tony b

Did my first chuck roast today. I swear by all that is holy in BBQ, I may never cook another brisket again as long as I live (except to make pastrami)! A small (4 lb) boneless chuck roast. Rubbed overnight with CYM and a dry rub that I picked up from a vendor (Just North of Memphis) at our local 4th of July BBQ Festival. First time using it and was pleased (base seems to be Worcestershire powder). Roast went on the KK at 9am and finished off around 6pm today (Internal temp was 210F). Smoking pot with mesquite, hickory and apple woods. Guru was set at 250F. Cook was indirect with drip pan on lower grate. This pulled as easily as any pork butt I've ever done. Just amazing! And the great beef flavor - OMG! Yeah, yeah. I know, no pics it didn't happen, so here they are: 1) just going on the KK; 2) finished @ 210F; 3) pulled; 4) din-din - beef in pita with raw red onions and a jus of mushroom and beef stocks, homemade frites, and grilled corn-on-the cob.

As Dennis has pointed out several times, the colder the surface of the meat, the better the smoke will condense on it. So, I try and go straight from the fridge to the grill on low and slows. I've even experimented with the frozen steak technique. Worked OK, but not a huge improvement (IMO) over a good reverse sear.

I'm starting to think that I need to switch to Chrome instead of IE for my browser.

Mesquite and Pork = bad ju-ju!! Too strong a smoke. Stick to the oak and any fruit wood you might have (cherry, apple, peach).

If you are looking for a good digital thermometer, found this link posted in the BGE Forum. I just order one. Note the 20% discount code (LAVSS914) only applies to the WHITE ones. www.amazon.com/Fastest-Accurate-High-performance-Professional-Thermometer/dp/B00GRFHVSQ/ ps: I almost didn't post this because "copy/paste" (CTRL V) doesn't work in this damned software and I had to hand type out the URL. Trust me, I've tried all the buttons on the menu and NONE of them work, including the "link" one, which locks up my browser completely and I have to shut it down and restart it. ARRGGGGHHHH!

Thanks, Dennis!

Just re-read the "Myth Busters" article on smoke rings over at Amazing Ribs. The process stops at 170F, not 140F, as published other places. Has to do with the myoglobin breaking down at 170F and it no longer absorbs NO and CO in the smoke vapor to form the pink ring. Best way to prolong the process - spritz or mop the meat with water, juice, vinegar, etc. to keep the surface cool as long as possible.

You don't need to generate smoke for the entire cook. Absorption stops when the meat reaches 140F, which is before the stall on a pork butt. So, if you could get 3 - 4 hours of smoke out of one of these, you might be fine. Someone will have to experiment with it and see if you need to reload or not. You might just be better off with the 12" or 18" ones and not worry about reloading.

True. Goat (cabrito) is very popular everywhere else in the world, but not here. Go figure? I've had it prepared several ways - BBQ ribs (awesome!) in TX and the classic goat curry in the Caribbean. I've never asked, but I bet my local butcher at the Farmers' Market can get it, since there are folks in the area that raise them. Lady over in Knoxville, IA makes the best goats milk cheeses!!

I've posted several times about using a converted cast iron dutch oven as a smoking pot. It works well and has the advantage that you can put it on top of coals at the beginning, then add your grates/deflectors/drip pan and not worry about disassembly/reassembly when time to put on the meat. The cast iron take time to heat up to the point where the smoke generation starts, so you don't worry about burning up your wood chunks too quickly. It produces a steady smoke - no worries about distributing chunks in the coals that may/may not ever burn and it doesn't affect the temperature control at all. The holes in the bottom direct the smoke back into the fire, so any volatiles are burned off, producing a clean smoke. My only downside is that it's a bit messy setting up - you use a flour/water paste to seal the lid on the dutch oven. However, no complaints on how it works on longer lo & slo cooks (brisket, butts, ribs). I'm curious to hear how this pellet tube does on very low (cold) smoking applications where the dutch oven might not work well. If folks find that this new gadget works for them, my favorite source for wood chunks (www.fruitawoods.com) also sells chips and pellets.

Sorry, quaffed the last of it last night!

I tossed on a rack of lamb for the old birthday dinner. Thought I'd share some pics - I remembered for once!! Hey, it was my birthday, so got out a nice bottle to go with - '88 Ch. Haut Marbuzet. Sipping on the last of it while I type this!! Lamb was rubbed with Grey Poupon (but of course!) and equal parts of Penzey's Greek and Turkish spice blends. Greek is oregano/mint based, Turkish more cumin and spicy pepper. Cooked direct @ 375F on the main grate for 20 minutes - bones down, flipped, and another 5 minutes (130F internal) to crust the tops. A healthy chunk of pecan and apple woods for smoke. As you can see, a beautiful rare center!

Thanks for the suggestion, as I have several chuck roasts in the freezer. Have never grilled one before, but WTF, let's go for it!!

Welcome and hang on for the ride of your life! Audi - BAH! This thing is a BUGATTI, baby!!

