[Food] The Barbeque Thread

[Triggaaar]

Keep thinking of adding a pizza oven to the collection. Anyone have any experience of the Gozney wood fired oven?

Not myself:

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

Here's a Paul Barber queue

 

[Birdie Boy]

Quick question for the experts, I use a chimney starter on my Weber kettle but living in an urban area in close proximity to others i’m conscious of the smoke that starts with the lighting process so only have bbq’s after 5pm, i would prefer afternoon bbq’s but don’t wish to upset anyone, any tips to reduces smoke, i started using screwed up newspaper and then tried natural fire lighters, i still can’t reduce that initial smoke from chimney, i use branded webber charcoal briquettes in case anyone asks.

BBQ is a way of life here. It can be anything from a few bricks with a grill on top to a pre mold concrete thing with a wood stove on the side but never gas or the other fancy bbq things.
I hated lighting bbqs until I got here. Here they simply wrap a few lengths of toilet roll around the four fingers and twist off the bottom to make a kind of cup. Place it into the top of the charcoal mound, pour some used cooking oil in and set light to it.
Works every time.

Maybe try this with the oil? Might not be as smokey, not sure. Otherwise, invite the neighbours around!

 

[Triggaaar]

Quick question for the experts

I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that bit

I use a chimney starter on my Weber kettle but living in an urban area in close proximity to others i’m conscious of the smoke that starts with the lighting process so only have bbq’s after 5pm, i would prefer afternoon bbq’s but don’t wish to upset anyone, any tips to reduces smoke

The smoky bit is at the start, when the charcoal is cold and not burning efficiently, so I imagine a torch charcoal starter would get them going so fast that there's not much white smoke, and you're straight into the clean burn?

Anyone with a torch starter confirm?

 

[Chicken Run]

I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that bit




The smoky bit is at the start, when the charcoal is cold and not burning efficiently, so I imagine a torch charcoal starter would get them going so fast that there's not much white smoke, and you're straight into the clean burn?

Anyone with a torch starter confirm?

Ahhh like a gas blow torch?

 

[Uptown Dunk]

Great thread this. I’m with Juliant in that cooking outdoors, even in wind and rain, is good for my mental health. It’s a big stress relief!
For those that fancy a Big Green Egg or Kamado but are put off by the price then I recommend the Aldi version. They are around £350. Great for slow cooks in the winter. I’ve cooked the xmas turkey on there the past three years too.
Decent charcoal is essential, lights quickly and gives a much better flavour. I get mine from a local Sussex firm called Green Olive, but only when on offer. They deliver free in Sussex.
It’s going to be a lovely day so get outside and cook this evening

 

[HeaviestTed]

I’ve stopped using wood chips when bbq’ing as I don’t think I like the smoked flavour - I’m happy with coals and indirect cooking, I just find the “smoked” taste a bit acrid and nasty.

Maybe it is an acquired taste or maybe I used too much in the past.

 

[Triggaaar]

Ahhh like a gas blow torch?

Yes. They're on amazon and the like.

 

[Triggaaar]

I’ve stopped using wood chips when bbq’ing as I don’t think I like the smoked flavour - I’m happy with coals and indirect cooking, I just find the “smoked” taste a bit acrid and nasty.

Maybe it is an acquired taste or maybe I used too much in the past.

If the taste was a bit acrid, were you putting your food and the wood chips in at the same time? The white smoke that comes off when the pellets start is supposed to cause that acrid flavour, so it's best to put the food in once it's nicely going.

 

[HeaviestTed]

If the taste was a bit acrid, were you putting your food and the wood chips in at the same time? The white smoke that comes off when the pellets start is supposed to cause that acrid flavour, so it's best to put the food in once it's nicely going.

Maybe!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

I cycle past this place regularly, on the Old Coach Road between Firle and Alfriston.
Some of you may be interested in their courses - always smells amazing when I go by!

