By Mike Thayer

If you've never had lamb before, it's a MUST try! Lamb is the go-to meat in much of the Mediterranean. It's used there like beef is here in the states to make sandwiches, casseroles, entrees and sides. It's enjoyed as roasts, chops and you've probably heard of a 'Rack of Lamb' which is delicious! The meat presents a whole different flavor profile and it's outstanding! So if you're looking for something a little different to try, lamb is the ticket, no mint jelly required!

Becoming familiar with lamb cuts, their versatility and how butchers might label those cuts when packaging puts you on the path to becoming a Master Griller. So too does knowing which cuts can take direct heat and which ones are best grilled low and slow.

Let's start with cuts from the Neck which are inexpensive, but not really marketed and packaged as Neck meat by most butchers.  Neck meat is typically used to make Ground Lamb and Stew Meat, but if you've got a good relationship with your butcher, ask him to cut you some Neck Filets.  Meat from the Neck is a bit tough, so when grilling use the reverse sear method, low and slow on indirect heat until tender, then finish the Filets over direct heat to achieve those grill marks, pull the Filets when they hit the 135 degree mark and let them rest.  The Filets will continue to cook when resting and should peak a few more degrees to a perfect medium rare.

Shoulder cuts are an economical choice, as the meat here is a bit tougher, but still quite delicious!  Butchers will package and label cuts such as Shoulder Roast (bone-in), Rolled Shoulder Roast (boneless), Ground Lamb, Stew Meat and Shoulder Chops (also called blade or arm chops).  From the bone-in Shoulder Roast you can get a great meal of Pulled Lamb, rubbed with Rosemary, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper and olive oil, then grilled low and slow over indirect heat until that meat falls away from the bone, about 4-5 hours depending on the weight of the roast.  Served on warm pita or flat bread, it's Another Dose of YUM!  Prepared with the same style of rub and a little white wine, the Shoulder Chops can be done over direct heat, searing them for those great grill marks then finishing them over indirect heat until that internal temp hits 135 degrees.

Meat from the Rack section of the animal are typically the most expensive, and that's because they are incredibly delicious and tender.  Rib Chops or Rib Cutlets are popular ways you'll see Rack cuts packaged but the most iconic is the Rack of Lamb, which is 8 chops together, uncut, about two pounds of meat.  You'll often see this packaged with a French Cut, where a few inches of meat is removed from the end of the bones which makes for more elegant, restaurant quality presentation.  All these cuts are excellent on the grill.  Single chops should be grilled over direct heat, seared to get those great grill marks, then finished over indirect heat until you reach your desired doneness.  A Rack should be done over indirect heat, roasting for about 30 minutes, then transferring over to the hot side of the grill, keeping the Rack over the flame just long enough to caramelize the outside edge of the meat on both sides.

One of the most readily available cuts from the Loin are Loin Chops, also known as T-Bone Chops.  These are tender, delicious 3 - 4 ounce chops with an attractive "T" shaped bone that runs through the meat. Season with your favorite dry rub, or marinate 4 to 6 hours, then grill over direct heat to desired temp.  I almost always go for the chops, they are simple to prepare and simply delicious!  Other Loin cuts you'll see at the meat counter are the Loin Roast and cubes for Kabobs.  KABOB TIP #1: Always put your meat and veggies for kabobs on separate skewers. A meat and veggie skewer combo looks great in the meat counter display case at the grocery store, but the fact is the veggies on the skewer cook through much faster than the meat. You want tender crisp veggies with a hint of charcoal flavor, not dried out, charred veggies to go with that lamb. KABOB TIP #2: Don’t overload the meat on the skewers, leave some space between the cubes. Meat that is packed too tightly won’t cook evenly, won’t look as nice when served and most importantly, won’t taste as good. Place your meat kabobs over hot coals to get a good sear, lid off. Turn a quarter turn after about two minutes, repeat through four rotations giving you a medium rare kabob. Place your veggie kabobs on the grill after the meat kabobs are cooked halfway through. Serve together with rice pilaf and warm pita bread.  It's another dose of YUM!

