A Smokin’ Good Time

BIGGER IS BETTER!

The most popular cuts of meat to smoke are brisket, ribs, pork shoulder or turkey.

From secret marinades to tricked-out grills and smokers, competitive smokers know there is a near ritualistic approach to teasing the perfect flavor out of a premium cut of meat. Follow in the footsteps of those pit masters and smoke like a pro with these tips from Omaha Steaks Executive Chef Karl Marsh.

Start With Style

The first step is deciding how you’d like to prepare your meat. Consider stepping up your game by smoking your meat. Smoking is a popular choice because it infuses flavor throughout the meat, while extended cook times at low temperatures make it extra tender. Another advantage is the chance to create a wide range of unique flavors using wet and dry rubs as well as seasoned wood chips and planks.

Choose Your Cut

Virtually any meat can be smoked, but the most popular cuts of meat to smoke are brisket, ribs, pork shoulder or turkey, all of which are typically large in size. Guarantee a great experience with Omaha Steaks Brisket for smoking or Whole Pork Butt, which were created with the competitive barbecue and smoking circuit in mind.

Ready Your Rub

Rubs are often used to add flavor and surface texture to a cut of meat. For best results, brush meat with cooking oil or another liquid ingredient (such as yellow mustard) before adding the rub. Spread the rub on a clean plate, and place the meat on it. Coat both sides with the rub by gently pressing the meat on the plate.

Set Up The Smoker

Some pit masters consider their equipment as vital an ingredient as the meat or flavorings they choose. Preparation varies from one recipe to the next, but one constant is the importance of maintaining a steady temperature. As you prepare your charcoal, be conscious of where you’ll place any wood chips or other flavor enhancers for maximum impact.

Slow And Steady

Sensational flavor takes time to build, so plan to dedicate several hours to your task. Often, smoked foods require foil wrapping for at least a portion of the cook time to retain moisture. Plan to check in at regular intervals to restock wood chips, flip or rotate meat, and apply a fresh coat of seasoning or spices.

Find more tips and recipes at omahasteaks.com.

Ancho Chile Rubbed Smoked Beef Brisket

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 11-13 hours

Rest time: 1-2 hours

Total time: 13-16 hours

1 Whole Omaha Steaks Brisket for smoking

2 cups white vinegar

2⁄3 cup yellow mustard

3⁄4 cup Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Rub

4 cups Ancho Chile Smoking Spritzer, divided (recipe below)

8 cups apple or cherry wood chips, soaked in water

Remove brisket from bag and rinse with white vinegar, and then rinse with water. › Dry completely using paper towels. › Slather brisket generously with yellow mustard. › Rub generously with ancho chile rub, and inject with 1 cup Ancho Chile Smoking Spritzer. › Prepare smoker using 1 chimney of pure lump charcoal fully lit and one chimney of pure lump charcoal unlit. Make sure water pan is full and adjust vents until smoker maintains a temperature between 225F° and 250F°. › Place brisket on smoker fat side up, and brush smoking spritzer over top. › Every hour, check smoker temp, squirt with smoking spritzer and add handful of wood chips. › After 3 hours, flip brisket fat side down and squirt with spritzer. › After 6 hours, flip brisket fat side up. Wrap heavy duty foil around the last 3-4 inches of brisket tip to prevent it from drying out. Restock water pan and add lump charcoal as needed. Adjust vents until temperature is between 225°F and 250°F. › Beginning at 8 hours, check internal temperature every hour and apply spritzer and wood chips as needed. › Between 11-13 hours, when internal temperature is between 195°F and 200°F, if fork slides easily into brisket, it’s done. › Let brisket rest for 1-2 hours before slicing and serving.

