BBQ and Grilling megathread

[guzzy]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

I used to fear the dinner time vs good BBQ takes what it takes paradox. Until I discovered a little trick...

Invest in a cooler large enough to fit a slab of meat wrapped in butcher paper and towels. Not too big.

I once finished a whole brisket around 1pm with dinner planned for 6. Wrapped it up and kept it in a cooler for the afternoon. When I took it out 4-5 hours later, it was still a hot juicy slab of mouth watering sex on a plate..... that's actually what my guests called it.

Great post. This is what I do. I usually prep 11-15 lb brisket the night before. I wake up around 4:30, get smoker started, slap brisket on and go back to bed. I will wake up around and start spritzing/mopping. I pull and wrap brisket at 167, then bring up to 205. Then cooler on towels until dinner time. It can sit in the cooler for hours.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

I used to fear the dinner time vs good BBQ takes what it takes paradox. Until I discovered a little trick...

Invest in a cooler large enough to fit a slab of meat wrapped in butcher paper and towels. Not too big.

I once finished a whole brisket around 1pm with dinner planned for 6. Wrapped it up and kept it in a cooler for the afternoon. When I took it out 4-5 hours later, it was still a hot juicy slab of mouth watering sex on a plate..... that's actually what my guests called it.

Yep this is exactly what helps.
That brisket can rest up to 12 hours in a proper cooler and keep an internal temp above 150+ which is what you're looking for.

Minimum you should rest it for 3 hours for for some tenderness in my experience, but the longer you go the better it gets I've found (never let it get below 150). I do the same, I rewrap in butcher paper and then put a few towels down in a cooler and just let it rest. Timing wise you just start it the night before depending on when you plan to wakeup.

I start mine around 11/12PM if I'm doing a big cook, wake up around 5:30 and spritz, let it go for another hour or so. Wrap and cook for roughly another 3-5 hours depending on tenderness/temp. Usually by about 12:30/1PM its done and then I wrap and cooler until dinner time.

Takes the guess work out of it and you can still eat when you're ready.
Overnight briskets are the best and once you get a feel for your smoker/timing you'll nail it every time. I'd say start to finish is about 12/13 hours and then 3-5 to rest depending on when you want to eat.

[Canadianman]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

I've only tried brisket once and it didn't work out well at all. I had to pull it way too early in order to get supper on the table at a reasonable time. How do you plan dinner (especially a big crowd) when cook times can vary by up to 4 hours? Do you have to cook one day and serve the next?

Brisket should be kept in a cooler for at least 4 hours after it's cooked. If you have to pull it early to make dinner, you started 8 hours too late.

[Komskies]

Been craving some pulled pork lately. Think I'll smoke one on Saturday. Has anyone that's been to Okotoks Costco lately noticed if they're stocking pork shoulders at the moment?

[guzzy]

Just finished my outdoor kitchen/grill island. Pretty happy with the results even though one of the countertops bowed on me a bit. Opted for no sink because there is a sink in the kitchen. I didn't see the value.



This pic is the smoke shack and grill island together.

[Wormius]

That’s pretty nice setup, but aren’t you worried about the proximity of the grill that close to the siding?

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Wormius

That’s pretty nice setup, but aren’t you worried about the proximity of the grill that close to the siding?

Seems like perfect window placement for aromatics into the house though.

[guzzy]

Originally Posted by Wormius

That’s pretty nice setup, but aren’t you worried about the proximity of the grill that close to the siding?

Thanks.

I have 9" behind it. My old grill was actually closer. The siding already melted once a few years ago when I was burning it to clean. I am also addding a stainless steel backsplash. I have refractory plates surrounding the grill as well, plus the cement board.

I had it up to 600F the other night and it wasn't warm enough behind the grill to melt the siding.

[MoneyGuy]

I disposed of our old barbecue that’s stopped working and I’m considering going with just my smoker and a small camping barbecue. I may miss the large barbecue but think it will work fine.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Komskies

Been craving some pulled pork lately. Think I'll smoke one on Saturday. Has anyone that's been to Okotoks Costco lately noticed if they're stocking pork shoulders at the moment?

