OT - outdoor grilling

[triaddukefan]

You obviously have never used a smoker, or indirect heat on a three burner gas grill.

Suggest you tune into the Pitmasters competition on Destinations America channel (286, DirecTV) to see how the big boys do it.

Actually I had a smoker stored away in the Dutch Barn in my back yard for about 8 years.... took it over to my parents one July 4th... and they wont give it back to me

I put the smoker in the same family as the charcoal grill.......... so it still charcoal > gas

This thread is making me want to buy a grill.... been saying i was gonna buy one for about 3-4 years... might get a small one this weekend.

You surely know that you have an open invitation to come to our place for BBQ and adult beverages. We ask only that you give us 24 hours' notice. And you BY regulars, same goes for you. We're in Norwalk and the welcome mat is always out.

House rules: No green or orange attire.

What about a glorious shade of Pantone 287

 

[Kibitzer]

This thread is making me want to buy a grill.... been saying i was gonna buy one for about 3-4 years... might get a small one this weekend.

We bought a small Weber "Grill to Go" at a Lowe's in West Virginia while on vacation a couple years ago. If you can stand the gas (small canisters) this is a helluva buy. Portable enough to take to the beach. We use it on our patio out front and the bigger Weber Genesis 330 on the deck out back. (We are serious grillers.)

 

[DaddyChoc]

We bought a small Weber "Grill to Go" at a Lowe's in West Virginia while on vacation a couple years ago. If you can stand the gas (small canisters) this is a helluva buy. Portable enough to take to the beach. We use it on our patio out front and the bigger Weber Genesis 330 on the deck out back. (We are serious grillers.)

We knowwwwwwwwwww (in my JJ Evans voice)

 

[DaddyChoc]

After UConn basketball, this is a subject near and dear to my heart. Living in the Southwest, smoking and grilling food is absolutely essential. The Weber Kettle is probably the most versatile route where by indirect and direct cooking you can smoke by adding wood chunks or direct grill and make a great steak. However, wood smoking is the primary method with offset smokers. By managing fuel, and air flow, you control temperature and for long low and slow cooks for the pork butts and briskets. I use two different Yoder Smokers to effect my smoked food which also includes ribs, beef and pork roasts, and whole chicken. Good eating for family and friends. Glad to see an interest on this forum in this type of cooking.

I thank you... I always think outside, the box!

 

[DaddyChoc]

do anyone use "grilling planks" for salmon or other fish meals?

 

[vtcwbuff]

I've never used grilling planks. For salmon I use tinfoil and most other fish I just use the grill. Last night grilled salmon, rice pilaf and grilled eggplant. Tonight a
"wine and herb" marinated, butterflied wh0le chicken with grilled russet potatoes and roasted asparagus.

 

[j66kicker]

Well, let me say this about that. Texas is the BBQ capital of the world. If you don't believe that visit Lockhart, Texas. Yes, brisket is the national dish of Texas, but all smoked food is held sacred. There is another saying around here that will also make you smile.

"If you don't like bacon, you are wrong."

Just ask Brittney Griner

 

[j66kicker]

Thanks for the reminder - time to light the charcoal for grilled salmon tonight. We have a built-in gas grill, but always seem to gravitate to the portable charcoal grill. It's under the balcony roof, so it's good in the rain (which we get in Arizona at least every other year or so). Also grilling green beens tonight (olive oil, garlic, onion, cumin seed and red pepper flakes)

 

[Kibitzer]

We had weekend guests (daughter & son-in-law), so yesterday we did a beer can chicken in the smoker. We used our BeeRoaster (see it on Chef's Catalog site), put some orange juice/beer mix in the cylinder (beer can replacement), a good rub on the outside of the chicken(and under the skin). used the clips for small baked potatoes and put carrots in the tray, doused with maple syrup. Got the apple tree chips wet, put the whole thing in our MasterBuilt Smoker (doubles as a grill) and let it cook for a couple hours. Absolutely most moist and tasty chicken imaginable. Sloshed it down with a nice Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, then ended the meal with Mrs. Kibitzer's homemade kahlua ice cream, topped with Stonewall Kitchen's incomparable Bourbon-Pecan-Caramel topping and a few sips of Bailey's caramel flavored Irish Cream.

