Barbecue Master class (yeah right) Taste of Dublin

barfizz

I am just back from the taste of Dublin and the barbecue master class held by Kevin Dundon.
All I could call it would be a BBQ farce, OK i admit it I am a BBQ fanatic, but I just could not believe the comedy of errors (and dangerous stupidity) I witnessed.
OK they started in my good books by using charcoal grills (Weber, not the worst)
We arrived about 5 minutes before the demo to see them throwing on charcoal and then throwing on lighter fluid, and more fluid, and more fluid, oh and just in case lets add more fluid, did i mention that when all the flames go out you need to add more fluid.
This was Kevin and his staff, they poured about half a liter of fluid on the coals, then they decided to put some food on the "flames". i just had to walk away before I started screaming at his ineptitude.

I like my BBQ with a smoky flavor not a paraffin flavor.

This is a classic example of why so many people get food poisoning at BBQs every year, burn the outside in flames and leave the center raw.

Dundon should be ashamed of himself, he obviously knows nothing about good BBQ and how dare he pretend.

SBWife

BBQ Masterclass step one: Place lump wood charcoal in a pile, light, walk away for 20 mins!

gandalf

Unbelievable as said above you leave the charcoal for at least 20 minutes after you light it before using. Otherwise it is not hot enough. Then you only leave a steak on for a couple of minutes each side and then eat Meat heaven!!!!

stmol32

BBQ Masterclass step two: CLOSE THE BLOODY LID.

swarbrick1979

Wow!!!! that is unbelievable!!! I was brought up on bbq's (braais) as I grew up in South Africa but after 12 years in Ireland I cant believe people still do that sort of thing!! The weather is the only problem here so I tend to use my smoker ALOT!!!!

para45

I wasnt at this master class but can just imagine what you saw as i am horrified every time I see people BBQ in Ireland . If its not a BRAAI then i wont go .


You cant beat a proper braai Boerewoers pap en sous en Steaks

And I was going to go so glad I didnt

Does any body have footage of this or a link ?

But what about Derry Clarke . I have read things about him before and he seams to not only be a top chef but always talks about bbq and says you have to wait for the coals . I can hardly imagine that these chefs would have made those mistakes. Or did they maybe say for illustrative purposes you not suppose to cook on flames like these .

swarbrick1979

Hey @para45 you must be a fellow ZAFer, howzit!!!

para45

Ja Swaer Ja Boet can of the best . Hoe gaan dit boet >

looperman1000

Derry Clarke was the same last year or the year before, flames everywhere. Ruined one chicken and the put another one on.

Seaneh

Funnily enough I was chatting to someone about this today, gas altogether. Those two are spoofers in fairness.

Good cooks but jesus if you are going to do a BBQ master class, you might as well get an actual BBQ chef.

Also, it's not fecking BBQ, it's grilling!

para45

I dont think you realize that BBq / Braai is a serious thing and there is no place for spoofers .

Seaneh

They weren't BBQing, they were grilling.

A chef is a cook.

The word chef just means boss of chief.

Some of the best chefs I know aren't great cooks, they are organised and they can follow a recipe but they have no brain or creativity.
Likewise, I know guys who've won multiple competitions and can design dished in minutes but their organisational skills and management skills lack, so some of the best cooks I know are only average chefs (their talent usually means they make a decent living).


Either way, they (Dundon and Clarke) are spoofers when it comes to grilling, as their "master classes" at taste of Dublin and other food fares over the last few years have proved.

The dangers of cooking with flame are obvious, and they should know better.

The organisers should bother to get a proper grill chef rather than get somebody who people will know their name but the chef doesn't have a clue what he's doing with a grill.



I really wish people would stop calling grilling BBQ too.

barfizz

Sorry for using that sinful term BBQ ,
I got caught up in the moment as it was called a BBQ Master class.

The more I look at this thread and others around I was just thinking if there would be an interest in having a grilling comp just for fun.

something like the Eggfest but not limited to eggs and obviously a lot smaller.

Seaneh

It would be fun.

I'd prefer a proper BBQ comp though.

There are few things on earth that taste better than a good pulled pork sammich!

para45

Seaneh wrote: »

They weren't BBQing, they were grilling.

Yes maybe its grilling but unfortunately its a term thats been used all over the world collectively for cooking food on coals or gas with a different flavour. South Africans english /afrikaans Zulu or one of the 11 official languages that we speak all call it Braai and only calling it bbq so that other non South Africans can understand . Its the same as saying that you hoovering but you might be using a Dyson. Catch yourself on and stick to the point

I think the aim of this thread isnt to be corrected on the terminology that people are using to cook food but more on the wrong methods and the right way.

vibe666

Seaneh wrote: »

There are few things on earth that taste better than a good pulled pork sammich!

amen to that brother!

para45 wrote: »

I think the aim of this thread isnt to be corrected on the terminology that people are using to cook food but more on the wrong methods and the right way.

and that.

i still think there would be a market for a proper bbq/grilling/braai joint in dublin.

