***** Official 2015 BBQ Thread - Sun is out, time to broil!! *****

[McPhee]

Hi Guys
I have a 47cm Weber and just started properly BBQing reading this thread is helping a lot.
I use a chimney to start it up.
How many briquettes should I be using to just do a few burgers and sausages for 2 people.
I seem to always put too many on or not enough.

The number of briquettes is more about temperature than quantity of food. More briquettes, hotter BBQ. Try filling your starter to half way and see how that goes. On a 47cm you shouldn't need a massive amount of coals. If the BBQ isn't hot enough, add some more next time. Also, keep the vents open and the lid closed. That'll give you a more stable temperature.

Newbie here too, but that's my understanding so far.

 

[Combat Fighter]

The number of briquettes is more about temperature than quantity of food. More briquettes, hotter BBQ. Try filling your starter to half way and see how that goes. On a 47cm you shouldn't need a massive amount of coals. If the BBQ isn't hot enough, add some more next time. Also, keep the vents open and the lid closed. That'll give you a more stable temperature.

Newbie here too, but that's my understanding so far.

And this is why I love gas. 3min from on perfect regulated temp!

 

[yogibear88]

And this is why I love gas. 3min from on perfect regulated temp!

That's not a BBQ, its an outside grill

 

[oneilldo]

Have you tried experimenting with liquid smoke? Basically I saw this (Chef Steps is a great website/resource, and that's where you'll find the full recipe... with the blackening of the onion/garlic stage, I think that's been altered now so the aim isn't to blacken them so much),

I haven't given it a go, yet, but it's on the list!

No I haven't I have been tempted but I tend to combine smoking the ribs pre sous vide when the BBQ is on for dinner anyway so its not actually that much hassle.Then they last a while in the fridge and you can always freeze them,

I sort of worry with the liquid smoke as I don't like my food too smoky and I think it would be easier to over do it with the smoke in the marinade.

 

[timmeh]

In short, No.

Ceramic grills are expensive, even if you did manage to find one for £300 it would be absolutely tiny.

For £300 i'd be looking at either a WSM or ProQ bullet style smoker, you'll get an awful lot more for your money.

I was just thinking with my kamado being $300, there may be something comparable in the UK. Yeah, mine isn't ceramic (I think it's porcelain) but you can't argue for the money. It's probably cheaper to ship one of these over to the UK then

Anyway, I had a punt at a whole brisket this weekend. Had no idea what I was buying and as they only had 3 out I didnt have much choice. 2 of them were over $60 (£45) so I opted for the smallest one (9lbs) as a test run; it was somewhere around $36 (£25).

Everything I read said that you should cook for 1-1.25hrs per pound so I was expecting a 9hr+ cook. After about 5hrs the temps were reading like it was ready to come off so I moved the probe and carried on for another hour as I didn't trust that it could be ready in such a short time. At this point it was reading 194F so was a few degrees over 'done'. I should have trusted the temps instead of the time. It tasted nice but was over done - I could slice it but as soon as I picked it up it fell apart and it was pretty dry, I should have put a water pan in with it.

Oh well, learnt a few things with it so my next ones will be a lot better. I've been putting off doing brisket because it's so expensive and so easy to get wrong, although my errors seem to be quite rookie ones...

I trimmed almost all of the fat off, I'm wondering if that contributed to the 'dryness'. Do you guys leave much of the fat on?

Anyway, here's some pics. Rub was just 1/2 & 1/2 kosher salt and coarse ground pepper.

 

[randomshenans]

What was your cooking temp?

 

[Kemik]

Yeah, sounds about right. You only need a few to get it lit, turn your chimney starter upside down, put them in the other end and sit your starter cube on top of a can/tin. Much easier to light only a few coals this way.

Okay, so my first attempt left a few unlit coals at the end of the cook. I done a trial run so no food, just half a snake of coals and a tin of water next to them. Will pack the coals tighter to try and use them all next time.

At the start the temp held around 260f. Managed to get it down to 210 to 240f after 45 minutes of playing with the intake and top exhaust but that was with hardly any intake open. I noticed a fair dint on my Weber Kettle lid which might be causing a rubbish seal, it does seem difficult to put the lid on. Surely this wouldn't impact the working temps too much?

Overall the coals lasted three hours with about 1hr 45 at the right temp but I kept the snake short as it was just a test. Any tips to maintain a lower temp around 225f quicker and more stable? Using Big K coals.

Thanks

 

[McPhee]

And this is why I love gas. 3min from on perfect regulated temp!

Must admit, I'm tempted by a Weber Q. Watching Riverside Garden Centre's videos it seems like they are really nice basic BBQs. Simple to operate, do a really good job of the cook and the portability is a nice bonus (could put it away during the winter then, or take it on days out).

