"One of the best feelings I can get is when I see the happy reactions whenever I break the traditional rules of cooking and discover new and amazing ways to get phenomenal results."
He has done this to great success on YouTube with his Guga Foods and Sous Vide Everything videos which also include many basic barbecuing skills like reverse-seared steak and cooking the perfect rib-eye.
One of the reasons for his success it is said is that he is not afraid to share both his failures and his successes with his followers.
Tosta was born in Brazil and came to the United States at a young age and went to school in Miami, Florida. Initially his passion for martial arts led him to become a taekwondo master and instructor.
It is the skills he learnt as an instructor which have translated to how he teaches cooking on his videos.
While he also dabbled in webdesign and development, his passion for cooking soon overtook everything else.
He was born in Uberaba, Minas Gerais which is known as a big cattle city where most of the auctions of extremely expensive cows take place.
"This city is where my passion for beef started."
Soon his experiments were taking off online
In his book Guga Breaking the Barbecue Rules he gives advice on grills and smokers, saying you do not need the most expensive grill or the fanciest smoker to cook amazing food. You can also use a kettle grill as a basic smoker.
"In my opinion, a kettle grill and a pallet smoker will do everything you need, and they both will do it at an affordable price. But if you’re insane like me you just might want to have a different type of grill or smoker for every type of recipe."
Included in his must-have list of equipment is a flame thrower.
"I use it every day. It has multiple uses: it can help you start the fire by igniting the coals or wood, an it can also put a beautiful crust on a steak."
Tosta also goes over the different cooking methods used in the book from smoking to sous viding to deep-frying and baking as well as how to cook with charcoal and fire management to ensure you get the right heat levels to get the results you want.
Then he shows you how different types of meat and cuts require different techniques when grilling with some simple tips. There is also advice on freezing meat and tenderising methods and different seasonings.
The Book
GUGA Breaking the Barbecue Rules, Gustavo Tosta RRP $55
Guga’s BBQ sauce
What’s good barbecue without a really good BBQ sauce?
This sauce pairs perfectly with everything — from ribs to chicken to pulled pork. It will make whatever you cook an absolute hit!
Ingredients
1½ cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
Sriracha sauce, to taste (optional)
Let’s do it!
Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, water, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, pineapple juice, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, black pepper and kosher salt in a large saucepan over low heat.
Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce reduces to a thick sauce-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Add sriracha sauce (if using) to taste.
Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.
Smoked BBQ ‘cannoli’
If you want to make a side dish that nobody will expect but everyone will absolutely love, this is the one. It’s made with manicotti, so it’s not really cannoli, but I consider this my unique BBQ twist on that Italian classic treat! It takes a little time to make, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Ingredients
8 manicotti pasta tubes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
227g ground beef
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chopped shallots
1 medium seedless jalapeno, diced
1 (227g) package cream cheese
Coarse kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
8 slices uncooked bacon (about 227g)
2 cups Guga’s BBQ Sauce (above), divided
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Prep and seasoning
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Combine the cheddar, mozzarella, ground beef, parsley, garlic, shallots and jalapeno in a food processor. Process until the ingredients are well combined and a paste is formed.
Add the cream cheese and process again until well combined. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
Gently stuff the manicotti tubes with the filling and then wrap each tube with a slice of bacon. Place the stuffed tubes on a wire cooling rack. Transfer to the fridge while you get the smoker ready.
Let’s do it!
Remove the stuffed tubes from the fridge. Preheat the smoker to 140°C.
Place the stuffed tubes and cooling rack in the smoker. Smoke for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bacon is golden brown.
Continue smoking for an additional 15 minutes, brushing the tubes with the sauce every 5 minutes.
While the "cannoli" are finishing in the smoker, add the remaining cup of Guga’s BBQ Sauce to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until hot.
Remove the "cannoli" from the smoker. Place in a serving dish, and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top. Serve warm. (This is delicious served with garlic bread on the side.)
TIPS
- You can prepare everything up to a day in advance of smoking, but besure to tightly cover the manicotti in plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can still make this in your oven. Just bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for 40 to 45 minutes.
Doritos steak
It’s time to get a bit crazy and try something different! This recipe uses Doritos as a crust and it’s absolutely delicious.
