*Charcoal* BBQ/Grilling

The Nal

Dunne_bkill wrote: »

Any recommendations for a low and slow pork shoulder cook?

From what I'm reading, Snake method at 225. How many coals should make up the snake? 2 in a row all around?

Also, I'm going to cook this for family at the weekend along with burgers etc. Do you just reheat when the time suits? Or is that a crime?

Sorry, very new to this.

I would advise to do the shoulder well ahead but it will stay warm for 3 or 4 hours wrapped in a tea towel.

Brian?

SachaJ wrote: »

I sounded a bit general there but more specifically for my use case. Using my old cheapo kettle I've been cooking 2 zone with the coals farthest away from me and the upper vent closest to me (habit perhaps). If I was to keep having the vent and coals opposite each other, I'd need to have the coals closest to me since the vent is fixed and reach over the coals to access cooking area. I could just take the lid off the hinge and turn 180 degrees but then there's no top handle to lift the lid or perhaps cook sideways to the kettle.

Also I'm considering building a table to put the kettle on which could be close to a wall. I'd prefer not have to reach around to the vent considering I have a digital thermometer.

I reckon you're over thinking it. Just put the coals at the back and don't worry about the orientation of the top vent.

Planet X

Just charcoaled a few steaks. First time ever made herb butter. Rolled it and chilled in fridge for a few hours.
Sliced it as they do and placed it on top of steaks.....as they do in posh restaurants :D:D.

Wow.....it was stunning.
Fresh basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, crushed garlic, squeeze of lemon, salt n peppa.

Mollyb60

Ok guys, BBQ novice here. I have a kettle BBQ that I've used a few times last year but I have 2 problems with it.
a) it's really hard to know how to light it properly.
b) it doesn't hold it's heat at all. I'd get maybe a few burgers cooked on it but it's losing it's heat really quickly.

So can someone give me an absolute idiot's guide to starting a BBQ going and keeping it hot so I can cook the food? Any youtube videos I look up use fancy things like the chimney thing or lighting gel. All I have is a ready made starter pack of coals from Tesco that you put in the BBQ and set on fire. Do I put the lid on once I light it? Leave it off? For how long? Is there supposed to be tons of smoke? Am I supposed to be doing things with the vents (one under the BBQ and one on the lid)? Do I have to change the vents once it's lit and the coals are grey? Do I put the lid on when I put food on it to cook? Or is the lid ever used at all?

Help a girl out here gurus.

FixitFelix

Mollyb60 wrote: »

Ok guys, BBQ novice here. I have a kettle BBQ that I've used a few times last year but I have 2 problems with it.
a) it's really hard to know how to light it properly.
b) it doesn't hold it's heat at all. I'd get maybe a few burgers cooked on it but it's losing it's heat really quickly.

So can someone give me an absolute idiot's guide to starting a BBQ going and keeping it hot so I can cook the food? Any youtube videos I look up use fancy things like the chimney thing or lighting gel. All I have is a ready made starter pack of coals from Tesco that you put in the BBQ and set on fire. Do I put the lid on once I light it? Leave it off? For how long? Is there supposed to be tons of smoke? Am I supposed to be doing things with the vents (one under the BBQ and one on the lid)? Do I have to change the vents once it's lit and the coals are grey? Do I put the lid on when I put food on it to cook? Or is the lid ever used at all?

Help a girl out here gurus.

You mentioned a chimney starter and to be honest it's the best thing you'll buy for cheap money, fill it with coal and place it on top of your lighter cubes or rolled up paper and leave for 15-20 mins, then pour them into kettle, try keep them packed together. If you're doing quick burgers I wouldn't bother with the lid. But for anything longer use vents to control temp, closing slightly will lower temp opening will higher, with lid on. It takes a while to get the hang of it and getting to know your grill but just try and you'll get there.
I'm not expert so maybe someone else will chime in with better info.
Main thing is to just enjoy using it and not stress too much about exact temps etc

Zak Flaps

Mollyb60 wrote: »

Ok guys, BBQ novice here. I have a kettle BBQ that I've used a few times last year but I have 2 problems with it.
a) it's really hard to know how to light it properly.
b) it doesn't hold it's heat at all. I'd get maybe a few burgers cooked on it but it's losing it's heat really quickly.

