Smoke Woods, Charcoal vs. Gas, and This Week's Deals
It's one of the great debates: charcoal or gas? On this episode of Meat & Greet, Myke Stittsworth weighs in — and then goes deeper into the world of smoke woods and how they affect flavor.
From hickory to apple to cherry, different woods bring different flavors to your meat. Myke breaks down which woods work best with which proteins and how to use them whether you're on a gas grill, charcoal, or a dedicated smoker.
The Smoke Wood Breakdown
- Hickory: bold, classic BBQ flavor — best with pork and beef
- Apple: mild and slightly sweet — great with chicken and pork
- Cherry: fruity and beautiful color — pairs with everything
- Mesquite: intense — use sparingly, best with beef
- Charcoal vs. gas: the honest pros and cons
About Meat & Greet
Myke Stittsworth joins KBUN Sports Radio's High Noon every week from Stittsworth Meats in Bemidji, MN.
🎧 Listen to this episode on KBUN | Browse all Meat & Greet episodes
🍖 Recipe: Charcoal-Grilled Stittsworth T-Bone Steak
Experience the true flavor of charcoal grilling with a magnificent Stittsworth T-bone that delivers both tender filet and flavorful strip in one impressive cut.
Ingredients
- 2 Stittsworth T-Bone steaks (1.5 inches thick)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Charcoal briquettes for grilling
Instructions
- Prepare charcoal grill by arranging briquettes in a two-zone fire -- hot zone on one side, medium zone on the other.
- Let charcoal burn until covered with white ash (about 15--20 minutes).
- Mix olive oil with minced garlic and rosemary in a small bowl.
- Brush Stittsworth T-bones on both sides with herb oil.
- Season steaks generously with salt and pepper 5 minutes before grilling.
- Sear T-bones over high heat for 2--3 minutes per side to develop char.
- Move steaks to medium heat zone and grill an additional 3--4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Let steaks rest 5--7 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip: The T-bone's unique shape means the strip side cooks faster than the filet side. Angle your Stittsworth T-bone so the thicker filet portion sits closer to the hottest part of the charcoal for more even cooking.