Grilling - how do you do it?

[ILSnwdog]

<!--QuoteBegin-PassTheAmmunition+Mar 30 2011, 11:06 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (PassTheAmmunition @ Mar 30 2011, 11:06 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> You want to take care of your grill or smoker as well if you want it to last. A decent grill that is maintained can last more than 10 years. My last Weber lasted 12. Thats longer than most marriages. :-) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->

My current Weber is 9 years old, and I have no plans on replacing it. Hell, the ignitor still works on the first push! <!--emo&--><img src='http://www.therushforum.com/html/emoticons/laugh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='laugh.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Sadly, the aforementioned Weber has died. It has been replaced by a new Weber Genesis grill with three burners and a searing burner. It's copper instead of black, and it's bad ass. :haz:

 

I'm looking forward to the next 12 years with this grill.

[ILSnwdog]

I've been using charcoal, lately, but there is nothing wrong with using gas, and putting a "smoker pouch" on one of the burners.

Slow n low for bigger cuts of meat and sear it on high heat for thinner cuts.

 

And chicken doesn't need to be cooked to 180 degrees. 160 degrees for a chicken breast is fine.

I just don't have time for charcoal. :(

[Aikenrooster]

I've been using charcoal, lately, but there is nothing wrong with using gas, and putting a "smoker pouch" on one of the burners.

Slow n low for bigger cuts of meat and sear it on high heat for thinner cuts.

 

And chicken doesn't need to be cooked to 180 degrees. 160 degrees for a chicken breast is fine.

I just don't have time for charcoal. :(

If you use a chimney to start the coals, they'll be ready by the time you prep the meat.

Nothing wrong with gas at all. In fact, when searing steaks, you can't even tell. It's the Maillard reaction (and fat marbling) that provides the flavor.

Next time you grill some fat porterhouses, try the reverse sear. Turn on one burner and get the temp to 225. Put the meat on the other side of the grill and smoke until the internal temp is 105 or 110. Then, Turn The Burner On High And Sear Them Until 135 Or 140, Or Whatever People like. $

[Lost In Xanadu]

I've been using charcoal, lately, but there is nothing wrong with using gas, and putting a "smoker pouch" on one of the burners.

Slow n low for bigger cuts of meat and sear it on high heat for thinner cuts.

 

And chicken doesn't need to be cooked to 180 degrees. 160 degrees for a chicken breast is fine.

I just don't have time for charcoal. :(

If you use a chimney to start the coals, they'll be ready by the time you prep the meat.

I tell him the same thing. 15-20 minutes tops for the coals to be ready using a chimney. People I know with a gas grill let it go 10-15 minutes to warm up before throwing meat on there...

[gangsterfurious]

So... all jokes aside. My husband says he wants to start grilling, especially during the summer. But we live in a small space and only have our back parking area to put a bbq in. Do you guys have any recommendations for a good little portable grill?

[troutman]

I use all three,

 

But prefer wood burning when possible.

[John V]

Same here troutman. I have a Weber Silver gas grill, a Weber kettle grill, a Weber Smokey Joe grill, and a Brinkman offset smoker.

 

I use all three depending on what I am cooking. Charcoal when i have plenty time and gas on evenings when I just want it cooked fast with no clean up.

 

My Brinkman offset smoker is not very efficient and can burn wood like crazy. So the kettle grill gets these jobs if I can fit the food in there for indirect cooking/smoking/roasting.

Made a "beer can" chicken on the gas grill last night. Crispy and very moist inside. Very good with asparagus and yellow rice to accompany.

Cold Bud Light and a couple shots of Patron rounded out the evening.

Edited May 13, 2014 by John V

[troutman]

Same here troutman. I have a Weber Silver gas grill, a Weber kettle grill, a Weber Smokey Joe grill, and a Brinkman offset smoker.

 

I use all three depending on what I am cooking. Charcoal when i have plenty time and gas on evenings when I just want it cooked fast with no clean up.

 

My Brinkman offset smoker is not very efficient and can burn wood like crazy. So the kettle grill gets these jobs if I can fit the food in there for indirect cooking/smoking/roasting.

Made a "beer can" chicken on the gas grill last night. Crispy and very moist inside. Very good with asparagus and yellow rice to accompany.

Cold Bud Light and a couple shots of Patron rounded out the evening.

 

Nice!,

 

I need to try the beer can chicken thing. My appetite for chicken comes and goes. I was really picky with it as a kid. My girlfriend loves it.

Nice choice with the Patron! :digi: :cheers:

[Aikenrooster]

So... all jokes aside. My husband says he wants to start grilling, especially during the summer. But we live in a small space and only have our back parking area to put a bbq in. Do you guys have any recommendations for a good little portable grill?

