Cooking/grilling question

[capt. apathy]

sear it first, always.

then no direct heat, but higher heat for those who like it rare, lower heat for those who like it well done.

[rabbidrabbit]

the reason you sear it first is to help seal in the juices.  The more juices the meat holds the more tender it will become.   Of course, don't get greedy, let it rest off heat for 10-20 mins to let the meat relax and settle the juices after coming off the heat.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Yea, thats thats the fun of grilling. I'm still experimenting, and even use seafood boil sometimes (I'm noticing you can get weary of its taste cafter a bit though).

Tweety are you smoking or grilling?  there is a difference as far as I am concerned.


If it's a big slab of meat like a briskit.....those need to be slow cooked.


The way you are talking about tapering off is how I cook chicken.  Hot and fast on both sides real quick to toughen the skin up....then slow cook the insides usually on the second row of my grill.

Steaks.....inch thick or less....I cook them suckers hot and fast 4-5 minutes on each side with the grill being as hot as I can get it and serve after 1 minute of cool down.  I keep the lid closed and monitor every minute or two for flame ups wich I douse with a spray bottle filled with beer.  This produces a nice steak that has a firm skin but pink in the middle (just the way I like it)

Pork chops I cook kind the same as chicken but I leave them on direct heat.



As far as smoking.....my last attempt ruined $35 worth of ribs so don't ask me....plenty of guys on this board to help you out though.



not to change subjects but anyone deep frying their turkey this year?  I got me a big deep fryer and my wife wants to try it for turkey day.

[TweetyBird]

>>not to change subjects but anyone deep frying their turkey this year? I got me a big deep fryer and my wife wants to try it for turkey day.<<

We do that every year. We'll oven roast one for the drippings to make the gravy, but we''' deep fry 2 or 3 (we have a big family gathering for TG).  If you want a moist turkey, deep fry in peanut oil is the way togo. Just cook more than you would if you were roasting it, because people will eat more of it.


On the grilling thing, I'm talking more about smoking/slow cooking tough cuts of meat. Even *I* can handle a ribeye

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by TweetyBird


On the grilling thing, I'm talking more about smoking/slow cooking tough cuts of meat. Even *I* can handle a ribeye

just checking.....u using charcoal...gas...or electric?  I find I cannot cook anything well wich charcoal....just not my forte.

managing temps for 5 to 6 hours while listening to the wife bech and keeping the kids at bay is too much multitasking for me while consuming the required "timeing" liquids...IE Beers.

EDIT:

yup I just got two big ole boxes of wessons penut oil.  A friend of mine said just do a search on the internet for directions...its alot harder to screw up frying one than cooking one.  

My wife cooks a good bird but this is all her Idea this year

[rpm]

Originally posted by Scootter
That is the cool thing about rubs and sauces you doctor them to you own style. I only gave him a good starter that works great. I have my own (shh secret) one that I use, but it is based on the basic rub above.

I know guys that will not give there recipe to there wives, these are award winning BBQ sauces N Caralina and Texas style.

I totally agree, and that is an excellent base to work from. I've discovered Worchester Powder is a magical ingredient with mystical powers. Besmirch not the Worchester Powder, the Gods will not be amused.

[TweetyBird]

Well if I was gonna use gas - I'd use the oven
 
j/k  - but I use charcoal/wood because I like the flavor. I know there are ways to do the gas grill and wood chips, but I find charcoal maximizes drinking time

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Well if I was gonna use gas - I'd use the oven

U gotta have a really good hood vent to be able to smoke somthing in the oven.


what sucks about cooking out in the desert in mid summer is the fact that your thermometer can register 180 on your grill with out even putting the charcole in.  Knowing full well it wont cook anything via "solar rays" it can confuse you.  I think that's were I screwed up slightly in my last run.  

good luck...happy grillin

[Gunslinger]

This has to be the ONE thread topic that you almost never see any real arguments/debates and almost EVERYONE is a complete gentlemen.  Even people who are complete virtual enemys eleswere will still stop by to give grilling tips/recipes


I almost wish I wasnt going to Vegas this weekend and staying home to grill instead......almost.

