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What is Grilling Companion?
Grilling Companion is an online grilling and barbecue magazine built around recipes, tips and equipment impressions for backyard cooks. Its own description frames it as a resource for "everything related to outdoor cooking," written by two self-described technology and food geeks who turned a casual experiment into a sustained hobby.
What you'll find there
- Recipes by category. The site organizes its main content into beef, chicken, seafood and vegetables, with dedicated collections for chicken grilling recipes and steak recipes. Named examples include Dry Rub Chicken Wings, Grilled Ribeye Steak, Marinated and Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Beer Can Chicken, Tri-Tip Roast and Flat Iron Steak.
- Technique and how-to pieces. Items such as "How To Cook BBQ Ribs" point to guidance rather than just ingredient lists.
- Gear impressions. Reviews and first-person accounts appear alongside recipes, including a charcoal lighter review, a note on switching to a pellet grill, and a thermometer review.
- A running recipe feed. Recent additions listed include Beef Jerky on a Pellet Grill, Jamaican Rice and Peas, Jerk Marinade and Smoked Beef Short Ribs.
Who it suits
This reads as a practical site for home cooks who already own a grill or smoker and want straightforward recipes plus honest notes on equipment. The mix of recipe and gear content means it works both as a "what do I cook tonight" stop and as a place to check before buying an accessory.
A sensible first step
If you're deciding whether it fits how you cook, start with the category matching your equipment and habits: a pellet grill owner will get more from the smoker and pellet-grill material, while someone cooking on charcoal or gas can begin with the chicken or steak collections and the ribs how-to. Compare one of its recipes against your usual method for the same cut — that tells you quickly whether its approach matches your taste.
How do I choose between grilling and smoking for different cuts of meat?
Choose based on the cut's tenderness and fat content: grill hot and fast for tender, well-marbled cuts; smoke low and slow for tough, collagen-rich cuts. Grilling gives you a seared crust and a quick cook; smoking gives you deep smoke flavor and melt-in-the-mouth texture, but takes hours.
A practical way to decide
Ask three questions about the meat:
- Is it naturally tender? Ribeye, filet mignon, top sirloin, flat iron, pork tenderloin, chicken breasts, fish steaks and vegetables all suit direct grilling.
- Is it tough with lots of connective tissue? Beef short ribs, brisket, pork shoulder and ribs need low, slow smoke (or long indirect heat) to break that tissue down.
- How much time and attention do you have? Grilling is a 15–40 minute project; smoking is a half-day commitment with temperature monitoring.
Quick comparison
| Cut type | Best method | Why | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeye, filet mignon, flat iron | Grill | Tender and marbled; high heat builds crust without drying | Overcooking; pull early and rest |
| Tri-tip, top sirloin | Grill, or smoke then sear | Moderate tenderness, benefits from a reverse-sear | Uneven thickness |
| Chicken wings, breasts, thighs | Grill | Cooks fast; skin crisps | Flare-ups from fat; use two-zone heat |
| Pork tenderloin | Grill | Lean and tender; marinades help | Dries out quickly |
| Beef short ribs, brisket, pork shoulder | Smoke | Collagen needs hours at low heat | Long stall; plan for extra time |
| Whole chicken, turkey | Smoke or indirect grill | Even, gentle heat cooks through | Skin can turn rubbery at low heat |
Where recipes help
Seeing how a specific cut is handled removes most of the guesswork. Grilling Recipes and BBQ Recipes groups recipes by protein, with dedicated sections for chicken grilling recipes and steak recipes, plus featured items like dry rub chicken wings and grilled ribeye steak. Its tips section covers slower projects such as how to cook BBQ ribs, which is the kind of method you would pair with a smoker rather than a hot grill.
A useful next step
Pick one cut you cook often — say chicken wings or ribeye — and try it both ways over two weekends: once hot and direct, once low and indirect with smoke. Note the time, internal temperature and texture. That personal comparison will tell you more than any general rule about which method your household actually prefers.
What should I know before switching from charcoal to a pellet grill?
Switching from charcoal to a pellet grill trades hands-on fire management for set-and-forget temperature control. You gain consistency and overnight cooking; you lose some of the smoke character and direct-flame searing that charcoal gives you. Most people find the trade worthwhile for long cooks, and miss charcoal for quick, hot grilling.
What actually changes
- Temperature control. A pellet grill feeds fuel automatically to hold a set temperature, so you stop adjusting vents and adding coals. This is the biggest practical difference and the main reason people switch.
