The Grilling and Cooking Thread

[Skinsfan1311]

16 hours ago, Riggo#44 said:

 

My wife and I just splurged, fairly significantly, and got a Primo Ceramic smoker. **** is worth every penny--that weekend we had where the high was 48, cloudy, windy, typically a day that is awful to smoke in, was made a cinch. It made the best ribs I've ever made. The only trick is getting enough smoke--which I'm still trying to figure out smoke would only get thick at over 250° which will over cook and dry out the meat.

I'm no expert, butt............you don't need thick smoke. In fact, you want the opposite;  thin, blue smoke. You don't even have to see it, and you'll get all the smoke flavor that you want.

 

 Too much thick, white smoke can make food taste bitter, (trust me on this )  250° is a great temp for smoking food. Most cuts of meat are fine anywhere between 225° & 275°. Pork butts and chuck roast are pretty forgiving, as is brisket. I stay at the lower end of that spectrum for ribs, and ham. I cook hotter, (~325° -350°) and faster for chicken. Any lower, and the skin doesn't crisp up.  Damn, now I'm hungry!

 

Edited May 22, 2017 by Skinsfan1311

[AsburySkinsFan]

1 hour ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

 

Good coloration, pink smoke layer, bark, and the cooked pork. Looks good! 

What kind of sauce do you use?

[HOF44]

1 minute ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Good coloration, pink smoke layer, bark, and the cooked pork. Looks good! 

What kind of sauce do you use?

I don't know what he used on this one, but he makes a damn tasty carolina vinegar based sauce.  

[Skinsfan1311]

9 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Good coloration, pink smoke layer, bark, and the cooked pork. Looks good! 

What kind of sauce do you use?

Sauce!??  I don't need no stinkin' sauce!!

 

Seriously,  I  use a vinegar-based "Carolina" style. There are many variations, but mine has vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt, white pepper, a little catsup, and red-pepper flakes. I make jugs of it for pig roasts and everyone seems to like it.  I also make slaw with it, just pour it over store-bought pre-shredded slaw mix, and let it marun ate over night. 

 

I also make a blatant rip-off of the Mission BBQ "Baybbq" sauce where I mix in Old Bay and spicy Old Bay, with Sweet Baby Ray's.  I like my version better, because it's spicier. 

 

 

18 minutes ago, HOF44 said:

I don't know what he used on this one, but he makes a damn tasty carolina vinegar based sauce.  

Thanks!!  Same stuff, but my home version has more red-pepper flakes. After I pull the pork, I splash a little on the meat.

[skinsmarydu]

34 minutes ago, HOF44 said:

I don't know what he used on this one, but he makes a damn tasty carolina vinegar based sauce.  

...the only kind there is...everything else is "gravy".

16 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Sauce!??  I don't need no stinkin' sauce!!

 

Seriously,  I  use a vinegar-based "Carolina" style. There are many variations, but mine has vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt, white pepper, a little catsup, and red-pepper flakes. I make jugs of it for pig roasts and everyone seems to like it.  I also make slaw with it, just pour it over store-bought pre-shredded slaw mix, and let it marun ate over night. 

 

I also make a blatant rip-off of the Mission BBQ "Baybbq" sauce where I mix in Old Bay and spicy Old Bay, with Sweet Baby Ray's.  I like my version better, because it's spicier. 

 

 

Thanks!!  Same stuff, but my home version has more red-pepper flakes. After I pull the pork, I splash a little on the meat.

That looks amazing...and I make my sauce almost exactly the same, I use coarse ground black pepper instead of white, tho, and about 5 drops of Texas Pete...but heavy on the red pepper flakes!  And slaw goes on the meat, with the sauce...a sandwich bun is optional, unless you're a wetter...too much sauce kills the flavor of the smoke on the pork.

[AsburySkinsFan]

38 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Sauce!??  I don't need no stinkin' sauce!!

