Bar-B-Q'ing

[Bones]

Since this is currently on my mind for later today and also with the 4th of July just over a month away as of this post, I thought why not start a topic on this?

Grills to use, ways to grill, prep/marinade, what to use for charcoal/wood, gas grills, and all else adds up to it being great or something you'll wish never saw the light of day or your plate.

So.....
What do you grill and how do you do it?

From burgers to chicken and whatever else, let's hear it.

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I'm currently getting ready to prep some burgers by taking them and laying them out on a plate with a bit of salt/garlic mix to "Soak" in and I'm going to let that sit for at least 12 hours in the bottom of the fridge, covered of course.
Since the wife doesn't like pepper on ANYTHING I'm not going to add any of that but could if I wanted to for waking them up a little..... And it's not like I haven't before. 

Anyway, once ready I'll get the fire started and begin the smoking process.... That's right - For my burgers I'll smoke and grill 'em instead of just grilling them in typical fashion.

Typically I'll use hickory wood chunks or pellets, sometimes charcoal made with it too but normally regular charcoal used along with wood chunks is fine.
Mesquite is another good flavoring wood and that's what I'll be using later today when I light it up.

BTW I don't have a grill & smoker setup to use wood pellets with but I can still use pellets for the smoking process, it's just not as easy to do without the pellet chamber.

Once done they will have a nice smoky flavor that compliments them and you'll even see the pink ring (Smoke ring) when you bite into them too.
No worries about them being cooked properly either, they will be cooked all the way through yet not be dried out (Tough) like some would be. Typically there is a bit of pink left right in the middle so they're not overly done but it's no problem to have them with no pink at all if I want, just let them cook at temp for maybe an extra minute or two at most and it's taken care of.

Either fixed up the usual way or maybe with some nice B-B-Q sauce like some places do, they are great.

Only thing is it takes time and I mean alot of it but that's how it is with the good stuff you know.
You get out of it what you put into it and it shows.

[Vinster]

I have a smoker, it's a Weber Smokey Mountain 18". I love using the thing. But my wife just doesn't like the taste with anything charcoal. I've tried about 3-4 combinations of wood chips and also tried a few different types/brands of charcoal.

only thing that she likes is a spatchcock chicken I make.

only other thing I've made with that last year a handful of times was candied salmon and trout (store bought unfortunately) but was still really good.

Vin

[Aleslammer]

I don't do a lot of grilling; my wife was more into it than I. She preferred gas to charcoal. Actually, just got rid of the gas grill a couple weeks ago, going to miss the built in oven, nice during the hotter days of summer.

Smoking have done a lot and still do. Favorite woods are almond, pecan and apple, though the last is hard to come by locally, prefer limb wood. Oak is used a lot here, but too bitter for my tastes.

As for marinates, one of my favorites is the salad dressing, Jamaica Mistake for pork butt, though a good store-bought Salsa Verde is pretty good, depending on flavor profile wanted. Wet rubs, my go-to is Busha Browne Jerk Seasoning, can be a little too spicy for some. Have used yellow & red BBQ's, wet and dry, homemade and from the store, do like red over yellow, actually didn't know there was a yellow until I was in my 20s.

The only things I start to finish in the smoker are pork butt, tri-tip and meat loaf, everything else gets started in the smoker and brought to final temp in the oven. Hamburger patties and steaks are done in the smoker but use the hot side and grill them. Haven't done a lot of fish or fowl other than chicken wings and tights.

[Bones]

May 30, 2023 6:32:32 GMT -5 Aleslammer said:

I don't do a lot of grilling; my wife was more into it than I. She preferred gas to charcoal. Actually, just got rid of the gas grill a couple weeks ago, going to miss the built in oven, nice during the hotter days of summer.

Smoking have done a lot and still do. Favorite woods are almond, pecan and apple, though the last is hard to come by locally, prefer limb wood. Oak is used a lot here, but too bitter for my tastes.

As for marinates, one of my favorites is the salad dressing, Jamaica Mistake for pork butt, though a good store-bought Salsa Verde is pretty good, depending on flavor profile wanted. Wet rubs, my go-to is Busha Browne Jerk Seasoning, can be a little too spicy for some. Have used yellow & red BBQ's, wet and dry, homemade and from the store, do like red over yellow, actually didn't know there was a yellow until I was in my 20s.

The only things I start to finish in the smoker are pork butt, tri-tip and meat loaf, everything else gets started in the smoker and brought to final temp in the oven. Hamburger patties and steaks are done in the smoker but use the hot side and grill them. Haven't done a lot of fish or fowl other than chicken wings and tights.

Yeah, you have to use the right kind of oak since there are more than a few varieties of it around with some being bitter and some giving things a good taste if it's used.

