The BBQ & Grilling Thread

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by polychromatic

That’s a great idea, never thought of that. I have used brisket for the same use (adding to other recipes) so I will give the short ribs a try!

The advantage of the short rib meat is that it holds together a little better than brisket. I like to have chunks of beef left in the finished product, rather than have it disintegrate and disappear.

Chili was where my first 2 briskets ended up, about 25 years ago. I didn't cook 'em long enough and they were tough as a couple of old boots. You can make anything tender if you stew it long enough, so a big pot of chili was the only way I figured I could salvage some value out of them. The chili was phenomenal. I've been using mesquite-smoked beef ever since.

[polychromatic]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

The advantage of the short rib meat is that it holds together a little better than brisket. I like to have chunks of beef left in the finished product, rather than have it disintegrate and disappear.

Chili was where my first 2 briskets ended up, about 25 years ago. I didn't cook 'em long enough and they were tough as a couple of old boots. You can make anything tender if you stew it long enough, so a big pot of chili was the only way I figured I could salvage some value out of them. The chili was phenomenal. I've been using mesquite-smoked beef ever since.

Aha, I see the difference, I smoke (Traeger pellet grill) almost all of my meat. The brisket comes out nice, firm but extremely tender. It’s a 12 hr. process though so you need to schedule apprpriately. If I do pork ribs, I use the 3-2-1 process, and they can be too soft, depending on the amount of liquid you use in the 2 hr. wrap stage. Just a couple of tbs liquid per rack is plenty. I’m getting hangry!

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by polychromatic

Aha, I see the difference, I smoke (Traeger pellet grill) almost all of my meat. The brisket comes out nice, firm but extremely tender. It’s a 12 hr. process though so you need to schedule apprpriately. If I do pork ribs, I use the 3-2-1 process, and they can be too soft, depending on the amount of liquid you use in the 2 hr. wrap stage. Just a couple of tbs liquid per rack is plenty. I’m getting hangry!

Another advantage of the short ribs is that they take half the time a brisket takes, or less. I'm hungry too!

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

Another advantage of the short ribs is that they take half the time a brisket takes, or less. I'm hungry too!

Short rib is underutilized, and delicious!

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by KenB925

Short rib is underutilized, and delicious!

I think a large part of it is that they're hard to find, at least in "barbecue" form; I see the little shorty version in the grocery store, but those would be a PITA on a smoker. I get mine at Restaurant Depot. If you have an RD in your area and you're a KCBS member, you can get in by showing your KCBS card.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

I think a large part of it is that they're hard to find, at least in "barbecue" form; I see the little shorty version in the grocery store, but those would be a PITA on a smoker. I get mine at Restaurant Depot. If you have an RD in your area and you're a KCBS member, you can get in by showing your KCBS card.

They are certainly not as common as many other cuts. My local Costco has them regularly now.

The other thing about them is that they look 'intimidating' to some people and they are expensive enough that, generally speaking, you're not going to buy them to experiment if you don't know what you are doing.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by KenB925

They are certainly not as common as many other cuts. My local Costco has them regularly now.

The other thing about them is that they look 'intimidating' to some people and they are expensive enough that, generally speaking, you're not going to buy them to experiment if you don't know what you are doing.

Maybe some folks won't buy something they haven't ever cooked, but I'm always looking for a new cut to master. The only traditional BBQ cut that I haven't done is a beef clod, just due to the sheer size of it and not having an army to help me eat it. I love to experiment. I'll still cook a batch of butts from time to time so I can have it on hand and give some to my mom, but the traditional cuts have all sort of become "old hat" at this point. I do non-traditional cuts to mix things up. Did a prime rib back in December. Tasted fantastic with an herb rub smoked over cherry and served with a Dijon sauce.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by polychromatic

Aha, I see the difference, I smoke (Traeger pellet grill) almost all of my meat. The brisket comes out nice, firm but extremely tender. It’s a 12 hr. process though so you need to schedule apprpriately. If I do pork ribs, I use the 3-2-1 process, and they can be too soft, depending on the amount of liquid you use in the 2 hr. wrap stage. Just a couple of tbs liquid per rack is plenty. I’m getting hangry!

I used to do the 3-2-1 technique, a la Harry Soo. But one time about 10 years ago I ran short on time and had to rush a batch of ribs through in a few hours. I rubbed them down and threw them in the smoker at 275 degrees, and sprayed them with apple juice every 20 minutes once the rub had "set" at about an hour and a half. Total time runs about 3-1/2 hours for baby backs. The apple juice gives them a wonderful caramel-y bark but doesn't add noticeable sweetness. And with no foil in the way it's really easy to tell when they're done to your liking. Mop 'em with some sauce for the last 20 minutes if you like. Way less putzy and messy. Give it a try sometime.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by polychromatic

Aha, I see the difference, I smoke (Traeger pellet grill) almost all of my meat. The brisket comes out nice, firm but extremely tender. It’s a 12 hr. process though so you need to schedule apprpriately. If I do pork ribs, I use the 3-2-1 process, and they can be too soft, depending on the amount of liquid you use in the 2 hr. wrap stage. Just a couple of tbs liquid per rack is plenty. I’m getting hangry!

When I smoke I almost always use a Treager also.

With brisket (or any very long cook) I was disappointed with the results, ribs were always good.

I found that my treagers (I have two, so a little bit of a sample size), run way hotter then what the setting tells you, which makes sense. The probe is way off on the side, and the body of the cooker is not insulated. I have to set it at 185 for it to actually run close to 225 where the food is. Something worth checking.

I also don't rely on time for much of anything, except for reminders to check the temperature of the food and the 'environment' that the food is in.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by KenB925

When I smoke I almost always use a Treager also.

With brisket (or any very long cook) I was disappointed with the results, ribs were always good.