[capt. apathy]

one secret for a really tough cut (don't do it to a good, already tender, cut since you do loose some of the natural flavor) is to soak it in a mix of grapefruit juice and Worcestershire sauce for about 3-4 hours then dump it off and go with just the plain Worcestershire for a few hours.   take it out of the sauce,  2 hours or so before grill time.

the acids in the grapefruit tear down the toughness and leave most any cut tender.  

I have had one or 2 people who could taste the juice and didn't like the flavor, so don't do a lot of meat the first time in case you're one of the people who don't like it.  personally, I don't find it any less appealing than a steak thats been marinaded in plain Worcestershire (though I prefer a better cut simply rubbed with black pepper),  and much more appealing than a tough steak (which usually have poor flavor anyway so you don't give up much).

[Mark Luper]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Well if I was gonna use gas - I'd use the oven
 
j/k  - but I use charcoal/wood because I like the flavor. I know there are ways to do the gas grill and wood chips, but I find charcoal maximizes drinking time

I own a gas fired smoker, a vertical design 36" tall and a foot square. It has a tinder box that is placed over the burner that one puts in wood shavings or chips of the type of wood one prefers for the smoke flavor. I won't ever go back to a charcoal burner again. I get the same flavor while being able to control the temperature easily. I cuts down the cooking time dramatically.  

I personaly like to smoke the meat for about 3 hours at 200 to 250 deg to give it a skin that will help hold in the juices then I follow that up with another 3 hours at 180 deg after wrapping the meat with aluminum foil. Most of the time, depending on the size and number of briskets I am smoking, I get a brisket that is very tender yet won't just fall apart while trying to slice it.

I really like Montreal Steak Seasoning for a rub and my prefered wood is Hickory. I like using Mesquite too but it doesn't have as strong a flavor as the Hickory in my opinion. I really need to try some other rubs and the one Scooter suggested sounds really interesting.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Well if I was gonna use gas - I'd use the oven
 
j/k  - but I use charcoal/wood because I like the flavor. I know there are ways to do the gas grill and wood chips, but I find charcoal maximizes drinking time

I do agree. if I was gonna use gas i'd use the oven.

Charcoal or wood or a mix between the two when smoking just tastes better in my opinion.

I BBQ or smoke year round reguardless of Temp or whether.
I remember once while living in an Apt when I first got married the coldest day of the year it was something like 5 degrees with a wind chill making it feel like 10 below Im out BBQing a couple steaks and one of my neighbors walks by and just stares at me and shakes his head.

Last year I did a ham during a blizzard

Heh the US mail has nothing on me LOL

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Mark Luper
my prefered wood is Hickory. I like using Mesquite too but it doesn't have as strong a flavor as the Hickory in my opinion. I really need to try some other rubs and the one Scooter suggested sounds really interesting.

I prefer Hickory too.

Anyone ever used Apple?

I've always wanted to try it but can never find any.

Had a neighbor with a wood burning stove and he had some apple I was helping him split. Man just the smell of that stuff made me feel like trying to take a bite out of the wood itself.

Unfortunately that was before I had my smoker

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by capt. apathy

the acids in the grapefruit tear down the toughness and leave most any cut tender.  

 

just about any citrus juice will work for the same reasons Orange works well also and gives it a slithly sweeter flavor.

Not meaning ot get off topic but on the subject of juice
i was oven cooking a bunch of chicken legs one night and wanted to try something different.
Often I'll use wine. I just pour it right in the pan with whatever meat and let er cook.
in this case it was chicken.
Having no wine I started scrounging round the fridge for just that little extra something when I spotted one of my kids 100% juice  boxex. Was fruit punch
Figgered I'd give it a shot so I squirted  bout 2/3 of it right in the pan with the legs.
Damn good
Damn good indeed

[icemaw]

Originally posted by DREDIOCK
That reminds me.
Planning on throwing a porkbutt on the ol Brinkman smoker tomorrow.

Any recipies suggestions?

always looking to try something new

 EEEWWW you going to eat a pigs butt.  Make sure you wipe it real good.

LMAO