The Barbecue Thread

[lonestar]

Holy fucking marbling....is that prime or wagyu?

[Stadler]

Not necessarily BBQ, but since this is the thread we've been talking about holiday eats....


Breakfast- Crab Eggs Benedict




The roast beast before cooking (prime grade grass fed)...



The oxtail demi straining...never press it through, makes it cloudy. Always let gravity do the work...



The scalloped potatoes and prime resting...






And the finished plate... Dijon-herb crusted prime with oxtail demi and lemon-horseradish compound butter, scalloped potatoes with bacon braised leeks, and lemon garlic roasted asparagus.






We still got pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce, but I got to digest a bit first. Happy holidays all!!!

Will you marry me?   (You had me at the Eggs Benedict, by the way).

[cramx3]

Damn, everyone's got some damn good lookin meals going on. 

This doesn't really require any cooking skill and was our main course

[Chino]

Holy fucking marbling....is that prime or wagyu?

That was prime, but the primiest of the prime I think. That cut was from Costco and $8 more per pound than their usual prime ribeye roasts. They definitely brought them in for the holiday, and I've never seen marbling like that from there before. This was really close to the American wagyu I buy.

[lonestar]

Holy fucking marbling....is that prime or wagyu?

That was prime, but the primiest of the prime I think. That cut was from Costco and $8 more per pound than their usual prime ribeye roasts. They definitely brought them in for the holiday, and I've never seen marbling like that from there before. This was really close to the American wagyu I buy.

Wow, not sure if I ever saw that level of marbling on prime. That's some pretty meat you got there Chino.

[jingle.boy]

Holy fucking marbling....is that prime or wagyu?

That was prime, but the primiest of the prime I think. That cut was from Costco and $8 more per pound than their usual prime ribeye roasts. They definitely brought them in for the holiday, and I've never seen marbling like that from there before. This was really close to the American wagyu I buy.

Wow, not sure if I ever saw that level of marbling on prime. That's some pretty meat you got there Chino.

I bet you say that to all the boys.

[Chino]

Holy fucking marbling....is that prime or wagyu?

That was prime, but the primiest of the prime I think. That cut was from Costco and $8 more per pound than their usual prime ribeye roasts. They definitely brought them in for the holiday, and I've never seen marbling like that from there before. This was really close to the American wagyu I buy.

Wow, not sure if I ever saw that level of marbling on prime. That's some pretty meat you got there Chino.

I bet you say that to all the boys.

*insert guitar riff*

[bosk1]

Anyone?

Here's an update with the Kamado Joe.

I just received a large crate in the mail, and it turns out my mom bought me a Kamado Joe II.  I have no idea what it is or how to use it, so I naturally came here to post and see what you guys might have to say.  Kinda cool that the first unread post was yours. 

So...I have this thing.  What do I do with it? 

[Podaar]

Um, you put a pile of lit lump charcoal in the bottom. Put the grate above the hot coals. Close the lid and adjust the air flow until you get the temperature you want. Open the lid. Cook some food.

[Chino]

Um, you put a pile of lit lump charcoal in the bottom. Put the grate above the hot coals. Close the lid and adjust the air flow until you get the temperature you want. Open the lid. Cook some food.

There's really not a whole lot more to it than that. Despite their weight and price, they're really simple machines. The more air flow you have, the hotter your fire will burn. If you want a low and long cook, you close off the intake and the exhaust vents a bit, reducing the amount of air getting pulled through. You might not always want to cook directly over the coals and cook more indirectly. I'm not sure about the K-Joe, but it probably came with some kind of large plate of some kind that you can put between the coals and the grate you're cooking on. Your food will be sitting above this plate and cooking more like it's in a hot oven rather than over an open flame/heat source.

You can add wood chunks too. I like pecan the most. Apple and cherry wood is good too. I'm not a big fan of the harder woods like oak, but to each their own. That's what BBQing is about. Just throw the chunks in on top of the coals once you get them burning.

Youtube is a really great resource when it comes to grilling. I've learned so much. Once you get a few cooks under your belt, you'll find the K-joe to be really easy to use.

Oh, and get a charcoal chimney as well. They're super cheap and they'll make your life a million times easier when trying to get the coals going.

[bosk1]

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear.  My apprehension isn't so much thinking it is a "complicated" piece of gear, as much as just not really being a BBQ guy at all.  I mean, I've done some very simple grilling of steaks, chicken, and the like on propane and charcoal grills.  But nothing really advanced AT ALL.  I am learning from just about square one and have no clue.  I need the basics (and what NOT to do, as well as what TO do). 