A bone-in Leg of Lamb makes for an impressive presentation, a cut that's perfect for any holiday celebration or entertaining a big group.  A boneless leg, a.k.a. a BRT, or Boneless Rolled, is one the most versatile cuts of lamb and perhaps the leanest because it's a hard working muscle.   With leg cuts you can grill them whole bone-in or boneless, you can trim some to make kabob meat, divide into individual chops or make smaller roasts.  Chops, smaller boneless roasts and steaks from this cut are typically packaged with labeling such as Sirloin Chops, Sirloin Roast, Rump Roast, Center Leg Roast, or Leg Steak, a.k.a. Lamb Steak.  These are more value-oriented cuts than the prized rib and loin chops and roasts but can be just as delicious with proper preparation.  A whole boneless Leg of Lamb typically weighs 7-8 pounds so there will be plenty of ways you can enjoy this cut and as you've figured out by now, the larger cuts like roasts need to be grilled low and slow over indirect heat, while chops, steaks and kabobs can be seared over the flame for that great sear. 

Lamb Shanks come in both Foreshanks and Hindshanks but aren't exactly grill friendly.   Don't get me wrong, they're absolutely delicious cuts and the meat practically melts off the bone when they are slow cooked, but that's very tough to do on the dry heat of the grill.  A value cut, shanks are big on flavor but do best simmering in a broth.  Break out the cast iron pot and make a stew. 

From the Breast section you get one of the most inexpensive cuts of lamb, Lamb Spareribs, a.k.a., Denver Ribs which are perfect for grilling and rival baby back pork ribs dressed in your favorite BBQ rub or sauce.  Meat from this area of the animal is also used to make Ground Lamb.

Meat from the Flank can be tough and is typically made into Ground Lamb.  Hello Lamburgers!  Try the following recipes, The Mediterranean Burger and Gyro Sliders!

So in becoming familiar with lamb cuts, Shoulder cuts are the most economical choice for the grill, you can't go wrong with Loin Chops for any meal and cuts from the Rack and Leg will be crowd pleasers.   If you haven't tried lamb before, you're missing out!  Go pick up a package of chops and grill yourself up a nice meal.  You'll be saying, "I wish I would have bought more lamb!" with the first bite.

And don't forget, anything grilled to "Well Done" sucks, it's a waste of meat and money.

By Mike Thayer

Pork is under-eaten and that’s a grill crime. Sure, ribs are popular, but there are so many other cuts of pork that a lot of folks just don’t consider but should. Ribs are fantastic, but so are pork roasts, chops, blade steaks, loin kabobs and more. They’re all so darn tasty!

Becoming familiar with pork cuts, their versatility and how butchers might label those cuts when packaging puts you on the path to becoming a Master Griller. So too does knowing which cuts can take direct heat and which ones are best grilled low and slow.

There are pork cuts for every occasion, from casual dining to formal gatherings.  Let's start with the Boston Butt cuts.  I know what you're thinking, that's not a very glamorous name and as you can see from the diagram, it's actually the pork shoulder, not the butt.  So why the heck is it called a butt?  In the colonial days of New England, butchers would take the less prized cuts of pork like hams and shoulders and pack them into barrels for storage and transport. The barrels they put them in were called butts. The shoulder cut became a Boston specialty and soon came to be known in all of colonial New England as the "Boston Butt."  The Boston Butt, a.k.a., Pork Butt, a.k.a., Pork Shoulder, is usually packaged at the meat counter as is using the aforementioned names in 4 - 10 pound packages and boneless.  If you've ever had pulled pork, you were eating pork shoulder.  This is an inexpensive cut but packs a lot of flavor and embraces dry rubs, sauces and marinades very well.  But because it has a lot of fat and marbling (flavor), it needs a low and slow preparation.  When grilling, go low and slow over indirect heat and we're talking hours of cooking time, approximately 2 hours per pound at 225 degrees.  It's even better in a smoker!  And while a 5 pound Boston Butt is perhaps the most popular cut from this section, you'll also see Blade Steaks and bone in Shoulder Chops at your favorite meat counter.  Butchered off the shoulder blade and the fat trimmed, the steaks and chops can and should be grilled over direct heat.  These are generally cut on the thinner side and by the time you get those great diamond shaped grill marks on both sides, your pork is perfectly grilled to a nice medium rare, 145 degrees, the minimum safe temperature for pork.  Less common at the meat counter but also very delicious is Cottage Bacon, which is pork shoulder that is boned out, the cap of fat taken off, cured, pressed, and sliced thin.  It has a unique ham/bacon flavor profile and grilled Cottage Bacon sandwiches rock!  Just a minute or two on each side over direct heat is all it takes.