If you can't find one there, ask the butchers for a bone in pork shoulder at auburn bay coop. They have em in the back most of the time

[CroFlames]

Well, I've decided I am not enough of an enthusiast to be tending to a kettle style bbq all day long for smoking meat. It requires a lot of work, and my temperatures fluctuate a lot.


I'm ready to pull the trigger on a automatic pellet smoker - sorry purists.



Question: Pit Boss vs Traeger? Wifi feature definitely something I'm interested in, and both brands get great reviews. Any thoughts?

[Envitro]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Well, I've decided I am not enough of an enthusiast to be tending to a kettle style bbq all day long for smoking meat. It requires a lot of work, and my temperatures fluctuate a lot.


I'm ready to pull the trigger on a automatic pellet smoker - sorry purists.



Question: Pit Boss vs Traeger? Wifi feature definitely something I'm interested in, and both brands get great reviews. Any thoughts?

Check out Green Mountain Grills. I've loved mine, and the build quality is better than both Pit Boss and Traeger. Look into it.

Paradise Bay Spas is a dealer in Calgary. They have a crap-tonne of pellets, sauces, accessories, and all sorts of stuff there too for the GMG's.

Also, the GMG pellets are by far the best deal around, a 25lb bag costs as much or less than a competing 20lb bag by Traeger (at Costco). Plus, if you use anything other than a non-Traeger pellet, it voids the warranty from what I've heard. At least it used to be that way.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Envitro

Check out Green Mountain Grills. I've loved mine, and the build quality is better than both Pit Boss and Traeger. Look into it.

Paradise Bay Spas is a dealer in Calgary. They have a crap-tonne of pellets, sauces, accessories, and all sorts of stuff there too for the GMG's.

Also, the GMG pellets are by far the best deal around, a 25lb bag costs as much or less than a competing 20lb bag by Traeger (at Costco). Plus, if you use anything other than a non-Traeger pellet, it voids the warranty from what I've heard. At least it used to be that way.

I have a GMG and I love it. There is also an outfit out of Okotoks that sells them, that is where I got mine. I was able to pick it up in Mckenzie.

[Hanni]

Maybe I got a dud because I've been less than impressed with my Green Mountain, I really want to love it but they've had to send me a new igniter and chimney gasket on warranty after only maybe 20 uses.

The igniter wires burnt out because the ignitor doesn't attach in anyway, it just sits in the tube which allows heat to get behind it, the replacement ignitor is the same so I'm just waiting for it die again.

The chimney leaks grease where it bolts to the body of the smoker, I cleaned and degreased everything, installed a brand new gasket and it's leaking again a couple of months later. I'm going to have to buy some gasket maker and try that, which seems ridiculous, doesn't seem like you should have to modify an almost new grill to get it function properly.

I also dislike the power supply setup, this may have changed and I don't if it's the same on other brands but it's terrible. It goes from the wall into an adapter that you would expect to see on an old laptop, this connection is not fixed and can become unplugged. It then does to a 12v female, then 12v male, with one last 12v male into the smoker. They do this so you can run it on a battery if need be but it provides a lot of points for disconnection, which easily happens. None of it looks very weather resistant either which is a concern.

Now that it's all typed out it sounds like anti GMG rant. It's functionally and I'm not looking to get rid of it but I wouldn't buy it again if I could go back.

[CroFlames]

Interesting stuff. I only know people with Pit Boss and Traeger and they love them.

[The Fonz]

I bought a Traeger Ironwood 650 a couple months back and it's been fantastic, no complaints so far.

[DoubleK]

Whole Brisket is on for $5/lb at Save on Foods.

[bossy22]

where do you get butcher paper?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by bossy22

where do you get butcher paper?

Amazon

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Well, I've decided I am not enough of an enthusiast to be tending to a kettle style bbq all day long for smoking meat. It requires a lot of work, and my temperatures fluctuate a lot.

A simple Weber kettle grill works fine for BBQ.

The grill has two air adjusters. Always leave the bottom one fully open. Only adjust the top one. I found a 5mm opening for each hole sufficient to keep temps at 225 for at least 8 hours.

Get a chimney starter and wood chunks. Fill with briquettes, light, put on one side of the kettle. Throw chunk on charcoal. Put meat on other side.