Hopefully, this recipe will open your imagination and encourage you to try new things and discover new flavours. Pair this with potato salad for an incredible meal.
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 (225g) New York strip steaks
Coarse kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
1 × 411g bag Nacho Cheese-Flavoured Doritos
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups avocado oil or Wagyu beef tallow
For the sauce
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp Greek yoghurt
horseradish sauce
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Doritos Dust (below)
Coarse kosher salt, to taste
Prep and seasoning
Season the steaks liberally with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
Working in batches, process the Doritos® in a food processor until they form a fine powder. Set aside.
Make the sauce by combining the sour cream, Greek yoghurt, horseradish sauce, mayonnaise, sherry vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Doritos® Dust in a small bowl. Season to taste with kosher salt, stir, and then cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Whisk the eggs in a shallow dish. Set aside.
Add the all-purpose flour and processed Doritos® to separate shallow dishes. Set aside.
Let’s do it!
Set up the grill for two-zone cooking. Preheat to 121°C.
Place the steaks over indirect heat. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 54°C.
Once the steaks reach the correct temperature, remove them from the grill and dredge them in the flour. Shake gently to remove any excess, and then dip them into the egg wash followed by the powdered Doritos®. Set aside.
Add the avocado oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Heat the oil to 204°C.
Once the oil reaches the proper temperature, carefully flash fry the steaks in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes each, flipping them continuously, until they develop a nice crust. (The powder that imparts red colour to the Doritos® will dissipate into the oil, so the crust will actually become lighter as you fry the steaks. If you overcook the steaks, the crust will turn dark and will taste bitter.)
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing thinly. Serve with the sauce on the side. (The steaks will be juicy on the inside, but the crust will be a little dry because you flash fried the steaks. The sauce will help with the dryness and also give the steaks a wonderful flavour.)
Doritos Dust
Makes About 2 cups
I’ve cracked the code! I’ve created a seasoning that captures that amazing, cheesy Doritos flavour that everyone loves. It’s perfect for seasoning steaks or even making your own homemade Doritos.
Ingredients
1 cup powdered cheddar cheese
¼ cup powdered white cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp powdered Romano cheese
¼ cup powdered buttermilk
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp homemade MSG seasoning or store-bought MSG seasoning
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
Let’s do it!
Combine the powdered cheddar cheese, powdered white cheddar cheese, powdered Romano cheese, powdered buttermilk, nutritional yeast, homemade MSG seasoning, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a large bowl.
Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Homemade MSG seasoning
Makes 7 tablespoons
MSG is considered to be the king of all flavours. And adding this homemade MSG seasoning to anything you cook will intensify the flavour and take it to heights you didn’t think were possible — especially on a nice juicy steak.
Ingredients
4 large red tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 (57g) tins anchovies, drained
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup roughly diced Parmesan cheese
3-4 sheets kombu (dried sea kelp)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
Let’s do it!
Layer the tomato slices, anchovies, onion slices, mushroom slices and Parmesan chunks in separate trays in a food dehydrator. Dehydrate for 20 hours or until the ingredients are completely dried.
Once the dehydrating time is complete, individually process each of the dehydrated ingredients in a food processor until a fine powder is formed.
Process the kombu sheets in a food processor until a fine powder is formed.
Combine 1 tablespoon of each of the dehydrated ingredients in a medium bowl along with 1 tablespoon of the kombu powder and the garlic powder. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
Transfer the seasoning to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Greek yoghurt horseradish sauce
Makes About 1⅔ cups
This creamy horseradish sauce is perfect paired with a juicy steak. It has a nice tangy flavour that keeps everything fresh, and is a step up from traditional horseradish sauce.
Ingredients
½ cup sour cream
1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
Coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Let’s do it!
Combine the sour cream, Greek yoghurt, prepared horseradish, lemon juice, and chives in a medium bowl.
Stir to combine. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
Transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
DO IT LIKE GUGA!
I used to use New York strip steaks for this recipe, but you can use any thick cut of steak you like. Ribeye or filet mignon would both work well; you’ll just want to make sure the steaks are at least 3.75cm to 5cm thick. A beef roast would also work with this recipe. Thin-cut steaks like skirt steak won’t work as well.