Happy Memorial Day to you, too!

 

[DaddyChoc]

We had weekend guests (daughter & son-in-law), so yesterday we did a beer can chicken in the smoker. We used our BeeRoaster (see it on Chef's Catalog site), put some orange juice/beer mix in the cylinder (beer can replacement), a good rub on the outside of the chicken(and under the skin). used the clips for small baked potatoes and put carrots in the tray, doused with maple syrup. Got the apple tree chips wet, put the whole thing in our MasterBuilt Smoker (doubles as a grill) and let it cook for a couple hours. Absolutely most moist and tasty chicken imaginable. Sloshed it down with a nice Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, then ended the meal with Mrs. Kibitzer's homemade kahlua ice cream, topped with Stonewall Kitchen's incomparable Bourbon-Pecan-Caramel topping and a few sips of Bailey's caramel flavored Irish Cream.

Happy Memorial Day to you, too!

eating like the King you are... Happy Memorial Day to you as well

 

[Joe6cats]

I prefer gas but for all grillers I urge that you go to www.amazingribs.com for a veritable encyclopedia of info about grilling. Gas, charcoal, smoker, utensils, recipes, ratings. It is the Holy Grail of grilling info and advice.

Kibitzer, your tip about amazingribs.com probably made my Memorial Day! That is an amazing site. Oh and about DC's OP question? Charcoal is the real deal, at around 220 in a two-zone setup.. Low and slow with some damp wood chips for authentic smoked BBQ, Oh yeah!

 

[StevieDude]

We had weekend guests (daughter & son-in-law), so yesterday we did a beer can chicken in the smoker. We used our BeeRoaster (see it on Chef's Catalog site), put some orange juice/beer mix in the cylinder (beer can replacement), a good rub on the outside of the chicken(and under the skin). used the clips for small baked potatoes and put carrots in the tray, doused with maple syrup. Got the apple tree chips wet, put the whole thing in our MasterBuilt Smoker (doubles as a grill) and let it cook for a couple hours. Absolutely most moist and tasty chicken imaginable. Sloshed it down with a nice Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, then ended the meal with Mrs. Kibitzer's homemade kahlua ice cream, topped with Stonewall Kitchen's incomparable Bourbon-Pecan-Caramel topping and a few sips of Bailey's caramel flavored Irish Cream.

Happy Memorial Day to you, too!

Amazing Ribs on beer can chicken.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/debunking_beer_can_chicken.html

 

[vtcwbuff]

I've never understood the popularity of beer can chicken. I tried it a couple of times years ago and couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Maybe as the article states - it's just kewl.

I almost always butterfly a grilled chicken. It's a simple matter to remove the backbone and splay the chicken flat. Soaked for a couple of hours in your favorite marinade and tossed on the grill it will end up as tasty and juicy as you could want. All parts of the chicken are cooked through and if you do it right the skin will be crispy good. My favorite variation on butterflied chicken is Italian bricked chicken. The best grilled chicken I've ever had.

 

[DaddyChoc]

just put a gas grill together... now I have no clue what to do with it (4 burner with one on the side "Walmart Special")

where do I get a tank from, do I need to put down a deposit to return the empty tank.

how long does the tank work before being replaced? do I need a extra on standby just in case?

 

[vtcwbuff]

just put a gas grill together... now I have no clue what to do with it (4 burner with one on the side "Walmart Special")

where do I get a tank from, do I need to put down a deposit to return the empty tank.

how long does the tank work before being replaced? do I need a extra on standby just in case?

Welcome to the world of grillin' DC. You can buy your own tanks and get them filled (I pay around $14 at a local hardware store) or you can do the swap at places like WalMart or most big box stores. There you buy the initial tank and then just return it for a filled one. I'm not sure of the refill cost.

I have 3 tanks for the grill and my burner, plus another for a patio heater. I recommend having two for the grill. Nothing sucks more than running out of gas when the burgers are still raw. How long they last depends on how they are used. I grill nearly every night and a tank lasts for weeks.

