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[Paskil]

Very good points and that is impressive. It's price seems a lot more fair when compared to a big green egg but there is no way in hell I could ever afford or justify $1,500 on a grill. I'd rather have my $100 grill with a $100 Slow N Sear and use the remaining $1,300 on prime grade brisket. More power to anyone who can afford it, but not for me and it probably never will be.

Welcome back by the way. Smoke anything recently?

Edit:That looks fantastic Paskil. I only use milder woods. Did it hold up against the brisket?

To be honest, I've had kind of crappy luck with my smoke output. I'm always afraid of overdoing it, but I've only really developed good rings and flavor on whole chickens I've made in the past. I took the shortcut route back in 2014 and bought an electric Masterbuilt that was an Amazon Black Friday steal. I think I want to get the challenge of maintaining a charcoal or manual smoke and have been considering my options for the last year or so. I have a cousin that is an engineer so I am almost tempted to try to get him to build me something.

I'm not super well versed in the different woods, I've just found that I prefer hickory, cherry, and pecan. I haven't messed with mesquite, although I've been tempted (especially with brisket).

 

[ColdPizza]

I'm not super well versed in the different woods, I've just found that I prefer hickory, cherry, and pecan. I haven't messed with mesquite, although I've been tempted (especially with brisket).

Eh, my general rule with wood choices are fruit woods are mild and okay for everything, hickory and mesquite are more heavy handed. So I'd stick to fruit woods on poultry, and probably only use mesquite on beef or lamb. Hickory for pork and beef, and if you have a good handle on it, then use it on chicken.

 

[zbarron]

Thanks, just a pork shoulder that I wasn't too impressed with. Tried a new rub of my own concoction and I just wasn't impressed. Some thoughts.
*snip*

Do you have salt in your rub or do you salt the meat before applying the rub? I usually salt the night before and apply rub right before it goes on. I'm thinking of trying both the day before. Salt, mustard, rub, rub the rub in, and then a sprinkle right before it goes on.

To be honest, I've had kind of crappy luck with my smoke output. I'm always afraid of overdoing it, but I've only really developed good rings and flavor on whole chickens I've made in the past. I took the shortcut route back in 2014 and bought an electric Masterbuilt that was an Amazon Black Friday steal. I think I want to get the challenge of maintaining a charcoal or manual smoke and have been considering my options for the last year or so. I have a cousin that is an engineer so I am almost tempted to try to get him to build me something.

I'm not super well versed in the different woods, I've just found that I prefer hickory, cherry, and pecan. I haven't messed with mesquite, although I've been tempted (especially with brisket).

I've yet to overdo it as well with the same fear. Too little and it's still tasty, too much can ruin it. I'm thinking about trying to slowly add more with each cook until I get it where I want it. It's possible I'm already at the ideal amount but this seem the best way to find out.

Eh, my general rule with wood choices are fruit woods are mild and okay for everything, hickory and mesquite are more heavy handed. So I'd stick to fruit woods on poultry, and probably only use mesquite on beef or lamb. Hickory for pork and beef, and if you have a good handle on it, then use it on chicken.

I had some leftover hickory chips and poured a bunch on the coals when I grilled this.

It was grilled with the lid off and turned every 30 seconds so even the large amount of stronger wood chips didn't effect it too much but I think it added to the overall flavor.

 

[ColdPizza]

Do you have salt in your rub or do you salt the meat before applying the rub? I usually salt the night before and apply rub right before it goes on. I'm thinking of trying both the day before. Salt, mustard, rub, rub the rub in, and then a sprinkle right before it goes on.

I actually cut the salt in my rub this time because I was trying out adding MSG...so I either didn't add enough MSG or didn't add enough salt. lol

 

[Lombax]

following. so very happy I found this thread!

 

[ErnieMcCracken]

Well, we've previously discussed the new Weber Summit Charcoal grill and we all came to the conclusion it was overpriced, but I've been doing some more research on it and it at least has recouped another 400-600 in value in my opinion based off the following videos.

