The Grilling and Cooking Thread

[AsburySkinsFan]

On 11/27/2018 at 7:47 PM, LadySkinsFan said:

I put beans in my chili depending on how I feel. And if I do, it's usually light red kidney beans.

Wife loves the kidney beans but I'm more partial to the black beans, I like adding corn as well for a southwest chili.

But my all time favorite is green chili....omg yummmm

[AsburySkinsFan]

Ok, I debated posting this in the “good food” thread, but this is more of a food style discussion.

 

I found out this last week that I am not a fan if North Carolina style BBQ. I don’t care for the vinegar base pulled pork with little to no smoke flavor. The ribs were cooked and tender but no smoke, and the sauce was a sour thin sauce with no carmelization. The slaw was a thin “vinegar” based but nearly flavorless mince. 

I will fully admit that I am very much partial to heavy smoke, bold flavors, and rich bark and this may just be a case of me expecting something different than their style demands...but wow was I unimpressed. I was so confused and unimpressed that I reached out to some BBQ friends and each of them pretty much said the same thing. NC BBQ is underwhelming.

 

 

 

 

[Going Commando]

Carolina BBQ is cooked whole hog.  That's why it doesn't have much of a bark when shredded.  When it's done well, it's transcendent.  America's first great pork BBQ tradition.

[Going Commando]

18 hours ago, steve09ru said:

Just through together a cheeseball,  went more Italian theme with a kick of cayenne and crushed pecan crust.  

 

A cheese ball is a holiday classic for me.  My grandparents and grand aunts and uncles used to always make a ton of them to bring to Christmas parties and Thanksgiving appetizers.  I guess they went out of style because I don't see them that often any more.  I love a good cheese ball.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

2 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Carolina BBQ is cooked whole hog.  That's why it doesn't have much of a bark when shredded.  When it's done well, it's transcendent.  America's first great pork BBQ tradition.

 

That is partially correct.  There are two styles in NC, Western (often referred to as Lexington style) and Eastern.  Lexington uses just the pork shoulder and has a more smoky taste and the bbq sauce is both ketchup and vinegar based (map says tomato sauce added, I've seen both ketchup and tomato sauce added to recipes).  Eastern style is the "whole hog" or basically any part of the hog you can eat and their sauce does not have any ketchup and is just mainly vinegar.  

 

I grew up in the western part of the state, so it's always been Western style for me as far as preference.  I like some of the western style sauces because they are sweeter and use them from time to time on my BBQ and chicken wings.  I can't stand eastern style sauce at all.  But I also enjoy other varieties of bbq sauce that are tomato based.  

 

Not a huge fan of the mustard based sauces they use in SC, but some are ok/pretty good.  This map sums it all up:

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by Dont Taze Me Bro

[Skinsfan1311]

4 hours ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Ok, I debated posting this in the “good food” thread, but this is more of a food style discussion.

 

I found out this last week that I am not a fan if North Carolina style BBQ. I don’t care for the vinegar base pulled pork with little to no smoke flavor. The ribs were cooked and tender but no smoke, and the sauce was a sour thin sauce with no carmelization. The slaw was a thin “vinegar” based but nearly flavorless mince. 

I will fully admit that I am very much partial to heavy smoke, bold flavors, and rich bark and this may just be a case of me expecting something different than their style demands...but wow was I unimpressed. I was so confused and unimpressed that I reached out to some BBQ friends and each of them pretty much said the same thing. NC BBQ is underwhelming.

 

Same here.

I use elements of Carolina-style, (vinegar sauce with catsup, brown sugar, pepper & red pepper flakes), but that's about it.  I like pork butts with plenty of bark. I'm careful with the wood smoke though. Too much and it can get bitter.

For ribs, it's Memphis-style all the way. Give me a smoky, dry-rubbed rib any day over Carolina style.   I do enjoy succulent, whole hog, Carolina-style, with just a vinegar and red-pepper flake mop. The cracklings are the best.  

[skinsmarydu]

4 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Carolina BBQ is cooked whole hog.  That's why it doesn't have much of a bark when shredded.  When it's done well, it's transcendent.  America's first great pork BBQ tradition.