Behind the shoulder is the pork Loin which is the leanest and most tender part of the pig.  This is where the versatility of pork really shines.  Babyback Ribs (taken from the top of the rib cage along the backbone), Country Style Ribs (boneless strips of pork loin), Pork Rib Roast (a.k.a. Rack of Pork), Canadian Style Bacon, Loin Chops and Loin Roasts are cut from this area and in this section you'll find what BBQ competitors refer to as the "Money Meat," the Tenderloin.  Loin roast is sometimes confused with the tenderloin but the similarity is in name - loin - only.  The term 'roast' simply refers to a large cut of pork that is sold in pieces typically weighing between two and 10 pounds.  The Tenderloin is a smaller, long cut that usually weighs about a pound and when properly prepared is in my humble opinion THE most delicious cut of pork, tender indeed, it's aptly named and why you'll pay a bit more for it.  You'll often see these at the meat counter pre-packaged in a marinade.  Loin Roasts, while not as tender as the Tenderloin, are more economical but also very delicious when brined or dry rubbed and grilled over indirect heat.  Here's the versatility part, the boneless pork loin..... You can treat it like a roast, cut it into chops, slice it thin for grilled sandwiches or chunk it up for kabobs. It’s cheap, delicious and a bonus is its flavor diversity. It absorbs marinades/sauces well and works great with just about any chicken recipe. Try using pork loin instead of that chicken breast in your favorite chicken recipe, you’ll like it!  Just don't over-cook pork loin cuts, they tend to dry out quickly.  The Pork Rib Roast can be a real show stopper and a Pork Crown Roast, where the Rack of Pork is turned into a circle and tied is perfect for an elegant setting.

Ham is the polite reference to the hind legs and yes, butt of a pig.  Hams can be wet-cured, dry-cured, spiraled and/or smoked.  There's bone-in hams and boneless hams, they come fully-cooked, partially cooked, uncooked and even boiled.  A Whole Ham includes both the butt and shank cuts of the leg and can weigh 10 to 20 pounds.  If you don't want a Whole Ham and that much meat, you have a few options.  A Butt End Ham is the upper cut of the hog's hind leg and a Shank End Ham is the lower cut of the hog's hind leg.  There's also the Center Ham Slice, a.k.a. the Ham Steak.  The Butt End has more meat but is also fattier and tougher to carve than the Shank End.  Some consider the Shank End portion to have a sweeter flavor.  When it comes to grilling, I go with the fully cooked varieties.  With fully cooked hams, there are no temperature concerns and all I have to worry about is enhancing some already incredible flavor that a good ham provides.  Ham Steaks, a little olive oil and your favorite dry rub turn out great grilled over direct heat, getting those great grill marks, about 2 - 3 minutes per side.  For Whole or End Cut hams, the low and slow approach is the way to go.  This is where you can really doctor the flavor profile up with citrus juice, apple juice, brown sugar, cloves or whatever else trips your trigger.  Cooking time is about 15 - 20 minutes per pound at about 250 degrees. Basting or spraying your ham is a must, they can dry out otherwise and if you are going to glaze or sugar your ham, wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking time to do so.  Sugar and/or glazes tend to get bitter if applied too soon. 

Bacon isn't just for breakfast anymore and who DOESN'T love bacon?  The Bacon we all know and love comes from the belly of the pig, to be specific, Bacon is simply the name for cured, salted or smoked pork belly that is then sliced or cut in a slab.  Everything is better with bacon and just about any entree dish out there has some kind of version with bacon in it.  Grilled bacon is awesome, enhancing that smoky flavor.  You can't walk away when grilling it though or you'll get high flames and burnt bacon.  Start out grilling your bacon over indirect heat dressing it with some fresh ground black pepper, then put it over the flames to crisp it up just before serving.  Pork Belly itself is becoming more popular these days in its fresh form.  When grilling, it's a low and slow cook over indirect heat with a 1.5 pound pork belly taking about an hour to become Grilled Good Eats!  This cut takes on Asian flavors quite nicely!

