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8/15/2015 9:55:18 PM

btw I did a reverse sear on a filet recently...absolutely loved how evenly cooked it was throughout

8/16/2015 8:37:34 PM

made some chicken with trader joes rub and some grilled squash for dinner it was slapyamama good

8/16/2015 9:22:56 PM

That Trader Joes rub is solid. At first thought it had too much garlic...but subsequent uses turned out perfect.

8/17/2015 7:20:50 AM

Quote :

"Off at 120 and they end up medium well? Are you tenting with foil and resting for 20 minutes or something? That sounds wild."

No, no tenting. Usually I sear it for a minute on each side, then do indirect cooking for maybe 20 minutes. So I don't think I'm pushing it too far/too shallow because I would think in theory it would all be about the same temp.

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

8/18/2015 1:08:31 PM

Do it the opposite way. Cook indirect first. Bring it up very slowly. Pull it about 20 degrees before your target. Then sear the piss out of it.

8/18/2015 4:17:29 PM

My novice grilling neighbor and my novice grilling self have challenged each other to a grill off with a couple of ~4 lb briskets we have in the freezer from our steer split. I've never done brisket, but I've also got a few small ones I got on sale that I can practice on. I've got a drafty kettle grill that I'm pretty good with, but takes damn near a whole bag of charcoal just for a whole chicken, a very basic vertical charcoal smoker that I've never used and a Weber Q gas grill. I'm almost positive I shouldn't use the gas, but again, I've never messed with brisket at all. I've also got until Halloween to prepare, so help me best my neighbor!

8/18/2015 5:31:18 PM

unless you want to buy another grill/smoker, i suggest you look up something like the ring of fire or other indirect kettle grill setups. figure out how to hold the temps around 250 in it. a 4 lb brisket won't take long.

8/18/2015 6:09:08 PM

What's wrong with the smoker? I was under the impression that I wanted to cook this thing as slow as I possibly could. Also, any thoughts on injections/rubs/marinades?

8/18/2015 8:54:09 PM

because it's probably a crappy brinkmann that won't hold a stable temp

[Edited on August 18, 2015 at 8:58 PM. Reason : but maybe it's a weber smoky mountain, which would be good]

8/18/2015 8:55:04 PM

i always keep it simple with brisket rubs/injections, but i definitely do both. both are available at bbq stores or online commercially, and it just depends on your specific tastes as to what you use.
didn't see your details... is it a whole brisket with the point or is it just the flat? definitely do some trimming of the thick fat and get your rub in between the point and flat if you have a whole one.

here is a video showing basics of trimming... (first one i found on google, but fairly standard)
this is how to trim for a competition cook... be aggressive with the fat - leaving some is ok but the really thick stuff won't render and will prevent a lot of smoke/rub from flavoring the meat. but if it's just for eating don't worry about the shape cuts. get good and deep between the point and the flat and make sure to get rub in there.

8/18/2015 9:52:37 PM

I rub with Plowboy's Bovine Bold or some other homemade rub I can't find the recipe for right now. I inject with a mixture of worcestershire, beef stock, and some spices I can't remember. Neither is all that critical. Traditional Texas brisket is only seasoned with salt and pepper.

8/18/2015 10:17:59 PM

^i've used that... sounds like your injection is very similar to mine. semi-funny story... another competitive bbq guy from another team was shooting the shit with us last year at a competition, and was highly critical of using an injection like that, because he thought it would make it taste "too beefy"... well... i mean it is beef.

8/18/2015 10:45:16 PM

I'm not sure about the cut, I got it wrapped in butcher paper with a bunch of other roasts and steaks and about 90 lbs of ground beef when we did our steer split. I just immediately shrink wrapped all the packages and put em all in the freezer, I didn't even look at em. The smoker is exactly that though, dad bought it new to replace his 30 years old model and never used it, gave it to me. I currently have a whole chicken on it holding steady (so far) at about 220, I'll see how it goes as the day goes on though. I'm pretty sure a char griller akorn is about to be added to my repertoire though, my birthday is coming up and my mom asked me a few questions about grill preferences.

8/23/2015 11:15:19 AM

i am not a fan of low and slow chicken. i cook it at 400 or even 425.

8/23/2015 6:15:03 PM

Where can you find USDA prime in this area?

Also I did make it down to what used to be known as "The Country Store"...it's moved in as part of "The Angier Market." It's a Hispanic market, and has a pretty incredible selection if you're into that sort of thing. Meat-wise, they sell good looking Porterhouses everyday for <$7/pound and their other meat prices also mostly beat grocery stores with similar quality.

[Edited on August 23, 2015 at 10:09 PM. Reason : http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_grill_marks_and_flipping_meat.html]

8/23/2015 10:06:32 PM

^it's tough to find. I've actually seen it at Harris Teeter occasionally in the gold foil. I guess your next best bet would be the Meat House, Fresh Market, or the farmer's market. Steakhouses usually buy up all the prime.

I did a spatchcock chicken this weekend for the first time - it was pretty good. I think I'm going to do it higher temp and not use wood chips (apple) next time - it was a little too smokey for me. I'll report back when I try it that way - right now I like our rotisserie chicken better.

