Off Topic Thread 5.0

pickarooney

Just got a new house this weekend and a barbecue is top of the list of must-haves (the kids don't have beds yet but they can use a mattress while I shop for Weber's). I'm rubbish at starting fires, maybe a gas and a charcoal BBQ might be the way to go. That way nobody has to die of hunger while I fiddle with the flames and for bigger gatherings I can just let other people enjoy setting the fire. Those chimney things do make it a lot easier, that said.

Bazzo

b.gud wrote: »

Yep definitely agree but I reckon for most people it will be one or the other. Space is also an issue for some people as they may not have space for both

I've seen the odd "hybrid" barbeque that's a bit wider with one gas grill and one charcoal grill

awec

pickarooney wrote: »

Just got a new house this weekend and a barbecue is top of the list of must-haves (the kids don't have beds yet but they can use a mattress while I shop for Weber's). I'm rubbish at starting fires, maybe a gas and a charcoal BBQ might be the way to go. That way nobody has to die of hunger while I fiddle with the flames and for bigger gatherings I can just let other people enjoy setting the fire. Those chimney things do make it a lot easier, that said.

You can also get natural fire lighters in woodies etc that will work. They don't contain any petroleum products so there's no smell, and they burn for long enough for the charcoal to catch.

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

Just got a new house this weekend and a barbecue is top of the list of must-haves (the kids don't have beds yet but they can use a mattress while I shop for Weber's). I'm rubbish at starting fires, maybe a gas and a charcoal BBQ might be the way to go. That way nobody has to die of hunger while I fiddle with the flames and for bigger gatherings I can just let other people enjoy setting the fire. Those chimney things do make it a lot easier, that said.

Get one of the BBQ "chimneys" for coals which make it basically impossible to fail to start the BBQ.

https://www.weber.com/IE/en/accessories/what%27s-hot/must-have-accessories/7416.html

If you're still struggling after using one of these (you can get cheaper versions), give up BBQing and eat only Raw food as you are not worthy.

errlloyd

The BBQ expertise here is coming in clutch.

I am just about to move to an apartment where I have direct roof access from my balcony. So I could store a BBQ on the balcony (but wouldn't want to grill there) and can wheel it out onto the roof to use.

Would a charcoal weber be best for that? Or is it hard to move them around once they're hot?

jacothelad

swiwi_ wrote: »

May I be so indiscreet as to ask what other watches grace your collection jaco?

I have a well used Rolex Sub which I bought from a pal who was retiring from diving. I just liked it but it isn't exactly mint. I also have a Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 01 Skeleton Automatic and an Omega Seamaster 300.Those are the quality ones but I have others that I just like. My favourite is a Wenger chrono....the Swiss Army Knife company and I love it. I wear it more than all the others put together. Others include an Oskar Emil Chronograph which looks and feels great but it's almost impossible to make out the hands on the face and two Invicta watches which weren't expensive but look and feel as if they are. I have a few rather ordinary others that I have gathered over the years.

Yeah_Right

I highly recommend getting a rotisserie for your bbq. Especially if you're entertaining. Nothing beats cooking a great big chunk of meat over open flames for a couple of hours while drinking beer.

I also recommend a smoker. You get to cook for the whole day (drinking beer) and it tastes fantastic. Your neighbours may hate you. Especially if they have washing on the line but that's not my problem.

Paul Smeenus

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I highly recommend getting a rotisserie for your bbq. Especially if you're entertaining. Nothing beats cooking a great big chunk of meat over open flames for a couple of hours while drinking beer.

I also recommend a smoker. You get to cook for the whole day (drinking beer) and it tastes fantastic. Your neighbours may hate you. Especially if they have washing on the line but that's not my problem.

Tell me more about this "drinking beer".

Neil3030

Is a Big Green Egg worth the money?

mfceiling

Neil3030 wrote: »

Is a Big Green Egg worth the money?

There's a very good BBQ section on the food forum on boards. The lads there would see you right on advice for the green egg, cooking techniques etc.

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2055542022/1/#post59880959

b.gud

errlloyd wrote: »

The BBQ expertise here is coming in clutch.

I am just about to move to an apartment where I have direct roof access from my balcony. So I could store a BBQ on the balcony (but wouldn't want to grill there) and can wheel it out onto the roof to use.

Would a charcoal weber be best for that? Or is it hard to move them around once they're hot?

My initial thoughts were that the Charcoal Weber would be perfect for this but there are a couple of potential snags that you'd need to think about. Depending on how much charcoal you've pout in you would probably need at least a good hour for it to be cool enough to bring back down to your apartment. The other issue would be the charcoal in the bbq itself you would either need to wait for it to completely cool and empty it before bringing it down or be carrying still hot charcoal through the building. It should be fine but it wouldn't be an ideal scenario.

A small gas bbq wouldn't have either of these issues but would not be as neat of a solution and each time you want to use it you would have to bring up both the bbq and the gas container.

Former Former Former

pickarooney wrote: »

Just got a new house this weekend and a barbecue is top of the list of must-haves (the kids don't have beds yet but they can use a mattress while I shop for Weber's). I'm rubbish at starting fires, maybe a gas and a charcoal BBQ might be the way to go. That way nobody has to die of hunger while I fiddle with the flames and for bigger gatherings I can just let other people enjoy setting the fire. Those chimney things do make it a lot easier, that said.

If your kids are small, charcoal has the added risk of staying hot for ages. Pain in the hole.