To me, it's a sauce thing...I like the NC style...vinegary with lots of red pepper flakes. 

I get my meat & Brunswick stew from my favorite restaurant, and make my own sauce. 

And the slaw goes on the sandwich or right alongside the pile of meat so you can get both on your fork at the same time. 🤗

[AsburySkinsFan]

2 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Same here.

I use elements of Carolina-style, (vinegar sauce with catsup, brown sugar, pepper & red pepper flakes), but that's about it.  I like pork butts with plenty of bark. I'm careful with the wood smoke though. Too much and it can get bitter.

For ribs, it's Memphis-style all the way. Give me a smoky, dry-rubbed rib any day over Carolina style.   I do enjoy succulent, whole hog, Carolina-style, with just a vinegar and red-pepper flake mop. The cracklings are the best.  

This is about where I am too. I just wasn’t expecting a pile of pale minced meat with little to no smoke. I’ve had whole hog before and it’s always been rich, smoky and flavorful. I like my sauce thinner with a tomato vinegar base with spices. This pork just tasted sour and bland. The rib sauce was better but still hardly any smoke on it. 

 

NC whole hog may well be the original whatever, I won’t even bother arguing it. But geeze ya gotta have flavor other than sourness. I mean pork is pretty subtle to begin with so without smoke and spices it’s just...bleh.

 

For me BBQ is:

Pulled pork: smoked pork butts with bark and nice hardwood flavor, and if you desire a thinner rich sauce.

Ribs: dry rub, smoked, baby backs. I like St. Louis style too though. But I hate sloppy sweet dessert ribs.

Beef: richly smoked peppered brisket well rendered and fall apart. Beef ribs are nice too but they can dry out easily.

Chicken: not big on smoked chicken, but it has to be smoked with crispy skin and some rub.

Turkey: I LOVE smoked turkey, especially a heavily smoked leg that tastes about like ham.

[OVCChairman]

Grilled chops from this past weekend

[skinsmarydu]

Chairman's Chops...your home is here. 🤗

In WV speak, "'deed honest, it is." 👍

[FrFan]

15 hours ago, OVCChairman said:

Oh i may have found my favorite thread....

Epicurus approves this message

[Going Commando]

What kind of pork chop cuts do you guys like best?  I find I like bone-in blade chops but my wife prefers boneless new york chops.  To me the only way you can cook those really well is on a grill whereas I can pan fry a blade chop and have it taste great.

[AsburySkinsFan]

2 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

What kind of pork chop cuts do you guys like best?  I find I like bone-in blade chops but my wife prefers boneless new york chops.  To me the only way you can cook those really well is on a grill whereas I can pan fry a blade chop and have it taste great.

I like the bone on, mostly because I like to eat then wth my fingers and it gives me a handle. I don’t know about all the “on the bone adds more flavor” that I hear so much these days. I mean what process is taking place when I cook that takes bone flavor and imparts it to the meat?

[OVCChairman]

26 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

What kind of pork chop cuts do you guys like best?  I find I like bone-in blade chops but my wife prefers boneless new york chops.  To me the only way you can cook those really well is on a grill whereas I can pan fry a blade chop and have it taste great.

 

 

The chops I posted a picture of are my tops (I BELIEVE those would be the blade chops cut really thick), but they're hard to find cut that thick and good quality.  Those came from Costco.

 

I dont mind New York but if you dont get them just right they toughen up really fast.  

The best way i've found to cook them that thick is to start them on the grill and finish in the oven.  I ALWAYS use a bluetooth meat thermometer now because it's impossible to really gauge it without, and just going a little over causes them to be very dry.  

[Skinsfan1311]

2 hours ago, OVCChairman said:

 

 

The chops I posted a picture of are my tops (I BELIEVE those would be the blade chops cut really thick), but they're hard to find cut that thick and good quality.  Those came from Costco.

 

I dont mind New York but if you dont get them just right they toughen up really fast.  

