Who Is Andrew Zimmern? | The Bearded Butchers & Andrew Zimmern

Andrew Zimmern is a lifelong outdoorsman and chef who simplifies the process of cooking wild food over an open fire. He is known for creating delicious and easy meals while also sharing plenty of tips for sourcing, butchering, and preparing game meat and fish.His Bio: "Andrew Zimmern is an …

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Everything You Want to Know About Bison Meat

Bison meat is a delicacy in the United States even though the animals once roamed wild across most of the middle of the country. Today, just a few farms like ours exist that are dedicated to bringing bison back to the table of every American. Bison meat has many health benefits and a features unique …

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The Perfect Smoke Ring: How to Get it Right

The sign of a proper job smoking meat is when that first slice is made and you see the delicate, deep red ring surrounding perfectly cooked meat. Getting the perfect smoke ring is as much an art as it is a skill. In order to learn how to get good smoke rings you need to know why the smoke ring fo …

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How to Remove Rust From Your Griddle Top Grill

Rust is not just unsightly on your griddle surface, it can also ruin the flavor of the food you cook. Most rust problems are easy to fix and will not damage the griddle. But if rust has gotten too bad, you might have to replace the entire cooking surface. Most griddles, including Blackstone griddles …

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Which Kamado Grill is the Best?

Kamado Grills come in lots of different sizes and colors. Years ago, there were just a few companies making these awesome charcoal grills that are based on ancient Asian cooking instruments. Today, the number of cheap and inferior products has exploded to make the marketplace crowded and confu …

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How Does the Big Green Egg Work?

The Big Green Egg is an impressive-looking cooking instrument. The deep green color is unmistakable and unique innovations make the Big Green Egg one of the most versatile ways to cook outdoors. The basic design is known as a kamado grill and it dates back into the ethos of time. Historical refer …

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How to Light a Big Green Egg

The first thing you need to know how to do in order to use a Big Green Egg is lighting a fire. There are a few things that you can do wrong that might damage your Big Green Egg. We will walk you through the proper steps for lighting the fire in the Big Green Egg and have you ready to cook in no t …

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​Brock Lesnar Blend Pan Seared Duck Breast Recipe

Duck breast is such an incredibly delicious and flavorful piece of meat. If you haven’t had it, it will knock your socks off. Our Brock Lesnar Blend is a perfect match to help enhance that experience. Paired with some duck fat fries (or in this case, duck fat oven roasted potato wedges), you’ll be a …

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Easy Homemade Beef Stew Recipe

Few things smell better on a cold winter day than a big bubbling pot of beef stew simmering away on the stove. Beef stew is one of the easiest recipes you can make and this beef stew recipe calls for some of the least expensive cuts so it is nutritious, delicious, and affordable. The trick …

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Strawberry Rhubarb BBQ Ribs Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb BBQ Ribs is something @Themontagne.Bbq highly recommends trying! Here is his easy to follow recipe: What you'll need: Pork Ribs (St. Louis or baby back) Beard Butcher Blend Seasoning Chipotle Bearded Butcher Blend BBQ Sauce (now in a new 21.5oz squeeze bottle!) …

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How to Properly Prepare Your Grill for the Winter

Chances are good that once the weather starts to get bitter and cold, you are not likely to get your grill set up again until the spring sunshine melts the snow. Properly storing your grill indoors protects it from damage from harsh winter weather so that when grilling season finally returns your gr …

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Grilla Grill vs Traeger

We recently got to take the chance to try out the Grilla Grill and we were impressed with the overall construction and how easy it is to use. To give you an idea of how it works and the features we like, we will compare it side-by-side with a fan-favorite pellet smoker from Traeger. These two pro …

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​Classic Homemade Eggnog Recipe

Eggnog is a polarizing beverage. You either love it or hate it – but no matter how you feel about eggnog personally, there's no denying that the drink has become entrenched in holiday traditions over the years.Making your own eggnog from scratch is simple to do and sure beats store-bought. This reci …

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How to Make Pork Loin on the Smoker

Pork loin is a fantastic cut of meat for cooking on the smoker. It is a large cut that lets you serve lots of people and the lean cut of meat is an ideal canvas for getting creative with flavors. Most importantly, the loin is affordable and cooks quickly so it is a great choice for almost any meal.P …

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Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy Recipe

Turkey gravy brings every main and side dish on your holiday table into perfect harmony. Gravy adds flavor, moisture, and a distinct creaminess that pairs with mashed potatoes, spiral-sliced ham, green bean casserole, and (of course) your favorite turkey recipe.Many people simply grab one of those l …

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How to Carve a Turkey

Carving a turkey can be an intimidating step, but it doesn't have to be when you know the easiest way to accomplish the task. We will share our method of carving the turkey and plating it so that your holiday meal is as beautiful as it is tasty.What You'll NeedThere are a couple of things that you s …

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How Long Does It Take to Cook a Turkey?

Have you ever been to a Thanksgiving meal and ended up having to drool over the side dishes while waiting for the turkey to be cooked all the way? Avoiding cold sides and hangry family members is easy when you know how long to cook a turkey. The length of time will depend on a few factors like the s …

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How To Deep Fry A Turkey

You know that most of the time when we are looking to cook something delicious, we are going to head straight for our smoker. But a few years back, one of our friends invited us over for deep-fried turkey seasoned with the Bearded Butcher Blend Original seasoning. It was one of the best turkeys w …

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How Long Does It Take to Thaw a Turkey?

It is almost the time of the year when turkeys are going to be on the menu all over the country. One great thing about the holiday season is that it is often easy to find really good deals on frozen turkeys. It is a great time of the year to stock up on this most magnificent of meal items and stuff …

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What Are Marinades?

There are a handful of cuts of meat out there that get a bad reputation for being dry, tough, and flavorless. Chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, and beef flank steak are some good examples of meats that don't always turn out the way you want them to. There is a not-so-secret trick that chefs have bee …

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How to Make Bratwurst at Home – A Step-By-Step Guide

Bratwurst is a popular food at tailgating parties this time of the year when football is in full swing. Brats are often grilled on portable kettle grills and served with onions and sauerkraut. Traditional bratwurst recipes tend to use lots of different spices and herbs to give the sausage a uniqu …

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Bratwurst vs Sausage: What Are the Differences?

Bratwurst and sausage share a history, often have similar ingredients, and are frequently prepared and served the same way. But despite all they have in common, bratwurst and sausage are different products. In our neck of the woods, bratwurst is incredibly popular, but in many parts of the country, …

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What Is Pork Belly?

Pork belly is a thick boneless cut of very fatty pork. Most Americans eat their fill of pork belly each year, but it has been processed first into bacon. However, pork belly is very versatile and, like most cuts of pork, is awesome for adding flavor.Pork belly should be slow-cooked to break down the …

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How to Use a Charcoal Chimney

A charcoal chimney starter is the correct tool for lighting lump charcoal or briquettes. A chimney starter is fairly simple to use once you know the proper way to light charcoal with it. The biggest thing about using a charcoal chimney starter is to practice safe handling when using it to prevent …

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How to Cook Indirect Heat on a Big Green Egg

The Big Green Egg is an incredible and versatile tool for grilling, barbequing, and smoking. Its simple-seeming design is deceptively clever because of the numerous ways you can use a Big Green Egg to prepare delicious meals. The Big Green Egg is a type of kamado grill that has been adapted to meet …

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Smoked Chipotle Chicken Dip Recipe

Fall is nearly here and that means one thing – football season. Whipping up an incredibly delicious dip for game night is a quick and simple way to add awesome snacks to your get-together. What could be more appetizing than the smoky flavor of adobo sauce combined with the heat of chipotle pepper …

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How to Smoke Cross Rib Roast

We are always on the lookout for affordable cuts of meat that are also delicious. One of our current favorites is the cross rib roast. The cut is heavily marbled and loaded with a rich and beefy flavor. It also cooks quickly in the smoker and makes for some of the most awesome steak sandwiches you'l …

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How to Store Grilling Tools

It seems like it never fails that right at the moment you need to flip burgers on the grill or pull chicken wings, you find your favorite spatula or tongs coated with a fine layer of dust, dirt, and dog hair. Before you know it, your grill is on fire and you still don't have the tools ready that …

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The Best BBQ Tools and Grilling Gadgets

The best BBQ tools and grilling gadgets won't instantly make you the next Grill Master, but having the right tools for the task might just make you the neighborhood hero. One thing that we can say with confidence is that there are a lot of junk grilling tools and accessories that are frustrating …

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Best Ever Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe

A seafood boil is a great opportunity for friends and family to gather and enjoy a big, flavorful, messy meal. The basic idea is pretty simple – get a big pot of heavily seasoned water, bring it to a boil, and add your ingredients. Regional variations from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay to the sho …

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Guide to Fatty Cuts of Beef

The golden rule to tender and delicious steaks is that fat content equals flavor. When we cook a steak, the fat renders and creates juiciness while helping the meat develop layers of succulent flavor.Even a lean cut of beef has some visible fat that will render down and make for a good meal, but lea …

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Is the Fat in Beef Good for You?

You've probably been told for most of your life that eating fatty meat, particularly beef, is a highway to heart disease risk, stroke, and obesity. While it is true that consuming large quantities of fatty meat on a regular basis isn't a great idea, a lot of the most current research is starting to …

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Are There Health Benefits of Adding Organ Meats to Your Diet?

Offal – it's not the nicest sounding word and definitely doesn't sound like something you'd want to eat. But, since the dawn of time, offal has been part of the cuisine of almost every known civilization in one way or another. The reason is quite simple – despite the gross-sounding name, offal (or r …

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What are the Benefits of Eating Meat?

