Spring has sprung, and like clockwork, the need for BBQ is in high demand. For the serious culinary craftsmasters among us, that means trading softer aromas and lower temperatures for the bright bite of wood smoke and the roar of a blazing grill.
Gas and charcoal have their conveniences, but they don’t impart quite the same flavor that you’ll find with wood-fired cooking. If you’re ready to level up your restaurant, it’s time to start experimenting with how various proteins react to live fire — and how to tame the intense heat of your wood-burning grill.
When you truly master cooking, you’ll have an arsenal of BBQ recipes that call for specialty cooking techniques and a high-heat cooking surface. Professional chefs designing their tasting menus and weekend warriors entertaining friends may have different goals, but both require perfectly repeatable results that leave their guests wondering how they turned average cuts of meat into artisanal cuisine. The key is to focus on proper airflow and use only quality fuel to really let those ingredients shine.
Honey Fire BBQ Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are synonymous with BBQ recipes, but cooking them over a wood fire takes the experience to another level. Proper wood-fired cooking techniques utilize intense heat to render fat in the skin and crisp it to perfection, creating a durable crust that stands up to sticky sauces and dipping sauces.
Start with five pounds of chicken wings and liberally apply a dry rub of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt.
- Light your wood-burning grill and let the logs burn down to hot embers.
- Add the wings to the grill away from the flame and cook until they’re warmed through.
- Whisk together equal parts honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and a pat of butter in a small saucepan over the edge of the grill.
- Use your grill’s thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, move the wings over the hot coals to crisp up the skin.
- Toss the wings in your honey fire sauce and return them to the grill for sixty seconds to “set” the glaze.
Spicy BBQ Ribs
Ribs can be unforgiving over a wood-burning grill because it takes time and precision to develop a bark without drying the inside of the meat. The whole process is gradual, so be patient while you cook these bad boys low and slow.
- Start with two racks of St. Louis-style ribs. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and liberally coat both sides with your favorite spicy rub.
- This cook should be done at about 250 to 275 degrees.
- Let the ribs smoke for about three hours, spritzing every thirty minutes with apple juice to help the bark retain moisture.
- Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and continue cooking for another two hours to soften the meat.
- Remove ribs from foil, brush on your spicy BBQ sauce, and return them to the grill over direct heat for 30 minutes to tighten back up.
Slow and steady wins this race every time — it’s one of the foundations of any great BBQ rib recipe. The connective tissue will melt away from the bone when it’s time to serve.
BBQ Bison Burger
Leaner than beef, bison has a wild game flavor that many grill masters love. The lack of fat can cause it to dry out if left unchecked too long on a commercial wood grill, but that intense direct heat is perfect for searing the outside and locking in moisture.
- Ground Bison
- Salt
- Pepper
- White Cheddar Cheese
- Thick BBQ Sauce
- Handle bison ground beef as you would any other burger, but form your patties loosely to avoid toughening the protein.
- The Sear: Place the burgers on your wood-fired grill over maximum heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on how well you like your burgers.
- The Finish: With a minute left on the clock, top your burgers with cheese and a healthy smear of BBQ sauce to melt.
Cooking bison on a wood-fired grill adds an earthy, campfire aroma that complements the sweet flavor of this intense meat.
BBQ Turkey Legs
Typically reserved for county fairs and funnel cake stands, turkey legs can be a decadent centerpiece for your backyard setup if cooked correctly. The key is a long cook time to break down connective tissues.
- Begin by brining your turkey legs for at least 12 hours prior. A basic salt and sugar cure with aromatics will work.
- Season liberally with a poultry-friendly BBQ rub.
- Set your legs on the wood-burning grill at medium-low heat and leave them alone.
- Every twenty minutes, rotate the legs to ensure even color.
- During the last hour of cook time, brush your preferred BBQ sauce over the legs to develop a mahogany color.
Turkey is all about that smoky wood environment. Dark meat has huge muscles that soak up wood flavors much more readily than steak or chicken.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sausage Skewers
Sleeker than ribs but with more pizzazz than burgers, chicken kebabs are a great way to crank through meals with less prep time. This particular recipe benefits from the salty crunch of bacon combined with a creamy ranch seasoning blend.
- Slice your chicken sausages into one-inch-thick pieces and wrap each slice with half a strip of bacon.
- Thread each bacon-wrapped sausage onto a skewer and weave in red onion slices and bell peppers.
- Sprinkle your skewers with a dry ranch seasoning.
- Place skewers on your wood-burning grill over medium-high heat. Turn regularly until the bacon is crispy and the vegetables are charred.
- Serve alongside ranch dressing for dipping.
Kebabs are great for testing out your wood grill’s heat zones since you’ll need to move them consistently for even cooking.
Pro Tip | Smell The Difference
Your BBQ recipes will only be as good as your fuel allows them to be. Make sure you’re using wood that is seasoned or kiln-dried. Green wood will contain excess moisture that creates heavy smoke and a certain chemical flavor we associate with chicken or bison that’s been ruined.
Level Up Your Cooking | Aztec Grill
Like any BBQ recipe, grilling on a commercial wood grill requires skill and proper equipment. Not all grills are created equal, and most units simply can’t stand up to the accelerated wear of constant high-temp cooking. Aztec Grills is one of the leading companies providing stainless steel wood-burning grills that can withstand feeding crowds and high heat. To regulate the heat output, they use a patented airflow technology, similar to a conventional heating system. This feature creates an even cooking environment across your grates. Gaining mastery over airflow will allow you to fine-tune your wood grill’s combustion process and spend less time fighting the fire.
Aztec Grill has something for every chef who wants to step up their BBQ game. Don’t settle for consumer-grade products when you can cook with professionalism in any restaurant.