I have a dual gas and charcoal bbq and use the gas bit probably 90% of the time. If I was having a big get together I'd fire up the charcoal.

steves2

Deleted User wrote: »

Get one of the BBQ "chimneys" for coals which make it basically impossible to fail to start the BBQ.

https://www.weber.com/IE/en/accessories/what%27s-hot/must-have-accessories/7416.html

If you're still struggling after using one of these (you can get cheaper versions), give up BBQing and eat only Raw food as you are not worthy.

Supervalu had those chimney fire starter things for charcoal bbqs for only 8e. I got one from woodies years ago and wouldn't be without it to start my bbq, takes minutes to get the charcoal hot enough to start cooking.

molloyjh

Zzippy wrote: »

Getting good pizza is all about the temperature. Wood-fired won't get much hotter than gas, if at all, and you don't get any flabour from the wood IMO. The best pizza I've ever eaten was in Luzzos in Manhattan, one of the few remaining coal-fired ovens in NY. Gets much hotter, cooks much faster, and the dough gets much crisper on the outside while still nice and tender inside.

That depends on the gas. Ive an Ooni Pro and they use 37mBar which I can't get to over 380. You really need about 400+ for proper neopolitan pizzas. I get that from a wood and charcoal mix easy. Plus those temps clean the stone better as well.

For the record I love the Ooni. I dont use the BBQ at all anymore (I actually got rid of it at the weekend). I'll happily fire up the Ooni for burgers or steaks etc. They are great from it. Although I would like the try the sous vide thing for steaks at some stage too.

Neil3030

On a related note, if you haven't yet fallen down a YouTube rabbit hole on the "Sous Vide Everything" channel, I heartily recommend.

Dave_The_Sheep

Neil3030 wrote: »

On a related note, if you haven't yet fallen down a YouTube rabbit hole on the "Sous Vide Everything" channel, I heartily recommend.

Just avoid the one where he sous vides something for a month. I'm not even joking.

How that guy hasn't had a heart attack yet is beyond me.

molloyjh

Neil3030 wrote: »

On a related note, if you haven't yet fallen down a YouTube rabbit hole on the "Sous Vide Everything" channel, I heartily recommend.

Well that's the next few days sorted so.....

aloooof

Speaking of YouTube rabbit holes, I'm definitely showing my age after falling down a lawn care rabbit hole...

thomond2006

If you are looking for a YouTube rabbit hole, look up Ben Ferencz. An extraordinary man.

Zzippy

aloooof wrote: »

Speaking of YouTube rabbit holes, I'm definitely showing my age after falling down a lawn care rabbit hole...

A robot mower and spread a 3-in-1 feed May and August. Couple of hours work a year, let the mower do the rest. Thank me later.

awec

Zzippy wrote: »

A robot mower and spread a 3-in-1 feed May and August. Couple of hours work a year, let the mower do the rest. Thank me later.

Is that 3-in-1 stuff grand if kids are running about over it?

Ours needs seeded in parts and fed but our 2 are running about over it all the time so not sure if I'm wasting time doing it.

Zzippy

awec wrote: »

Is that 3-in-1 stuff grand if kids are running about over it?

Ours needs seeded in parts and fed but our 2 are running about over it all the time so not sure if I'm wasting time doing it.

Yeah, it's safe, small granules that disappear after the first drop of rain. If you're overseeding could you fence off those parts for a couple of weeks to give the new grass a chance? I'd also wait a month to seed, higher temps then will give better germination.

mfceiling

A bag of Richardson's 20 10 10 and a couple of lambs for pets.
In a few months the BBQ will be hopping with the smell of burnt lamb.

aloooof

Zzippy wrote: »

A robot mower and spread a 3-in-1 feed May and August. Couple of hours work a year, let the mower do the rest. Thank me later.

I'm extremely tempted by this, tbh. How does it handle extremely bumpy / massive hollows and dips? If I can get as far as getting it somewhat level this year, I'd be tempted...

Arlene Foster heads off to her retirement wood heated shed.

She's has had a bad few years, most but not all her fault and the the list of potential replacements makes for some pretty grim reading.

hold my beer

Hard to be positive about the future of North South relations with all the unrest, and now upheaval.

The Inbetween is mine

I never believed there was much chance of a united Ireland happening .... today is the death knell for any remaining hope.

hold my beer

hold my beer wrote: »

Hard to be positive about the future of North South relations with all the unrest, and now upheaval.

It's hard to know how things will play out but stepping back and looking at some of the bigger picture stuff might illustrate where things are trending.

In polling earlier this year, the DUP dropped 9% from the last election leaving them barely ahead of Alliance and a ways off Sinn Fein.

What's more interesting however is where those votes went which wasn't Alliance and instead the hardline TUV. Ousting Foster over gay conversion (and not the far more serious failures of the last few years) strikes me as a 'wait until the right moment' scenario and something they can sell to the ultra conservatives they've lost to the TUV.

But overall hardcore unionism is shrinking politically. Favourability towards a united Ireland has grown from an average of 20% pre 2010 to 43% this year which is a dramatic acceleration. The DUP have likely picked their battleground and are going to move to the right. They will be battling for voters that will absolutely never consider voting for a United Ireland and will alienate moderates and soft unionists who might.

I think we're in for some sabre rattling and potential destabilisation - but I also think the group most likely to suffer from Arlene's departure are the DUP and large U unionists.

awec

Remember that Irish political discussion is not allowed.

awec

awec wrote: »

Remember that Irish political discussion is not allowed.

Just to clarify in-case the discussion continues - is it ok to discuss Northern Irish / UK Politics or is it nothing relating to the Island of Ireland?