BBQ and Grilling megathread

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Also, any sightings of those wood grill scrapers at Costco? Most seem to have been sold out at the locations I visited. Worst case, there's a good looking option for a cedar scraper on Amazon for about $27, but I'd like one last swipe at the one from Costco before ordering it.

Saw a bunch of them at the Sunridge Costco in Calgary yesterday.

[Nufy]

Just purchased an electric smoker

Any tips on smoking different types of meat at the same time...

I would love to be able to do a couple of pork loins on one rack, wings on another etc...

Any recommended websites for tips / recipes. The manufacturer has some but always looking for options...

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Saw a bunch of them at the Sunridge Costco in Calgary yesterday.

Nice. Thanks for the heads up. I was able to nab 2 of them. It looks like there's still around 100 of them left as of yesterday.

I also just realized these Costco scrapers are oak, not cedar. But that's no biggie. Just a heads up in case someone specifically wanted cedar.

[Fuzz]

Oak is probably what you want anyway. It's much harder and less likely to burn.

[Superflyer]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Just purchased an electric smoker

Any tips on smoking different types of meat at the same time...

I would love to be able to do a couple of pork loins on one rack, wings on another etc...

Any recommended websites for tips / recipes. The manufacturer has some but always looking for options...

Make sure to keep the higher fat meats below the others, in this case put the wings above the pork. If it is pork and pork then it does not matter but you don't want your wings coated in pork fat drippings.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Make sure to keep the higher fat meats below the others, in this case put the wings above the pork. If it is pork and pork then it does not matter but you don't want your wings coated in pork fat drippings.

Or do you?

[fleuryisgod]

Time for some actual food in this thread again. Have a BBQ club and it was my turn to host on Saturday so I cooked about 15 lbs of food. Did a rotisserie porchetta, smoked a couple of small pork butts and to finish things off did some sous vide ribs that I completed on my smoker.

No clue how to do spoilers to hid the pictures but here they are anyways...

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

So I didn't say that you shouldn't have any salt in your seasoning, but that most seasonings - especially most montreal steak spice blends - have way, way more than they should, and that caking salt on a steak is not a good method. To respond to your points individually,

1) If the flavour you're going for is "salt lick", sure. If you like your steak really salty, fine, go nuts. I'd rather have other seasonings that bring out the flavour of the meat.
2) As you say, minor, and you shouldn't really need the help on that one.
3) This is true, but again, not necessary if you're searing properly.
4) You want a crust of salt on the steak? I mean, leaving aside the fact that any number of seasonings create "mouth feel" just as well (the one I suggested is here, and contains things like mustard seed and chiles that have their own texture).

It seems to me that people who liberally apply high volumes of salt to steaks are only comparing the result favourably to a bad steak cooked badly. I can certainly see it helping quite a bit if your usual cooking method is otherwise producing dry, bland meat, but if you're doing things properly you don't need it to get good results and you can spare yourself an excessively salty steak.

Either that or you just really like salt, which, well, personal preferences I suppose.

Retracted. Corsi is more openminded than I thought.

[loob job]

I just ordered one from Amazon, Costco in my area didn't have any..........cedar scrapers that is.

[schooner]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Your steak is overdone.

Dont really care to get in a debate over proper doneness. But Im thinking the lighting on my cell phone pic must not do justice because it was def not overdone. Pulled off at about 110, prob rested to 120. It was a solid med rare. Now if you prefer less I got no arguments there.

[Kjesse]

Fleuryisgod,

Is that a holster for the looftlighter? And what is that device controlling air intake? It obviously works from the results. It also looks somewhat alien.

I'm using a digiq2 for when I need precise charcoal temps, the blower mounts directly to the intake without a hose.

I'm curious what you have going on there.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Fleuryisgod,

Is that a holster for the looftlighter? And what is that device controlling air intake? It obviously works from the results. It also looks somewhat alien.

I'm using a digiq2 for when I need precise charcoal temps, the blower mounts directly to the intake without a hose.

I'm curious what you have going on there.

I don't know if that is a holster, but the other contraption is a pitmaster IQ 130. It basically controls the heat, which sounds like what you have with yours? I should invest in one of these myself (either one). When I do things like brisket or shoulders overnight I basically check it super late and as soon as I get up and hope things stay constant enough in between!

[nik-]

Originally Posted by fleuryisgod

You need to take everything on this plate and make it a sandwich

[Kjesse]

Yeah Slava I have the BBQ Guru DigiQ2. It makes controlling charcoal temp a breeze. The BBQ Guru even has lid lifting detection and knows exactly how to restrict/add to blowing such that it doesn't overshoot temps. Its amazing.

