The Barbecue Thread

[goo-goo]

Nice bark bosk. I still struggle in getting a nice dark and crusty bark. How did you get that bark?

You could smoke some chicken/salmon or some ribs. You could also bake a pizza if you have the pizza stone.

What about a beef brisket?

[bosk1]

For the bark, I just put a dry rub on it, and just let it smoke in that 275-300 range to 160 before covering.  The smoke and low heat did the work.  I can't claim to have done anything more than that to make it happen.  It just did. 

I'd love to try some salmon.  I just need to find a good recipe and then do it.  I kinda gave up searching because all the ones I saw were using a sweet sauce on the salmon, and I hate that.  But I want to find something and try it out.  My wife really wants that too.

I would love to try a brisket.  I just need to research and figure out where to buy and how to select.  It is not a cut I have any experience with at all.

[bosk1]

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.

Wow, I HAVE TO try those!

(I also like his trick of putting them on a separate grate, so that you can easily just lift that one out with the food when it is done.  I can see that being useful for a variety of things.)

[Chino]

I let my pellet grill run during the work day yesterday. Threw a chuck roast in there and ate good last night.

[T-ski]

I let my pellet grill run during the work day yesterday. Threw a chuck roast in there and ate good last night.

Outstanding

[Phoenix87x]

That looks awesome

[axeman90210]

So a buddy of mine pulled the trigger on a 12lb Japanese A5 Wagyu prime rib a few weeks ago when it popped up on sale at Costco



We turned it into a big steak day where he also got a regular ribeye and some American raised Wagyu as well and had a bunch of us over to eat it all



Have to say, the Wagyu definitely lived up to the hype, incredible. I didn't think to get any after shots because I was too busy eating and drinking, but here's one more before

[lonestar]

Yeah, the hype over A5 is real, there is no substitute. That American looks pretty tight too, is that Snake River Farms? Also, what did he pay for the A5?

[axeman90210]

I'm checking with him about the American, may order some to cook up for my birthday next weekend

The A5 was $999 for a 12lb boneless prime rib

[lonestar]

That's actually a really good price on that, I know at my last restaurant we paid around $110, it was A5, BMS 12. I'd say what you got there is around BMS 10.

Here's a 12 by comparison...




How did you guys cook it? High grade wagyu is a religious experience man.

[axeman90210]

This was the source for the American Wagyu: https://wienswagyu.com/collections/fullblood-black-wagyu/products/fullblood-black-wagyu-ribeye-steak

[lonestar]

Noted, thought it had more marbling than Snake River products.

[axeman90210]

From reading the Wiens website it sounds like they have purebred Wagyu cattle, which I'm not sure is the case with Snake River

[lonestar]

Snake river definitely is not purebred...though it is a good steak.

[axeman90210]

I actually put an order in with them today for a couple ribeyes to cook up for my birthday next weekend. Wanted to stick with Wiens because the steak yesterday was so good, but they mentioned only shipping on Mondays and I wasn't sure if an order today would go out tomorrow and be here in time.

[Chino]

I want to try A5 soooo bad.

I've been on the fence with ordering from SRF for so long. I know it's good, but I don't know just how much better it is from the cuts I have access to. I know it's not the top dog, but I can get American Wagyu for $48-$56 a pound before my 20% discount. I don't know if the premium for getting something shipped through the mail is worth it. I'd hate to drop a couple hundred bucks on some beef only to feel like it's just marginally better at almost double the cost. However, I've seen Kurobuta belly (whole) on there periodically. I might jump on that next time I come across it.


I had a nice Niman Ranch NY Strip on Saturday along with some homemade fries.

[Chino]

This was the source for the American Wagyu: https://wienswagyu.com/collections/fullblood-black-wagyu/products/fullblood-black-wagyu-ribeye-steak

I really, really want to try these...
https://wienswagyu.com/collections/fullblood-black-wagyu/products/fullblood-black-wagyu-short-ribs?variant=16257281949739

[lonestar]

Niman is solid meat, I've used it in multiple restaurants.

[axeman90210]

These are the ribeyes Snake River Farms sent me. Seasoned them with salt, pepper, and just a little bit of garlic powder and threw them in the sous vide for a couple hours at 130



Here they are mid-sear in the cast iron skillet. Made a red wine sauce in the pan afterwards with some shallots and thyme.



The finished product on the cutting board



I also had a little bucatini cacio e pepe going while searing the steaks and making the sauce.



And some ice cream cake for dessert

[lonestar]

Nice work man...that's good marbling for a Snake River product.

[Phoenix87x]

I love all of that

[Chino]

That stuff above looks amazing.

My stomach is rumbling and I was thinking about this thread. Here's something I did over the weekend.





Was good 

[bosk1]

Looks good.  I need to try chicken more so I can get better at it.  First time doing an indirect grill/smoke on the Kamado, it was my first cook ever, and they were overdone and WAY too smoky.  Second time, they were much better, but still not perfect, as the inside was a bit overdone, while the skin was not as crisp as I would have liked.  Any tips?

[Chino]

Looks good.  I need to try chicken more so I can get better at it.  First time doing an indirect grill/smoke on the Kamado, it was my first cook ever, and they were overdone and WAY too smoky.  Second time, they were much better, but still not perfect, as the inside was a bit overdone, while the skin was not as crisp as I would have liked.  Any tips?