Eating high-protein diets can have a number of health benefits that can help you feel better, lose weight, and have more energy. Meat is a great way to get protein in your diet and today, we are going to discuss how you can reap the rewards of eating meat. Benefits of Eating Protein-Rich Foods …

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The Dos and Don'ts of Safe Turkey Hunting

When turkey hunting, there are several things to remember. It isn't as simple as walking out, spotting a wild turkey, and shooting it.The Dos of Safe Turkey HuntingDO carry your hunting license or permit on you at all times. Even private land may have those who request to see it when out hunting wit …

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The Best BBQ Method: Hot and Fast vs Low and Slow

One of the great things about barbecue is that just about anyone can quickly and easily learn the basics and cook good meals right away. There is also the fact that barbecuing is as much a science and an art as it is a method of cooking meat. Learning the techniques that take an average bar …

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Smoked Cheese How-to and Recipe Ideas

Here is the challenge – get all of the delicious flavors of a perfectly smoked brisket into a block of cheese. At first, it seems like an easy task. Just toss some cheese in the smoker, and everything will probably work out. It’s not that simple, but if your goal is to be the master of the …

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What Is Liquid Smoke?

Liquid smoke sounds like the punchline of those silly jokes you'd hear on a television show about cars, but it is a culinary additive that has been available to Americans for more than 100 years, where it shows up in recipes ranging from dipping sauces to smokeless smoked meat. Commercially, it i …

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How Long is a Rack Of Ribs?

Barbecue ribs are popular when you've got a group of people coming over and you want something simple, delicious, and fast to make that doesn't require a bunch of utensils. But buying enough (without getting too much or too little) can be a bit of a challenge. Purchasing ribs is even more complicate …

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How to Brine Practically Any Meat

Brining is a process you can use to enhance the juiciness and add flavor to any piece of meat. Brining is a technique that has been around since the dawn of time as a way to preserve meat and fish long before the invention of refrigeration. Over time, brining became a way to prepare meat that is …

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Smoked Cajun Party Mix Recipe

Looking for a quick and easy snack? This recipe from @themontagne.bbq will fit the bill: Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Bearded Butcher Blend Cajun Seasoning 2 cups cheese crackers 2 cups mini pretzels 1 cup toasted corn cereal 1 cup toasted rice cereal 1 cup unsalted dry …

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Do Grill Cleaning Wipes Work?

We love every part of grilling and smoking – except for cleaning the grill afterward. It's dirty, requires tons of scrubbing, and is just generally a pain in the butt. Conventional cooking sprays can prevent some food from sticking, but those sprays also build up and leave a greasy mess. A grill …

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Take Aim: Where to Shoot a Turkey

Every hunter dreams of an instant kill, where their prey simply hits the ground dead. It's the perfect shot, the best intention, and the only way to make sure the animal doesn't suffer. Here, we'll take a look at your placement when you're trying to take down the gobbler you've got your eye on.Broad …

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The Best Turkey Hunting Gear

Finding the best turkey hunting gear is difficult – there are so many options and so much of it looks the same to most novices. But that's okay, we're here to help you find what will bring in the big gobblers and keep your freezer full. Note: Since decoys and feeders are banned in a good ma …

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The Key to a Perfect Roast: Injecting Prime Rib

Injecting meat is a technique that helps prevent lean cuts of meat from drying out and adds a depth of flavor to bland cuts of meat. Injecting is popular when making turkey and pork roasts that benefit from the added moisture and flavorful solution. You may wonder if injecting a prime rib roast will …

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London Broil vs Tri Tip

There are many fascinating facts about the way that cuts of meat get their names. Take the tri-tip and the London broil for example. You can go to many grocery stores and find meat labeled as London broil, but would you believe that there is not really a specific part of the cow that a London broil …

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How Do You Feel About Freeze-Dried Steak?

We were watching one of those television shows about end-of-the-world preppers the other day and got into a discussion about what types of long-term food options we would stockpile if we were to start preparing for the end of the world. Overwhelmingly, steak was the top choice.Of course, the obvious …

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Freeze Dried Beef Liver

Beef liver is one of the most healthy things you can add to your diet, but did you know it is also one of your dog's favorite treats? Dogs, like other carnivores, are attracted to nutrient-rich organs – and there isn't a more nutrient-dense organ than the liver. Freeze-dried treats made from fres …

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Best Freeze Dried Food for Backpacking

It doesn't matter if a hike is just an afternoon stroll or if the journey takes several days, you'll want to stay properly nourished. It's vital that your body has proper caloric content, fats, and nutrients when you are exerting energy. The best way to have nutritious meals available without add …

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Are Freeze-Dried Meats Good?

Summertime is one of the most popular times of the year to get out and enjoy the wilderness. No matter where you live, there are abundant opportunities for camping and hiking adventures. One of the best ways to make an outdoor adventure even more memorable is to finish the day with a juicy, tende …

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Sliced vs Chopped Brisket (It all Depends on How You Are Serving It, Right?)

You've probably read that sliced vs chopped brisket comes down to how you are serving it. That's been the conventional wisdom for a long time, and it is not bad advice. The theory goes that if you are serving brisket sandwiches, chop it. Sliced brisket is best served plated, often with gravy or sauc …

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Choice vs Prime Brisket – Which is Better?

When it comes to buying meat, consumers are often faced with the difficult task of wading through massive amounts of labeling information in an attempt to find "the best" option. Unfortunately, lots of the labeling that is out there doesn't really give you much information about what you are buying …

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The Best Pulled Pork Sandwich Toppings

Pulled pork sandwiches combine the sweet and delectable flavor of tender and juicy pulled pork with the ideal blank slate for creating culinary masterpieces. Toppings for pulled pork sandwiches can be simple and easy or exotic, letting you create something unique with just a few ingredients. Toda …

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What is the Best Cut for Pulled Pork?

Pulled pork is one of those magical meals that seems so complicated at first, but is a really simple thing to prepare. All you have to do to create restaurant-quality pulled pork is select the right cut of pork and make some good choices about seasonings. Then it's just a matter of cooking the pork …

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How to Make Smash Burgers

While everyone loves a classic cheeseburger, smash burgers can take your summer BBQ to the next level. The benefit of a smashed burger is that you end up with a greater surface area and more opportunity for a Maillard reaction, which means more flavor. Tips for Making Smash Burgers Like ma …

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Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal Review

We are always on the hunt for excellent lump charcoal options. While we definitely have our go-to favorites, it never hurts to check out some other options. Recently, we were picking up a bag of lump charcoal and noticed this really slick-looking bag with a cool and catchy label called Jealous De …

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How To Make a Baked Potato on the Grill

Baked potatoes are one of the essential side dishes at barbecues and family get-togethers all summer long. The problem is that making baked potatoes in the kitchen heats up the house a little too much once the weather warms up outside. Not only does making baked potatoes on the grill keep your ho …

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Perfect Hassleback Potatoes Recipe

Potatoes are one of the more versatile vegetables out there for creating top-notch side dishes to compliment just about any meal. This incredibly fussy-looking method of baking a potato is easier than you might think and a great way to mix things up when you are getting burned out on twice-baked …

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Which Victorinox Knife is the Best for Multipurpose Use?

The original Swiss army knife has become a legend because of its unparalleled versatility. The knife was originally created in the 1890s to supply the Swiss army with a multi-functional tool that could be used in the field for repairing equipment, opening cans, and generally accomplishing any task a …

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Some Different Knife Sharpeners for a Victorinox Knife (And Other Knives Too)

You might not realize that the most dangerous tool you can have in your kitchen is a dull knife. Dull knives are responsible for most serious kitchen accidents because they require you to use more force than you would with a sharp knife – often leading to the blade slipping. Unfortunately, many peop …

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What Makes Victorinox Knives So Special – Victorinox Knives Review

There are lots of different styles and sizes of kitchen knives made by many different companies all over the world and in our business as butchers, we've had the opportunity to try out more knives than most people. With so much variety available, it might be a surprise that we always gravitate to ou …

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Can Victorinox Butcher Knives Be Used At Home?

You'll notice on our YouTube videos how often we grab one of our favorite Victorinox knives for handling tasks large and small. We aren't just putting on a show for the cameras, we really use our Victorinox butcher knives at the butcher shop and in our kitchen at home. Investing in a great …

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Grass Fed Beef Liver Supplements: Nutrition, Benefits, and Best Products

Beef liver isn't everyone's favorite food. We’d probably guess that the majority of people out there don't eat beef liver more than once a year, and typically when they do, it's smothered in onions. Whether it is the distinctive taste of liver that turns people off or the complicated and rather s …

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Can You Freeze Corned Beef?

You're at the supermarket and you notice a great deal on those prepackaged corned beef briskets and you wonder – 'Can I freeze corned beef?' Yes, you can, but you'll want to do it correctly to get the best results. We'll walk through the right way to freeze corned beef so that you get delicious m …

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The 4 Best Spatulas For Smash Burgers

Smash burgers challenge the rules of grilling. We've all heard that you should never press down on your ground beef patty while it's cooking, but that's just what you do when making a smash burger. The trick to making restaurant-quality smash burgers is having the right tools for the job. The key …

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Smoked Cream Cheese Jalapeno Popper Chicken Thighs Recipe

Looking for a new recipe to test out? Check out this one from @themontagne.bbq on Instagram: Ingredients: 6 jalapeno peppers 6 boneless/skinless thighs 12 slices of bacon 1 block of cream cheese 1 1/2 cup shredded Colby jack cheese Your favorite Bearded Butcher Blend Sea …

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How to Control Temperature in a Smoker

The most essential skill you need to develop in order to get great results from your wood-burning or charcoal smoker is maintaining the correct temperature throughout the cooking process. When temperatures drop or spike, you run the risk of ruining the flavor and texture of your meat. One o …

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​What is Cajun Seasoning?

Cajun seasoning is one of the most popular and recognizable flavors that you’ll encounter, but have you ever wondered what it is and where it comes from? Well, our Bearded Butcher Blend Cajun Seasoning is one of our most popular and for good reasons. It goes great on fish, chicken, pork, and is …

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5 Best Dehydrators for Jerky – Reviews and Buying Guide

There are lots of ways to make homemade beef jerky, from the old-school hang-and-drying process to using your oven, even making jerky in your smoker is possible. By far the most efficient way to make excellent tasting jerky is to use a food dehydrator. The hard part is picking a dehydr …

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How Long Does Homemade Beef Jerky Last?

One of the main perks of beef jerky is that it doesn't require refrigeration but still tastes great and makes an excellent nutrient-dense snack you can have on the go. Of course, one of the main questions you'll want to know is how long does beef jerky last? Well, around our home, not very …

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What is Jerky Cure? Curing Salt vs 506 Celery Juice Powder

Have you ever wondered how exactly uncured bacon is made and what the difference is? There is a difference between cured and uncured meats and it comes down to curing agents. That's right, even uncured bacon uses a curing agent. In our commercial shop and at home, we make both cured and uncured p …

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What is the Best Meat to Use for Beef Jerky?

