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Summer grilling is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s primal, a little dangerous, and it creates amazing foods. I like to think of myself as an above average cook but when it comes to grilling, it’s usually a steak, a burger, or some sausages. I haven’t dipped my toes into the world of smoking meats but I always wanted to. Luckily for us, we happen to have an expert at our office.
Rob Chambers, from our HR Department, just so happens to be a professional BBQ pitmaster and we were lucky enough to have him showcase his skills in person. Rob started off like a lot of us – someone who enjoyed BBQ and wanted to learn how to do it. He frequently smoked meat and BBQed.
One day, his friend Jon asked if he would be interested in competitive BBQ. Neither of them had competed before but they wanted to see what it was all about and entered a competition. It’s been about four years since they first competed and they continue to grow and place very highly in the competitions they enter.
I know I’m not the only one who has seen videos online of BBQed meats and wish they could take a bite right then and there. This was my first time being around a pitmaster cooking and he showed me a lot of tips and tricks to get the best end products.
Rob brought in a variety of meats to show what he can do with chicken, pork, and beef.
Chicken is ubiquitous and there are so many different ways to prepare it. When I BBQ though, I tend to stay away from it because more times than not, it turns out to be pretty dry and a little bland. When a BBQ pitmaster does chicken however, it is a flavorful and juicy bite every time. Unlike the one flip method that I’ve always been told was the correct way to grill, Rob lets the smoke do the job and makes sure the heat generated is consistent and at the specific temperature he wants.
Prior to grilling, the chicken is cleaned and trimmed. Meaning, it is rinsed off with water to freshen the meat. Using a knife or scissors, the chicken is trimmed to remove any excess skin or bone. Next, a dry rub would be added to coat the entire piece of chicken to ensure even flavor distribution. It would be preferred to let the dry rub set into the chicken for at least 30 minutes prior to adding it on the grill. There is not much flipping with chicken, however rotation does help.
I have loved ribs since I was a young boy watching the Flintstones car tip over on TV. I will order ribs the majority of the time if they are available. I have had them in all different styles in my travels but there is something very special about BBQed ribs because many times, the sauce is usually the prevailing flavor. The way pitmasters like Rob make them however, has the meat as the prevailing flavor enhanced by the aromas of smoke.
Same process as chicken for clean and trim. However, most ribs have a thin layer of membrane that will need to be removed on the back end of the rib. This can be done by pulling it off with a spoon and paper towel. From there, dry rub would be added to both sides of the meat and smoked with hickory wood. A few flips would help with the ribs, however once they have a good color on them, they would be wrapped in aluminum foil with butter and honey until they are at the right internal temperature.
The skirt steak was chosen because it’s a thinner cut of beef that would cook faster for all the hungry people at our office but many of the principles here work for thicker cuts too. While the chicken and ribs rested, I was able to observe Rob cooking the steak and ask some of the questions that I had.
First, I noticed that he was only using charcoal; I asked why he didn’t use propane (and propane accessories). It’s the kind of grill I have in my backyard and they seemed to be the most popular. Rob really likes the flavors charcoal imparts and he says he can actually taste the gas when it’s cooked on a gas grill. Maybe it’s because I grew up eating stuff made off gas grills but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what gas flavor he was talking about. If you notice those flavors, this may be the method of grilling you’ve been looking for!
Rob also showed me how to cook with an indirect heat method. The meat was never directly above the coals and he tried to keep the lid on the grill closed as much as possible. This ensures a nice even cook through and avoids the dreaded grey layer on steaks. I always liked a nice sear and char on my steaks but Rob’s steaks came out looking very different than what I make at home. It had a very appetizing browning and in certain lights, had the brighter red tones you might see in jerky. This got me wondering, “what do judges at BBQ competitions actually looked for?” Rob explained to me that although taste is very important, they are scored on consistency in competition. They will grill multiple pieces of meat but they pick the best looking piece(s) and send it in for judging. It has to look great, taste great, and have the perfect “chew” on it.
[When it comes to the perfect chew] it would be preferred to have a perfect bite through. This means that once you bite into the meat, there is barely any pull and [for chicken] you are taking skin with you on the chew. Basically like biting into a piece of bread and seeing your teeth marks.
I learned a lot from Rob and after talking to and watching him grill, I am excited to try his methods at home this 4th of July. Although mastering grilling will be very difficult, talking to Rob showed me it wasn’t quite as intimidating to start. It might be a while before I am confident enough to try my hand at the more expensive cuts of meat but I am looking forward to the day when I can smoke me some beef ribs and channel my inner Fred Flintstone.
