John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged grilling · everything

Grilled Steak

A basic Pit Boss recipe for grilling bone-in ribeye steaks using their Chophouse Steak Rub: bring two thick-cut steaks to room temperature, season generously, sear on a 400°F pellet grill for 5-7 minutes per side (flipping only once with tongs, never a fork), then rest under foil for 10 minutes before slicing. Worth keeping mainly as a quick reference for timing and technique — room-temp meat, single flip, no piercing the meat — rather than for any unusual ingredient or method.

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Designing the Outdoor Kitchen at Zuma Beach House

A homeowner rejects the sterile, stainless-steel-and-polished-concrete outdoor kitchen trend in favor of a Mediterranean-inspired design pieced together from travel photos, building a space anchored by a Zwilling infrared grill, Clay Imports terracotta tile (herringbone floors and a handmade-looking backsplash), a Forno Piombo wood-fired pizza oven under a stuccoed dome, and a center teak table beneath an ornamental olive tree. It's a personal renovation diary worth keeping for the specific sourcing details and layout logic—like the pass-through window connecting indoor and outdoor kitchens—rather than generic inspiration, with construction wrapping by June.

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A Home Cook’s Guide to All the Cuts of Beef

This guide breaks down the eight primal cuts of beef—chuck, brisket, shank, rib, plate, loin, flank, and round—explaining which parts of the cow each comes from and how that affects tenderness and flavor. For each primal, it describes the specific retail cuts available, their taste characteristics, and the best cooking methods, helping home cooks match their cut selection to appropriate preparation techniques. The overarching principle is that heavily-used muscles are tougher and benefit from slow cooking with liquid, while tender, expensive cuts from less-active areas are best prepared with dry heat methods.

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15 Fruits You Need To Start Air Frying Right Now

TikTok users have popularized cooking various fruits in air fryers, and this guide demonstrates that nearly any fruit—from apples and bananas to more unexpected options like mangos, grapes, and star fruit—can be air-fried to create quick snacks or desserts with appealing textures. Each fruit requires different temperatures and cooking times, with options ranging from basic preparations (tossing with sugar and cinnamon) to more elaborate finishes (dehydrating for trail mix, making blueberry pie, or creating candied citrus garnishes). The technique works because air fryer circulation creates crispy exteriors and soft interiors while reducing or eliminating the need for oil, making it a convenient alternative to traditional baking or frying.

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5 Delicious Cheeses You Should Throw on the Grill

Grilling cheese means searing slabs so they brown on the outside while softening inside, and this Serious Eats guide by Joshua Bousel highlights five cheeses that withstand heat: [[Halloumi]], [[Kefalotyri]], a labeled grilling cheese from Central/South America, [[Queso Panela]], [[Provolone]], and bonus [[Kasseri]]. Bousel explains origins (for example [[Halloumi]] from [[Cyprus]]/[[Greece]] and [[Queso Panela]] from [[Mexico]]), milk types, textures, and best uses—salads, saganaki, tacos, salsa-backed plates, and provoleta-style toasts—plus tips for pairing bold seasonings, citrus, and herbs. He emphasizes halloumi’s high melting point and chewy bite, kefalotyri’s saltiness, panela’s fresh softness, and when softer cheeses like kasseri or provolone can still shine despite melting quickly. Practical serving ideas and cautions about sticking and meltability round out the piece, with links to recipes for trying these cheeses on the grill.

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How to Clean a Grill Quickly and Easily

Cleaning a grill regularly improves food taste, extends equipment life, and needn't be complicated once you know the proper steps. For charcoal grills, the process involves scraping hot grates immediately after cooking, waiting 48 hours for ashes to cool, deep-cleaning the interior with degreaser and a brush, then wiping down the exterior. Gas grills follow a similar initial grate-cleaning step but require disconnecting gas lines and disassembling components before using warm soapy water and a vacuum to clean the interior and exterior, with preventative maintenance like oiling grates and using a grill cover helping maintain both types year-round.

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It’s Grilling Season, Which Means It’s Also Clean-Your-Grill Season—Here Are the Best Ways To Do It

Regular grill cleaning prevents buildup that degrades flavor, reduces heat efficiency, and risks foodborne illness, with a practical approach involving quick cleanups after each use plus deeper monthly maintenance. The guide recommends scrubbing hot grates with a brush or aluminum foil, vacuuming out ash and debris, scraping the grease trap, wiping the exterior with mild cleaners, and soaking removable parts seasonally, with an optional trick of using a halved onion to break up stubborn gunk.

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30 Best Gifts for Anyone Who Loves to Cook

This roundup from [[Esquire]] showcases curated gift ideas for home cooks, focusing on tools, appliances, and ingredients that actually get used. Highlights range from outdoor gear like the [[Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven]] and the cult-status [[Yeti 45 Hard Cooler]] to countertop helpers such as the [[GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker]] and the [[Whynter Compact Upright Automatic Ice Cream Maker]]. Practical picks include precision items like the [[Meater Pro wireless meat thermometer]] and magnetic knife storage, alongside pantry upgrades like premium [[Brightland olive oil]] and [[Kosterina balsamic vinegar]]. The guide balances splurge-worthy splurges and small stocking stuffers—herb garden kits, spatulas, spice sets, and elegant servingware—so you can match gifts to skill level, kitchen space, and personality, ensuring memorable, usable presents rather than clutter.

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Our 5 Best Skewer Recipes

A grilling roundup that makes the case for metal skewers over wooden ones (no soaking, no splintering, no catching fire) and argues charcoal grills give skewered food its best flavor. The bulk of the piece is a curated list of five recipes—Abruzzese arrosticini, yakitori with shishito peppers, quick salmon kebabs with radish raita, community-loved squid skewers, and chicken satay with peanut sauce—meant as a practical starting kit for skewer night. Worth keeping as a shopping-and-cooking cheat sheet before a barbecue.

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Grilled Chicken Souvlaki with Dairy-Free Tzatziki

This recipe provides instructions for making chicken souvlaki, a Greek grilled meat skewer dish featuring boneless chicken breasts marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano for at least 30 minutes before threading onto skewers and grilling for 3-4 minutes per side. The dish is traditionally served with tzatziki sauce and fresh vegetables or pita bread, and leftovers can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for three months.

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