Drinks on my cruise

Pork belly burnt ends are the gateway drug of the BBQ world. There is nothing like that specific moment when the fat renders into literal butter and the glaze sets into a sticky lacquer. ​The secret sauce: Don’t over-sauce too early. Let the smoke do the heavy lifting for the first 3 hours, then braise them in the "holy trinity" (Butter, Brown Sugar, Honey) for that shine.

We’ve all been there: the meat is juicy, but the skin is like chewing on a rubber band. To graduate from "backyard cook" to "pitmaster," you need to manage two things: surface moisture and fat rendering. 💡 3 Pro-Tips for the Ultimate Crunch: - The "Fridge Air" Trick: After seasoning your chicken, leave it uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight). The cold air dehydrates the skin. Dry skin = Crispy skin. Wet skin = Rubbery skin. - The Fat Anchor: Use a light coating of avocado oil or olive oil before applying your rub. Because chicken skin is porous, the oil helps the heat transfer more efficiently to render the fat underneath. - The "Finish" Flare: If your bird hits 68C and the skin still looks pale, crank the grill or move the bird directly over the coals for the final few minutes. Just keep it moving—the jump from "mahogany" to "burnt" happens fast at 175C 🪵 Wood Pairing 101: Chicken is a sponge for smoke. Avoid heavy woods like Mesquite which can turn the meat "ashy" or bitter. - Fruitwoods (Apple/Cherry): For a sweet, mild profile and a deep red color. - Pecan: For a rich, nutty depth that doesn't overpower the bird.

For decades, the "standard" way to cook a thick steak was to sear it over high heat first to "lock in the juices" and then finish it in the oven. Science has since proven that searing does not lock in juices—in fact, the high heat of an initial sear can actually cause the surface fibers to contract so violently that they squeeze moisture out before the middle even gets warm. Enter the Reverse Sear. This technique flips the script by starting low and slow and finishing with a high-heat flash. It is the most scientifically sound way to cook any piece of meat thicker than 1.5 inches. 1. The Myth of the Seal The idea that searing creates a moisture-proof barrier is one of the most persistent myths in the culinary world. If you watch a steak as it sears, you’ll hear a sizzle; that sizzle is the sound of moisture escaping and hitting the hot pan. Searing is about flavor, not hydration. It triggers the Maillard reaction, where amino acids and sugars transform into hundreds of new, savory flavor compounds. 2. The Temperature Gradient Problem When you drop a cold steak onto a 260C grill, you create a massive temperature gradient. By the time the center reaches a perfect medium-rare 57C, the meat just below the surface is likely 93C, leaving you with a thick, gray, overcooked "band" around a small pink center. In a Reverse Sear, by warming the meat at a low temperature 107C first, you ensure the entire steak rises in temperature uniformly. This results in "wall-to-wall" pink meat with almost no overcooked gray band. 3. Surface Dehydration: The Key to the Crust The Maillard reaction cannot happen effectively until surface moisture has evaporated. Water boils at 100C, while the Maillard reaction really kicks into gear above 149C. In a traditional sear, the heat of the pan has to spend energy "boiling off" the surface moisture before it can start browning the meat. In a Reverse Sear, the 45–60 minutes the steak spends in the low-temp oven or smoker acts as a dehydration chamber. By the time you are ready to sear, the surface of the meat is bone-dry.

The Wagyu Blueprint: Debunking the Myths of Luxury Beef Wagyu beef has achieved a legendary, almost mythical status in the world of barbecue. Its reputation for extreme marbling and a buttery mouthfeel makes it the "holy grail" for many pitmasters. However, as its popularity has grown, so has a collection of misconceptions that can lead to costly mistakes in the pit or at the butcher counter. To truly master Wagyu, you must look past the marketing and understand the biological and chemical realities of the meat. Here is the technical breakdown of the most common Wagyu myths. Myth 1: The "Wagyu" Label is Universal Many consumers believe that "Wagyu" is a single, uniform product. In reality, the term literally translates to "Japanese Cow," and it encompasses four distinct breeds: Japanese Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled. Furthermore, there is a significant difference between Fullblood Japanese Wagyu and American or Australian Wagyu. Domestic versions are often crossbred with Angus (F1 or F2 crosses). While these "Wagyu-influenced" cattle produce exceptional beef, they have a different fat structure and flavor profile than the purebred Kuroge Washu from Japan. Myth 2: Higher Marbling Always Equals Better Quality While the Beef Marbling Score (BMS) is the most famous metric, it is not the only one. The Japanese Meat Grading Association evaluates four key areas: 1. Marbling (BMS): The abundance and distribution of intramuscular fat. 2. Meat Color and Brightness: Measured against a standard firmament. 3. Firmness and Texture: The "feel" of the muscle fibers. 4. Fat Quality: The luster and melting point of the fat itself. A steak with a BMS of 12 is visually stunning but can be so rich that it becomes cloying or "greasy" after a few bites. Often, a well-balanced BMS 7–9 provides a more nuanced eating experience where you can actually taste the beef alongside the fat. Myth 3: Wagyu Must Always Be Served Rare This is a common error in judgment. Wagyu fat has a significantly lower melting point than standard beef—often as low as 28 Degrees Celsius.