1. This guy does a smoker efficiency test. He filled the charcoal basket completely full and used a fan system (Weber offers a port on the bottom of the grill for this express purpose) and the guy got an impressive 50 hours cooking time keeping temps between 225-250. That was without food, but even then, he could probably still get 25-30 hours out of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l88zDqQdLKU

2. This guy compares the summit vs the bge...there's definitely some build advantages to the summit verse the bge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GdhgQhEMBk

disclosure: no, i don't work for weber

1st video he uses a BBQ guru and briquettes. I don't uses briquettes in my Egg, it goes plenty long with lump and would probably go longer using a guru. Not wasting lump just to test it though. I'd like to see him do it without a guru for comparison (since a lot of people don't use one).

Second guy seems really pro-Weber. Not saying it's not a good cooker, but he's trying too hard to make the Egg look not worth it. Lighting lump in an Egg isn't rocket science. The felt gasket is rather efficient (and easily and cheaply replaced if it burns out on a high cook). Tables are expensive for an Egg, but you're limited with the Weber.

Haven't seen the Summit in action and I'm sure it's a good cooker, but I'm good with my Egg and don't see any reason to change. Weber has also had the benefit of seeing everything on the market in order to design this. Eggs have been around a long time and haven't changed much (not that they need to). Probably worth looking into if you've got the $$$, but I'd like to see some more on them, especially long-term.

 

[ColdPizza]

1st video he uses a BBQ guru and briquettes. I don't uses briquettes in my Egg, it goes plenty long with lump and would probably go longer using a guru. Not wasting lump just to test it though. I'd like to see him do it without a guru for comparison (since a lot of people don't use one).

Second guy seems really pro-Weber. Not saying it's not a good cooker, but he's trying too hard to make the Egg look not worth it. Lighting lump in an Egg isn't rocket science. The felt gasket is rather efficient (and easily and cheaply replaced if it burns out on a high cook). Tables are expensive for an Egg, but you're limited with the Weber.

Haven't seen the Summit in action and I'm sure it's a good cooker, but I'm good with my Egg and don't see any reason to change. Weber has also had the benefit of seeing everything on the market in order to design this. Eggs have been around a long time and haven't changed much (not that they need to). Probably worth looking into if you've got the $$$, but I'd like to see some more on them, especially long-term.

Weber customer service said anywhere form 8-16 hours. I personally own a Guru and never smoke without it anymore, so this is right up my alley.

Time will tell about the Summit. Apparently some bbq team used one and got 15th place in some national competition with it on their first try. 15th is like fractions of a point difference in a national competition so it seems it can hold its own in smoking.

Honestly, my next smoker might be a well sealed offset smoker anyway. I'm more of a purist despite me owning a guru.

The point of my previous post was to say that at $1500, it's not as overpriced as I originally thought. I believe I said it was worth 700 to 800 to me, but seeing these videos I thought maybe it was worth closer to $1100-1200.

 

[captive]

1st video he uses a BBQ guru and briquettes. I don't uses briquettes in my Egg, it goes plenty long with lump and would probably go longer using a guru. Not wasting lump just to test it though. I'd like to see him do it without a guru for comparison (since a lot of people don't use one).

Second guy seems really pro-Weber. Not saying it's not a good cooker, but he's trying too hard to make the Egg look not worth it. Lighting lump in an Egg isn't rocket science. The felt gasket is rather efficient (and easily and cheaply replaced if it burns out on a high cook). Tables are expensive for an Egg, but you're limited with the Weber.

Haven't seen the Summit in action and I'm sure it's a good cooker, but I'm good with my Egg and don't see any reason to change. Weber has also had the benefit of seeing everything on the market in order to design this. Eggs have been around a long time and haven't changed much (not that they need to). Probably worth looking into if you've got the $$$, but I'd like to see some more on them, especially long-term.

Yea first guy used 13.5lbs of charcoal, I'll have to weigh out how much I usually use but I'd bet it's probably 7 or so lbs. I've gone 18 hours on a cook and then stopped the egg and there was charcoal left over.