- Fuel and startup. You buy wood pellets instead of lump or briquettes, and you start the grill with a controller rather than a chimney. Pellets must stay dry; damp pellets swell and jam the auger.
- Flavor. Pellet smoke is milder and cleaner than charcoal, and you choose the smoke profile by pellet variety rather than by coal type or wood chunks.
- Searing. Many pellet grills reach high heat but don't give the radiant heat of a charcoal bed. A cast-iron griddle or a separate sear zone helps.
- Maintenance. More moving parts means more cleaning: the fire pot, auger area and drip tray need regular attention, and ash behaves differently than charcoal ash.
A realistic reader scenario
Suppose you currently grill chicken and steaks on a kettle on weeknights and want to start doing pork shoulders and ribs on weekends. A pellet grill solves the weekend problem well, because you can hold a low temperature for hours without babysitting. Your weeknight steaks may actually get worse until you add a searing method. Keeping the kettle alongside the pellet grill is a common and sensible arrangement rather than a failure to commit.
How to decide
| Your priority | Pellet suits you if | Charcoal suits you if |
|---|---|---|
| Long, unattended cooks | You want to sleep or do other things | You enjoy tending the fire |
| Weeknight speed | You value push-button startup | You don't mind a chimney |
| Strong smoke and char | Mild smoke is fine | You want heavy smoke and direct flame |
| Simplicity of equipment | You accept cleaning and parts | You want fewer failure points |
One thing worth noting from the site's own material: Grilling Companion's team describes switching to a pellet grill and reviewing a charcoal lighter and a thermometer, which reflects that people often keep charcoal tools around even after moving to pellets. That matches the practical advice above — the two cookers complement each other more than they replace each other.
Before you buy, pick two or three recipes you cook often and check whether a pellet grill can do them the way you like. For recipes and technique guidance, Grilling Recipes and BBQ Recipes covers both charcoal and pellet methods, including rubs, marinades and longer cooks.
How can I use a dry rub versus a marinade to get better flavor on grilled chicken?
A dry rub gives you seasoned, slightly crusty surface flavor and a cleaner bite; a marinade gives you deeper, more even seasoning and moisture, especially in lean cuts. For grilled chicken, choose based on the cut and the texture you want.
Dry rub vs. marinade on chicken
| Dry rub | Marinade | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Skin-on pieces, wings, thighs, spatchcocked or whole birds | Boneless breasts, tenders, thigh meat you plan to slice |
| Flavor result | Concentrated, caramelized crust; seasoning sits on the surface | Seasoning penetrates a short distance; juicier, more uniform flavor |
| Timing | 30 minutes to overnight, uncovered in the fridge helps the surface dry | 30 minutes to 4 hours; longer can make the texture mushy |
| Watch out for | Sugar burning over high heat; uneven coverage in crevices | Acid or salt overdosing; wet surface steaming instead of browning |
| Cooking adjustment | Grill over moderate heat, turning to avoid scorching | Pat dry before grilling so the skin or surface can brown |
A practical way to decide
- Wings, drumsticks, bone-in thighs: dry rub. The skin protects the meat, and the rub builds a nice bark. A rub with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and a little brown sugar works well over indirect heat, then a quick sear.
- Boneless breasts or tenders: marinade. A mix of olive oil, lemon or vinegar, garlic, salt and herbs keeps lean meat from drying out. Aim for 1–4 hours, not overnight, unless the marinade is low-acid.
- Want both? Marinate first, pat dry, then add a rub without salt or sugar. This is common for smoked or indirect-cooked chicken.
A concrete reader scenario
You are grilling four boneless breasts for a weeknight dinner and two whole wings for the kids. Marinate the breasts in the morning with olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and garlic, then refrigerate. An hour before cooking, pat them dry and dust with a salt-free chili rub. Toss the wings in a separate bowl with a brown-sugar rub and let them sit uncovered while the grill heats. Cook the wings over indirect heat, then move them over the coals to crisp; grill the breasts hot and fast. Same grill, two techniques, better results for each cut.
For more specific ratios, cooking times and recipe variations, browse the chicken and steak categories at Grilling Recipes and BBQ Recipes.
Which steak cuts are best for high-heat grilling and how should I cook them?