For the thing about preferring gas to charcoal, my wife and her dad both were ones that preferred gas and used that for a long time.
After we were married I introduced them to charcoal based grilling "Done Right" and they've been fans of it eversince. That's not to say you guys don't know what you are doing, obviously you do and some folks just don't like the flavor charcoal gives food period and that's just how it is.

For those that's picky about it I tend to let the coals burn until they are ashen and not smoking before grilling, that way you don't get much charcoal flavor added to the food.

If wanting to add the flavor I do that as the charcoal is coming up to temp or just toss some fresh briquets on and let that add the flavor. I normally though (In my case) let the charcoal and wood smoke things until the fire is going well, proceeding to do the cooking after the smoking process is over.

I don't get to do alot of grilling but when I do I make it count.

[Aleslammer]

My wife's dislike of charcoal came from her father and mother, you could tell what petroleum product was used to start the briquettes and her mother wouldn't let him take anything off the grill until it was done, which generally meant the burgers looked like the briquettes they were being cooked on.

Good alternative to charcoal is willow, though do to density isn't a long lived coal bed but mild on flavor addition, plus it's real easy to start.

As for oak, locally have used everything but live oak, have had some really good oak smoked BBQ but from better smokers than mine.

[Bones]

May 30, 2023 10:22:19 GMT -5 Aleslammer said:

My wife's dislike of charcoal came from her father and mother, you could tell what petroleum product was used to start the briquettes and her mother wouldn't let him take anything off the grill until it was done, which generally meant the burgers looked like the briquettes they were being cooked on.

Good alternative to charcoal is willow, though do to density isn't a long lived coal bed but mild on flavor addition, plus it's real easy to start.

As for oak, locally have used everything but live oak, have had some really good oak smoked BBQ but from better smokers than mine.

Sounds like mom was the "Cook" instead of dad, even at the grill.
Between saying when it's supposed to be removed and the fact it was probrably expected to light and ready to cook within seconds of the match being put to it (Excessive lighter fluid or whatever else), I don't blame her one bit about it.

Yes, we have some varieties of oak here that works great.

[Vinster]

To start the charcoal, I have an 8" charcoal starter chimney, I use egg carton or a paper bag to start it at the bottom. Usually wait until most of the chimney is white. Then I'll pour that over the charcoal in the smoker. I'll let it sit for 10-20min then put the food on.

In my setup, you can't help to have some of the coal not be lit and then smoking as they light. I'll use a softball size of coal to start it, then a basketball size in the smoker. The coal in the smoker is in a shape of a volcano, and then I dump the lit stuff in the middle.

In a smoker that thing will go for 4-10+ hours (longest cook I've done). Try to keep it at 180-200F, depending on the meat I'll let it get to 225-235F.

Long cooks I'll have to top up the coal 2-3 times.

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Now a question on smoke chips. Do you soak them in hot water for 30-60min? or do you use them dry?

I soak mine and don't use much of it.

Vin

[Aleslammer]

May 30, 2023 21:42:19 GMT -5 Vinster said:

To start the charcoal, I have an 8" charcoal starter chimney, I use egg carton or a paper bag to start it at the bottom. Usually wait until most of the chimney is white. Then I'll pour that over the charcoal in the smoker. I'll let it sit for 10-20min then put the food on.

In my setup, you can't help to have some of the coal not be lit and then smoking as they light. I'll use a softball size of coal to start it, then a basketball size in the smoker. The coal in the smoker is in a shape of a volcano, and then I dump the lit stuff in the middle.

In a smoker that thing will go for 4-10+ hours (longest cook I've done). Try to keep it at 180-200F, depending on the meat I'll let it get to 225-235F.

Long cooks I'll have to top up the coal 2-3 times.

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Now a question on smoke chips. Do you soak them in hot water for 30-60min? or do you use them dry?

I soak mine and don't use much of it.

Vin

Used an earlier version of the Weber your using, worked well, mostly beef, though did do a whole chicken or two.

I use the same device or similar to start charcoal, works pretty good.

As for soaking the wood chips, have done it but primarily when using mesquite, have even tried beer and wine, although just having a pan full of beer under the meat works better with the smoker I have now.

Just making comments, something to talk about besides computers. My oldest grandson's other grandfather had a trailer mounted unit and did a little catering as a side job, don't know if he's still doing it as we haven't talked for a few years.

[zila1]

You guys are killing me. I am so hungry now. LOL

[ShrimpBrime]

Shrimp on the Bar-B!

sry couldn't help myself.
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I like to taste the meat. Grass fed cow is much different than grain fed. Try to use as little seasoning as possible (depending on what we be cooking).