Making beef jerky at home is a fun and interesting way to produce clean, healthy snacks for you and your family. It's even something we like to do for little gifts for our friends, particularly when we have unique and interesting products like moose meat or venison for our jerky recipes. If you are …

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How to Make Beef Jerky at Home

Jerky is a nutrient-dense snack that is packed with flavor. It's also easy to toss in your gym bag or stash in the glove box and it won't spoil for a long time. One of the best things about jerky is that it is available in a broad range of flavors and textures.Unfortunately, jerky isn't a cheap snac …

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​How to Make Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

We’ve found the secret to the most delicious, juicy chicken on the planet, and it is a simple process that you can do with ease. If you’ve ever tried to smoke chicken, it is often a challenge to get the breast meat cooked all the way without overcooking the thigh and leg meat. The process can be ner …

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​How to Make Homemade Smoked Chicken Cold Cuts

Have you noticed that the packages of cold cuts you get at the store seem to have gotten smaller while the prices keep going up? You aren’t alone, and the reality is that things are probably going to get more expensive before it gets better. If your family is like ours, cold cuts for sandwiches a …

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How to Clean a Wild Turkey

Cleaning a wild turkey is a simple process, though you may enjoy the use of a plucker to speed things up. Below, we'll go over the general process with you and add a couple of tips along the way. Let's get started.Plucking the FeathersA plucker is often available for rent from local farm stores (or …

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15 Expert Tips for Spring Turkey Hunting

Ready for spring turkey season? Read on to learn some tips and tricks to get birds on the ground.Tip 1: Walk Your Hunting LandYou'll see so many people out there with no sense of where to go or what's going on, especially on public land. Before the season starts, head out and start scouting. Lo …

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The Ohio Spring Turkey Season for 2022

As of this writing, the Ohio management board has yet to settle on a bag limit for turkeys during this spring. However, as soon as that information is released, we will update this article so it'll be your one-stop spot for information. We expect to see this information soon. Ohio is home to some …

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5 Steps to the Perfect Cut: How to Slice Brisket

A smoked packer brisket is a truly beautiful thing to behold. The crisp, black bark carries the aroma of the wood it was smoked on, and just beneath are tender layers of perfectly pink beef. Brisket can be an intimidating cut of meat to smoke, and it's just as intimidating to slice. Even the best …

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​Wild Turkey & Cheese Empanadas Recipe

Looking for a new recipe to test out this turkey season? Check out this one from @themontagne.bbq on Instagram: With Turkey season right around the corner or currently underway in other states, it has me thinking of the many ways to utilize these incredibly fun to hunt resources! There …

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What Can You Eat on the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet is becoming increasingly popular with people who are looking for an alternative to the regular ketogenic diet in an effort to reduce inflammation caused by foods, eliminate food groups that cause digestion problems, or are looking for a more satisfying way to lose weight. While th …

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What is the Carnivore Diet?

You've probably heard about the ketogenic diet that became popular with folks looking to lose weight and address a variety of health problems. In 2018, a variant of the keto diet burst onto the scene. Called the carnivore diet, this elimination diet reduces food intake to meat, meat, and more mea …

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Carnivore Diet vs Keto

The Ketogenic diet has been around now for many years, lasting much longer than other fad diets that have emerged over the years. While the keto diet plan has been shown to be effective for some people who are trying to lose weight, it isn't for everyone. The periods of forced fasting and the lim …

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The 6 Best Carnivore Snacks for the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet is regarded as a way to help reduce inflammation and it may help you to lose weight. Most of the literature on meal planning for the carnivore diet provides three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While this often works better for people who don't like the fasting that is …

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Blackstone Camping Grill – The Best Griddles for Camping

One of the major downsides of many of our favorite tools for cooking is that they lack portability. Even a small charcoal kettle barbecue can be a hassle when there isn't a safe way to dump coals, or the risk of starting a wildfire is too high. Increasingly, some states are setting regulations th …

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7 Flat Top Grill Accessories You Need for Your Griddle

A griddle can open up a whole new world of cooking. Whether you are cooking roadside diners to enjoy on epic road trips or making unforgettable new memories with family and friends, a griddle is a versatile cooking tool that you can use for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. The trick to getti …

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Scalloped Potatoes vs Au Gratin Potatoes – Smoked Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Can you imagine a more appealing side dish than a pan of crispy, bubbling, creamy cheese sauce with layers of sliced potatoes? Now imagine all that creamy comfort food with just a touch of smoke that gives the dish a warm, bacon-like aroma to go along with the richness of the sauce. In this artic …

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What You Need to Know About Cattle Mutilation

Recently, there have been several reported cases of seemingly bizarre mutilations of cattle in several counties in Oregon. Authorities in the area have been unable to identify how the animals died and what caused the mutilations. Speculation ranges from natural causes to cult behavior to extra …

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Why Is My Blackstone Griddle Sticky After Seasoning?

The magic of a griddle is the ability to create a non-stick surface that retains heat easily. Griddles are great for cooking eggs and pancakes, making burgers, and searing fish. But when the griddle surface gets sticky, it can quickly turn into a disaster. The good news is that preventing a Black …

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Reverse Flow Smoker vs Offset Smoker

There really isn't anything that compares to the flavor of smoking meat on a charcoal smoker. The meat takes on a unique smokiness and you can mix and match different types of hardwood and fruit wood to develop nuanced flavor profiles that are impossible with an electric smoker or a pellet smoker. C …

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How Long to Let Pork Butt Rest After Smoking

Let's talk about one of the biggest secret weapons that pitmasters possess – patience. It takes a lot of patience to properly marinade a pork butt roast, and a lot of patience to carefully smoke it low and slow. It also takes patience to let a perfect pork butt rest after smoking. We'll admit, …

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Buying Guide: Best BBQ Spray Bottle

One of the challenges you'll face when barbecuing, grilling, or smoking is keeping the meat hydrated throughout the cooking process. If you've struggled with dry, tough beef, pork, or game on the grill, using a sprayer might be a good solution to the problem. While simply spraying meat during t …

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How to Reheat Brisket and Keep it Juicy

Just the phrase 'Smoked Brisket' gets our mouths watering. There are few things in the world as delicious and satisfying as smoked brisket (especially our favorite recipe), but given that the average brisket weighs in at more than 10 pounds, you're almost guaranteed to have more meat leftove …

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Bearded Butcher Brock Lesnar Blend Steak Tips

There's nothing better than steak fresh off the grill. With the help of the Bearded Butcher Brock Lesnar Blend Seasoning, these sirloin steak tips are super tender and packed with flavor. Over the years, I have found that cooking these on a pellet grill is the best way to go. To complete t …

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Over the Top Brock Lesnar Blend Chili

This is my go-to Chili recipe with a twist. This cooking method will help you add some delicious smoke flavor to your Chili. I cooked this on my Big Green Egg indirectly with mesquite wood chunks, but this can be done on any grill as long as you can place a rack over the cooking vessel. Do yourse …

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Ultimate Brock Lesnar Burger

These flavor-packed and juicy burgers are sure to surprise your friends and family at your next cookout. Pair them with some sweet potato fries and some Chipotle mayo to blow their minds. I like to cook these over direct heat in my Big Green Egg. Check out the recipe below:Ingredients: 1 lb ground …

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Guide to Slow Cooking: How to Barbecue Low and Slow

Most of the time when we want to cook something like beef brisket or a pork roast, we use a pellet smoker to get the flavor and texture we are after. We also realize that not everyone has a pellet smoker, so we want to talk about the best ways to cook low and slow on a charcoal grill. The comm …

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How Do I Clean a Grill Brush?

The weather outside is finally warm enough to get the cover off the grill and barbecue some chicken. With excitement, you get the grill opened only to remember that the last time you used the grill was last Fall and the grunge from those giant ribeye steaks is still hanging out on the grill grate …

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Cast Iron Skillet Care – The Best Pan Scrapers for Your Cast Iron Skillet

One of the first things that you'll learn when cooking on cast iron skillets is that you need to clean these pans differently than you would with a nonstick-coated pan. Cleaning cast iron pans with a scouring brush, soap, and hot water will strip away the seasoning you spent time developing, leav …

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The Key to Flavor – Fatty Cuts of Meat

Eating healthy doesn't have to mean that you eliminate flavor from your diet, no matter what all those healthy websites tell you. I mean, come on, who is going to eat boiled, leftover chicken and black beans three or four times a day? Of course, we aren't saying you should go out and fully stoc …

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How to Make Deer Jerky at Home

Venison jerky is one of our favorite snacks around this time of the year. Deer season has just finished and the deer are all processed and in the freezer, ready for delicious meals – this gives us the perfect opportunity to make our own, homemade deer jerky. Venison is a perfect meat for making j …

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​How to Make Potato Chips at Home

Crispy, crunchy, salty, and delicious, potato chips are a great snack on any day. But have you ever looked at the ingredients on a bag of potato chips? Yikes! There are so many things added into that bag of chips like chemicals, additives, colors, and preservatives. When you make potato chips at …

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The Ultimate Steak Rub: Our Best Steak Seasoning

The perfect steak rub can take an excellent piece of beef and transform it into a mouthwatering and memorable meal. The trick to getting the perfect steak rub is to find the right balance between salty and savory flavors so that each one mingles with the next to create an intricate and delicious fla …

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How to Clean a Meat Slicer

We can't stress enough how important food safety is, particularly in the home kitchen. It's incredibly easy to accidentally introduce bacteria into food when preparing it which can cause food to spoil or make someone sick. Foodborne illness is among the most common illnesses suffered by Americans …

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Flank Steak vs Skirt Steak – What's the Difference?

Let's talk about two seriously under-rated cuts of meat that have gone from throw-away scraps to high-price steaks in recent years – we're talking about flank and skirt steak. Both of these cuts of beef feature robust, deep, beefy flavor because of the hard-working nature of the muscles and a heavy …

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How Long to Cook a Tomahawk Steak

Just like any large piece of meat, the most intimidating part of cooking a tomahawk steak is deciding how long to cook it without overdoing it. Worse, because of the long bone, you can also run the risk of overcooking the ribeye cap while leaving the round near the bone undercooked. Getting thing …

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What Is a Tomahawk Steak?

