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After nearly a decade of shared (and often broken) apartment grills, I am about to have a yard again. Soon it will be time to grill and smoke all the things. e: actually, I am going to spring for the one with the cart. my kid bangs his head on those stupid wing tables literally every time we visit Discussion Quorum fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jul 28, 2022 |
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Jul 28, 2022 02:15
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 07:56 |
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The Inkbird thermometer discussed a few pages back is now $50 on Amazon after a 50% off coupon. Been dithering on whether to lay out big bucks for a Signals but that's cheap enough I'll take a flyer on it. https://a.co/faGCpU9
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Aug 5, 2022 16:57
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Moved into the new house and fired up a kettle for the first time in over a decade. Smoked a couple chickens over post oak. The skin didn't turn out quite like I wanted (though acceptable) but the meat was perfect.  Pardon the moving chaos just out of frame. We had literally been in the house less than 24 hours. Next time I need to start with more lit coals so that I don't struggle so much to get up to 300. I wanted to do 350 but spent most of the cook at 250-275 with the vents wide open. At least I stumbled onto a good starting point for the ribs I'll do this weekend 
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Sep 7, 2022 21:28
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So my wife has requested that I prepare lamb on a rotisserie for Oxi Day. I'm all about any holiday that commemorates telling Mussolini to gently caress off and die, so now we're down to equipment. I have a Weber kettle so it seems like a grill attachment is the way to go. Basic internet consensus seems to be that the Cajun Bandit battery-powered model is the one to get if you're willing to spend the extra $100 (I am, grudgingly) and if it's in stock (it's not, although I can wait a couple weeks if needed). It also sounds like the Amazon-based "onlyfire" brand is better and cheaper than the Weber-branded model. Anyone have any experience with either of these and/or another model that didn't come up as I was looking?
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Sep 28, 2022 21:32
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VulgarandStupid posted:I got 4 lbs of flank steak from Costco. Any recommendations on how to cook it? Hot and fast to medium rare or medium. Slice. Serve with chimichurri, or on a spinach salad with balsamic. Or marinade with lime, cumin, and cilantro (maybe some honey or agave) and serve as carne asada.
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Oct 19, 2022 17:12
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I attempted to recreate some of the best pork chops I ever had this weekend. Unfortunately I got the idea a little too late and had to make do with "grocery store thick-cut" instead of properly thick-cut. Thankfully I was at least able to find bone-in. Smoked them at 250ish over cherry until about 125 internally, then let them rest as I dumped in a half chimney of coals and got them blazing. I fried some sage and parsley in clarified butter, coated the chops, and seared them off until about 135-140 and let carryover do the rest. No pics because lunch ran late and everyone just tore into them but they were good. Next time I'll order ahead and get some thicker and fattier bone-in chops.
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Oct 24, 2022 16:28
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Just went out to temp my prime rib. The leave-in probe of my Smoke says 115. My Thermapen says 135. Must have been closer to the bone than I thought. e: I gave it an extended rest without foil before the sear in the hope that some of the heat would dissipate outwards rather than inwards, definitely overshot my mark but I got away with something acceptably medium-ish (albeit closer to medium well) Discussion Quorum fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Dec 25, 2022 |
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Dec 25, 2022 18:44
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I'm happy with my Smoke, although mine is just the plain RF model (no Bluetooth or wifi). Range covers my whole house and the remote only lags the base unit by 5-10 seconds at most. Final checks are done with my Thermapen. Honestly I just default to buying Thermoworks because everything I've ever bought from them has been very reliable, and because the probes are interchangeable. I did pick up an Inkbird on sale before buying the Smoke and found the app to have a few QOL issues. None were insurmountable but they were of the "the app developers have never actually done the task they wrote an app for" flavor which annoyed me greatly. This was a while ago so maybe it's better now. Also I'm trying to reduce the number of ultimately disposable gadgets I buy with built in lithium batteries but good luck with that in 2023.
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Jan 15, 2023 23:30
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I got a smoke tube for Christmas. Finally got around to ordering some pellets and am doing a dry run in my Weber kettle to see what kind of temp differential I end up with before potentially ruining a bunch of cheese. I have the smoke tube at one end of the grill and a grate probe slightly on the far side of the center. 2.5 hours in and my grate temp is 50F higher than ambient and still climbing (70F vs 120F). Even on a notional 40F day that seems like a problem. Kind of surprised it's that much to be honest. Any tips on how to bring it down? How big of a difference would a pan of ice make?