But thanks for that.  That was helpful.

And I do have a charcoal chimney.  Got it years ago for use with a cast iron dutch oven when camping.  GREAT tool.

[pg1067]

I have two questions prompted by Bosk's inquiry:

1. What does the Kamado Joe II do (or do so much better) to justify its $1,200 price tag (as opposed to a $50-100 charcoal grill)?

2. Bosk, is your mother looking to adopt?  I have never gotten a $1,200 gift from anyone...ever.

[Chino]

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear.  My apprehension isn't so much thinking it is a "complicated" piece of gear, as much as just not really being a BBQ guy at all.  I mean, I've done some very simple grilling of steaks, chicken, and the like on propane and charcoal grills.  But nothing really advanced AT ALL.  I am learning from just about square one and have no clue.  I need the basics (and what NOT to do, as well as what TO do). 

But thanks for that.  That was helpful.

And I do have a charcoal chimney.  Got it years ago for use with a cast iron dutch oven when camping.  GREAT tool.

The basics don't really transcend all meats. Rules that apply to some don't apply to others. Things that make one meat taste great will ruin another. For example, you might hear people talk about "low and slow" when it comes to BBQ. Don't ever do a bird low and slow, the skin will come out like impenetrable leather. What type of meat were you looking to cook? We can work from there.


If I had to name a few basic/general things I'd suggest the following:

1) Get a decent wireless thermometer with multiple probes, preferably one to read the internal temp of your cooking volume, and another to read the meat.
2) Always, always use lump charcoal over briquettes unless you're using an accessory that requires the consistent burning of briquettes.
3) Always give yourself 90+ minutes of extra time. Lots of meat can hit a stall, a period of time where the meat just stops increasing in temperature. I've had stalls on briskets last for hours. There's nothing worse than telling people to be over for BBQ and having it not be done on time. Use a dry cooler to store your meat after it comes off the grill. You can wrap it in foil and then a towel, and it will hold its temperatures for hours. You can finish the meat long before guests arrive and keep it piping hot in there. It also allows it to rest, which is the key step to pretty much any long cook.

[Chino]

I have two questions prompted by Bosk's inquiry:

1. What does the Kamado Joe II do (or do so much better) to justify its $1,200 price tag (as opposed to a $50-100 charcoal grill)?

2. Bosk, is your mother looking to adopt?  I have never gotten a $1,200 gift from anyone...ever.

The thickness and mass of the unit is really the key. If you're doing something quick like burgers, or even a chicken, there won't be much difference because it's quick. If you were doing an overnight or an all day cook, something like a brisket or a pork putt, the KJ will be a night and day difference over any traditional style grill. Its walls are so thick, and they retain so much heat, it's hard to get rapid temperature swings. If your coals die down a bit, the unit will stay hot for good period of time. In a traditional charcoal grill like a Weber Kettle, it's possible to do long cooks, but those units are thin and don't hold much charcoal compared to the KJ. You really need to babysit the hell out of them, constantly opening and closing vents to maintain temperature. It can be an all day affair if the weather conditions are right. The KJ is a much more "set it and forget it" kind of machine. Once you dial in the temp, you can walk away or go to sleep for eight hours and not have to think about it. If you have the room and the budget, and like long cooks, a KJ style grill is what you want. 

[Stadler]

I have two questions prompted by Bosk's inquiry:

1. What does the Kamado Joe II do (or do so much better) to justify its $1,200 price tag (as opposed to a $50-100 charcoal grill)?

2. Bosk, is your mother looking to adopt?  I have never gotten a $1,200 gift from anyone...ever.

The thickness and mass of the unit is really the key. If you're doing something quick like burgers, or even a chicken, there won't be much difference because it's quick. If you were doing an overnight or an all day cook, something like a brisket or a pork putt, the KJ will be a night and day difference over any traditional style grill. Its walls are so thick, and they retain so much heat, it's hard to get rapid temperature swings. If your coals die down a bit, the unit will stay hot for good period of time. In a traditional charcoal grill like a Weber Kettle, it's possible to do long cooks, but those units are thin and don't hold much charcoal compared to the KJ. You really need to babysit the hell out of them, constantly opening and closing vents to maintain temperature. It can be an all day affair if the weather conditions are right. The KJ is a much more "set it and forget it" kind of machine. Once you dial in the temp, you can walk away or go to sleep for eight hours and not have to think about it. If you have the room and the budget, and like long cooks, a KJ style grill is what you want.

