Smoking, Grilling, and BBQ

[The Amish Tyrant]

I haven't really seen a grilling/smoking thread, but have a feeling we have a few pit masters in the audience.

While being a solid cook, I'm just an amateur/hobbiest when it comes to smoking meat. I figured we could get some experts to chime in and share some tips along the way. And what good is a food thread without pictures?

Here is a smoked chicken breast with a cucumber dill salad. I smoked a tray of breasts for various meal prep this week. I have found one hour at 225 is the sweet spot in keeping the breasts moist without a brine.

 

[Fuelman]

I haven't really seen a grilling/smoking thread, but have a feeling we have a few pit masters in the audience.

While being a solid cook, I'm just an amateur/hobbiest when it comes to smoking meat. I figured we could get some experts to chime in and share some tips along the way. And what good is a food thread without pictures?

Here is a smoked chicken breast with a cucumber dill salad. I smoked a tray of breasts for various meal prep this week. I have found one hour at 225 is the sweet spot in keeping the breasts moist without a brine.View attachment 312929View attachment 312930

The chicken looks good, but those cucumbers look amazing. The thing with chicken breast is how moist are they the second day?

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

The chicken looks good, but those cucumbers look amazing. The thing with chicken breast is how moist are they the second day?

The smoked chicken is still tender. Made a Mediterranean smoked chicken salad yesterday with orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, and an vinaigrette.



Then I made a chimichurri smoked chicken with an herbed rice for the lady's dinner tonight.

 

[troutface]

but have a feeling we have a few pit masters in the audience.

I probably have 100 briskets under my belt now, but wouldn't dare to use the word pitmaster. Still learning with every one I put on the pit. If you follow the basic rules as outlined by Aaron Franklin and others, you will produce a damn good brisket. It's that last 5% of knowledge that those pros will never share that put them in the top ranks.

 

[kcghost]

Looks very nice to me!! You mustn't have looked very hard to find grilling threads. Must be zillions on here.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Smoked baby back ribs done 3-2-1 style (3 hours smoked, 2 hours wrapped with apple juice, and 1 hour unwrapped and sauced).

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

I probably have 100 briskets under my belt now, but wouldn't dare to use the word pitmaster. Still learning with every one I put on the pit. If you follow the basic rules as outlined by Aaron Franklin and others, you will produce a damn good brisket. It's that last 5% of knowledge that those pros will never share that put them in the top ranks.

I've been tempted to get the online Master Class with Aaron Franklin, but have seen a few of his free lessons (which are very helpful).

Having cooked in both independent and corporate restaurants, the last 5% is a mix of experience, technique, and God given talent. While several of the corporate cooks had skills for that particular restaurant (redundantly cooking the same dishes), they'd flounder when cooking something new or creating a dish.

Brisket is on my list to experiment with. Now if briskets would just go on sale.

 

[LouisPiper]

First attempt at a brisket over the weekend. Turned out pretty good. Misjudged how much coals to put in the bro and sear so had to finish it in the oven for the last hour or so.

 

[karam]

Going To Smoke Today! :: Food & Drink

I've got brisket and pork belly, neither of which I've done well with so far, on deck. Hopefully refining my techniques makes a difference. First change is cutting to more manageable size for both my smoker's ability and the number of people planned. There's no sense in cooking 30 Lbs of...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[kcghost]

Good Lord, that looks good!!

 

[Streeper541]

I suppose I should've taken a picture of the racks when they came out... This was dinner.

Bone slid right out. Tender meat held together. Rib perfection.


Doing some point brisket tomorrow.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I grew up in South Georgia . Bbq was taken very seriously there—so much so that I don’t even try to do it myself, though I’m fairly serious about cooking. I mean, I will try Julia Childs or James beards methods for perfect roast chicken (fairly difficult) but smoked ribs? Never!

If get in the mood for it, I just go home, where I know someone will cook it better than I ever will. It’s the same with biscuits. I don’t even try. The bar is simply too high.

