The Killer Zone

A lot of our customers have graduated from grilling and have started to barbecue their favorite cut of meat. Barbecuing is an old-fashioned, slow, smoky style of cooking that seem to be dominated by good ol’ boys. We don’t know a single one of our customers that doesn’t enjoy the taste from a great barbecue.

As butchers (and sandwich artists), we’re often asked what wood works best with certain cuts of meat. Knowing what wood to use to barbecue your meat is important. Generally, you only want to use hardwoods. Softwoods like pine or spruce contain too much sap, which can cause your meat to have a foul taste. Wood from fruit and nut trees are very popular, especially with chicken, pork, and fish. Oak and mesquite are also excellent for barbecuing.

Here’s the list of woods that we most commonly recommend:

Apple – We really had a hard time deciding our favorite wood for barbecuing. Usually people prefer to use wood that can be easily found in their neck of the woods. We love applewood. The smoke from applewood is sweet and fruity and is fantastic with any meat. We find that we use apple more for chicken and pork.

Mesquite – This is a sentimental favorite. Our grandfather used mesquite to grill during our family visits to Arizona. The taste really brings back memories of going with grandpa to find mesquite wood. Mesquite wood burns hot so it is great for grilling, but can be difficult to work with if you are barbecuing. The flavor from mesquite wood can turn bitter over extended times.

Hickory – Let’s just say you can’t go wrong with hickory. It’s great with pork, but also provides great flavor to beef and even chicken.

Oak – Oak is probably the most versatile hardwood used for barbecuing. It works well with all cuts of meats and any style of spice.

Cherry – Cherrywood is a great alternative to applewood. It provides a good sweet, fruity smoke that works well with chicken and pork.

Maple – Maplewood provides a mild smoke that is sweet. It is good for pork, ham, and wonderful for smoking vegetables.

Alder – Alder is most commonly used to smoke salmon. Therefore, not many people use alder wood unless they are smoking fish. It has a light smoky flavor.

Now that you know a little more about some of the woods to barbecue, all you need is a great cut of meat. As third generation butchers, we can help you select the best cut of meat for your barbecue. We’ll even cut it for you fresh.

B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli was listed as a “favorite, and not so obvious, lunch spots in the capital city.” by dienu.com

B&B is one of the oldest and best kept secrets in Des Moines. The tiny market and deli has been locally owned and operated since 1922 and has been a fixture to Des Moines’s Southside for five generations. It is also home to the best deli sandwich in Des Moines, the “Dad’s Killer”. This tasty sandwich is pure deliciousness. It makes the Turkey Tom at Jimmy John’s seem average. I also highly recommend “Zach’s Italian Killer” as its pretty killer as well. Whenever I go to B&B, I feel like I just walked into Cheers or something. The staff is very friendly and they really appreciate your business. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better sandwich place in Des Moines. Places like B&B just don’t exist anymore.

Click here to read the complete blog post “Wanna Grab Lunch?.

B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli was voted Des Moines “Best Kept Secret on the Local Restaurant Scene” by the readers of CityView.

“This Sevastapol icon represents a way of life gone with the wind — personal service, butchering to order, pork that has not been injected with a double-digit solution of chemical water. The deli service includes things that most people quit eating two generations ago. Where else can you find a choice amongst headcheese? Or pork tenderloin made only from the actual tenderloin?”

Click here to read Cityview’s Best of 2010 article.

B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli was voted Des Moines “Best Mom & Pop” by the readers of CityView.

“B & B Grocery, Meat & Deli is the epitome of a mom and pop store. It has been family owned and operated since Archie and John Brooks opened it in May 1922. Since then, five generations of the Brooks family have been dedicated to serving the Best variety of quality meats and the freshest deli items to the Des Moines Community.”

Click here to read CityView’s Best of 2010 article.