Isn't it always though?   

[lonestar]

 

Just looked at a pic of the KJ, basically it's the same principal as the Green Eggs. Those things work great, even had my ass kicked by a dude using them at a BBQ contest I did, and I was on my buddy's 7k Gatorpit trailer smoker.

[goo-goo]

Just looked at a pic of the KJ, basically it's the same principal as the Green Eggs. Those things work great, even had my ass kicked by a dude using them at a BBQ contest I did, and I was on my buddy's 7k Gatorpit trailer smoker.

Yes, both Kamado and BGE are ceramic grills. I bought the KJ because you get more accessories included vs the BGE. The other one that I was looking at was the Primo Ceramic grill (also based on Kamado cooking).

Bosk:
-I would start by buying "cheap" briskets and cuts because the 1st ones are going to suck. It took me 3 briskets (small ones since it's just my wife and myself) to feel comfortable smoking with the KJ. Once I felt comfortable smoking, then I tried a Prime cut and everything changed there forever. I have smoked salmon, chicken, briskets, ribs, with all kinds of different rubs. So much fun!
The grilling was pretty easy with the KJ. That should be no issue. You can also reuse the charcoals as well, 2 maybe 3 times.

Also, I have learned everything in cleaning, smoking, and grilling with the KJ using Youtube and a couple of Google searches (for temperatures and recipes mainly). 

Besides the Kamado, get some good temperature probes.

[bosk1]

Thanks, guys!    Any recommendations on probes?

[Podaar]

meater.com

This is what I use and love it. An instant read thermometer is always handy too.

[TAC]

Thanks, guys!    Any recommendations on probes?

meater.com

 


Sounds dirty.

[Chino]

You guys ever go grocery shopping, not planning to get too rowdy and then stumble across a unicorn in the meat case?

I walked out with 9lbs of these. I just dropped them in the sous vide. Will be ready to eat in 52 hours 

[bosk1]

You guys ever go grocery shopping, not planning to get too rowdy and then stumble across a unicorn in the meat case?

No.  ...but given my holiday gift and that I have now started down the BBQ/smoking rabbit hole, I can definitely see it happening in the future. 

By the way, here's what I posted on Facebook yesterday (re-posting it here since we aren't linked on Facebook, Bri; if you want me to post the pics here, let me know): 

A couple of cooks in with the new Kamado Joe already.  I was warned that it takes awhile to figure it out, so the first few cooks won't be great. Tested it out last night direct grilling some chicken thighs. It was challenging to get the heat right, and they got overcooked. Today, I just finished a 7 1/2 hour slow cook on a pork shoulder, and NAILED IT! Did it with an apple wood smoke, and it came out great. The bark could have been a shade darker, but still not bad. Fun way to pass a mild winter day.

I think I'm already addicted. 

[Chino]

You guys ever go grocery shopping, not planning to get too rowdy and then stumble across a unicorn in the meat case?

No.  ...but given my holiday gift and that I have now started down the BBQ/smoking rabbit hole, I can definitely see it happening in the future. 

By the way, here's what I posted on Facebook yesterday (re-posting it here since we aren't linked on Facebook, Bri; if you want me to post the pics here, let me know): 

A couple of cooks in with the new Kamado Joe already.  I was warned that it takes awhile to figure it out, so the first few cooks won't be great. Tested it out last night direct grilling some chicken thighs. It was challenging to get the heat right, and they got overcooked. Today, I just finished a 7 1/2 hour slow cook on a pork shoulder, and NAILED IT! Did it with an apple wood smoke, and it came out great. The bark could have been a shade darker, but still not bad. Fun way to pass a mild winter day.

I think I'm already addicted. 

I think I speak for everyone here when I say post all the pics, even the shitty ones. I've had people critique some of my cooks before after asking for some advice, and it was a huge help. I'd rather someone tell me where I went wrong instead of wasting a couple briskets trying to figure it out.

Large chunks of pork are a great starting point in the BBQ world. It's a really forgiving meat that's cheap and hard to ruin, and when done right is absolutely delicious anyway. They're the perfect cuts to learn how to operate a smoker properly and experiment with different amounts and/or flavors of wood.

