the best meats for BBQs that you are going to love.
Best Beef For BBQ
Filet Mignon or Tenderloin Steak
When someone says they’re cooking filet mignon, you might immediately picture a sizzling steak sauteing in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop or in the oven. As delicious as these cooking styles can be, there’s another way to cook this exceptionally tender, lean, and succulent steak so that the buttery texture that melts in your mouth is just as good. That’s right! You can and should BBQ filet mignon.
At the right temperature and using the correct settings on your grill, along with the perfect amount of time, you’ll keep the incredible tenderness and texture of this flavorful steak while you BBQ. Should you use gas or charcoal? That’s all up to your flavor preference. Either type of grill, when done correctly, can do the job, but if you want a flavor that more closely resembles the smokiness of bacon, a gas grill may be your best bet.
Also, don’t be afraid to BBQ bacon-wrapped filet mignon as well! Bacon enhances the filet mignon’s flavor and can help keep it moist.
How to BBQ Filet Mignon
- First and most important: let your steaks come to room temperature or set them out for roughly 30 minutes before BBQing.
- Add a touch of olive oil to your grill racks as you let your BBQ preheat to roughly 450-degrees.
- Before adding them to the grill, pre-season them with salt and pepper or any seasonings you prefer.
- Place them on the grill and close the lid. Leave them in place for the times mentioned below! Don’t move them or flip them early.
- Cook over medium-high heat, at or around 450 degrees on a gas grill, or set your filet mignon on a rack that’s been placed directly over medium coals for an incredible sear.
- Filet mignon should not take more than 15 minutes to cook for super thick cuts, roughly 6 mins on each side. If the steaks are 1 inch or 1 ½ inch thick, don’t cook them any longer than 4-5 minutes of grilling on each side.
- For perfect medium-rare steaks, the goal will be to stop cooking and remove heat once the temperature in the center reaches 125 degrees.
- For medium steaks, remove them once the center reached 135.
- Once removed, let the filet mignon rest for 5 to 10 minutes off the heat to allow the juices to flow back into the steak for a perfect, juicy, tender texture and taste.
Best Pork For BBQ
Toss out the ultra-thin, wispy pork chops of yesterday and consider a delectable, thickly cut pork chop for the BBQ instead. When grilled right, a BBQ pork chop is a juicy, tender, delicious cut of meat bursting with flavor.
How do you BBQ the perfect thick-cut pork chop?
- Always go thick-cut. Thin pork chops grill and cook too fast and end up dry and touch. Buy at least ¾ to 1 inch thick and try to get bone-in, which tends to cook more evenly and have more flavors than bone out.
- Brine! If you’ve never brined a pork chop, you’re seriously missing out. Even if you brine your pork chops for a short amount of time, it will give you some time to keep your pork chops moist and tender if you are forgetful and accidentally cook them for a minute or two too long. Make sure when you remove them from the brine to pat them fully dry!
- Low heat. Pork doesn’t work with high heat. Cook your thick-cut pork chops at 350 to 375 degrees F, over indirect heat, and cook no longer than 15 minutes for medium.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
Best Poultry for BBQ
You might have thought we’d say chicken breasts, but surprisingly, it’s the whole chicken that makes for the best poultry BBQ. What’s the biggest secret to grilling a juice-filled, fall-off-the-bone whole chicken? It starts with spatchcocking it.
Why should you spatchcock a whole chicken? First, the bird gets flattened, which cuts the cooking time in half. Second, this allows the chicken to cook evenly, preventing breast meat from drying out first before the dark meat is cooked. When you flatten a chicken, the legs and thighs will be more exposed to the heat and cook simultaneously as the breast. Third, spatchcocking makes the chicken skin incredibly browned and crispy.
- Oil your BBQ grill racks, preheat your grill and aim for temperatures between 350 and 400 degrees F.
- Place your spatchcocked chicken, skin side down on the direct heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Move the chicken to indirect heat, flip over, so the skin side is facing up.
- Cook until the breast hits 165 degrees with the thighs and legs in the 185 to 190-degree range, or for roughly an hour. Make sure to keep an eye on the chicken not to overcook it.
If you’re ready to try these best cuts of meat to BBQ this season, or any season, Wholey’s is prepared to provide you the freshest, choicest cuts of meat to help make your next BBQ a flavorful event to remember! With over a century of premium customer service and the finest seafood, fish, meat, and poultry available anywhere, we’d be delighted to help you with your next BBQ meal.