[Closed] BBQ Cooks

because nobody wants to give their guests food poisoning and only BBQ's about twice a year so has no real idea.

Because you went to a shit BBQ.

Because they know you are an ungrateful **** so do it to annoy you?

Its easy to tell when a bbq will be shit.....

Gets impatient waiting for coals to go white.
The chef doesnt have/use a meat thermometor.

Years ago a mate spent £50 on some fillet steak from the butcher then his gf proceeded to burn the **** out of it on the BBQ. She did this 1hr before anyone arrived as part of her pre-cook method.

Really couldn't get my head round it.

The chef doesnt have/use a meat thermometor.

I don't use a meat thermometer and my bbq food isn't shit, but I'm not a chef. But I do know how to cook food without burning it or serving it raw. My approach is slow and low, decent charcoal preferably English as its light and doesn't burn too hot and not using any fuel to light the coals.

If need a meat thermometer to cook everything on a bbq then you're not a very good 'chef'. In my experience I know a bbq is going to be shit when I see a gas bottle, that's just cooking on a griddle outdoors.

I like a charcoal BBQ and love long, slow cooked meat. It's well worth the prep and wait. Slow cooked beef rib is a massive favourite here.

You don't need a meat thermometer to make good BBQ!
Shit BBQ cooks don't understand indirect cooking. Direct is for searing really.

In my experience I know a bbq is going to be shit when I see a gas bottle, that's just cooking on a griddle outdoors.

Funny, I see the opposite. If you can be bothered to **** about with charcoal you clearly don't BBQ very often.

I BBQ on charcoal often (at least weekly, maybe more in the summer). Chimney starter makes it very easy and quick. 10-15 mins and you're ready to rock. Similar time to pre-heating an oven.

In my experience I know a bbq is going to be shit when I see a gas bottle, that's just cooking on a griddle outdoors.

That is dedication Wrecker! I am a lazy gas barbecueist but quite a fan of smoking on it (just trimmed our apple tree to get some smoking material for this afternoon's chicken).

here's a few tips.

only use proper lumpwood charcoal, never anything self lighting or briquettes.

Stop messing around lighting it, get a black & decker hot air gun and within 3 minutes its lit.

pay attention to the coals and where is hot and where is not, do n't try to cook over full heat all the way, by all means sear it but then cook at a more gentle pace just away from the heat.

Come down to my restaurant and shadow me for a week, and I'll make you a BBQ god amongst men.

Quite.

I suppose you can tell internal temperatures of things just by looking at them.

The correct internal temperature makes a huge difference to brisket and shoulder turns it from a tough shit meat into a nice tender meat.

Although maybe doesn't apply if your doing the traditional British ceremony of cremating sausages and burgers.

People don't think about it and tend to think of a bbq as ON or off. Most people don't get enough practice and are crap cooks in the kitchen but think a grill is where a man adds fire to meat and makes it tasty.

anyone who is considering cooking with fire should really watch Episode 3 (series 1) of Chefs Table on Netflix, let Francis Mallmann be your guide.

I would think that an incompetent BBQist is probably just someone who can't cook anyway. Cos BBQing is a man's job whereas cooking is for women innit.

Having said that, I can't remember the last time I attended a poor bbq - only go to one or two a year probably, and the organisers have usually been somewhere between pretty competent and expert.

I use a gas BBQ and a meat thermometer*. I am frequently complimented about how tasty my BBQ food is.

* Mainly to prove to people that you can have beautifully seared outers, fully cooked on the inside and don't need to use lumpwood charcoal purely to convert your meat back into charcoal.

feature just starting on Countryfile.

only use proper lumpwood charcoal, never anything self lighting or briquettes.

I suppose you can tell internal temperatures of things just by looking at them.
The correct internal temperature makes a huge difference to brisket and shoulder turns it from a tough shit meat into a nice tender meat.

Of course you can cook outstanding food on gas, if it can be cooked well indoors over gas then it stands to reason that it can be outdoors too. It'll not taste the same (not saying better) as over charcoal though.

