BBQ thoughts....

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I previously had charcoal, now have gas for the convenience and to s lesser extent the cleanliness.

I don’t know that I’ve found a big difference in flavour between the two but there is a big difference when you suddenly fancy a BBQ - I’m cooking almost as soon as I’ve got the food out the packet. As @Alastair70 said the basic BBQ flavour comes from the smoke that’s created when the fat drips down onto the coals, or in my case the hot plates that sit over the burners. Mine is this five burner job. It was cheap when I bought it but the price has rocketed since then. One of the things I really like about it is the enamelled grates, almost wipe clean . I think this is one thing I might say is worth looking out for?

 

[Dutto]

Doubled w/o the ….

 

[Dutto]

I bought a pair of these beer can roasters on sale in B&Q a few years back, I think they were around £5 each. Two fit nicely on either the kamado or the master touch. View attachment 70381

Just love the foil accessories! Perfect!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Another Fathers Day present

 

[Clint]

As my old bbq carcass and side burner was basically sound I've finally got round to ripping out the grill and burners and fitting a prep area. Just a cadge decking board cut to size and treated with a couple of coats of wax oil. I need a new cover so will pop out in a bit to get one. The outside curry kitchen will have the grand opening on Saturday...with a few (too many) beers of course!

 

[Druncan]

I've been hot smoking fish and seafood for a few years and love it! However, my old BBQ trolly/split oil drum style is rusting away and having a spare mini sf stove from the brewery conversion. I have just bought 3m of expanding alloy tubing to fit over stove output. Then attach to bottom of BBQ. Put mesh tray in old stove fill with alder sawdust I have and light to smoulder in back garden.

Planning cold smoked cheeses, prawns, scallops and fish?

Will then move to most meats except chicken as I think cold smoked chicken = botulism, salmonella risk?

Any thoughts, suggestions welcome?

BTW my only neighbour is keen to try the end products - so no problem with smoke outfall up here

 

[Clint]

Picked a bag of thus up to try...Big lumps too..and cheap!

 

[Alastair70]

View attachment 70526
Picked a bag of thus up to try...Big lumps too..and cheap!

Can’t go too far wrong for a fiver

 

[grooves]

I've been hot smoking fish and seafood for a few years and love it! However, my old BBQ trolly/split oil drum style is rusting away and having a spare mini sf stove from the brewery conversion. I have just bought 3m of expanding alloy tubing to fit over stove output. Then attach to bottom of BBQ. Put mesh tray in old stove fill with alder sawdust I have and light to smoulder in back garden.

Planning cold smoked cheeses, prawns, scallops and fish?

Will then move to most meats except chicken as I think cold smoked chicken = botulism, salmonella risk?

Any thoughts, suggestions welcome?

BTW my only neighbour is keen to try the end products - so no problem with smoke outfall up here

Don't be afraid of chicken - my first smoke on my Big Green Egg was a chicken - 5 hours over apple wood chips @ 225-250 F. It was just a test and I was the only one present, but it was so good I ate the entire bird...

 

[THBF]

Don't be afraid of chicken - my first smoke on my Big Green Egg was a chicken - 5 hours over apple wood chips @ 225-250 F. It was just a test and I was the only one present, but it was so good I ate the entire bird...

Wish I had some for lunch or supper today. Sounds tasty.

 

[Clint]

Can’t go too far wrong for a fiver

It's burning quite hot..no odd smells..up to 300c in no time!

 

[Alastair70]

It's burning quite hot..no odd smells..up to 300c in no time!

There you are then! It’s the smell that matters most.
If the chunks are big, light the chimney early. You’ll be able to keep cooking for at least 2hrs, if not more, after ignition.

 

[Clint]

There you are then! It’s the smell that matters most.
If the chunks are big, light the chimney early. You’ll be able to keep cooking for at least 2hrs, if not more, after ignition.

Chunks were bigger than the Weber stuff I got but seem to burn a lot hotter..the grill was ferocious to start..Still got over a hour..but shut the vents now as no one wants any more. Cooked burgers and some great big sausage indirectly very nicely. In fact I should have used half a chimney that would have filled half a basket...learning curve!

 

[Alastair70]

Chunks were bigger than the Weber stuff I got but seem to burn a lot hotter..the grill was ferocious to start..Still got over a hour..but shut the vents now as no one wants any more. Cooked burgers and some great big sausage indirectly very nicely. In fact I should have used half a chimney that would have filled half a basket...learning curve!

The remnants of the big chunks break up nicely for the next cook. Recently, I’ve been lighting a decent charge early (a good excuse for opening the first beer), putting some new big chunks on the bottom of the chimney and the remnants from the last cook on the top. Once the chimney is going well, put it in the kettle and close the vents down to 50% or so. Then let it sit for another half an hour, opening or closing the vents as required to keep combustion down, and let all the charcoal go a nice white colour.
When your done there’ll be a load of charcoal left, close up the vents and let it go out and you’ve got the top 1/2 of your next chimney ready to go next time.

 

[Clint]

I did have some bigger chunks left in the baskets from last time..I shook the Ash away and used the cleaner to drop the ash into the collector. I chucked the new hot Ash on top of the remnants.
I'm enjoying the charcoal experience!

 

[grooves]

Big chunks burn hotter as they channel more air through the gaps and create a chimney effect. I found an American site that reviewed charcoal, and the guy separated out the big, medium, and small chunks into plastic boxes so he could build a different fires for different purposes (big = steak + pizza, medium = burgers, medium + small = low&slow pork)... and I thought I was a geek.

 

[Dutto]

……

Planning cold smoked cheeses, prawns, scallops and fish?

…..

Only tip is “DON’T wrap cold smoked cheese in foil!”

The chemicals in the smoke attacks the foil. Clingfilm is okay & cold smoked cheese will last for a couple of months in the fridge.
:hat:

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Next weekend we’re bringing out the big guns and doing one my feasts

Bought this today

 

[Druncan]

Don't be afraid of chicken - my first smoke on my Big Green Egg was a chicken - 5 hours over apple wood chips @ 225-250 F. It was just a test and I was the only one present, but it was so good I ate the entire bird...

Aye, but i'm going to be cold smoking with the smoke generator away from the smoke cabinet - Chicken may be smoked at ambient temps and i'm a bit scared of that,,,,,,

 

[Alastair70]

Next weekend we’re bringing out the big guns and doing one my feasts

Bought this today

View attachment 70649

Oh nice!