BBQs: Why?!

right ray of sunshine aren’t you project? 🙂 done PROPERLY they are a great way to cook, it’s just that people rush them and generally have them way to hot, its a bit like trying to cook all your food in the oven at once at 280?!. take your time and it’s great ( gonna set mine up as a smoker next weekend 🙂 ). And to be honest my friends are neither noisy or show offs which is why I like them ( plus we usually only have a few people round)

BBQ’s can be great. Plenty of tasty side dishes and good quality options on the grill – including veg! Chargrilled courgettes, aubergines and peppers with mozzarella and mint – yes please! Homemade burgers with tasty additions like horseradish, chilli, Stilton, venison & pork or spiced sausage… Spatchcocked chicken with jerk, tandoori or piri-piri marinades.

Shit, I’m just making myself hungry…

Is this a thread started on narrow-minded prejudice?

Are you Morrissey? (Lady garden and pop-genius in one?)

Go and oppress someone else? 😉

Apologies Morrissey, but I think for Project it might be a case of…

“I won’t eat out tonight – because I haven’t got neighbours I can bear”

I BBQ here when ever the sun shines, in fact I had 18 guests for lunch yesterday 🙂

I am also in the process of extending and converting the main BBQ into Charcoal with a Pizza oven to the left and a Paella gas ring to the right. The roof will be higher and a seating area directly behind.

A BBQ is a god given right 😆

I was firmly in the charcoal only camp until I acquired various Australian family members. They convinced me of the way of the gas and I’m now a convert, especially in the UK where the ability to get it all underway with minimal weather/time windows is super.

BBQ rubbish ? food burnt on the outside raw on the inside only if done by numbskull or way back in the 70s of if the the cook has been hitting the beers way too much.

A good BBQ is done all year, low and slow is the matra unless cooking steak, 8 hour smoked pulled pork shoulder, spatchcocked chicken or beef brisket nom nom nom even the humble burger and sausage can be ace. The beer can butt chickem is ace as are all the fantastic veg dishes also a burger of halloumi cheese and avocardo is lush.

A BBQ done bad is rubbish but done well is fantastic

Whats the info for cooking a leg of lamb sounds great?

Beef brisket and pulled pork shoulder! Mikeypies they are both my kind of BBQ meats!

All said already really. EXCEPT how do i make smoked pulled pork? just got a decent lidded kettle bbq and keen to give smoking a go?

Anyone recommend a good bbq recipe book?

And if you are a charcoal user lighting chimneies are the dog’s doodahs! I bought one with the new bbq and it really accelerates the heating up time. I also used it to make a charcoal top up for an all afternoon bbq so we could cook throughout the day without faffing.

As above. If its carbonised it’s wrong. I use our Weber year round even if we eat inside. Absolutely best way to cook a steak and I do a killer chargrilled aubergine and pepper risotto so it’s not even just about meat.

When the LEATHER runs smooth on the passenger seat

Twice cooked pulled pork. It’s what slow cookers and BBQs were invented for.

The thing is to…

…have two sections to the barbecue, one with coals (direct heat), one without (indirect heat), and a lid. Sear the meat all round using the direct heat to seal all the lovely juices in and give that lovely flamed grilled taste, then move on to the indirect heat section and close the lid to cook through.

P.S. You can actually barbecue all year round, in any weather, just keep it between you and me!

And if you are a charcoal user lighting chimneies are the dog’s doodahs!

This, started using twigs. Real cooks never ever ever use artificial lighting products.

get the webber cook book a tenner or so but worth it a real go too reference book also lots of good info on the web this site is good http://www.amazingribs.com/index.html

if you are cookinglow and slow a good thermometer is a must the heston twin probe by Salters is the one I use and makes it easy to get the oven temp right and to ensure the meat is cooked to the correct internal temp.

How to cook pulled pork

get a 1 kilo pork shoulder from Aldi then cut off the skin and most of the surface fat apply a surface rub if you want. You need to use a kettle style BBQ (I use a webber but others should be ok) build a snake of charcoal brickets 2 wide 2 deep around 1/2-2/3 of the diameter of the BBQ light some brickets with a chimney starter or a hot airgun. Put the pork above a bath (deep baking tray of boiling water) and place a temp probe into the thickest part of the meat the other probe leave hanging in the air (the bimetal gauges are bobbins) place the smoking wood (apple is nice google for other options) over the first 4/6 inches of the snake as the meat will only absorbe smoke for the first 2 or so hours also place another deep backing tray full off boiling water onto the cooking gril to help stabilise the temp.

