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Charcoal grill/smoker recommendations?

Discussion in 'Drink, Smoke, and Fine Dining' started by Nurburgringer, Apr 20, 2011.

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  1. Kaivball

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    #251 Kaivball, Jul 8, 2012
    That looks soooooo yummy.


    Kai
     
  2. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #252 Nurburgringer, Jul 8, 2012
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    That it was.
    Don't know if it was the periodic spritzing with juice, or more likely the shorter smoking time (~225 for only 4 hours vs. 5-6 in the past) but these were the best ribs yet. Great bark, juicy meat, pure hickory flavor, perfect bite off the bone but still with a firm texture.
    Could have laid a few more tasty sausages on top, and also rotated the front and back rack 1/2 way through since the back got more heat but overall a huge success.
    Even have 2/3 rack left (and beans, slaw, pasta salad, some belly, and ~1/4 gallon of Kopp's lemon meringue pie frozen custard) leftover for the week.

    Super cool to hang with the neighbors, one of which is friends with the previous owners of our house so they came also. Most are ex cops and firemen, great stories! The last of them just stumbled home... so I'm hitting the sack with a very full belly after a quick shower so the bed doesn't smell like a smokey rack of ribs slept there. cheers!
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  3. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #253 Nurburgringer, Jul 8, 2012
    Nice. I almost added some five spice to the belly's rub this morning, next time will do so.

    Vanilla extract is interesting. Did you notice it, or did it blend in with all the other flavors?
    Serious looking bark/crust, I would have thought that came from saucing at some point.
    I'm soooo full right now.... but would gladly eat one of those if it was in front of me!
     
  4. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #254 TexasF355F1, Jul 9, 2012
    Actually, I didn't really notice it, but my friends did. I never said anything and they said it had a "root beer taste"...which had to have been the vanilla. Although I do have root beer extract as well.

    Thank you for the compliment.:) I'm not sure about the crust, I sort of patted dry the ribs before applying a light coat of the rub. But possibly a mixture of the sugar from the juice as well as the regular white sugar. I always go for a medium coverage, but this time I went for full coverage but not a heavy dosage. I think it helped a lot.

    Hopefully I'll have my own smoker by years end and start working on doing my own stuff and moving up to pork butt and brisket.

    Needless to say, I'd never ever turn down any of your food. It always looks great!!!
     
  5. wax

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    #255 wax, Jul 9, 2012
    Caramelized Sugar^ crust.

    Suggestion;

    Add brown sugar to the equation
    (1/2 brown, 1/2 white)
    but skip vanilla.






    via rubber ducky
     
  6. TexasF355F1

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    #256 TexasF355F1, Jul 9, 2012
    Already got the brown sugar.....vanilla is just in the marinade.;)
     
  7. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #257 darth550, Jul 9, 2012
    A good little trick I learned is to heat a saucepan on the grill. Cut a nice chunk of fat off of whatever it is you're smoking/grilling and sweat the fat out of it over the fire then throw it in the pan and mix it with whatever sauce you're using to add a nice deep, matching flavor.
     
  8. Nurburgringer

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    #258 Nurburgringer, Jul 10, 2012
    Good stuff Jason. I've never marinaded ribs before but may have to give it a try with some vanilla on some belly next time.

    Thanks for the tip Darth. Pork fat does make just about everything better :)

    BTW - Shannon if you're reading this, how's the restaurant doing? BBQ pit up and running?

    Had a big plate of leftovers last night and looking forward to at least 3 more meals this week. So damn good...
     
  9. Roadog

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    #259 Roadog, Jul 19, 2012
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  10. Norm512TR

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    #260 Norm512TR, Jul 21, 2012
    Need to see this bad boy in operation!
     
  11. joker57676

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    #261 joker57676, Jul 23, 2012
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  12. Far Out

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    #262 Far Out, Jul 23, 2012
    :eek:

    That ... think looks as if it didn't fall off a truck, but out of a SciFi movie :eek:
     
  13. Nurburgringer

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    #263 Nurburgringer, Jul 29, 2012
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    Mark those ribs look scrumdiddlyumtious.

