*Charcoal* BBQ/Grilling

blue note

I'm doing a bbq in a couple of weeks. Asked a few people round and they all said yes. Thought it was going to be 10-15 people, now it's going to be 30-50!

Am I being naive in thinking I can just get the think hot and lash off burgers sausages and chicken for a few hours (I'm sure people won't arrive at the same time)? I'll pre cook the chicken and just resist the urge to do anything indirectly.

It'll all be on a 57cm weber kettle BTW.

FixitFelix

blue note wrote: »

I'm doing a bbq in a couple of weeks. Asked a few people round and they all said yes. Thought it was going to be 10-15 people, now it's going to be 30-50!

Am I being naive in thinking I can just get the think hot and lash off burgers sausages and chicken for a few hours (I'm sure people won't arrive at the same time)? I'll pre cook the chicken and just resist the urge to do anything indirectly.

It'll all be on a 57cm weber kettle BTW.

Should stay hot enough for hours to keep cooking what you need, and if it starts dying out just add more coals

blue note

That's what I'm thinking. A few people telling me I'm mad, but I don't see why. And sure we can always order a few pizzas if it's a disaster!

blue note

blue note wrote: »

I'm doing a bbq in a couple of weeks. Asked a few people round and they all said yes. Thought it was going to be 10-15 people, now it's going to be 30-50!

Am I being naive in thinking I can just get the think hot and lash off burgers sausages and chicken for a few hours (I'm sure people won't arrive at the same time)? I'll pre cook the chicken and just resist the urge to do anything indirectly.

It'll all be on a 57cm weber kettle BTW.

It's "brave" if you haven't cooked for those sort of numbers before- I'd do it NP using a gas BBQ but even then, I'd do a lot of pre-work in advance- it's all about the menu of food you're thinking of.

Something like:

About 5 spatchcock chickens- they will take approx 1/2 hour to cook - you'll fit 2 on your BBQ- so you'll end up with 10 breasts which i'd cut in half giving you 20 1/2 breasts, 10 leg and thighs and 10 wings - a great mound of food to kick things off.

Seafood counter- BBQ salmon darns - about 20, then cut into 2- again, can be cooked in advance. A big bowl of pre-cooked prawns in sauce beside it.

If you do something like that as a base menu, then flipping burgers or whatever else you've planned won't be quite so stressful- besides, i imagine you'd like to enjoy the day yourself?

Cloudio9

Think I'd be looking for a mate to volunteer to bring another BBQ.

rubadub

blue note wrote: »

I'll pre cook the chicken and just resist the urge to do anything indirectly.

The other stuff could be precooked too, if everything is cooked already then you have the whole worry of cross contamination dealt with -so now you CAN let that nagging drunken masterchef have a go cooking his own. You can safely leave it alone without the fear of coming back and finding people poking about and not knowing what they have contaminated -or be more confident in letting another person take over for a while.

I have precooked sausages, burgers & chicken in my airfryer at its lowest setting of 80C.

Aldi hotdogs in jars are good and have a very long shelf life, their brioche hotdog buns are good value and also have a long shelf life of over a month or so, and so can be kept a good while if not used. These could be kept as backups in case things get hectic, the hotdogs are already cooked so just need warming on the grill -or even just done in water as normal if there is not room on the grill at any point.

The Nal

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Think I'd be looking for a mate to volunteer to bring another BBQ.

Defo. Remember rule of thumb is to cook x 1.5. So if you're having 50 people, you'll need enough food for 75 people.

You won't be able to do it with one BBQ and you won't be able to do it alone.

Most I've cooked for alone is about 25 people and it was exhausting. Either way, defo have some food made before - potato salad or whatever.

Also- play down the "BBQ" aspect - if it's lashing rain, then unless you're under a cover of some kind, you'll be washed out of it - heating burger buns alone is nearly a full time job- so decide what you'll do v's others in your household.

BTW- can i come?

blue note

Cheers guys. As regards prep, it'll all be done the day before. This all started from me arranging golf for a few lads and I said I'd cook a few burgers after. Then my fiance asked if she'd invite a few and I said go on so. Then I asked a few non golf friends. Then family. And now I can't wait, but am slightly worried about the amount of food we'll need!

I'll do chicken pieces the day before and just finish them on the q, burgers should fly off, I might do sausages the day before too. I'm in too minds about ribs, they're a lot of effort. But I'll be arriving and cooking straight away, so there'll be no spotchcock chickens started that day.

The fact that every one comes to these things at different times though should make it manageable I reckon.

Anyway. Time will tell....

laros

Can anyone beat 300 euro including free delivery?

I picked up a 57cm Weber Master Touch GBS this evening in Homebase on the Fonthill Road, Dublin for €173 It's the Smoke Gray colour and they had 2 in boxes plus a floor model. I think I got a bargain ... :-)

dingbat

laros wrote: »

I picked up a 57cm Weber Master Touch GBS this evening in Homebase on the Fonthill Road, Dublin for €173 It's the Smoke Gray colour and they had 2 in boxes plus a floor model. I think I got a bargain ... :-)

Oh man that is a sweet price

dingbat

blue note wrote: »

Cheers guys. As regards prep, it'll all be done the day before. This all started from me arranging golf for a few lads and I said I'd cook a few burgers after. Then my fiance asked if she'd invite a few and I said go on so. Then I asked a few non golf friends. Then family. And now I can't wait, but am slightly worried about the amount of food we'll need!

I'll do chicken pieces the day before and just finish them on the q, burgers should fly off, I might do sausages the day before too. I'm in too minds about ribs, they're a lot of effort. But I'll be arriving and cooking straight away, so there'll be no spotchcock chickens started that day.

The fact that every one comes to these things at different times though should make it manageable I reckon.

Anyway. Time will tell....