Lack of practice by the sounds of it, it's not that hard. First BBQ I cooked was just like that - black sausages, uncooked in the middle meat... but then you learn. Main things are a) wait til the charcoal is ready and b) lift the meat off if there's any actual flame. (Or damp the flame down).

Although I will admit that I do now cook my ribs for 45min in the oven in a foil covered dish first, then BBQ to get the nice finish. Speeds things up loads, too, which is great when entertaining.

The chef doesnt have/use a meat thermometor.

Steaks never on bbq long enough to need one plus any chicken always precooked then finished on bbq

After years (decades) of coals and/or wood chips I am now signed up to proper gas bbq. My American neighbours always swore by them and it means you can bbq midweek and cook for larger numbers of people with consistency

OP yes I can feel your pain, nothing worse than turning up looking forward to a nice bbq then being faced with incinerated food

How does gas allow you to BBQ midweek anymore than charcoal?

Get better friends. Not had a burnt bbq in years, it's not complicated.

[quote="Drac"]How does gas allow you to BBQ midweek anymore than charcoal?Less planning, 5 seconds to start it. Less than 5 minutes to get hot enough to use.
About 30 seconds to "clean" it. After each use. And 10 minutes once every 4-6 weeks to clean it properly.
Bottle of gas costs about 20-25 quit where we are and will last 3 months of cooking 3 or 4 times a week.

Some people i know manage to BBQ once or twice a day for the entirety of their 4, 5 or 6 week summer holiday.

I like standing on the deck cooking stuff.

So you save maybe 10 mins.

Only Singletrack World could make cooking a barbecue appear so difficult .

Went to plenty of BBQ pits in the states. Didn't see any running on gas. Nuff said....

15 minutes to clean, light and get a bbq ready to cook? Hmmmm.

And charcoal isn't free either. 2 or 3 quid a bag here. That's two goes for me.

I clean mine at the end of cooking session, a starter chimney means coals are ready in no time. Of course they're not free, I still fail to see how it's any more difficult.

Having used gas for a long time it means it's just there, turn on go do something else come back when it's at the perfect temp or adjust. Cook what you want but if your just doing sausages and burgers might as well do them inside. Quicker and easier for something dull.
Sardines work well, some nice marinated chicken, range of veg, halloumi and much more. So many people choose to knock gas as if it's a threat to their manhood which is just a little sad really. Again a bad cook cant cook on either. Having of imagination also makes for a lame bbq, what sausage again don't tell me it's made better by using testing fancy white rolls 🙄

Agree with the other posters - it's practise makes perfect with BBQing.

Me and the missus BBQ 3 or 4 times a week during the summer (sometimes more - twice a day at weekends). Gas during the week, then sometimes the smoker one day at the weekend. Do a lot of veggies on the BBQ too so it's not just meat. We both come from families that BBQ regularly.

Smoked a pork shoulder today, took 9 hours. Am slicing it so I have sandwiches for the week. Yum!

I use a digital thermometer, always for smoking but sometimes for grilling too. Stuff I cook all the time I don't need the thermometer. Steaks are a good example - sirloins from a supermarket I can judge myself, but if I get a really thick one (did a flat-iron last week) it's harder to judge because I do them less frequently.

Gas isn't BBQ.

I don't mean lumpwood by Big K or similar, I mean the proper stuff.

I use this stuff made by Dan

https://hotsmoked.co.uk/charcoals/nettelfields-artisan-charcoal.html?SID=loj5g6im6rfg51pcq3d92cppi0

One bag will last my Primo XL about 24hrs L&S or about 6hrs grilling (raising and lowering temps by opening the top vent for searing).

In my ProQ Excel 20 one bag will give a good 8hrs when lit minion style (with heat gun)

I've tried pretty much every type of charcoal, coconut, braii, heatbeads, BigK (all types), etc etc and there's no substitute for the proper stuff. I do this every day, and I'm in the Good Food Guide, trust me I know what I'm talking about 🙂

I've just checked your site out MrNutt. It's a shame Devon is so far away that looks damn good.