    Last day of the parent's week long visit and my dad wanted ribs so fired up the Smoke Hollow around noon.
    Rubbed the ribs with brown sugar, paprika, white pepper, garlic and onion powder, cumin, kosher salt and a bit of Vulcan (habenero) salt.
    Trying a whole chicken for the first time as well. Had a couple cans of Miller Light languishing in the fridge from our last party so bought a beer-can support for $5 from Home Depot. We'll see how it works out. The skin is browning up nicely, will put some foil over it in a bit so it doesn't get too dark.
    Also threw 3 big uncooked Polish sausages on since they turned out so great last time.
    Piling the coals near the smoke-box entrance really helps to keep the temps up. It's only ~80F outside today but both thermos are reading 220-240F with 3/4 of a chimney full of coals and a few chunks of hickory.
    Not that they were dry at all in the past, but trying for a moister cooking environment this time. Put a pan of water under the meat, and spritzing the ribs sown with apple juice every 30 minutes or so.
    The taster we just sampled 2.5 hours in had awesome flavor, so another 2ish hours then will sauce and foil.
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  14. Nurburgringer

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    #264 Nurburgringer, Jul 29, 2012
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    Ribs were fantastic. 4.5 hours at 225ish, then brushed with KC Masterpiece (warmed up in the micro with a couple tbls of melted butter) then wrapped in foil and let rest for an hour on top of the smoker while the chicken (covered with foil for the last 1.5 hours reached) 165F internal.
    Not much of the beer can evaporated, but the chicken was extremely moist and smoky. Very solid smoked chicken.
    Also grilled some big gulf shrimp with lime/garlic/tequila marinade, sauteed spinach with home-smoked bacon, rosemary roasted potatoes and garden tomatoes. Desert of homemade shortcake, fresh strawberries and cool whip.
    A couple neighbors from across the way followed their nose over so we ended up with 6 for dinner.
    Not a scrap left! Should have done 2 racks...
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  15. darth550

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    #265 darth550, Jul 29, 2012
    Kurt, That chicken looks great!

    Joker, nice ring on those ribs too! :):)
     
  16. joker57676

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    #266 joker57676, Jul 30, 2012
    Thanks, they came out great. They we're tendy and juicy as could be.


    Mark
     
  17. Nurburgringer

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    #267 Nurburgringer, Jul 30, 2012
    Thanks! I was shocked at how the skin went from toasty brown to a perfect mahogany after the final 1hr under foil in the smoker. It was chewy as expected, but did it's job of keeping in the moisture. All I did to prep it was rub it down (entire outside and cavity, and under the skin) with a hearty "Cowboy Rub" someone gave us. No oil, butter, veggies or anything else.
    It'll probably take 8+ hours and I'll need to use a lower rack so the top closes, but I'm tempted to do the thanksgiving turkey this way. Smoked poultry is right up there with smoked salmon in my book.

    Are Mark and I the only ones smoking these days?!? Let's see what you've got!
     
  18. vincent355

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    #268 vincent355, Jul 31, 2012
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    Looks great! Crispy skin is not too hard to do, just need a little higher temp. I usually do my chicken at around 375 to 400, 45 minutes to an hour...moist and crispy skin. A light glaze of honey and fig vinegar or balsamic during the last 10 minutes helps as well.

    I did a turkey in the egg last thanksgiving and it turned out awesome! Took a little longer than the chicken.
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  19. Erich

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    #269 Erich, Jul 31, 2012
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    I've cooked the thanksgiving Turkey on a Weber on numerous occasions.

    A pan of water under the bird helps keep the temps down.

    We head down to La Jolla Cove and cook a complete thanksgiving meal at the beach.
    The picnic table is just above the stairwell in the center of the pic.

    That's what California living is all about.
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  20. darth550

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    #270 darth550, Aug 5, 2012
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  21. Nurburgringer

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    #271 Nurburgringer, Aug 9, 2012
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    Yum. Awesome crust!
    Where do you buy (or how to make?) fig vinegar? Sounds interesting.


    That's cool - I'm surprised they let you fire up a grill at the beach in CA!

    effin A! Glistening pork fat looks great :)
    What kind of sausages are those?
    Do you prefer baby backs to spare ribs? I haven't done BB in a while, I suspect the higher fat content of spares make them a bit more forgiving in cooking time?

