Topic: Tis the season, BBQ anyone?

[46&2]

*Continues to take notes*

I'm doing some filet mignon tonight.

[Shamb [OP]]

The Pork Butt turned out great this time, much better then the last. I ended up cooking it at 275-250* for 4 hours then wrapped it for 2 hours at the same temp. Juiced it with some OJ and Apple Juice. Had some co-workers do taste testing and they all really liked it as well. The last maybe 1lb to 1/2lb of pork was a little tough still to pull apart so I may go another 30min to 1hr in foil but other then that I think we're ready. Picked up some charcoal and mesquite the other day. Gonna wait to get the pork butts the day before so I don't have to worry about freezing/thawing them. Just gonna give 'em a rub down the night before and starting cooking early the next morning. I can probably fit 3 in the Q  so i'll have to do the first 3 then pull 'em and cook the other's after.

Also doing some Slaw and my home made Dr.Pepper BBQ sauce and my Original.

I wanted to share that my wife (being the great wife that she is)  bought me personalized jar's for my rub's!  They're awesome and look really professional. I think i've got around 10 or so with everything from "Burger Love" to "Savory Steak Rub"   LOL..  once I can get off my butt and take a few pictures I will definently post 'em

She got the bottles from this web-site   www.specialtybottle.com  and I never figured out where she got the label's made but i'll post once I find out.

[Shamb [OP]]

 Doing up a rack of rib's this weekend!  Dunno what the plan is yet, i'm sure it'll be something different.

[Shamb [OP]]

So i'm wondering if my BBQ is so inconsistent w/ temp:coals because of the thin metal it was made with...

The other day I tossed in a full stack of flaming briquets and waited roughly 20-30 min's but the temp only got up to 150* in the main chamber. So I filled it up again, got 'em flaming and tossed them in, this got me up to 275*

The next day I toss in a full stack and wait about 10 min's, it gets up to 150* so instead of killing another 20 min's waiting just to find out I need more briquets I just start up another stack. By the time the stack got hot I was at 265* !!   So I ended up wasting the stack I had started because I didn't need them.

Keep in mind both days had very light to no wind at all and where within about 5* of each other. The first day it was around 90* and the day after it was 85* maybe 80*  ... Just seems odd how it fluxuates. I also thought it may be my temp gauge but when I opened it up the first day you could feel that it wasn't that hot in there at all so I don't believe it was the temp gauge..

Any Idea's? 

[notyourmomslx450]

are you only loading a chimney starter's worth of briquets to get it up to temp?  the thin metal will have alot to do w/ fluctuations in temp.  My backyard pit has a firebox made out of 3/8" steel, so once it hits temp, it stays there a while.

read this:
http://forum.texasbbqrub.com/showthread.php?t=36718

[Shamb [OP]]

yea that looks about right. I probably just have to dump more in due to the thickness of the steel. I typically toss in two full stacks to get it to 275* instead of 1 and then 1/3  so it's a little off but like I said...probably has to do with thickness.

That's a awesome link, thanks

[Toymin8r]

Made a pizza on the grill.   I didn't use any wood chips becasue I had to get the temp so high.   450 plus.   It was awesome if I do say so myself but it didn't really taste much different than in the oven.  I used the stone too.

[Shamb [OP]]

Looks damn good!

I would have tossed some Hickory or Mesquite in to give it some extra kick.

How long and at what temp did you cook it?

[Toymin8r]

About 12 minutes at 450.  I had the stone in there for about 10 minutes before I put the pie on it. 

[notyourmomslx450]

Man, that looks good.  Did you do it on a gas grill?  That'd be a cool one for my little weber charcoal burner.  "wood-fired pizza oven"

[Shamb [OP]]

started my pork butt's about an hour ago, planning on cooking them for 4 hr's on the Q and 3 hr's wrapped. Our local pumpkin farm has some amazing Apple Cider so I plan on using that w/ the OJ when I wrap 'em. First time i've cooked this much meat at one time on the Q. Should be interesting to see how it does.

It's roughly about 55-60* outside but I have my BBQ facing the sun and the smoker box wide open to allow airflow. It's held at 250* for a little over an hour now with my two stacks and 3 chunks of mesquite.. not too bad!

Probably be adding more coals here soon once it starts to drop a little in temp.

[abnormaltoy]

Made a pizza on the grill.   I didn't use any wood chips becasue I had to get the temp so high.   450 plus.   It was awesome if I do say so myself but it didn't really taste much different than in the oven.  I used the stone too.

Man, if that tasted near as good as it looks it was awesome 

[Shamb [OP]]

So today was a good day, buddies wedding turned out great. Minus the rain, which we worked around.

Also nearly every single person at the wedding thanked me for doing such a good job on the pulled pork. I don't think a single person didn't come up to me at one point or another and mention it..... lol....

It has definitely given me confidence that I've got a great product to offer. I'd like to get a few more under my belt and then I plan on possibly opening up a catering business on the side to get in some extra cash.

I started cooking yesterday around 8:30 in the morning and didn't wrap it up until 6:00pm but once everything got started it went pretty smoothly. Definitely plan on getting a larger pit because it would make things a million times easier. Especially for cooking large quantities.