Gas isn't BBQ.

I don't mean lumpwood by Big K or similar, I mean the proper stuff.

. I do this every day, and I'm in the Good Food Guide, trust me I know what I'm talking about

Because proper BBQing is like proper cooking, is an art and takes practice.

I actually don't know how people screw up so much though. Even bascially; get it hot , put meat on and turn meat a lot is all most folk need to do.

Gas isn't BBQ.

Better tell these guys then, seeing as you've just undermined their entire business. I'm sure they would be highly entertained by a snobbish pom telling them they don't know what they're doing 😆

https://www.barbequesgalore.com.au/

[i]But you still can't accept that a good chunk of the world happily BBQ's on gas. You might not like it but the rest of us get along just fine.[/i]

I presume you use wood on your gas grill to get the smokey flavour?

It's the quality of the meat and cooking that imparts the biggest influence. If I'd had charcoal BBQ I wouldn't have had time to have 40 BBQs this year.

Smoke/wood flavour being required when barbecuing is a common misconception - when direct grilling (as opposed to indirect heat, ie slow cooking via smoking) there is no wood flavour or smoke in the taste of barbecue. The distinct flavour comes from the combustion of dripping fat in the flames or on the coals. Charcoal tends to taste better because it burns hotter and this the flavour compounds created through the combustion of fat are different but that isn't cut and dried.

I tried watching that chefs table episode to learn about cooking with fire......... I have to be honest it just came across as pretentious twaddle! High point was the scenery which was spectacular!

I have a charcoal BBQ and happily crack on with whatever charcoal B&Q have in stock! I would have gone for a gas BBQ but they were too pricey!

It's the quality of the meat and cooking that imparts the biggest influence. If I'd had charcoal BBQ I wouldn't have had time to have 40 BBQs this year.

This.

Saying my BBQ is better than yours because I use charcoal from some artisan single coppice supplier is very similar to teenage boys comparing wang size.

....actually, this is STW isn't it. I suspect wang comparisons is what's actually happening here.

[i]if I'd had charcoal BBQ I wouldn't have had time to have 40 BBQs this year.[/i]

You count the number of barbecues you've had? It's almost as if you have something to prove 🙂

I presume you use wood on your gas grill to get the smokey flavour?

Better tell these guys then, seeing as you've just undermined their entire business. I'm sure they would be highly entertained by a snobbish pom telling them they don't know what they're doing

https://www.barbequesgalore.com.au/

Seeing as they can't spell barbecue, I'd be happy telling them they don't know what they're doing 😉

It takes all sorts I guess.

I've never owned a gas bbq - just don't seem right. Friends and relatives have them and the efficiency does seem useful. I also appreciate there are whole communities overseas that cook outside on one 7 days a week in the summer and the convenience makes them ideal for that. I don't bbq that often (maybe two or three times a week at this time of year, but also partial to an occasional winter bbq too) but if it was my primary cooking method I'd maybe change my thinking.

As above, I am biased, but I wonder if the seeming non-benefit of charcoal over gas for many is because their charcoal experience is primarily with chemical infused cheap briquettes. Quality lumpwood makes it worth it for me from a gastronomic perspective.

Whichever way you do it, the eating, cooking and socialising outside bit is brilliant. Even if it's just my wife and I, we seem to find time to take stock and talk more when eating like that, even on a mid week work night. And that has to be a good thing.

Returning to the OP - it's kind of weird how in even the most misogynistic households where the man barely enters the kitchen; it is still the man who does the bbqing. It's no wonder they are shit at it. I have to say I do the BBQing in convert towers but then again I do all the indoor cooking too. I love camping but one of my least favourite parts of going to an actual campsite it the smell of cheap meat being incinerated on a chemically infused instant BBQ.

