BBQ Rando's BBQ Tips
Cook by Internal Temperature, Not Time
Never rely on color or cooking time to determine doneness—always use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the protein. Pull your meat 5°F before your target internal temperature, as carryover cooking will finish the job while it rests.
Set Up 2-Zone Indirect Heat
Bank your hot coals or turn on burners only on one side of the grill, leaving the other side unheated. This gives you a high-heat zone for searing and a cool indirect zone for gentle cooking or preventing flare-ups when fat drips
Rest Your Meat Before Slicing
Cutting into hot meat immediately causes muscle fibers to contract and expel all internal juices onto your board. Allow steaks to rest for 5–10 minutes and large cuts like brisket or pork shoulder to rest for 30–60 minutes in an insulated cooler or foil tent to let juices redistribute.
BBQ Rando's BBQ Tips
Regular Charcoal Briquettes offer uniform shapes, longer burn times, and consistent, predictable heat, making them ideal for long, low-and-slow barbecue sessions. However, they take longer to ignite, produce a larger amount of ash, burn at lower maximum temperatures, and often contain chemical additives and binders.
Lump Charcoal is made from 100% natural wood, igniting quickly to reach extremel
The BBQ Rando Chart organizes smoking temperatures into five distinct zones, spanning from delicate cold infusion to high-heat direct cooking.
Ziggy is writing up BBQ Rando's BBQ Tips and more will be added soon!