SBWife

vibe666 wrote: »

amen to that brother!

and that.

i still think there would be a market for a proper bbq/grilling/braai joint in dublin.

What's the new Aussie place on South Richmond Street like?

vibe666

SBWife wrote: »

What's the new Aussie place on South Richmond Street like?

not made it there yet (but i've been meaning to), but it looks okay on paper at least.

the beer revolu

Seaneh wrote: »

They weren't BBQing, they were grilling.

I really wish people would stop calling grilling BBQ too.

Where I come from grilling is cooking under a source of direct heat (gas or electric) - what Americans call broiling.

By the same note we call cooking over wood, charcoal or gas (:eek:) at a high heat BBQing - calling it grilling would confuse people here.

Get over it;)

Seaneh

the beer revolu wrote: »

Where I come from grilling is cooking under a source of direct heat (gas or electric) - what Americans call broiling.

By the same note we call cooking over wood, charcoal or gas (:eek:) at a high heat BBQing - calling it grilling would confuse people here.

Get over it;)

no.

BBQ is indirect low heat.

Grilling is direct high heat.

btw, weather the heat source is above the food or below it, it's still grilling the food, broiling is just a type of grilling, it's the same method, direct dry heat.


BBQ is entirely different.

And it's serious business.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grilling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niASYf8Gkz0

LaChatteGitane

Seaneh while you were looking on wikipedia for grilling, you could have also searched for barbecue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue

If you read through the article you will see that barbecue stands for different cooking methods in different countries.

And if I have read correctly it is only in the States that they differenciate between grilling and 'barbecue'
In the rest of the world people just use the word barbecue to grill, roast or whatever on an ouside wood/charcoal/gas fire.

So I'll keep calling it barbecue until eternity, if you don't mind. Or until I become American.

duploelabs

Given the experience of you lot and the lack thereof of the 'celebrity' chefs, why don't one of you do a bbqing/grilling course. We, as a nation, don't know have a clue about it so surely there's a call to spread the knowledge

para45

duploelabs wrote: »

Given the experience of you lot and the lack thereof of the 'celebrity' chefs, why don't one of you do a bbqing/grilling course. We, as a nation, don't know have a clue about it so surely there's a call to spread the knowledge

Duploelabs . You have the expertise to do something like that IVAN

Yes I have been BBq for more than 30yrs but wouldnt know where to start to teach somebody . It all just comes natural . I bbq at least once a week and do every thing on the fire fish, meat , chicken etc . i also cook with potjies ( Dutch ovens ) on the fire . Potjie is a round bellie cast iron pot that is brilliant for slow cooking . Stir fries are also lovely to do on a BBQ. You could even do a roast chicken for sunday luch on a BBQ. Toasted/grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches while waiting for the meat to cook . Its endless what you can do on a BBQ

I normally buy charcoal at end of summer sales as there is nowhere in Ireland to buy charcoal in the winter. Thats the problem with irish people as they think one can only BBQ in June & July (No Offence) . Its a all year round event . Ireland actually has a lovely mild climate compared to the rest of Europe in the winter. And some lovely calm winters days.

Its also very hard to get proper dry hard wood. Most wood in Ireland smolder more than burn properly . And you can hear the moisture water cooking in the background.This is due to the high dampens moisture content on the Island of ireland A coal merchant told me one day that he loves wet logs becuase they burn longer i9n his opinion. I nearly had a heart attack at his staement. TRhe same man had a chimney fire that year in his house. The reason he had the chimney fire was due to the wet wood he was burning and a build up of creosote which cuased the fire.

Sorrry about all the waffle but thats all to say there is a lot involved to be considering to bbq regularly and to do it right .

The grade that you cook on has to be clean and cleaned every time you use it pre and post. There is nothing worse to be invited to somebodys house for a bbq and you can see that grate wasnt used since last years last BBQ becuase when they made the fire you could see the old bits of meat rust and mould . And if notmentioned they would leave it to start cooking on . Its ignorance and education . Yes if it gets enough heat before you start cooking it will kill the germs but sometimes people dont leave it on long enough to kill the germs . I stronly believe its not the raw burgers that every body blame every year that make people sick but its the grate that comes in contact wit the meat and then because the germs aren't killed propely on the grate that it manifests in the raw meat . Any chef will tell you that eating blue or meduim rear meat isnt the thing that makes you sick its the bacteria that was on the dirty cutting board or cooking utensils . Becuase if eating raw or almost raw meat makes you sick 90% of France and Italy will be dead by now.

The fire is the vital ingredient ---- it has to be right

tool like tongs doesnt matter what you use its what you like or comfortable to use .

Then you have to have a good relationship with your butcher or butchers , I travel almost 200km round trip everytime I want Boerewors( south african suasage) the butcher makes it for me on order and I normaly get around 50KG ( 110 pounds) I ran out some while back and need some more now. I also like to ask the butchers to cut me what I like and want . Thats why you have to have a good relationship with your butcher . The problem is now days most butchers get there steaks precut from the factory and hardly cut anything now days .

