Slow-Smoked Utah BBQ

Active cook ~15–20 minutes · Rest 20–30 minutes

Ingredients

• Tri-tip (choice or prime)
• Sesame oil
• Texas Hickory BBQ Seasoning from Fire & Smoke Society
• Black pepper
• Oak wood & charcoal

Equipment

• Charcoal grill

Method

1. Rub sesame oil over the tri-tip on all sides.
2. Season generously with Texas Hickory BBQ Seasoning from Fire & Smoke Society and black pepper.
3. Build a hot fire — the charcoal and oak should be glowing red-white before you start.
4. Sear the tri-tip directly over the coals for 7 minutes, then flip and sear another 7 minutes.
5. Check internal temperature — you’re looking for 130–133°F for a medium-rare finish. It will rise a few degrees as it rests, so pull it slightly early if you’re close.
6. If it’s not there yet, keep searing 2–3 minutes per side over the hot coals until you hit temp.
7. Rest at least 20–30 minutes so the juices redistribute, then slice against the grain and serve.

Watch the full cook on YouTube.

Active cook 3½–5 hours · Prep overnight

Ingredients

• St. Louis spare ribs or baby back ribs
• Yellow mustard (binder)
• Rib rub — we recommend our Redline Rib Rub
• Apple cider vinegar (for spritz)
• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar
• BBQ sauce — we recommend Pitmaster’s Sweet Bite
• Applewood chunks

Equipment

• Smoker, maintained at 250°F
• Meat hook (for hanging on a drum smoker)
• Aluminum foil
• Spray bottle

Method

1. Trim the rack if needed. Leave the membrane on or remove it — either works.
2. Night before: coat lightly with yellow mustard as a binder. Season generously with rib rub on all sides. Wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight.
3. Fire the smoker to 250°F. On a drum smoker without a heat deflector, remove the deflector and hang each rack from a hook through the first bone at the wide end, suspended directly over the coals. With a heat deflector or on an offset, set the ribs directly on the grate.
4. Smoke for 2 hours, spritzing with apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes. If hanging, rotate the racks counter-clockwise each spritz; on the grate, skip rotation.
5. At the 2-hour mark, internal temp should read 170–175°F. Remove the ribs. Reinstall the heat deflector and grate if you were cooking hung.
6. Wrap each rack in foil with pats of butter, a light sprinkle of brown sugar, and an extra hit of rib rub on top and bottom. Return to the smoker on the grate.
7. After 1 hour, check temperature. Begin probing for tenderness around 200°F.
8. Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce, and return to the smoker for 15–20 minutes to set the glaze.
9. Rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Watch the full cook on YouTube.

Active cook ~30 minutes · Prep 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Atlantic salmon fillets
• Olive oil
• Lawry’s garlic salt
• Bachan’s Sweet Honey Japanese BBQ Sauce
• Pecan wood chunks

Equipment

• Smoker, maintained at 225°F
• Heat deflector

Method

1. Rub olive oil over the top, sides, and underside of the skin — coating the skin side helps keep the fish from sticking to the grates.
2. Season with Lawry’s garlic salt, then coat with Bachan’s Sweet Honey Japanese BBQ Sauce.
3. Return the fillets to the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes so the sauce can work into the fish.
4. Fire the smoker to 225°F with pecan wood and a heat deflector in place.
5. Smoke for about 30 minutes until the fillets reach 130°F internal temperature, then pull from the smoker.
6. Plate and finish with an extra drizzle of Bachan’s Sweet Honey Japanese BBQ Sauce.

Watch the full cook on YouTube.

Yields about 2 cups of sauce.

Base

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp white sugar or honey
• 1 tbsp molasses

Savory Layer

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Heat

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Method

1. Combine everything in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring just to a light simmer — don’t boil hard.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 10–15 minutes, stirring often.
4. Let cool — it thickens a lot as it rests.

Yields about a pint of hot sauce · About a 6/10 on the spice scale

Peppers & Aromatics

• 10 ripe red jalapeños (green jalapeños work too)
• 2 medium red Italian sweet peppers
• 2 red Thai chilies
• 4 large garlic cloves
• ½ small yellow or white onion

Liquid

• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (optional, for sautéing)

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Blender
• Gloves

Method

1. Wash and dry the peppers. Stem and quarter the jalapeños — leave the seeds and ribs, that’s the heat. Stem and chunk the Italian peppers; their seeds can come out. Stem the Thai chilies and leave them whole. Wear gloves.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium. Add the onion, jalapeños, and Italian peppers. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened with a few browned spots — don’t deep-brown them.
3. Add the garlic and Thai chilies. Cook 60–90 seconds so they bloom without burning.
4. Add the vinegar, water, salt, and honey. Bring just to a boil, then drop to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook 15–20 minutes until the peppers are completely soft. Don’t boil hard — it just fills the kitchen with spicy vinegar fumes.
5. Cool until safe to blend. Blend everything, liquid included, on high 1–2 minutes until smooth and orange-red.
6. If it’s too thick, thin with water or vinegar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Green jalapeños are fine if that’s what you have — the sauce will just run a little greener.

Yields about 1¼ cups of rub.

Salt & Pepper

• 3/4 cup + 2 tsp 16 mesh coarse pepper
• 1/2 cup + 1 tsp kosher salt

Savory Base

• 1/4 cup + 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 2 tbsp granulated onion
• 1 tbsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp scant MSG
• 1 1/4 tsp beef bouillon powder

Color & Smoke

• 2 tbsp + 2 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Heat & Depth

• 2 tsp ancho chili powder
• 2 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Method

1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
2. Break up any clumps in the garlic, onion, and bouillon.
3. Store in an airtight shaker bottle.
4. Let the rub sit overnight before using for best flavor integration.

Yields about 1¼ cups of rub.

Sweet Base

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Color & Smoke

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika

Savory Backbone

• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp MSG
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder

Heat & Depth

• 2 tsp coarse black pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Method

1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
2. Break up any brown sugar clumps.
3. Store in an airtight shaker bottle.
4. Let the rub sit overnight before using for best flavor integration.