Second guy is wrong though, my brother got the extra large two weeks ago with the legs and indirect stone thrown in, for $1150 a lot of dealers will do that. And his after market table argument is ridiculous. In my new house I'm going to drop the egg in granite, done.

 

[ColdPizza]

Yeah my intent isn't that this is better than the bge. It was to show its value.

It's still out of my price range tho. Lower it by $500 on both models and I'm probably a buyer.

 

[oo7]

Am I doing it right? FML. RIP fresh cut NY strips.

 

[gruenel]

Am I doing it right? FML. RIP fresh cut NY strips.

Nice crust on the steaks...

But seriously, wtf happened there? I guess that's fire extinguisher foam?

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Am I doing it right? FML. RIP fresh cut NY strips.

bruh, just use Alton Brown's searing method.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/porterhouse-perfection-0146109.html

 

[zbarron]

bruh, just use Alton Brown's searing method.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/porterhouse-perfection-0146109.html

Sorry to be that guy but that's not dry aging.

Also what's the point of cooking the steak under the chimney when heat rises and cooking it over it works so well?

 

[cogent]

Sorry to be that guy but that's not dry aging.

Also what's the point of cooking the steak under the chimney when heat rises and cooking it over it works so well?

? Broiling is an amazing cooking method?

 

[zbarron]

? Broiling is an amazing cooking method?

It is and I am a big fan of it, but honestly it's inefficient. By having the heat source above your food you are losing out on a lot of heat. Heat rises. The only benefit I see for it is lack of flare ups from rendered fat but I'm not even sure if that is a benefit since when done right it can make your food really tasty.

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Sorry to be that guy but that's not dry aging.

Also what's the point of cooking the steak under the chimney when heat rises and cooking it over it works so well?

It's dry aging bruh, it's not in that clip but Alton goes into the science of dry aging in the episode. He achieves the same result with a fridge, a rack, and paper towels.

You also prove my point rising heat cooks really well, threatening to dry out your steak. The broiling is there to help control the core temp of the meat giving more control when trying to achieve a certain rareness.

This is how steak houses constantly achieve the same results as needed. They cook the steak at 250 for 20 to 30 minutes, then sear it at extremely high temps for a short duration.

 

[Applesauce]

The DIY kettle pizza is done albeit not painted. I want to do a dry run with it first to see what temps I can hit but I think it will perform well. Thanks to the shit weather here we had some down-time and my co worker had plenty of time to finish cutting and tacking it up. He's a really good welder, by the way ... he did all the fab work on my stick burner not too long ago. All with a few bucks worth of stuff from Home Depot and junk laying around the yard.

Pics :

Angle iron supports for the top plate and baking stone for the bottom. 2nd pic is the top plate in place ... the handles for it came from leftovers from making hinges for the BBQ pit. Angle irons cost about 10 bucks. The top plate was cut from scrap as you can tell by all the pitting, 1/4" thick and weighs about 20 or 30 pounds.

Cleats welded in 4 spots to keep the ring from moving

Baking stone in place ... man do I need a new stone, this one has seen better days! Distaince from stone to plate is 6"

All put together, everything fits perfectly. This was cut from a common 55 gallon drum for a 22.5" weber kettle. As you can see in the picture the base (or top) of the drum rests perfectly flush on top of the kettle base.

I didn't copy the kettle pizza's top plate because I think this will create better convection heat without having those huge handling holes on the left and right. The small hole at the entrance was cut to give the heat another avenue to escape through the front other than the entrance. I'm pretty excited to see how it performs!

 

[ColdPizza]

It's dry aging bruh, it's not in that clip but Alton goes into the science of dry aging in the episode. He achieves the same result with a fridge, a rack, and paper towels.

You also prove my point rising heat cooks really well, threatening to dry out your steak. The broiling is there to help control the core temp of the meat giving more control when trying to achieve a certain rareness.

This is how steak houses constantly achieve the same results as needed. They cook the steak at 250 for 20 to 30 minutes, then sear it at extremely high temps for a short duration.

