Any bass playing BBQ pit masters out there?

[Eublet]

Just stumbled on this one and thought I'd play necromancer.

I'm a Green Egghead myself, but I also love smoking on setups like Pilgrim posted above. There are great things about both. Mostly I use the BGE though simply because it's so easy and never fails, and it tastes fantastic.

I'm about to drop some ribs on today. Wife and kids are out all weekend, so I have a plan to eat BBQ every day. Tomorrow I'm doing a brisket and burnt ends.

 

[hypapanuse]

We have a Masterbuilt water smoker. Does a good job during the summer when its not windy, but I would like to get a horizontal unit. My neighbor has a Green Egg and loves his. Every thing we've done so far has been good to great, except the brisket. Don't think were are smoking long enough.

 

[nojj]

Do mostly grilling here.
Youngest son generally handles the duties (he's a chef)
I just split wood.
Built a big-azz wood grill in the back yard, nearly 6 feet long.
Weber gas grill on the porch, and I'm always yelling at people for not cleaning the freakin' thing.
It's a table-top job, compact enough to take camping,
but I used the remains of a larger wheeled one to make a base for it.

 

[pie_man_25]

Yeah, in the US BBQ seems to be an entire form of cooking.

In Australia BBQ really more of a social gathering, where its too hot to cook inside so you do it outside instead. Generally involving copious amount of alcohol.

It's prettymuch the same in Canada. I work at a BBQ restaurant that does authentic southern-style barbecue - pork ribs, pork butts, brined chickens, brisket - that is smoked, and up until then I didn't really know that there was a difference between "BBQ" and "grill", they're prettymuch used synonymously to mean basically what you say - meat on top of a hot fire, and lots of people plus alcohol. There is a difference though.

While we're on the topic of grilling, I prefer charcoal/real wood for grilling flavour as well, propane is definitely not bad, but it tends to seem bland by comparison IMO. We have a propane grill at home though primarily because that's more convenient.

 

[icks]

Here in EU we do mostly grilling, but I asked my gf to buy some ribs because I wanted to try the slow cooking.

I bought the aluminium plates, apples juice and onions and coconut charcoal.
I need a good receipt for the sugar taste, honey/ketchup or maple sirup?

 

[huckleberry1]

I was an apprenticing chef at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas,TX. for a couple of years and worked at a BBQ pit in Dallas, stole their sauce recipe immediately.

 

[Eublet]

Here in EU we do mostly grilling, but I asked my gf to buy some ribs because I wanted to try the slow cooking.

I bought the aluminium plates, apples juice and onions and coconut charcoal.
I need a good receipt for the sugar taste, honey/ketchup or maple sirup?

I'm not a big sweet sauce fan myself, but adding combinations of brown sugar, maple syrup and or honey to most any BBQ sauce does the trick. When i do get the urge for some sweet ribs, I still smoke them the way I always do (Memphis style dry rub), but then I'll wrap the ribs in aluminum foil with plenty of brown sugar and honey poured over them and let them sit on the cooker for another hour or so, then they come out of the packets, and back in the cooker for another 20-30 minutes while I baste them every 5 minutes with a tangy sweet sauce. They come out really glazed and plenty sweet but tangy.

Usually though, I prefer just plain dry rub with no sauce during the cook, though I might baste them a little with a vinegar solution. Then a thin sauce is put on the plate and is used to dip the ribs in for just a little flavor just before taking a bite.

The best BBQ sauce in the world can be bought at the link below. Roll Tide!

Invalid Link Removed

 

[MJ5150]

Why do you chose aluminum foil over plastic wrap?

-Mike

 

[Eublet]

Why do you chose aluminum foil over plastic wrap?

-Mike

Mike, I think you're asking me, right? I sometimes wrap each rack of ribs in the foil and then cook them for another 60-90 minutes after they have smoked for a few hours, especially when I want them to be sweet.

So a big sheet of foil, then I make a bed of brown sugar and honey, then lay the rack on top of that. Top it with more brown sugar, honey and make a "boat" out of the foil. Then pour a quarter cup of apple cider over it, then close it up with another piece of foil over top so it's sealed somewhat. That goes back on the grill. The cider steams the ribs and adds moisture. The sugar and honey caramelize on the ribs. When they come out though, they're too tender to eat...almost falling apart. That's why they need to go back on the grill for 30-60 minutes to dry out and firm back up. It's a lot of work but well worth it for sweet ribs.

I also do this with things other than sugar/honey. I like them asain style also where I replace the sugar with minced garlic and ginger, and honey with a Hoisin sauce. A little Thai-style peanut dipping sauce on the plate to top it off and you'd think you've gone to heaven.

