Charcoal BBQ

[ironhat]

Ahhh, Warren, thanks for the tips (tri or otherwise). Now I at least have a clue about the real deal even if I can't spot an April Fool's Day spoof. The real shame is that in today's world it could have really been true.

Later,
Chiz

[Warren]

Chiz, The Weber will do a good job on the smaller cuts. MY suggestion is to get a Tri-Tip roast, untrimmed. If your butcher can't provide untrimmed, ask them for a little extra fat. This is a good cut to start with as it is very flavorful and requires little or no real attention as it cooks. It's also fairly fast.

I coat the meat with sea salt only and stick a couple slivers of garlic into the fat a few hours before starting to cook. Set the Weber up for indirect cooking, keep the temp down around 200 degrees. Put the meat in the center, fat side up and let it cook for around forty minutes, depending on how done you want your beef. Resist the urge to lift the top on the grill every ten minutes to check. Trust in the God of Barbecue to get it right. You should add a couple of charcoal chunks on each side after a half hour or so. Keep an eye on the temperature, I try to use the top vent only to control the temp and open the bottom vents only a third.

When done, internal temp of around 200 degrees, remove from the cooker, wrap in foil and let stand for 15 minutes or so before slicing, thinly across the grain. Open a well earned brew, sit back and enjoy.

I usually smoke some garlic bread towards the end of the cooking time. Serve the beef on slices of bread with a favorite barbeque sauce (sweet, molasses or catshup based for beef is my preference).

[ejs1097]

So, all you gas users, why not cook in the kitchen? How can you resist the flavor of true charcoal grilling?

Several reasons actually
1) Never grew up with Charcoal
2) I grill year round, usually have to shovel a path to the grill.
3) Easy to light
4) heats up fast
5) Using Gas and cooking in the kitchen are nothing alike. I cooked a steak with the broiler once this winter and it tasted like crud compared to the gas grill. HUGE difference.

We cook all our meats outside on the gas grill regardless of weather. Rain, Snow, Cold, Darkness doesn't matter and is never an excuse not to.

All that said, I'm really looking forward to using the 'new' weber kettle I just acquired.

Thanks for the tips on charcoals and recipes.

[jaybee]

About the Belgian tax on bbq - APRIL FOOL !!!! Almost as good as the swiss spaghetti harvest of a few years back.

[siliconbauhaus]

Thats the typical EU burrocracy that comes from brussles. I remember a few years back in Britain there was talk of banning certain flavours of crisps ( potato chips ) because the flavouring wasn't actually "real"

Personally, I cant think of anything good that happened to Britain since joining the EU

[ironhat]

All you charcoal burners are debauching our atmosphere as evidenced by this article. http://en.rian.ru/world/20070403/62999935.html

In short, Belgium has approved a tax on barbequeing because expert have determined that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2 are release in the process. They plan to use helicopters to detect violators!

In all seriousness, since I don't know a true arteeest of the slow B-B-Q where should I start? Book? JerryW's recipe? Admittedly, I'll have to buy a *real* cooker to do this. Are the Webers capable of the slow method?
TIA,
Chiz

[siliconbauhaus]

All this talk is making me hungry

My parents ( bless em ) bought us a gas grill. I dont like it as I've always been a charcoal man. I might invest in a weber this year and keep the gas grill as a warmer.

[JeffW]

I've been using gas for several years, after growing up using charcoal on a full size Weber and occasionally a hibachi.

Recently, I decided it was time to make real BBQ, so I got a Weber Smoky Mountain. All day smokes. Haven't quite got it all figured out yet (ribs aren't falling off the bone) but that smoked meat sure is good.

Don't know much about the toxicity of charcoal.

Tom

You don't want the ribs falling off the bone. You want a little texture to them. For spare ribs I use the 3-2-1 method. First I soak the ribs in Dr. Pepper for about 3 hours. Then your favorite rub.