Birria tacos
These tacos are one of the greatest gifts given to humankind. I know that’s a big statement, but it’s for good reason: these tacos seem to have come from the heavens!
Ingredients
4.54kg beef short ribs, trimmed
8 cups (2 litres) water
30 small corn tortillas
1.35kg shredded mozzarella cheese
Coarse kosher salt
For the adobo marinade:
20 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp ginger paste
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, diced
907g small red tomatoes, quartered
5 dried chile ancho
5 dried chile guajillo
5 dried chile puya
1 Tbsp allspice berries
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
½ cinnamon stick
3 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
For serving: 1 cup finely diced white onion
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Birria tacos red sauce
Birria tacos green sauce
Prep and seasoning
Begin making the marinade by using a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic cloves and ginger into a paste. Set aside.
In a medium saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add the onion. Cook until lightly browned, and then add the tomatoes.
While the tomatoes are cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate medium-sized saute pan over a medium heat. Add the ancho, guajillo and puya chiles. Saute for 2 minutes or until the colour starts to change slightly. (If needed, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to rehydrate the chiles.)
Add the garlic-ginger paste to the pan with the chiles. Stir and then add the allspice berries, black pepper, cumin, dried oregano, cinnamon stick, kosher salt and vinegar. Cook for 2 minutes.
Combine the ingredients from both pans in a blender. Blend until a smooth paste is formed. Set aside.
In a large stock pot over high heat, add the short ribs, adobo marinade and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and bring to a low, rolling boil. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours.
The short ribs are done when they’re falling off the bone.
Transfer the cooked short ribs to a separate container, and pull the meat from the bones. Place the meat in a resealable container and discard the bones. Cover and place it in the fridge. Strain the broth into a resealable container. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
Remove the meat and broth from the fridge. Use a spoon to remove the adobo fat to a separate container.
Let’s do it!
Add the broth to a large pot over medium-low heat.
Place a large flat-top griddle on the stove top over medium-low heat.
Place a large cast-iron skillet on top of the flat-top griddle or over medium heat. Add the reserved adobo fat to the skillet. Let it melt.
Dunk the tortillas into the melted fat and then place them on the flat-top griddle to fry. Transfer the fried tortillas to a serving platter.
Place the short rib meat in the cast-iron skillet. Heat until the meat is warmed through.
Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on top of a tortilla and then place a generous portion of meat on one half of the tortilla. Use a spatula to close the tortilla. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Spoon a generous amount of the adobo fat on top of the tacos. (This will help make the tortillas crispy and also change the colour to red.)
Open the tacos and top with a generous pinch of diced onion and a generous pinch of chopped cilantro.
Drizzle the red taco sauce and green taco sauce over the top.
Pour 1 cup of the broth into a cup and serve on the side.
Birria tacos red sauce
For those who do not fear spice and really enjoy amazing flavours, this sauce is for you. Birria tacos are already one of the best foods in the world, and adding this sauce makes them even better.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: about 2 cups
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
10 tomatillos, husks and stems removed
3 garlic cloves
½ medium white onion, diced
20 arbol chillis
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Let’s do it!
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the tomatillos. Roast until they develop a nice char, about 5 minutes, and then remove them from the pan.
Add the garlic cloves, onion, and chillis to the same pan. Roast until they become fragrant and begin to brown.
Combine the tomatillos, garlic cloves, onion, chillis, and cilantro in a blender. Blend until well combined. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Birria tacos green sauce
Birria tacos are absolutely amazing, and topping them with this sauce will make them to die for. This light, refreshing sauce is the perfect pairing with the tacos.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
10 tomatillos, husks and stems removed
2 garlic cloves
1 serrano pepper
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 medium avocados, diced
Coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Let’s do it!
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
When the oil is hot, add the tomatillos to the skillet. Roast until they develop a nice char, about 5 minutes, and then remove them from the pan.
Add the garlic and serrano pepper to the same pan. Roast until the garlic begins to brown and becomes fragrant.
Combine the tomatillos, garlic cloves, and serrano pepper in a blender with the cilantro and avocados. Blend until well combined. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