Once the charcoal is going close the lid leave the top vent fully open maybe 3/4 then use the bottom vent to regulate the internal temp to about 110C after about 3 hours wrap the meat in double foil and top up the water pans then wait till the internal temp hits at least 80c pref 90c then let it rest then it is ready to pull. Well thats worked for me this site was my guide http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html
If you remove the meat when it has reached 76c it will not pull but is realy juicey and tender when sliced

enjoy

I’m with the OP on this one, always seems to me like cooking outside just for the sake of it, when just a few yards away is a perfectly good kitchen, quite like the smell of a bbq but the food does nothing for me, worst thing I’ve had off a bbq is banana wrapped in bacon, yuck!

We use ours loads and used it a lot back in the UK (gas) as it was a great way of cooking stuff. Fast simple and easy. I knock up breakfast on it some days over here for a change. Just nicer to all be sat outside in the sunshine.

bike and public bbq just waiting for the kids to turn up to cook lunch

long evening sun = Burn stuff = cook stuff = eat stuff = drink stuff = listen to stuff = Laugh at stuff with friends. Someone needs to chill out! Sod being indoors when it’s nice! Been stuck indoors cooking for months! bring it out, MAKE FIRE!

Clearly, the OP can’t BBQ…
There’s more to the grill than burgers and sausages!!

Indirect heat is your friend: with a few soaked woodchips and a few hours to spare you can roast kilos of pig or cow, then finish off over the coals…mmmm…

On BH Mon I treated the extended family to Pork Porchetta – best thing I’ve done on the BBQ for an age 🙂

DrP

That sounds quick and easy Mikeypies!

It seems to me that the only people who don’t like BBQs on this thread can’t cook on a BBQ, or have friends who can’t cook on a BBQ. A bit like someone failing miserably to cook in the kitchen, then questioning why bother when you can buy microwave meals etc…

As for the veg, I know what they were grown in.

Next doors cat poo?

I love BBQ’s

Even a small kettle BBQ can make nice food if you take your time and don’t try and cremate everything.

I made some pork medallions last night – they were great

Also GT85 makes an excellent substitute for lighter fluid

‘There is a light that never goes out’

Cheer up OP you miserable bugger. IME the only time people really burn the outsides of sausages etc is on those crappy disposable BBQs where there’s only a very small window of time when it’s actually at a good cooking temperature.

I was firmly in the charcoal only camp until I acquired various Australian family members. They convinced me of the way of the gas and I’m now a convert, especially in the UK where the ability to get it all underway with minimal weather/time windows is super.

We use ours loads and used it a lot back in the UK (gas) as it was a great way of cooking stuff

That’s fine (I suppose) but its not a BBQ.

I cant cook, I burn lots of things…BBQ’s are oarsum!!

This thread needs more mentions of Jerk Chicken

Love BBQ’s! Just text the other half to tell her we are getting a small disposable and some meat from the butchers and going to chill out in the sun after work tonight 🙂

I’m hovering over the ‘buy it’ button of a Maverick ET732 wireless thermometer – any of you ‘pit boys’ got any views on this one?
I like it as it has the grill and meat temps…

DrP

This thread needs a few recipes – any favourites anyone fancies sharing? That jerk chicken looks pretty good!

Recipe y’say…

This is so easy, yet super tasty!

DrP

We used to use this Jerk Chicken recipe which is pretty good (the breads are awful by the by): http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/levi-roots-stylee-jerk-chicken-jalapeno-breads

But we recently saw this one and have now done it a few times, it’s a definite step up. The Coconut slaw/salsa/salad thing is ace too – and I don’t normally like cucumber much.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/22/fresh-coconut-recipes-chicken-broccoli

Jerk-spiced chicken with fresh coconut salsa


You can make the chicken only or the salsa by itself (both are delicious on their own), but the coconut and cucumber make the most wonderful fresh counterpoint to the rich and sweet spiciness of the jerk mix. Serves four.

