Official 2018 BBQ, Smoking, Grilling, Baking and Beer thread

[Pv2]

Oh don't get me wrong flour is mandatory for certain things, but pork tacos...pork and corn...they just go together. Nachos need corn tortillas too. Can't build a burro/burrito or quesadilla/caramelo with corn though.

I hear you on bread, but I do like texture over soft so chewy sourdough is my favorite. Can't stand mushy hamburger and hotdog buns, give me a kaiser roll or a bolillo.

 

[Brentr]

Yummy looking ground beef. My wife now bans me from buying pre-made burger patties and frowns upon any packaged ground beef!! So I’ve started buying extra chuck roast at Costco and I grind it up and vacuum seal it. Then into the freezer.

If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, check them out. I have a FoodSaver brand unit and I use it all the time seal up extra meat and leftovers for long term freezer storage. Zero freezer burn when I use that.

I have a Food Saver however I never thought of freezing my fresh ground hamburger meat

 

[mwfaith1971]

OK this thread is going to cost me some money. I love smoked meat, but in my adult life all I have ever cooked on was wood (mesquite and catclaw, occasionally oak), and it has always been grilling, not smoking. Just this year I have been playing around with some lump mesquite I found on sale, and I have to say it is a learning curve.

Last night I started looking around for wood/charcoal smoker information and found something that looked like it might be a good way to get started with out much work (always a prime consideration).

Pit Barrel Cooker - The Original Vertical Smoker Barrel Cooker

It seems to a charcoal only device though I did make an inquiry about wood. I am ok with that but am curious if there are non-commercial set-ups that can use real wood in a fairly easy manner (and that don't cost as much as a used car!)

Would love to get your opinions on this.

(not sure why that was duplicated but will try to clean it up here)

If you're at all handy you can make your own Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) out of a 55 gallon drum. That's what I do all my own smoking on. See this thread on the BBQ Brethren https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436 it is the mother of all UDS build threads. You could also get a Big Popper kit https://www.bigpoppasmokers.com/big-poppa-s-engineered-drum-smoker-kit The majority of the drums are charcoal based and they work just fine.

Matt

 

[Pv2]

If you're at all handy you can make your own Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) out of a 55 gallon drum. That's what I do all my own smoking on. See this thread on the BBQ Brethren https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436 it is the mother of all UDS build threads. You could also get a Big Popper kit https://www.bigpoppasmokers.com/big-poppa-s-engineered-drum-smoker-kit The majority of the drums are charcoal based and they work just fine.

Matt

Yeah, I saw that Big Poppa's kit, but I am lazy.
Oh man that thread is almost 900 pages long! You gonna kill my whole week!

 

[mwfaith1971]

Yeah, I saw that Big Poppa's kit, but I am lazy.
Oh man that thread is almost 900 pages long! You gonna kill my whole week!

I know, it's a beaut huh?

 

[Arizonarob]

Wow that’s one serious thread. By the time you read it, you could have built one and be smokin meats already!!

 

[Brentr]

Heating up left over steak au poive and fries on the grill pads. These grill pads are the bomb[emoji108] fries and green beans are crispy[emoji482]

 

[ctrav]

Agree Brent...the grill pads are awesome! They work well for smash burgers and don't have a flattop grill

 

[Arizonarob]

Is that what those things are for? I keep seeing them and wondering what you use them for.
What are they made of? Are they metal of some sort?

 

[ctrav]

Kona Best BBQ Grill Mat - Heavy Duty 600 Degree Non-Stick Mats

Who knows what they are made of but I got a 3 pack from Costco and each one has lasted about a year. Time to get more as they work very well indeed...

Is that what those things are for? I keep seeing them and wondering what you use them for.
What are they made of? Are they metal of some sort?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Who knows what they are made of...

And yet you’ll put your food on them



Probably conceived of by some firefighter that threw his Nomex chonies on the grille to dry them out and then left them there too long. Firefighter figures, “hey, let me throw a steak on the grille...” and cooks the steak on his super-heated chonies. The lightbulb flicks on and now that fireman is living the rich life off his innovative product design ....

They’re likeky made out of Teflon fibers or Teflon coated glass fibers. Keep the grille below 500F or else you’ll char the Teflon and create toxic chemicals....

 

[Arizonarob]

And yet you’ll put your food on them

Exactly!! Who knows what chemicals are in those things. Just toss a cookie sheet on the grill and I’d imagine it would have the same effect minus the...”Hunny what’s this strange lump?”

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Exactly!! Who knows what chemicals are in those things. Just toss a cookie sheet on the grill and I’d imagine it would have the same effect minus the...”Hunny what’s this strange lump?”

Hey, third eyes can be quite useful!!!

When in need of a flat top, I throw on the old-school non-stick coating known since antiquity - iron carbide, aka, seasoned cast iron!! If it was good enough for the Iron Age, it’s good enough for me!!

 

[Arizonarob]

Heads up boys. For all you guys that may be interested in a 36” BlackStone Griddle, it’s Amazon prime day, and they have a killer price on it.
It’s on there for $209

- - - Updated - - -

And I just noticed it’s the new new version with not only the rear grease discharge, but it also has the new shelf. Built in paper towel holder, cutting board, and trash bag holder. That’s a real good deal!!!
https://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Outdoor-Grill-Griddle-Station/dp/B078HFRNPQ

 

[Brentr]

Heads up boys. For all you guys that may be interested in a 36” BlackStone Griddle, it’s Amazon prime day, and they have a killer price on it.
It’s on there for $209

- - - Updated - - -

And I just noticed it’s the new new version with not only the rear grease discharge, but it also has the new shelf. Built in paper towel holder, cutting board, and trash bag holder. That’s a real good deal!!!
https://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Outdoor-Grill-Griddle-Station/dp/B078HFRNPQ

I would love to get one of those but I don’t have any room for it so I will just have to stick with my grill pads [emoji2]

 

[ctrav]

Great price Rob...thanks for sharing!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Definitely an awesome price but I’m pretty sure my wife would KILL me if I bought anymore outdoor cooking gear....it’ll go on my Amazon WishList in the hopes that Santa will recognize my valiant efforts this year as an amazing husband/father/chef ...

 

[Arizonarob]

What would be amazing is the fact that you saved her a hundred clams off the regular price that she would have to pay later. Just don’t open it before chri...... Sorry, I almost made it through that sentence.

 

[ctrav]

Matt thanks for taking the pressure off...

I was going to mention the wrath of my wife as a primary reason for not getting one (but I so want one)! Im still the big dog and in charge at this Hacienda as I was able to sneak this (on sale at Costco) in the garage without the spy noticing.

View attachment 83043

 

[Brentr]

Matt thanks for taking the pressure off...

I was going to mention the wrath of my wife as a primary reason for not getting one (but I so want one)! Im still the big dog and in charge at this Hacienda as I was able to sneak this (on sale at Costco) in the garage without the spy noticing.

View attachment 83043

Cliff that thing looks like it takes up some room when you open it up. Surely wifey will notice that[emoji50]