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Jan 18, 2023 03:55
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Making pork butte for the first time. It's around 7.5lbs and I plan to cook it at 250. Advice on the internet is all over the place. Assuming I want it ready for lunch between noon and 1PM with a rest beforehand, looks like I should start it (meaning, meat on and grill up to temp) around 10PM. Basing that on 90 minutes per pound plus a couple hours in reserve. That seem about right? What if I wrap it in butcher paper?
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Jan 27, 2023 18:00
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God drat that looks incredible. Pork butt trip report: I fell asleep after finally getting my 3 year old to bed, and ended up not getting it on until midnight  I got away with it though. Nothing special, just kept it a little hotter than I had originally planned. Top marks to my new Slow N Sear, which kept the kettle at a solid 250-260 for about 8 hours before needing some fresh coals. This in spite of a surprise overnight rain shower and more rain in the morning. I ultimately pulled it off at 195 about an hour before mealtime because the fire was dying and it felt done (it was). Kudos also goes to my Smoke, which kept transmitting all night despite being wet and wrapped in tinfoil in case it rained again.  
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Jan 30, 2023 00:43
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If you're set on beef you could always start with chuck roasts. They're much faster and cheaper to gently caress up and still pretty drat good.
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Mar 24, 2023 02:25
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MarcusSA posted:Now that I have like 15lbs of leftover smoked brisket does anyone have any recipes I can use this stuff on? Freeze it up in whatever portion size makes sense for your situation and just sub it in anywhere you might used shredded or braised beef Tacos Enchiladas Sloppy Joes Shepherd's pie Chili Scrambled eggs Hash Eat it with your bare hands out of the fridge at 3AM Get a baguette and make the best drat French dip of your life The world is your oyster
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Mar 26, 2023 17:09
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life is killing me posted:I'm used to controlling the temperature more with the bottom vent and not messing with the top, and I typically use the top vent to run a thermometer into the grill. I'll give your method a shot re: bottom and top vents. Before I got my SnS I just piled unlit charcoal on one side and flattened the pile out a bit, kind of like a fat snake. The put a half dozen or so lit coals at one end. Worked well enough. Regarding the vents, my experience is similar. Anything more than a crack on the lower vents will put the grill over 250. I typically start by putting the handle in line with the first vent hole on the ash catcher. The fourth hole roughly corresponds to the vents being fully open, and thanks to the geometry of the vent mechanism, 1/4 of the way open probably lets in less than 1/4 of the air. E: I mainly use the bottom vent for all but fine tuning, but we are talking tiny movements for a 20-30 degree tweak. Discussion Quorum fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Apr 12, 2023 |
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Apr 12, 2023 20:02
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To celebrate getting a new job, I reverse seared two huge honkin' prime ribeyes. Smoked them at 225 with a bit of oak to 100 internal and then seared them over a blazing bed of lump charcoal. I tried the cold grate method that SnS pushes and I'm a believer now. Also parcooked some asparagus and threw it on the grill just enough to lightly char, then topped it with pepper and parm. No pictures because it was dark when I finished and we were starving. The steak had a great crust and the smoke level was just right. I rate my current meat coma 5/5
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Apr 22, 2023 04:50
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I'm making pork chops on National Brisket day. You're not the boss of me, Big Brisket.
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May 28, 2023 15:58
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The technique you want is called a reverse sear and I would probably just do the first part in the oven. You could even skip the grill entirely if you have a convection oven. If you absolutely must smoke it, I would use a single chunk at the beginning of the cook. I love to do a smoky reverse sear on rib roasts or thick steaks and chops, but I'm with Phil that it's probably not a great match for tendeloin.
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Jun 3, 2023 23:53
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The great thing about the kettle is that you can do just about anything on it at a small scale, allowing you to try everything before investing in specialized gear. It may not be ideal for all of those things, but it can be made to work with a bit of extra effort. And because it is so ubiquitous, mods and accessories are everywhere. I just added a rotisserie kit to mine. Also, they're basically indestructible, so it's easy to score a deal on one from FB or Craigslist and clean it up.