Looks like the other one is a little cheaper with built in bluetooth. I had never heard of that brand. You probably can't go wrong with either. They're not cheap but are well worth it in my view --- you don't have to tend the fire at all.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Yeah Slava I have the BBQ Guru DigiQ2. It makes controlling charcoal temp a breeze. The BBQ Guru even has lid lifting detection and knows exactly how to restrict/add to blowing such that it doesn't overshoot temps. Its amazing.

Looks like the other one is a little cheaper with built in bluetooth. I had never heard of that brand. You probably can't go wrong with either. They're not cheap but are well worth it in my view --- you don't have to tend the fire at all.

I really don't know why I've cheaped out and not picked one up! I mean I would use it basically every weekend and it would make life so much easier.

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by Slava

I really don't know why I've cheaped out and not picked one up! I mean I would use it basically every weekend and it would make life so much easier.

BBQs Galore used to carry the DigiQ if you don't want to order online.

My electronics for all methods of grilling and smoking include:

-Thermapen (essential for everything)
-DigiQ2 (For the BGE)
-IGrill 2 (barely used, I might sell it if anyone is interested)
-Auber Instruments Dual PID (precise control for the Bradley Smoker)
-Raytek laser infrared heat thermometer

With those the temperature of the grills, smokers or meat is never in doubt leading to optimal results.

In the winter I sous vide, which is also great for temperature control.

[fleuryisgod]

My Setup

Broil King Keg 5000 - Overall a good unit with a few frustrations. Main thing I don't like about it is how hard it is to add more wood chips to it mid-cook. Only way to add wood or charcoal is by actually removing the food and grill and then adding from the top. That being said it holds it's temp very well and unless I'm doing my longer cooks requires very little tinkering with to keep at desired temp. Can also handle anything from about 175 all the way up to 950 which is fantastic.

Looflighter - Bought this day 1 with my keg so I don't really have any comparisons but it's very easy to use. I'm lazy and don't like standing there holding it while lighting my charcoal so I rigged it up with duct tape and a piece of plastic so it's always on while plugged in, that's why it sorta looks like it has a holster.

Pitmaster IQ 130 - This is my most recent addition. Those pork butts were actually my first time using it. I went with the Pitmaster mainly due to compatibility with my keg. It was the only brand that I was 100% positive that I would be able to connect it to my keg. First impression was good, I still need to play around with vent settings a little bit to really dial it in but I think it's going to make my 15-20 hour smokes way easier and less stressful. I wish they had a wifi version instead of only bluetooth but at least the bluetooth stayed connected anywhere in my house which was nice.

[trew]

Originally Posted by fleuryisgod

My Setup

Broil King Keg 5000 - Overall a good unit with a few frustrations. Main thing I don't like about it is how hard it is to add more wood chips to it mid-cook. Only way to add wood or charcoal is by actually removing the food and grill and then adding from the top. That being said it holds it's temp very well and unless I'm doing my longer cooks requires very little tinkering with to keep at desired temp. Can also handle anything from about 175 all the way up to 950 which is fantastic.

Looflighter - Bought this day 1 with my keg so I don't really have any comparisons but it's very easy to use. I'm lazy and don't like standing there holding it while lighting my charcoal so I rigged it up with duct tape and a piece of plastic so it's always on while plugged in, that's why it sorta looks like it has a holster.

Pitmaster IQ 130 - This is my most recent addition. Those pork butts were actually my first time using it. I went with the Pitmaster mainly due to compatibility with my keg. It was the only brand that I was 100% positive that I would be able to connect it to my keg. First impression was good, I still need to play around with vent settings a little bit to really dial it in but I think it's going to make my 15-20 hour smokes way easier and less stressful. I wish they had a wifi version instead of only bluetooth but at least the bluetooth stayed connected anywhere in my house which was nice.

I noticed the new Kegs have a lift out section in the grill for refilling charcoal and wood. I wonder if that grill piece can be purchased and put on an older Keg?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by trew

I noticed the new Kegs have a lift out section in the grill for refilling charcoal and wood. I wonder if that grill piece can be purchased and put on an older Keg?

I think you can do that. I know that's the most irritating part for me as well, but I just don't know if that "solution" is a lot better. You still have to do something with whatever you're cooking, and to me that's the most difficult portion.

[Hanni]

Pulled pork, corn on the cob and stuffed mushrooms tonight.

Pics aren't great, my phone has a potato for a camera apparently.