A BBQ thread

[spaniel]

Gonna make a big switch . Was a stick smoker for a long time but now I gotta try a pellet smoker . Been studying hard on which one I want . I really like the Yoder but they are proud of them .I know buy once cry once. Just too much work anymore for the old way .

I've had a Recteq for a year. Stainless steel components. So far no sign of any deterioration at all. I have an Easter brisket going on it now.

 

[Tesoro]

For me the taste of grass fed is always better. Fun fact though when purchasing the grass fed from my local source, they always asked if I have had grass fed before. Apparently some people do not like the stronger taste of grass fed. My grass fed source might be a little leaner and mby a little tougher cut than grain fed but I’ll take the taste of the grass fed any day.

Adding to this: Our local source explained the added cost of grass fed. They said it takes much longer to finish a cow on grass than on grain so it just costs more to fatten one up to the minimum fat percentage required before slaughter.

Grass fed tastes like beef like vine ripe fall tomatoes taste like tomatoes. The rest is not natural but people get used to it cause they don't know and think that is the norm. Sad but I understand why due to economics and year around supply.
Hate to say it but US beef - the 95% steaks that 95% eat - are probably the least tasty corn finished steaks eaten in the northern hemisphere.

 

[Boilermaker]

For Easter? impressive. how many people?

I have a couple graduation parties to fix pulled pork for. I just had a free day today to get it ready. I vacuum packed and froze it so it’s ready for the party. I smoked a case of butts a couple weeks ago and the last case today. The case of 8 butts weighed around 80 lb. It cooked down to 40 lb.

I’ve been putting my “new to me” gravity feed smoker through its paces. Between a stick burner, pellet grill, and Weber kettle this gravity feed charcoal smoker is by far my favorite. It’s as easy as a pellet grill with less fuel consumption with flavor similar to a stick burner.

 

[Fast14riot]

Grass fed tastes like beef like vine ripe fall tomatoes taste like tomatoes. The rest is not natural but people get used to it cause they don't know and think that is the norm. Sad but I understand why due to economics and year around supply.
Hate to say it but US beef - the 95% steaks that 95% eat - are probably the least tasty corn finished steaks eaten in the northern hemisphere, but they are 'soft' because the cows don't get to exercise and live in pens.

Funny, low quality steaks are not given space to graze. But, the highest quality steaks are physically restricted from moving to improve intramuscular fat marbling. Maybe, its literally just the grading of beef commonly purchased because its available all the time.

Beef is my least purchased animal protein. Its the most expensive and least flavorful option readily available, aside from offal (which i love!). Poultry, fowl and pork i will use 5:1. Fish/seafood probably 3:1 over the rest. Those that think neither have any flavor just haven't had it treated with the respect it deserves.

I do have 3 teenagers to feed, 15, 16, 19, so budget is a big concern, poultry is cheap but oh so versatile! I can cook anyone a whole chicken that tastes more "chickeny" than anything you've ever tried. Chicken cooked in milk, buttermilk and herb marinated, casserole cooked with aromatics. Herb stuffed and prepared A La Mancha. Poulet a la Moutard. Mediterranean with lemon and green olives.

The common proteins can be great of given the respect they deserve.


caserrole roasted chicken and aromatics




Start of poulet a la moutard




Moroccan lemon and olive chicken




Many of these can be adapted to grill preparation, too! "Cooking" is just applying heat to ingredients. Its utilizing the the different aspects of each style to your dish.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Funny, low quality steaks are not given space to graze. But, the highest quality steaks are physically restricted from moving to improve intramuscular fat marbling. Maybe, its literally just the grading of beef commonly purchased because its available all the time.

Beef is my least purchased animal protein. Its the most expensive and least flavorful option readily available, aside from offal (which i love!). Poultry, fowl and pork i will use 5:1. Fish/seafood probably 3:1 over the rest. Those that think neither have any flavor just haven't had it treated with the respect it deserves.

I do have 3 teenagers to feed, 15, 16, 19, so budget is a big concern, poultry is cheap but oh so versatile! I can cook anyone a whole chicken that tastes more "chickeny" than anything you've ever tried. Chicken cooked in milk, buttermilk and herb marinated, casserole cooked with aromatics. Herb stuffed and prepared A La Mancha. Poulet a la Moutard. Mediterranean with lemon and green olives.

The common proteins can be great of given the respect they deserve.


caserrole roasted chicken and aromatics

View attachment 1653617


Start of poulet a la moutard

View attachment 1653618


Moroccan lemon and olive chicken

View attachment 1653619


Many of these can be adapted to grill preparation, too! "Cooking" is just applying heat to ingredients. Its utilizing the the different aspects of each style to your dish.

there are some great cooks here! I am a big fan of the chicken, olive, lemon cook. Chicken great use of grains and feedstock to produce. I love steak, but the older I get, the less I enjoy it. My GF and I can split 8oz filet and have steak left over. We eat more thin cut, sauteed chicken breast with lemon, capers and butter. Great cooking here.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I have a couple graduation parties to fix pulled pork for. I just had a free day today to get it ready. I vacuum packed and froze it so it’s ready for the party. I smoked a case of butts a couple weeks ago and the last case today. The case of 8 butts weighed around 80 lb. It cooked down to 40 lb.