I also did some grilled romaine and smoked some mashed potatoes that were infused with chipotle-gouda cheese.

pics ITT http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=585424&page=25#16260921

[Edited on August 24, 2015 at 10:16 AM. Reason : pics]

8/24/2015 10:13:11 AM

I normally spatchcock mine and grill high too, but it was the only thing I had in the freezer that I could get ready to smoke, and I really wanted to try out the new smoker. I brined it, coated it with olive oil and dry rubbed it with kc masterpiece bbq seasoning, it turned out pretty dang good though. I do see what you mean about that smoker now though, if the akorn falls through I am gonna upgrade to the Weber Smokey mountain

[Edited on August 24, 2015 at 10:25 AM. Reason : a]

8/24/2015 10:21:32 AM

Akorn will do what the WSM will do and more.

8/24/2015 11:20:00 AM

getting my dad a Saber 330 SS infrared grill with a side burner for his birthday. He's been doing grill research for years now and that's what he's finally decided on. they had the original patent for infrared technology and Charbroil, etc. are offshoots of it. the Saber is their top of the line.

https://www.sabergrills.com/product/5003/SABER-SS-330.aspx

pretty excited to try it out. gets over 700 degrees in under 10 minutes. we like to sear the piss out of our steaks but can only really do it inside on cast iron and it smokes up the house too bad so we hope to get a good sear out of this.

Another thing he's looking at is an "oil-less" deep fryer. Anyone have experience with one?

[Edited on September 1, 2015 at 3:30 PM. Reason : .]

9/1/2015 3:29:23 PM

Watched some really nice meat videos on youtube. I am definitely subscribing to some of these guys.

******************************************************
Scott Rea: Master 25-year career traditional English butcher

How to butcher a cow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvIxvs39nBQ

How to butcher a pig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXPmxWEXrRU (watched all of this... I don't even eat pork at all, but I couldn't stop watching! )

How to butcher a deer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn0f5QtSLsI

*******************************************************
T-Roy Cooks

Dry Aged Ribeye vs Wet Aged Ribeye Steak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGggZIgCOLw (shows dry aging process at home, in vacuum sealed plastic, then compares dry aged steak with fresh wet steak)

How-To Dry Age Beef at Home - 42 Day Aged Ribeye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o7GTADAo1g (dry aging at home exposed in the fridge for 6 weeks)

*******************************************************
Cooking with Jack

Reverse Searing Myth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=104sWyAS4vY (cooks two identical steaks - one seared and slow cooked, the other opposite... nice conclusion, I had no idea about reverse searing being superior)

Tips & Tricks #1 - Poor Man's Filet Mignon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RWJEOScToE (cover an inferior steak in lots of salt for 1-2 hours and it becomes a much superior steak)

********************************************************

Questions:

1) Covering the steak with salt draws water out of the steak, thus drying it further. So, how it end up making it more tender or easier to pull apart? Obviously, the salt messes with the protein structure, and I can look it up, just wondering if anybody knows.

2) I don't understand how a piece of meat can be kept in the fridge for 40 days without going bad? Meat from the supermarket comes with a 3-5 day expiration date, and after about 5-6 days it starts to smell quite different and much stronger, and if I ever leave it that long, I have to cook it well to kill all bacterial growth. But there are so many videos showing leaving steak in the fridge exposed for 4-6 weeks. And then they cook it rare. Won't it be full of potentially harmful bacteria by then?

9/2/2015 3:52:01 AM

1) the scientific process is osmosis (the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a semi-permeable membrane into a region of higher solute [moisture] concentration). basically, the salt gets drawn into the meat which not only flavors it but breaks down the protein bonds in the tissue and tenderizes it.

2) the meat you get from the store is probably still covered in shrink wrapping and the moisture promotes bacterial growth and makes them more resistant to colder temperatures. dry aging it exposes any bacteria directly to temperatures that are out of their threshold and kills them. Plus, it's not penetrating beyond the surface, so searing kills off any surface bacteria, leaving the center ok to eat.

I love Alton Brown and this is a great video to watch to learn some nuances you might not have known about cooking steak. One I had never read was to suspend the steak once you take it off the grill using a drying rack or something similar because if you leave it on a plate it degrades your char.

9/2/2015 10:41:25 AM

^his steak episodes are among my favorite. I have a pack of bamboo skewers and i always prop my steak up on those just above the plate when i take it off the grill.

9/2/2015 5:41:38 PM

^ good idea

9/2/2015 5:52:54 PM

Bought a house over the summer and have finally acquired a grill (Weber Performer Premium). Only used it twice so far, but looking forward to making it a lot more frequent occurrence. Specifically trying to learn how to grill bone-in chicken correctly. Hoping to get some good info...

9/2/2015 11:32:54 PM

everyone here will tell you spatchcock is the best way to go.

basically, just cut the spine out of a whole chicken and rub seasoning all over it and grill it butterflied and breast up until it's done. whether to go low and slow or higher temp and fast is a personal preference.