Ancho Chile Smoking Spritzer

Makes: 4 cups

2 cups apple juice

1 cup cranberry juice

1 cup canola oil

Ancho Chile Rubbed Smoked Pork Butt

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 8-10 hours

Rest time: 1 hour

Total time: 10-12 hours

1 Omaha Steaks Whole Pork Butt

2 cups white vinegar

1⁄2 cup yellow mustard

1⁄2 cup Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Rub

4 cups Ancho Chile Smoking Spritzer, divided (recipe above)

8 cups apple or cherry wood chips, soaked in water

Score top fat so it will melt into pork while smoking and allow more rub to get into meat. Rub pork with white vinegar; then rinse with water. Pat dry with clean paper towels. › Rub pork butt with yellow

2 tablespoons red hot pepper sauce mustard. Rub pork butt with ancho chile rub. Inject pork with 10-12 ounces of Ancho Chile Smoking Spritzer. › Set up smoker with 1 chimney using unlit lump charcoal and 2 chimneys using lit lump charcoal. › Adjust vents in smoker until temperature settles between 225°F and 250°F. › Place pork butt fat side up, and add a lot of wood chips. › Every half hour, add more wood chips and spritz pork with smoking spritzer. › After 2 hours, insert remote thermometer probes. Be careful not to let thermometer touch bone to prevent false readings. › After 5 hours, place pork in foil pan and liberally coat with spritzer. Wrap pan tightly with foil. › Continue cooking without adding wood chips or opening smoker until thermometer hits 190°F (for sliced meat) or 200°F (for pulled meat), about 8-10 hours total. › Let rest 1 hour before serving.

1⁄2 cup Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Rub Combine all ingredients, and mix well.

Mane Management

Hair restoration for men and women.

Hair loss is a big deal. In the United States, about 35 million men and 21 million women su er from it. Of those, 60 percent would rather have more hair than money or friends, according to statisticbrain.com. It’s a personal thing, and that’s why there are natural ways and prescription products to help restore, strengthen and encourage hair growth. Let’s explore the most successful ways to restore hair and keep it healthy.

For Men

Is there a bald spot forming on your crown? If you’re facing the reality of male pattern baldness or a thinning mane, there are things you can do to prevent further hair loss and even grow back some of your hair. The earlier you catch it the better, so talk to your doctor about possible causes and then ask about some of these products and procedures.

› Stem cell transplants: Researchers have found that human pluripotent stem cells can be used to regrow hair by transplanting these cells to bald areas. More testing is in the works.

› Hair transplants: Hair follicles from the back of your head are transplanted under local anesthesia to balding areas. The upside is real hair will grow in formerly bald areas. The downside: This procedure gets pricey quickly, and you may need future procedures if the balding area widens over time.

› Rogaine: Perhaps the most common hair-growth aid, Rogaine is sold over the counter for both men and women. It’s a topical treatment and comes as a liquid or foam.

› Propecia: This FDA-approved prescription drug is made especially for men, and the American Hair Loss Association recommends it as a first line of defense for male pattern baldness.

Shave it off: Some men come to an understanding with their balding head and go all in for the dome look. It’s shave o’clock somewhere.

For Women

Each time you wash your hair, do you notice you’re losing more and more of it? Hair loss for a woman can be even more devastating than for a man. What’s worse is that once you start stressing over your hair, you’ll encourage more hair to fall out. So, go see your doctor first to check things out. Then, explore these options to fight and disguise hair loss, along with strategies to nourish stronger, healthier strands.

› Thickening agents: Hair spray and thickening powders can make your hair look and feel fuller.

› Scalp coloring: Use scalp coloring products to keep your scalp from peeking through your hair.

› Hormone replacement therapy: Estrogen and/or progesterone pills may help get your hair growing if you’re lacking these hormones.

› Topical treatments/prescription medications: Minoxidil cream, cimetidine and ketoconazole/nizoral cream and shampoo have all been proven to have positive results for women struggling with hair loss.

› Rogaine: Women can use Rogaine, too, but we suggest buying it as a foam to prevent it from dripping to your face. You don’t want whiskers, right?

