*Charcoal* BBQ/Grilling

beertons

Brian? wrote: »

Deadly. Good luck with it.

What's the story with the tennis ball?

It was to give me dad it's size in relation to the ball.

beertons

Belfunk wrote: »

Do you mind me asking how much you paid and where you purchased it? I've been thinking about one for a longtime now and might as well just buy it.

Classic Joe on wheels with cover, 2 bags of lump wood, 1 bag of Smokey chip things and a box of fire lighters, 1297.
Got it from the outdoor shop place across from the Goat pub in Dublin. I never asked for anything off the price, so I wasn't charged for delivery.

arian

Couple of Aldi questions:

1) Is this worth the price paid?

2) From earlier posts, I assume this isn't?

3) Thoughts on the chimnea?

Obviously I can't count

BaZmO*

arian wrote: »

Couple of Aldi questions:

1) Is this worth the price paid?

2) From earlier posts, I assume this isn't?

3) Thoughts on the chimnea?

Obviously I can't count

1) seems ok but cheap. It'd do the job for basic BBQing. Doesn't look like it's well built though so I doubt it'll last.

2) loads of previous comments on this already.

3) personally I'd stay away from clay chimneas. They can and do crack. I was at a party where one cracked and spilled its hot load on a newly laid decking.

fourmations

arian wrote: »

Couple of Aldi questions:

1) Is this worth the price paid?

2) From earlier posts, I assume this isn't?

3) Thoughts on the chimnea?

Obviously I can't count

my 2c....

the kettle will work but i found that you want something deeper and bigger diameter, ive never actually bought a geniune weber, but ive scored some great ones over the years from watching the sales, that aldi kettle is very shallow from the grate to the cooking rack, it will not have the versatilty of a deeper one, it will run very hot, great for small cuts but forget long slow cooks, you dont have the depth or width to do it IMO

im the person with the smoker who has commented already so you can read back but basically, it works well as a smoker and ive made lots of great stuff on it from sausage to a a pair of shoulders but it needs to be tended and loved!, it no use for hot fast cooking, (burgers, steak etc) and you will need basket for the coals,

cheers

cargen

What type of charcoal and where do you buy it?

Any recommendation in Dublin area?

Thanks

ZaffizaKunt

BaZmO* wrote: »

spilled its hot load on a newly laid decking.

I have a dirty mind

Gloomtastic!

Was in Dealz today and spotted 550g bags of apple wood chips for smoking at €1.50.

Is that a good price?

ZaffizaKunt

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Was in Dealz today and spotted 550g bags of apple wood chips for smoking at €1.50.

Is that a good price?

The Weber equivalent would be €3.50 so if all is good with them then it's a great price!

surball

ZaffizaKunt wrote: »

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Was in Dealz today and spotted 550g bags of apple wood chips for smoking at €1.50.

Is that a good price?

The Weber equivalent would be €3.50 so if all is good with them then it's a great price!

Was there any other sorts of wood available?

Gloomtastic!

surball wrote: »

Was there any other sorts of wood available?

No, just saw the apple wood. They had smallish bags of lumpwood charcoal but didn't look too closely at them....

MaceFace

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Was in Dealz today and spotted 550g bags of apple wood chips for smoking at €1.50.

Is that a good price?

Assuming it is just apple wood, then yeah, great value. Weber or other big name brand is typically €10 a bag.
Might need to check it out.

Edit: the €10 bag is for 3lbs which equates to about €4.15 per 550g. So, still much cheaper!

arian

BaZmO* wrote: »

1) seems ok but cheap. It'd do the job for basic BBQing. Doesn't look like it's well built though so I doubt it'll last.

2) loads of previous comments on this already.