Every time we see a tomahawk steak, we're reminded of the opening scenes of the classic television cartoon show The Flintstones when Fred orders ribs so massive that the family car tips over. If you've never enjoyed a tomahawk steak, we can assure you that you'll feel like the mightiest caveman hold …

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Butcher Meat vs Supermarket Meat: Which Meat is Better?

It's no secret that prices for fresh meat are going up all across the nation. There are many reasons driving costs up – everything from increasingly strict regulations to differences in consumers' preferences have been blamed as causes for the sudden jump in prices over the last several years. …

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How to Grill the Best Burgers

A perfectly grilled burger is a thing of art. Burgers seem like an easy meal to make, but often, homemade burgers turn out dry, misshapen, and altogether disappointing. There are several tricks you can use at home to get restaurant-quality results every time you grill a burger. We'll walk through …

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Guide to Wrapping Brisket: How, Why, and With What?

Smoking brisket is one of those things that requires steadfast patience and the confidence to know that your process will result in a delicious smoked meal at the end of the day. To put it another way, brisket is probably the most stressful thing you'll put in your smoker. Brisket is a big cut …

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The Best Grilling Basket for Vegetables, Fish, and Small Items

What is a Grill Basket? Grill baskets come in a lot of different shapes and sizes to serve different purposes. They all use some type of screen, mesh, or ventilated surface to allow you to put things on the grill that would otherwise fall through the grates. The grill basket also opens u …

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Why Medium Rare is Always the Perfect Steak Temperature

Some strong opinions can come out when you're at a restaurant and someone at the table orders a well-done steak. You might see the look of disgust on another person's face, the shocked puzzlement of why anyone would ever order an overcooked steak. It might seem funny or even over the …

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Product Review: 7.5" Meat Slicer from MEAT!

We love the processing, prepping, and storage tools from our friends at Meat! We've shown you the 10-inch meat slicer we use all the time around our house and even on the processing floor next to our commercial meat slicer. It's an amazing tool; durable, powerful, and capable of handling almost a …

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How to Remove Rust From Grill Grates

Rusty grill grates both look unappealing to cook on and can cause lots of foods to stick. You should always try to prevent grill grates from getting rusty, but if they do, you'll want to follow a few tips to get them back into good shape.Is it OK to Grill on Rusted Grates? Theoretically, cookin …

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The Best Sharpening Stones to Hone All Your Dull Knives

A lot of people have dull knives in their kitchen drawer because they're concerned they might ruin the blade by incorrectly using a sharpening stone. This is a very real fear, because using the incorrect stone or the incorrect method for the knife you are sharpening can compromise the e …

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The Best Way to Clean Grill Grates

Regularly cleaning your grill grates is one of the best things you can do to keep your barbecue, smoker, or gas grill working at it's best. A clean grill is less likely to stick to skin-on chicken, and you won't have carbonized bits from the last cook-out searing into your steak. Keeping the grill g …

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Our Favorite Professional Butcher Knives: Victorinox

How much do we love Victorinox boning knives? So much that we had our logo laser-etched onto the blade. This isn't just a gimmick, either – we really use these knives every day at work and at home. We've used lots of different styles and brands of knives over the years for a wide variety of tasks. W …

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Griddle vs Grill: What You Need to Know

Grills are one of the most iconic American cooking instruments that are practically a requirement for outdoor get-togethers. Most people are more familiar with griddles at diners and restaurants where the flat surface sizzles and sears in the background all day long rather than a tool for cooking up …

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Perfect Pancakes on the Blackstone Griddle – Cinnamon Pancake Recipe

Cool fall and winter mornings are the best times for a hot cup of coffee and a steaming stack of pancakes. Pancakes are one of our favorite things to make on our Blackstone griddle. Light and fluffy, these pancakes are a hit on weekends. They also freeze well to make for easy breakfast optio …

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How to Tell If Steak Is Bad: 5 Telltale Signs

Have you ever been at the grocery store and found a really great deal on a thick steak that's been marked down because it has hit or passed the use by date? It's natural to wonder if that discount steak is even still edible or if it will make you sick. Knowing how to avoid buying a steak that has st …

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Pork Belly vs Bacon: What's the Difference?

We'll start this out with saying all pork belly is bacon, but not all bacon is pork belly. So, exactly what is the difference between pork belly and bacon? Can they be used interchangeably? What exactly is bacon? We'll let you know everything you need to know about bacon, pork belly, when …

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How to Prep Pork Bellies for Bacon

Bacon is one of the most popular food items out there. It's salty, crunchy, and savory. When you buy bacon at the grocery store, you never really know what is in it or how it was handled. Making bacon at home is simpler than you may think. We'll walk through the process to show you two popular ways …

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The Best Gifts Yet: Bearded Butchers 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

When you're picking up the essential spices and grilling items you’ll need for your holiday barbecuing, grilling, or smoking adventures, it’s a great time to snag some great gifts for everyone, even your friends and family who aren’t grilling aficionados. Check out our list of some of the coolest …

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The Ultimate Gifts for Grillers

The Holiday season is nearly here again and it's time to start thinking about the ultimate gifts for your favorite grillers. They've spent the year making delicious food, why not reward them with some of the best gifts and accessories to make grilling, barbecue, and smoking even more enjoyable. We p …

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Charcoal vs Gas Grills

We were at the home improvement store recently and happened to wander through the barbecue section just to see what's out there right now. After talking with a couple people and a salesperson, we realized there is considerable confusion about gas vs charcoal grills. To dispel the mystery, we're goin …

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Sweet & Savory Hollywood Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Ready for some sweet and savory Hollywood baby back ribs? Check out this recipe from our friend @grillin.good.eats:Ingredients pork ribs Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning Hollywood mustard or oil (optional) 1 can Dr. Pepper or apple cider vinegar brown sugar (optional) 6 Tab …

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How to Make Smoked Beef Jerky

Jerky is one of those epic treats that is portable, nutritious, and provides your body with a big boost of the essential nutrients you need to power through the day. Probably the biggest downside to beef jerky is the relatively high cost of good quality jerky snacks. All too often, you'll spend a bu …

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Our Must-Have Thanksgiving Side Dishes

The holidays are an excellent time to flex your creative muscle in the kitchen. They're one great way to show off your culinary skills. The beauty of it is that when you're making a side for a feast like Thanksgiving, you can try out interesting ideas to dress up some of the classic side dishes. We …

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Scott's Maple Chipotle Turkey Recipe (KISS Method)

We know the designated cook of the family always takes pride in their Thanksgiving Day turkey (Scott definitely does) so you probably already have a go-to Turkey recipe. But just incase you don't, or maybe you just want to switch things up this year, we're sharing Scott's tried and test …

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Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob Recipe

The prime season for corn has just come to an end and the last harvest of the year is hitting grocery stores as we write this blog post. Now is the perfect time to snap up a few bags of sweet white and yellow corn to make the ideal side to any barbecue or smoked meat dish.While we love the classic m …

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Smoked Turkey Brine Recipe

There is nothing that says November like turkey. We don't care if it's roasted, fried, or smoked, turkey is a wonderful protein that is as fun to cook as it is impressive to serve. After years of struggling to find ways to cook a turkey without drying the breast meat out, we discovered that the best …

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Beef Sticks vs Beef Jerky

Variety is great, but too much variety can be overwhelming. Take beef sticks and beef jerky for example. They are sold side-by-side, have similar flavors, and are made by the same brands. When you are standing in front of the display at the store, there are a mind-boggling number of choices. We …

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Cooking Chicken 101

Chicken is one of the most popular dishes in America. It's a low-cost protein that doesn't have strong flavors and can be prepared in a number of creative ways. The downside to chicken is that it can easily be overcooked, leaving you with a dry, tasteless, and inedible meal. Even worse is when …

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The Best Charcoal Smokers

There is no smoker design that will give you a more authentic smokehouse flavor than a charcoal smoker design. There are lots of different designs out there that all aim to offer ease-of-use, consistency, and durable design. However, some smokers are simply better than others. We'll give you a guide …

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Smoking Times and Temperatures

Perfectly smoking meat is as much an art as it is a science. If you know the correct temperature to run your smoker and the ideal internal temperature of your meat, you stand a good chance of getting the science part right. The artistry is all about the flavors, spices, and wood you choose. Today, w …

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FAQ: Fall Wild Turkey Season Ohio

Fall wild turkey season is just around the corner and we couldn't be more excited to get out in the fields and track some wily gobblers. Regulations in Ohio for turkey season are much more strict than for many other species, so you'll need to understand the laws before setting out to hunt. We put to …

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Burnt Ends vs Rib Tips

Burnt ends and rib tips are very different from one another. Burnt ends are made from the point of a well-smoked brisket while rib tips are a byproduct trimmed from St. Louis Style ribs. We've got a nice write-up on burnt ends if you want to know our favorite way to make this treat. Thi …

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How to Make Wild Game Stock

One of the best ways to make sure you are using every part of wild game you harvest is to make a stock. Stock is one of the easiest things you can make but it does take time and attention. There are a couple ways to make stock but the best way in our opinion is to make it on the stove top. But …

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All Natural Dog Treats

Your dog is more than just a pet, he's a member of the family. So when you choose treats for your dog, why not choose all-natural dog treats that are healthy, sustainable, and tasty? Your dog will love them, and you'll know that you're providing excellent nutrition without weird ingredients you woul …

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FAQ: Cooking with Game

We get lots of questions about wild game and what makes it different from store-bought meat. We thought it'd be a useful resource to answer some of the most common questions we get, so we put together this frequently asked questions about cooking with wild game to clear some things up. Check …

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The Best Dehydrated Backpacking Meals

Backpacking is the best way to see the natural beauty of the environment from a unique perspective. Too often, we look at the world as it whisks by our car window just out of reach. When you start backpacking and hiking, you can immerse yourself in nature and you learn to appreciate the nuances of a …

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Sweet & Savory Hollywood Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe

Who doesn't start drooling when there's a plate of crispy, juicy, and smokey burnt ends sitting on the table? While burnt ends used to be Friday night specialties in BBQ joints as a way to make a little money off of leftover scraps, now we see people going out of their way specifically for a cris …

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Keto Beef Jerky

The Keto diet has grown exponentially in the last few years. More than a fad, it's really a lifestyle change that dieters must make in order to reap the benefits. If you've started to follow a Keto diet, you're probably looking for tasty, healthy snacks that meet your dietary goals. For people who a …

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Best Cuts of Venison

One of the most frequent questions we get from people who aren't familiar with wild game is what are the best cuts of venison? We've got a few favorites of our own and so we decided to share the best cuts, where they come from on a deer, and how to pick a good cut for your feast.Deer season is also …

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FAQ: Ohio Deer Season

Pretty soon, the heat of summer will be long gone and the leaves will begin changing color. That can mean only one thing – it's almost deer season in Ohio. This is one of our favorite times of year and we couldn't be more excited to get out of the house and into the woods. We put together this Frequ …

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How to Use a Charcoal Chimney

We've all seen someone make a nice little pile of charcoal and then pour half a gallon of lighter fluid on it. Sure, the ensuing fireball is fun to watch, but it's also dangerous, toxic, and wasteful.Would you believe that in the U.S., $37 million in property damage every year is the result of impro …

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The Best Lump Charcoal | Rockwood vs Blues Hog vs B&B

Whether you're smoking, grilling, or barbecuing, using natural hardwood lump charcoal will give you better results than briquettes. But choosing the best lump charcoal is kind of a pain – every company has the same things to say on the bag. You'll see "burns hotter", "burns longer", and that i …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Original Meatball Parmesan Recipe

Craving some Italian food? Here's a different take on meatball parmesan. It's a relatively easy recipe that you'll just have to throw in your smoker for a few hours. Let us know if you try it!Ingredients:3lbs ground beef3 eggs1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese1/2 cup Italian bread cr …

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Start a Homestead: For Beginners

Many people in the U.S. have recently found themselves with lots of spare time on their hands. They've also realized they don't need to go to the office every day to do their jobs. This change in work habits has provided tens of thousands of Americans with the opportunity to find ways …

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How Is Beef Jerky Made?

Have you ever wondered how commercial processors make beef jerky? Well, we always liked to make our own jerky, and we recently launched our own Bearded Butcher Beef Bites, so we decided it'd be fun to break down how the big jerky companies make their products. We put a lot of time and effo …

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Our Favorite Post Workout Snack: Beef Jerky

You've been at the gym and seen those folks who are just ripped with muscle and downing protein shakes before, during, and after their workout. The reason is protein helps protect and repair muscles damaged from exercise. The downside to those products is that they are often also loaded with fillers …

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The Best Burger Recipe for Labor Day

Labor Day is the grillers favorite holiday. It's the last summer cookout and the perfect opportunity to have some fun with classic grill foods. Hamburgers are sure to be on tens of thousands of barbecues over the Labor Day weekend, so we thought that we would show you the best way to make the bes …

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How to Cut a Flank Steak

Flank steak is a common favorite cut for grilling. It's an intensely flavorful cut despite being lean and boneless. Flank is one of our go-to proteins for a quick weekday meal that makes for excellent steak sandwiches or fajitas. Cutting flank steak correctly is essential …

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The Benefits of Pellet Grills

Pellet grills are all the rage right now and have been for several years. It seems like every time you look, there is a new model to choose from. A good quality pellet smoker isn't a cheap investment and it can be a chore to decide if a pellet grill is even right for you, especially if you've never …

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Seasoning A Blackstone Griddle

The Blackstone griddle is an awesome tool for your backyard cookout adventures. We love it so much, we even have a whole post dedicated to our favorite griddle recipes. A properly seasoned griddle lets you fry an egg without oil, sear a steak without sticking, and grill fish without the skin flaking …

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What Is Biltong? How It's Different from Beef Jerky

Biltong is a cured meat from South Africa that makes for one of the best snacks you can add to your diet – if you can find it anywhere. Biltong sort of looks like beef jerky and it sort of tastes like beef jerky, but that's where the similarities end. Biltong and beef jerky are different in many way …

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Best Road Trip Snacks: Beef Jerky

Road trips are awesome and summer is the best time of the year to get out of town and enjoy nature. When you're on the road and you don't want to stop to eat at every other roadside burger stand, having the best road trip snacks will make the drive more enjoyable. If you've got kids, you know how …

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Our Must Have Big Green Egg Accessories

The Big Green Egg is one of the most useful cooking tools around. You can get a Big Green Egg to do any type of cooking from smoking meat to grilling steak, and everything in-between. Right out of the box, your Big Green Egg is great. Adding a few ultimate must-have and nice-to-have Big Green Egg …

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How to Clean a Big Green Egg

The Big Green Egg is a phenomenal charcoal kamado grill and smoker, but it is also a big financial investment. It makes sense that you would want to keep it clean so that it will last for a long time. Cleaning your Big Green Egg is simple to do and doesn't take much work as long as yo …

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The Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef

You might have heard that grass-fed beef is better than regular ol' beef. You've probably seen stories on the news or seen things on social media that make you want to know more about the benefits of grass-fed beef. But making the decision to switch to only grass-fed beef means you'll often be payin …

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The Best Smoked Meats

We know how it is – you're standing there at the butcher counter, looking at all the different cuts of meat and thinking about what you would like to smoke this weekend. Maybe beef, or pork – but what about a whole chicken or some turkey drumsticks? Figuring out the best meat for smoking isn't al …

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Smoker vs Grill – What is the Difference?

You know it's time to replace your tired, old charcoal kettle barbecue. It's seen its fair share of hamburgers and hot dogs. You've charred chicken – sometimes on purpose. There's even a perfectly steak-shaped spot where the finish has come off the grate, and you remember exactly …

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Sweet and Smokey Hollywood Pork Butt Recipe

Craving some savory pork butt with a blend of sweet herbs and cane sugar? Check out this easy recipe featuring our Hollywood Blend. Ingredients: 1 bone-in pork shoulder (size of your choice) 2 cups apple juice, in a food-grade spray bottle Bearded Butcher Hollywood Blend …

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How to Make Beef Bone Broth

Numerous health magazines and nutritional gurus have said for years that adding beef bone broth to your diet is an excellent way to get important vitamins and nutrients while encouraging natural and healthy weight loss. Beef bone broth is also delicious and is an easy to make ingredient that will ta …

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Seth's Smoked Ribs Recipe

One of the most popular meats we put on the smoker is racks of ribs. They are easy to make, delicious, and fun to share. Everyone has their favorite way of doing ribs but we get lots of requests for the "Secret Recipe" Seth uses when he is smoking a rack of ribs. So due to popular demand, this is …

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How to Tell If a Steak Is Done

Cooking a steak can be stressful when you aren't sure how to tell if it's done. Steak can be touchy – just a minute too much and the steak is overcooked. But pulling a steak a minute too soon can also be disappointing when you finally carve it only to find it bloody. With time comes experience, …

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The Best Garlic Butter Steak Recipe

Making a perfect steak doesn't have to be a stressful task. Today we'll show you one of our favorite ways to make tender, juicy, flavor-packed steak. This is a great recipe for those random Wednesday night steak dinners, when you don't have time to spend hours slaving over the grill. You'll make …

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How to Start Homesteading

Food shortages and stay-at-home orders during the pandemic drove many people who had never considered the idea to look seriously at incorporating homesteading concepts into everyday life. For the first time, a ton of people had time on their hands to explore their dreams of a simple lifestyle. …

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How to Throw the Ultimate 4th of July BBQ

The Fourth of July is a great excuse to throw an epic BBQ party. It's time to get out the grill or smoker and grab a few of the best 4th of July BBQ recipes featuring fresh summer flavors. Our Independence Day guide will give you inspiration to break away from tradition and help you create a uniq …

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Easy Smoked Fish Recipe

One of the most delicious things you'll ever cook on your smoker is a nice piece of fish. But smoked fish can be one of the most frustrating things you cook, too. It's easy to smoke fish incorrectly and end up with an expensive piece of dry and tasteless meat. We're going to show you the right way t …

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Summer BBQ Sides

Summer is the perfect time to show off your grilling and smoking skills. Nothing sets off a better summer party than having epic side dishes that complement your barbecue. Making your own sides is fun and can save you lots of money over buying premade sides. Many of the summer side dishes we're goin …

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How to Clean A Pellet Grill

We had an interesting discussion recently about cleaning pellet grills. It turns out that some people never clean their grill. They clean the grates as necessary, but that's it. Not cleaning the whole pellet grill is understandable, at least. You usually don't think about it until you are firing up …

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10 Must Have Pellet Grill Accessories

It doesn't matter whether you are smoking, searing, or barbecuing on a pellet grill, there are a handful of important accessories you need. Tricking out your brand new Traeger or trying to find the perfect gift for the pit master in your life is a whole lot easier with this list. We've compiled the …

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The Ultimate Guide to Smoking with A Traeger Grill

Many people start out their smoker journey learning on upright, charcoal smokers. These are inexpensive and effective tools that force you to learn the skills for properly smoking different cuts of meat. It takes lots of practice to master the venting and temperature control. But when you buy a …

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How Does a Smoker Work

A critical step when you want to learn to smoke meat is to understand the way a smoker works. There are several designs on the market with similarities and differences in the way they make smoke. Today, we're sharing how the different types of smokers work so you can decide which would be the bes …

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What is Reverse Sear?

There may be nothing more awesome than a perfectly seared medium rare steak. When you slice through the crisp, crackly crust and reveal tender, juicy beef, you know that steak is going to be delicious. Getting the ideal sear isn't difficult, but it does take a little practice and some know-how. I …

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How is Charcoal Made?

Charcoal is one of those mysterious variables in grilling and barbecuing. For every charcoal product on the market you'll find at least a dozen opinions about what is best, most traditional, or most flavorful. One thing is clear – not all charcoal is the same. The way different types of charcoal is …

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What is Butcher Paper & Where to Buy Butcher Paper

Butcher paper is one of those things that is misunderstood and often left out of the smoking, grilling, and barbecuing process because of the confusion of what it is and what it does. Butcher paper is not always the easiest item to find in the stores, either. You'll find a wide selection of parch …

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What is Pulled Pork?