Well, I tried it yesterday. Sorry, no pics; too damned hot/humid to be dinking around with a camera!! The KK was running at 350F to cook the corn on the cob and sourdough bread on the main grate. When they finished, I pulled off the main grate and put on the sear grate and tossed on a chunk of red oak. Cranked it up (500F in the dome, raging at the sear grate). Was using the split basket left (hot)/right (cool). Took the NY strip (1.25" thick) out of the freezer, rubbed on some oil and Dizzy Pig "Raising the Steaks." Tossed it on the sear grate for 1 minute on each side, then 30 seconds on each side, to get a good sear. Internal temp was still only about 45F, but thawed out. Put the main grate back on and put the steak on the hot side for 10 minutes (Internal now about 105F), flipped it for another 5 minutes, then pulled it off (internal temp in the 130F range). Rested for a few minutes while I shucked corn and plated the sides. Steak finished out at medium. Tasty, especially when topped with bourbon glazed mushrooms! Can't say that this has any distinct advantage over any other style of steak grilling, other than the "Oh, sh!t, I forgot to thaw out the steaks!" scenario. If I do it again, I'll leave it on the sear grate longer to build up a bit more crust and back off on the main grate time - maybe 5 minutes each side (direct), check the internal temp, and then finish on the cool side (indirect) to final temps.

I was just on the Bourbon Trail. Didn't bring home any barrels, but did bring home several bottles of the "good stuff"!!

Very good advice for newbies. I will add one thing. If you want to add smoking wood at the beginning, so you don't have to wait to put in your deflector and grates - use a smoking pot. There are commercial ones available, but it's just as easy to make your own. It can be as simple as an aluminum foil pouch with 3 - 4 pinholes in it. I "upgraded" to a modified cast iron dutch oven. You drill 3 small holes (3/16") in the bottom (Yes, the bottom, not the lid). You seal the lid on (after putting your wood chunks in first of course!) with as simple flour and water paste - think Playdoh. Place the pot directly on the lit coals, then add your grates, heat defector, drip pans, etc. The pot will heat up along with the rest of your grill and will begin to produce smoke about the same time as the meat goes on. This way you don't burn up your wood before the meat goes on. Now, why are the holes in the bottom? It does 2 major things. First, the small holes limit the amount of oxygen inside, so your wood smolders, not burn. This prolongs the smoke generation. Second, by forcing the smoke downward, back toward the fire, you burn off any harsh volatiles that can make smoke bitter. A side benefit is that when you're done, you've actually converted the wood chunks inside to charcoal that you can then toss onto the coal pile for the next cook! You can always bury several chunks of wood in your coals, strategically place around the grill, so they burn at different times. However, that is haphazard, since you don't know how the coals are actually going to burn and you can end up not generating any smoke when you really want it or generating too much smoke if several chunks catch at the same time. Remember, meat stops absorbing smoke at about 140F - meat temperature, so you don't need to generate smoke for the entire cook. One last tidbit about smoking wood - don't bother soaking it in water first. It does nothing for you and is a complete waste of time. The water only barely penetrates the surface (unless you have the foresight to soak it for days in advance!) and it quickly evaporates/boils off. It doesn't prolong your smoke generation - it just delays it, since the wood can't smoke until it dries out again and you're back to exactly where you started to begin with. It's one of the classic "myths" out there about BBQ. Check out www.amazingribs.com for some of the other myths and why they are false. Like my new favorite T-shirt says -

But, Syz, you're always on the path less taken!

While I've never tried it, I would think that the Cornell chicken marinade/baste wouldn't be all that "yummy" on potatoes. I do believe that it would be an excellent idea with some different treatments. One that comes immediately to mind would be any lamb cut that has been marinated/basted with lots of garlic, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary, etc.

CYM - cheap yellow mustard, is a standard in the BBQ tool box. It imparts almost no flavor to the final product, but is a great adhesive for your dry rubs.

For wood chunks, it was 2 large pieces of peach and a handful of small pieces of pecan. I use a smoking pot (converted dutch oven). Well, I did remember to break out the camera. Here's some pics of the Cornell chicken.

He's been back for a while now, FM. But, I could say the same about you! Where you been hiding out of late?

Gorgeous bird! Beautiful color! This thread got me inspired, so I whipped up a batch of Cornell chicken marinade yesterday. Will be cooking the bird tonight for dinner. If I can remember, I'll post pics. Forgot to mention. You'll need to use a drip pan for the Cornell chicken, as the marinade/baste has enough oil in it that it will cause flare ups otherwise. I like to put the pan on the lower grate and cook the chicken up high on the upper rack in the dome. Get better heat distribution that way. A good compromise over direct heat. It will take a bit longer to get crispy skin, but with the overnight marinade and basting, you don't worry about the meat drying out.

Peach, cherry, or apple are all good with chicken. Mix with some pecan or white oak. Love me some Dizzy Pig rubs, too. But of late, I've been using more of the Plowboys Yardbird rub for chicken, usually injected with Butcher BBQ Bird Booster Herb marinade. If you've never tried the "Cornell chicken" marinade, give it a try sometime, very similar to Big Bob Gibson's white sauce (which is also very good). Cornell Chicken 1 egg 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups cider vinegar 3 TB kosher salt (Yes, this is correct. There's a lot of salt in this; but trust me, it's OK, it's a quasi-brine.) 1 TB black pepper (fresh ground coarse) 1 TB Poultry Seasoning (I like Penzey's) Place the egg in a blender/food processor (or you can hand whisk) with all the other ingredients, except the oil. Pulse to mix. Then with the blender running on medium speed, drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion. Think very thin mayonnaise. Set aside about a 1/2 cup of the marinade to baste the chicken with during cooking. Place the chicken in a non-reactive container (glass, plastic) or ziptop bag and pour the rest of the marinade over and let marinade at least 4 hours, overnight is best. Baste about every 20 minutes during cooking with the reserved marinade. Since there's a raw egg in it, you don't want to baste the chicken during the last 20 minutes. (There's so much vinegar in it that it shouldn't be a problem basting up to the end, but just to be on the safe side!)

De nada. It's what we do here.