*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****

Latest review on Amazon from a week ago seems to indicate it's the newer one with the updated basket, so hopefully it will be . I'll try to remember to update the thread when it arrives.
 
I imagine it will be the version two that you'll receive, which will have additional vent in the bottom, improved fire basket and two vents on the side. Have a read of the links I posted, the guy who did the reviews is a friend of mine and really knows his stuff and has some good advice on how to get the best from these smokers.

There is a third version in the pipeline which should see the Callow (or Cook4All as it's now branded) being pretty much the ultimate entry level bullet smoker) but that is still a little while away.
 
Just had a quick look through the book, it's pretty good and will give beginners a reasonable starting point and some nice recipes to try. Could have done with a little more proof reading though...
 
Giving my callow smoker it's first run out this weekend too. Can't decide between pork shoulder or ribs. Really looking forward to trying a brisket but think I need something I'm familiar with for its first go.

Seabiscuit I'm not actually sure which version I've got either, will report back.
 
thewanted said:
Awesome :) Please post some pics afterwards!
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I did the frittatas tonight, probably one of the nicest meals I've had in a long time. Really easy to make, chicken, bacon, peppers, red onion, white onion, spaghetti and eggs topped with marinara sauce and cheese. I think this will become a popular one over the summer! :)

cwuDdt9l.jpg
 
Morning fellas
Looked in this thread now and again but never needed to post as I had a gas bbq and could manage ok for what I did although it didn’t taste smokey enough really.

Decided yesterday to get a charcoal one and picked a Weber original premium 57cm.
We had a couple of friends round yesterday so was perfect timing to try it out.........with mixed results

1. Bought some Weber briquettes as they were close by. Also got some ‘firelighters’ To get it going. Are briquettes considered ok? Is there better products out there without spending a fortune?

2. Got it lighted ok and left it for 30 mins to heat up. Think it got to 200 or so. Added the food but struggled to keep the temps up. Most of the time was cooking less than 150c which although it cooked the food it took a while and didn’t sear/brown too much. I had the bottom vent open and top vent closed. Would this simply be too little fuel. I had approx 20 coals in there

3. Is it ok to use a liquid fuel to light the coals? The instructions say not

Has anyone got any tips and tricks to start off?
Thanks
JB
 
Grab a charcoal chimney. Will change your life!

Make sure the vents are open if you have the lid down otherwise you'll choke out the fire :)

I'll let someone else post unless I can get to a proper PC before then as typing on my phone sucks :p
 
72 hour sous vide short rib finished on the weber (indirect) with whiskey barrel chunks to smoke and JD BBQ sauce marinade. Was yum :)
The smoke was subtle rather than full on due to not cold smoking before the sous vide, but it still worked well, and the texture was divine.
 
Jobe said:
Morning fellas
Looked in this thread now and again but never needed to post as I had a gas bbq and could manage ok for what I did although it didn’t taste smokey enough really.

Decided yesterday to get a charcoal one and picked a Weber original premium 57cm.
We had a couple of friends round yesterday so was perfect timing to try it out.........with mixed results

1. Bought some Weber briquettes as they were close by. Also got some ‘firelighters’ To get it going. Are briquettes considered ok? Is there better products out there without spending a fortune?

2. Got it lighted ok and left it for 30 mins to heat up. Think it got to 200 or so. Added the food but struggled to keep the temps up. Most of the time was cooking less than 150c which although it cooked the food it took a while and didn’t sear/brown too much. I had the bottom vent open and top vent closed. Would this simply be too little fuel. I had approx 20 coals in there

3. Is it ok to use a liquid fuel to light the coals? The instructions say not

Has anyone got any tips and tricks to start off?
Thanks
JB
Click to expand...


As said, get a chimney. It'll be a revelation! I generally use briquettes for low n slow as they seem a bit more stable for longer cooks and use lumpwood charcoal for grilling as it burns hotter. Make sure you get a decent brand of charcoal. I use two lighter cubes in the bottom of a chimney full of charcoal and have never had a problem. I think the Weber briquettes get good reviews although I use Heat Beads myself, just personal preference I guess. Briquettes are usually a bit harder to get going than charcoal too as they are more dense.

If you had the top vent closed you'll be choking the fire as the exhaust gases have nowhere to go. Unless I'm trying to kill the BBQ when I'm done, my top vent is always open all the way and I just control the temperature with the bottom vents.
 
Ok, so the smoker arrived fairly late yesterday, so I wasn't able to do too much until this morning.
It is the new version, the Cook4All, although the included instruction book was for the older Callow smoker...
xCBrOEm.jpg

So my helper, Caspian, trying to work out why it's only got three feet when clearly four feet are superior...
aFaS6z7.jpg

So being the updated version it has more holes drilled in the coal basket...
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And fully assembled....
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Being powder coated rather than enamled like the Webers, they advise heating it with charcoal, and coating the inside with oil to seal it for at least two hours, before then actually cooking with it. So while I was hoping to use it today, we've just been prepping it for actual use another time. Maybe #MrsSeabiscuit (and Caspian) might do a cook using it tomorrow while I'm at OcUK HQ.