Some parcook, some don't.

Kenji has a great guide to dryaging at home. Alton's method of using a paper towel was probably done to mimic using a fan to keep the steak surface dry.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home.html

 

[oo7]

Nice crust on the steaks...

But seriously, wtf happened there? I guess that's fire extinguisher foam?

See what happened was... I put one of those aluminum plate cover thingamabobs on there. Have used them a ton in the past. Threw the steaks on there. Slow cooking. Everything going as planned. Had the sudden urge to drop a duece. Duece is mid drop, my wife screams "holy shit the grill is on fire". pinched it off. ran out to 4 foot high flames. Dont have a fire extinguisher so I grabbed flour. Turned the grill off, closed the propane line and doused it with a bag of flour. Ended up having Zaxbys. I was really looking forward to those steaks

 

[zbarron]

It's dry aging bruh, it's not in that clip but Alton goes into the science of dry aging in the episode. He achieves the same result with a fridge, a rack, and paper towels.

You also prove my point rising heat cooks really well, threatening to dry out your steak. The broiling is there to help control the core temp of the meat giving more control when trying to achieve a certain rareness.

This is how steak houses constantly achieve the same results as needed. They cook the steak at 250 for 20 to 30 minutes, then sear it at extremely high temps for a short duration.

I'll address the dry aging in my quoting ColdPizza.

High heat doesn't dry out the steak. The point of using the chimney is to get extremely high heat to sear the outside of the steak while cooking it very minimally on the inside. This is great for thin steaks, or thick steaks if you prefer them pittsburgh rare. If you prefer your steaks more well done than rare I like doing a reverse sear at a low temperature and finishing it off with extremely high heat like with the chimney. Best comparison would be searing a steak in a 350*F oven and using a propane torch which burns at just under 2,000*F. When they are the same color on the outside the insides will look very different.

To get the same sear with a lower heat it needs to be on the heat for longer which will cook the center more.

As for steakhouses, their way isn't the best way for a home cook. Their goal is speed and consistency. We can take our time with a steak and make it better.

Some parcook, some don't.

Kenji has a great guide to dryaging at home. Alton's method of using a paper towel was probably done to mimic using a fan to keep the steak surface dry.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home.html

From the article:

Given that you are starting with individual steaks, dry-aging at home is not feasible, despite what some otherwise reputable source have said in the past. Blind tasting showed that between the first day and the seventh day of such aging, there was absolutely zero perceptible improvement in the eating quality of the steaks.

Notice the link. See where it goes.


As for the pizza mod: It looks great. The angle irons remind me of a pizza oven I almost built. http://www.gardenfork.tv/brick-pizza-oven-video-and-plans-gf-tv/

It' a very simple design an the bricks aren't cemented together so you can disassemble it as needed.

I can't wait to see how your pizzas come out.

 

[ColdPizza]

Well there you go. You can't dry age individual steaks. I'm glad I could help indirectly. lol

off topic: my friend convinced me to sign up for a free trial of Blue Apron. Was pretty impressed with the dish I made tonight. A beef/lamb tagine over cous cous

 

[gruenel]

See what happened was... I put one of those aluminum plate cover thingamabobs on there. Have used them a ton in the past. Threw the steaks on there. Slow cooking. Everything going as planned. Had the sudden urge to drop a duece. Duece is mid drop, my wife screams "holy shit the grill is on fire". pinched it off. ran out to 4 foot high flames. Dont have a fire extinguisher so I grabbed flour. Turned the grill off, closed the propane line and doused it with a bag of flour. Ended up having Zaxbys. I was really looking forward to those steaks

That sucks man, but at least no one got injured!

 

[Rajack]

My first attempt at smoking meat. Chicken breasts. I used a sweet rub and smoked them for about 5 hours total. The skin ended up a smidge tough, but the meat was juicy, smoky, and delicious!

 

[Bold One]

Is this the best thread on Gaf?

 

[Mr. Giggles]

Am I doing it right? FML. RIP fresh cut NY strips.