3) personally I'd stay away from clay chimneas. They can and do crack. I was at a party where one cracked and spilled its hot load on a newly laid decking.

fourmations wrote: »

my 2c....

the kettle will work but i found that you want something deeper and bigger diameter, ive never actually bought a geniune weber, but ive scored some great ones over the years from watching the sales, that aldi kettle is very shallow from the grate to the cooking rack, it will not have the versatilty of a deeper one, it will run very hot, great for small cuts but forget long slow cooks, you dont have the depth or width to do it IMO

im the person with the smoker who has commented already so you can read back but basically, it works well as a smoker and ive made lots of great stuff on it from sausage to a a pair of shoulders but it needs to be tended and loved!, it no use for hot fast cooking, (burgers, steak etc) and you will need basket for the coals,

cheers

Thanks both. Looks like I'll save my money on the barbeques and I daren't spill a load on the decking.

Interesting point about the kettle being too shallow.

beertons

Bit of work to the Joe. Did 2 racks of ribs. Mustn't have put enough wood in it, the temp dropped a lot after an hour. Had to open it and Chuck more stuff on.

el_greco

After lurking this thread for a few days, i ordered some Nanchar briquettes from woodfuel.ie as recommended. Great service and fantastic briquettes, big thumbs up for woodfuel and those who recommended it!
I gave up on the B&Q briquettes after a couple of not-so-successful attempts to do a low&slow cook, they burn too quick without being hot enough.
I tried the snake again with the Namchar and 8 hours later still have 1/3 left! Great stuff, worths paying more.
1st photo is from the "snake", used most of the 4kg bag on the large Weber. There were times it got too hot!
2nd photo is the pork shoulder, 8hrs in, just before it was wrapped in tin foil.

budgemook

I have my Kamado Joe, I have charcoal and wood chips on the way (based on recommendations here), I have cook books and I am going to christen the Joe next weekend to celebrate the bank holiday and the start of the (Irish) summer.

I just need meat. I know a few decent enough butchers and I have been Googling for some more but I have not found a place close to Dublin that I can tell would be good for things like brisket, pork ribs (not baby back), beef ribs etc.

Any suggestions? I am willing to travel a little bit. Next week I would like to do pork belly and ribs - organic if possible. There used to be a butcher on Parnell street that specialised in Argentinian and South African cuts but it seems to be gone now.

lordstilton

budgemook wrote: »

I have my Kamado Joe, I have charcoal and wood chips on the way (based on recommendations here), I have cook books and I am going to christen the Joe next weekend to celebrate the bank holiday and the start of the (Irish) summer.

I just need meat. I know a few decent enough butchers and I have been Googling for some more but I have not found a place close to Dublin that I can tell would be good for things like brisket, pork ribs (not baby back), beef ribs etc.

Any suggestions? I am willing to travel a little bit. Next week I would like to do pork belly and ribs - organic if possible. There used to be a butcher on Parnell street that specialised in Argentinian and South African cuts but it seems to be gone now.

Where are you based? Mcloughlins in ballyfermot have got me anything I've ever needed. There is a great butcher in celbridge tesco who will order in what you need. I personally find that the Polish butchers are best for pork cuts and the Irish ones for beef cuts such as brisket or beef ribs

budgemook

lordstilton wrote: »

Where are you based? Mcloughlins in ballyfermot have got me anything I've ever needed. There is a great butcher in celbridge tesco who will order in what you need. I personally find that the Polish butchers are best for pork cuts and the Irish ones for beef cuts such as brisket or beef ribs

I'm in Dublin 7 but near the M50. I could tip out to Cellbridge no hassle, I'll look them up now. Ballyfermot is also convenient enough.

I don't know that I have ever seen a Polish butchers - do you mean a butcher counter in a Polish shop?

EDIT - on Mcloughlin's website, I like the cut of their jib.

martinr5232

joujoujou wrote:

I know...

budgemook wrote:

I'm in Dublin 7 but near the M50. I could tip out to Cellbridge no hassle, I'll look them up now. Ballyfermot is also convenient enough.