Hmm... Did you use briquettes or lump charcoal? One tip I can give for briquettes is be patient with them while they get hot. Make sure they're good and lit before putting your meat on. A lot of brands come with a coating that makes them easy light, and that could give you an unpleasant flavor if you put it on too early.

I have good luck running thighs at 375-400. If I'm using a barbeque sauce instead of just dry rub, I'll back it down to 350. The sauce has a tendency to burn.

The best advice/tip I can give is get a standalone thermometer ( I have 3 wireless ones, each of which has 2-4 probes a piece). The temperature gauge on your cooker is placed pretty high up. What that's reading will vary quite a bit from the grate level where your food is. I always have a probe down at the food level to get the most accurate temp I can closest to what's being cooked. Heat rises, so your factory gauge is reading hotter than where your food is at. I often see 25 degrees difference between lid and grate. If you're trying to crisp up skin and you're only going by the thermometer near the top of your unit, you're probably not hot enough at the food level to achieve that crispiness.

I hope that made sense.

[bosk1]

Yup.  Good stuff. 

I do use lump rather than briquettes.  You mentioned that to me when I first posted that I got my Kamado, so that's what I have been running with from the beginning, and it really is superior. 

[Chino]

Yup.  Good stuff. 

I do use lump rather than briquettes.  You mentioned that to me when I first posted that I got my Kamado, so that's what I have been running with from the beginning, and it really is superior.

Nice. I almost never use briquettes. I used them in the cook above because I went out to light the grill on Saturday and realized I was completely out of lump. I was so pissed. Luckily I had a bag of briquettes in storage. I do use them if I'm using an accessory called the Slow n' Sear. It's a way to get a nice long smoke on a small piece of meat. If I just want to smoke a single plate of short ribs, it's not worth the time and fuel to fire up my big offset. The SnS allows for a long cook on something small like a Weber Kettle.



You basically fill up the trough with the briquettes, but you only light one of the far ends. The fire will slowly burn across the coals, and you can get a good 8 hour run like that. It's important to use the coals without the easy light coating though, or else all of that taste is going to get in your food every time a new briquette ignites.

[bosk1]

...that's good marbling for a Snake River product.

I was scrolling up the page, and only saw the bottom of Bill's post with RJ's response on my screen. 

[lonestar]

 

[Podaar]

Looks good.  I need to try chicken more so I can get better at it.  First time doing an indirect grill/smoke on the Kamado, it was my first cook ever, and they were overdone and WAY too smoky.  Second time, they were much better, but still not perfect, as the inside was a bit overdone, while the skin was not as crisp as I would have liked.  Any tips?

I know you didn't ask me, but here's my thoughts about chicken.

Low and slow. It's counter intuitive, but cooking chicken on low heat for a long time is the best way to crisp up the skin, in my experience. Yeah, and like you said, gotta be real careful about how much smoke you put on or the chicken will taste like an ashtray smells. Unless it's a big chicken, or a turkey, I only put one small block of applewood at the beginning, and that's it. Use an instant read thermometer, a lot. Don't let white meat get above 150° F, and dark meat above 165°. Loosely tent and rest everything for at least 10 minutes.

[Chino]

I feel like chicken is one of the few meats where low and slow doesn't work. How low are we talking here? When I'm cooking low, I'm in the 230 range. I feel like it's impossible to crisp up chicken skin at those temps, no matter how long you let it cook, especially with something like chicken wings.

[lonestar]

I feel like chicken is one of the few meats where low and slow doesn't work. How low are we talking here? When I'm cooking low, I'm in the 230 range. I feel like it's impossible to crisp up chicken skin at those temps, no matter how long you let it cook, especially with something like chicken wings.

For me, chicken doesn't play well with being oversmoked. Get a nice color on it, and then kick up the heat to crisp the skin. Also, a brine is imperative with chicken.

[Podaar]

I feel like chicken is one of the few meats where low and slow doesn't work. How low are we talking here? When I'm cooking low, I'm in the 230 range. I feel like it's impossible to crisp up chicken skin at those temps, no matter how long you let it cook, especially with something like chicken wings.

Typically, 215 - 230. I will say, I only really rotisserie whole chickens anymore. I don't know why that would make any difference but it seems to for me. If I go with, say 350, the surface of the skin get's brown and firm, but the rest of the skin is rubbery (although the meat is fine). To get the entire skin crispy, I have better luck with several hours at low temp.

Also, a brine is imperative with chicken.

I always do this. I've also started to forgo herbs in the brine. I don't find that it really flavors the meat. I go with 1/2 cup of salt, 1/8 cup of sugar, dissolved in 2 quarts of water. Chill and brine for 24 hours.

What are your thoughts on herbs in brine, lonestar?

[bosk1]

I'm gonna ask JP for one of his recipes.

[lonestar]

I enjoy herbs in brine, but only the hearty ones (thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram), soft herbs just get destroyed and really don't lend much to it. For me I just add salt til it tastes a bit salty, then brown sugar till it tastes sweet. Toss in some peppercorns and dried chiles, that serves as a good base. And some onions to Piss off Tim

[bosk1]

Good call.