I've cooked for that number a few times and will offer my two cents.

- do not underestimate what you are taking on

- preparation is everything

- keep "cooking" to a minimum on the afternoon in question

- you can serve barbecue that has been cooked any time

- don't bother with burgers; on a single grill you have limited space and will need to maximise bang for buck. You're on the right track with chicken and sausages. Do it all ahead of time and just have it on the table. People don't care if it's done that day or even on the barbecue.

- on the day itself, consider a showpiece. Leg of lamb; something like that. Doesn't take long and will provide that "live" cooking experience (sight, sound, smell!) that people expect at a barbecue. It's also a goodly amount of meat to add to your pile.

- on similar showpiece track, consider a side of salmon with skin on. Really super easy to do, super fast, and again provides folks with something of a sight.

- bread rolls and salads are your friend

- your meat thermometer is important

- get sleep the previous night


Sorry for the brain dump, and hope you have a cracking day!

dingbat

Anyone heading to the Big Grill this year?

The Nal

dingbat wrote: »

Anyone heading to the Big Grill this year?

Nah. Did it a few years ago and found it very expensive and over crowded. Like Taste or any of these festivals. Left early enough.

Smokestak are there though which is good.

Cloudio9

dingbat wrote: »

Anyone heading to the Big Grill this year?

In two minds. Did it last year and was enjoyable for a while but then got too busy. We only seem to be able to do over-crowded events with long queues in this country.

dingbat

dingbat wrote: »

Anyone heading to the Big Grill this year?

The only big grill I'll be going to is my own

The Nal

Cloudio9 wrote: »

In two minds. Did it last year and was enjoyable for a while but then got too busy. We only seem to be able to do over-crowded events with long queues in this country.

And the food goes to shíte when it gets busy. I queued for a half hour for dry brisket on a dry floury bun with a tiny amount of sauce and no fillings. For a tenner.

For a tenner I can buy enough brisket in the butchers to feed 20 people.

Ardent

laros wrote: »

Can anyone beat 300 euro including free delivery?

I picked up a 57cm Weber Master Touch GBS this evening in Homebase on the Fonthill Road, Dublin for €173 It's the Smoke Gray colour and they had 2 in boxes plus a floor model. I think I got a bargain ... :-)

Amazing price. I was going to buy one but I have a smoker already so I settled for a Weber Compact for the princely sum of 41.50 Euros! Great price too I thought.

There was at least one boxed Master Touch and one on display when I left a half hour ago.

cronos

laros wrote: »

I picked up a 57cm Weber Master Touch GBS this evening in Homebase on the Fonthill Road, Dublin for €173 It's the Smoke Gray colour and they had 2 in boxes plus a floor model. I think I got a bargain ... :-)

Sadly I already purchased. Paid 266 euro on amazon after a discount for damage with the box. I'd have loved your deal though.

Would be great for people to post these BBQ related bargains here including accessories.

waxmelts2000

First time posting here.. I have an outback 150 gas BBQ however the flame tamer/heat shield thing is after breaking up. I have emailed outback to see if they have it as a spare part as I cannot see it on website. Other than that is there any universal one that would do in its place please? Thanks

The Nal

Anyone go to the Big Ripoff Grill?

neris

Some home made burgers from earlier in the week. Lamb & beef cooked over coals with lots of hickory smoke

neris

Had some beef ribs in the freezer last while so after a defrosting and seasoning stick them on today. Were small individual ribs rather then a rack. Didn't turn out great in the end. 5 hour cook at 225f, should probably have gone 3.5-4 hours and spritzed earlier. With the freezing and defrosting meat separated off the bone so in the end they were dry and lacked fat

neris

Friday night baby backs. Homemade rub and a store bought sauce smoked with whiskey oak barrel. Nearly 5 hours on the pro q

neris

Attempted a pulled pork neck yesterday. Ran out of time after 7.5 hours and had to pull it off. Needed a few more hours. Lesson learned - don't start cooking dinner at lunch time. I put it on at 1pm should really have gone on by 10 at the latest. Was semi tender but parts still needed to break down. Injected 1st with apple juice, cider vinegar and worcester sauce and then a Memphis dust rub on top









Hit the stall about 155 and took a while to break it with very small increases in temp. cooked for about another 90 minutes after that screen shot and got to 180. Was going for 203ish

davegilly

neris wrote: »

Attempted a pulled pork neck yesterday.

Where did you get the neck from? Did you have to order it?

neris

Omahony meats in coolock. Was under the counter no need to order

Brian?

neris wrote: »

Attempted a pulled pork neck yesterday. Ran out of time after 7.5 hours and had to pull it off. Needed a few more hours. Lesson learned - don't start cooking dinner at lunch time. I put it on at 1pm should really have gone on by 10 at the latest. Was semi tender but parts still needed to break down. Injected 1st with apple juice, cider vinegar and worcester sauce and then a Memphis dust rub on top
]

You could have wrapped it around 4 and it would have been done by 7, I’m guessing. I always double wrap my shoulders/necks in tin foil once they stall.

On another note, I actually prefer not to pull pork neck. I think it’s nicer if you pull it at 190 and slice it.

neris

I try not to wrap if I can, I find it affects the bark and seasoning. If I ever get my hands on a proper brisket I,ll probably wrap that as it seems the thing to do

Brian?

neris wrote: »

I try not to wrap if I can, I find it affects the bark and seasoning. If I ever get my hands on a proper brisket I,ll probably wrap that as it seems the thing to do

It definitely softens the bark, but I don’t think it effects the seasoning at all. Once the first couple of hours are done, the meat isn’t really taking any more smoke flavour in so I don’t mind sacrificing the bark for a quicker cook. I wrap everything; ribs, brisket, shoulder, neck and beef ribs.

I also inject everything except ribs.