I heard a trivia question on the news last week. How many households have grills? - answer 85%!

 

[Kibitzer]

just put a gas grill together... now I have no clue what to do with it (4 burner with one on the side "Walmart Special")

where do I get a tank from, do I need to put down a deposit to return the empty tank.

how long does the tank work before being replaced? do I need a extra on standby just in case?

DC. I urge you to do two things to get into grilling.

1. Access the web site www.amazingribs.com, a veritable encyclopedia of information about grilling, including hundreds of links to evaluations of equipment, tools, tips and recipes. All free!

2. Buy Stephen Raichlen's Grilling Bible (there are two editions, buy either one). Raichlen is the preeminent author on this subject, although there are many others. (On a personal note, one of my thoughtful sons-in-law obtained a signed copy of another great Raichlen book (about sauces and marinades) and sent it to me for Father's Day.)​

I guarantee that these two sources will lead you down the yellow brick road to grilling Heaven.

 

[terif831]

View attachment 6015



Nothing beats the taste of beef/chicken/pork cooked on a charcoal grill.

I second this, wholeheartedly. If it's not charcoal . . . why bother?

 

[vtcwbuff]

I second this, wholeheartedly. If it's not charcoal . . . why bother?

Spoken like a person that drags out the grill every couple of weeks. IMO the charcoal grill may have an advantage over gas when it comes to BBQing but as used by most backyard grillers it is way over rated. Nothing better than a $15 steak cooked over the ubiquitous blue bag briquettes (usually leftover sawdust from a lumber mill) soaked in lighter fluid - mmmm mmmm. I BBQ over hardwood charcoal and grill over gas and to be honest I can't find much taste difference between foods grilled either way.

The biggest advantage of gas over charcoal - the bother. Other advantages of gas - time, better temp control, easier cleanup, cheaper fuel (priced a bag of briquetts lately? Better yet check the price of a good lump hardwood charcoal). Additionally, gas grills typically have a larger cooking surface than the average charcoal grill. That's important when you have lots of hungry guests.

Kib - I have Raichlen's book. I give it a lot of credit for broadening my grilling horizons. He had a TV show on PBS for a while but I haven't seen it lately.

 

[Kibitzer]

Spoken like a person that drags out the grill every couple of weeks. IMO the charcoal grill may have an advantage over gas when it comes to BBQing but as used by most backyard grillers it is way over rated. Nothing better than a $15 steak cooked over the ubiquitous blue bag briquettes (usually leftover sawdust from a lumber mill) soaked in lighter fluid - mmmm mmmm. I BBQ over hardwood charcoal and grill over gas and to be honest I can't find much taste difference between foods grilled either way.

The biggest advantage of gas over charcoal - the bother. Other advantages of gas - time, better temp control, easier cleanup, cheaper fuel (priced a bag of briquetts lately? Better yet check the price of a good lump hardwood charcoal). Additionally, gas grills typically have a larger cooking surface than the average charcoal grill. That's important when you have lots of hungry guests.

Kib - I have Raichlen's book. I give it a lot of credit for broadening my grilling horizons. He had a TV show on PBS for a while but I haven't seen it lately.

Concur about propane vs. charcoal. Convenience triumphs!

There are two versions of the Raichlen BBQ Bible. I have the first. He has several books and I most recently received the one about Sauces, Rubs and Marinades and it is terrific. I also most highly recommend "Sauces and Spices" by the Jamisons -- not only mouth-watering recipes backed up by fabulous fotos, but a deep reservoir of tidbits about seeemingly every great BBQ joint in the country (and I mean Country!). Suggest you check it out.

 

[StevieDude]

Nothing better than a $15 steak cooked over the ubiquitous blue bag briquettes (usually leftover sawdust from a lumber mill) soaked in lighter fluid - mmmm mmmm. I BBQ over hardwood charcoal and grill over gas and to be honest I can't find much taste difference between foods grilled either way.

People still use lighter fluid? Why would anyone use that anymore? I do have both and when I want it quick I go to gas but i do need to use all this charcoal I picked up Memorial Day weekend.