[Japjeep]

cool

[Cheesemaker]

Shamb I know what your talking about.  I really need to get a welder and learn how to weld, so I can make a BBQ smoker.   

[Shamb [OP]]

i've got a welder and know how to weld, I just need material and most important time!

[Shamb [OP]]

I'm finally smoking this turkey, I need a good brine recipe, don't know much about brining and i've never done it before.

I know it's typically water and salt based, sub merge it for 24 hrs+ then pat it dry... but what goes into a brine besides water and salt?

[Shamb [OP]]

So the turkey brined over night, roughly 13-14hrs with the following brine, I got this from Brent Hicks on CBBQA and he got it from
 peoriacustomcookers.com . With pictures and details
12-14 lb. Turkey
2 qts. apple juice
1 lb. brown bugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 qts. water
3 oranges, quartered
4 oz. fresh ginger, sliced thin
15 wholes cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, crushed

I also added a whole orange cut in half and about half an onion roughly chopped.

I got the Q up to temp around 8:45 this morning andit was on the grill around 9:00 so it should be done around 4-5:00 this afternoon. I'll post pics when its all said and done. I also have a secret weapon that Cheesemaker shared with me

UPDATE:
It's been on for an hour, looking good so far skin has a light brown color and is starting to seal...mmmm, I can't wait.

[Shamb [OP]]

We're roughly 3 hr's in now, skin's starting to turn a nice medium brown color. Temp's stayed pretty consistent at 250-260*

I rotated it at the 2 hr's mark to keep the cooking consistent, I plan on rotating every 2 hr's.

UPDATE:

change of plan, I have a feeling if I keep this bird on the grill for that amount of time it's gonna get dry.... so on the 4 hr mark i'm gonna wrap it w/ some apple juice to keep it hydrated.

[Toymin8r]

I'm finally smoking this turkey, I need a good brine recipe, don't know much about brining and i've never done it before.

I know it's typically water and salt based, sub merge it for 24 hrs+ then pat it dry... but what goes into a brine besides water and salt?

Try some white wine and some molasses.   Maybe some chicken broth instead of water.

[Shamb [OP]]

got another hour left, i'll probably open it for a good 30 min's to get a nice crust on the skin right at the end and hit it w/ some more garlic butter 

If it tastes half as good as it smells then it's gonna be awesome.

[Shamb [OP]]

turned out great, here's a few pictures. Cooked for 7 hr's at around 250*

Brining



Done.

[Sway]

Made a pizza on the grill.   I didn't use any wood chips becasue I had to get the temp so high.   450 plus.   It was awesome if I do say so myself but it didn't really taste much different than in the oven.  I used the stone too.

Thats odd, I do one on the BBQ from time to time an I always get a smokey flavor from it. I just set it on the grill it self though, no stone. I will be making a wood burning pizza over this coming summer.

[notyourmomslx450]

Wow, Shamb, that turkey turned out looking fantastic!  Did the skin get a good crisp to it?

[Shamb [OP]]

yea it sure did, also had a great buttery/garlic flavor that was amazing. everyone in my family liked it as well. i've been making my version of a superbird every day after work. i'll post up the recipe when I get time

[Cheesemaker]

Good looking bird Shamb.  I need to look back at the pictures of my past birds. 

Usually, we do Turkey enchiladas the next day or two.  Even though I love turkey, I can only have it for a couple days at a time, and then I'm done with it.  So, enchiladas will get rid of the meat quick.

[46&2]

Wow Shamb that looks amazing.

[Shamb [OP]]

So we're thinking about deep frying a turkey this year, been pricing everything out and W O W... the Peanut oil is expensive.

I'm looking at getting a 30-32 quart fryer which would hold roughly 7.5 gallons of peanut oil. Obviously the birds gonna take up some space so i'm assuming i'd need around 5 gallons. Does this sound right??  Also does anyone have any good web-sites for getting peanut oil on the cheap. I believe 5 gallons is around $140 w/o shipping 

[Toymin8r]

So we're thinking about deep frying a turkey this year, been pricing everything out and W O W... the Peanut oil is expensive.

I'm looking at getting a 30-32 quart fryer which would hold roughly 7.5 gallons of peanut oil. Obviously the birds gonna take up some space so i'm assuming i'd need around 5 gallons. Does this sound right??  Also does anyone have any good web-sites for getting peanut oil on the cheap. I believe 5 gallons is around $140 w/o shipping  

I got mine from Sam's Wholesale.   I think it was about $35.00 for an 18qt (4.5 gallon) jug and it was plenty.  If you use peanut oil make sure nobody who is eating it has a peanut allergy.  Don't get a bird bigger than about 12 pounds or it won't fit.  The best way to know how much oil to use it take your bird and put it in a trash bag.  Then fill the fryer with water until the bird is covered.  Mark the line with a sharpie marker.   Do not fill it any more than that because the oil with actually expand once its heated and raise the level even more.   Obviously only do it outside and have a fire extinguisher ready.  Allow the bird to rest for about 20 minutes after you take it out of the fryer before you carve it.  

[46&2]

  If you use peanut oil make sure nobody who is eating it has a peanut allergy. 

Haha yea for sure that would be a bad thanksgiving for me I'm highly allergic to peanuts.