Best of the West Charcoal and Smoking Chips

IMG 2464 800x600 Best of the West Charcoal and Smoking Chips

Over the past year, you may have noticed my joyful usage of certain products to enhance my grilling adventures. One of the great joys of doing what I do, is being the benefactor of many grilling/BBQ business asking me to try their products.

Last year I met the powers that are Two Trees Products (Peter and Alyda) at the National Hardware show in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a monstrously huge show with hundreds of vendors displaying their products to the retailers of the world. They generously gave me their time and introduced me to their “Best of the West” line of charcoal and chips, plus a few other goodies.

Not long after our initial meeting, a large package of charcoal, smoking chips and assorted goodies arrived at my door. Since that time, you have seen me use Best of the West products in several of my videos and articles since that time. Well, I went through all they sent last year and guess what? Arriving at my door was another generous supply of their products!

I have been using Best of the West products for almost a year now and have been personally delighted with the quality of their products. The picture above is just a small sample of what they carry and I use. Their product has been a consistent performer for me, from the start, never-failing to produce a flavorful cook.

Their charcoal is top quality without a lot of residual waste left in the bag, you get your moneys worth. Best of the West smoking chips have performed perfectly every time, even with my attempts (read – errors) to hinder the process. I really like the plastic containers that the smoking chips come in and my wife quickly commandeer’s them when they are empty.

So, going forward on year two with a new supply of charcoal and smoking chips, I wanted to say thank you to Peter and Alyda from Two Trees Products! You have a great product line and I hope everyone takes the time to visit them, try a few of their products and please, let me know what you think!

 

 



BBQ or Grilling as Defined by the Campside Chef!

I just love bringing you these guest articles! New perspectives, new recipes, new ideas from some really great cooks. This guest post is from Ronald Loeber from www.CampsideChef.com. Ron presents his take on BBQ vs Grilling, hope you enjoy his perspective!

 

Barbequing & Grilling…Are they the same?

Campside Chef BBQ Grill 640x480 BBQ or Grilling as Defined by the Campside Chef!

 

A lot of people confuse these two cooking techniques. You wouldn’t barbeque a burger, unless you want a hockey puck for dinner. You wouldn’t grill a beef brisket. Slapping barbeque sauce on some grilled chicken doesn’t make it barbequed chicken. How many times have you been invited to a “barbeque” only to find out its only hamburgers & hotdogs? I’m going to shed some light on the two different techniques and hopefully this will get you some points at your next outdoor cooking adventure.

mmmm.....steak 640x480 BBQ or Grilling as Defined by the Campside Chef!

 

Barbeque defined: Well, this is my take on it at least. Barbeque is supposed to be at low temperatures, usually between 225°F & 275°F but can vary 25°F either way. Barbeque is a slow process and that’s the fun part of it. It gives you more time to enjoy the party! You will also have everyone salivating with the awesome scents coming from your barbeque. Barbeque should take hours to prepare, not minutes. Usually tougher cuts of meat are used like beef brisket. Ribs are another favorite. Marinades are often used to help break down the connective tissue that makes meat so tough. The use of charcoal and different types of wood such as hickory, mesquite & oak are mainstays of the barbeque master. I have an inventory of fourteen different types of wood to smoke from with each one infusing a different flavor into my food.

mmmm....chicken 640x480 BBQ or Grilling as Defined by the Campside Chef!

 

Grilling defined: this cooking technique is defined by much higher temperatures, around 500°F. The meat is seared which caramelizes the outside surface. The process of caramelization brings the naturally occurring sugars to the surface of the meat and gives it that great taste we are accustomed to when grilling. Grilling is a short process that takes minutes, not hours to prepare. Marinades may be used but wouldn’t recommend it for tender cuts of meat such as New York strip, porterhouse or t-bone steaks. Grilling is also characterized by using smaller, individual sized portions. Charcoal is also used to grill, but foods usually don’t grill long enough to get that deep rich smoky flavor that is associated with barbequing.

mmmm....ribs 640x480 BBQ or Grilling as Defined by the Campside Chef!

 

Although there are some common traits to barbequing & grilling, in the end they are not the same. The important thing to remember is the type & cut of meat should define which one of these cooking methods you use. Don’t be afraid to use your grill like a barbeque. Set the temperature down low and add some wood chips into the mix. These definitions are not set in stone; they are guidelines to go by. Use your imagination and impress your friends the next time you have an outdoor cooking adventure!

Ron Loeber,

Campside Chef

 

Ron Loeber can be found at www.Campsidechef.com sharing camping recipes, videos and stories. Ron is an avid camper dispensing great tips to all of his fans, making thier next camping trip a whole lot better than their last!

Thanks Ron – hope to see you back with another great article soon.

Gary

 

 

 



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