 

[terif831]

[I BBQ over hardwood charcoal and grill over gas and to be honest I can't find much taste difference between foods grilled either way.

The biggest advantage of gas over charcoal - the bother. Other advantages of gas - time, better temp control, easier cleanup, cheaper fuel (priced a bag of briquetts lately? Better yet check the price of a good lump hardwood charcoal). Additionally, gas grills typically have a larger cooking surface than the average charcoal grill. That's important when you have lots of hungry guests.

[/QUOTE]


Wow, really? You can't taste the difference? I sure can.

I don't mind food from a gas grill. It tastes just fine. But if I can't have the charcoal flavor, I would just as soon cook inside and save on firing up the grill altogether. For me, the charcoal is not just the method - it's the REASON.

 

[RadyLady]

One of the things that I gave up when I move from my condo in Connecticut to New York City besides close proximity to my family and friends was my gas grill that I purchased and put together by myself as a "happy divorce" present. Man I used that thing every single day, 365 days a year, on sunny days and on snowy days. I loved it and I miss it so much here in the city

I would come home from work, pull whatever was marinating in the fridge out in order to bring to room temperature, throw it on the grill and while it was cooking prepare the marinade for the next day and throw the food in for a good 24 hours soak. I had an open door policy with my friends, and I had company all the time - it was wonderful!!
They don't allow gas grills in New York City and living in an apartment grilling is just not an easy task so sadly my days of grilling for now are over. however that grill that I put together so many years ago still lives at my cousin's lake house in Woodstock Valley. they had to replace the base but the rest of it works just fine... Someday someday I'm going to be back to grilling every night with my friends knocking at the door, bringing beer and wine or a fine scotch

 

[Kibitzer]

[I BBQ over hardwood charcoal and grill over gas and to be honest I can't find much taste difference between foods grilled either way.

The biggest advantage of gas over charcoal - the bother. Other advantages of gas - time, better temp control, easier cleanup, cheaper fuel (priced a bag of briquetts lately? Better yet check the price of a good lump hardwood charcoal). Additionally, gas grills typically have a larger cooking surface than the average charcoal grill. That's important when you have lots of hungry guests.

Wow, really? You can't taste the difference? I sure can.

I don't mind food from a gas grill. It tastes just fine. But if I can't have the charcoal flavor, I would just as soon cook inside and save on firing up the grill altogether. For me, the charcoal is not just the method - it's the REASON.[/QUOTE]

Permit a suggestion. We use wood pellets in our gas grill to get the smoke effect when grilling. We use an "A-Maze-N-Tube-Smoker" (ours is 12") and either hickory or apple pellets. A convenient method to smoke food on a gas grill. Check it out (Amazon reviewers' comments are really helpful).

 

[DaddyChoc]

Wow, really? You can't taste the difference? I sure can.

I don't mind food from a gas grill. It tastes just fine. But if I can't have the charcoal flavor, I would just as soon cook inside and save on firing up the grill altogether. For me, the charcoal is not just the method - it's the REASON.

Permit a suggestion. We use wood pellets in our gas grill to get the smoke effect when grilling. We use an "A-Maze-N-Tube-Smoker" (ours is 12") and either hickory or apple pellets. A convenient method to smoke food on a gas grill. Check it out (Amazon reviewers' comments are really helpful).[/QUOTE]where do you put the wood pellets on a gas grill? (taking lessons)

 

[Kibitzer]

Permit a suggestion. We use wood pellets in our gas grill to get the smoke effect when grilling. We use an "A-Maze-N-Tube-Smoker" (ours is 12") and either hickory or apple pellets. A convenient method to smoke food on a gas grill. Check it out (Amazon reviewers' comments are really helpful).

where do you put the wood pellets on a gas grill? (taking lessons)[/QUOTE]

We insert the pellets into the A-Maze-N-Tube-Smoker (12" cylindrical metal tube with lots of holes to emit smoke), ignite them, set the smoker tube on top of the grill grates, then grill (chicken breasts today) the meat. Result: smoked flavor, plus marinade, plus hash marks on the meat.

Works for us. (Lots of free and useful tips are available from product users on Amazon.)