The BBQ Thread.

fretmeister

roundthebend said:

@phil_b ; you'll love it

Question about slow cooking in the Weber.
I used the snake technique, it worked really well at keeping the heat steady through the long cooking time. I want sure if it was right, though, to use unstarted coals for cooking. I thought they had fuel in them to help get them going. I wouldn't want that fuel smoke in my food. I thought I could taste it a bit, maybe I'm just imagining things.
Am I right to think this? Can I do anything different?

You are imagining things.

Snake and Minion methods are well established. Also - coal is fuel. And any smoke wood you use is also fuel. 

Starter cubes are food safe and have been designed that way. There are many options - waxy cubes, solid cubes, and little so-called "natural" ones that are like tiny hay bales that are then actually covered in an accelerant oil similar to that used in the other cubes.

You'll never get a 10 hour plus cook out of coals that are already lit.

That being said - don't buy cheap coals. There's nothing dangerous about them, but they do burn far too quickly and you'll use twice as much and it will actually cost you more.

If you are just going to slow cook without a smoke wood you might as well do it in the oven.
The beauty of a BBQ for low and slow is to get the smokey wood flavour into the meat.

Different woods suit different meats.

Hickory is the most famous - but too much can leave the meat bitter. But get it right on chicken and it is lovely.
Applewood is great for most things, but especially for pork.

Beef is very regional in the US. Texas style is often post oak - old fence posts! Cherry and Pecan are popular too when heading further north.


I keep Applewood chunks on standby all the time. Hickory can be such a strong flavour that I tend to use chips rather than chunks as the amounts are easier to control.

Applewood or Oak as the main smoke source with a handful of hickory chips is great.

This is my Weber Smokey Mountain rather than a kettle, but you get the idea.
The lit coals get dumped in the middle and the rest will catch.

This was for a 20 hour brisket smoke

fields5069

I'm going to buy a Paella pan soon. All we can f*cking smell from next door is paraffin, the lazy gits. All you need is a cheap coal lighter chimney FFS. They're going to know the smell of paprika for many months to come.

celentium

Bought a Pizza Steel which arrived today. There isn't much out there with using one on a Weber charcoal kettle bbq but I think I'll just use indirect coal and preheat the steel for 30 minutes before adding the pizza.

I'm excited! 

strtdv

I use the griddle on the Weber all the time, it's very useful. You can cook chopped veg like onions for your burger, you can fry an egg on it when you're cooking your breakfast on the grill and at a push you could do a pizza on it too.

IMO it's the most useful attachment for the Weber GBS system

fretmeister

I've got a couple of little cast iron pots and plates instead of the GBS system. That way I get to choose where they go and I don't have to stick to the middle.

breakstuff

@fretmeister would you say it's worth paying the extra for the Master Touch Premium over the standard Master Touch? I've got the go ahead from the wife so now deciding which model to go for.

phil_b

breakstuff said:

@fretmeister would you say it's worth paying the extra for the Master Touch Premium over the standard Master Touch? I've got the go ahead from the wife so now deciding which model to go for.

the main difference is the premium has a hinged lid.

you also get the sear grate insert plus a smoke ring with heat deflector for smoking

fretmeister

breakstuff said:

@fretmeister would you say it's worth paying the extra for the Master Touch Premium over the standard Master Touch? I've got the go ahead from the wife so now deciding which model to go for.

Ive got the in between one. Ash bucket and hinged grate only. No insert. 

Hinged lid wasn’t available when I bought mine. I quite like that idea.

breakstuff

I'm quite tempted by the premium. I like the idea of the diffuser plate and the price isn't that much more. Thanks guys, I'll mull it over over the weekend. 

munckee

fields5069 said:

I'm going to buy a Paella pan soon. All we can f*cking smell from next door is paraffin, the lazy gits. All you need is a cheap coal lighter chimney FFS. They're going to know the smell of paprika for many months to come.

I did paella and flatbread on my (admittedly gas) bbq tonight with a nice bottle of pinot grigio.  

https://i.imgur.com/3K4XddQ.jpg

breakstuff

Just pulled the plug on this bad boy. 

This thread really hasn't helped my bank balance, but I did some ribs today on my dilapidated drum bbq and the taste along with several loosening beers steered me towards a 'what the hell, you only live once moment'. Look forward to a large package landing on my doorstep in the next few days.

fretmeister

Nice. I love doing ribs.

I do the 3-2-1 method. Seems to work really well.

breakstuff

fretmeister said:

Nice. I love doing ribs.

I do the 3-2-1 method. Seems to work really well.

Got to admit I cheated by slow roasting them in the oven for three hours after marinating in a homemade dry rub. Finished them off on the bbq for an hour on indirect heat with a marinade and they came out perfectly. I'll have a go at the 321 method when my new bbq arrives.

phil_b

fretmeister said:

Nice. I love doing ribs.

I do the 3-2-1 method. Seems to work really well.

I tried this today.I seemed to struggle to keep the temp low enough but I think I got it worked out in the end but i needed to keep both vents closed for alot of the time. It will be a lot easier next time. I think I will add in a tray of water and that may help.

I just got a cheap temp probe gauge from tesco. One with a remote will be handy for these long cooks

poopot

Splurged on this earlier today... 

And it’s just had it’s first outing!...

phil_b

poopot said:

Splurged on this earlier today... 

And it’s just had it’s first outing!...

with that vented double wall layout I bet it can reach some extra hot temperatures.

poopot

phil_b said:

poopot said:

Splurged on this earlier today... 

And it’s just had it’s first outing!...

with that vented double wall layout I bet it can reach some extra hot temperatures.

That inside bit comes out for cleaning  

top bit of kit

fretmeister

I did cornflower coated chicken today.

Needs to be over 300c to work properly to give an almost fried chicken crispness.

photos to follow. 

breakstuff

Mine arrived today, just finished getting it together. Hopefully I'll be giving it a run this weekend. I'll just be grilling for now until I get round to ordering some Weber briquettes. 

 

phil_b

@breakstuff ; very smart