Hunter Gather Cook

Our pioneering outdoor cooking experience gets to grips with four fundamental elements of nature - game, foraging, fire and cookery.

www.huntergathercook.com

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I know the experts don't recommend it these days but I still use lava rocks in my old gas BBQ to get a better flavour. I also have a Weber charcoal one but sometimes it is just quicker / easier to use the gas one

When it is time to change, those hybrid gas/charcoal ones look very good.

 

[Official Old Man]

As per the Amazon thread, I purchased the Ninja Woodfire BBQ. I've had problems and chatted with #Triggaaar as I don't get the smoke taste.
Anyway, had it 5 days and used it 4 times.
Prior to that I had a huge fire pit sized BBQ with tripod above, hanging bowl for onions and all the extras (£450). Using the chimney lighters it would take 20 mins to get going. Cleaning? once lit just get the wire brush on the grill. Still going to use this for parties.
As for the Ninja, yes it's just a larger version of the Ninja we have in the kitchen, but love it.

 

[juliant]

I’ve stopped using wood chips when bbq’ing as I don’t think I like the smoked flavour - I’m happy with coals and indirect cooking, I just find the “smoked” taste a bit acrid and nasty.

Maybe it is an acquired taste or maybe I used too much in the past.

What charcoal are you using ? Makes a big difference taste wise. My wife used to moan that everything was tasting smokey until i switched to Green Olive premium and that burns really clean. Dont use cheap supermarket charcoal its made with all sorts. Your paying expensive money for meat dont skimp on the fuel underneath.

Ahhh like a gas blow torch?

Screwfix heat gun circa £20 does the job if you have mains power. But i dont think you are ever going to stop that initial lighting and combustion smoke if honest

 

[Triggaaar]

As per the Amazon thread, I purchased the Ninja Woodfire BBQ. I've had problems and chatted with #Triggaaar as I don't get the smoke taste.
Anyway, had it 5 days and used it 4 times.

Are you still not getting a smoke flavour? Any guesses as to why?

 

[HeaviestTed]

What charcoal are you using ? Makes a big difference taste wise. My wife used to moan that everything was tasting smokey until i switched to Green Olive premium and that burns really clean. Dont use cheap supermarket charcoal its made with all sorts. Your paying expensive money for meat dont skimp on the fuel underneath.

Screwfix heat gun circa £20 does the job if you have mains power. But i dont think you are ever going to stop that initial lighting and combustion smoke if honest

I’ve been using coconut brickettes, think trigar nailed it I was adding wood throughout the cook and that made it acrid

 

[The Mole]

Another Weber user here - I usually braai all year round. Can guess where my influences are from!
I also only use restaurant grade charcoal - a bit more expensive but so much better qualit. I haven’t mastered braaing with wood yet though.

 

[Superphil]

I’ve stopped using wood chips when bbq’ing as I don’t think I like the smoked flavour - I’m happy with coals and indirect cooking, I just find the “smoked” taste a bit acrid and nasty.

Maybe it is an acquired taste or maybe I used too much in the past.

I’ve stopped using wood chips when bbq’ing as I don’t think I like the smoked flavour - I’m happy with coals and indirect cooking, I just find the “smoked” taste a bit acrid and nasty.

Maybe it is an acquired taste or maybe I used too much in the past.

In my experience, and after quite a bit of learning the hard way generally the meat only takes on the smoke flavour at the beginning of the cook. So if you are doing low'n'slow you only need the wood/chips/pellets for the first two or three hours. After then the flavour doesn't really improve, and you are quite possibly overdoing it.

Also, and equally as important, you are looking for thin, blueish whispish smoke, not billowing white/grey smoke. That could also be the cause of the acridness of the taste.

 

[Withdean11]

Got a Tomahawk to cook up tonight.

I'll be reverse searing it using my PitBoss Pellet smoker.

1 hour or so at 225F upto 120F internal then cranking up the heat and searing either side over the flames.

 

[HeaviestTed]

Series 3 of bbq showdown is on Netflix now