Red, white, and brisket: Your 4th of July BBQ questions answered

Barbecue on the Fourth of July is a time-honored tradition. It's as quintessential to the holiday as fireworks and red, white, and blue.

Whether you're getting ready to take over over the grill for the first time, or looking to raise your barbecue game to the next level, "Soundside" has you covered.

"Soundside" host Libby Denkmann caught up with two local experts to take listener questions and give some tips on grilling, smoking, and barbecuing.

Don't be afraid to chat up your butcher

Tess Thomas is the owner of Emma's BBQ in Seattle's Hillman City neighborhood.

Thomas prefers cuts of meat that don't have a lot of fat. She says that the best way for cooks to gauge whether a cut has too much or little fat is to ask their butcher to turn their cut over and in order to take a closer look.

If you're planning on making ribs this 4th of July, consider the St. Louis style, Thomas says.

"You can see on that backside of that rib, there are pockets of fat that can be up on that," Thomas said. "You want to cut that off before you get started."

Jack Timmons, owner and pitmaster of Jack's BBQ recommends checking out smaller butchers that are knowledgeable about the ranches they're sourcing from, like Bob's Meats in Columbia City.

How to smoke at home

Hot dogs and hamburgers are solid and safe choices a lot of people are going to take on for the Fourth of July. But if you want to take it up a notch and try smoking a brisket, make sure you're aware of the differences between grilling and smoking.

"It's smoking [when] you have a fire in one place, the meats in another place, they're not near each other," Timmons said. "Grilling is when you cook meat directly over the fire."

You can look up tricks online to turn your grill into a smoker with the help of some briquettes, Timmons suggests. But no matter how you're smoking your meat, Timmons says be sure to lift the lid every few hours and touch the meat to make sure it's cooking correctly. You know your brisket is done when it falls apart by the touch of your hands.

Meat not on the menu?

Meat typically reigns supreme on the Fourth of July, but for the vegetarians, vegans, and pescatarians out there, there are still plenty of delicious options.

In the past, Timmons says he's smoked Portobello mushrooms with a little bit of salt and the Ethiopian spice berbere.

Another option? Smoking a vegetable meatloaf made up of a blend of different vegetables mixed with the grain of your choice.

Emma's BBQ location in Hillman City reopens July 12. In the meantime, you can also check out their location in Bremerton, or stop by their stalls on the field and main level at Lumen Field during Seahawks and Sounders games.

Jack's BBQ is open with locations in SoDO, South Lake Union, Algona, Bellingham, and Lakewood.