BBQ gurus...advice pls?

[stuartj]

My BBQ is conventional type, four burners, two under a hot plate, two under a grate and bbq rocks.

We like to roast in it, using a heavy cast metal oven tray with the meat suspended on a rack in the tray. Longer cooks, with the hood closed.

Using the barbie this way, with the metal tray sitting on the grate and hot plate, seems to damage, burn, the hot plate and grate, removing their "seasoning" and leaving them to corrode and rust.

Does any one have a way to roast in this type of barbie without damaging the cooking surfaces?

[red-beard]

It is designed for a job. Get a smoker for roasting.

[Chocaholic]

But don't waste your money on a green egg. A Home Depot smoker is fine. If you want to use your direct-fire grill, cook over ceramic rather than cast iron.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

But don't waste your money on a green egg. A Home Depot smoker is fine. If you want to use your direct-fire grill, cook over ceramic rather than cast iron.

Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM), or the soon to be famous Meat Bucket....low cost alternatives to the BGE. I've had a WSM for years...

[Jims5543]

I beat Tabs to this thread (insert evil laugh)

I guess I will have an opposing view.

Your set up is called a grill, not a BBQ.

I did the same thing years ago, tried to use a gas grill to make BBQ, it can be done it is not ideal and it will never create great BBQ, just good.

I eventually purchased a Smoker Box from Home depot and used that until it rusted and fell apart. Making BBQ in that was a chore, it took a lot of babysitting and a lot of attention. That did not stop me from making Boston Butts (Pulled pork) Countless T-day Turkeys and more ribs that I can remember.

My wife suggested I get a BGE to replace it. They are expensive and guaranteed for life.

The first time I made BBQ on the BGE, I was amazed, it was no longer a chore, and the quality of the BBQ was already a step over everything I made up to that point and I was still learning the unit.

Now we use it for everything. Steak, Pizza (we crank it up to 500°) chicken and pork chops come out amazing on it.

I am fixing to smoke some Ribs next weekend and I am still learning to do a perfect Brisket, I was told by a Pit Master I met over the weekend it took him 3 years to get the Brisket perfect. I believe him, I was eating his brisket when he told me, he opened a small BBQ joint that is only open 3 days a week.


My friend just bought a pellet smoker, these seem to be the rage now, you can even control them via wifi from your phone. Something to consider if getting dirty and getting coals fired up are not your thing.

BGE - is as simple as it gets and is a back to basics BBQ, many BBQ places to this day still use them.

[javadog]

Don't light the burners on the side with the oven tray, light the ones on the other side. Close the lid.

[Tobra]

Yeah, indirect heat is the ticket

[tabs]

A Gas Grill is not ideal for real BBQing which is smoking...I suppose it can be done???

But if you want to go to the next level...well a Kamado or BGE is a good ticket. An Offset Pipe stick burner goes beyond that...it depends upon what you want...Do you want so so or do you want lip smacking good...

I started with and still have a Weber 22 inch grill, easy to use...then one of those H20 smokers, it turned out good Q...but I found it was a pain so I graduated to a 35 G Drum from down on Century Blvd, then to a New Braunfels vertical offset, a BGE and then a Klose off set pipe stick burner.

It is all about heat retention in providing a steady temp.

Those Pellets burners have made making Q into a science and not an art. Anybody can set a temp and drop a pellet. So what, what accomplishment is in that? I will suppose you will say yum yum...

the next step beyond a Weber Grill is a Santa Maria Grill, where you burn sticks and raise and lower the grate accordingly...I personally think that would be neat to experiment with. Something new to learn.

If you want an pipe offset smoker, I think Shirley in AL.... Home | Shirley Fabrication

or Lonestar Grillz in TX... Custom BBQ Smokers | Custom BBQ Pits | Custom Fire Pits are really nice. Klose is more or less equal but his stuff doesn't have the refinements. In the day he was the go to guy...now there is competition for really nice...

good equipment is expensive..where your product is commercial quality...meaning lip smackin good.

[berettafan]

Wow that Shirley stuff is cool!