Ribeye, top sirloin, and flat iron are the cuts most often recommended for high-heat grilling: they have enough intramuscular fat and connective tissue to stay juicy when seared hard, and they reward a short, hot cook rather than a long, slow one. Filet mignon is leaner and milder, so it works best over high heat with careful timing, while tri-tip sits in between — it can be grilled hot and fast, but it is also forgiving of a two-zone setup if you want a rosy center.
How to cook them
- Dry-brine or season early. Salt the steak 40 minutes to overnight ahead, uncovered in the fridge. Surface moisture is the enemy of a good crust.
- Bring it close to room temperature. A 20–30 minute rest out of the fridge helps the center cook evenly.
- Set up two zones. Pile coals to one side, or light only half the burners, so you have a screaming-hot sear zone and a cooler zone to finish or rest.
- Sear, then move. Two to three minutes per side over the hottest area for a dark crust, then slide to the cool side if the interior needs more time.
- Check temperature, not clock. Pull 5–10°F below your target and let it rest 5–10 minutes; carryover cooking finishes the job.
| Cut | Best approach | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeye | Full high heat, 2–3 min per side | Flare-ups from the fat cap |
| Top sirloin | High heat, slightly longer per side | Dries out past medium |
| Flat iron | High heat, quick sear | Uneven thickness; pound or trim |
| Filet mignon | High heat, short cook, indirect finish | Little fat, so it overcooks fast |
| Tri-tip | High heat sear, then indirect to target | Large size; slice against the grain |
For doneness, medium-rare (130–135°F after resting) suits ribeye, flat iron, and tri-tip; sirloin and filet are more forgiving of medium. Always slice across the grain, especially on tri-tip and flat iron.
A useful next step is to pick one cut and cook it twice in the same week — once with a dry brine and once without — so you can taste the difference in crust and juiciness for yourself. If you want a starting point for rubs and marinades, Grilling Recipes and BBQ Recipes groups its steak material by cut, including filet mignon, tri-tip, top sirloin, and flat iron. For general technique on live-fire cooking, Serious Eats and AmazingRibs.com are widely used references.
What gear and techniques do I need to start smoking ribs at home?
For home rib smoking, you need a covered cooker that holds steady low heat, a reliable way to read temperature at grate level, wood for smoke, and a simple rub. Ribs reward patience more than equipment: the technique is cooking indirectly at low heat until the meat is tender but not falling apart.
Gear that matters most
- A smoker or a grill you can set up for indirect cooking. A dedicated smoker, pellet grill, charcoal kettle or kamado all work. The key is a lid and enough room to keep food away from the direct heat source.
- A two-probe thermometer. One probe monitors the cooker's interior temperature, the other checks the meat. This is the single upgrade that prevents both undercooked and dried-out ribs.
- Fuel and wood. Charcoal or pellets for heat, plus wood chunks or chips for smoke. Mild woods such as apple, cherry or oak suit pork ribs; mesquite is stronger and easier to overdo.
- A rib rack or large foil pan. A rack fits more racks of ribs on a small cooker; a pan catches drips and helps with wrapping.
- Tongs, a basting brush and a spray bottle. Useful for moving slabs and adding moisture during the cook.
Techniques to learn
- Trim and membrane. Remove the silvery membrane from the bone side so rub and smoke penetrate, and trim loose fat.
- Apply a rub. A basic mix of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder is enough. Let it sit while the cooker comes up to temperature.
- Cook indirect at low heat. Keep the fire to one side and the ribs on the other, with the lid closed. Aim for a steady low-and-slow range rather than chasing a specific number.
- Use the bend and probe test. Lift a slab with tongs: it should bend and crack slightly on the surface. A probe should slide in with little resistance, like warm butter.
- Wrap selectively. Wrapping in foil with a splash of liquid speeds cooking and softens bark; leaving ribs unwrapped gives a firmer texture and deeper smoke flavor.
- Sauce at the end. Apply glaze in the last 15–20 minutes so the sugars don't burn.
If you want a starting point, Grilling Recipes and BBQ Recipes covers ribs, rubs and marinades, including a dry rub chicken wings recipe that uses the same low-and-indirect approach. For cut-specific guidance, Serious Eats and AmazingRibs.com are well-known references on rib styles and timing.
A practical first cook
Buy one or two racks of baby back or spare ribs, keep the cooker between roughly 225°F and 275°F, and plan on several hours. Start checking for doneness after about three hours, and judge by feel rather than the clock. Sauce only at the end. Your second cook will go better than your first because you'll know how your particular cooker behaves.
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