Grilling

[wizards8507]

Looks bomb!... Any kind of peppers, onions and sausage is always among my fav meals too... breakfast, lunch, dinner, doesn't matter... I usually fry my in a cast iron skillet though.

true on tri tip with grilling... I can attest that Santa Maria smoked tri tip is def worth it though... for sure. ON price, maybe I'm lucky? Tri Tip and brisket both go up and down in price much more noticeably than other meats but on average they run about the same price per pound, depending on the high or low of it Tri Tip is cheaper at times, at least at my spots.

I do really well on big cuts (whole briskets, pork butts, multiple racks of ribs) at BJs.

 

[ACamp1900]

As in BJs health foods? Lol surely not, is that a grocery chain out there?

 

[wizards8507]

As in BJs health foods? Lol surely not, is that a grocery chain out there?

You don't have BJs? It's like Costco or Sam's Club. They have big ass cuts of meat and full butcher services. The meat is vacuum sealed so it freezes perfectly.

 

[ACamp1900]

Gotcha, have Sams and Costco... No BJs

 

[Irish Insanity]

Now that you guys are done discussing your BJ's, or lack thereof, I'd like to try to make jerky. Or something along those lines. I don't have a dehydrator, nor do I want to cure the neat forever, or cold smoke it. So, what are my options? Would it be possible to by a cut of beef, slice it pretty thin, marinate it over a night or two, then smoke it? Would it even resemble jerky? Has anyone tried a different method than the norm?

 

[wizards8507]

Now that you guys are done discussing your BJ's, or lack thereof, I'd like to try to make jerky. Or something along those lines. I don't have a dehydrator, nor do I want to cure the neat forever, or cold smoke it. So, what are my options? Would it be possible to by a cut of beef, slice it pretty thin, marinate it over a night or two, then smoke it? Would it even resemble jerky? Has anyone tried a different method than the norm?

I've tried, it's not great. You really need a dehydrator in conjunction with the smoker.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I recommend a decent fatty of Black Indica or Hindu Kush to start but before the actual kid's birthday party. Once you bake that you should move on to actual food prep because you are gonna be hungrier than a mofo.

I have some Blue Cheese (indica dom), some Grape Stomper (heavy indica dom) and some White Lightning (sativa dom). Methinks the sativa is the more appropriate as it's a more racy, energy-filled fatty.

TBH, I think your steps are out of order.

1. Prep Food
2. Smoke Fatty
3. 20 mins before completion smoke fatty and then enjoy smoked Fatty.

 

[ACamp1900]

I smoked a fatty once in high school... she kept blocking me with all of her hot friends so I figured if I just gave her some savage D just once time her hater thirst would be quenched, in the end I was simply 'that guy'... smh

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Just my two cents on brisket.

I never understood why anyone would do brisket when they have access to tri tip... such a better cut, takes far less time to smoke, can be served in all the same ways but is typically juicier and less gamy. Unless you just grew up with the texture of brisket and insist on that then tri tip wins every single time imo... tri tip can be grilled too so it's much more versatile. For my tastes I have had about a dozen different 'award winning briskets' in texas... non compare to just average tri tip, Santa Maria style, Chimichurri style or just smoked with a basic rub.

Do you mind sharing detailed steps for your Santa Maria or Chimichurry-style tri tip? I'll try one after the party and compare. FYI: the brisket turned out amazingly juicy. Here are some pics:





Yes, I cut the slices entirely too thick but I was too excited and very hungry.

I collected the juice from the tin foil for reheating the brisket.



Irish Insanity, if you follow the directions I just gave, I can almost guarantee you will have an amazing brisket. I have a wireless thermometer that has two probes: one inserts into the meat, the other sits at the top of the smoker. Makes it easy to pull the cuts when they hit 203.

I haven't found it to be the case that brisket and tri tip are anywhere near the same price. Tri tip is delicious marinated and grilled medium rare so it seems wasteful to smoke it.

Unrelated: Smoke-grilled some Cornell chicken the other night. Turned out amazing.

Tonight was sausage and peppers. Not grilled, just delicious.

That looks absolutely delicious.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Do you mind sharing detailed steps for your Santa Maria or Chimichurry-style tri tip? I'll try one after the party and compare. FYI: the brisket turned out amazingly juicy. Here are some pics:





Yes, I cut the slices entirely too thick but I was too excited and very hungry.

I collected the juice from the tin foil for reheating the brisket.



Irish Insanity, if you follow the directions I just gave, I can almost guarantee you will have an amazing brisket. I have a wireless thermometer that has two probes: one inserts into the meat, the other sits at the top of the smoker. Makes it easy to pull the cuts when they hit 203.