Pulled pork is a staple dish at barbecues from the Carolina's to California. It's no surprise – pulled pork is delicious. It's also an inexpensive dish that provides plenty of opportunity for creativity. Some people take their pulled pork seriously, even travelling nationwide to compete in regi …

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Where to Buy Meat Online

Some of us are blessed to live in areas where we have lots of options for buying the perfect cut of meat at the local butcher and it can be hard to remember that not everyone has that benefit. If you've ever watched our videos or read our blogs and thought, "Wow, that looks great. If only I could …

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Burnt Ends: What They Are and How to Make Them (RECIPE)

Burnt Ends. The candy in a pitmaster's arsenal. There's a few different cuts of meat that can be used, but in the end, we have one, simple, go-to recipe that we like to use for meaty, crispy, burnt end goodness.What Are Burnt EndsBurnt ends are cubed pieces of beef or pork cut into roughly 1"x1"x1" …

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How to Cook a Medium Rare Steak

One of the most intimidating things that you will face as you start to become an experienced grill master is how to know exactly when to pull your meat for the perfect finish. There are a few things you can learn to watch for and a couple tools that will have you making the perfect medium-rare steak …

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May Is National Barbecue Month & We're Celebrating!

There are so many things to love about the month of May. The spring air, flowers blooming, warmer weather – but the thing we love the most about May is that it's National Barbecue Month! That means it's time to get out the grill, season up some steaks, and get cooking. You might think we a …

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How to Cook Grass Fed Beef

You've made the decision to switch your family from "regular, ol' beef" to 100% grass fed. You know that major scientific organizations say grass fed beef is healthier because it's lower in saturated fat and higher in beneficial fatty acids. You have even read all the articles from news organization …

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Ultimate Guide: How to Butcher a Goat

Picture this: The skies are grey in Ohio today and winter seems intent on holding on for a bit longer. Slushy snow covers the ground and the spring grasses haven't broken through yet. If this were a normal day, the highway would be plowed clean, but this isn't a normal day and frozen drifts that loo …

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Burch Barrel: Perfect for Outdoor Entertaining

Today we're going to share with you one of the coolest new cooking devices we've seen in years. This thing is easy to use, easy to set up, and easy to get perfect results, no matter what you're cooking. Born from the wild open spaces and rugged individuals that make Montana such a wonderful place, t …

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What Is Brisket?

Let's talk about one of the most misunderstood cuts of beef around that also happens to be one of our favorites to smoke on the Traeger – brisket. Brisket is a tough cut of beef that needs to be prepared correctly to be edible. Brisket is lean and has long, stringy fibers so it's easy to overcook. T …

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Bison vs Beef

Bison is a much-hyped meat today and is often a feature in high-end barbecue cuisine, like the tomahawk bison steak we grilled last year. You've probably seen some select cuts of bison in your local grocery store, and you'll frequently find ground bison for sale. And I'm sure the first thing yo …

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The Ultimate Guide: How to BBQ

Our favorite way to cook anything is on the barbecue. It could be steaks, wild game, or even vegetables. Give us an opportunity to fire up the grill and we are on it. If you are new to barbecuing or are looking for handy tips and tricks to improve your grill-game, this guide is going to be a big …

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Should You Soak Wood Chips?

You might have heard that you should soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes before you put them on your smoker. In theory, the idea is to prevent premature combustion of the wood chips and to encourage the chips to produce smoke. This is one of those myths that has a kernel of truth, but fact& …

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Resting Meat: How Long to Let Steak Rest

One of the most difficult steps when grilling or smoking meat is letting it rest. It's hard because the delicious aromas leave mouths watering and everyone is ready to tear into that delicious, smoky, perfectly-cooked steak. Letting your steak rest is about more than just letting it cool enough t …

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Glaze vs Sauce: What's the Difference?

One of the most challenging things about cooking extraordinary meals is understanding the differences between very similar things. Take for example glaze and sauce. Both are a thick liquid put on meat to improve flavor, but what's the difference? Or is glaze just a fancy way of saying sauce? There a …

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Benefits of Eating Red Meat

Red meat can be an important part of a healthy diet. In recent years, dieting lifestyles like Keto have brought about renewed interest in a protein-based diet. Red meat is a great source of important proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The fats and proteins are vital to cell health, growth, and develo …

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How to Shop for the Best Cuts of Steak

Who doesn't love a thick, juicy steak seared to perfection and dripping with delicious flavor? Getting that perfect cut of steak takes more than just cooking it correctly, you first have to start with a good piece of meat. Shopping for the best cut of steak is challenging when you don't know the thi …

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American Wagyu Beef

Japanese Wagyu is one of the most expensive cuts of beef in the world and for many years, the specially-bred cattle were forbidden from being raised outside of Japan. During a relaxation on bans of export, a few Wagyu cattle came to other places, including the United States. These Japanese cattle, k …

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How to Cut Ribeye Steaks

Prime rib is one of the more intimidating cuts you'll cook. It's a large piece of meat, often expensive, and you'll want to cut ribeye steaks correctly. While purchasing a whole rib roast may seem daunting, you'll save a bit of money in the process and you'll end up with the best ribeye steaks. We'r …

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Best Beef Jerky Brands

Beef jerky is a fantastic protein-packing snack that's delicious on-the-go, but finding good-tasting high-quality jerky can be a challenge. Many brands of beef jerky have a long ingredient list full of preservatives, artificial colors, and added sugar. Health conscious snackers turned off by the old …

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How to Defrost Chicken

A frozen chicken is a wonderful thing to have when you decide that a savory roast bird sounds good. There are several common mistakes people make when they defrost chicken that can make it less tasty and even dangerous. We are going to explain the safe way to defrost a frozen chicken so you get grea …

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Our Most Trusted Butcher Knives

Have you ever seen a knife juggler and wondered how they do that? We have. And being butchers, some days it can feel a little like juggling knives at work. Fortunately for our fingers and toes, we've found a few knives that really do it all, so there's a lot less reaching for the next blade thr …

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How to Control Temperature on a Kamado Grill

The Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe are nothing short of amazing. They're the most versatile charcoal grills we know of because they work great as a smoker, too. But mastering any kamado grill takes some practice. One of the most challenging skills you need to learn when you start grilling or smoking o …

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Pellet Grill vs Charcoal Grill

The days are getting longer and soon it'll be time to get out the grill again. Grilling season is one of our favorite times of the year! But to be honest, we keep grilling year round, even when we have to shovel snow just to get out the door. We use both pellet grills and charcoal grills and dependi …

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Most Common Smoking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Smoking meat can be an intimidating process because you're dealing with long cooking times, usually large and expensive cuts of meat, and the constant risk that something will go wrong. Sooner or later, everyone has a smoking fail. It's just going to happen at some point. You can minimize …

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Tallow vs Lard

Beef tallow is a form of rendered fat that is shelf-stable and has a high smoke point. Tallow was once an important product to households all over the Western world. It was used to make shaving cream, candles, and it was easily accessible to all but the poorest people for cooking oil. Since World Wa …

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Ultimate Guide to Buying a Grill

One of the most thrilling days for any grill master is the moment when you buy a brand-new grill. It doesn't matter if you're picking up a portable charcoal camping grill or the newest high-end smoker, the thrill of a new grill is an exciting adventure for anyone. We want you to pick the best grill …

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The Best Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Sometimes, you just want a delicious shrimp meal that's quick to cook and easy to clean up. This is a great recipe you can make any day that's so simple you won't want to make shrimp any other way. This recipe uses simple ingredients that are easy to find in most grocery stores. Plus, it's a great w …

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How to Reheat Ribs

Don't you love it when you see a nice stack of juicy, smoky ribs in the refrigerator leftover from last night's dinner? But you know once you reheat them, that juicy deliciousness will be gone. What if we told you there are easy ways to reheat ribs without drying them out? We're going to share our t …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Rebel Red Sauce

If you are like us, the Bearded Butcher Blend Hot Seasoning is one of your favorites. But don't you wish you had a sauce with all the delicious flavor of our signature hot seasoning? Grab a bottle of Rebel Red – it's a slightly sweet and spicy sauce you'll want to put on everything from fr …

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Arrow Basics: Parts of An Arrow

Arrows seem like simple things until you're trying to decide which is the best for hunting or target practice. Then the range of options and the numerous differences between one arrow and another make the choice much more difficult. Since there is so much confusion out there about arrow parts and ho …

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How to Remove Rust From Cast Iron

We've all been there, cruising a yard sale and suddenly you spot a pile of rusty cast iron pots and pans. You spot the perfect cast iron skillet, but it's heavy with rust. Most of the time, you can follow some simple steps to remove rust from cast iron without damaging the cookware. We are going to …

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All of the Blackstone Accessories You Can't Live Without (COMPLETE LIST)

Cooking on a griddle is a fun and increasingly popular way for grill masters to try new things. A griddle gives you a cast iron-like cooking surface perfect for frying, searing, and grilling. You can even set a griddle up to work as a smoker. A griddle can be a versatile tool, too. It's easy to go f …

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Best Binoculars for Hunting

Every hunter needs a good-quality pair of binoculars in their hunting kit. The type of hunting you do can determine the type of binoculars you need. Long-range shooting situations will require specialized binoculars, while hunters taking advantage of those brief moments just inside legal huntin …

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Why do Americans Love Food Trucks (The Real Reason)

Guest Post Written by Astrid Rhea CampbellIt would be an understatement to say that food trucks are popular. The food truck business breathes new life into local street food and events, with so many diverse options that are different depending on your location. These meals on wheels are a staple in …

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All About Turkey Jerky

Jerky is a great snack when you're on the go. It's easy to eat, provides protein and other nutrients, and it's delicious. One of our favorites is turkey jerky, and not just because it's so fun to say. Like beef jerky, turkey jerky is thin, dried and salted cuts of meat.Turkey jerky is becoming …

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Best BBQ Sauce: Bearded Butcher Blend BBQ Sauce

What's the best thing to put our Bearded Butcher Blend BBQ Sauce on? Everything! We really can't choose. Seriously, this is the best barbecue sauce you'll ever try. It's sweet and tangy, spicy, and so delicious. We blended this one up because we knew there was a better way to make sauce. Most of the …

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Grass Fed vs Grain Fed

We get a lot of questions about the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef. What we have found is that people want to buy the highest quality beef that is also ethically raised and free of growth hormones, antibiotics, and other nasty things. We have also learned there is a ton of confus …

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Is Beef Jerky Healthy?