What happened?

Edit:

See what happened was... I put one of those aluminum plate cover thingamabobs on there. Have used them a ton in the past. Threw the steaks on there. Slow cooking. Everything going as planned. Had the sudden urge to drop a duece. Duece is mid drop, my wife screams "holy shit the grill is on fire". pinched it off. ran out to 4 foot high flames. Dont have a fire extinguisher so I grabbed flour. Turned the grill off, closed the propane line and doused it with a bag of flour. Ended up having Zaxbys. I was really looking forward to those steaks

Oh dear..

Is this the best thread on Gaf?

It's up there!

 

[jts]

Hello BBQ GAF.

I’ve started to mess with charcoal grilling this summer. Got a medium kettle grill (off-brand) and a Weber chimney starter.

Today I’m going to grill a single ribeye steak.

Should I just go for that grill straight on the chimney technique? lol

 

[The Lamonster]

Hello BBQ GAF.

I’ve started to mess with charcoal grilling this summer. Got a medium kettle grill (off-brand) and a Weber chimney starter.

Today I’m going to grill a single ribeye steak.

Should I just go for that grill straight on the chimney technique? lol

You still have to cook the inside of the meat. Plus don't you want to use your new grill?

Here's how I grill ribeye, assuming it's a thick cut:

dry brine with kosher salt 2+hrs in advance (rinse, dry, salt, plastic wrap, put in fridge)
rub with cracked black pepper and peanut oil
set up grill for 2-zone cooking, preheat, then oil grate
throw on some mesquite wood chips if you have them
reverse sear method:
~15 mins on indirect side with lid closed (lid vent over the indirect meat side), flipping a couple times
open lid, let the direct charcoal side get really hot, keep lid off and sear for ~2 mins each side
plate and apply a small pad of unsalted butter, let rest for 10 mins

 

[zbarron]

See what happened was... I put one of those aluminum plate cover thingamabobs on there. Have used them a ton in the past. Threw the steaks on there. Slow cooking. Everything going as planned. Had the sudden urge to drop a duece. Duece is mid drop, my wife screams "holy shit the grill is on fire". pinched it off. ran out to 4 foot high flames. Dont have a fire extinguisher so I grabbed flour. Turned the grill off, closed the propane line and doused it with a bag of flour. Ended up having Zaxbys. I was really looking forward to those steaks

Be careful using flour to put out a fire. Flour explodes. Really, really explodes (think MythBusters). If you're outside dirt's always a great option or there's always baking soda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umjqeBb4MCw it could have been a hell of a lot worse.

 

[phanphare]

publix had spare ribs on sale so I did a rack today. they were really good. smoked them with hickory and used a pretty standard rub and put a bit of cocoa in there. was really good.

 

[PackerinMN]

Is the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 worth it? I'm sick of over cooking burgers just so my wife doesn't see any pink.

I'm open to alternatives, I just don't want to buy junk that goes bad after one season.

 

[Applesauce]

Is the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 worth it? I'm sick of over cooking burgers just so my wife doesn't see any pink.

I'm open to alternatives, I just don't want to buy junk that goes bad after one season.

Yeah, the MK4 is definitely worth it. The MK3 will give you just as accurate temps but I like the auto rotating display and back light of the MK4. I use mine for frying too.

 

[zbarron]

Is the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 worth it? I'm sick of over cooking burgers just so my wife doesn't see any pink.

I'm open to alternatives, I just don't want to buy junk that goes bad after one season.

They are great no doubt, but without knowing your usage plans or financial situation I can't say if it's worth $99 to you. Alternatively for $69 you can get the Classic thermapen in grey which is just as fast and accurate with less bells and whistles. Also the Thermapop is on sale currently and about 1/5 the price of the Mk 4 with only taking a few more seconds to get a reading. If speed isn't a concern at all you can just spend $2.40 on a basic pocket thermometer. This model can be calibrated so you know it's accurate but the analog ones are harder to read exact temps to the degree, the probe end is thicker, and will take longer to get a final reading. It'll tell you if your burgers are ready.