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[cabmandone]

When I did what you're talking about, I only lit the side burners and kept the burners in the middle off. Normally unless it was colder out, I didn't have any problem keeping temps in my targeted area.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by tabs

....
good equipment is expensive..where your product is commercial quality...meaning lip smackin good.

Nonsense Tabby....now I'm sure you know your way around a pit....but....er pork butt...

A WSM can easily do a 14 hour smoke staying at 225 and never add fuel....for $300 . All the fancy, stuff is just that, fancy....can't do it any better, and that's a fact. I live near the BBQ center of the universe....there's not a BGE, or a fancy Texas smoker to be found in that town....

They make their millions selling BBQ however...not fancy equipment....YMMV.

And the proof is in the Q ....been doing it the same way for almost 100 years now...if it ain't broke....

[cabmandone]

If we're talking smokers, WSM using Minion method or Soo's doughnut. I agree with KC911 on this one. You don't have to spend a lot to get great BBQ. I bought my 18" WSM for $100 from a guy looking to go up to the larger 22" WSM. The guy did competition BBQ and the WSM was the tool he chose. Good enough for him, good enough for me.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by tabs

...random stuff...

good equipment is expensive..where your product is commercial quality...meaning lip smackin good.

Yeah, uh, no. Weber Smokey Mountain, $300. It's all about the art, not the money. Picasso used house paint.

The only area where I will say money matters in smoking is the meat. Get the best meat possible.

[berettafan]

anyone have thoughts on this thing? relatively cheap, portable and uses wifi to connect to a phone app tracking temps.

https://greenmountaingrills.com/products/grills/davy-crockett-pellet-grill-wifi/

would a pellet smoker/grill give me yummy smoked duck, turkey and salmon? or are those masterbuilt or smoking-it cabinet style jobbers better?

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I

Your set up is called a grill, not a BBQ.

.

+1

BBQ is food.

The metal thing is called a grill, or pit, or spit. You have a cook out and invite people over. You do not have a BBQ.

[Rickysa]

would a pellet smoker/grill give me yummy smoked duck, turkey and salmon?

Yeppers...fo' sure.

You can't go wrong with any thing that burns wood...be it be it pellets, logs, or even charcoal. Controlling the heat is the main thing. I grill a bunch, so I like the convenience of pellets. I've burned up a number of grills, so I didn't mind spending a bit more on the last one.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Rickysa

Yeppers...fo' sure.

You can't go wrong with any thing that burns wood...be it be it pellets, logs, or even charcoal. Controlling the heat is the main thing. I grill a bunch, so I like the convenience of pellets. I've burned up a number of grills, so I didn't mind spending a bit more on the last one.

Eastern or Lexington? I always sample BBQ, all types, everywhere I travel....my mouth's never met true Q, any style, that I don't like.

I don't generally eat Q cooked with gas however...it ain't

[Rickysa]

Eastern or Lexington?

LOL, funny you should ask! I grew up going to Topsail all the time from Raleigh (my grandparents worked on the base at Lejune and had a fishcamp there) back in the 70's (before Topsail was "found"). Hwy 70 took us right by Wilbur's, so down-east-whole-hog 'cue is what I grew up on. Two sandwiches, fries, and the sweetest tea around to eat in the car on the way to the beach.

Then, I married a young lady from Lexington and got my first taste of western pig...Love 'em both, but have to admit I like the shoulder/butt with the little bit of ketchup to turn the vinegar pink

Did two this weekend and just had leftovers for lunch.

[KFC911]

Oh lordy....dad was a surf fisherman back in the 60/70s....Topsail, Emerald Isle, the banks...back when they were unknown.....

Wilburs in Goldsboro? We might have sat at adjacent tables ....more times than I can count!

[Rickysa]

Wilburs in Goldsboro?

Yes indeededo, watching the planes land at Seymore Johnson.

dad was a surf fisherman back in the 60/70s

We were of, ahem, limited means so most of our suppers came from the surf.
No heat/AC, or phone, or TV/Radio, water that smelled/tasted like rotten eggs, and had to wear flip-flops when opening the 'fridge or you'd get shocked...heaven!