*Charcoal* BBQ/Grilling

joebloggs123

Thanks for the info guys, will have to try the chicken again soon

beertons

Smoked a salmon this morning. First time, done in 2 hours.

FCB1899

Picked up a couple of Angus and Oink rubs in Lawlors butchers(Rathmines) . Get good reviews on BBQ social media so gonna try them out this weekend:D

dingbat

kod12 wrote: »

Looking to get my first charcoal BBQ this week any recommendations I see BK and Komodo Joe mentioned a lot any good deals or is there similar for a budget. Many thanks in advance

Hi. In terms of recommendations, it really depends on what you enjoy cooking and how often you'll use it.

For example, if you know that your gateway to bbq happiness is grilling a steak outside on a whim some evening then just get a gas one. They are quick to light and entirely predictable. You will be very happy indeed.

Message: you do not have to use charcoal. But if you want to use charcoal, read on.

Firstly, in my opinion when it comes to barbecue it is worth spending money on a reliable brand. Get something that will last. Charcoal BBQs, especially when combined with various fuels and weather conditions (esp. here in Ireland) kind of have their own personality. You need to get to know them. So I reckon it's worth getting something halfway decent to make it worth putting in that time investment.

Now when it comes to what type, you have LOADS of options. But in the interests of simplicity I'll put forward two options: the kettle, and the kamado. I'll completely ignore things like an offset smoker.

KETTLE
A kettle BBQ is your traditional metal flying-saucer shaped thing on legs. This is what loads of people have out in the back garden, sometimes (sadly) rusting away. Do not bother purchasing a cheap yoke. Get a Weber. You're not just paying for the name - they're made of very good stuff. Learn how to use it. You can grill anything you like on these for years and years, and with a little extra effort you can do low and slow.

KAMADO
This is a ceramic barbecue, essentially like a giant bit of glazed pottery into which you lob charcoal. Two very popular brands of Kamado are Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe. The ceramic walls mean that they are very well insulated, making it very easy to maintain a consistent temperature. This is particularly useful for low and slow.

The clever thing about a Kamado, however, is that you can also grill just like on a kettle. In fact when you open all the vents you can get savagely, savagely high temps with a Kamado.

This versatility comes at a cost: a Kamado is expensive. I sometimes see "budget" versions of these advertised but they can have pitifully short guarantees - not a good sign.

If you are an enthusiast about food, and barbecue as cooking form, and low and slow in particular, and if you have access to €1000+, then you will get value from a Kamado. A Kamado Joe comes with more as standard than a Big Green Egg, and I recommend searching UK sites and shipping in rather than relying on Irish suppliers. (there are other Kamado manufacturers than just those two)

If you aren't as fussed about cooking food for five, eight or twelve hours (or longer!!) then get a Weber kettle. Recommend models that feature the ash catching pan and hinged cooking grate. You will not regret the purchase, and if you decide that you want to do pulled pork or brisket you *will* be able to do it just with a bit more effort.

This next bit is not meant to be patronising - I say it in all sincerity. Whatever you go with, you're cooking over live coals. Successful and happy barbecuing involves developing a healthy respect for fire, and investing time in learning how to control it: how to get things up to temp, how to maintain consistent temp, and how to reduce temp. Much barbecue misery and stress is caused by people simply not willing to put in this time, or not even realising that they should do so. But having done so it is a skill that is lifelong and will give back many times over.

Finally, as mentioned, if you know that your route to outdoor cooking happiness is simply to have the ability to grill outside as a last minute thing then I'd seriously consider going with gas.

Hope this is somewhat helpful.

Dingbat.

BaZmO*

^^^^ Great post. Answers a lot of the frequently asked questions

Ardent

Edit: double post

Ardent

Have friends and family coming over tomorrow afternoon so plan to do pork shoulder and ribs in my landmann bbq smoker. The shoulder will probably take 8-10 hours. First time doing it so no idea how it will turn out.

I did ribs for the first time a couple of weeks ago and they turned out incredibly well. 2.5 hours on the smoker and 2.5 hours in the oven wrapped in tin foil. Best ribs we ever had!