Weber Smokey Joe. But .... This is very important .... you gotta learn how to control the heat with a small grill, because there is less air flow. If you throw hot coals in there and shut the lid, the coals will go out FAST. You have to take the lid off and possibly blow air in there to keep the coals really hot (if searing), because, really,you gotta keep a lid on there to eliminate flaring. It just takes practice.

 

BTW, please take a lesson from all the $ I've wasted on cheap grills .... buy the Weber .... I know it's expensive, but cheap grills are made with sheet metal that dissipate heat quickly, leading to fluctuations in temperature. Whether low n slow or searing, you need consistency.

 

If you want to smoke meat, you will need a grill bigger than the Smokey Joe, perhaps the 22 inch grill.

 

I don't know about the Komodo Green Egg grill, or whatever it is. They look to be of good quality, but high $.

 

 

Buy a good quality charcoal chimney from Academy Sports. All you need is newspaper to start the coals and a match. Do not buy lighter fluid and do not buy instant light coals. Regular Kingsford or lump charcoal is fine. I don't want my $30 steak coated with petroleum.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Aikenrooster

[troutman]

So... all jokes aside. My husband says he wants to start grilling, especially during the summer. But we live in a small space and only have our back parking area to put a bbq in. Do you guys have any recommendations for a good little portable grill?

Weber Smokey Joe. But .... This is very important .... you gotta learn how to control the heat with a small grill, because there is less air flow. If you throw hot coals in there and shut the lid, the coals will go out FAST. You have to take the lid off and possibly blow air in there to keep the coals really hot (if searing), because, really,you gotta keep a lid on there to eliminate flaring. It just takes practice.

 

BTW, please take a lesson from all the $ I've wasted on cheap grills .... buy the Weber .... I know it's expensive, but cheap grills are made with sheet metal that dissipate heat quickly, leading to fluctuations in temperature. Whether low n slow or searing, you need consistency.

 

If you want to smoke meat, you will need a grill bigger than the Smokey Joe, perhaps the 22 inch grill.

 

I don't know about the Komodo Green Egg grill, or whatever it is. They look to be of good quality, but high $.

 

 

Buy a good quality charcoal chimney from Academy Sports. All you need is newspaper to start the coals and a match. Do not buy lighter fluid and do not buy instant light coals. Regular Kingsford or lump charcoal is fine. I don't want my $30 steak coated with petroleum.

 

 

Great post! :ebert:

[Aikenrooster]

Same here troutman. I have a Weber Silver gas grill, a Weber kettle grill, a Weber Smokey Joe grill, and a Brinkman offset smoker.

 

I use all three depending on what I am cooking. Charcoal when i have plenty time and gas on evenings when I just want it cooked fast with no clean up.

 

My Brinkman offset smoker is not very efficient and can burn wood like crazy. So the kettle grill gets these jobs if I can fit the food in there for indirect cooking/smoking/roasting.

Made a "beer can" chicken on the gas grill last night. Crispy and very moist inside. Very good with asparagus and yellow rice to accompany.

Cold Bud Light and a couple shots of Patron rounded out the evening.

The Brinkmann sucks. Sorry sheet metal. I lined the inside of mine with more sheet metal to make another layer of metal and create a reflective surface. You can only use the smoker box with wood. Nothing else will get hot enough. Being that it's a sorry grill made me learn how to be a better grillman. I had to learn what was really happening with the heat and airflow. I'm not a master, but stuff is more consistent, lately.

[Aikenrooster]

Oh, the most important things:

1)A fast read DIGITAL meat thermometer - the one that tells you the temperature within 2 seconds - is essential. Anything else is junk.

 

2)A digital oven thermometer for the cooking surface. You need to know what the temperature is at the spot on the grill where you place the meat.

[gangsterfurious]

Oh, the most important things:

1)A fast read DIGITAL meat thermometer - the one that tells you the temperature within 2 seconds - is essential. Anything else is junk.

 

2)A digital oven thermometer for the cooking surface. You need to know what the temperature is at the spot on the grill where you place the meat.

 

Thanks Aiken, :)

 

Is this the one you were talking about?

 

http://img2.targetimg2.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/10/40/10408878_121214164354.jpg

 

It looks like Target has them for $29.99.

[Lost In Xanadu]

I have one of these in 18.5" and 22" varieties:

http://www.hearthandgrill.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5b16ef00eb64c779b7152215167f4bdc/s/i/silver_22.5.png

One of these for smoking:

 

One of these on the way (for free thru an office reward program):

[gangsterfurious]

I have one of these in 18.5" and 22" varieties:

http://www.hearthandgrill.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5b16ef00eb64c779b7152215167f4bdc/s/i/silver_22.5.png

One of these for smoking:

 

One of these on the way (for free thru an office reward program):

 

You are an insane grilling machine dude.