The best way i've found to cook them that thick is to start them on the grill and finish in the oven.  I ALWAYS use a bluetooth meat thermometer now because it's impossible to really gauge it without, and just going a little over causes them to be very dry.  

Good call, cooking to temp. So many people overcook pork.  I always pull thick chops off the grill ~133-135° tops, and let carryover do the rest.

When grilling chops, I never have to finish in the oven, even with those super thick chops from Costco.  Disclaimer: I use Grill Grates

Even before using Grill Grates, I never finished them in the oven, I would stick them on the cooler side of the indirect setup.

Sometimes, I'll cook them on the stovetop, in a cast iron pan, and finish them in the oven. 

I've also found that dry-brining chops, with kosher salt, makes a huge difference. 

 

I 

[OVCChairman]

Just now, Skinsfan1311 said:

Good call, cooking to temp. So many people overcook pork.  I always pull thick chops off the grill ~133-135° tops, and let carryover do the rest.

When grilling chops, I never have to finish in the oven, even with those super thick chops from Costco.  Disclaimer: I use Grill Grates

Even before using Grill Grates, I never finished them in the oven, I would stick them on the cooler side of the indirect setup.

Sometimes, I'll cook them on the stovetop, in a cast iron pan, and finish them in the oven. 

I've also found that dry-brining chops, with kosher salt, makes a huge difference. 

 

I 

 

 

Same basic principle.  Our grill is Propane so there's an added cost it that comes into play.  I also like to glaze them and the indirect heat causes the glaze or sauce to thicken up real well... plus it was freakin cold out side so I didnt want to have to keep walking out there

 

 

I will say that I'm not a huge fan of them sitting in their residual water that is released during the oven cooking process, as it kind of plays with the flavor and texture of the bottom of them.  

[Going Commando]

2 hours ago, OVCChairman said:

The chops I posted a picture of are my tops (I BELIEVE those would be the blade chops cut really thick), but they're hard to find cut that thick and good quality.  Those came from Costco.

 

Those look like loin or rib chops rather than blade chops.  Nice looking tenderloin meat in them.  I like loin chops when they're super thick cut like that.  Grilling them turns out great but I have some trouble pan frying them.  I usually end up just searing the outsides and cooking them in the oven.

3 hours ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

I like the bone on, mostly because I like to eat then wth my fingers and it gives me a handle. I don’t know about all the “on the bone adds more flavor” that I hear so much these days. I mean what process is taking place when I cook that takes bone flavor and imparts it to the meat? 

 

I'm not sure the bone does anything to the flavor but it does effect temperature.  It takes longer to heat through so, for me, it helps prevent overcooking.  Also once it heats up it will radiate heat into your meat so you can reduce your cook temperatures.

[Given]

Dinner tonight

[BraveWarrior]

Enjoying this thread...

 

 

As for BBQ sauces, for pork I have found  mixing some apple cider vinegar into a Memphis style sauce (I use Sticky Fingers) works very well on pulled pork and ribs. For beef, I go with Bulls Eye Texas style sauce. It's peppery with a little heat, and goes well with  chicken too. 

[skinsmarydu]

I brought a pizza home from work yesterday...our Hawaiian is pepperoni, ham & pineapple...I added green peppers and red onion & had the super dough dude make it, he knows just how I like it, light on sauce. We usually use white onions on pizza, but to me they add liquid as they cook & have zero flavor. Red onions rule. 

Hubby said it was probably the best pizza ever. 

[OVCChairman]

Ribs, wings, and mac n cheese for a football Sunday.

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

Wife bought an in InstantPot on Black Friday that’s been collecting dust so I tried a carnitas recipe.  All in 90 minutes.  Man, these were incredible.  You would never know these weren’t cooking all day.  Browned in the instant pot and, pressure cooked with all the other ingredients for 30 mins, and then shredded and put under the broiler for about 3 minutes.

[Skinsfan1311]

Drowning my sorrow,  of this lost season, with ribs and beer...

[skinsmarydu]

Not your ribs, the football season. 

I'm sure the season on that was awesome. 

Hmmm.

[Given]

Some bread i made last night