2022 Official Gratuitous Grilling/BBQ/Cooking Thread

[Doug28450]

Getting the fire on the Weber kettle ready for some steaks.

 

[BigRed]

I'm doing the inaugural smoke on my new Smokey Mountain today. It was running hot so I had to shut off all the air to get it down to 250 and I'm shooting for 225. I think I used too many hot coals to start. It'll be a learning process.



View attachment 189492

You may find running a Smokey Mountain, or something similar, takes a bit of time and patience...but you gain skills.

I liken it to way back when I learned to drive... everything was manual.

Once you learn how it works, you find the rhythm in it...and it all comes together.

Controlling temp on a Smokey Mountain is not instant. It is not an auto pilot. It is a good measure of figuring out fuel, air, and throttle.

I've been kicking around the idea of doing a home made barrel smoker...just to see what I have learned.

(No offense to those smoking with an electric pellet grill, Big Green Egg, or not yet learned on how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission...they will all get you to your destination, but you may miss much of the journey).

 

[BigRed]

Getting the fire on the Weber kettle ready for some steaks.

LOVE the Weber Kettle grill.

After I learned how to to get charcoal going, I soon figured out I could fire one up in about the same time as a gas grill.

I realized today that I have a nice Weber gas grill....that I have not fired up in at least 5 years.

You know why "old school" stuff is still around?

Because it works...and works VERY well!

 

[Bill2905]

These slabs were big and meaty and the bones started falling out when I took them off the Smokey Mtn. I never made ribs that came apart this easy before. That big water pan really puts out some steam at 250-260F. It settled down when I got the temp down to 225F. I put them in foil for 2.5 hrs after 2 hours in the smoke and then finished them unwrapped for 30 minutes to dry them up a little.

I'm wondering if most people use the water pan.

I have a lot to learn with this smoker but thought it went well for the first time. I would love to hear your tips and suggestions if you are so inclined.

 

[BigRed]

These slabs were big and meaty and the bones started falling out when I took them off the Smokey Mtn. I never made ribs that came apart this easy before. That big water pan really puts out some steam at 250-260F. It settled down when I got the temp down to 225F. I put them in foil for 2.5 hrs after 2 hours in the smoke and then finished them unwrapped for 30 minutes to dry them up a little.

I'm wondering if most people use the water pan.

I have a lot to learn with this smoker but thought it went well for the first time. I would love to hear your tips and suggestions if you are so inclined.




View attachment 189570

Looks like they came out well....the 3-2-1 method works.

How did they taste?

I always use the water pan. I do not do it so much for any steam as I do it to insulate the racks from the heat and to keep the rack temp low.

 

[BigRed]

Pro Tip:

If you ever decide to smoke a brisket when it is about 15 degrees out, the water bowl will freeze when the smoker is shut down.....and it makes clean up a friggin snap!!

 

[Bill2905]

Looks like they came out well....the 3-2-1 method works.

How did they taste?

I always use the water pan. I do not do it so much for any steam as I do it to insulate the racks from the heat and to keep the rack temp low.

They were good. The family liked them a lot and that's the best indicator.

 

[BigRed]

They were good. The family liked them a lot and that's the best indicator.

Dead on balls accurate!

 

[BigRed]

They were good. The family liked them a lot and that's the best indicator.

An even better indicator is when something doesn't turn out well and they tell you!

My youngest is very polite...everything was always "good". I intentionally made some stuff poorly just to test her...."It's good" she said..."If you cannot call that what it is, how can I trust your judgement?"

Great conversations ensued. Today she is the most honest and critical one.

Keep experimenting and keep figuring it out....some great fun and great lessons to be had!

 

[Jaybird1980]

You may find running a Smokey Mountain, or something similar, takes a bit of time and patience...but you gain skills.

I liken it to way back when I learned to drive... everything was manual.

Once you learn how it works, you find the rhythm in it...and it all comes together.

Controlling temp on a Smokey Mountain is not instant. It is not an auto pilot. It is a good measure of figuring out fuel, air, and throttle.

I've been kicking around the idea of doing a home made barrel smoker...just to see what I have learned.

(No offense to those smoking with an electric pellet grill, Big Green Egg, or not yet learned on how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission...they will all get you to your destination, but you may miss much of the journey).

As someone who uses a homebuilt barrel smoker, I would say that if you do be prepared for it to use a lot of fuel. We used to have a lot of parties and it was nice because I made it to use 2 Weber 22" grates so it can do a lot of food. Now that we don't have that many get togethers it is way overkill most of the time.

 

[Mitch B]

Meat Church Holy Voodoo
Suckle Buster honey hog
Malcolm Reed The BBQ Rub

Cooked to 155° IT then covered in BBQ sauce and finished to 165°. Spread bacon bits and cheddar jack cheese then back on for about 5 minutes so the cheese was melted…. All 3 rubs were delicious, and of course lumberjack competition blend pellets.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Doug28450]

Looks like they came out well....the 3-2-1 method works.

How did they taste?

I always use the water pan. I do not do it so much for any steam as I do it to insulate the racks from the heat and to keep the rack temp low.

Same here, 3-2-1 and always have water in the pan.

 

[jfed85]

Sunday I reverse seared some sirloins on the weber kettle.

 

[mike4sigs]

LOVE the Weber Kettle grill.

After I learned how to to get charcoal going, I soon figured out I could fire one up in about the same time as a gas grill.

I realized today that I have a nice Weber gas grill....that I have not fired up in at least 5 years.

You know why "old school" stuff is still around?

Because it works...and works VERY well!

Big Red School A novice on how you start you Charcoal so quick I am using a weber chimney and fuel pellets they work good but still takes time

 

[ghuns]

Big Red School A novice on how you start you Charcoal so quick I am using a weber chimney and fuel pellets they work good but still takes time

When I ran a Weber, I used an electric charcoal starter like this...

I could have a burger cooking fire in 15 minutes.

 

[BigRed]

Big Red School A novice on how you start you Charcoal so quick I am using a weber chimney and fuel pellets they work good but still takes time

I just use a charcoal chimney with newspaper stuffed in the bottom.

If you're just doing something quick, you do not need to fill the entire chimney with charcoal. A smaller batch will get fired up more quickly.

I can usually be ready to go in 15 or less

 

[Hoosierdood]

I use tumbleweeds to fire up my charcoal.

 

[Bill2905]

I use a Weber chimney with either the fuel cubes or a paper towel soaked with a little vegetable oil. 15 minutes for a half chimney full or about 25 minutes if filled up. I use the 25 minutes to drink beer and get everything ready.

 

[mike4sigs]

I use a Weber chimney with either the fuel cubes or a paper towel soaked with a little vegetable oil. 15 minutes for a half chimney full or about 25 minutes if filled up. I use the 25 minutes to drink beer and get everything ready.

bill2905
I like the paper towel idea. You use 1 paper towel for a full chimney?
I went to Fuel cube because newspaper smelled so bad

 

[sharkey]

Save your empty paper towel rolls - stand one in the center of the chimney and load the charcoal around it. Light as usual.

Cuts the time almost in half.