Outdoor cooking - Barbecues, Barbecue, BBQs, BBQ, Smokers, Grills. And Ribs.

At our last rented place we didn't BBQ at all, our back yard was so small and the neighbours always had washing out so, etc...

I don't give a shit at our new place, in fact, I will get the ruined smoker back from the in-laws just to piss off the stuck up cunts that live behind us... 👌😂

Just picked up a weber 57 and have being grilling on it.

I want to smoke something today. What's a good place to start? Most recipes I have been looking at are for like 4kg of meat and 7 hours of cook time*. Is there a good starter recipe that's a bit less time and meat intensive I did like the look of whole chicken recipe in the pitt cue book, but just seeing what else is out there.

*I know there will be a learning curve but how does one keep a consistent heat in a weber for 7 hours.

Do people recommend certain types of charcoal for smoking and where is a good place to buy wood?

Pork shoulder is the most forgiving of initial long term smoked meat recipe. For short stuff, smoked spatchcock chicken is great as is pork tenderloin. Burgers and steaks for reverse searing are also good.

I will once again recommend Meathead's book as a great starting point and an excellent source of recipes and sauces- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meathead-Goldwyn/dp/054401846X

His website is https://amazingribs.com/ and has much of the same information.

There is a lot about temperature control in both sources.

Most larger garden centres will have wood chips and charcoal.

Today I am having a little fun.

Pork belly with ribs in. Have cut into two pieces. One is rubbed with pepper salt and garlic powder, it’ll be smoked and then wrapped with a little apple juice for the last few hours. The other piece has a more complex rub and will then be wrapped up with a mustard based sauce for the final part of cooking.

Quail - will be brined in an aromatic pickling solution - cider vinegar, water, salt, sugar, juniper and allspice. Then dried off, simple bbq rub, smoke for approx one hour and then flames for a few minutes.

They will be the stater with smoked mushrooms stuffed with Stilton bacon garlic and Panko served on home grown rocket.

As the smoker is on have also cured duck breast with a dry rub of salt, sugar, juniper and bay for 24 hours. This will be washed off and then smoked for an hour or so. It will be wrapped in cling film to cool and then used to make duckstrami sandwiches next week.

Not as sunny as advertised in the north. But not bad anyway.

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I've a banana on mine ATM

With chocolate inside?

Sadly not.
It had demarera sugar and cinnamon though.
Next time I might add chocolate, or perhaps marshmallows

Top left pork ribs with Carolina mustard sauce
Bottom left pork ribs in simple dry rub
Mushrooms with Stilton bacon panko and garlic
Quail - once they get up to 64C the bbq will be turned over to grilling them.

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Doing brisket. It came up to 72 degrees in about 3 hours which suggests to me that things were a bit hot. I've now wrapped it in foil, am I best to just leave it in there at as low of a temperature as possible until an hour or so before eating?

Add a drop of brandy to that demerera sugar + banana...
= yum!

I need a new bbq. Should I just get a weber gbs master touch?

This is mine, love it, makes lighting it much faster and quicker, table is handy as well as the bucket for charcoal. Plus £60 off

https://www.bbqworld.co.uk/weber-barbecues/charcoal/weber-performer-deluxe-gourmet-gbs-57cm.asp

Doing pork belly on Sunday - any recommendations for good side dishes?

Coleslaw, pickles & BBQ beans are the classics.

Picked up a Master touch yesterday. What's the most forgiving meat for a first low and slow? Pork shoulder is my guess

Shoulder of lamb. Get a nice fatty one that keeps the meat moist if you overshoot the temperature.

any tips for salmon fillets?

I've also made a diy chimney starter. I can't imagine it'll be much cop

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I’d try to marinade the flesh but keep the skin dry. Then aim to get skin crisp over flames and sear the flesh side briefly and finish off with indirect heat to let the middle come up to cooked temperature.

I'd put it on a tray, kills the vibe when your fish falls apart, goes through the grate and bursts into flames... Smoke it!

yes, put it on a tray.
I did salmon yesterday and it fell apart, went through the grate, and burst into flames :(

I've had good results with grilling it on the skin and then using a flat spatula (see image as I'm unsure of the correct term in English) to lift the meat of the skin. It's a bit of crude method, as the skin burns to coal, but the meat turned out great and no risk of dropping it through the grate.

good ideas. thanks!

The fashion way would be to smoke it on a cedar plank, bit over the top IMVHO... I have hot smoked salmon a few times and it's always come out great, you need to use a mild smoke so it isn't too intense, the temperature can go higher than when you're slow cooking meat...

Just buy a chimney starter, they're so cheap... I think mine was only twelve bucks...

I will do, just couldn't find one nearby today. I'm looking after my twins (3.5) whilst their sister and mum are out partying.

we're going to drink all the lime and soda and burn all the sausages. and drop the salmon on the flames

That sounds wonderful! 😊