That looks absolutely delicious.

I wish I remembered in more detail so I can pinpoint exactly what temp I ran it too. I think that, and not foiling at all, lead to the dry texture.
What temp do you cook at?

 

[ACamp1900]

My actual recipes are at home so I have to go off memory here.... surely won't be exact and may be missing one thing or another.... but...

For Santa Maria:

1/4 cup lemon juice
splash of orange juice
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
a lot of black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 teaspoon dry rosemary (or fresh, finely minced)
1/2 teaspoon dry sage
7 cloves garlic

blend it up and marinade

Let it marinade at least 48 hours... then smoke at around 250 for about five hours... can be easily grilled put I love the smoked version of SM Tri Tip... for grilling tri tip I do....


Chimichurri:

1 cup diced fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar or red wine itself....
1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, chopped, diced, whatever
1 small onion diced (red or white)
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

then let it marinade for about 24 hours, make a bit more chimi sauce or reserve some of the original,... throw it steak one the grill... as you cook it baste the steak on either side with more chimichurri... best homemade steak I've had.


Honestly, there have been many times I buy the pre-marinaded stuff too... especially if I don't have time to let the meat marinade for at least a full day... usually comes out great too...


hope that helps...

 

[ACamp1900]

I wish I remembered in more detail so I can pinpoint exactly what temp I ran it too. I think that, and not foiling at all, lead to the dry texture.
What temp do you cook at?

I def recommend foiling for just about anything, but especially the bad cuts that need to be more tenderized... I find the juices that get caught help moisten the meat... I even open the smoker half way through and flip the bigger meats so both side 'bathe' in the juice... I usually leave the top open and have the bottom just there to catch the juice but with thicker cuts and bigger meats I will even close up the foil about half way through,... just me.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I wish I remembered in more detail so I can pinpoint exactly what temp I ran it too. I think that, and not foiling at all, lead to the dry texture.
What temp do you cook at?

Well, I typically run the PBC around 250-280, but I had it blazing, unkowingly. I started a few more coals than normal and opened the air vent on the bottom more than 1/4 of the way. The temp probe at the top was pushing against the outside of the brisket so I kept seeing readings of 190-210 and I was very confused.

Finally, I saw what was happening and moved the probe and saw the PBC had been running closer to 310, maybe even as high as 320 for the first couple hours.

Injecting with beef broth the the night before and then pulling at 160 to foil and pour a little more beef broth in with it were big steps. I have a friend who has done a few dozen briskets a myriad of ways and the steps I gave above were verbatim what he told me to do.

I was also using a Prime cut of meat from Costco. So it wasn't a low grade brisket.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Thanks for the info guys.

Mine typically runs 310-325. I haven't tried to adjust it yet outside of the initial setup. One time it ran lower. I think my problem is putting to many lit coals in from the start. I usually fill it most the way with unlit then start 3/4 chimney to put on top. I think if I lower the lit coals to 1/2 chimney I'll get that lower temp.

 

[ACamp1900]

Can you run without coals?? meaning just wood?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Possibly with altering the cooker ro add a lower deflection plate. But the PBC is a vertical smoker so all of the juices would directly feed the flame. Any flame up would directly touch and burn the meat. Large cuts of meat, like and full brisket, are actually hung down over the coals, inches away of its large enough.

 

[ACamp1900]

the foil would solve that... or even do the tin disposable trays...

 

[ACamp1900]

So I love the show Man Fire Food, gave me the base idea for my custom smoker and the dude reminds me of one of my close friends... Anyway, I get home today and it's on, they're smoking a bunch of different fish in a tall smoke house...

I think I've just been inspired to change my design... I'm gonna start looking into how to make mine a large smokehouse....

 

[Irish Insanity]

I hate smoked fish. I just hate fish.

I've decided to put the smoked pineapple on the back burner for now. Reading some on it, it smokes for a very short time. Everything you put in it should be pre-cooked. And it seems its supposed to taste a lot better grilled than smoke.

So for the weekend my initial plan is to smoke 3 different things. Fatties, a butt, and stuffed peppers. I've yet to try a butt on the PBC so hopefully all goes well. Stuffed peppers I've made, but never smoked. It just sounds good. I'm thinking pizza fattie for one, and mushrooms/peppers/cheese/garlic/bbq sauce in the other. I don't like sausage so they will be all beef. Bacon wrapped. Stuffed peppers will be green peppers, spanish rice, burger, and tomato sauce. The butt will simply be rubbed and let it go. Friday evening grocery trip, or before if possibly. Saturday will be the fatties and peppers, Sunday the butt.