Beef jerky is one of our favorite snacks because it's easy to pack and delicious, but it can't be good for us, right? We wondered ourselves whether beef jerky is a healthy snack option, and were surprised by what we learned. It turns out that beef jerky can be good for you, but choosing the best bee …

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The Best Smoked Brisket Recipe

Beef brisket is one of those cuts of meat many people are too intimidated to try cooking. Brisket can be a challenge – it is a lean and tough cut that often is overcooked.Brisket is frequently served boiled and corned at St. Patrick's Day tables across the US, but well-made smoked beef brisket is al …

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NEW: Subscribe and Save on Your Next Order

The Bearded Butchers are excited to announce a new option for our customers who regularly order from our line of all-natural, gluten-free spices and sauces. Our new subscription option will allow you to get your favorite seasonings delivered monthly, every two months, or every three months.&nbs …

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Top Meat Grinder Reviews

Having a meat grinder in your kitchen revolutionizes the way you make meals. You'll be making the most delicious, juicy hamburger patties of your life in no time. No more buying sausages at the grocery store made of questionable contents, either. A meat grinder will let you take advantage of inexpen …

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The Best Way to Reheat Steak

Last night's steak was juicy, flavorful, and had the perfect crispy bark. But at the end of the night, you have a bit of that tender deliciousness left over. Steak is one of the more troublesome things to reheat. It has a tendency to lose flavor, dry out quickly, and become tough to chew. But tha …

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Our Favorite Instant Read Meat Thermometers

One of the most important tools for cooking is a high-quality instant read thermometer. In fact, we think an instant read thermometer is so essential, we hand-selected one with our favorite features to sell in our store. We're going to show you why this is our favorite instant read thermometer and …

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The Ultimate Guide to All-Natural Spices

Making good decisions when buying food requires that consumers understand the information on product labels. When you go to buy spices and seasonings, you want to avoid nasty ingredients like unnecessary fillers, preservatives, and add-ins that you don't really need (like added sugar and wheat). Man …

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Top 5 Trail Cameras and Game Cameras

A trail camera can be one of the most useful tools in a hunters arsenal. A trail camera lets you monitor game trails from the comfort of home. If you're trying to get the perfect trophy buck, a trail camera is an essential tool. With a good-quality trail camera, hunters will know what times of day a …

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Our Favorite Beef Tri-Tip Recipe

Beef tri-tip is a cut of beef that's often overcooked, resulting in a tough, dry, and not very appealing meal. Cooking a perfect tri-tip isn't hard when you know how to do it right. We're going to share with you our favorite way to make juicy, tender tri-tip. One of the great things about this cu …

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How to Regulate Temperature in a Charcoal Grill

Since the very first time someone threw meat over a fire, regulating the temperature has been vital to proper cooking. Once you master the proper technique to maintain a specific temperature in your grill, you'll be able to perfectly cook any type of meat. In this article, we'll explain the componen …

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The Bearded Butcher’s Gift Guide

The Bearded Butchers make picking the perfect gift simple this holiday season. We’ve got all sorts of excellent gifts you’ll be happy to give any hunter or cook. Check out these great ideas to show your love and appreciation for those around you.Stocking Stuffers We’ve got some hot stocking stu …

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Bearded Butcher’s Blend Seasoning: Hollywood

One of the most awesome experiences for our family was the opportunity for Seth Perkins to compete on the first season of the reality TV show “The Butcher” from the History Channel. The whole experience for us was nerve-racking and exciting. When we decided to create a spice blend to commemorate the …

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Our Guide to Steak Temperatures

Cooking Steak Perfectly Every Time It seems there is a lot of confusion out there about what temperature to cook a steak at to get the perfect results. Well, we've cooked a few steaks over the years, and have some pretty good insight into the specific temperatures for steak to be cooked perfect …

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Our Favorite Kitchen Tools & Essentials for Holiday Meal Prep

One thing we learned early on working in the family business was that having the right tool for the job makes the difference between success and frustration. This especially applies to cooking. Holiday meal prep is about more than having the coolest kitchen gadgets. But when you're making a big meal …

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The Best Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving

Next to politics and football, few things cause more contention around the Thanksgiving table than stuffing. Stuffing is nearly as iconic as turkey, but there are many different recipes and everyone seems to have a favorite. Now, don't get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with that boxed stuffing …

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Top 5 Thanksgiving Side Dishes

For some people, Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes. The perfect side dishes will compliment your turkey by adding flavors, textures, and colors to your Thanksgiving menu. There's no limit to the number of excellent side dish recipes out there you can make this Thanksgiving.We have …

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The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

We all know someone who agonizes every Thanksgiving about making the perfect turkey. Lets face it, at some point everyone will make a less-than-awesome Thanksgiving turkey. But today, we want to show you a simple method of making an excellent super juicy bird every time. This is a great reci …

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Product Spotlight: Rage Broadheads

One of the most frequent questions we get is "what do you guys really use at home?" Well, when you watch our videos, you really see the products we like the most. But, one of our favorite products doesn't end up getting much air time on our YouTube channel. Today, we are going to discuss our favorit …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning: Black

This creation came about because of our love of all things robust, smoky, and sweet. It’s dark and mysterious, and is a perfect compliment for beef and wild game. We crafted this blend to highlight the deep flavors of molasses and coffee that compliment one another so well. The Black blend is all-na …

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How to Make the Best Hot Dogs at Home

Hot dogs are one of those ultimate comfort food items. They're equally popular with ketchup and mustard at your summertime backyard barbecue, as they are smothered in chili and cheese that's been simmering for hours on a cold, fall day. But buying commercially-produced hot dogs is always a little …

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Ultimate Cast Iron Guide

How to select, use, and care for cast iron cooking equipment.When it comes to legendary cooking surfaces, it's hard to talk about anything other than cast iron. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is versatile, easy to use, and will last more than a lifetime. The material can be tricky to care for. If …

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How to Process a Deer at Home (ULTIMATE GUIDE)

Part One: Skinning and Butchering BasicsMany hunters each season harvest a deer and pay a processing facility to butcher the animal. One of the comments we saw a lot when we made our video on butchering a deer at home was the amount of meat that many processors waste. That’s exactly why we wanted to …

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Curing Meat at Home

It's easier than you think to make your own cured meat. Long before refrigeration, our ancestors discovered that meat could be preserved using salt. Salt draws moisture from meat, preventing the growth of bacteria, and ensuring the meat doesn't rot. The process uses salt to cure meat, and it …

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Different Types of Wood for Smoking

The Bearded Butchers Smoking Wood Chart – How to pick the right wood for smoking different types of meat Pretty much any type of meat is better when it's perfectly smoked. From beef and poultry to fish and wild game, smoking produces unique flavors you can't get on a gas grill. But not every type …

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How to Brine Chicken

The Easiest Way to Make the Best Roast Chicken You Have Ever TastedFall is in the air, the leaves are changing color, and soon, the cool weather will settle in. It's the time of year for pies and cinnamon and all things delicious and warm. It's also the perfect time of year to perfect your baked chi …

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Top 5 Blackstone Griddle Recipes

Everything You Need to Know About Our Favorite Griddle – From Seasoning to Clean Cooking Griddle cooking can revolutionize your backyard experience. A lot like when you first get a smoker, a great griddle will have you stalking the meat counter dreaming up all the deliciousness you can sizzl …

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Spare Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs

We're breaking down the difference between these two popular cuts of meat.It would seem like buying ribs for your next cookout would be a simple process, until you're sitting at the butcher's counter trying to choose between spare ribs and baby back ribs. Which one is better? What's different about …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning: Hot

One thing we can't stand is seasonings that claim to be “hot” only for their results to be bland and mild. If hot is what you’re after, then hot is what you should get. When we crafted our own Bearded Butcher’s Blend Seasoning, we knew what we wanted from a hot seasoning, and boy did we get it. Our …

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Grilling and Reverse Searing a Bison Tomahawk Steak

The Bearded Butchers share their recipe for an amazing, juicy, flavorful steak. There are lots of techniques people use to create wonderful flavors and textures when grilling. A popular way to cook a steak right now is the reverse sear method. This fancy term is actually a really easy way to ge …

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The Best Portable Tree Stand Options

Choosing the perfect tree stand for your next deer hunting adventure is complicated. Today, we will share with you some of our favorites and help you decide what features you need from your hunting gear.What is a Tree Stand? A tree stand is a device hunters use to gain an advantage over wily de …

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What Are the Best Cuts of Beef?