 

Seriously,  I  use a vinegar-based "Carolina" style. There are many variations, but mine has vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt, white pepper, a little catsup, and red-pepper flakes. I make jugs of it for pig roasts and everyone seems to like it.  I also make slaw with it, just pour it over store-bought pre-shredded slaw mix, and let it marun ate over night. 

 

I also make a blatant rip-off of the Mission BBQ "Baybbq" sauce where I mix in Old Bay and spicy Old Bay, with Sweet Baby Ray's.  I like my version better, because it's spicier. 

 

Sounds great! I'm a vinegar sauce fan too! Definetly not a fan of the heavy sugar based molasses people call bbq sauce. And I, like you, believe that the BBQ should be able to stand on its own WITHOUT being sauced! 

 

We have a "BBQ" restaurant here that for some reason people love. The double smoked brisket is a pale white (like a badly grilled pork chop) the pulled pork was flavorless and the chicken is sawdust. BUT...the people here love their sauce, their cooked meat is simply a vehicle for their average sauces. It's really a shame that most people around here don't have enough BBQ IQ to demand better. 

[Skinsfan1311]

43 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Sounds great! I'm a vinegar sauce fan too! Definetly not a fan of the heavy sugar based molasses people call bbq sauce. And I, like you, believe that the BBQ should be able to stand on its own WITHOUT being sauced! 

 

We have a "BBQ" restaurant here that for some reason people love. The double smoked brisket is a pale white (like a badly grilled pork chop) the pulled pork was flavorless and the chicken is sawdust. BUT...the people here love their sauce, their cooked meat is simply a vehicle for their average sauces. It's really a shame that most people around here don't have enough BBQ IQ to demand better. 

"double smoked?" Run!!!!   We have a Mission BBQ, across the street from us. It's pretty good, but it's tough to pay for something that I make better on my own. I really like their jalapeño & cheese hot links, which I cannot make at home and, some of their seasonal sides are killer, specifically,  the cream corn and bread pudding. Both of them are really,  really tasty.   The specials, particularly the smoked salmon was really good too.

[AsburySkinsFan]

3 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

"double smoked?" Run!!!!   We have a Mission BBQ, across the street from us. It's pretty good, but it's tough to pay for something that I make better on my own. I really like their jalapeño & cheese hot links, which I cannot make at home and, some of their seasonal sides are killer, specifically,  the cream corn and bread pudding. Both of them are really,  really tasty.   The specials, particularly the smoked salmon was really good too.

If you like jalepeño and cheese sausages then you seriously need to try Mikeska Meats from Texas. They are annual sponsors of our KY State BBQ Fest. They make a great product, a bit hot for my tastes but we sell them every year.

 

http://www.mikeskabrands.com/

@Skinsfan1311added the link

And I totally agree with you on things being difficult to buy when you can make them...it's why I don't buy drinks when I eat out!!

Edited May 22, 2017 by AsburySkinsFan

[AsburySkinsFan]

Big ol' ribeye dinner, cooked to medium well! 

 

BTW, I love my ThermPro!! If you're lookin' the you ain't cookin'!!!

 

[TheGoodBits]

On 5/22/2017 at 2:51 PM, Skinsfan1311 said:

"double smoked?" Run!!!!   We have a Mission BBQ, across the street from us. It's pretty good, but it's tough to pay for something that I make better on my own. I really like their jalapeño & cheese hot links, which I cannot make at home and, some of their seasonal sides are killer, specifically,  the cream corn and bread pudding. Both of them are really,  really tasty.   The specials, particularly the smoked salmon was really good too.

 

Yeah I tried Mission recently and was very disappointed. The brisket was dry, the sausage was ok but not great. Very chain-y and with BBQ you really need a good pitmaster that cares.

[dfitzo53]

Mission BBQ is fine, just like any other upscale fast food. We've got a local barbecue joint called Big Bad Wolf that's better, cheaper, and closer though. 

[Skinsfan1311]

9 hours ago, skinsfan_1215 said:

 

Yeah I tried Mission recently and was very disappointed. The brisket was dry, the sausage was ok but not great. Very chain-y and with BBQ you really need a good pitmaster that cares.