[list][*]1½ tbsp cayenne pepper[/*]
[*]1½ tbsp paprika[/*]
[*]1 tsp cinnamon[/*]
[*]1½ tsp mixed spice[/*]
[*]¾ tsp ground allspice[/*]
[*]60g brown sugar[/*]
[*]3 tbsp honey[/*]
[*]1½ fresh green jalapeño chillies, chopped (or any fresh green chilli)[/*]
[*]1 red bird’s-eye chilli, chopped[/*]
[*]1 large red onion, peeled and chopped[/*]
[*]4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped [/*]
[*]Salt and black pepper[/*]
[*]8 large boned chicken thighs, skin on[/*]
[/list]
For the coconut salsa
[list][*]3 tbsp lime juice[/*]
[*]2 tsp palm sugar[/*]
[*]20g ginger, peeled and julienned[/*]
[*]1 tbsp groundnut oil[/*]
[*]1 small cucumber (or ? normal cucumber), shaved into very thin 4cm x 2cm strips (I use a vegetable peeler to achieve this effect)[/*]
[*]75g coarsely grated fresh coconut (ie, from around ½ coconut) [/*]
[*]10g chopped coriander[/*]
[*]½ green chilli, finely chopped[/*][/list]

Put all the ground spices in a frying pan and dry-fry on medium heat for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until you can smell the aroma. Transfer to a small food processor bowl, add the sugar, honey, both chillies, onions and a teaspoon and a half of salt, and blitz to form a smooth paste.

In a large mixing bowl, rub the chicken thighs with half a teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Add all the marinade to the bowl and use your hands to massage it into the chicken. Cover and transfer to the fridge for at least an hour.

For the salsa, put the lime juice and palm sugar into a small pan, place on a medium heat and simmer for a minute or two, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Add the ginger, oil and half a teaspoon of salt, stir and set aside. Once cool, put the cucumber and coconut in a bowl, pour on the dressing, add the coriander and chilli, and stir.

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Place a ridged griddle pan on high heat for a few minutes. When very hot, lower the temperature to medium-high, lay the chicken in the pan and char-grill for six minutes, turning once. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for eight to 12 minutes, until cooked through (if the spice mix starts to burn on the griddle, remove from the pan earlier and give the chicken longer to finish off in the oven). Leave to rest for three minutes and serve with the relish alongside.

That’s fine (I suppose) but its not a BBQ.

It is, and you’d be wrong, which would be far from the first time.

Cheers lemonysam and DrP, copied and will try out next weekend.

The original invention known as a ‘barbecue’ was nothing like either a charcoal or gas grill, so leave off the snobbery. The word has come to be applied to outdoor grilling involving some smoke and, sadly for some I expect, this can include gas or charcoal.

However I’ll never grill directly over heat again, after using a kettle barbecue. No faffing about turning things, having them stick to the grill or risking burning. So easy and way more delicious.

That’s fine (I suppose) but its not a BBQ.
It is, and you’d be wrong, which would be far from the first time.

Ooh get her! 😆 Do you need a hug, you seem very uptight?

Wikipedia disagrees:

Barbecue (also barbeque, BBQ and barbie) is a method and apparatus for char grilling food in the hot smoke of a wood fire, usually charcoal fueled.

As does dictionary.com

noun
1. pieces of beef, fowl, fish, or the like, roasted over an open hearth, especially when basted in a barbecue sauce
2. a framework, as a grill or a spit, or a fireplace for cooking meat or vegetables over an open fire.
3. a dressed steer, lamb, or other animal, roasted whole.

http://m.dictionary.com/d/?q=barbecue

Not that I’m really that bothered about an official definition, it’s just my opinion. Food cooked on a gas broiler is fine, but it’s not the same as cooking over a fire.

‘Broiler’?
You mean grill?
Jesus wept, why don’t we just pledge alliegance now and get it over with.

But yes, a gas grill isn’t a barbecue.
It’s a gas grill.

Nowt wrong with a gas grill, but it’s not a barbecue, in the same way that a 29er’s not a hybrid.
Oh, hang on………….. 😀

‘Broiler’?
You mean grill?
Jesus wept, why don’t we just pledge alliegance now and get it over with.

I’m saluting the Stars and Stripes while singing the Star Spangled Banner right now, got a problem with that?

Always thought broil/broiler/broiling sounded like such an ugly made up term. Never understood why the yanks use it when better alternatives already existed.