9/8/2015 2:35:04 PM

low and slow is great on chicken if you like the skin to be all rubbery and chewy

9/8/2015 8:28:00 PM

I'm with you there. I prefer chicken cooked at higher temps.

9/9/2015 11:04:19 AM

Got my Akorn a few days ago and I've been playing around with it a little bit. I'm off all week and I've got a Boston butt and a brisket defrosting right now, time to put this sucker to the test

9/9/2015 11:27:00 AM

One thing is for sure about the Akorn. If the food sucks, it definitely isn't the grill's fault.

9/9/2015 6:42:25 PM

I'm in the market for one

9/9/2015 7:54:49 PM

By sucker, I could have very well meant myself. Anyway, the fiancee is off to work, it's a nice cool morning, I'm about to go fire it up and throw the butt on

9/10/2015 6:49:54 AM

is there a consensus on how far ahead of time to salt steaks?

9/10/2015 3:35:35 PM

either right before you throw them on, or 40 minutes prior to grilling, which is a superior method imho. either way, use kosher (sea) salt, not table salt.

[Edited on September 10, 2015 at 3:37 PM. Reason : .]

9/10/2015 3:37:26 PM

The butt turned out amazing, fell right off the bone. However, my eastern nc bbq sauce needs some work...

[Edited on September 11, 2015 at 11:26 AM. Reason : photo]

[Edited on September 11, 2015 at 11:27 AM. Reason : screw it. pics are in my gallery]

9/11/2015 11:22:17 AM

^^ kosher salt and sea salt are two different things. Kosher salt is all you need/want in the kitchen.

Once you cast iron skillet a steak (Alton Brown method) you'll never grill one again.

Same for chicken. Butterfly it, pack skin with butter, spices, etc, cook it on a rack at 450F in the oven over a pan of wedged potatos. Pretty. Damn. Good.

9/11/2015 11:29:23 AM

I cook my steaks at 225 on the egg until they reach about 110-115 - when they hit 90 I fire up the gas grill as high as it goes with a cast iron pan on the grate with just enough olive oil in the bottom to coat it - then transfer the steaks over to the pan to finish them until they hit the temp I'm after - flipping every minute or so - if the steaks are thick enough on their sides as well

9/11/2015 11:47:21 AM

^^I agree. You get such a better sear on cast iron. Can't wait to try my dad's new infrared Saber when it comes in though.

9/11/2015 11:53:40 AM

Test number 2: brisket is on and holding steady at 225. This grill is amazing. Also, if anybody is near Raeford, I've got entirely too much grilled meat

9/11/2015 3:05:46 PM

Definitely a fan of Alton Brown's cast iron pan steak methodology, but it's a bit difficult to get things hot enough for a good sear without creating an absolute shit-ton of smoke, and my kitchen is sadly lacking an exhaust fan, which means I smoke out the dining room and living room. I may have to try that chimney method--seems quite interesting.

9/11/2015 9:11:35 PM

^ same...been doing the cast iron on the grill lately

9/11/2015 9:29:10 PM

I would like to do this one day

whole cow de-skinned, disemboweled, and quartered, in 15 minutes

https://www.facebook.com/solovideo/videos/706247096178926/

9/12/2015 3:48:47 AM

These Thermapens have pretty much changed the way I cook / grill over the last couple of years. Totally worth the money. Get the backlit version if you plan to use it for grilling at night.

9/13/2015 1:33:14 AM

These?

How many did you buy?

9/13/2015 1:44:02 AM

they have a new version now that uses AAA or AA batteries (i don't remember which) instead of the goofy watch battery that no one keeps around. they made a few other improvements, too.

9/13/2015 9:52:32 AM

Quote :

"Definitely a fan of Alton Brown's cast iron pan steak methodology, but it's a bit difficult to get things hot enough for a good sear without creating an absolute shit-ton of smoke, and my kitchen is sadly lacking an exhaust fan, which means I smoke out the dining room and living room. I may have to try that chimney method--seems quite interesting."

try taking the skillet outside and get a high btu propane burner. you can use the one that comes with a turkey deep frying set (and brew beer in the pot too) but that should get the temperatures you need without smoking up the house. putting it on the grill doesn't work well. I've also tried induction cooktops outside and they don't do as well as electric coil or gas ranges.

9/14/2015 10:46:44 AM

Did a make your own pizza night tonight with the neighbors. I made the dough and shaped it and let everyone top it how they wanted, I had a bar of sorts set up and then grilled them all on the pizza stone. Definitely a hit, and there wasn't a bad pizza in the bunch

9/18/2015 11:50:26 PM

making dough sucks. we just buy it from a new york style pizza joint near where my wife works. just as good and way easier.

9/19/2015 9:02:36 PM

Making the dough is easy as shit, especially if you've got a stand mixer. It takes me 5 minutes to make it, then a few hours to rise and you can keep it in the fridge for damn near a month

9/20/2015 3:54:56 PM

getting pizzas perfect is definitely an art. I thought it would be simple but getting a perfect circular shape where the dough is evenly distributed is tough to do (unless you roll out small pies). even getting deep dish to cover the edge of a skillet was tough

9/21/2015 1:33:45 PM