Spareribs come from the upper belly of the hog and are known for their delicious, bold pork flavor.  These ribs are larger and heavier than Babybacks and they have better flavor because they have a higher fat content.  When Spareribs are cut and squared up with the sternum bone, cartilage and rib tips removed creating a nice, rectangular-shaped rack, they turn into St. Louis Style Ribs, the preferred ribs for competitive BBQ on the Kansas City Barbecue Society Circuit.  Ribs deserve a low and slow preparation and it's all about the dry rub.  You can find an excellent dry rub off the shelf to your liking at your local grocery store, but know that doing ribs right is an art form and can take years of practice to perfect, getting the rub, spritz, cook time and sauce just right.  Talk about having fun trying!

You'll see pork products from the Picnic section of the pig labeled as Arm Roast, Picnic Shoulder Roast, Arm Steak or Picnic Ham (which isn't really a ham, it's a roast).  Cuts from this section are less expensive than Butt cuts, they're a bit tougher and not as well marbled, but can be used interchangeably in many recipes calling for pork roast and BBQ.  Roasts from this area require low and slow grilling and are better served sliced than they are pulled or shredded.   This section of the pig is also often used in the making of ground pork.

The pork Jowl, a.k.a., cheek meat is delicious, but unless you live in the south, it's not readily available and marketed in other areas of the country.  Most people that know and understand Jowl meat fry it up like bacon.  Ask your local mom & pop butcher if he'll package some up for you.  Treating it like bacon, it's excellent on the grill, starting off low and slow over indirect heat and finishing hot over the flames to crisp up the edges.

So in becoming familiar with pork cuts, know that pork is an excellent and easier-on-the-wallet alternative to the high price of beef and the bonus is you can use pork in almost any kind of chicken dish.   The price for pork is most often driven by what's the most lean and tender, the loin section cuts overall being the most expensive and then there's what's currently popular, especially around the holidays, like a Christmas ham.  If you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck, go with boneless pork loin and do your own butchering.  If you're looking for a crowd pleaser for a party that won't break the bank, go with a Pork Crown Roast.  If you really want to stick to a budget but crave pork, then Picnic cuts are your friend.

And don't forget, anything grilled to "Well Done" sucks, it's a waste of meat and money.

By Mike Thayer

Becoming familiar with beef cuts, knowing where on the cow that steak or roast comes from and how butchers might label those cuts when packaging puts you on the path to becoming a Master Griller.  So too does knowing which cuts are tender and don't need much preparation before grilling and which cuts are tougher and need a marinade to soften them up.  Going beyond the basics in really knowing your beef helps you determine if you'll be grilling over direct heat for a good sear or grilling over indirect heat for low and slow deliciousness.

Let's start with "Chuck," a.k.a., beef shoulder.  From here you get cuts and package labeling like Chuck Roast, Arm Roast, Blade Roast, Chuck Steak, Blade Steak, Charcoal Steak and Flat Iron Steak*.  Chuck cuts are tougher cuts of meat (the shoulder muscles work hard) and for that reason are also less expensive than other cuts.  Chuck has great base flavor but needs a good marinade to help soften things up before grilling and these cuts do best over indirect heat, low and slow or in the case of the Flat Iron, a reverse sear (*starting off by grilling over indirect heat, then finishing the steak hot, over direct heat).  Don't over cook!  Grill to a nice medium-rare to medium.  Anything over medium starts to become rubbery, tougher to chew and you've essentially grilled out the flavor.  Nobody likes a chewy, dry piece of meat!  Oh, and scraps from this part of the animal are used to make Ground Chuck, now you know what part of the cow that comes from.  Ground Chuck is excellent for grilled cheeseburgers, better than regular ground beef - more flavor!

Rib cuts include meats and package labeling such as Standing Rib Roast (a.k.a. Prime Rib), Rolled Rib Roast (boneless and wrapped in butcher's twine) and my personal favorite, Rib Eye Steaks!  These are tender cuts and have a lot of marbling, a.k.a., FLAVOR.  Being tender and full of flavor, they're also more expensive.  In my humble opinion, these cuts do NOT need much doctoring help at all in prepping for the grill.  When I do Rib Eye steaks, it's just salt and pepper - let that meat sing!   Grill over direct heat to get that good sear and those great grill marks, then move to indirect heat to finish cooking to desired temp. And for the record, anything grilled to "Well Done" sucks, a waste of meat and money.