So can someone give me an absolute idiot's guide to starting a BBQ going and keeping it hot so I can cook the food? Any youtube videos I look up use fancy things like the chimney thing or lighting gel. All I have is a ready made starter pack of coals from Tesco that you put in the BBQ and set on fire. Do I put the lid on once I light it? Leave it off? For how long? Is there supposed to be tons of smoke? Am I supposed to be doing things with the vents (one under the BBQ and one on the lid)? Do I have to change the vents once it's lit and the coals are grey? Do I put the lid on when I put food on it to cook? Or is the lid ever used at all?

Help a girl out here gurus.

FixitFelix wrote: »

You mentioned a chimney starter and to be honest it's the best thing you'll buy for cheap money, fill it with coal and place it on top of your lighter cubes or rolled up paper and leave for 15-20 mins, then pour them into kettle, try keep them packed together. If you're doing quick burgers I wouldn't bother with the lid. But for anything longer use vents to control temp, closing slightly will lower temp opening will higher, with lid on. It takes a while to get the hang of it and getting to know your grill but just try and you'll get there.
I'm not expert so maybe someone else will chime in with better info.
Main thing is to just enjoy using it and not stress too much about exact temps etc

That's good advice.
Definitely get the chimney starter. It's excellent.

heroics

Zak Flaps wrote: »

That's good advice.
Definitely get the chimney starter. It's excellent.

I just bought the one in Tesco and tbh don’t know how I ever started charcoal bbqs before. Takes all the frustration out of it.

FixitFelix

heroics wrote: »

I just bought the one in Tesco and tbh don’t know how I ever started charcoal bbqs before. Takes all the frustration out of it.

Have a Weber one I got with my mastertouch but seen the ones in Tesco should have picked one up for my WSM

thejaguar

heroics wrote: »

I just bought the one in Tesco and tbh don’t know how I ever started charcoal bbqs before. Takes all the frustration out of it.

Tesco where? I was hoping to get my hands on one - I missed them in Aldi the other week. If I could get one this weekend that'd be a real bonus.

paddylonglegs

We have a cheapo shop called Choice, Dealz type of situation. They have chimneys for under a tenner.

bren2001

thejaguar wrote: »

Tesco where? I was hoping to get my hands on one - I missed them in Aldi the other week. If I could get one this weekend that'd be a real bonus.

Tesco clarehall have them in their BBQ section. I assume any Tesco Extra will stock them.

FixitFelix

thejaguar wrote: »

Tesco where? I was hoping to get my hands on one - I missed them in Aldi the other week. If I could get one this weekend that'd be a real bonus.

Don't know where you're located but Tesco nutgrove had about 10 the other day

thejaguar

bren2001 wrote: »

Tesco clarehall have them in their BBQ section. I assume any Tesco Extra will stock them.

FixitFelix wrote: »

Don't know where you're located but Tesco nutgrove had about 10 the other day

Both of those are good options for me - thanks!

Holy Diver

Look at getting a book of bbq recipes on amazon.

Are all the Weber books much the same? Hard to tell which one to get. I’ve seen some people giving out in the reviews about some of the books being near identical

FixitFelix

Holy Diver wrote: »

Look at getting a book of bbq recipes on amazon.

Are all the Weber books much the same? Hard to tell which one to get. I’ve seen some people giving out in the reviews about some of the books being near identical

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1624140998/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Kvn0EbRG1H2VG

This is the one of have, not sure if you're after more of bbq or smoking one

neris

Holy Diver wrote: »

Look at getting a book of bbq recipes on amazon.

