Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

[roadman]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

My FIL turned 89 and we had 29 people over with several children sprinkled in.

My wife asked my FIL what he wanted for his birthday and he said grilled steak.

Oy, not a brisket, not pulled pork, but let's put 27 sirloins on the Traeger. Why sirloins?

LOL. I didn't do the ordering, the Mrs. did, so, I let it stand, even though there are better

choices out there. lol

So, I put 22 sirloins on two plastic grill grate throw a way's and started to smoke

them for about 20 minutes and I had to shut the grill down because the probed steak

was at 90 degrees. As soon as the last guest arrived, I started throwing 2 sirloins on the

gas grill and seared those to well done. All the rest were MR to MW, except for 1 rare.

F the rest of them, this is not a restaurant.

Overall, the guests loved the steaks, but certainly puts a lot of pressure upfront trying to

please that many people. As long as they came out good, I am fine with that.

I also purchased some white cotton gloves and put those Nitrile gloves over them.

So much quicker than flipping meat with tongs and also able to use while working in rub.

[shogunofharlem3]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Been a long time, I hope everyone at OS is well.

Just picked up the OnlyFire Pizza Rotisserie kit for the Weber 22. Awesome first run at it with the chicken then the next night did a pizza. Pretty happy with this add on.

Happy bbq OS!

Spoiler

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

The above looks amazing.

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

So I'm getting mildly frustrated and I'm wondering if you guys have experience on what might be going on...I've now tried the so-called '3-2-1' method of smoking ribs 3 times, and while I've gotten the results a little better each time, they still come out tough and overcooked. I then went to more of a 2-1-1 method, which was better but still not 'falling off the bone tender'. I know some people don't like the meat that soft but I like it that way on ribs.

I am pretty confident in my temperature control at this point. Anyone use a really good rib smoking method that they can recommend? I don't think I'm going to try it again with 3-2-1. Maybe it's better for larger ribs (?) but for baby-backs, I can't get it to work.

[shogunofharlem3]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

So I'm getting mildly frustrated and I'm wondering if you guys have experience on what might be going on...I've now tried the so-called '3-2-1' method of smoking ribs 3 times, and while I've gotten the results a little better each time, they still come out tough and overcooked. I then went to more of a 2-1-1 method, which was better but still not 'falling off the bone tender'. I know some people don't like the meat that soft but I like it that way on ribs.

I am pretty confident in my temperature control at this point. Anyone use a really good rib smoking method that they can recommend? I don't think I'm going to try it again with 3-2-1. Maybe it's better for larger ribs (?) but for baby-backs, I can't get it to work.

What temps you cooking at? I typically do ribs at 275 and do the 321 method but is really more like 211. Have had good results.

My last few racks I didn't wrap, I just let them go with some baste and spray here or there. They were definitely more pull off the bone than fall off the bone.

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

I'm keeping a pretty steady 225 F, so I'm confused as to the results I'm getting. I do have a separate thermometer to verify the temps. They're constantly way over-done. Maybe it's the ribs I'm buying/using?

[AUChase]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

This may be obvious and something you're already doing but have you been removing the membrane on the back of the ribs? I know that can prevent all of the fat from rendering properly and create a tougher rib.

IMO the 2 hours in the foil is a little long most of the time. For me most of the time if I wrap ribs they only spend about an hour in the foil. Once the food is wrapped temp is going to come up fast. I have even went no wrap at all before on some dry rub ribs and had really good results. A lot of the tricks people use aren't necessary for everyone. One of those being using mustard as a binder. I do it sometimes and sometimes don't.

Unrelated: last weekend I was at Sam's and picked up a few chuck roasts for $20. I let them sit out at room temp and seasoned like I would a steak with some Kinder's Prime steak rub, coarse black pepper and salt.

They smoked for about 5-6 hours and it came out pretty good. If it was a good cut of meat like a ribeye of course I'm not cooking it done done but I was going for the whole poor man's brisket results and it was good. I have never done a brisket before and I'm afraid to pay a lot for one and mess it up.

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

I definitely removed the membrane, but good thoughts. Appreciate all of the input, gents!

One thing I'm thinking now is that it's possible that I'm not leaving the ribs in long enough...because in retrospect, it's not that the ribs are dry, but just that they're chewy/tough. Maybe more foil time in the next run? I dunno....I'm not giving up, though (!).

I like the chuck roast idea. I am also afraid of spending that much on a brisket and ruining it.