I would never believe about choosing right charcoal but I did notice performance of my BBQ. Petrol station cheap charcoals took almost an hour to start, Big K were acceptable to cook for 2hours, and Webber quick to start but burned out really quick. I bought waitrose firestarter very similar to Webber and think maybe I need something bigger than that as I guess my Kamado needs more charcoals for longer cooking?

So what is a good source of charcoal fuel? Product/brand/item, with a good balance of price to quality (I know that's subjective)

My BBQ bottom shelf is an open grill, I use briquettes as the lumpwood falls through, but I'm thinking of just putting down a metal tray so I can use lumpwood, I used to prefer lumpwood

I don't mean lumpwood by Big K or similar, I mean the proper stuff.

I use this stuff made by Dan

https://hotsmoked.co.uk/charcoals/nettelfields-artisan-charcoal.html?SID=loj5g6im6rfg51pcq3d92cppi0

This is artisan charcoal

[img] [/img]

What you linked to is overpriced, if the charcoal costs more per kg than your sausages you're either paying too much, or going to a artisan butcher too.

The cheaper/supermarket lumpwood stuff is often quite small and a bit dusty and might fall through. The better stuff is often quite a bit big lumps so maybe not a problem. I've had Big K stuff which I got online before which I thought was quite good. Recently been using some local stuff (Hampshire) but mainly because I know the guy through work. Probably a bit better but even at a bit of a mates rate it works out a bit more but buying his stuff has work related relationship benefits! He does not use the word artisan though, and if he did I might have second thoughts! Artisan used to be a nice work, but now comes with connotations.

What you linked to is overpriced, if the charcoal costs more per kg than your sausages you're either paying too much, or going to a artisan butcher too.

Whilst I get your point, if you are eating sausages that cost less than £2.66 per kg, the quality of the heat source is immaterial!

I suspect as Mr Nutt is commercial he is buying in bulk and is not paying consumer 'artisan' prices.

Nope, I use many other varied herbs, spices and ingredients to get the flavour I want. If I wanted to smoke stuff I'd use a smoker, big difference.

Ah so it's what you add to the meat that gives the flavour then. So what's the point in cooking on an outdoor gas hob?

MrNutt - Member
anyone who is considering cooking with fire should really watch Episode 3 (series 1) of Chefs Table on Netflix, let Francis Mallmann be your guide.

Everyone do this! It is awesome, the guy lives on an island in a lake in Patagonia 100 miles from civilisation. I've watched five minutes and I've stopped it to watch with the wife this evening. So much more than a bloke saying "your meat thermometer should read 70 degrees" which is what I was expecting.

On a wider tangential point I bloody love Netflix, they are making some excellent telly, watched the first three episodes of Stranger Things last night, it's brill.

It's not an outdoor gas hob. To cook on a hob you need a pan; a gas BBQ allows you to grill directly above the heat on a grill. The heat is supplied by using gas to heat in my case, and using Weber's word for them, porcelain 'flavouriser' bars - other gas BBQ's use lava rock, etc. - which sit above the burners. As mentioned above, the oils from the food drip onto these hot bars which creates the smoke.

If i want i can add smoke by adding wood chippings in a smoker box, or if you have lava rocks then directly to that bed.

The one thing even the most amateur charcoal griller should know is that if the charcoal is still producing smoke then it's not ready to cook on yet. You need it to die down to white surfaced heat with no flames or smoke and then you start. When oils drip off the food onto the hot coals they then smoke in the same way as the oils dripping onto gas heated bars or lava rock.

The differences are there - on a charcoal grill, the heat source is also the hot surface; on a gas grill the gas heats a hot surface. And there are some who will argue that because coals can get hotter then you get a different release of flavours from the oil smoke. Maybe true, maybe not; I can get perfectly acceptable results from either.

But the one thing that a charcoal grill shouldn't be adding to the flavour is the smell and taste of charcoal smoke, because that is foul acrid black stuff, and if you're cooking while that's coming off - you've failed.

Ah so it's what you add to the meat that gives the flavour then. So what's the point in cooking on an outdoor gas hob?

