I found this BBQ down the street today…. It was looking in poor shape , but I decided to pick it up and take it home anyways. It took me all day long to get this thing up and running . Beer , dish soap , scrub brush , lots of Flat black , beer , some grill cleaning with a wire brush hooked up to the air compressor , more dish soap , beer , one sun burn and a missing power nap , beer, .. And i’m finally grilling on it tonight.
Took about 5 hours to "season" it. Basically I took it up to 300 or so let it cook for an hour. Removed the coals (which Sucked BTW) wiped all the crud they put on it at the factory. Then wiped it all down inside with veggie oil, and put the coals back in. Back up to 350-400 and let it cook for another hour. Coals come back out, and add more veggie oil to the entire inside. Coals go back in, and I added another chimney's worth and also added 2 chunks of mesquite, and let it smoke for 2 hours. Coals come back out and one final wipe with veggie oil and the cooking grates get a layer of bacon drippings and let it cook for another 2 hours......then I cooked some burgers!
all that coats the inside and keeps it from rusting and that oil/carbon/smoked mesquite helps control temp. I did some beautiful ribeyes sunday night for myself and I had my dad and brother over for dinner.....ribeyes were perfect.
I know that grill looks huge (and it is) but all that for less than $200.
Its a Char-griller super-pro ($129 at Lowes) with the side fire box added ($54 at Lowes) and the side propane burner kit ($29 at lowes) and $14 for the charcoal chimney (which is the way to really get the coals going fast)
Nice! I see the Kingsford charcoal in the back ground , nothing burns better.. I picked me up two 21lb bags at Home Depot [ the day I was Q’ing } , on sale for $13 and change. Good deal I also switch between charcoal and propane. "Why not." That side smoker looks tight , and that little chimney is a crack up. In a good way. Looks like a fun Q right there.
Nice tip on the veggie oil , I never knew that so im going to give it a try. Mostly I cook Spare Ribs and sometimes Beef Back ribs , It’s better if you boil them first for about 40 minutes and then Marinade them for a day. But someday you wont have the time. I also like an occasional steak or burger , or bratwurst or anything that I can “Q”
Maybe someday you can tell me what seasoning you use on the ribeye's. I like to cook up T-bone steaks or New Yorks.
for steaks if I marinade I use "Dales" which you can find in any supermarket....its kind of salty and I think is a base of soy sauce....its gooood
if I go dry I use Lysanders all natural "Meat Rub for Beef" check your local meat market or go to genevafoods.com That is also what I coat heavily my sanding rib roasts I do at christmas. It is superb for that.
now for ribs....this is my home brew rub....everyone loves it give it a try
Dry Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
this is how I do mine....
things you need.....
1 ½ cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory or apple), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
barbecue mop
the mop sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons bourbon, or 3 more tablespoons apple cider
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Make the mop sauce: Melt the butter in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cider, bourbon, and soy sauce. Keep warm until ready to use.
Make the rub (see above)
Prepare the ribs: Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a baking sheet. Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by inserting a slender implement, such as a butter knife or the tip of a meat thermometer, under it. The best place to start is on one of the middle bones. Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a secure grip, peel off the membrane. Repeat with the remaining rack.
Set aside 2 tablespoon of rub for serving. Sprinkle the remaining rub over both sides of the ribs, rubbing it onto the meat. Cover the ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate them while you set up the grill.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (325 to 350F). Place a large drip pan in the center of the grill under the grate.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the ribs bone side down in the center of the grate, over the drip pan and away from the head. If cooking on a charcoal grill, toss half of the wood chips on each mound of coals. Cover the grill and cook the ribs for 45 minutes.
Mop the ribs on both sides with the mop sauce. Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until well browned, cooked through, and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 45 minutes to 1 hour longer, 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours in all. When the ribs are cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by about ¼ inch. Mop the ribs again every 15 minutes and, if using a charcoal grill, replenish the coals as needed.
Just before serving, brush the ribs on both sides with some of the Lemon Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce and move them directly over the fire. Grill the ribs until the barbecue sauce is browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board. Let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the racks in half or into individual ribs. Sprinkle a little of the reserved rub over the ribs and serve at once with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
Falker wrote:Nice! I see the Kingsford charcoal in the back ground , nothing burns better..
Actually I perfer real hardwood charcoal, but it is a little more expensive per 20 lbs bag. It gets going faster than briquet's and tends to burn hotter and a little faster. I usually go 3/4 hardwood charcoal and 1/4 briquet's in my chimney for steaks and good hunks of meat....for burgers and dogs, briquet's work fine
for smoking, I pile the basket with hardwood charcoal and whatever smoke wood I'm using for that burn. Those get arranged around the outside of the basket, then briquet's get piled in the center, then its toped off with hardwoord charcoal and smoke wood. I add a water pan on the cooking grate between the fire box and the main chamber to control heat and then let it go to town.....
Come on over, I'm thinking of doing a few racks of babybacks this weekend over apple or pecan cant decide. be nice if I could find some cherry or maple chunks locally....still looking
But sure....if anyone is in Kansas....drop on by, my futon is comfy IIRC
Sniff ,… it nice to know someone else takes Q’ing sincerely. I’ve seen the hickory or apple wood chips but I never knew that could make the difference. I’ll have to give them a try and see if it’s on the up and up. LMAO I’ll try out the ” Q “ formula as well.
Good “Q” Softball , I had one of those a few years ago. I always thought the meat taste better with charcoal burn , until Buffalo Six came up with them wood chips. I’ll try half and half at first , to see what’s up.
also its a house warming party, get kegs
I’ll bring some Rolling Rock and go half on the kegger if someone buys me a plane ticket to and fro. The hell if I’m sleeping with all you guys tho , I’ll just pitch a tent in the back yard and have my own place to crash.