On the flipside, they are seriously overpriced and I'm a little concerned about how much gas I'd get through on a slow cook. I remain undecided.

 

[timmeh]

What was your cooking temp?

250F

 

[D.P.]

Smoke Vault arrived, as did 5lbs of hickory and 5lbs of apple chips.

Hope to set it up this evening and then to a test run tomorrow with some pork.

 

[CHokKA]

Must admit, I'm tempted by a Weber Q. Watching Riverside Garden Centre's videos it seems like they are really nice basic BBQs. Simple to operate, do a really good job of the cook and the portability is a nice bonus (could put it away during the winter then, or take it on days out).

On the flipside, they are seriously overpriced and I'm a little concerned about how much gas I'd get through on a slow cook. I remain undecided.

Back in South Africa, we used to have a gas BBQ (braai) called a Skottel. It basically goes back to the old days where the farmers used to use the disks from a plough to cook food over an open flame. You can buy them over here in the UK as well. The Carri Chef 2 has the original Skottel plate as well as a BBQ plate for grilling. My wife bought me one for my birthday. I haven't been able to use it much yet, but it brought back a lot of memories cooking bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes and beans on the patio on a Sunday morning! She bought it from the place below:

http://www.cnfoutdoors.co.uk/cadac-...day-delivery?gclid=CKD0_c77jscCFWHlwgodaIEE9g

 

[D.P.]

Smoke Vault arrived, as did 5lbs of hickory and 5lbs of apple chips.

Hope to set it up this evening and then to a test run tomorrow with some pork.

Up and running with a 7lb pork butt.
Impressed with the build quality for $229, and the control over the gas burner- forma complete whisper to a blow torch. really impressed how much smoke is generated from just a few wood chips



I already smell like a kipper and I've only pocked my head in a couple of times.

 

[FrenchTart]

God any pics of it in action?

 

[One More Solo]

Is this any good as a first smoker;
http://www.homebase.co.uk/ProductDi...=Affiliate-_-Cojun-_-Dry+Tinder+LTD-_-1546795

I'd like a Smokey Mountain or similar but budget doesn't permit!

 

[McPhee]

From the BBQs I've seen, Landmann stuff seems crap TBH. Flimsy, with thin metal that will be rusted through within a couple of years. It's telling that Landmann's warranty is only two years and doesn't cover rust, while Weber will cover the main body of the BBQ for 10 years, even if it does rust.

It apparently isn't much good as a smoker either. Lots of leaks. Bit like using an ordinary Kettle BBQ for the job.

 

[One More Solo]

Ta- won't bother then.

 

[FrenchTart]

Agreed. Don't bother with that.

Could you stretch to a ProQ Frontier? If not, kettle BBQ as satchef1 said.

 

[One More Solo]

I've got a Weber kettle at the moment but I'd like to get a dedicated smoker at some point. I think saving for a better model is the way to go and I've looked at the ProQ Frontier in the past.

 

[D.P.]

God any pics of it in action?

Will upload when completed.

Mixed success but overall incredibly tasty.

I had errands to do in the morning so didn't start smoking until around 10:30am and being a brand new smoker I had a hard time figuring out a good gas settingm the upshot was it spent the first 2 hours much too cool at around 180*F instead of 225-25-*F. Sorted that out and got a consistent 240*F. At about 4:30pm I measured the meat temperature at a paltry 147 so knew I would have to crank the heat to get some hope for dinner, got smoker to around 300*F. By 7pm the meat temperature was only 155*F, the dreaded stall. With a wife and baby complaining I quickly grilled some sausages, put the smoker back down to around 250*F and patiently waited, and wait. At 9:30 it has hit 177F but I took it out to allow it time to cool knowing I would have to finish it off today.

had some bites last night and it tasted amazing, good smoke taste without being overpowering or like an ashtray, thick bark with a deep pink smoke ring (gas smokers apparently produced the best smoke rings due to CO and NO gases). Ripped another chunk off just now, and can honestly say it is some of the best tasty pulled pork I've ever had. At this stage it is much chewier than standard but I actually like the hunks of meat, tender enough, a but like a mediocre steak rather than the melt in your mouth softness.


I've wrapped in foil and put it in the oven at 225 to finish doing its thing. I expect the end result will be tasty, tender but slightly dry.


next time i will cut the butt in half to speed up cooking and increase the surface area because I love the crust.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Going for a whole lamb leg on Fridays day off, plus some pork shoulder for the freezer and some beer can burgers for lunch to tide us over. Usual rub for the pork and going to try some citrusy marinade for the lamb. Wife likes it well done so will take it out around 165f?