Anyone ever done a pork loin? I know it's lean so there's a minimal margin for error, but it looks good when the pros do it (!)

[Blzer]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

So I was just at Costco in the meat section, and a fellow customer started talking my head off about chuck roast, sous vide, etc. These are processes I have only heard of in passing, but never explored the cost benefits of and still being able to maintain the flavor, texture, etc. of say a ribeye steak. He definitely got me curious and I'd like to start doing it.

Without going too far back into this thread, I notice AUChase that you happened to mention you do this. Do you have specific equipment for sous vide? Does it "break the bank" or do you have conventional means with items that one would already have (Ziploc bags, etc.)? Curious to hear if others have had great results with this method. Cost is pretty much what prevents me from getting steaks more often, but this seems very, very cost-effective although requires more patience through preparation.

Thanks!

[ClassActFan]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Anyone ever done a pork loin? I know it's lean so there's a minimal margin for error, but it looks good when the pros do it (!)

I don't smoke pork loins too often, but when I do I prefer to wrap them in bacon, usually opening the intake wide open to crisp up the bacon towards the end of the cook, pulling the pork loin at 145. I know others will pull at 140 and allow for carry-over temp increases, but my family likes it a little more done.

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

So I was just at Costco in the meat section, and a fellow customer started talking my head off about chuck roast, sous vide, etc. These are processes I have only heard of in passing, but never explored the cost benefits of and still being able to maintain the flavor, texture, etc. of say a ribeye steak. He definitely got me curious and I'd like to start doing it.

LOL. Gotta love the grocery store grilling experts (!).

Without going too far back into this thread, I notice AUChase that you happened to mention you do this. Do you have specific equipment for sous vide? Does it "break the bank" or do you have conventional means with items that one would already have (Ziploc bags, etc.)? Curious to hear if others have had great results with this method. Cost is pretty much what prevents me from getting steaks more often, but this seems very, very cost-effective although requires more patience through preparation.

Thanks!

AUChase probably has more experience, but I've tinkered around with sous vide ever since I came to acquire an immersion circulator (long/boring story). Basically what you need is something that heats water to a specific temperature and keeps it moving, e.g. an immersion circulator. They're not cheap but not super expensive (a few hundred ought to be fine). And then a large, preferably thermally insulated container, like a small cooler, to 'cook' in. A vacuum sealer helps but Ziplock bags work fine, provided you get all the air out of them and make sure they're sealed well (!). But even vacuum sealers are cheap and can be used for lots of other things than just sous vide stuff.

A lot of kitchen cookers also now have a 'sous vide' mode already in them, like my folks' InstaPot has a 'sous vide' mode that keeps a water bath at temp indefinitely, so then all you need is just a vacuum sealer or Ziplock bags and you're good to go.

My experience is that some things are absolutely worth sous vide'ing, and others not so much. Not helpful I know, but tougher cuts of meat absolutely are worth it, even some steaks (thick ones in particular), but whatever you sous vide usually needs to be 'finished' on a grill or hot pan, otherwise it comes out grey-looking and sorta unappetizing.

[Blzer]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Thanks! My primary interest is steak, and then I think I could probably do it with the country style pork ribs that I buy. They are pretty tough when only grilled (the pork ribs, that is), but I also grill them slowly to cook inside so I wonder what the grilling process would be like afterward.

I know this is something I'd botch the first couple of times I want to try it, but with enough research I can probably get it right. I just like that it could prove to be cost-beneficial in the long run.

[pietasterp]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Thanks! My primary interest is steak, and then I think I could probably do it with the country style pork ribs that I buy. They are pretty tough when only grilled (the pork ribs, that is), but I also grill them slowly to cook inside so I wonder what the grilling process would be like afterward.

I know this is something I'd botch the first couple of times I want to try it, but with enough research I can probably get it right. I just like that it could prove to be cost-beneficial in the long run.

My experience is pretty hit-or-miss, but when you hit, it's pretty awesome.

[KSUowls]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Anyone here used any of the Blackstone griddles?

I keep seeing tik tok videos of people using them, and now I really want one. Consider the 36" with air fryer/drawer combo. But I have heard some things about them rusting a lot.

[KSUowls]

Re: Official OS BBQ/Grilling Thread

Well instead of a blackstone griddle, I decided to jump into a Big Green Egg.

So anyone who has one, feel free to pass along any tips.