I found that my treagers (I have two, so a little bit of a sample size), run way hotter then what the setting tells you, which makes sense. The probe is way off on the side, and the body of the cooker is not insulated. I have to set it at 185 for it to actually run close to 225 where the food is. Something worth checking.

I also don't rely on time for much of anything, except for reminders to check the temperature of the food and the 'environment' that the food is in.

Same here. The only thing I use temperature for is to tell me when a brisket is past the stall and I can foil it. And for turkey, of course. That's about it.

[GuyOh]

I bbqed some steaks and lamb rack

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by GuyOh

I bbqed some steaks and lamb rack

That's pure meat porn. Nice job!

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

Maybe some folks won't buy something they haven't ever cooked, but I'm always looking for a new cut to master. The only traditional BBQ cut that I haven't done is a beef clod, just due to the sheer size of it and not having an army to help me eat it. I love to experiment. I'll still cook a batch of butts from time to time so I can have it on hand and give some to my mom, but the traditional cuts have all sort of become "old hat" at this point. I do non-traditional cuts to mix things up. Did a prime rib back in December. Tasted fantastic with an herb rub smoked over cherry and served with a Dijon sauce.

I do the exact same thing. I'll just buy something and figure out something to do with it. Its fun.

For the past several months I have been more into pizzas, breads, and live fire cooking then smoking/bbq, but lately I've been thinking about large chunks of slow cooked goodness again.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by GuyOh

I bbqed some steaks and lamb rack

That looks tremendous, great job!

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by KenB925

When I smoke I almost always use a Treager also.

With brisket (or any very long cook) I was disappointed with the results, ribs were always good.

I found that my treagers (I have two, so a little bit of a sample size), run way hotter then what the setting tells you, which makes sense. The probe is way off on the side, and the body of the cooker is not insulated. I have to set it at 185 for it to actually run close to 225 where the food is. Something worth checking.

I also don't rely on time for much of anything, except for reminders to check the temperature of the food and the 'environment' that the food is in.

The pit thermometer on my Old Hickory is fairly accurate when checked with a Thermapen or a Maverick, but with every other smoker I've had - and I'm up over a dozen - the built-in thermometer is as useless as a second row of tits on a boar hog. I rely on my Thermapen stationary thermometer or my Maverick, with a probe right on the grate next to the meat, to monitor my pit temps. And the actual temp isn't critical, but holding the pit at a steady temp definitely matters.

[jsf721]

What are you guys using to monitor temperature of steaks and roasts when bbq-ing? I over cooked 4 nice NY strips last night and I was really pissed at myself. Would love a good recommendation on a thermometer. I’d say I missed it by 3 minutes and blew the medium / medium rare I was after.

Thanks

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by jsf721

What are you guys using to monitor temperature of steaks and roasts when bbq-ing? I over cooked 4 nice NY strips last night and I was really pissed at myself. Would love a good recommendation on a thermometer. I’d say I missed it by 3 minutes and blew the medium / medium rare I was after.

Thanks

Gas grill?
I'm sure the pros here will laugh at me but I use the Weber grill guide. Long ago they had a printed book that really went into detail with the types of meat, weight and/or thickness and desired doneness. It was on the money. They scaled back a bit and don't have specific times for rare, med rare etc. but it still works. I found it online and use it anytime I grill. It will show say a steak 1 inch thick 6 to 8 minutes on direct high heat, so 3 minutes then turn for another 3. 2 inch steak - 14 to 18 minutes - sear 6 to 8 minutes direct high heat and 8 to 10 minutes indirect high (meaning shut center burner(s) and continue to cook with no flame directly below the steaks).

I prefer on the med rare side and would rather put back on than overcook so I will cut time off.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by jsf721

What are you guys using to monitor temperature of steaks and roasts when bbq-ing? I over cooked 4 nice NY strips last night and I was really pissed at myself. Would love a good recommendation on a thermometer. I’d say I missed it by 3 minutes and blew the medium / medium rare I was after.

Thanks

I use a thermopen instant read for things like that, and a "Tenergy Solis Digital Meat Thermometer" to monitor larger longer cooking meats and the cooker itself.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by jsf721

What are you guys using to monitor temperature of steaks and roasts when bbq-ing? I over cooked 4 nice NY strips last night and I was really pissed at myself. Would love a good recommendation on a thermometer. I’d say I missed it by 3 minutes and blew the medium / medium rare I was after.

Thanks

Thermapen, if you really want to know right down to the gnat's ass. Mavericks are reasonably accurate. The great thing about the Thermapen is how fast it is. I can push it into a steak slowly and find the coldest spot, so I know exactly when it's done.

When I do steaks, I do them over really high heat using lump charcoal. I usually use rib eyes about 2" thick, often bone-in. I get them to 95-98 degrees at the coldest spot I can find, and then foil them tight and rest them for 10-15 minutes. Turns out fabulous.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

Thermapen, if you really want to know right down to the gnat's ass. Mavericks are reasonably accurate. The great thing about the Thermapen is how fast it is. I can push it into a steak slowly and find the coldest spot, so I know exactly when it's done.

When I do steaks, I do them over really high heat using lump charcoal. I usually use rib eyes about 2" thick, often bone-in. I get them to 95-98 degrees at the coldest spot I can find, and then foil them tight and rest them for 10-15 minutes. Turns out fabulous.

98 Moooooo

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

98 Moooooo

When they're that thick and cooked over a hot fire, the middle is a lovely light pink at about 125 degrees when they're done resting, from the internal heat transfer.

[polychromatic]

Slightly off subject, but I found this (while going down a rabbit hole)Youtube video that you guys might find interesting on chef knives. It’s on David Holly from Knife Merchant, and he seems to really know his stuff. Curious what you you think!