And then the cooking part . Dont be scared to start if you make a mistake its all about learning . Its good to have diffrent levels of cooking/grilling /bbq on your BBQ so that you can ajust so the meat doesnt have to much heat to quiclky depending on the thickness of the meat or re chicken it needs to be cooked properly . Or if you cant ajust height then try to have one colder section of the cooking grade. so that you can move bits there . If its charcoal/wood coals then its right but no flames . The only flames that you should have if its sausages or basting suase thats falling on the coals and then the flames will flare up due to the fat/oil.

Sorry again for all this waffeling . Dont know why I typed all this just ment to do a 3 liner . So to get back to the above mentioned last post . Come on Duploelabs do a master class.:D

duploelabs

Firstly, wasn't touting for business. I have taught and attended classes with less concise notes than what you've just written in very well established schools. Like I said, and the reason why I teach as part of my company profile, the general standard of culinary schooling in this country is pretty poor unless you spend top dollar, especially when it comes to BBQ. I think you really could be on to something, but it's not my expertise and wouldn't suit my methods so that's why I don't tutor it.

para45 wrote: »

Duploelabs . You have the expertise to do something like that IVAN

Yes I have been BBq for more than 30yrs but wouldnt know where to start to teach somebody . It all just comes natural . I bbq at least once a week and do every thing on the fire fish, meat , chicken etc . i also cook with potjies ( Dutch ovens ) on the fire . Potjie is a round bellie cast iron pot that is brilliant for slow cooking . Stir fries are also lovely to do on a BBQ. You could even do a roast chicken for sunday luch on a BBQ. Toasted/grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches while waiting for the meat to cook . Its endless what you can do on a BBQ

I normally buy charcoal at end of summer sales as there is nowhere in Ireland to buy charcoal in the winter. Thats the problem with irish people as they think one can only BBQ in June & July (No Offence) . Its a all year round event . Ireland actually has a lovely mild climate compared to the rest of Europe in the winter. And some lovely calm winters days.

Its also very hard to get proper dry hard wood. Most wood in Ireland smolder more than burn properly . And you can hear the moisture water cooking in the background.This is due to the high dampens moisture content on the Island of ireland A coal merchant told me one day that he loves wet logs becuase they burn longer i9n his opinion. I nearly had a heart attack at his staement. TRhe same man had a chimney fire that year in his house. The reason he had the chimney fire was due to the wet wood he was burning and a build up of creosote which cuased the fire.

Sorrry about all the waffle but thats all to say there is a lot involved to be considering to bbq regularly and to do it right .

The grade that you cook on has to be clean and cleaned every time you use it pre and post. There is nothing worse to be invited to somebodys house for a bbq and you can see that grate wasnt used since last years last BBQ becuase when they made the fire you could see the old bits of meat rust and mould . And if notmentioned they would leave it to start cooking on . Its ignorance and education . Yes if it gets enough heat before you start cooking it will kill the germs but sometimes people dont leave it on long enough to kill the germs . I stronly believe its not the raw burgers that every body blame every year that make people sick but its the grate that comes in contact wit the meat and then because the germs aren't killed propely on the grate that it manifests in the raw meat . Any chef will tell you that eating blue or meduim rear meat isnt the thing that makes you sick its the bacteria that was on the dirty cutting board or cooking utensils . Becuase if eating raw or almost raw meat makes you sick 90% of France and Italy will be dead by now.

The fire is the vital ingredient ---- it has to be right

tool like tongs doesnt matter what you use its what you like or comfortable to use .

Then you have to have a good relationship with your butcher or butchers , I travel almost 200km round trip everytime I want Boerewors( south african suasage) the butcher makes it for me on order and I normaly get around 50KG ( 110 pounds) I ran out some while back and need some more now. I also like to ask the butchers to cut me what I like and want . Thats why you have to have a good relationship with your butcher . The problem is now days most butchers get there steaks precut from the factory and hardly cut anything now days .

And then the cooking part . Dont be scared to start if you make a mistake its all about learning . Its good to have diffrent levels of cooking/grilling /bbq on your BBQ so that you can ajust so the meat doesnt have to much heat to quiclky depending on the thickness of the meat or re chicken it needs to be cooked properly . Or if you cant ajust height then try to have one colder section of the cooking grade. so that you can move bits there . If its charcoal/wood coals then its right but no flames . The only flames that you should have if its sausages or basting suase thats falling on the coals and then the flames will flare up due to the fat/oil.

Sorry again for all this waffeling . Dont know why I typed all this just ment to do a 3 liner . So to get back to the above mentioned last post . Come on Duploelabs do a master class.:D

para45

duploelabs no dont worry it didnd seam like you were punting for business sorry didnt want to get you in trouble or let anybody think that I was punting your business. Just saw your profile . And thought with your expertise and facility's you would maybe be able to pull something like that off

Ye well you never know maybe i should think about it .

I have a outdoor Kitchen . : . Ah you have me thinking now:D

The Hill Billy

And back on-topic please...

tHB