Grills & Heat Sources

• Charcoal grills generally provide the most flavor and burn hotter than broilers or gas grills.
• Try hardwood charcoal. Hardwood charcoal burns hotter than briquettes. It used to be difficult to find, but is much more available today. There are different varieties available…try different kinds to see which one you like best.
• Don’t use starter fluids. They smell like fuel, and will almost always give your grilled food the same flavor. We recommend using a charcoal chimney to get your charcoal started.
• Try different woods to provide smoke flavor to your meat. See what woods we recommend.
• We’ve found that wood chips work best if used in a Weber type grill, which gives longer exposure to the smoke.
• Keep your grate clean. This is just common sense. Just let the grill sit over the heat source for a few minutes and then use a wire brush to clean the grill.
• Keep the lid on your grill when cooking your steaks. This helps keep a consistent heat. Remember, every time you lift the lid your cooking time is extended.

Grilling Utensils

• Wire Brush – It’s important to keep your cooking grate clean, so you food doesn’t stick and/or taste like the last thing you grilled. Wire brushes are perfect for scrubbing a grate.
• Mopping Brush – Mopping or basting is important to add flavor and keep your meat moist during barbecuing
• Tongs – We believe it is best to use tongs to turn meat on a grill. Juices can be released if you use a fork.
• Meat Thermometer – A meat thermometer can help check the doneness of food.

Grilling Steaks

• Buy only thick steaks! The easiest way to ruin a steak is to get it too thin. It will get overdone in a snap. As butchers, we believe steaks that are 1 1/4 inches thick or more are best for the grill.
• Steaks are best if they are at room temperature before you start to grill them. Cold steaks just don’t turn out as well.
• Season your steak with your favorite marinade or rub. Salt & pepper is a suitable seasoning for a good steak too.
• To cook the best tasting steaks, you need very high heat to sear and char the steak on the outside. High heat produces that great grilled flavor and keeps the steak juicy by cooking it quickly before the juices can escape. It doesn’t really seal in the juices, as is popular belief — but it’s a good practice anyway for the best, and juiciest, steaks.

•Steaks continue to cook after being removed from the grill. Remove your steak a little before it is cooked the way you like it, so that it does not become overdone. After grilling, let your steak rest for 5 – 10 minutes before you cut it. This will keep more of the juices in the steak, and less on the plate as you eat it.

Chicken
•Chicken is different. Cook chicken using lower heat. If heat is too high, it will char on the outside, and be raw inside. Takes longer time at lower heat on higher rack or grate setting. Grill until juices are clear and no longer pink.

Kristin is the author for the blog IowaGirlEats.com.  She writes about the great food around Iowa among other things.  She wrote about B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli in an article titled, “Eating at the Killer Zone“.

“I took a brief break from being a giant nerd relaxing to go pick up some killer sandwiches from B&B Deli for lunch! This place is a no nonsense, old school Italian deli and meat counter.”

This blog post continues by discussing that Zach’s Italian Killer and has some great pictures of B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli.

Read the entire blog post, “Eating at the Killer Zone“.

*Picture from IowaGirlEats.com

From the ISU Foodist

I always wanted to be a food critic…

B&B has also been around forever. They make a great chorizo if you’re into that sort of thing. Anyway, they also make sandwiches to order, as well as deep fried anything to go along with it. They feature the ‘Killer Tenderloin’…need I say more? At lunchtime, this place is packed full of all kinds of people. The service is quick and efficient and the food is delicious. It is a grocery store too, so on your way out pick up a Coke from Mexico (with real sugar) in a glass bottle to round out your meal. It’s just south of downtown Des Moines, and they have a great website with the full menu: ”

Click Here to Read the Entire Article

May 11, 2009 Des Moines Register article titled, “Chef George Formaro brings national notice to dining scene in Des Moines”  Local celebrity Chef George Formaro named B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli’s Pork Tenderloin as one of his “Favorite Des Moines Foods”

April 30 – May 9, 2009 Edition of Cityview
By Jim Duncan

B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli’s Breaded Pork Tenderloin was highlighted:

“B&B Grocery Meat & Deli in Des Moines serves the most authentic version. They cut it from the actual tenderloin, not tenderized parts of the entire loin.”

Click here to read the entire article.