As far as custom smoker, I'm brainstorming and designing one myself. It was fairly elaborate in my head. Now that I'm putting pencil to paper, it'll be simplified a bit. Side fire box on a vertical smoker. 3 or 4 shelves. 2 access doors. Door to remove the ashes. The cooking chamber will start a bit lower than the normal offset with a shelf on the bottom for a liquid tray. Therm in each door. Single smoke stack.

 

[ACamp1900]

Sounds great II, except for the shrooms, they're my fish... Won't touch them.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Sounds great II, except for the shrooms, they're my fish... Won't touch them.

Don't laugh. I only use the canned ones. I hate fresh ones.

 

[ACamp1900]

So finding expanded metal for my custom smoker has been impossible... I roll with small grill rack from my old smoker laid out along some rebar currently. I was watching man fire food again and this Jamaican dude was grilling fish on chicken wire... Chicken wire.

It struck me I can roll with that too for my racks, is there any reason I shouldn't that I'm not currently considering??? So long as the wire is not galvanized obviously....

 

[Irish Insanity]

Is it heavy/stiff/strong enough to hold larger pieces of meat?

 

[ACamp1900]

Is it heavy/stiff/strong enough to hold larger pieces of meat?

I'm not worried about that, I can manage that aspect... I'm mostly worried about it being safe to use on the grill and in the smoker...

 

[peoriairish]

So after all the bitching and moaning about my offset, I'm buying a vertical smoker. Sell me on the PBC and get me over my fear of meat falling into the coals/not being able to actually control the temp. I've read all the reviews and youtube videos.... but I'm usually from the camp that if it's too good to be true, it usually is...

HELP!

 

[Irish Insanity]

So after all the bitching and moaning about my offset, I'm buying a vertical smoker. Sell me on the PBC and get me over my fear of meat falling into the coals/not being able to actually control the temp. I've read all the reviews and youtube videos.... but I'm usually from the camp that if it's too good to be true, it usually is...

HELP!

I love mine. It really is set it and forget it, but you have to be willing to allow some temp fluctuation at the start. You set the original inlet size and go from there. You can adjust what temp it will run at by a slight adjustment to the inlet, or how many lit coals you put on the top of the charcoal basket. As far as meat falling, I've never had it happen. You can also use the grill grate for meat you don't want to hang. They have a YouTube channel amd are as active in the smoking community as any of the big expensive rigs. They'll answer any question you need. It comes literally ready to go out of the box.

 

[wizards8507]

So after all the bitching and moaning about my offset, I'm buying a vertical smoker. Sell me on the PBC and get me over my fear of meat falling into the coals/not being able to actually control the temp. I've read all the reviews and youtube videos.... but I'm usually from the camp that if it's too good to be true, it usually is...

HELP!

Don't. Take the same amount of money and get a Weber Smokey Mountain. It'll cook the same quality barbecue, you CAN control the temp, and you get Weber's legendary customer service.

Example of Weber customer service: I called them asking if they had any touch-up enamel / paint for my crimson one-touch gold. It had gotten a little dinged up on the bowl when we moved. The customer service rep responded with "no problem, we'll get a replacement out to you right away." They sent me a brand new bowl, two-day shipping, completely free of charge and I didn't even ask them to.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I'm conflicted as I'm sure both are great to use. I have the PBC and I like it a lot but I'm a bit more of a "finagler" so I think I missed the mark and should've purchased the 22.5 WSM.

But make no mistake, I've smoked over a dozen racks of ribs, 3 briskets, gobs of chicken and my wife has loved nearly all of it (my first few racks of ribs were either dry or undercooked by 30-45 mins).

I'm working on fabricating a steambox for my PBC and then I think I'll finally have it where I want it.

I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either choice.

 

[peoriairish]

Bah you bastards. I was set on the PBC but now I'm torn again... thanks Wiz.

I love the simplicity of the PBC, but I think I would miss the "these ribs are so good because of my smoking skill". I think with the PBC, I would think it's like an oven with smoke. Damnit. Any reason I can't have both?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Bah you bastards. I was set on the PBC but now I'm torn again... thanks Wiz.

I love the simplicity of the PBC, but I think I would miss the "these ribs are so good because of my smoking skill". I think with the PBC, I would think it's like an oven with smoke. Damnit. Any reason I can't have both?

I will say this, I love my PBC, but miss some of the 'tending' to the smoke. I have a gas grill, charcoal grill, and the PBC. I'm debating on building, in a year or two, and vertical offset. Just to have that connection back with the cooking. On days I can't or don't want to stay with it I'll have the PBC. On the other days I'll have the other.

One other thing to consider, on the PBC and the WSM, is they aren't big smokers. Depending upon what you're cooking, or how much volume, they may not be large enough.