SVI40

Started this on Friday night, for a 7 p.m. BBQ on Saturday. It took 20 hours on the Weber, with the Slow n Sear, and BBQ Guru controller. No matter what, I couldn't get the internal temp past 190F!

It still tasted great though.

Brian?

SVI40 wrote: »

Started this on Friday night, for a 7 p.m. BBQ on Saturday. It took 20 hours on the Weber, with the Slow n Sear, and BBQ Guru controller. No matter what, I couldn't get the internal temp past 190F!

It still tasted great though.

Looks tasty.

Re: the internal temp. Wrap it in 2 layers of foil once it stalls.

SVI40

Brian? wrote: »

Looks tasty.

Re: the internal temp. Wrap it in 2 layers of foil once it stalls.

I thought about that, but decided it was cheating . I did leave it in a faux cambro for a couple of hours though.


Thanks for the compliment, it was really tasty. And loads left for the rest of the week.

dingbat

SVI40 wrote: »

I thought about that, but decided it was cheating . I did leave it in a faux cambro for a couple of hours though.


Thanks for the compliment, it was really tasty. And loads left for the rest of the week.

There should be a place on this forum for Tales Of The Stall :eek:

Love me the foil when I have plenty of time but not... well... limitless time

micks_address

Hi all,
We have weber kettle bbq few years now. Been using board na móna charcoal this summer and it's very handy. My question is around other things to cook than burgers and steak. Seem to have an irrational fear of cooking chicken. What are other things would people recommend?
Thanks,
Mick

Brian?

SVI40 wrote: »

I thought about that, but decided it was cheating . I did leave it in a faux cambro for a couple of hours though.


Thanks for the compliment, it was really tasty. And loads left for the rest of the week.

Not cheating at all. All the smoke flavour gets into the meat in the first 2 hours. I usually wrap my shoulder at about 3 hours.

Brian?

micks_address wrote: »

Hi all,
We have weber kettle bbq few years now. Been using board na móna charcoal this summer and it's very handy. My question is around other things to cook than burgers and steak. Seem to have an irrational fear of cooking chicken. What are other things would people recommend?
Thanks,
Mick

Pork chops.

But I wouldn't be afraid of cooking chicken. I always cook legs on the bbq. Very difficult to over cook if you're worried.

BaZmO*

Had chicken kebabs tonight on the BBQ. Thought I was making pork shoulder because that’s normally what the in laws prepare and bring when they’re coming over. Just as well I copped in time as it would’ve been cremated!



First time using the charcoal start. Great piece of kit.

micks_address

BaZmO* wrote: »

Had chicken kebabs tonight on the BBQ. Thought I was making pork shoulder because that’s normally what the in laws prepare and bring when they’re coming over. Just as well I copped in time as it would’ve been cremated!



First time using the charcoal start. Great piece of kit.

We have one to and it's great but the bags from board na móna are fierce handy. Just throw on the grate like the bag and leave.. No faffing about with newspaper etc for the chimney

BaZmO*

Had chicken kebabs tonight on the BBQ. Thought I was making pork shoulder because that’s normally what the in laws prepare and bring when they’re coming over. Just as well I copped in time as it would’ve been cremated!





First time using the charcoal start. Great piece of kit.

SVI40

Brian? wrote: »

Not cheating at all. All the smoke flavour gets into the meat in the first 2 hours. I usually wrap my shoulder at about 3 hours.

That is true, I'll give it a go next time I hit the stall.

dingbat

micks_address wrote: »

Hi all,
We have weber kettle bbq few years now. Been using board na móna charcoal this summer and it's very handy. My question is around other things to cook than burgers and steak. Seem to have an irrational fear of cooking chicken. What are other things would people recommend?
Thanks,
Mick

Chicken has an undeserved bad reputation at barbecues. Really easy (and quick!) to cook, and cook safely. Trick is to get a decent instant meat thermometer so you *know* when it's done (also useful for burgers, sausages, steaks... hell, everything).

Fish is awesome on the barbecue. Go big and meaty rather than delicate.

Veg also good: try aubergines and peppers.

Try a butterflied leg of lamb.

Do some baby back pork ribs.