You might find this guy helpful. He's one of my favorite BBQ guys to follow. While most channels make ridiculous meat porn that none of us could afford on a regularl basis (wagyu on the reg), this guy is a pure, humble back yard griller. This video in particular is for thighss on a drum smoker, but the same general principles will apply to your KJ. I've learned a ton watching this guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbRCoHQRW3o

[lonestar]

You guys ever go grocery shopping, not planning to get too rowdy and then stumble across a unicorn in the meat case?

I walked out with 9lbs of these. I just dropped them in the sous vide. Will be ready to eat in 52 hours 

Short rib?

And yes, I know that feeling. My local store had pork shoulder at. 99/lb. Guess what's getting cooked tomorrow...

[Chino]

Yesssir

Probably my favorite cut of beef.

[bosk1]

Cool.  I watched that vid, Chino, and like that guy.  Just subscribed.  I found other helpful ones the last few days as well. 

OK, for the pics...

You know what this is:



Here is the chicken on the grill:



I didn't take any from when it was done, unfortunately.  I took some notes on what I did, and will make some changes next time to see if it goes better.  One is: too much smoke for chicken.  Another: since I was direct grilling, which meant a relatively short cook time, I went with a bit less coal.  But that messed me up, because I struggled the entire time with getting the right temp.  Third, I need to reduce the initial cook time before flipping.  But that video had some great suggestions too.

Anyhow, on to the pork.  Here it is fresh on the KJ:



I got a cheap ($14.99 at Walmart) probe until I could do some proper research and figure out which expensive one I want.  It worked fine for this cook.  Oh, and for the smoke, I went with two smallish (4-5 inches long) pieces of apple wood.

Here it is when I checked on it at 160 degrees to see whether to wrap it.   Since the bark was lighter than expected, I kept it exposed for the rest of the cook.  (oh, by the way, I obviously went fat cap down)



And here is the final product:



Obviously, I am a complete novice.  But nonetheless, I was REALLY happy with how the pork shoulder turned out.  Best I've ever eaten.

[cramx3]

I've thought about going down the smoker rabbit hole, but I'm not sure it's the best idea for my belly or wallet  It seems almost all my adult male friends have taken on this hobby too and then I see the pictures and I want it.

[Chino]

Here is the chicken on the grill:



I didn't take any from when it was done, unfortunately.  I took some notes on what I did, and will make some changes next time to see if it goes better.  One is: too much smoke for chicken.  Another: since I was direct grilling, which meant a relatively short cook time, I went with a bit less coal.  But that messed me up, because I struggled the entire time with getting the right temp.  Third, I need to reduce the initial cook time before flipping.  But that video had some great suggestions too.

Someone correct if I'm wrong because I very well I may be, but I don't think what you did there was direct cooking. You were cooking indirectly, I think. It looks like you have that heat break/deflector in there under the thighs, giving you an indirect cook. With a direct cook, you'd have an straight shot between the chicken and the coals. What were you struggling with as far as temp? Too low or too high?   



The shoulder looks great. Just a suggestion... you mentioned you thought about wrapping the pork. You may often times see/hear people say they use "butcher's paper" to wrap (It's what I use). If you choose to go that route, make sure you use pink butcher's paper specifically. Some people walk up to a meat counter and ask for some butcher's paper and they get the white stuff. You don't want to use the white stuff. Because the paper is often used for wrapping fish as well as meat, it has a wax coating on it. You don't want your meat cooking in the stuff with the wax on it.

[bosk1]

You are mostly right about the chicken.  But the "mostly" is my fault for not communicating well.  I started out with the heat deflectors, but took them out later when I was having temp issues.  My main issue was, after the initial heating up, temp was too low.  I think it was because I went with too little coal, and needed high heat for the grilling.

[Chino]

You are mostly right about the chicken.  But the "mostly" is my fault for not communicating well.  I started out with the heat deflectors, but took them out later when I was having temp issues.  My main issue was, after the initial heating up, temp was too low.  I think it was because I went with too little coal, and needed high heat for the grilling.

You don't need a lot of coal to generate a lot of heat. I mean, obviously you'll need more than a handful of chunks, but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen people run too cold because they put too much coal in, smothering their heat source in the process. Airflow is more important than the amount of fuel most of the time. Think of it like a car. You have that huge fuel tank, but you're not lighting all of the fuel in one go. You manage it, spraying a little bit at a time and sucking in the ideal amount of oxygen to give you the best burn. Air needs as many avenues as possible to the flames to get the coals really cooking, and sometimes overstuffing it can be detrimental. It is possible though you just didn't have enough.