 

[PackerinMN]

Thanks guys. Price isn't much of a concern. I like to buy things once and be done with it.

I will have to decide between the different models.

 

[ColdPizza]

Thanks guys. Price isn't much of a concern. I like to buy things once and be done with it.

I will have to decide between the different models.

You'll be happy either way. I actually got my thermapen in an openbox sale which means they were either returned or refurbed. They're all re-calibrated before being sent out and I haven't had a problem since.

That sucks about the burgers. I've had to explain to my wife that color doesn't matter so much as the temp. Besides, even though I like my steaks rare/medium rare, I actually enjoy my burgers medium to medium well (still juicy).

 

[zbarron]

You'll be happy either way. I actually got my thermapen in an openbox sale which means they were either returned or refurbed. They're all re-calibrated before being sent out and I haven't had a problem since.

That sucks about the burgers. I've had to explain to my wife that color doesn't matter so much as the temp. Besides, even though I like my steaks rare/medium rare, I actually enjoy my burgers medium to medium well (still juicy).

I had that conversation with a chicken thigh that had a very pink bone despite me cooking it to about 180*F-185*F since I think chicken thighs are better to higher temperatures than the minimum.

It's frustrating how many people are taught the poke test with steaks, or to cook chicken until the juices run clear, or all those other bad ways when a thermometer is the best way and can be had for cheap. I was reading an article from the CDC that was saying over half of chicken served at home was undercooked and a decent amount served in restaurants was too. I can't find it at the moment unfortunately. It really makes me want to trust no ones cooking but my own.

 

[ColdPizza]

I had that conversation with a chicken thigh that had a very pink bone despite me cooking it to about 180*F-185*F since I think chicken thighs are better to higher temperatures than the minimum.

It's frustrating how many people are taught the poke test with steaks, or to cook chicken until the juices run clear, or all those other bad ways when a thermometer is the best way and can be had for cheap. I was reading an article from the CDC that was saying over half of chicken served at home was undercooked and a decent amount served in restaurants was too. I can't find it at the moment unfortunately. It really makes me want to trust no ones cooking but my own.

Speaking of which....

I brought these beauties to 185-190 and they were fabulous. These were marinated in Chiavetta's bbq marinade...best way I can explain it is it is a vinegar based marinade with a bunch of fine spices in it. Very piquant taste. I highly recommend seeing if you can find it online somewhere. I'm lucky enough to live local to buy this stuff by the barrel. I would drink it.

 

[snacknuts]

The DIY kettle pizza is done albeit not painted. I want to do a dry run with it first to see what temps I can hit but I think it will perform well. Thanks to the shit weather here we had some down-time and my co worker had plenty of time to finish cutting and tacking it up. He's a really good welder, by the way ... he did all the fab work on my stick burner not too long ago. All with a few bucks worth of stuff from Home Depot and junk laying around the yard.

Pics :

Angle iron supports for the top plate and baking stone for the bottom. 2nd pic is the top plate in place ... the handles for it came from leftovers from making hinges for the BBQ pit. Angle irons cost about 10 bucks. The top plate was cut from scrap as you can tell by all the pitting, 1/4" thick and weighs about 20 or 30 pounds.



Cleats welded in 4 spots to keep the ring from moving



Baking stone in place ... man do I need a new stone, this one has seen better days! Distaince from stone to plate is 6"



All put together, everything fits perfectly. This was cut from a common 55 gallon drum for a 22.5" weber kettle. As you can see in the picture the base (or top) of the drum rests perfectly flush on top of the kettle base.



I didn't copy the kettle pizza's top plate because I think this will create better convection heat without having those huge handling holes on the left and right. The small hole at the entrance was cut to give the heat another avenue to escape through the front other than the entrance. I'm pretty excited to see how it performs!

Color me impressed.

 

[zbarron]

I picked up a pork butt at the butcher on Saturday. I also ordered the Slow N Sear on Sunday. It's supposed to arrive Wednesday. Should the pork still be good by then if kept in the bag in the refrigerator?