I once knew two guys back home , both passed away now, who rebuilt a brick barbecue pit multiple times . This pit was about 20 feet long, with a fire box at one end. I remember a stack of very neatly split hardwoods by the fire box… anyway they’d build the pit, smoke some ribs, butt, chickens, goat, then eat, consider, discuss, invite a bunch of people over to eat and assess, think some, discuss —then tear it down and rebuild it, to make it a little better. They did this over and over. I got to eat from the finished product—and now I’m spoiled for life.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

I suppose I should've taken a picture of the racks when they came out... This was dinner.

Bone slid right out. Tender meat held together. Rib perfection.

View attachment 313534
Doing some point brisket tomorrow.

Looking good, my man.

Is that red cabbage in the upper left?

 

[bullet08]

Want to try smoking, but seems equipment heavy. Or rather, a good quality smoker is expensive. And I really don't have patience to wait all day for a chunk of meat. Did try smoking in my bigger Weber, but my skill isn't up there. Usually stick to charcoal grilling.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Want to try smoking, but seems equipment heavy. Or rather, a good quality smoker is expensive. And I really don't have patience to wait all day for a chunk of meat. Did try smoking in my bigger Weber, but my skill isn't up there. Usually stick to charcoal grilling.

View attachment 313571

This is all about smoking, grilling, and BBQ, so carry on with the charcoal as it's hard to beat a char dog in the summer. Please keep us posted of your endeavors, since you have some great food posts.

As for smokers, I have a cheap pellet one that also grills (but not high temp enough for a hard sear). It works for me at an entry level price, multi functional with the grill aspect, and not being one to entertain (so it's a chicken only lady, my 4 year old daughter that eats small, and my large American self).

A small smoker was worth the price of admission for me and creates decent food. But I'm not pitmaster and it isn't cost effective to cook more than two racks of ribs, a tray of chicken, or one pork butt. I'm sure you can push it off on the neighbors if a small smoker isn't for you.

 

[karam]

Want to try smoking, but seems equipment heavy. Or rather, a good quality smoker is expensive. And I really don't have patience to wait all day for a chunk of meat. Did try smoking in my bigger Weber, but my skill isn't up there. Usually stick to charcoal grilling.

View attachment 313571

A kettle can be a very passable smoker with the snake method!

 

[Flatfish]

My father in laws burgers look like this.

 

[troutface]

Now if briskets would just go on sale.

I mostly use Costco for brisket because they are cheaper than almost anyone. They sell Prime for $3.50-4.00/lb. for packers. Since COVID the supply of Prime has been spotty. I spent big bucks on a Snake River Farms and then promptly overcooked it when I used the wrong probes in my thermometer. That was a sad day. I've also used Creekstone Farms and they have been good. The boutique briskets are better, but for me not worth the threefold increase in price.

 

[bullet08]

A kettle can be a very passable smoker with the snake method!

Was looking into snake method for awhile. Might give it a try with baby back rib.

 

[karam]

Was looking into snake method for awhile. Might give it a try with baby back rib.

The snake method works surprisingly well. You don’t need to overdo it, 2/3 of the circle are MORE than enough, usually 1/3 or 1/2 is enough, and the standard kettle has more than enough real estate for say a brisket with a couple of racks of pork ribs around it.

Just follow a video to the letter and it will just work. I watched an Australian guy’s video, crocodile dundee 2.0 accent, here it is:

What I used to do is get a brisket or pork shoulder, season it well and stick it in the fridge, then at midnight I’d set it up in the kettle and leave it going overnight, buy lunchtime next day it was perfect every time. I used to put a tray with water under the meat, mostly to catch drippings, regulate the temperature and provide some very light steam. No need for apple juice etc in the tray - I tried it and it didn’t do anything for the meat. Also, what kind of psychopath mixes apple with pork (and mint with lamb?).

No doubt a proper offset smoker would do better but for me, and importantly my guests who never had this taste in Greece, the kettle was just fine!

Edit: I tried several briquettes but found that Weber’s own were the best.