That's a shame. I think that the Mission near us is original,(flagship?) restaurant . They even bought a closed bank branch, next door, and turned it into a big smoke house, for their catering business, I presume. When the wind is blowing in the right direction, it smells heavenly in the neighborhood.

Unless we're travelling, it's hard for me to buy, because most things I make just as good, or better, for a fraction of the price.

That's why we don't eat out too often and, when we do, I order food that I seldom make myself.  This weekend I'm experimenting with London broil recipes, for tailgate season. Those damn flank steaks are too pricey anymore, to feed a crowd.

 

Edited May 27, 2017 by Skinsfan1311

[RedskinsMayne]

How to you make the BBQ shred? I got a smoker, but my meat doesn't shred like that... I cut it into smaller pieces, but it stays firm.  I got it to shred once but I don't think I did anything different?

9 hours ago, skinsfan_1215 said:

 

Yeah I tried Mission recently and was very disappointed. The brisket was dry, the sausage was ok but not great. Very chain-y and with BBQ you really need a good pitmaster that cares.

 

 

I agree, and it's crazy expensive 

Edited May 27, 2017 by RedskinsMayne

[The 12th Commandment]

4 minutes ago, RedskinsMayne said:

How to you make the BBQ shred? I got a smoker, but my meat doesn't shred like that... I cut it into smaller pieces, but it stays firm.  I got it to shred once but I don't think I did anything different?

A pork shoulder will easily shred when it's done.  If it doesn't shred it's not done.  Use a meat thermometer and cook to 200 or so.  Beware of the stall!

[Going Commando]

What are you guys doing for Memorial Day?

[Skinsfan1311]

26 minutes ago, RedskinsMayne said:

How to you make the BBQ shred? I got a smoker, but my meat doesn't shred like that... I cut it into smaller pieces, but it stays firm.  I got it to shred once but I don't think I did anything different?

 

 

I agree, and it's crazy expensive 

If it didn't shred, it wasn't cooked long enough.  

 

It was probably "done" i.e. safe to eat, but in  order to pull, (shred), a pork shoulder needs to be cooked at a high enough temperature to allow the collagen to melt, and the meat fibers separate.  That part of the cook doesn't even begin until the internal temp exceeds 170, and at 170, it's not nearly done enough to pull.     

 

 There's no "set" temp, for pulling, but it generally will do so, after it hits 190 degrees, when measured in the thickest part of the meat.   The magic # for me is 203, but I've pulled them at 195.    You can tell when it's ready, the bone wiggles loose.  When I state loose, it should pull out with no effort at all.  If it's boneless, which I don't recommend, it's done when a probe goes in like butter.

 

There is a point in the cook, where the meat "stalls", where the temp hits a certain point, ( ~165-170 for most cuts that I do), and just stays there for hours.  In a nutshell, it's at the point where the meat sweats and moisture evaporates, cooling the meat. Sometimes the temp will even go down a little.  Google "the stall" for more info.    Anyway, at this point, be patient, and don't worry if the temp sits there for hours.  It will eventually bust through it and the temp will rise.    Some people wrap a shoulder in foil, to help "muscle" through the stall.  I don't bother.

 

Next cook, make sure that you don't have too large of a shoulder.   Keep it under 5lbs.  Ideal, is 4lbs.   If you're feeding a crowd, buy and 8 lb'er and have the butcher cut in half, and smoke 'em both at once.  They'll cook faster and you'll have twice the delicious bark.    Start a lot earlier than you think you need too, done early is better than waiting around for it to finish.   If it's done earlier than anticipated, ( a rare occurence), wrap it tightly in foil, and toss it in a faux-cambro, (Google it), which is basically a cooler full of towels, it will keep piping hot for hours.  Just make sure that it stays above the safe temp of 140 degrees.  

 

Make sure that you have an accurate, leave-in, probe thermometer, which helps immensely.

 

Good luck, and let me know how you make out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Skinsfan1311]

4 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

What are you guys doing for Memorial Day?

London Broil.  