From the Pitt Cue book:

"The reason why the flavour of grilled meat is so unique and addictive is not only down to the complex Maillard reactions that occur when meat hits a hot grill - it is, in fact, the drippings from the cooking meat and not the charcoal itself that produce the flavour in grilled meat. When the fats, and the sugar and protein-rich juices from the meat, fall down on to the hot charcoal, they combust into smoke and flame and rise to coat the cooking meat in a multitude of unique and aromatic flavour compounds. So when you are weighing up whether to use a griddle pan or light the barbecue, know that only one will really satisfy your need for grilled meat."

Whilst I get your point, if you are eating sausages that cost less than £2.66 per kg, the quality of the heat source is immaterial!

Indeed*, my criteria for a good BBQ probably runs something like:
1) Company
2) Probably drink, probably alcoholic, probably home brewed because everything tastes crap with Corona.
3) No food poisoning
4) Not burnt
5) Tasty food (seasoning, marinades, etc)
6) Length of hipster charcoal makers beard.

He probably also [i]curates[/i] his woodland and has a stall on Borough Market**.

*Minimum acceptable sausages for under the price of artisan charcoal http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=261878876

** I have nothing against Borough Market, the idea of getting sozzled on Prosecco cocktails whilst doing the food shop in the sunshine is genius.

+1 for TINAS's post.

Just bbqed the bacon for my lunch butty on my q2200.

Not sure id have been bothered if i had to wait on the charcoal doing its thing.

Still tastes better than griddled bacon.

I have a gas bbq or cooker if you prefer that, a Webber charcoal one AND an Esse wood oven. I use whatever I can be bothered using, the Esse is a journey into sacrificial burning at the moment but did a lamb shoulder in it which was amazing. I've bbq'd or gas cookerified our Xmas dinner the last 2 years !

I've had a think since my post this morning about why it has to be charcoal for me. I've concluded its got more to do the total experience than the food. Here it is; if I had my way every evening would be spent cooking over and then eating around a fire like this in a place like this:-

[img] [/img]

Sadly life gets in the way and that's never going to happen. But the merest hint of it's DNA is left in a charcoal BBQ - the getting it lite, the smell, a bit of smoke as it gets going, the heat and the embers. It's clearly no substitute but a bastardised domesticated equivalent which stirs just enough to evoke unconscious memories. Gas BBQing is just one evolutionary step too far for me. It's just cooking and eating outside which are lovely things, but there is no fire. I need fire.

I also appreciate there are whole communities overseas that cook outside on one 7 days a week in the summer and the convenience makes them ideal for that. I don't bbq that often (maybe two or three times a week at this time of year, but also partial to an occasional winter bbq too) but if it was my primary cooking method I'd maybe change my thinking.

This.

When I lived in the UK and only had three nights a year suitable for the ceremony of "man make fire, man cook meat", charcoal was great. The fact is I like cooking outside, do it regularly, often within 10 minutes of getting in from work. If I pratted around in some smug self-satisfied way about charcoal, I'd have not bothered, or ended up eating silly late.

So fine, have artisan, single-stem, local coppice charcoal that cost three times per kg as I pay for fillet if that pleases you. But I can guarantee you that competently cooked, you wouldn't tell the difference between gas or charcoal.

You can bbq in the rain you dont have to live in Aus!! You just have to help the ignition along sometimes!
[img] [/img]

WD-40 flavoured food.

Yum yum.

That'd taste no worse than anything cooked on one of these....

[img] ?token=2%2FEAHdpcGFv0lqwB8IOAEQouYO8%3D[/img]

You count the number of barbecues you've had? It's almost as if you have something to prove

Actually there is a story to that. GF spent £700 on this weber job. So she's maxing the usage to prove a point. Hence the count.

Jeez guys, just cook on whatever you want. Make nice food, enjoy it, have a beer and a joint. Whatever it takes. No need for an argument over fuel choice.

Wrecker +1