Are all the Weber books much the same? Hard to tell which one to get. I’ve seen some people giving out in the reviews about some of the books being near identical

This is a good book on BBQ/Smoking and includes some good recipes for cooking, sauces & rubs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meathead-Goldwyn/dp/054401846X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=meathead&qid=1590747897&sr=8-1

Gloomtastic!

Some stunning looking cuts in O’Mahony Meats in Coolock. BBQ heaven!

Holy Diver

neris wrote: »

This is a good book on BBQ/Smoking and includes some good recipes for cooking, sauces & rubs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meathead-Goldwyn/dp/054401846X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=meathead&qid=1590747897&sr=8-1

That looks good tbf. Looking at something with a decent mix of grilling, roasting and smoking. Doesn’t have to be all recipes either as I’d be happy to read about techniques etc also

Buyingcar2012

I just bought a rack of ribs. I’ve a Weber mastertouch. Thought I’d some briquettes but don’t. Homebase don’t have them. In dublin. Any ideas where to get some. Weber preferably

joe316

Buyingcar2012 wrote: »

I just bought a rack of ribs. I’ve a Weber mastertouch. Thought I’d some briquettes but don’t. Homebase don’t have them. In dublin. Any ideas where to get some. Weber preferably

Just got a small bag of them in The Orchard in Celbridge today

Buyingcar2012

joe316 wrote: »

Just got a small bag of them in The Orchard in Celbridge today

I just got briquettes in aldi. Wish me luck! Has anyone used these for low and slow?

simonw

Are there any supermarket cuts of meat that would be good for low and slow cooking? I don't think I'll be near a proper butchers but I'd like to try doing my first smoke over the long weekend

Planet X

Anyone fit a "Cajun Bandit" replacement door?
Just ordered one last night.

Will prob. put rollers on it also unless advised not to.

FixitFelix

Buyingcar2012 wrote: »

I just bought a rack of ribs. I’ve a Weber mastertouch. Thought I’d some briquettes but don’t. Homebase don’t have them. In dublin. Any ideas where to get some. Weber preferably

Newlands in clondalkin stock them,buy mine there all the time,also usually have woods chunks and accessories aswell

MaceFace

Holy Diver wrote: »

Look at getting a book of bbq recipes on amazon.

Are all the Weber books much the same? Hard to tell which one to get. I’ve seen some people giving out in the reviews about some of the books being near identical

I wouldn't bother with a book when there are so many better online resources.
AmazingRibs have a lot of excellent recipes.
The problem I often find with books is they assume you have access to every type of spice when in this country we are limited.

the beer revolu

simonw wrote: »

Are there any supermarket cuts of meat that would be good for low and slow cooking? I don't think I'll be near a proper butchers but I'd like to try doing my first smoke over the long weekend

Perhaps a leg of pork or pork belly.
A leg of lamb could be good.
Or a whole chicken.

Dunne_bkill

Just got my Bluetooth temp probe, I must say it's some job. Just doing some wings slowly at the moment to test it out, so handy not having to keep an eye on the temp and also knowing the live internal temp. It's a game changer.

neris

MaceFace wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with a book when there are so many better online resources.
AmazingRibs have a lot of excellent recipes.
The problem I often find with books is they assume you have access to every type of spice when in this country we are limited.

The meathead book I linked up above is the guy who runs/set up amazingribs.com and most of the spices you can get easily here

thereitisgone

neris wrote: »

This is a good book on BBQ/Smoking and includes some good recipes for cooking, sauces & rubs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meathead-Goldwyn/dp/054401846X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=meathead&qid=1590747897&sr=8-1

Second that, this is my bible for smoking or grilling

surball

simonw wrote: »

Are there any supermarket cuts of meat that would be good for low and slow cooking? I don't think I'll be near a proper butchers but I'd like to try doing my first smoke over the long weekend

Lamb Shoulder