Ethersons in Cabra are very good i get all my meat there.

bobboberson

First thing cook in big green egg

Kikana

My tip is a rub for lamb - butterfly a leg of lamb (remove the bone, keeping the meat in a single piece). Rub with a mixture of equal parts sea salt, smoked paprika and ground cumin. Allow to sit until it reaches room temperature. Then lie on hot grill and grill, both sides, until desired effect is achieved - medium, rare, well done, whatever. Allow to rest, covered in tin foil, for at least 20 minutes. 

beertons

Got it into my head of doing a brisket tomorrow. Do I put a rub on it tonight? How long would ya reckon it would take?

dub_skav

Have the Weber Smokey Mountain fired up for the first time in 2 years.
Bone in pork shoulder on 4 and half hours, currently at 159 F, can't wait to see how it turns out

Toots

I'd be keen to try smoking something, but I've never done it before. Done plenty of BBQs over the years, but never smoked anything.

I was looking at the Aldi smoker, and also this - which do you guys reckon would be the better buy for smoking something? I'm on a tight budget, so couldn't spring for one of the Weber or Outback kettles.

MaceFace

beertons wrote: »

Got it into my head of doing a brisket tomorrow. Do I put a rub on it tonight? How long would ya reckon it would take?

Shouldn't be late to this - I always apply the rub just before prep'ing the smoker, so it's probably only on a couple of hours before I start cooking.

Personally, Pastrami is the only meat I apply the rub a day or two in advance.

MaceFace

dub_skav wrote: »

Have the Weber Smokey Mountain fired up for the first time in 2 years.
Bone in pork shoulder on 4 and half hours, currently at 159 F, can't wait to see how it turns out

Out of interest, what temp are you cookin it at and how long did it take in the end?
Last shoulder I done took 16 hours, one before took over 20. The stall took for ever to break, but once I got to 159, it was pretty much over it.

MaceFace

Toots wrote: »

I'd be keen to try smoking something, but I've never done it before. Done plenty of BBQs over the years, but never smoked anything.

I was looking at the Aldi smoker, and also this - which do you guys reckon would be the better buy for smoking something? I'm on a tight budget, so couldn't spring for one of the Weber or Outback kettles.

Someone on here has that Aldi smoker and was talking about it recently, but you need to look at it this way - either buy right or buy often. I've had enough cheap charcoal BBQs in my time to know that it's just not worth the money or effort. People recommend Weber because they will last. My weber gas grill is probably about 8 years old and still as good as the day I bought it.
The cheaper BBQs will have cheaper parts all round that will probably rust or just not stand up to regular use over a sustained period.

Honestly, if money is tight, save and look forward to getting it next year - you will so much more enjoy it as you won't constantly be battling with keeping the heat stable or having to constantly put on more fuel.

That's the other point - fuel. I don't know anything about the Aldi smoker, and I don't use the Weber Kettle or similar (I have a Ceramic), but heat retention is also something you need to think about. If you get something cheap and tinny, most the heat will radiate out rather than being retained meaning each cook will cost you more. Over a year or two or three, it could mean you pay more than if you just invest in a solid good quality BBQ now.

Again though, I have no real experience using the Kettles so take this with a pinch of salt.

beertons

You know you've crossed that line, when you light the Joe before you put on your porridge.

OldBean

If you want to see if you're into BBQ the Lidl/Aldi/Cheapo ones are an option, but ultimately it's not well made, it won't hold heat as well as a better build and you'll have difficulty managing airflow leading to either too much heat or too little. I've seen people modify them - buy some heat proof duct tape to seal the joins, and add a longer chimney to get better air flow but by the time you've gotten that right, you'd have a Weber working just fine. And you won't have half the frustrations.

It's not a great time of year to be buying, sales-wise, but some of the better smokers (Weber Smokey Mountain for example) seem to hold their value second hand, as they're not widely available. I've seen a WSM go for 100 less than I paid for mine.

dub_skav

MaceFace wrote: »

Out of interest, what temp are you cookin it at and how long did it take in the end?
Last shoulder I done took 16 hours, one before took over 20. The stall took for ever to break, but once I got to 159, it was pretty much over it.

Cooked it around 225 (up to 250, down to 220, but mostly at the 225 mark).
159 was the stall, dropped to 157 actually. Started going up again at 8 hour mark, but I had to take it off early to eat :pac:
Not sure how long it would have taken to go all the way.

Was very tasty anyway, but not "pullable".
Finishing the rest in the oven today, tightly wrapped in foil at 110C, not sure how it will end up.