I’ve been putting my “new to me” gravity feed smoker through its paces. Between a stick burner, pellet grill, and Weber kettle this gravity feed charcoal smoker is by far my favorite. It’s as easy as a pellet grill with less fuel consumption with flavor similar to a stick burner.

high level expertise.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Nothing wrong with low quality steaks, but you’re probably eating the best cuts of an old cow that goes to market after her calf raising production has come to an end. High dollar steaks come from the best marbled young yearling type steers. Grain fed animals take 120 days to switch the fat from yellow to the white marbling that we love. Grass fat guys are getting pretty good at what they do now too,

 

[1813benny]

Brisket and some buttermilk pie…

 

[Tesoro]

Moroccan lemon and olive chicken

View attachment 1653619


Many of these can be adapted to grill preparation, too! "Cooking" is just applying heat to ingredients. Its utilizing the the different aspects of each style to your dish.

I see something critically wrong with your Morrocan chicken concoction lol. U are using fresh lemons. The horror. You need to use 'preserved lemons'. I like to use the Meyer lemon. I have some jars that are 2yrs old in my fridge. Just take out what you need and discard the pulp. it takes about +6 mos to get the right flavor. In the interim you can buy them, but don't get the ones with spice added, or add anything to the ones you make. https://www.sipsnibblesbites.com/moroccan-preserved-lemons/

 

[Tesoro]

Nothing wrong with low quality steaks, but you’re probably eating the best cuts of an old cow that goes to market after her calf raising production has come to an end. High dollar steaks come from the best marbled young yearling type steers. Grain fed animals take 120 days to switch the fat from yellow to the white marbling that we love. Grass fat guys are getting pretty good at what they do now too,

All I know is when I am out in high desert cattle country I try to find a local meat market to get 'range beef' burger meat. Love the flavor.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

All I know is when I am out in high desert cattle country I try to find a local meat market to get 'range beef' burger meat. Love the flavor.

Yes if you can find something you really like and you can buy buy plenty of it to put in the freezer, that’s a good day.

 

[Tesoro]

Yes if you can find something you really like and you can buy buy plenty of it to put in the freezer, that’s a good day.

Lol. You said it. Here is a pic from a few months ago of my rv freezer with 61lbs of Prime Mexican Sonoran desert ribeyes!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

On those adjustable Santa Maria meat grates, have you guys been able to tell what temperature you want it to be at the cooking surface with a Therma-Pen or something?

 

[Ringostar]

For those seeking to attend the Top BBQ championship, attend Memphis In May. The 47th World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest will be held May 14 – 17, 2025 at Liberty Park in Memphis, TN. Hope to see everyone of you guys there! Now, onto the great grill shown by the OP: looks so good, I wish I had one! How much does it weigh?

For your location you should check out Allen’s Welding on YouTube and Facebook. I believe that he’s located in northwest Louisiana. He builds smokers and Santa Maria grills. Very good work and prices.

 

[Ringostar]

Meat only takes on smoke for so long until you’ve developed a bark. Then I wrap stuff to finish. A well known bbq competition guy says, a btu is a btu! I’ve always agreed with this, that once I wrap stuff there’s no need to continue with smoke. So for brisket I smoke 5 hours, then wrap with pink paper and finish on sheet pan in oven. Ribs get smoke 3 hours then same wrap and oven finish. Pork butts I smoke 5 hours, then put into large nesco roasters with apple juice to finish. I pull and serve right in the roaster. Spatchcock chicken and chick leg quarters only takes 3 hours total, so no wrap needed. On to other questions here. I like back ribs and St Louis cut, but the other half prefers back ribs, she says they’re not as fatty. She also makes me pull membrane, because she thinks it’s gross! We both prefer grain finished beef mostly because any grass feed that we’ve had has been too dry and bland. I know that it all depends on what the animal gets to eat. We bought a half cow about 6 years ago that was disgusting! I think it lived on sage brush.

 

[choprzrul]

On those adjustable Santa Maria meat grates, have you guys been able to tell what temperature you want it to be at the cooking surface with a Therma-Pen or something?

For me, if I can hold my hand above the grate, it's too far from the fire. If I can't stand the heat, it's too close. When I add wood and have bigger flames, I'm typically raising it way up off of those flames.

What I'm cooking comes into play also. Tri tip and ribs I cook at lower temps. Chicken quarters get more heat and I turn them more often.

 

[Tesoro]

On those adjustable Santa Maria meat grates, have you guys been able to tell what temperature you want it to be at the cooking surface with a Therma-Pen or something?

The guy who sold me mine told me need to be able to hold hand right under the grate and if you cant count to five then crank it up a tad.

 

[quest450]

Cast iron sear and into the oven @200F

 

[Gary in MD]

Ham on the Weber here.

 

[mmcu]

Just off of the smoker!