What's your charcoal of choice? Hardwood lump? Any favoured brands? Where do you purchase?
Do you chuck woodchip on top?
Also, recipes. Gimme recipes.
Thanks.
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What's your charcoal of choice? Hardwood lump? Any favoured brands? Where do you purchase?
Do you chuck woodchip on top?
Also, recipes. Gimme recipes.
Thanks.
Get yourself on this website
https://amazingribs.com/
You have a lot to learn and a long journey ahead, but it will be worthwhile.
What have you bought?
I use hardwood lump, obviously. I generally use Big K Restaurant Grade, but I've just bought a box of Kamado Big Block and a bag of CPL to try as well. I order from Amazon.
Make sure you have proper lighting technique. For God's sake avoid chemicals! There are plenty on the market.
There's little point having a smoker if you don't apply some wood for, you know, smoke. Take care not to add too much, and research which wood suits which dishes. Apple makes sense with pork, for example, or oak with beef.
Make sure you have a good probe thermometer. I use a Meater for large joints, a Thermopro Dual for smaller cuts and a Habor for instant read.
Temperature control is key. You simply have to practise. If I were you I would start with large pork shoulders as these are quite forgiving.
As for recipes, there are a million youtube videos out there, but the basic rules are usually the same: apply your rub of choice (I tend to make my own because commercial ones contain too much sugar for me) bang your meat on the grill, spend 8 hours making your barbecue sauce, checking the temperature and drinking beer, then eat about a 20th of the enormous lump of meat you've ruined :cloud9:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks man. This is all useful.
I was reading that briquettes are better for smoking, and lumpwood for standard grilling, as briquettes stay hot for longer.
I got me a charcoal starter for ease of lighting:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Nice. Be interesting to see hear how it goes.
BBriquettes contain chemicals. One load of decent lumpwood burns for 12 hours in my Kamado.
A starter chimney is good but beware; use only kitchen paper and vegetable oil to get it going, NOI CHEMICALS! and don't let your charcoal go too long or else you'll never keep the temperature down. You want it barely burning when it goies into the smoker.
How was the pub, Monty?
Are all your possessions still stuck in transit in North London?
There was a darts competition going on, so the barman told me I'm better off watching on the TV in the beer garden. Went in the garden and the wood cabin where the game was on was occupied by 18-year-old townies being ghastly. Went back inside and perched in one of the only available paces, right by the front door, which kept on banging against me whenever someone entered.
I miss London :-(
On the plus side, picked up the filthiest Chinky takeaway you could ever imagine on the way home, which came to about a tenner for two. Chips in curry sauce!!!! From a Chinese takeway!!!!!1111!!! :cloud9:
:-(
Insurance claim
Back to the original point, I live in Ashdown Forest where we make our own charcoal, do I win £5?
100% spot on Marvo!!! Their recommendations are always right as far as equipment and they lean towards the science of the cook, which is my preferred method as a rationale for what I do. And I have the bonafides as a passionate backyard BBQer. I've been a competition judge for years, but those teams are insane!
https://stlouisbbqsociety.com/
I've tutored a Brit for awhile and one thing I found is that your meats are cut differently as a general rule so it's a real find if you can locate a butcher who gets it and can create a product both in cow and pig that resembles what you are reading about on the websites. For example it is difficult to find a true packer brisket with the flat and the point conjoined. Instead it is customery to grind up the point and ROLL THE FLAT and bundle it up. Forget what y'all call it.
We learned to unroll it for a cook, but they also trim off too much fat before rolling. Frustrating!
Let me know if I can help.
Good Luck and Happy Cooking,
Chief
Yes! Yes! Yes! Impressive, Sir C. Didn't your likes existed in the UK. Impressed!
this is my choice in temp probes. A dual read is great, but I prefer them separate as when one goes wonky you're gonna end up with two anyways. Or I always have. BIte the bullet and pay, it pays for itself many times over. I panic if it's misplaced!
https://www.thermoworks.com/Thermape...xoC58MQAvD_BwE
Spot on on the wood for the cook. Use it at the beginning as smoke won't get into the meat after it gets above 100 (35C?). Fruit wood for pig, hardwood (oak, mesquite, hickory) for the cow. Lately I've been using pecan for ribs and using a sweeter (boiled down apple juice/brownsugar mixture) fora light glaze at the end.
I also use nothing but charcoal any more and I;m stuck on Kingsford. Their competition charcoal is not advisable as it burns too hot and you have to turn the vents to almost nothing.
Agree on making your own rub, but I quit making my own sauce as there are too many varieties that I like and don't like to have just one choice. I got about 15 different bottles taking up space in my fridge. Plus, I confess, I;m too lazy.
If you're motivated and can get it delivered, SirC, try Arthur Bryant's ORIGINAL. Zero sugar. I warn it is an acquired taste, but it has a pristine pedigree. It is the keystone of Kansas City BBQ joints. Many Presidents have eaten there. It is a rite of passage for native Kansas Citians, like me!
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=arthur+br...sl_rz84o90ms_e
p.s. Their sweet heat sauce has a great balance.