 

I'm experimenting with different recipes for the upcoming tailgate season. I have a couple that everyone seems to like, but I want to try something differently   I'm sick of shelling out big-bucks for flank-steak.   It can get pretty expensive, feeding the ES tailgate crowd!    

 

BTW, my tailgate grill?  A 34 year old Weber Kettle.  I just leave it out, when we go into the game, and hope that it's still there when we come back out.  So far, it's always there after the game.   Someone did kick it over one time, probably a pissed off Iggles fan!

 

  

[zoony]

We are doing bbq chicken, neighbor is doing spare ribs

 

 

[Going Commando]

I don't have a smoker.  How would you guys cook pulled pork on a Weber kettle?

[Skinsfan1311]

3 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

I don't have a smoker.  How would you guys cook pulled pork on a Weber kettle?

 

Slow n Sear.   It's the best accessory for a Weber kettle that was ever invented. Turns the kettle into a smoker. Here's the link.    https://abcbarbecue.com/

[LadySkinsFan]

I'm either going to grill a rib-eye or some mojo marinated chicken. Also slice up some potatoes and onions in foil. Maybe get an ear of corn.

Edited May 27, 2017 by LadySkinsFan

[twa]

I'm thinking brisket,ribs,sausage and corn, maybe some fajitas

or maybe just trying Killens BBQ since the Dr says I'm fat..

 

ASF , Mikeska does make some good sausage, their BBQ joint ain't bad(though the wife hates all the mounts on the walls) 

I prefer chappel hills sausage

[Going Commando]

3 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

 

Slow n Sear.   It's the best accessory for a Weber kettle that was ever invented. Turns the kettle into a smoker. Here's the link.    https://abcbarbecue.com/

 

I've got these charcoal baskets: http://www.grillparts.com/weber/categorylist.asp?src=base&product_id=7403&gclid=Cj0KEQjwx6TJBRCWtsiXpI7bhOYBEiQA1en3F8qEQiQnyAEyeSK7H2tSrmDHQpp4yyyX3uIci-pZ0sUaAmVl8P8HAQ

 

I suppose I could use one of those and then add a pan of water in there over the top.  Won't be the same but probably close enough.

 

I've never low and slow cooked a pork shoulder on a kettle grill before.  What kind of cook time is a good ballpark for a 7 to 9 pound bone in shoulder?

[Skinsfan1311]

1 hour ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

I've got these charcoal baskets: http://www.grillparts.com/weber/categorylist.asp?src=base&product_id=7403&gclid=Cj0KEQjwx6TJBRCWtsiXpI7bhOYBEiQA1en3F8qEQiQnyAEyeSK7H2tSrmDHQpp4yyyX3uIci-pZ0sUaAmVl8P8HAQ

 

I suppose I could use one of those and then add a pan of water in there over the top.  Won't be the same but probably close enough.

 

I've never low and slow cooked a pork shoulder on a kettle grill before.  What kind of cook time is a good ballpark for a 7 to 9 pound bone in shoulder?

That could take 14 hrs, or more, at 225°- 270°.  Try to go no bigger than 5 lbs.  It may be tough to hold temps steady, with that setup that you linked.There is no substitute for a Slow n Sear. You could set up a couple of bricks, on the charcoal grate, (for indirect), light about 10-12 coals, when they're fully lit, place a chunk of hickory, or apple wood on top of it, then dump a chimney starter full of unlit charcoal on top of it. Close bottom vent about 1/2 and top vent about 1/4.That should get you in the ballpark of ~240° and hold for hours, depending on if you have a leaky kettle. Pan of water helps temp control and catches drippings.  Good luck

Edited May 27, 2017 by Skinsfan1311

[AsburySkinsFan]

3 hours ago, twa said:

ASF , Mikeska does make some good sausage, their BBQ joint ain't bad(though the wife hates all the mounts on the walls) 

I prefer chappel hills sausage

Haven't been personally, Tim Mineska comes every year to our BBQ Fest and is awesome. He's a great promoter and a BBQ king!