Plate cuts are actually the lower part of the ribs.  From here you get Short Ribs and Skirt Steak.  These are tougher cuts but they pack A LOT of flavor!  A good marinade softens them up but the grilling approach is different for each.  Go low and slow with the Ribs, away from the flame.  The Skirt Steak, which is actually the cow’s diaphragm muscle, can take the heat.  It's a thin cut, sear it on both sides over high heat, but it's GOT to have marinade or dry rub on it for at least four hours prior to grilling. Fun Fact:  Skirt Steak is most commonly used for fajitas.

From the Short Loin area you get some great steaks!  Bone-in Club Steak, New York Strip Steak (Boneless and fat trimmed), Kansas City Strip Steak (Bone attached with a thin strip of fat) and if the tenderloin is included in the butchering you get T-Bone and Porterhouse Steaks.  All these steaks are excellent on the grill.  I like to prepare these cuts by applying my favorite steak rub about 30-40 minutes before grilling.  T-Bone and Porterhouse grilling tip:  With these steaks you're getting two types of meat - a strip steak on one side of the bone (the bigger piece of meat) and tenderloin on the other (the smaller piece of meat and more tender).  Always keep the strip steak side of the T-Bone or Porterhouse pointed to the flame.  The tenderloin side cooks faster and doesn't need near as much direct heat.  A reverse sear preparation is best for these steaks.

The full Sirloin part of the cow runs from the 13th rib, back to the hip bone and is sub-divided into Top Sirloin and Bottom Sirloin sections.  From the Top Sirloin you get, you guessed it, Sirloin Steaks!  A nice steak, but a leaner steak and so it needs some fat help.  With a little olive oil, some salt and pepper or your favorite rub, Sirloin Steaks are excellent on the grill over direct heat.  The Tenderloin is where Filet Mignon comes from, the most tender cut of beef - the very pointy end of the Tenderloin.  Like the sirloin, it's a lean cut and needs some fat help, that's why you often see bacon wrapped around these beauties.  A reverse sear method of grilling is best.  Grill over indirect heat until about 10 degrees short of your desired heat and then sear it over direct heat and crisp up that bacon to finish.  Center Cut Roasts are also taken from the Tenderloin, the name speaks for itself and because they're so tender and lean they also come with a higher price.  To grill, it's low and slow, use a drip pan and baste to keep it from drying out.  You'll love that smokey roast flavor!  From the Bottom Sirloin you get Tri-Tip Roast, Ball Tip Roast, Tri-Tip Steak and Flap Steak.  These cuts are lean, a bit tougher, but SO versatile!  Any of them are great sliced into strips or cubed for Kabobs and married with a marinade before grilling over direct heat....  Well it's another dose of YUM!  Savings Tip:  Buy a roast from the Bottom Sirloin and cut your own steaks, or strips, or cubes...  By the pound, it's cheaper to do that than buying your steaks, or strips, or Kabobs already cut at the meat counter.   

The full Round part of the cow is basically the back legs and rump area, which gets a lot of exercise - so we're talking lean but tougher cuts of meat and similar to the Sirloin area, the Round is broken down into subdivisions, the Top Round and the Bottom Round.  The key to remember about any cut from the Round is that this is the least flavorful part of the cow.  It's also why these are typically the least expensive cuts.  From the Top Round you get the Top Round Roast and Top Round Steaks, a.k.a. London Broil (not bad, but SO over-rated). Before you get to the Bottom Round - it's a center cut thing - you have what's called Eye of Round Roast and Eye of Round Steak - kind of like the 'eye' of the hurricane, get it?  And in the Bottom Round you have Rump Roast, Sirloin Tip Roasts, Sirloin Tip Steaks (it's a marketing thing, meat cut from where the Round section meets the Sirloin section, hence the use of "Tip," but know that it's not really Sirloin....  and Stew Beef.  These are all cuts of meat that MUST have a marinade or dry rub applied before grilling and do best in a low and slow preparation, OFF the flame over indirect heat.   Nothing in this group can be quickly prepared like a tender and melt-in-your-mouth Rib Eye.  Don't get me wrong, these cuts can provide for a great meal, but marinade overnight and prepare your coals for a slow cook.    The best thing about the Round is it's easy  on the wallet and when done right, delivers nicely on the taste of beef.

