mguerra Posted October 5, 2015 Report Posted October 5, 2015 I have two things to talk about here, a technique, and a spice. We have previously discussed getting spices from World Spice in Seattle and they have a spice there called Baharat. It is a Middle Eastern thing and it goes great with just about any meat. I put a boatload of it into some ground beef and folded it in very well, made some patties, doused the top of them heavily with granulated garlic and fresh cracked pepper. I cooked them indirect, 350-400 degrees, never flipping them. I used Royal Oak lump with a good bit of Dennis' coffee wood. So the spice and the coffee wood makes them super flavorful, of course. And cooking them indirect gets you a sort of smoky sous vide effect. Finish temp was 160. I talked about this before for cooking steaks. You get a longer, slower, smokier cook indirect. Try it.
MacKenzie Posted October 5, 2015 Report Posted October 5, 2015 Very interesting tips, thank you for that. I have a question about the temp. I always do my burger indirect and I agree with the no flipping but I usually do them at a much lower temp. 250-275F range. I'm wondering why you use 350 - 400F?
tony b Posted October 5, 2015 Report Posted October 5, 2015 Great tip, Doc! Glad to see you posting again! Will have to check out Baharat. I'm a big fan of Berbere and Ras El Hanout spice blends. In fact, hosted a dinner party Saturday night and the theme was Ethiopian, so I made Doro Wat, a chicken stew with lots of Berbere in it. Crazy spicy and I'm a chilehead!
mguerra Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Posted October 6, 2015 Tony you get the spices from World Spice? I can cook faster at a higher heat when cooking indirect. I cook most steaks, burgers, roasts, briskest, chicken, really everything at 300-400 when cooking indirect. Except pork butts. They do come out better cooked in the 225-275 range. In the past I have made a big deal about not needing precise temperature control in the KK. It's a fact, you do not need tight control. Early on I was a freak for tight control, y'all remember my penchant for Gurus and Stokers. I never use them anymore. I remember guys saying all you need is to learn your vents. I thought they were boneheads for not taking advantage of the techy control units. I HAD to have them. So now I have two Stokers and a Guru that just sit and take up space. Those boneheads were right. I was wrong. If you can cook the best brisket ever in four hours just using vents, you don't need a controller, and there's no need to ever do an overnighter again. Except for maybe a pork butt, or cooker full of them.
GoFrogs91 Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 Doc, went and bought some Baharat last night. I look forward to trying it when it gets delivered. Thanks for the tip! Benton
ckreef Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 Burgers sound yummy but I'll confess I like mine cooked direct at 500*+ or CI seared. Might have to give your method a try. As for controllers - never had one even with my crappy Akorn which could be a bear to maintain long term steady temp. Compared to that the KK is a walk in the park. It goes 8+ hours unattended during the day so what's the difference between day and night. I leave the house for hours during the day with it cruising Low-n-slow. Doubt I'll ever feel the need for a controller unless the tech junkie inside me just has to have a fix.
tony b Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 No, Doc, never bought from World Spices (yet!) I'm a big Penzey's guy (that's where the Berbere came from) and my Ras El Hanout is from Zamouri. Some of the Zamouri stuff can be purchased through Amazon, too.
mguerra Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Posted October 7, 2015 Unfamiliar with Penzey's and Zamouri, will check them out. Thanks.
