Lei Chic | �Cue Tips: Barbecue tips from Hog Island BBQ grill master Wayne Kauppi - You love standing at the counter of your favorite BBQ spo...

�Cue Tips

Barbecue tips from Hog Island BBQ grill master Wayne Kauppi

June 30, 2010

You love standing at the counter of your favorite BBQ spot, contemplating your order as the smell of wood-fired chicken or brisket rolls out of the smoker. But the Fourth of July is about spending time in the backyard with friends, sipping drinks, flipping steaks and popping fireworks.

To make sure your barbecue gets the oohs and ahhs going well before the real show starts, we asked Wayne Kauppi, owner of Kaimuki’s Hog Island BBQ and a champion of slow-cooked meat, for a few grill-to-oven techniques.

The Heat
Kauppi recommends a kettle grill fueled by mesquite charcoal. Get the coals glowing red-hot, then put on the lid and starve the fire to bring the temperature down. This creates an even glowing charcoal bed and prevents flare-ups that would char your steaks. Keep the cover on while cooking, using the vents to control the heat. Meanwhile, bring your indoor oven to a not-so-piping-hot 190 degrees.

The Meat
The best cut for the grill is the rib eye, Kauppi says, because the fat marbled in with the muscle makes for a juicy steak. If you want a leaner cut, try the filet mignon. Apply a dry rub to the meat and allow it to rest before cooking.

The Feat
You'll want to begin cooking about an hour before you plan to serve the meal. Do check the steaks during the cooking process, but don't cut into the meat often—it'll cost you too much juice.

Put steaks to be well-done on the grill first, searing the meat for no more than five minutes on each side. Place each steak on an oven-safe plate. Transfer the plates to the oven and leave the meat to slow-cook for about 45 minutes. The low temperature will continue the cooking process without evaporating water, meaning the plates will fill with the juices of the steak.

Next, repeat the searing and plating process with the medium steaks, but oven-bake the meat for only 20 to 30 minutes. Finally, sear your rare steaks. This set of steaks will be in the oven for only ten to 20 minutes.

Not ready to fire up the grill? Call in your Fourth of July order early at Hog Island BBQ, 1137 11th Ave. Suite 102 (behind Big City Diner), Kaimuki, 808.388.7784. For more info and to view the take-out menu, visit www.hogislandbbq.com

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