 

[hikarutilmitt]

They are great no doubt, but without knowing your usage plans or financial situation I can't say if it's worth $99 to you. Alternatively for $69 you can get the Classic thermapen in grey which is just as fast and accurate with less bells and whistles. Also the Thermapop is on sale currently and about 1/5 the price of the Mk 4 with only taking a few more seconds to get a reading. If speed isn't a concern at all you can just spend $2.40 on a basic pocket thermometer. This model can be calibrated so you know it's accurate but the analog ones are harder to read exact temps to the degree, the probe end is thicker, and will take longer to get a final reading. It'll tell you if your burgers are ready.

I second the ThermoPop. It's fantastic, accurate and relatively inexpensive compared to the Thermapen. I have a few cheaper but not super cheap thermometers (both digital and analog) and they aren't as accurate as the ThermoPop is. The speed is just a bonus, IMO.

 

[Jack Scofield]

Any suggestions for a cheap (yet good) grill that I could buy for an apartment balcony? I was looking at something like this (only with longer legs), but since I'm not a grilling expert I have no idea what qualities to look for in these grills.

 

[captive]

I picked up a pork butt at the butcher on Saturday. I also ordered the Slow N Sear on Sunday. It's supposed to arrive Wednesday. Should the pork still be good by then if kept in the bag in the refrigerator?

you usually have a week or so before ive seen them even start to go bad. But YMMV.


Picked a pork butt over the weekend.

About 6 hours in


About 9.5 hours in


just put it in foil, it was about 166, thoroughly in the stall.

 

[otapnam]

Any suggestions for a cheap (yet good) grill that I could buy for an apartment balcony? I was looking at something like this (only with longer legs), but since I'm not a grilling expert I have no idea what qualities to look for in these grills.

Get the larger jumbo joe if you can

 

[zbarron]

Any suggestions for a cheap (yet good) grill that I could buy for an apartment balcony? I was looking at something like this (only with longer legs), but since I'm not a grilling expert I have no idea what qualities to look for in these grills.

I have that exact grill. I seared a steak on it this weekend.

It is an amazing grill for the price and is just as high quality as the Weber Kettle just in a smaller package. For $10 more dollars you can get the smokey joe premium which travels better but due to the bottom vent placement doesn't have as good of airflow or get as hot.

Make sure to pick up a Weber Charcoal Chimney and grill brush with it. Last summer those three tools were all I had and I made some great food. I used a metal spatula and tongs from the kitchen.

Grills this size can't do 2 zone grilling. You also won't be able to smoke on it unless you mod it.

 

[The Lamonster]

Grills this size can't do 2 zone grilling. You also won't be able to smoke on it unless you mod it.

this is so cute!


also, those square burgers look great.

 

[zbarron]

this is so cute!


also, those square burgers look great.

That's a basic one. People use high heat spray paint and decals of their favorite teams and take them tailgating.

They supposedly make very good smokers comparable to the 14.5" Weber Smokey Mountain. It's not a hard or particularly expensive project. I may make one myself one day but for now went with the slow n sear so I could fit large foods.

They were good. I got them from my butcher. The meat in them is pretty lean though so for the burgers tonight I just got some of their 80/20 and formed my own smashed burgers. Lean or not though they were good. Almost like a steak. I love how when you compare the two pictures you can see how much more recent the top one is by the color of the grates.

Does anyone know how to get super tender pulled pork like this? https://youtu.be/d0wPL1vZNZU?t=25s

 

[captive]

Does anyone know how to get super tender pulled pork like this? https://youtu.be/d0wPL1vZNZU?t=25s

no offense, but i think most of us that do pulled pork in this thread have it tender enough for that. I just pulled the one i posted pictures of above, the bone literally slide out without effort and when i transferred the pork out of the foil into my pyrex it broke into pieces as i lifted. Then with minimal effort it falls apart.