    Yesterday while blasting from Columbus OH to Lansing MI I ran a search in the sat-nav for Waffle House, something I always do when driving through WH-friendly states. My Garmin is two years old so of course after I go 15 minutes off course to get to the supposed nearest on on my route discover there's a new strip mall there and no WH :(
    F. Turn back on a northwards course and run a full "food" search to see what besides the standard fast food fare is around, and see a "Dicky's BBQ" pop up just 10 miles away, right off the highway in Delaware OH. Ok let's try...
    Well, even though it was in a newish strip mall the "Since 1941!" sign gives me hope, as does the rich smell of hickory assaulting my nose right out of the car.
    Young guy manning the smokers recommends the pulled pork and chopped beef brisket plate. Said they put the brisket on at 9PM each night for 12 hours, then wrap in plastic wrap and keep warm all day. Forgot to ask him at what time they smoke.
    Pork was good if a little bland, but man the brisket was REALLY good. Excellent sauces as well (esp the "hot and spicy" with flecks of crushed red pepper). Melt in your mought green beans with bacon and jalepeno bean sides.
    Don't know I'll ever be motivated enough to put in the time and fuel into smoking beef brisket at home, may just leave it to the "pros" and stick to quicker cuts.
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  22. joker57676

    joker57676 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #272 joker57676, Aug 9, 2012
    Looking good Darth.

    And Kurt, get out there and cook a brisket! It's not that difficult and isn't as crazy time consuming as it seems. I've done a few this season, a couple were better than others, but all were certainly good. I've had cook times range from 8 hours to 14 hours with temps between 225 and 250. Just start early in the morning and let it go.

    I don't know how well your cooker does at holding temp or how long it can go without adding fuel, but I've gone 10 hours without touching mine. I was able to leave the house and do whatever for periods of time and/or just hangout at home, watch some racing, and drink a beer.

    If you're really worried about the time, look up the high heat method. I may give that a shot at some point in the future.

    Mark
     
  23. Nurburgringer

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    #273 Nurburgringer, Aug 10, 2012
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    The smoke hollow needs refueling every 1.5-2 hours, and I'm not crazy about brisket enough to put in the time&fuel. If I need a smoked beef fix then beef ribs do the trick.

    Had a couple hours to kill last night in Muskegon before the 11PM high-speed ferry left so turned to the Garmin for dinner suggestions. Up popped "Mr. T's BBQ" just a few miles away so gave it a go.
    Tough to choose from all the great sounding items (perch, smelts, pig's feet oh my!), but on the ladies' suggestion picked a plate of REALLY good rib tips with black eyed peas and two slices of white bread. The little bones were so soft I munched up a couple. Super gelatinous, fatty mouth-feel to the surrounding meat. Also had an excellent sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. Brought home 1/2, plus an order of beef brisket and mac&cheese for the wife.
    I love these BBQ joints in sketchy areas of town, like Speed Queen or Ashley's in Milwaukee. Bars on the windows are a good sign IMO :)
    Next time I'm there maybe will have the courage to try the chitterlings or turkey knuckles.
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  24. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #274 darth550, Aug 11, 2012
    I have been a fan of spares for that very reason but I really wanted to do babys this time and I'm glad I did, even though I was a bit more paranoid about minding the pit. I did them with a 3 layer rub sandwich (rub-brown sugar-rub) and they came out really tender, yet firm. I really don't dig that chain restaurant/baked "fall apart" feel as much. I cooked them for 4 hours (2-1-1 method) @ 225 over a base of Kingsford, pecan/maple chunks for smoke and a pan of apple juice for moisture.

    The sausages were the fresh Italian ones from Costco and Portuguese Linguica from a local Brazilian market. I put them on after an hour for a three hour tour. :)
     
  25. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #275 Nurburgringer, Aug 11, 2012
    Thought those looked reddish like Linguica. I bet they were great smoked, I love the taste of smoked paprika. Have to get me some of these... soon.

    ah the ol "Texas Crutch"!
    Had to look that up BTW :)

    My ribs always have a firm-ish bite as well, but other than maybe one rack over the past 20 or so also a nice clean one away from the bone. Don't know how the restaurants get ribs to basically fall off the bone, some kind of braising or steaming?

    Wife and I reheated and gobbled down the rest of Mr. T's rib tips and brisket last night. Brisket reminded us of barbacoa we get from a local Mexican supermarket: juicy, fatty, rich and yummy.
     
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