Slow cook some sausages (i.e. not grilling over high heat). Absolutely lovely.

beertons

I'm looking for a recipe for a Smokey leg of butterfly leg of lamb. Did I see one up here before or did I dream it?

Brian?

beertons wrote: »

I'm looking for a recipe for a Smokey leg of butterfly leg of lamb. Did I see one up here before or did I dream it?

I butterfly the leg out. Marinate in garlic, mint, rosemary, olive oil and lemon juice. Cut a load of rosemary from my rosemary bush and lay it down on on the grill. Lay the lamb on top of the rosemary and grill away.

beertons

Sounds good Brian. I had my belly/heart set on an Indian dish. This one gave me a tickle!

https://www.weberbbq.com.au/recipe/smoked-indian-spiced-leg-lamb/

Gloomtastic!

beertons wrote: »

Sounds good Brian. I had my belly/heart set on an Indian dish. This one gave me a tickle!

https://www.weberbbq.com.au/recipe/smoked-indian-spiced-leg-lamb/

Did something like that a couple of years ago. I served it with an Indian style cauliflower cheese. I added curry powder with the flour when I was making the roux and used coconut milk instead of milk. Went really well with the lamb.

Shakey_jake

Fire In The Hole!!!

Johnnyhpipe

Looks amazing shakey jake! Where did you get that rib candy??

fourmations

dingbat wrote: »

Chicken has an undeserved bad reputation at barbecues. Really easy (and quick!) to cook, and cook safely. Trick is to get a decent instant meat thermometer so you *know* when it's done (also useful for burgers, sausages, steaks... hell, everything).

Fish is awesome on the barbecue. Go big and meaty rather than delicate.

Veg also good: try aubergines and peppers.

Try a butterflied leg of lamb.

Do some baby back pork ribs.

Slow cook some sausages (i.e. not grilling over high heat). Absolutely lovely.

spot on, a couple of extra points...

i found that chicken takes on too much smoke flavour compared to other meats so if you are doing longer cooking cut dont go mad on wood chips

sausages are indeed one of the best things off a barbie, do them slow and long on indirect heat / smoker

i do my mothers "pigs in blankets" on the Q, best thing ever
score suasage lenghtways, spread a line of english mustard in the score
and a strip of cheddar, wrap in thin rashers and cook for 30mins or more on low heat, they are the biggest hit even more than pulled pork,
there is no heat off the english mustard after its cooked so dont worry about that, all the kids eat them !

cheers

surball

fourmations wrote: »

sausages are indeed one of the best things off a barbie, do them slow and long on indirect heat / smoker

i do my mothers "pigs in blankets" on the Q, best thing ever
score suasage lenghtways, spread a line of english mustard in the score
and a strip of cheddar, wrap in thin rashers and cook for 30mins or more on low heat, they are the biggest hit even more than pulled pork,
there is no heat off the english mustard after its cooked so dont worry about that, all the kids eat them !

cheers

awesome tips, will give those pigs in blankets a go for sure.

rubadub

dingbat wrote: »

Chicken has an undeserved bad reputation at barbecues. Really easy (and quick!) to cook, and cook safely. Trick is to get a decent instant meat thermometer so you *know* when it's done (also useful for burgers, sausages, steaks... hell, everything).

Another trick is to cook chicken in advance. It could be steamed boiled or I precook stuff in the airfryer at 80C. Renders it really well so many would prefer it than straight BBQ'd

surball

Half pounder burger with bbq'd Lebanese 7 spice cauliflower. Cauliflower takes on a delicious flavour when cooked this way.

ECO_Mental

rubadub wrote: »

Another trick is to cook chicken in advance. It could be steamed boiled or I precook stuff in the airfryer at 80C. Renders it really well so many would prefer it than straight BBQ'd

I always cook my chicken legs, thighs etc in the oven before they go on the grill...if nothing else to stop the missus saying "is this cooked? I think I can see raw meat" :mad: if she sees a bit of red she then proceeds to rip apart every single chicken leg looking for red meat.....BBQ ruined:rolleyes:


I only use the grill to crisp up the skin and give it that grilled flavor and its just as good. Nando's do this as well and the chicken I make this way is just as good if not nicer than Nando's (some macho peas as well boom! €70 saved)