4 Competition BBQ Secrets to Steal for Your Next Backyard Cookout

While backyard BBQ is about relaxation and friends, we all secretly want that "Grand Champion" reaction from our guests.

Believe it or not, you can. While competitive pitmasters play by a strict set of rules to win over judges in just one bite, you don't have to enter events to use their tactics.

Check out four pro secrets that will elevate the food coming off your Lone Star Grillz pit this weekend.

How do BBQ pros aerodynamically trim their meat?

Pros don't just throw meat on the smoker. They aerodynamically trim it. Why? Because uniformity equals consistent cooking.

What do you trim?

• Hard fat that won't render
• Silver skin
• Sharp edges and corners
• Excessively thin or thick pieces
• Loose meat

You're not going to trim off every spare bit of fat. You want ¼ to ½ inch to flavor your meat. But you do want to get rid of anything that's going to get in the way of your meat cooking evenly.

For best results, use a very sharp knife on a cold cut of meat.

How do BBQ pros get that "One Bite" flavor profile?

Since judges often take just one bite to evaluate a piece of meat, savory flavor is a must. How do they do it?

Flavor layering.

Don't rely on smoke alone. You need a binder, a base rub, a finishing dust, and a glaze to get that competition BBQ taste.

• Binder examples: yellow mustard, hot sauce, or a neutral oil.
• Base rubs: black pepper, salt, and other spices.
• Finishing dust: very fine powder of spice dusted over the meat after it's sliced or right before the box is closed. You can get fancy with things like ground dried porcini mushrooms or a pulverized rub.
• Glaze: BBQ sauce, vinegar, pepper jelly glaze, or tiger sauce.

How do BBQ pros rest their meat?

Pros don't slice right away. They often rest their meat in coolers for hours and don't worry, your meat won't get cold.

First, it takes hours for a huge cut of meat to lose heat. Second, you're going to wrap your meat in aluminum foil before you pop it in the cooler. You can also wrap a thick towel around the meat to insulate it and to prevent direct contact between the meat and the plastic, since you don't want your cooler to melt.

Since resting preserves the meat's natural juices before slicing, it can be the key to taking your cook from good to great.

How do BBQ pros present their meat?

Like judges, guests eat with their eyes first, so pros use a finishing glaze to give their meat a lovely sheen. Then they slice the meat across the grain right before serving with a honey glaze or a light brush of diluted sauce.

Get the Grill to Match the Technique

You've got the techniques. Now get the best pit in the neighborhood: your Lone Star Grill, smoker, or combination grill and smoker. Shop our full line up of high-end, competition-ready BBQ pits and become the grillmaster you were always meant to be!