From the Flank you get Flank Steak and Ground Beef.  Flank Steak is delicious, but it is a tougher cut and most definitely needs a marinade to help break it down.  It's one of the most inexpensive cuts of beef, popular because of the price and also because it embraces a marinade so well.  Grill quickly over high, direct heat and cut against the grain into strips for serving.  Flank Steak is also excellent in a stir fry!

Saving for what in my opinion is the best for last, the last cut is all about the Brisket.  There's a reason this cut doesn't have a breakdown of roasts, steaks, strips or tips....   It's simply all about the Brisket, which is essentially the breast muscle, the chest of the cow.  It takes on a major muscle workload for the animal and therefore has a lot of connective tissue and collagen.  Yes, that means it's a very tough cut of meat but it also means it's PACKED with flavor!  The Brisket deserves a pedestal and why it is heralded at BBQ competitions around not only the U.S., but the globe.  It's popular prepared as corned beef and further spiced to make pastrami, but it's best known as THE meat for smoking, low and slow deliciousness.  It's so good, yours truly makes a dynamite chili with the leftovers (if there are any).  Back in the day, Brisket was an inexpensive piece of meat, a working man's purchase....  But once people started catching on to how much flavor a properly prepared Brisket has, well, now it's one of the more expensive cuts of beef.  Funny how that works....  This is a fibrous piece of meat that must have a marinade or dry rub working overnight.  And this ultimate piece of beef needs to be slow smoked for 8 - 12 hours, depending on the size of your brisket.  Sliced thin, it's heaven on a plate.

So in becoming familiar with beef cuts, know that price is most often driven by what's the most tender (the Tenderloin), what takes more butcher expertise to slice up (the Rib and Short Loin sections) and what's currently popular (Brisket).  If you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck without sacrificing on flavor, buy in bulk and go with roast cuts from the Sirloin section and doing your own butchering.  If you're looking for a crowd pleaser for a party that's easy on the wallet, think flat steaks, thin steaks that take to marinades and grill up quick, we're talking flat iron, skirt, flank and hanger steaks.  If you really want to stick to a budget but crave beef, then Round cuts are your friend.

And don't forget, anything grilled to "Well Done" sucks, it's a waste of meat and money. 

By Mike Thayer

Tired of burgers and chicken nuggets?

Just take a look at the picture on the right, Cottage Bacon, an excellent change of pace meat, a great way to cure your meal doldrums...  Yes, pun intended....  'cure'....

If you're not familiar with Cottage Bacon, it's cured pork shoulder, sliced thin.  It's leaner than bacon and the flavor elements carry both ham and bacon notes.  It fries up really well without shrinking too much and it's great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Also excellent prepared on the grill, it's fantastic with eggs, excellent on a sandwich, pairs really well with potatoes.  Here's an easy peasy recipe for a quick sandwich:

CBLT (Cottage Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 slices of Cottage Bacon
• 2 slices of Swiss Cheese
• Lettuce
• 2 slices of tomato
• One bun
• Melted garlic butter
• Mayo
• Mustard
• A splash of Olive oil (if pan frying)
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Pan fry the Cottage Bacon over medium heat (a VERY nice alternative is to grill it, over direct heat), about 2-3 minutes per side.  Hit it with the black pepper.  While that's cooking, brush the bun with melted garlic butter and toast.  Dress the toasted bun with mayo on the bottom bun, mustard on the top, put on the lettuce and tomato.  After flipping the Cottage Bacon, put on the Swiss Cheese to melt.  Put the meat on the bun and ENJOY!

This Cottage Bacon cost me about $7 at Yoder Meats, THE best butcher in town.  I've got enough meat here for 3 meals, that breaks down to about $2.33 per meal.  That's Bachelor on the Cheap Friendly and the taste is great!  If you're not already a Cottage Bacon fan, you'll become one!

For more great recipes go to www.grillinggoodeats.com