Comments on: Homemade Pit Beef Recipe. P.S. Pit Beef IS NOT Barbecue

By: mike

mike — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:18:19 +0000

You mentioned the New York Times article from 2000.
The author, Steve Raichlen grew up in Baltimore, has a grilling/smoking show
on the Food Network and has numerous books & recipes covering outdoor cooking.
He is a master.

By: Henry Hong

Henry Hong — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:04:25 +0000

@JNK- Thanks for your comment, and I can’t agree more. I generally keep my beef rubs pretty simple, but there is one ingredient I just don’t divulge. I think most folks don’t seem to realize that that’s the problem with cookbooks, especially ones written by celebrity chefs – they’re not telling you everything haha! I’ve gone back and forth on trimming fat before or after cooking, and something I like to do is trim first, get browning on all surfaces, then replace the trimmed fat back onto the meat to lubricate during cooking. Works extremely well with smoked brisket. Thanks again!

By: Henry Hong

Henry Hong — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:03:08 +0000

@Jennifer-Hi sorry it’s taken so long to respond to you, here’s the recipe for my horseradish sauce:

1 8 oz container of sour cream
8 oz mayonnaise
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
a few drops vinegar to taste
2 tbsp or more prepared or fresh grated* horseradish

Combine all ingredients, refrigerate for a couple hours for flavors to meld.

*fresh horseradish takes a while to ‘bloom’. I’ve found that moistening the horseradish helps the process along. Also, the finer the grate, the better as far as potency.

By: JNK

JNK — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:38:22 +0000

Been doing Pit Beef for years now and I always laugh when a new stand pops up and people tell me how aweful theirs was.( Dry, chewy, fatty, etc.) You don’t just salt a hunk of meat and throw it on a grill. You need to throw some wood on them coals and find a good rub or make one oh leave the fat on till your ready to slice. Trim really good before you slice, no body wants to bite into a hunk of fat, gross. If it is cooked properly you don’t need to get it rare to get it juicy. Have fun with it , experiment, keep some things you learn a secret!!

By: Henry Hong Real Baltimore Pit Beef Recipe using Top Round | Indoor Grills

Henry Hong Real Baltimore Pit Beef Recipe using Top Round | Indoor Grills — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:10:08 +0000

[...] Henry Hong Real Baltimore Pit Beef Recipe using Top Round Posted by root 13 minutes ago (http://foodnerd.org) Jun 30 2008 homemade pit beef recipe p s pit beef is not barbecue if you must add bbq sauce or horseradish horseradish sauce i will post my recipes for both later today posted in pit beef projects middot rss 2 0 trackback comment foodnerd org henry hong t Discuss | Bury | News | Henry Hong Real Baltimore Pit Beef Recipe using Top Round [...]

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:51:52 +0000

Did you ever get around to posting the recipe for the horseradish sauce? Thanks

By: Carl Woods

Carl Woods — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:47:45 +0000

While I agree with your opinion that Pit Beef is not barbecue, I can’t agree with your assessment of Steve Raichlen. Steve is the guy that invented Beer Can Chicken. More recently he’s become somewhat of a BBQ/Grilling (he does recognize that the two are different) guru reporting on stuff that people call BBQ. He doesn’t so much claim that Pit Beef is BBQ as he reports that Baltimore calls it BBQ. Anyone that’s been to Camden Yards has certainly walked by Boog Powels Barbecue on Eutaw St. They sell Pit Beef sandwiches by the ton. I’m sure that there are many to whom Boog’s has been their only exposure to Pit Beef. You can see how an out of towner might think that Pit Beef “Baltimore’s answer to barbecue”.

Besides, those of that live in the south and pay attention to such things have realized that anybody north of Washington, DC thinks that “barbecue” is a verb meaning “to cook outside”.

And for the record, I make mine pretty much the same way you make yours except that I add paprika to the rub. Certainly no oregano.

By: Noral

Noral — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:46:04 +0000

hi,

I like beef Food , your recipes is looking too tasty , i will try this at my home, thanks for new taste

By: Henry Hong

Henry Hong — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:52:31 +0000

That’s a good point, although I’d say it’s pretty difficult to over-salt a 3-4 lb. hunk of beef, particularly if you are applying the rub pretty far in advance. I would say 2-1 salt to pepper if you’re using fresh ground pepper, or almost equal if you’re using more finely ground pepper. Trust me, a top round roast can handle a lot of salt.

By: Hatepaste

Hatepaste — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:41:47 +0000

Hey Henry, happen to think of something. Was getting ready to put the rub on, but I realized…What ratio you use for the salt/pepper? Don’t want to overpower it, one way or the other.