[Bones]

May 31, 2023 12:36:59 GMT -5 ShrimpBrime said:

Shrimp on the Bar-B!

sry couldn't help myself.
----

I like to taste the meat. Grass fed cow is much different than grain fed. Try to use as little seasoning as possible (depending on what we be cooking).

You probrably treat the rotisserie like an amusment park ride.
WHEEEEEE!!!!!!!

That is a "Hot" ride you know.

[ShrimpBrime]

May 31, 2023 13:14:20 GMT -5 Bones said:

May 31, 2023 12:36:59 GMT -5 ShrimpBrime said:

Shrimp on the Bar-B!

sry couldn't help myself.
----

I like to taste the meat. Grass fed cow is much different than grain fed. Try to use as little seasoning as possible (depending on what we be cooking).

You probrably treat the rotisserie like an amusment park ride.
WHEEEEEE!!!!!!!

That is a "Hot" ride you know.

lol.
If it concerns the wife's opinion, I'd usually be in "hot water" and boiled up first. 

[Aleslammer]

Pretty broad range between grass and grain as all will impart a different flavor profile on the meat. Had an uncle that used alfalfa hay with an oat molasses feed topper to fatten for his personal use. Clover is pretty nice on the grass side. When I was in Idaho a feedlot not far from my in-laws one of the main ingredient in the feed was potatoes. Actually had some corn feed beef a couple months ago, (been a while), took a couple bites to get use to as a lot of what I get here is grass feed, well, advertised as such.

My biggest peeve now is water content, hard to fry a steak now a days so I take the meat out of the packaging and place it on some paper towels on a plate for a few hours on the counter then remove the paper towels and let it sit in the frig open for a couple days before I fry it, cuts way down on the pan temp to fry plus it adds some aging time to the meat.

As for seasoning, grilled or fried, just salt if I have folks over, personally like a little garlic powder both added during the resting period. Smoked on the other hand can get pretty over the top.

I really like to cook! Actually, have a bunch of ingredients in the frig to see if I can come up with pizza-based meatloaf, though I forgot to get the fungus as SB calls mushrooms.

[ShrimpBrime]

Portobello mushrooms, on the grill, lightly salted.

Ribs, the way my old man does it, Boil, sause and bake at low temp, then grill with a slight char and a little extra sauce. Gotta scoop the ribs off the grill or the meat slides off the bone. Good eats.

[zila1]

I love ribs. Good stuff right there.

[Vinster]

Jun 1, 2023 13:10:18 GMT -5 ShrimpBrime said:

Portobello mushrooms, on the grill, lightly salted.

Ribs, the way my old man does it, Boil, sause and bake at low temp, then grill with a slight char and a little extra sauce. Gotta scoop the ribs off the grill or the meat slides off the bone. Good eats.

to be honest, I've never fully understood the purpose of boiling Ribs before cooking. is it just to reduce the grill cook time?

I've done the same steps but no boiling. and run in the smoker or stove at 180-190F for like 4-8hrs depending on how much I'm making. Meat still slides off the bone.

Vin

[ShrimpBrime]

Jun 2, 2023 12:08:21 GMT -5 Vinster said:

Jun 1, 2023 13:10:18 GMT -5 ShrimpBrime said:

Portobello mushrooms, on the grill, lightly salted.

Ribs, the way my old man does it, Boil, sause and bake at low temp, then grill with a slight char and a little extra sauce. Gotta scoop the ribs off the grill or the meat slides off the bone. Good eats.

to be honest, I've never fully understood the purpose of boiling Ribs before cooking. is it just to reduce the grill cook time?

I've done the same steps but no boiling. and run in the smoker or stove at 180-190F for like 4-8hrs depending on how much I'm making. Meat still slides off the bone.

Vin

Boiling cuts the oven and grill time down considerably. At the same time, softens the meat it's self. Not necessary to make the meat "slide off the bone", I think that's just a natural occurrence of well cooked ribs anyways. 

So after a good boil, 10-20 minutes in the oven, same on the grill. The grill for the smoking and char flavor. 

Hate working nights. I miss all the good dinners and get left overs. Which sometimes isn't a bad deal, like with chili. Sometimes it's just better when it sits overnight and the flavors really come to life. Most of the time, I cannot do the meats left over. I do cause I haven't much choice. I only eat a decent meal on the weekends hot off the press. 

[Vinster]

I prefer most things the next day at or close to room temperature... but I think that may be a habit of working in the field for over 20yrs and having lunch from a lunch box that has been in the car half the day either soaking in heat or freezing in the winter...

thanks for the info on the boiling, I'll have to try that next time.

Vin

[twopic]

All this food talk is making me hungry. And i just got out of wawa's with a bacon buger + chili fries. Had to go to a ramen store to order Miso soup.