The meat counter can be a confusing place for many people who just want the best cut of beef for their meal. Trying to pick between different cuts, grades, and packages takes knowing what makes one cut better than another, and also how to pick out a good piece of meat.The Primal Cuts of BeefMaybe yo …

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Kamado Joe vs Big Green Egg

The decision to buy a kamado grill will change grilling forever. Kamado grills have been around for thousands of years and provide an ideal way to cook.What Brands Make Kamado Grills?Shopping for a kamado grill is a challenge because there are many types and sizes of grills to choose between. Two of …

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Victorinox Boning Knife Review

You may think we're a little biased toward Victorinox knives based on how often we talk about them on our YouTube channel or on our blog. But really, they're boning knives are just that good. We choose to use Victorinox knives for the superior sharp edge retention and high-quality materials they …

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How to Make Deer Snack Sticks

With deer season almost on top of us, it’s time to start thinning the freezer. If you have trimmings or ground meat, you can make smokies at home. Smokies make for a great snack and they'll keep on a long day hike if you follow the same recipe we use today. Smokies, or sticks as some folks call …

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How to Make Ground Beef at Home

Have you ever wondered what’s in that package of ground beef you bought at the grocery store? Seriously, it could be practically anything. One thing you know it isn’t: high-quality beef. And do you really want to cook with anything but the best? The beef (even your steaks) doesn’t have to be graded …

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Bearded Butchers Blend: Cajun Seasoning

After years of being disappointed with the various store bought cajun seasoning options, we decided to craft our own cajun blend using only the best, all-natural ingredients. It took some trial and error to find the ideal cajun seasoning recipes. And we were really focused on trying to get just the …

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Deer Hunting: Bow Season in Ohio

Summer is coming to a close but thankfully, we have something new to look forward to – deer season. Ohio’s whitetail bow season opens toward the end of September. We couldn’t be more excited to get out of the house and into the woods in search of quality deer to stock the freezer. (We've even put …

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Labor Day Recipes

It seems like just yesterday the sun finally came out of hiding, but here we are at the unofficial end of Summertime. Labor Day weekend is here, so we thought it’d be fun to share some of our favorite grilling, smoking, and barbecuing recipes that will make your cookout with family and friends both …

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Wagyu vs Kobe Beef - What's the Difference?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 15 years, you’ve heard about the holy grail of beef. Chances are good you have never seen the real thing at your local butcher. There are some very good reasons why Wagyu is so hard to find (we'll get to those in a minute). There is a good chance …

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How to Sharpen a Knife

It might seem counter-intuitive, but you are more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one. When you use a dull knife, you have to press harder to cut, which can cause the blade to slip. Learning to properly sharpen a knife is a skill anyone who enjoys cooking needs to learn. Sharpe …

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Chicken Stock vs. Chicken Broth: Making and Using Both

Our blog readers and our YouTube audience have likely noticed we are big advocates of using every possible part of an animal. We don't like wasting anything. In our opinion, it’s simply the right way to harvest any animal, and let’s face it – there are some delicious parts many people leave on …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning: Chipotle

Some like it spicy, some like it sweet, our Bearded Butcher Blend Chipotle Seasoning brings both for a mouthwatering flavor you will want to put on everything. We made our Chipotle blend because we wanted a smoky seasoning with ingredients we trust. So, we crafted a special blend that excites your t …

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The Benefits of Smoking with Wood Pellets

One of our favorite tools to use is our Traeger Grills Iron Wood 885 smoker. Those of you watching our Youtube channel know how much we enjoy smoking everything. Following our recipes is easy, but what to do if you don’t have a smoker? Well, you can use wood pellets and chips in a gas grill or a cha …

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How to Make Summer Sausage at Home

In this article, we will show you how to make summer sausage with non-commercial equipment you can buy and use at home for professional results. We are going to break down the science behind flavoring and detail the spices we use to make our favorite summer sausage. We will also share with you how a …

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A Beginner's Guide to Bowhunting Basics

So, you are thinking about getting into archery and bowhunting? That’s a great decision, but the sport can be overwhelming at first. There are lots of different terms most people are not familiar with, and tons of different types of products. Archery can be a very expensive sport – many quality bows …

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How to Clean A Grill

Have you ever been to a friends house for dinner and had your meal served on a dirty plate? It doesn’t matter how amazing the smell or appearance, the quality of the ingredients, or the skill the meal took to make – anyone eating off a dirty plate is going to question just how clean the food actuall …

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Top Bowhunting Tech for 2022

Believe it or not, bowhunting season is just around the corner. Before long, the days will be noticeably shorter and cool breezes will return. It’ll be time to get back to nature and away from the numerous stressors this year has brought. The Archery Trade Association show, where all the great new s …

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Lean Meats vs. Fatty Meats

What is the Difference between Lean Meats and Fatty Meats? Which is the Best?This is not going to be another one of those articles telling you to stop eating steaks and burgers, or whether you should be eating lean meats or fatty meats. We're not trying to scare you with statistics about h …

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Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning – The Original

We created our Original Blend seasoning in 2012 because the spices on the market just weren't cutting it. They either lacked the intense flavor we wanted, or were filled with ingredients we couldn’t pronounce and had no idea why they were there. The only solution was to start from scratch, use …

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What is Lump Charcoal?

Most people think of briquettes when charcoal comes up in conversation. Briquettes are the most common heat source for grills and barbecues; they are inexpensive and easy to use. But briquettes are a manufactured product made from wood charcoal, brown coal, sodium nitrate, borax, sawdust, and starch …

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The Best Campfire Grill Grates

A campfire is a magical experience. Whether the fire is deep in wooded hills along a babbling stream, or just steps from your back door, the warmth and light of a campfire brings people together. Add a campfire grill, and you've turned it into a barbecue. There may be nothing on Earth that ties p …

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Our “Secret” Grilled Flank Steak Roll

Grilled Flank Steak From Field To Table As soon as the temperatures start to warm here in Ohio, there’s only one thing we are thinking about – a delicious, juicy smoked flank steak roll sizzled up on our XL Big Green Egg. This is one of our absolute favorite things to make and share with our frie …

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Caring for Your Kitchen Knives the Right Way

When you invest in a new knife set for your kitchen, it is essential to know the right way to take care of them. Properly caring for your knives will ensure a lifetime of use. It is incredibly easy to damage a high-quality blade by not caring for it correctly. Once you know the right way to take car …

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Pro Tips: Grilling Every Classic BBQ Food

The summer sun is finally here, and it’s time to get grilling. Instead of just telling you "how to grill chicken" or a specific barbecue recipe, we're going to share some of our favorite pro tips we have learned over the years for taking popular BBQ dishes over the top. We are going to tackle some c …

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Ultimate Fish Taco Recipe

The classic fish taco hails from the sun-drenched shores of Baja California and has become an iconic Southern California dish. Fish tacos are a quick and easy meal you can put together for a delicious weeknight family dinner or fry up a big batch and amaze your friends and neighbors. Today, we'll gi …

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Our Top Tips for Grilling for a Party

Everyone loves a big backyard barbecue with friends and family, but it can be stressful for the grill master. Each of us wants our guests to be blown away by our grill skills. When grilling for a big party, a few simple decisions can make the difference between fun and fiasco. Expert grillers use th …

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Chipotle Wild Turkey Nuggets

The thunderous gobble reverberated through the dense morning air like the old bird was right on top of us. Sneaking down a creekbed, out of sight from the roost tree, we were able to get within a couple of hundred yards of where the bird had sounded off. A decoy was placed, and as the hens started t …

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The Best Wireless Meat Thermometers

The secret to a perfectly cooked steak is simple; cook it perfectly. Everyone has their own little trick for guessing how done a piece of meat is, but why leave it up to chance? One of the features our Traeger Smoker has is a built-in wireless meat thermometer. Now, we didn’t realize how vital this …

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The Perfect Smoked Pork Butt

How to Make the Best Pulled Pork You've Ever Had Today, it’s all about pulled pork. Pulled pork is an excellent, flavorful way to cook a pork roast. It’s equally delicious between some fresh baked rolls as it is in a giant tortilla with fresh salsa. The smoked pulled pork we are going to show y …

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The Complete Kitchen Knife Buyers Guide

Most people start their culinary adventures with a set of kitchen knives sold in a wooden block that doesn’t cost very much. Now, let’s get this out of the way – there is nothing wrong with a boxed kitchen knife set and most amateur chefs won’t benefit a bunch from buying high-dollar kitchen kn …

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How to Make Bone Broth at Home

What is Bone Broth and Why You Should Make It Somewhere back near the beginning of time, our ancestors started boiling bones and other animal parts in water, releasing the nutritious and healthy vitamins, proteins, and minerals from otherwise inedible parts. Those early humans …

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Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Hunting Knives

What to Look For When Buying a Hunting Knife The hunting knife has a long tradition in America. Generations of outdoors enthusiasts have relied on strong and functional knives as an essential tool. Today, knives that are designed for hunting are even carried every day because of their versatil …

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The Best Grilled Chicken Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Kabobs

All across the nation, the weather is heating up. The days are getting longer, which of course means that it’s getting to be time to fire up the Big Green Egg and have friends and family over. Kabobs are fast and fun to make, delicious, and easy to share. The Bearded Butchers would like to share one …

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The Traeger Grill VS The Big Green Egg

If you watch our Youtube channel, you probably notice that when we're not smoking something amazing on our Traeger, we are grilling something on our Big Green Egg. Both types of cooking give amazing results, but there are important differences. Choosing between one or the other can be a real ch …

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How to Field Dress A Deer

Once you've field dressed your deer, be sure to check out our mega post that walks through the entire process of butchering your deer at home. One of the most intimidating parts of learning to hunt is the right way to field dress the animal you have harvested. We know the process can seem …

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8 Grilling Tools You Need for Outdoor Cooking

The cold winter weather has finally started to give way to the warmer seasons. When we start seeing the snow melt and the sunny weather return, we can think of only one thing: It’s time to get grilling! Now, to be honest, our grill isn’t idle even in the dead of winter. Heck, I’ll shovel snow jus …

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The Ultimate Corned Beef Recipe

Nothing screams St. Patrick’s Day like the delicious aroma of a slow-simmered corned brisket. Why would you want to eat generic corned beef when it is so simple to do it yourself? Today, we will walk you through the process from butchering to feasting. When we’re finished here, you’ll know how to ma …

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How to Make Your Own Sausage and Bratwurst with Fresh Ground Venison Meat

One of our favorite things to do after processing a deer is to take the trimmings and make fresh venison bratwurst. Because one, bratwurst is delicious; and two, we love cooking it. Before jumping into sausage making, there’s a few things we need to go over. To start, venison is very lean. So y …

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Cook The Ultimate Filet Mignon: How to Reverse Sear Steak

Everyone loves a good steak but cooking the perfect one at home can be intimidating, especially if you like expensive cuts or wild game. That’s why we want to share our favorite and sure-fire method for getting that crispy outside and juicy center – reverse searing.In this case, we’re going to focus …

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Spice Up Your Irish Heritage!

Some folks wear green. Others boast about their Irish heritage. Many celebrate at festivals, carnivals, local fairs, and family gatherings. Some drink green beer. Some drink way too much green beer. And if you need something else to add to your list, try out this modified Irish cultural staple for y …

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Grandpa's Bearded Butcher Chili

February is notorious as the month to long for spring and loth the continuation of winter. Temperatures can fluctuate. Rain mixes with snow, and delivers far too much ice and freezing rain. The sun peaks and teases but only brings with it colder temperatures rather than lukewarm relief. March i …

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