For £90 it does seem pretty substantial, although there are many more fiddly parts with it now compared to version 1. And while it included exactly enough screws, because there are so many I think it would be worthwhile them including a couple spare for one rolls under a table/sofa etc. And the support rails for hanging food on hooks is a real pain to get in. But so far really pretty positive impressions.
 
Street said:
I did indeed. I was a bit dubious of the pear but it was actually really nice, easy and quick to make too which is a always a bonus. I'm doing the frittatas tomorrow night too. It's the first time I've used my kettle in about 6 months!
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I know this isn't BBQ related, but pears are actually great in many roasted or grilled foods to give some sweetness to cut through the fat / protein. We put pears in with roast potatoes and roast parsnips after seeing a Michel Roux Jr Christmas meal with them in and have never looked back! They work great on kebab skewers too, as you found out :)
 
Ty guys

So, top vent always open.

Ordered a chimney and a few other bits so hopefully that will help when they come
Going to do pork ribs today. I like them to fall off the bone so will boil them first in a bbq marinade and finish them on the bbq.
If all goes well I will reduce down the marinade and use it as a glaze.
 
Jobe said:
Ty guys

So, top vent always open.

Ordered a chimney and a few other bits so hopefully that will help when they come
Going to do pork ribs today. I like them to fall off the bone so will boil them first in a bbq marinade and finish them on the bbq.
If all goes well I will reduce down the marinade and use it as a glaze.
Click to expand...
Isn't rib boiling one of the biggest faux-pas possible in BBQ? Just cook them a little longer surely? Give them a good 5 hours on the BBQ at 115C and they should be falling away nicely. As other said, definitely top vent at least half open and use the bottom vents to control temp. Get yourself a good temperature probe for the BBQ and meat (this is great https://www.amazon.co.uk/ThermoPro-...id=1525774795&sr=8-3&keywords=bbq+temperature) and you can be pretty assured of some good results.

@seabiscuit , I did my first cook with my callow smoker on Sunday. I think mine is the old version with 3 vents at the bottom. I did a smoked duck (covered in garlic, honey and soy sauce) cooked for 2.5 hours, overlapping with a leg of lamb (salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary) for 3 hours, both at 115C. Both glorious but unfortunately for the duck I had to whack it in the oven @ 180C for 20 minutes to get it to the target temp (according to the recipe) of 165F. Which was an error, as I think that's hotter than it needed to be, and it was a little dry in places.

It got up to temperature nicely, but did drop and hang a little low for the first 45 minutes - couldn't get to 115C even with all 3 bottom vents full open. I had drilled 9 6mm holes in the charcoal basket (3 to line up with each vent) to promote airflow, but it was still a bit of a struggle. Mind you once I jiggled my temp probe around it actually shot up, so maybe I just had it leant against the meat or something. So overall a good first go out (without a trial or any seasoning or anything), think I'm going to be brave and try a 12 hour brisket this weekend!

Only took pics of the lamb before cook, and setup during cooking

6O9qxqT.jpg
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Please excuse the hole in my decking, if anyone knows where to find 100mmx20mm decking boards then let me know!
 
Jobe said:
Morning fellas
Looked in this thread now and again but never needed to post as I had a gas bbq and could manage ok for what I did although it didn’t taste smokey enough really.

Decided yesterday to get a charcoal one and picked a Weber original premium 57cm.
We had a couple of friends round yesterday so was perfect timing to try it out.........with mixed results

1. Bought some Weber briquettes as they were close by. Also got some ‘firelighters’ To get it going. Are briquettes considered ok? Is there better products out there without spending a fortune?

2. Got it lighted ok and left it for 30 mins to heat up. Think it got to 200 or so. Added the food but struggled to keep the temps up. Most of the time was cooking less than 150c which although it cooked the food it took a while and didn’t sear/brown too much. I had the bottom vent open and top vent closed. Would this simply be too little fuel. I had approx 20 coals in there

3. Is it ok to use a liquid fuel to light the coals? The instructions say not

Has anyone got any tips and tricks to start off?
Thanks
JB
Click to expand...

Your biggest issue was not having the top vent open. It kills the fire, so your temps would have dropped quite rapidly with that closed. Don't ever use lighter fluid, stay away! It will make whatever food you cook taste awful! Use a chimney starter as already mentioned. Load it up to the top with a mixture of lumpwood and briquettes, light some paper under the bottom, and leave it for about 20 minutes. You'll know it's ready because the coals ash over with white. Then you put them into the bottom of your Weber (use the charcoal dividers if they came with the BBQ) and then you can cook both direct and indirect.
 
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