BBQ and Grilling megathread

[GreenLantern]

The larger risk is with the ones that can't be removed without the possibility of causing serious damage. Some of these get embedded and the surgeons say it is like 'looking for a needle in a hay stack.'

Dempsey, who likened the surgery to removing an acupuncture needle from a grapefruit without damaging any part of the fruit, said the number of cases across Canada isn't tracked.

Hospitals in the Halifax area are seeing at least one or two cases each week, he said, adding that many of the wires can be removed by emergency room physicians but a few "get deeper in and lower down" and require surgery.

Over four months, she had multiple CT scans, X-rays, scopes and two unsuccessful attempts to remove it through surgery. Dempsey, who was Wadden's otolaryngologist, told her it was best to wait for scar tissue to build up around the wire and lessen the pain.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/barbec...psey-1.3741578

Easily avoided risk, just not worth it.

[Wormius]

I think sometimes you can just be lucky depending on how you set your grills up. Mine could be flipped upside-down, so if any bristles came loose, they would stay on the grill in those grooves where they could get picked up by whatever food is cooking. If the grills are turned the other way around, there is a better likelihood that the bristles will fall into the burners.

[Wiggum_PI]

I recently bought a BBQ brush from Canadian Tire that has wood fiber bristles. Has worked pretty good so far, no complaints.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ma...-0852207p.html

[Aegypticus]

https://www.thegrommet.com/brushtech...ill-brush-21in

I'm a bit behind on this thread, but has anyone tried something like this? Impossible for there to be loose bristles since there are none, but I had doubts about their efficacy when I saw one in person.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Aegypticus

https://www.thegrommet.com/brushtech...ill-brush-21in

I'm a bit behind on this thread, but has anyone tried something like this? Impossible for there to be loose bristles since there are none, but I had doubts about their efficacy when I saw one in person.

I have one of those as well (or something close if not the same brand). It's "OK". Not the best, but it works to some extent. I think of the sides were something other than flexible metal so you could get some purchase on it then it would be better. It just bends too easily IMO.

[Harju]

Originally Posted by Aegypticus

https://www.thegrommet.com/brushtech...ill-brush-21in

I'm a bit behind on this thread, but has anyone tried something like this? Impossible for there to be loose bristles since there are none, but I had doubts about their efficacy when I saw one in person.

We have one and it does not clean very well. Ours is a smaller version of what's in the video. I think you have to apply a lot of pressure otherwise it just glides across the grill.

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Totally disagree. The biggest problem with seasonings is that most of them have far too much salt. Go to Silk Road, buy the St Laurent steak blend, sprinkle onto fatty areas then spread around and pat in.

The science and professionals would disagree with you. Ample salt is crucial in bringing out alot of the desired qualities of a BBQ'ed steak including:

1) It's a major flavor enhancer
2) It has a minor role tenderizing meat
3) If left on the meat long enough (1-2 hour pre cooking) it helps retain moisture while cooking at searing temperature.
4) It helps form a crust for proper mouth feel.

Obviously you can go too far with salt, and taste is subjective, but there are many legitimate reasons why red meat seasonings have the salt content they do.

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by Aegypticus

https://www.thegrommet.com/brushtech...ill-brush-21in

I'm a bit behind on this thread, but has anyone tried something like this? Impossible for there to be loose bristles since there are none, but I had doubts about their efficacy when I saw one in person.

The helix design is supposed to be the safest answer, but they are more expensive and don't scrub the grill as well as traditional brushes. Last summer I asked the guys at BBQ's galore if they sell this type of brush, and was told they don't anymore because when they carried them, no one bought them because of the increased cost.

I do wonder if this ingested bristle epidemic is a bit over blown. How many millions of Americans have been using these brushes at least once a week for decades, and now its suddenly a rampant issue? I guess its possible the bristle steel quality/design has gone down hill, or people are moving away from the traditional rod grills towards something that keeps the bristle in contact with food?

[RoadGame]

BBQs Galore, earlier this year, had a Webber product that looks a lot like the helix one. Still bristles, but held in by the coiled thick wire rather than glued in to a wood head. Works almost as well as my old conventional brush. The salesman's comment to me was the reason for a lot of these bristle injury issues is people buy a cheap brush and don't replace it for years (I suppose if I was a salesman I'd say that too, but it does seem plausible).

