Chef Kwame Onwuachi has been making waves in the culinary world for a while. The James Beard Award-winning chef’s restaurant, Tatiana, was ranked the number-one restaurant in New York City by the New York Times for two consecutive years. For those who don’t live in NYC, he also has Dogon in Washington, D.C., and a new Caribbean steakhouse, Maroon, that just opened last month in Las Vegas.
Onwuachi draws inspiration from his Trinidadian, Jamaican, Nigerian, and Creole background, as well as the landscape of where he’s situated. Take Maroon, for example, named after “the Maroon people of Jamaica that escaped slavery, and, through hiding their location, created jerk cuisine,” Onwuachi says.
Onwuachi also recently partnered with Amazon as part of their initiative to expand SNAP and EBT benefits access, which includes a discounted Prime membership to those eligible. “They’re evening the playing field and giving people from different financial backgrounds access to their platform. If you have WiFi, you can get groceries.”
He also knows a thing or two about throwing the ultimate cookout. He hosts The Family Reunion, his own glorified cookout and Black food festival to “celebrate the culture and really bring people together and help them feel seen.” So naturally, I was curious to hear his thoughts on how to throw the best barbecue — both from a flavor and budget standpoint. Here’s what he had to say.
What’s the Most Underrated Cut of Meat for Barbecue?
We’re all looking to stretch our budgets right now, and if you’re planning on throwing a cookout you’re likely going to be buying a lot of protein to feed a large crowd. So which cut is best and cheapest?
Onwuachi says chicken is always cheap in general, but when it comes to beef he recommends flat iron steak. It comes from the shoulder, is often way cheaper than other cuts, and is almost as tender as tenderloin. “You don’t need to use ribeye all the time. Ribeye has a lot of fat, and these other cuts are more uniform. [Flat iron] can be more tender and have a beefier flavor.”
Prepping is always essential, he stresses. “There’s nothing like a long line at a cookout. The only thing that you should be waiting for is a burger and hot dogs. The other stuff should be kind of already done.” It also shouldn’t be bland, and one easy way to infuse meat with flavor is with a marinade.
Onwuachi’s choice? Green seasoning, a Caribbean staple he thinks is often overlooked. “Every Caribbean culture uses it. It’s like everything that’s green blended up. [Some] call it blend up, marination, or green seasoning. It’s [made with] chilies, parsley, celery, thyme, and scallion, and it adds so much flavor to whatever you’re making.” While making it from scratch is always best and will result in a fresher, more vibrant flavor, you can also get green seasoning on Amazon if you don’t have time to make it yourself.