[Aikenrooster]

Oh, the most important things:

1)A fast read DIGITAL meat thermometer - the one that tells you the temperature within 2 seconds - is essential. Anything else is junk.

 

2)A digital oven thermometer for the cooking surface. You need to know what the temperature is at the spot on the grill where you place the meat.

 

Thanks Aiken, :)

 

Is this the one you were talking about?

 

http://img2.targetimg2.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/10/40/10408878_121214164354.jpg

 

It looks like Target has them for $29.99.

Yes. As you can see, it's a miniature of the bigger grills made by Weber. It is portable, and you can easily put 2 fat ass ribeyes on there. 2 fat ass porterhouses would be a squeeze.

[Aikenrooster]

I have one of these in 18.5" and 22" varieties:

http://www.hearthandgrill.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5b16ef00eb64c779b7152215167f4bdc/s/i/silver_22.5.png

One of these for smoking:

 

One of these on the way (for free thru an office reward program):

YES! Smoke City!

[Aikenrooster]

Same here troutman. I have a Weber Silver gas grill, a Weber kettle grill, a Weber Smokey Joe grill, and a Brinkman offset smoker.

 

I use all three depending on what I am cooking. Charcoal when i have plenty time and gas on evenings when I just want it cooked fast with no clean up.

 

My Brinkman offset smoker is not very efficient and can burn wood like crazy. So the kettle grill gets these jobs if I can fit the food in there for indirect cooking/smoking/roasting.

Made a "beer can" chicken on the gas grill last night. Crispy and very moist inside. Very good with asparagus and yellow rice to accompany.

Cold Bud Light and a couple shots of Patron rounded out the evening.

 

Nice!,

 

I need to try the beer can chicken thing. My appetite for chicken comes and goes. I was really picky with it as a kid. My girlfriend loves it.

Nice choice with the Patron! :digi: :cheers:

The guy at amazing ribs says beer can chicken is a bad idea, because, when you cook a chicken whole, the cavity needs to be left open so the breasts can get heat from underneath. He also says not to stuff a turkey cavity when smoking for t-day.

I've never tried the beer can chicken. Let me know if it turns out well!!!

 

Good luck.

[ILSnwdog]

So... all jokes aside. My husband says he wants to start grilling, especially during the summer. But we live in a small space and only have our back parking area to put a bbq in. Do you guys have any recommendations for a good little portable grill?

The Weber Smokey Joe.

[John V]

Same here troutman. I have a Weber Silver gas grill, a Weber kettle grill, a Weber Smokey Joe grill, and a Brinkman offset smoker.

 

I use all three depending on what I am cooking. Charcoal when i have plenty time and gas on evenings when I just want it cooked fast with no clean up.

 

My Brinkman offset smoker is not very efficient and can burn wood like crazy. So the kettle grill gets these jobs if I can fit the food in there for indirect cooking/smoking/roasting.

Made a "beer can" chicken on the gas grill last night. Crispy and very moist inside. Very good with asparagus and yellow rice to accompany.

Cold Bud Light and a couple shots of Patron rounded out the evening.

The Brinkmann sucks. Sorry sheet metal. I lined the inside of mine with more sheet metal to make another layer of metal and create a reflective surface. You can only use the smoker box with wood. Nothing else will get hot enough. Being that it's a sorry grill made me learn how to be a better grillman. I had to learn what was really happening with the heat and airflow. I'm not a master, but stuff is more consistent, lately.

 

I agree with your first statement. The Brinkmans design is the issue, not the thickness of the metal. In cold weather of course insulating qualities are very important. But in the warm and hot months, it has little effect on the results.

The problem lies with the way the heat travels through the tunnel smoker. I am working on a modification as we speak. I went and looked at professional smokers at the BBQ competition here in town and got some great ideas on how to modify the Brinkman to be more efficient. Making the 3/16th sheet metal thicker is not planned or needed.

 

As far as the beer can chicken. The guy that told you its not a good idea is wrong.

Of course if you are worried you are not going to cook your food enough to prevent illness, then you should not be cooking at all. Beer can chicken provides very moist white meat and a nice crispy skin.

 

I never stuff a turkey. Not because I'm afraid it will not be done. But because i want it done in one hour less. Stuffing the cavity of a bird before roasting only prolongs the cooking time. If its under cooked, it was not the fault of the beer can shoved up the chickens ass, but the person who cooked it.