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Jun 30, 2023 14:57
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Kwolok posted:I am curious how you all feel about lump charcoal vs brickettes? I use both. Lump for searing, briquettes for low and slow or super casual hot dogs/burgs type grilling. Partly because they're more consistent, but mostly because they're cheaper. Academy sells a big bag of B&B briquettes for $10 and you can't beat that with a stick. e: but if you're just getting started or don't want to be extra like me, get some good quality briquettes and call it a day Discussion Quorum fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Jul 1, 2023 |
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Jul 1, 2023 01:32
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Drumsticks and thighs. Bone in skin on. Brush on oil. Salt and pepper, maybe garlic powder and/or paprika if you want to go wild. Throw a chunk of oak on the coals and wait until the smoke settles down a little. Indirect at 400-450 until 180ish and the skin is crispy. Toss in wing sauce of your choice. Enjoy.
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Jul 4, 2023 19:39
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I smoked a hunk of pig: In the eternal debate between "tacos" or "sandwich," I have chosen my side. I choose "yes."  I improvised modified version of Aaron Franklin's sauce that I think turned out really well: quote:8oz butter Cook the onions in the butter until nearly translucent. Toss in the garlic and keep cooking until edges are just starting to brown. Add everything else (except the Worcestershire) and simmer until it tastes good. Adjust salt, vinegar, and honey to taste. Add Worcestershire to finish. The video kinda leaves off what to do with the solids (blend or strain) but I just grabbed the ol' stick blender and gave it a bllrrrrrp. I was a little worried all that butter would be greasy and it did start out like that, but it emulsified really well even before the blender entered the picture.
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Jul 5, 2023 05:08
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Kwolok posted:Dumb question about cleaning my charcoal grill and trager pellet smoker. For my kettle, I have this "safe clean" brush and this scraper. The brush is meh in terms of effectiveness, but I scrape down the grates before putting any food on. If I'm building a hot fire, I'll spin the top grate around so that as much gunk as possible burns off. The scraper works but is too much trouble unless you've got a really stuck on bit. Sometimes a paper towel and some dish soap is the best thing. I typically do a more thorough cleaning of the grates whenever they start to get persistently gunky with stuff that doesn't just burn off, or if I'm doing a lot of smoking where it doesn't get hot enough. I also do a deep clean of the whole grill annually. I use a nontoxic degreaser, a tire cleaning brush in a bucket of soapy water, and a hose for that.
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Jul 7, 2023 19:49
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If you want to make a veggie main (so that vegetarians don't just end up with a big plate of sides) what about flatbreads or pizzas? Both are grillable.
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Jul 12, 2023 03:24
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I do them a bit hotter to crisp up the skin a little, 350-400 or so. I go by temp, but maybe 45 minutes? Season with your favorite rub, salt/pepper/garlic, or lemon pepper. Toss in your favorite wing sauce after a brief rest. You will get a range of responses, and they'll all be right because it is honestly impossible to mess up thighs or drumsticks
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Jul 28, 2023 18:31
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I'm scratching my head at that recipe. Smoke it low and slow to 200F and shred/slice - I get that. Mini brisket. That's what I do, too. Smoke it hot and fast to a medium-ish doneness with a good sear and slice very thin - OK, I'd believe it if you told me that was good. Bet it would be good on a baguette with some aioli and peppers. Smoking at 350 until it just hits well done - seems like you would just have chewy, well-done meat?
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Aug 21, 2023 18:53
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Congratulations on your future chili?
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Aug 25, 2023 18:09
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That all looks amazing. I need to stop looking at this thread. It's so hot and dry that I'm afraid to light the grill. It's not specifically banned, because this is Texas and good luck getting anyone to abide by that, but it probably should be. I don't wanna be the guy who turned the Great Drought of 2023 into the Great Fire of 2023. I feel like the case for a pellet cooker or MES as a supplement for my trusty kettle is making itself.
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Sep 10, 2023 17:56
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I'm sorry but this picture is very funny to me. It's like the smoker just walked in on those other two slabs and smoke is shooting out of its ears "SUSAN! WHO IS THIS?!"