I was looking at a wood scraper like the Grill Hog described in the last page or two, but was told those are for use on stainless grills and not on cast iron. Does anyone use a wood scraper on cast iron here?

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

The science and professionals would disagree with you. Ample salt is crucial in bringing out alot of the desired qualities of a BBQ'ed steak including:

1) It's a major flavor enhancer
2) It has a minor role tenderizing meat
3) If left on the meat long enough (1-2 hour pre cooking) it helps retain moisture while cooking at searing temperature.
4) It helps form a crust for proper mouth feel.

Obviously you can go too far with salt, and taste is subjective, but there are many legitimate reasons why red meat seasonings have the salt content they do.

Agreed, and not only that - certain salts such as 'sel gris' or 'grey salt' is great for steaks and meats as it doesn't draw out as much moisture as other salts. Also, it's super tasty and high in mineral content.

See the usage section here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sel_gris

[photon]

Huh, never even thought about the BBQ brush wire thing, it's probably pretty uncommon but it seems like it's also something easily avoided.

I tried one of those ones that looks like a volcanic rock on it instead of a brush, but it sucked.

My BBQ has a ceramic grill (or iron with a ceramic coating I guess), I wonder if any type would work better. The wood plate ones don't seem that they'd work that well as my grill "rails" has cross bars to the neighbouring grill rail all up and down the height of the grill.

[Sainters7]

I grilled the top of my wrist on Friday, is that a good method?

...we have a new grill which I didn't realize has only a few inches between the knob on the propane tank underneath and the apparently scalding hot metal tray right above it. Seems like a safety hazard, at least for dummies like me. Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way..

[calumniate]

Would only make sense if you seasoned it first

[squiggs96]

Health Canada now assessing wire brushes

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...view-1.4205997

"Health Canada will evaluate the results of the risk assessment, as well as all other relevant information, to determine what compliance action, if any, should be undertaken," Morrissette said by email.


"Recall of the product is one of several possible compliance actions."

[Wormius]

I checked Costco in the NW on the weekend and didn't find the cedar scrapers. Anywhere else locally selling then? Or should I just whittle my own from some left over decking?

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I checked Costco in the NW on the weekend and didn't find the cedar scrapers. Anywhere else locally selling then? Or should I just whittle my own from some left over decking?

Amazon? They ship quick.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

The science and professionals would disagree with you. Ample salt is crucial in bringing out alot of the desired qualities of a BBQ'ed steak including:

1) It's a major flavor enhancer
2) It has a minor role tenderizing meat
3) If left on the meat long enough (1-2 hour pre cooking) it helps retain moisture while cooking at searing temperature.
4) It helps form a crust for proper mouth feel.

Obviously you can go too far with salt, and taste is subjective, but there are many legitimate reasons why red meat seasonings have the salt content they do.

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.

[Kjesse]

My cupboard contains many Silk Road spices and blends but I'm not a big fan of some of their mixes including the St. Laurent, but that's a very subjective matter.

On the point of salt, NuclearFart is more in the right on the topic of salt from what I've learned. I've taken multiple courses from local chefs including Michael Noble, Connie DeSouza, Ron Shewchuk, had conversations about this with Duncan Ly (the most intelligent chef I've ever met, he is one smart cookie) and a few others.

When I saw them salt steaks I was at first usually taken aback. Its not caking salt on, but it is liberally salting. (That being said, putting on a salt crust and then taking it off is becoming popular, although that's not my preference.)

From there, you can add pepper or your favorite seasoning if you like just before you grill, but if you're adding a seasoning other than salt, keep it relatively sparse.

Here's a great article on the topic, and it works: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/...se_steaks.html

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Delgar

My cupboard contains many Silk Road spices and blends but I'm not a big fan of some of their mixes including the St. Laurent, but that's a very subjective matter.

I love their Scarborough Fair blend for poultry and potatoes, and for steak their Old Chicago Steak spice is great. Subjective is quite right.

[pgsieve]

Found a piece of wire in my chicken tonight! Thought it was an uncommon thing as well. Brush is almost brand new