It is no secret that smoking is a great way to prepare various types of food, especially meat! 

In our store we sell top of the line Traeger grills & smokers. We borrowed a few tips from them on which wood, or wood pellets, is best for smoking different meats!

Mesquite:

Cherry:

Pecan:

Hickory: 

Apple:

Oak:

Save this for when you plan your next smokin' journey!

Looking for lean? Try these beef cuts! They bring less than 200 calories* to the table and are extremely versatile! 

Chicken is often believed to be the only low fat *healthy* meat, but that's just not true! There are plenty of lean cuts available perfect for any diet! Tri Tip, KC Strips, & Top Sirloin Steaks are just a few to mention. Don't write off the red meat you love so much, instead replace fattier cuts for something lean! 

Products advertised as lean such as lean ground beef can be trusted to be low in fat content! The USDA requirement for "lean" products is: "100 grams of beef (about 3 1/2 ounces) must have less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol." -Ask.USDA

It is best to cook beef to kill of any bacteria. Cook steaks to at least 130° to reduce the risk of any bacteria in the meat, which can cause foodborne illnesses (food poisoning). 

It is best to purchase a meat thermometer to accurately test the internal temperature of any meat you are cooking!

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that populations susceptible to developing foodborne illnesses completely avoid raw or undercooked beef. These include pregnant women, young children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems." Healthline