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Oct 8, 2023 21:59
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mls posted:My plan when I moved into my new house this month was a masterbuilt gravity smoker, but due to not realistically having the time to smoke a lot I’m actually leaning towards the ninja woodfire oven which is basically a more compact MES that gets hotter for different cooking styles. Oh wow that looks pretty cool if it works as advertised. Gotta do some research, because that could be perfect for me. I found myself wanting a pellet smoker through this hot dry summer because I didn't want to be the guy who started the Great Fire of 2023, and watching my chimney starter belch forth embers gave me anxiety. But we're renting and I really don't want to invest $500-$1,000 into something that big only to have to move it.
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Oct 13, 2023 18:50
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bird with big dick posted:As long as you don’t get the one that I filled with DEET and then returned because it kept clogging Joke's on you, it kept clogging because I used it to spray BBQ sauce and then returned it Seriously though, I would probably look for something intended for food and maybe go a little smaller. Maybe find a restaurant supply store that carries something like this? Personally I would definitely avoid anything with brass in the nozzle or pump assembly (but then I'm paranoid about lead) and make sure any gaskets get re-greased with something food safe.
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Oct 20, 2023 15:25
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Had my first big cook on my new toy this weekend. That's a rack of spare ribs and a turkey breast taking a Franklin's-style butter bath. So much less fuss than my kettle, even with an SnS (which I'm keeping because it still owns). Had guests over and besides occasionally temping the meat I completely ignored the smoker. bird with big dick posted:Making short ribs into chili is a crime. Strong words from the famed beef criminal.
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Oct 30, 2023 17:44
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tater_salad posted:I like that bigass front tray.. my pitboss doesn't have that. Coming from a kettle where all I had was a little folding table the size of my new side tray, it's such a game changer that I forget I have it. Literally, as in I end up holding all of my stuff and being clumsy as hell because I forget I can just put it all down. It folds down out of the way, too, which is nice. My only complaint so far is that the air temp probe reads almost 70 degrees cool out of the box. It's at least consistent, so with a good grate probe, you can still hold your target temp. Apparently, a bad probe out of the box isn't super uncommon, so if it continues, it looks like Pit Boss usually just sends a new one.
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Nov 3, 2023 15:31
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Doom Rooster posted:It looks like the Little Chief Smoker only goes up to 165f. Seconding this approach. Give it some smoke at the beginning and then take it the rest of the way in the oven. Most of the smoke flavor is taken on in the first few hours of the cook and the oven is going to be way more predictable than an unknown smoker. e: I am way behind the thread, oh well
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Nov 20, 2023 02:18
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First year smoking the turkey. The turkey was pre-brined, so I skipped any additional brining and just salted the skin and rested it ~24h in the fridge. I spread compound butter under the skin, which was also a first for me and I have no idea how Bloodfart McCoy was able to keep it looking so nice. Probably 2/3 of my slices lost the skin as I cut. I tried to mostly follow the Amazing Ribs technique, although I couldn't fit the drip pan under the grate - so instead I roasted the veg, wingtips, neck, and backbone at 450 and then threw them in a pan with the giblets, some water, and a couple frozen cubes of stock concentrate. Put that on the smoker next to the turkey and hoped for the best:  If I'm honest it looks better than it tasted, although with a strong reduction it was still an ok jus. Just kind of weak. Even with boiling water, it did have the effect of knocking the smoker down to 275 for the middle portion of the cook, which probably kept the skin - which was fine but far from my best work - from browning and fully crisping. Learnings for next year - make the gravy a separate process and practice the butter thing on some more chickens.
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Nov 25, 2023 16:50
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Gwaihir posted:Texas probably trends more towards beef sausage. I would say Czech/German style pork+beef is the "middle of the road" option in most of the state (or at leaf for most of southern, eastern, and central Texas). On the Gulf coast, Cajun sausages like andouille and boudin are also a big thing, and that is 100% pork.
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Mar 7, 2024 05:15
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Chuck roasts smoke up pretty well, if you're looking for something smaller/more economical for chili or tacos.
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Mar 23, 2024 04:19
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Murgos posted:I have this: https://www.thermoworks.com/smoke/ Same as well as the wifi gateway. I rate the thermometer itself 5/5 (wait until it goes on sale though) and the gateway maybe 3/5? The gateway works fine but the app has some annoying quirks.
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Mar 27, 2024 15:40
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 07:56 |
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I was going to say that my $25 Weber chimney has been up to anything I've ever thrown at it short of a windstorm or my own impatience, but then I saw that it won so yay, I already have "the good one"
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May 2, 2024 20:32
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