With the nice summer weather (when it isn’t raining), we’re trying to spend alot more time outside. Outdoor parties, BBQs, happy hours … but here’s an idea, let’s have an outdoor movie viewing party! It wouldn’t take much to get everything set up – The New York Times has a guide here you can follow –
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/diy-outdoor-movie-theater/
But, what to watch? We’ve gathered a collection of some classic movies along with beverage pairings! Use these duos to host your own movie night, or get inspired to create your own outdoor movie and beverage combos.
It’s often said that Chicago has two distinct seasons – winter and construction. And as you can tell by the traffic and hi-vis vests, we’re no longer in winter. Construction season or “summer” as many outside of Chicago call it, is a great time to enjoy our marvelous beaches, patios, and street fests. You can and should drink whatever you want any time of year but there are drinks that are so quintessentially summer however, I thought I should share them with you.
First – what makes a drink a “summer drink”? There’s no one answer to this but when I think something is a summer drink, I like to think about its history, its taste, and how refreshing it is. So with that in mind…
Bock & Maibock
I wanted to start this list with Maibocks because historically, this was a sign of the warmer months coming. And no, we’re not talking about a Mercedes-Benz. We’re talking about maibock, translating to May bock, aka a bock made for consumption in May. It is similar to bock beers but usually paler and more hop-centric than its counterparts. They are the kickoff of summer for me but it has been rarer to find in stores every spring. You will occasionally find some from breweries such as Founders if they brewed it that year.
Bocks, on the other hand, are very easy to find all year round. They are a strong ale that was traditionally brewed for special occasions and it’s one of my favorite styles of beer because it’s one of the styles that really got me into craft beers. I always felt that this is a style that is very approachable because it is not intimidating for newer craft drinkers. It’s slightly sweet, has low bitterness, and isn’t dry. I think it feels like drinking a nice craft soda that’s not overly sweet. The toasted malts bring a smooth taste with a soft mouthfeel making them easily drinkable and when served ice-cold, they are a perfect beer for the hotter months. If you’re not a fan of the bitterness hops bring (like in an IPA) and you enjoy a sweeter beer, this might be it for you. Michelob Amberbock is a classic no frills bock sure to satisfy but if you want to go craft, Shiner’s flagship beer, Shiner Bock, is probably one of the best examples of bock made in America.
Pilsner
If easy drinking sounds good to you but you would like something crisper, less sweet, and untoasted – pilsners are probably exactly what you’re looking for. This style originated in Pilsen (the German city, not the Chicago neighborhood) and is a type of pale lager. Known for being crisp and refreshing, it’s something I like to drink on the hottest days or as a palate reset when trying lots of beers or eating because it’s less filling.
When it comes to pilsners, for me, less is more. Pilsners are all about the minimalist aesthetic. If other beers were sandwiches, Pilsners are plain toast to me. But do not get me wrong, I’m not saying that pilsners are boring. When you pile on meats and cheeses with oils and vinegar on bread, what goes in between the bread steals the show. If you give me a piece of toast, all I’m getting are the flavors and smells of the bread. Pilsners are a great way to showcase brewing skill and talent because there are very few ways to mask imperfections. If you are new to drinking beers, this style may seem boring but the lack of flash is what makes it so unique and desirable. One of the best examples of a pilsner is Trumer Pils. The brewers painstakingly traveled all around the U.S. to find a water source similar to Pilsen to brew a pilsner as similar to the original as possible. I often use this beer as a reference point for all other pilsners I taste. Many craft breweries in Chicago also brew a pilsner like Hopewell’s First Pils and Goose Island’s Full Pocket and showcases their skills as brewers.
Saison
Possibly the best example of a seasonal beer, saisons (French for “season”), were created to help quench the thirst of hardworking farmers in Belgium during the hottest months. The style is very open to interpretation because it was traditionally brewed with what was available. Ingredients could include spices like coriander and ginger, pilsner malts or wheat, and they can be fermented with different types of yeast.
Unlike pilsners that go for minimal adjuncts, saisons range wildly on what goes into the beer. At the heart of this style, it’s about experimentation. This is what makes this style so fun. If you want a unique experience, pick a random saison at your local liquor store and try to figure out what you’re tasting before reading the label. No two saisons are quite the same and it’s an exciting way to test your palate.
Even though the style is up for interpretation, there still are exemplars of the style such as Boulevard’s Tank 7 which has won several medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
Kölsch
To really understand Kölsch beers, we need to take a dip into some beer science. For most beers, they can be distinguished by what type of yeast is used during fermentation. Ales are top-fermenting with higher temps; lagers are bottom-fermenting with cooler temps. Ales tend to be more flavorful and lagers skew towards crisper and cleaner (think pilsners). Now with that out of the way, a Kölsch is unique because it uses the top-fermenting yeast but is finished cold like a lager. This results in a flavorful brew like an ale but with the crisp, lighter body of a lager.