 

[MJ5150]

I was. I watched a show earlier this week about BBQ pitmasters, and there was a lively debate between the aluminum foil and plastic wrap camps. They were more talking about the smoking process than what all you are doing though.

-Mike

 

[Eublet]

I was. I watched a show earlier this week about BBQ pitmasters, and there was a lively debate between the aluminum foil and plastic wrap camps. They were more talking about the smoking process than what all you are doing though.

-Mike

Ah, I see. Wrapping the ribs does create extra tenderness, but it's hard to control. Many pit masters feel that it reduces the complexity of the meat. I agree with them (I am no master by any means). Wrapped ribs, especially foil-wrapped, really makes the meat too tender for my tastes, but it works okay for sweet/sauced ribs. Competition ribs are never sauced though, so it's a different environment. Sometimes in a rush if the ribs aren't getting tender I'll wrap them in foil for 30-45 minutes without anything else added, then put them back on the smoker. They'll steam in their own juices then and get more tender. The problem is sometimes they'll still get too tender and will be falling off the bone when you pull them out. Most non-BBQ aficionados seem to like ribs really tender like that though, so it's no big deal for the casual dinner guest. Serve a rib like that at a competition though and you'll quickly earn yourself a last place standing.

When I do ribs just for me, I cook them around medium-low heat, 250-275 degrees, and really watch them the last hour or two, checking for tenderness. No foil, no sauce, and only an occasional mopping with a vinegar/cider solution. The ribs come off a bit dry on the outside, with a nice crusty bark. Inside, they're juicy but not wet. You have to bite through the meat, and it'll resist being pulled off the bone just a little.

It's very difficult to get them to come out the same way twice. I think that's the beauty of BBQ competitions. Even the best guys in the world can make a rib that won't even place in a competition, and they did everything right that they knew to do. No two pieces of meat are the same. That's what makes it so great when you get a BBQ right and everything comes off being exceptional. And hey, even the average BBQ's are still great!

 

[Eublet]

These have been on for about 2.5 hours. Wife and kids are out of town, so it's a slab just for me!

 

[hypapanuse]

These have been on for about 2.5 hours. Wife and kids are out of town, so it's a slab just for me!

I'll bring beer. What's the address?

 

[Eublet]

Sorry, they're all gone!

 

[MJ5150]

Wrapping the ribs does create extra tenderness, but it's hard to control. Many pit masters feel that it reduces the complexity of the meat.

I'm going to give it a try with saran wrap. It goes against all that is logical in my mind to put something wrapped in plastic on my grill, but I watched enough of the show to know how to do it right.

-Mike

 

[icks]

I've seen a great deal for the large 18" big green egg, 425€ plus shipping.... It´s hard not to buy it!

Edit: it´s the Kamado brand not bge, is there any difference?

 

[Sharknose79]

I opened a BBQ Carry-out & Catering company in 2005.
I had to close it in 2007 at a loss, because it was just too much work. Luckily, I also kept my day job.

The cooker in the shop was a J&R Oyler 700...
Here's a ton of butts we were cooking for a junior travel hockey benefit...

This is a Lang 84 with a Meadow Creek BBQ 42 on the front.
This was a cater at a Country club in near Annapolis...

Two boneless stuffed pigs...

These days...I have a large Big Green Egg.

 

[Bassic Playing]

Those pigs look amazing

Might have to take this 'pitmaster' business up during university

 

[arbitrary]

I was an apprenticing chef at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas,TX. for a couple of years and worked at a BBQ pit in Dallas, stole their sauce recipe immediately.

It has been awhile since I made some sauce & I have been thinking of mixing it up a bit. spill it huckleberry.

 

[swspiers]

I opened a BBQ Carry-out & Catering company in 2005.
I had to close it in 2007 at a loss, because it was just too much work. Luckily, I also kept my day job.

The cooker in the shop was a J&R Oyler 700...
Here's a ton of butts we were cooking for a junior travel hockey benefit...

This is a Lang 84 with a Meadow Creek BBQ 42 on the front.
This was a cater at a Country club in near Annapolis...

Two boneless stuffed pigs...

These days...I have a large Big Green Egg.

I am in awe!

My studies are slowing down in school a bit, and I foresee a rack o'ribs going on my Weber Smokey Mountain in the near future. Maybe even brisket!

Which reminds me, I tried burnt ends at a local smoke join here in Jacksonville yesterday. Um, it wasn't brisket. A-holes put smoke 'flavor' on chuck roast and sell it as burnt ends. Serves me right for trying it in the first place, I guess