The BBQ thread

[Mike]

Petz, I don't have a copy of Bobby Seale's book, but it is legendary.  How did you obtain this?

Glad to hear you're for real. What type of water smoker do you have?

[Petz2]

Petz, I don't have a copy of Bobby Seale's book, but it is legendary.  How did you obtain this?

Glad to hear you're for real. What type of water smoker do you have?

  When it first came out Bobby was on with Michael Jackson on KABC and I ordered it direct from the author.  Radical BBQ !!

My wife loves poached Salmon off the Q.  My fantasy is to do a whole pig someday over a pit.

[Mike]

dynamite!

I share your fantasy.  My larger Q may be just big enough for a small enough pig.

I hear La Caja China is great for whole hog
http://www.lacajachina.com

[Alpiner]

I know it sounds overly simple, but the best bbq tri-tip I ever had was while camping. It consisted of a pepper rub and was completely coated with mustard and then thrown on the charcoal grill. The thing held every juice until eaten....

Okay, I admit that I am totally out of your league. Could I at least try your leftovers?

[Petz2]

La Caja China looks great, but I am always concerned about safety around BBQs.  It must be a mess to clean up.

[Sky King]

Can we please not turn this into the BBQ snob thread? We all have cooked excellent meals with rocks a grill grate and coals.

My setup is homemade with a worksurface, a sink and my turbo which is now 10 years old and rebuilt twice. I stuccoed and tiled the top myself and it has flaws and cracks now. Please don't get all Vuhlencia on us here, ok? There are some poor schmucks in this valley barely hangin on. Start a new topic for the My stuff is better than your stuff. I don't need BBQ envy. Keep the ego in the cookin! Thanks!  Cleared for takeoff! Songbird out!

[Mike]

I'd hazard to guess that your Turbo costs more than all four of my grills put together. It seems like your making the best of it and I respect that.  I don't view BBQ as a higher form of grilling, but something different altogether.

BBQ is wonderful craft and in my opinion the single best culinary contribution the USA has given the world.  It's hard work and when done right, it's very rewarding. It's generally done with inexpensive meats and inexpensive cookers - it just takes effort and love.  Smack talk is inherent in the culture, so I say to you all:

my stuff is better than your stuff

[Sky King]

My previous Sears grill went up in flames and the Turbo was a one time $500 investment. No propane cost and no charcoal cost is how I justified it. This was also pre Bush energy costs and a better economy. Like buying a used Kirby vacuum after tossing many Dirt Devils and Hoovers. A one time investment saves money in the long run.

What does a tank of propane cost these days?

[Mike]

I don't use my propane grill very often, filling up maybe once a year.  I filled up the tank a few months back and nearly fell over.  It was about $25.

[Sky King]

WOW!! I used to fill 2 tanks at a time.

Ok, new tangent. I built my unit by the pool equipment which has natural gas right there. Never running out of fuel and having consistent control is nice. Natural gas/propane with wood chips, charcoal or wood chunks. Which do you all prefer and do you notice the difference? I admit that the aroma of starter fluid and charcoal gets the fun started in my head.

[Mike]

Like everyone, there is something magical from our childhood memory about the smell of lighter fluid and charcoal, but I don't use it or Match Light because of the chemical taste. I start charcoal in a chimney mixed in with a few wood chunks, then add soaked wood chunks or chips once the food is on and a few times during the process.  I used to use propane for nearly all grilling, but these days I do about half of my high-heat grilling on charcoal as well (if I have the time).

[FredFreddy]

I only made ribs a couple of times because of time constriants.  The first were baby backs.  I cooked them for 4 hours.  They were good.  Not the best I ever had but not the worst either.  Then I tried Beef.  The butcher told me to take the film off the back of the ribs and they will be easier to eat.  They came out perfect!  About 3 to 4 hours on those. 

My forte is the steak.  I do great burgers and chicken but the steak is my favorite.  I am a simple guy with a salt and pepper rub.  My wife likes the seasoned salts but my steak is kosher salt and pepper.  Usual cut I buy is Rib Eye about an inch thick.  4 minutes each side on high heat and then let it sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into it and every time it's a mouth watering event.  4 minutes gets a nice rare but not raw cook.  My wife when I met her was a well done girl and did not like steak (Wonder why) but then she tried my rare steak and liked it so I cook hers medium. 

If you guys have a cook off I can make the steaks while we wait 4 hours for the ribs to cook up.

[Mike]

Fred, you couldn't be more right. Once upon a time I thought I had the most brilliant steak rub with no less than 10 ingredients.  Now I know it's all in choosing the right meat - coarse salt, coarse pepper, that's it.

Locally, I'll only mess with Ralphs or Costco. Whole foods, sure, but only for the really good stuff - aged and/or prime.  Their "regular" beef is really expensive and not especially tasty.  Of the supermarkets, only Ralph's regularly stocks USDA Choice. Vons and Albertson's sell ungraded beef, almost exclusively.

A notch below medium rare is the perfect doneness, maximum taste and maximum tenderness, right when the proteins break apart and before they really coagulate.  My wife was a proud well-done type once upon a time and I've been able to talk her down to just about medium rare.

[Petz2]

Any thoughts about the use of a meat thermometer.  I always use a digital to verify doneness.  It goes against the caveman instinct and sometimes feel silly, but it seems to work for me.

Has anyone ever done a pizza?

[RAmenPirate]

my stuff is better than your stuff

Is nooooot! (That's an elongated and whiny not, not newt)

More on this later . . . I'm at a client's who has a tendancy to look over my shoulder . . . .