3 hours at 225 in the smoker I use only Kingsford. Lump is the best if available.
2 hours wrapped in foil at 225 sprayed with butter and apple cider
1 hour unwrapped to firm up a little. meat should have pulled back from the bone about 1/4 inch.

Good eating. For baby backs cut the 2 hour foil to one hour.


Got up this morning at 4 to start a brisket.

[Warren]

They're keeping it a secret, but a friend of mine leaked a report from Sacramento that shows that living in California causes cancer. All the rest is just a smoke screen, which also causes cancer in people residing in California.

I stick with alder for salmon and trout on the smoker. Don't eat the stuff myself, but some guests like it. Hickory, oak or other hardwoods for beef and pork. Mutton has never and will never dessicrate the well seasoned racks of my smoker. Or the grill for that matter. Not that I'm opposed to a good Georgian or Armenian shishkabob. I'm just not going to cook it myself.

Vegetables, except for the noble potato, are also forbidden. A smoked, baked potato, slathered in bacon grease and rolled in sea salt is a taste treat. Ribs, pork butts, the stray small hog, briskets and sometimes, garlic bread may be smoked.

[lago]

let's talk charcoal here.
.

i use a chimney starter, and hardwood charcoal (ie Cowboy or Royal Oak). anyone ever here there's harmful agents in briquets?

Charcoal, along with everything else, is known to cause cancer in the state of California.

I have been using Kingsford for years. Just started making my own lump charcoal whenever we don't have a burn ban. Just found some commercial lump charcoal made from oak but haven't had a chance to try it yet. My SIL has used some and says that it cooks hotter and longer than the Kingsford.

Ken

[whitecobra]

As a professional BBQ team and competition BBQ judge I can tell you that lump is king

Not for the fact that it is all natural and not for the fact that is doesn't contain harmful "stuff" as most do NOT but for the fact that is burns MUCH hotter and much more flavorful

If all you want is heat then propane is a much better source but that is NOT what we want we want flavor and that has to come from trees

We use ONLY Duraflame Lump and Duraflame HARDWOOD briquettes (made from aromatic hardwoods)

Come down to Orlando and lets make some saw dust in the shop while Geri and I show you the real flavor of charcoal

As for the type of "grill" you use that is up to you. We do use Weber's for "grilling" the little we do grill. Grilling is high heat with short cook times used for steaks chops and dogs and burgers. BBQ or Barbecue is SLOW and low. Rarely do temps get above 225 and we go for HOURS. Lump is easier to control with those heats as they give off hotter burns and therefore can be tethered down for great results. Try Duraflame and then report back. I can ASSURE you that you will not go back to regular again. BTW you can use lump or briquettes from Duraflame as they use the same wood stocks only the briquettes are mixed with starch to light easier

Dr D

So, all you gas users, why not cook in the kitchen? How can you resist the flavor of true charcoal grilling?

[Tom H]

I've been using gas for several years, after growing up using charcoal on a full size Weber and occasionally a hibachi.

Recently, I decided it was time to make real BBQ, so I got a Weber Smoky Mountain. All day smokes. Haven't quite got it all figured out yet (ribs aren't falling off the bone) but that smoked meat sure is good.

Don't know much about the toxicity of charcoal.

Tom

Had a Weber Kettle Grill for over 30 years. Just bought a new one last year 'cause the handles were gone, the damper was frozen, and I felt like it! Love those Webers!

[gsmittle]

Mmmmm.....BBQ......

I too am still using the Weber grill my wife and I got when we first got married, almost 20 years ago. It's been outside all this time, and absolutely no rust on the kettle. I think I'll have to replace the wooden handles this year though....

I use Kingsford, too, and a chimney. From time to time I put a pie pan in the bottom (charcoal all around), fill it with cheap beer, and steam brats. I drink the good stuff

I think I'll fire her up for the first time this year on Sunday.....Mmmmmmm....BBQ.....

g.