› Savvy styling: Use sulfate-free shampoos, alcohol-free styling products and the low setting on your blow dryer to prevent damage. Apply a natural heat protectant before heat styling, or consider nixing the heat altogether for a while.

› Get a trim: Get split ends trimmed o to prevent your hair from breaking o . A shorter cut will keep your hair feeling lighter and looking thicker, too.

Natural Hair Hacks

Shedding a bit? Try going the natural route. Also, take into account any health issues or new medication you’re taking. Often, whatever’s amiss on the inside comes out in your hair—whether it’s causing your hair to appear damaged and lifeless or actually making it fall out. Take these steps to encourage scalp, follicle and hair health.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Combine equal parts ACV and water, and pour over your scalp (careful not to get the vinegar in your eyes). Let that sit for five minutes before shampooing out. ACV balances your scalp’s pH level and helps remove dead skin cells.

OLIVE OIL: Rub olive oil into your scalp, and cover with a shower cap, towel or even clingwrap. Leave it in overnight to clarify your scalp and follicles.

HEALTHY DIET: Your hair needs protein and vitamins to grow. Incorporate lean proteins—like nuts, seeds, eggs and fish—into your diet, along with vitamins A, C, E, B complex and iron.

FLAXSEED OIL: Puncture five capsules of flaxseed oil and massage into your scalp. The oil and massaging motion will stimulate hair follicles and promote circulation. Let the oil soak in 30 minutes before washing out with shampoo.

DRINK WATER: Each hair shaft is one-fourth water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water each day and limiting alcohol intake will encourage hair growth.

Preferred Packages

Birchbox Men

You’ll receive four hefty samples that cover a single step in your grooming routine. From face washes to hair stylers, each month will bring on a new obsession.

$10 monthly birchbox.com

Four Five Club

Based out of Los Angeles, this company will send you a new package of clothing (according to your preferred style profile) each month. No longer can you say ‘I have nothing to wear.’

$60 monthly fourfiveclub.com

Trunk Club

Keep what you wish, return what you don’t like. Partnered with Nordstorm, a stylist will handpick a new wardrobe upon request according to your likes and dislikes. How’s that for personal shopping?

No monthly membership trunkclub.com

Bespoke Post

A new theme each month means you’ll never be bored. Boxes labeled “Endless Summer” and “Man’s Best Friend,” are filled with great gadgets and must-have products. Are you intrigued?

$45 monthly bespokepost.com

Spiffster Club

“Every man needs a tie” is their motto, and we agree. Start building your tie collection so you can dress to impress.

$8.95 monthly spiffster.club

BroteinBox

Men’s subscription boxes can be pretty exciting to open, too. Here are some packages that the mailman may have a hard time giving up.

Southern Scholar

Simple, stylish and sophisticated socks delivered to your stoop monthly.

$15 monthly southernscholar.com

Saloon Box

This box encompasses all you need to make at-home cocktails. Try a wide array of spirits without spending a lot of money buying full-sized bottles.

$37.50 monthly saloonbox.com

Mantry

Man+pantry=mantry. From the top American food makers, six carefully curated food products will arrive at your doorstep every two months. Your pantry will be your house’s best feature.

$49 bi-monthly mantry.com

Sprezzabox

Sprezzabox delivers a box filled with fashion accessories (think tie clips and lapel pins). Items are chosen based on the season and current trends.

$25 monthly sprezzabox.com

Scentbird

This company, located out of New York, lets customers opt for a new cologne scent each month or stick to their favorite.

$14.95 monthly scentbird.com

Taster’s Club

Discover your new favorite snacks without stepping foot inside a grocery store. BroteinBox sends healthy, delicious, proteinpacked snacks to your home or office, every month.

$35.99 monthly broteinbox.com

Whiskey, rum, tequila, oh my. Taster’s Club will send you a “must-have” brand that makes your preferred spirit. It’ll also send a bit of information about the liquor, as well as instructions on how to drink it.

$55 monthly tastersclub.com