This beer drinks so easily in the heat like the pilsners I mentioned before but they can be much more fruity or hoppy depending on the recipe. Some great examples of Kölsch beers are Goose Island’s Summertime and Buckledown’s Cannonball Kölsch. A great non-alcoholic version exists too from Best Day Brewing but more on non-alcoholic beer a little later on.
IPA
I had to put this style in the back, not because I don’t like them, but IPAs have dominated the craft scene and there are so many substyles within that it can get very overwhelming. IPAs (India Pale Ale) are named so because hops were a preservative for the beer British sailors kept onboard while sailing to India. Classic British IPAs tend to be maltier and more bitter than American IPAs because the hops were kept in the beer for a very long time during a voyage. For me, that doesn’t really scream “summer”. The kinds of IPAs I love to drink during the summer tend to fall within the session IPA distinction or the West Coast IPA style.
Session IPAs are just lower ABV IPAs. Named so because they are “sessionable”, aka you can drink more of them before feeling the effects of alcohol. One of the best examples of a session IPA is Founders All Day IPA. As the name implies, you can drink them all day because it comes in at just below 5% and incredibly well balanced on the palate. They extended the All Day lineup to include session versions of a Hazy IPA, Red IPA, and West Coast IPA.
West Coast IPAs are great for the summer because the hops that are used in brewing tend to express many fruity and tropical flavors and aromas. Even if you’re tasting tropical fruits in the beer, there is no fruit actually added to the beer (unlike fruited IPAs). They tend to be less bitter than traditional IPAs and a bit more crisp. This is a great celebrating or relaxing beer for the summer because the ABVs tend to rise with this style. Stone IPA from Stone Brewing is a great example of the West Coast style. The hops are citrusy, tropical, and piney with an intense lemon rind aroma.
Non-Alcoholic Beer
While this isn’t a “style” of beer, non-alcoholic beers have soared in popularity. While many attribute the growing interest in non-alcoholic drinks to a generation of more health conscious consumers, it’s not just athletes and fitness enthusiasts buying these beverages (I’m buying them too!).
Drinking a crisp beer is a wonderful experience but there are times when I want to experience that sensation without the alcohol. Mowing the lawn and doing yardwork is a lot more enjoyable and safer with a NA beer. Enjoying NA beers at a BBQ when I know I have a long drive home lets me enjoy the day with friends without worrying about getting home. Even on a casual Sunday evening with an early Monday meeting, it makes sure I can keep the camera on or ditch the sunglasses in person.
NA Beers have been around for a long time, O’Doul’s for example, but there is a renaissance for them recently. Many historic brands are making NA’s like Budweiser Zero, Stella Liberte, Busch NA, Erdinger NA, and Guinness 0 to keep up with the surge in demand. Some craft breweries are also making NA beers like Brewdog with their AF (Alcohol Free) series or Omission’s Bright Eyed IPA and Good to Go Golden. Then we have breweries that only make NA beers like Partake. For me, the most important thing about NA beers is that they taste like real beer. There are many NA beers out there that distinctly taste off to me but there are many brands that nail the experience in my opinion. Although there are many examples of this, I’m currently drinking a lot of Stella Liberte. It is one of the best I’ve tasted (including alcoholic beers) and I’m looking forward to drinking a ton of it this summer.
These are my summer beer styles and I hope I was able to convince you to try some of these if you haven’t tried them before. As I said at the beginning of this blog – drink what you want, when you want. We live in a wonderful era where we eat and drink things regardless of what season it is and we should definitely utilize that. So even if you decide to drink a porter after reading this, I hope this was still informative and you enjoyed reading it.
Are you celebrating New Year’s Eve at home? Might we suggest a simple yet effective cheese and charcuterie board with beer pairings?
Building a cheese and charcuterie board can be daunting if it’s your first time; there are thousands of options, but we’re here to help with three cheese and beer recommendations that you can customize with your favorite meats and accouterments. You should find the cheeses at most independent cheese shops and select grocers and the beers at most stores that sell craft beer.
For Thanksgiving this year gatherings will be smaller, and celebrations may be more remote, but that doesn’t mean the food can’t be just as delicious! It is so important this year to focus on health and safety during the holiday season which is why we’ve compiled a list of a few restaurants in and around Chicago offering to-go options for Thanksgiving. Whether you need just the turkey, a few extra sides or the whole meal, these restaurants have you covered!