Charlie & Jake's BBQ

Come Visit Our New Location: 490 E Eau Gallie Blvd

Eau Gallie

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Non-Meat Options

vegetable dish at Charlie and JakesCharlie and Jake’s is known for our delicious smoked meats. We have what many in the area consider to be the best smoked ribs in Brevard County. People also love our smoked chicken and pulled pork. But not everybody is a meat-eater, and we understand that. This is why we offer vegetarian options.

One of our most popular non-meat items on the menu is the SWEET CAROLINE VEGETABLE PLATE. It consists of Sweet Potato, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Quinoa, Sun Dried Tomatoes, & Small Garden Salad with your choice of Garlic Toast or Hush Puppies.

Some other items which are vegetarian-friendly are the salads. The ARUGULA SALAD is a favorite. This salad features Fresh baby arugula, shaved red onion, candied pecans, quinoa, seasonal apples, olive oil, & blue cheese crumbles, served with 2 hush puppies. Other salads we offer are your standard garden salad and Caesar salad, ie., Romaine lettuce, Parmesan Cheese, croutons tossed in Caesar [Read more…] about Non-Meat Options

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Not Just BBQ

Have you been to Charlie & Jake’s Beachside lately? If you haven’t then you should stop on by and see what we’ve been up to.

Melbourne Florida Restaurant
Check out these tasty bites next time you visit.

Some folks may just think that C&J’s is a BBQ spot. They think of our delicious slow smoked St. Louis ribs and our BBQ sandwiches. They think of half chickens and smoked turkey slices. But there is much more to choose from!

Our premium salads knock it out of the park. Along with our popular garden and Caesar salads, you can choose from an arugula salad, Bama deli salad, Burrata Caprese salad or our BBQ chicken and grilled chicken salad.

Have you ever had pork nachos? These things are all the rage. They are comprised of tortilla chips with cheddar cheese, fresh jalapeños, our signature queso, tomatoes, green onions, & sour cream.

The pretzel and beer cheese seems to be a favorite of our regulars. Some folks just come in and order the pretzel & beer cheese as well as a beer to hang out and chat. And we love this! [Read more…] about Not Just BBQ

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A Little Bit of Restaurant Heaven

When you think of Florida you think of sun and fun, surf and turf, Disneyland, the Space Shuttle and beautiful sandy beaches. You think of tropical drinks beachside and relaxing under your beach umbrella while lulled by the sounds of the waves reaching the shore. We will bet that the one thing you don’t think of is that this is the land of BBQ. Well, that’s because it isn’t, unless of course you’re on the Space Coast because, my friends, if you are near Melbourne, Florida or Eau Gallie, Florida, you should start thinking BBQ. [Read more…] about A Little Bit of Restaurant Heaven

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Tips to Tell When Your BBQ Ribs Are Cooked Perfectly

ribs smokingTelling whether the ribs are ready is one of the most difficult tasks any chef faces. This is because ribs come in many thicknesses and weights. Keeping the grill at an even temperature is in itself a difficult task. Therefore, here are some tips and guidelines to let you know when your ribs are perfectly cooked.

Difference between Ready And Done

Ribs are done when they are at an internal temperature of 63°C. However, they may still be tough at this temperature and not provide you with the required juiciness. If you take the temperature above a notch to 82°C and hold the ribs there for about 30 minutes, the fat melts some more and makes them more juicy and tender. This is the point at which they are ready.

Ribs Should Not Fall Off The Bone

Perfectly cooked ribs never fall of the bone. The only ribs that do are either boiled or steamed. Boiling or steaming ribs usually deprives them of their flavor and gives them a mushy texture. Perfectly cooked ribs are easy to pull from the bone with your teeth. It might still have some resilience but will not be tough.

How To Tell When They Are Ready

The exact cooking time for ribs depends upon a number of variables since every grill and smoker is different, and every piece of meat is different. The objective is to get the meat at 77°C to 83°C. It is difficult to get an accurate measurement of temperature through a thermometer because the meat is thin, both the meat and bone have different temperatures and the temperature varies from end to end. Here are a few tests you can use to see if your ribs are cooked perfectly.

The Bend Test

This is one the most accurate methods to test whether your ribs are ready. Pick up the ribs with a pair of tongs and shake them slightly. If they are ready, then the ribs would bend slightly and the skin would start to crack. A little crack means that you need to cook it a little further. This might take some practice to master.

The Twist Test

Grab the tip of the bone from the middle and twist it. If it starts to separate from the meat, that means that the ribs are cooked. Otherwise, they are not.

The Taste Test

This test implies to pull a bone off the end and then taste it. This works fine as you get to taste your cooked food. The problem arises when it is undercooked. Then you have to repeat the same procedure until you are satisfied. Just make sure there is something left for the guests.

The Toothpick Test

In this test, one pokes a toothpick into the meat between the bones. If it slides in with little or no resistance, then the ribs are cooked. Test different parts of the ribs as well, to ensure that you have cooked them to your preference.