If you ever finish a cook and there are still a lot of coals burning, just shut the lid and close the intake and the exhaust completely. You'll choke out the fire and the coals won't finish burning. You can use them the next time in your charcoal chimney to get everything going. I do it all the time. Also, if you felt like doing a little a science, next time you have some coals left over at the end of the cook, completely open the intake and exhaust and see how hot it gets.

[goo-goo]

I'm proud of you Bosk! 

I use a drip pan filled with water to keep it a bit moist inside.

https://smokeware.com/collections/products/products/new-stainless-steel-drip-pan

Also, if you have issues with the chimney when you open up the lid, and you feel the chimney is sliding, you can buy this upgrade so the chimney doesn't slide anymore. Some Kamados have that issue, some don't.

https://smokeware.com/collections/products/products/replacement-chimney-felt-and-tab-combo?variant=1319739651

[Stadler]

You are mostly right about the chicken.  But the "mostly" is my fault for not communicating well.  I started out with the heat deflectors, but took them out later when I was having temp issues.  My main issue was, after the initial heating up, temp was too low.  I think it was because I went with too little coal, and needed high heat for the grilling.

You don't need a lot of coal to generate a lot of heat. I mean, obviously you'll need more than a handful of chunks, but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen people run too cold because they put too much coal in, smothering their heat source in the process. Airflow is more important than the amount of fuel most of the time. Think of it like a car. You have that huge fuel tank, but you're not lighting all of the fuel in one go. You manage it, spraying a little bit at a time and sucking in the ideal amount of oxygen to give you the best burn. Air needs as many avenues as possible to the flames to get the coals really cooking, and sometimes overstuffing it can be detrimental. It is possible though you just didn't have enough.

If you ever finish a cook and there are still a lot of coals burning, just shut the lid and close the intake and the exhaust completely. You'll choke out the fire and the coals won't finish burning. You can use them the next time in your charcoal chimney to get everything going. I do it all the time. Also, if you felt like doing a little a science, next time you have some coals left over at the end of the cook, completely open the intake and exhaust and see how hot it gets.

Chino is spot on:  this is a combustion engine, of sorts, and for that you need air, fuel and spark, in proportionate measures.  (And if you do the latter experiment, the colder the air coming in, the hotter and more efficient the burn will be; that's a property of thermodynamics). 

[El Barto]

I've thought about going down the smoker rabbit hole, but I'm not sure it's the best idea for my belly or wallet  It seems almost all my adult male friends have taken on this hobby too and then I see the pictures and I want it.

The beauty of it is that so long as your adult friends have gotten into it you don't have to. My advice is to learn to make a kickass side and you'll never lack for BBQ.

[bosk1]

Did another pork shoulder this last weekend to further practice with the KJ.  The only real issue I had with the first one I did the prior week was that the temp was running a bit hotter than I wanted, and the bark didn't darken up as early in the cooking as I wanted, so I didn't do the second step I wanted to do.  I was helping some friends pack up for a move out of state last week, and found out that he got one about six months ago and has been avidly using it, so we chatted a bit.  He told me that with any kind of ceramic cooker like that, the secret to getting the temp perfect is to start dialing it in a bit lower than your target temp, and then creep it up.  He said once you go past your temp, it is almost impossible to cool it back down because those cookers hold their heat so well.  I hadn't thought about that, but it made sense.  So that's what I did this time, and I got my temp holding steady between 275 and 300, which was right where I wanted it.  Brought the pork shoulder up to about 160, then took it off, put it in a pan,  added about a half inch of apple juice to the pan, and covered it.



Cooking slower up to that point got the bark right where I wanted it.  It came out PERFECT in the end.  Really nice smoke ring, very moist, and the flavor was excellent.  Before pulling it, I sliced it down the middle (after it rested for over an hour) to see the smoke ring.  Got a good penetration (although the lighting in the pic doesn't do it justice):



So...what to cook next?  What's not too complicated for someone who is still a beginner, but will be good to try out?

[Chino]

Nice.

Time for some pork belly burnt ends. Listen to my man, Malcom. He'll show you the ways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL82hlORY-k

I've made these (or a variant of) probably 15+ times now. They've never come close to sucking and are always a party favorite. It's not really a common dish at a BBQ, so most people will be eating them for the first time. I love seeing the reactions. It's seriously one of the tastiest things you can make IMO. Just make sure you either get a belly without skin, or you remove the skin prior to making them. I get mine at Costco and it comes with the skin already removed.