Just cook it slow for 12-16 hours at 225, depending on how many lbs it is, until it hits somewhere between 195-200 degrees internal temp. Let it rest, this is where some people lose the method, you have to let big hunks of meat like brisket and pork butt rest for at least 2 hours.

 

[zbarron]

no offense, but i think most of us that do pulled pork in this thread have it tender enough for that. I just pulled the one i posted pictures of above, the bone literally slide out without effort and when i transferred the pork out of the foil into my pyrex it broke into pieces as i lifted. Then with minimal effort it falls apart.

Just cook it slow for 12-16 hours at 225, depending on how many lbs it is, until it hits somewhere between 195-200 degrees internal temp. Let it rest, this is where some people lose the method, you have to let big hunks of meat like brisket and pork butt rest for at least 2 hours.

No offesnse taken. I'm here to learn. I was just watching the BBQ With Franklin pulled pork video and he does 275. You prefer 225? I never rest it which I know is a problem. I also never wrap it during the crutch, spray it or use a water pan. I'm thinking about changing all 4 of those. It's 6 pounds. I'll have a probe thermometer in it and one in the smoker. About how long do you think one that size would take? It seems like if I want it ready for dinner I may have to start it the night before.

 

[captive]

No offesnse taken. I'm here to learn. I was just watching the BBQ With Franklin pulled pork video and he does 275. You prefer 225? I never rest it which I know is a problem. I also never wrap it during the crutch, spray it or use a water pan. I'm thinking about changing all 4 of those. It's 6 pounds. I'll have a probe thermometer in it and one in the smoker. About how long do you think one that size would take? It seems like if I want it ready for dinner I may have to start it the night before.

yes, actually, i meant to quote you the other day and say that if i want to a pork butt for dinner i do it the day before. I can actually cook a heavier brisket faster than a smaller pork butt, weight wise. It takes so long because its so thick. I think most people say 1.5 hours per 1lb of a pork butt.

you dont have to foil, but it certainly speeds up the stall. Water bath and spritzing the meat will actually slow the cook down, when you spritz the meat its essentially doing what it does during the stall which is evaporative cooling.

As for temp, people use different temps, IIRC Myron Mixon is 275-325 for pork butts. As long as you cook it for a long time at a lower-ish temp its fine.

 

[zbarron]

yes, actually, i meant to quote you the other day and say that if i want to a pork butt for dinner i do it the day before. I can actually cook a heavier brisket faster than a smaller pork butt, weight wise. It takes so long because its so thick. I think most people say 1.5 hours per 1lb of a pork butt.

you dont have to foil, but it certainly speeds up the stall. Water bath and spritzing the meat will actually slow the cook down, when you spritz the meat its essentially doing what it does during the stall which is evaporative cooling.

As for temp, people use different temps, IIRC Myron Mixon is 275-325 for pork butts. As long as you cook it for a long time at a lower-ish temp its fine.

So say I put it on at 9:00PM the night before and 9 hours later (6lbsx1.5hrs) it would be done at roughly 6:00AM, would I rest it for two hours and then stick it in the fridge? What would be the best way to reheat it? Would I be better off starting it at 6:00 when I wake up and cooking it 9 hours until 3:00 and then resting it until 5:00?

I am less concerned about how long it takes, I just am going for maximum tenderness and moistness. All the ones I've done before have been no water pan, no spray/mop, no foil, and no rest and they come out a little tough and fairly dry. You're saying if I cook it longer to make sure it is fully done and let it rest for a good amount of time I don't have to worry about the other stuff?

 

[ColdPizza]

Does anyone know how to get super tender pulled pork like this? https://youtu.be/d0wPL1vZNZU?t=25s

I'm 99% certain that section of the pork was the "money muscle", which is the most tender part of the shoulder. So yeah, no wonder if it just plops apart like that.

http://howtobbqright.com/blog/?p=763

edit: let me clarify....

A good pork shoulder will fall apart like that, but I just feel if you're going to be doing an awesome video like that for Eater you're going to reserve your best cuts/muscles, so I feel that was the money muscle. They could also possible have brined their butt or injected it as well.