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Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#1New Post! May 25, 2019 @ 05:50:33
Okay, here’s an honest effort to get a lighter topic going on the front page for a change. So let’s get it on....and talk grilling! What do you like to grill, or like grilled? Do you use charcoal or gas? Have any techniques, marinade ideas, recipes, pictures?

Whatever you want to talk about on the subject really, it’s Memorial Day weekend, so let’s get the ideas rolling!!!

mrmhead On about 20 hours ago




NE, Ohio
#2New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 13:03:24
I just got a Traeger wood pellet grill.

Made great chicken, ribs and fish so far. Back to ribs for this weekend.
Doing the 3-2-1 thing. Cook low for 3 hrs, Wrapped and bathed for 2 hours, and open and slathered for 1 hour.


Not the traditional attention-needing grilling like I used to do ... which is a good thing.

Pour in the pellets. Plug it in. Set the temp!
chaski On about 8 hours ago
Stalker





Tree at Floydgirrl's Window,
#3New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 15:32:39
I have a Big Green Egg. Uses hardwood charcoal; the real stuff...no briquettes chemical binders, fuel or other crap.

Works great! Lately I've done various fish (salmon, halibut, rockfish, etc), chicken, beef (burgers & steaks), various vegetables (zucchini, potatoes, bok hoy, etc), game hens, sausages... pretty much use it every day except when it is raining.

Marinades are typically olive oil based with some combination of soy, lemon, various garden herbs (from mint to basil, rosemary to oregano). Fish typically gets 20 to 30 minutes of marinade, chicken an hour. Beef gets sea salt and sometimes coarsely ground black pepper... never any marinade, BBQ sauce or other spices. If you get good beef, all you need is salt.

Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#4New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:12:33
@mrmhead Said

I just got a Traeger wood pellet grill.

Made great chicken, ribs and fish so far. Back to ribs for this weekend.
Doing the 3-2-1 thing. Cook low for 3 hrs, Wrapped and bathed for 2 hours, and open and slathered for 1 hour.


Not the traditional attention-needing grilling like I used to do ... which is a good thing.

Pour in the pellets. Plug it in. Set the temp!


Interesting, so it’s basically like smoking meat? Is the temperature the same in all three stages, or do youbturn it up at the end?
Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#5New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:15:17
@chaski Said

I have a Big Green Egg. Uses hardwood charcoal; the real stuff...no briquettes chemical binders, fuel or other crap.

Works great! Lately I've done various fish (salmon, halibut, rockfish, etc), chicken, beef (burgers & steaks), various vegetables (zucchini, potatoes, bok hoy, etc), game hens, sausages... pretty much use it every day except when it is raining.

Marinades are typically olive oil based with some combination of soy, lemon, various garden herbs (from mint to basil, rosemary to oregano). Fish typically gets 20 to 30 minutes of marinade, chicken an hour. Beef gets sea salt and sometimes coarsely ground black pepper... never any marinade, BBQ sauce or other spices. If you get good beef, all you need is salt.



Agree with you on the salt. I do that for steak, along with pepper, and have found that even just basic steak, such as New York or sirloin, is better than filet mignon this way.

I’ve never used hardwood charcoal before. Is there a different way to get it lit and/or keep it hot than briquettes?
mrmhead On about 20 hours ago




NE, Ohio
#6New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:43:40
@Leon Said

Interesting, so it’s basically like smoking meat? Is the temperature the same in all three stages, or do youbturn it up at the end?



It does have a smoker setting too - just below 180.

For "2-1" it's up to 225.

It's like a wood fired convection oven.
No open flame. So no "charred look" for dogs or burgers.

There's a Hopper for the pellets
Then a screw drive to push the pellets into the burner - "Computer Controlled" in conjunction with the fan, electric lighter and thermostat to get the temperature desired.

It also has two meat thermometers to digitally read internal meat temps. They jab into the meat, then wires go out a port into a jack for the "Control Center" to display.

Just started "stage 2"
mrmhead On about 20 hours ago




NE, Ohio
#7New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:46:41
Ditto on that steak stuff!
Minimal seasoning and none of that ketchup stuff!

And also a steak done well is not a steak well done.
Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#8New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:52:08
@mrmhead Said

It does have a smoker setting too - just below 180.

For "2-1" it's up to 225.

It's like a wood fired convection oven.
No open flame. So no "charred look" for dogs or burgers.

There's a Hopper for the pellets
Then a screw drive to push the pellets into the burner - "Computer Controlled" in conjunction with the fan, electric lighter and thermostat to get the temperature desired.

It also has two meat thermometers to digitally read internal meat temps. They jab into the meat, then wires go out a port into a jack for the "Control Center" to display.

Just started "stage 2"


Sounds like a very high tech grill. The Jetsons meet the Flintstones.
Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#9New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:53:39
@mrmhead Said

Ditto on that steak stuff!
Minimal seasoning and none of that ketchup stuff!

And also a steak done well is not a steak well done.


Tell me about it. I get distracted by my 2 year old, and 10 minutes longer than it should be on there results, and makes a huge difference for the worse lol.
chaski On about 8 hours ago
Stalker





Tree at Floydgirrl's Window,
#10New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 16:59:25
@Leon Said

Is there a different way to get it lit and/or keep it hot than briquettes?


Rule #1: Do not use lighter fluids. This will ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #2: Do not use stuff like paper wadded up. This is just excess waste and can also ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #3: Instead use either an electric starter or fire starter nuggets. I use the nuggets.

> Lump charcoal burns cleaner and leave less/fewer ashes and gives a nice smokey flavor. You can add wood chips or even rosemary sprigs to add additional smokey flavor. Note: I'm not a big fan of the smokey rosemary flavor, but some people like it. If I want the rosemary flavor, I just add it to the a marinade or chop it super fine and sprinkle it on directly.

> Lump charcoal burns longer. If your grill can be closed off (air circulation cut off) then the lump charcoal will go out and you can continue to use it multiple times.

Note: There are various kinds of lump charcoal and various "sized" pieces. I like bigger chunks. Smaller chunks light quicker, but burn faster...too fast... seems wasteful to me.

If your grill has adjustable air vents (especially if there are ones at both the top and bottom), you can use the vents to control air flow. With a little practice you can be pretty accurate with temperature. Example: withy big green egg (a Kamado style grill) close the bottom vent about 3/4s closed, and have the top about an inch open and that is 350 degrees...if I open it up all the way top & bottom it will go up to 700 degrees... you just learn to adjust and it become second nature.
Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#11New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 17:07:00
@chaski Said

Rule #1: Do not use lighter fluids. This will ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #2: Do not use stuff like paper wadded up. This is just excess waste and can also ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #3: Instead use either an electric starter or fire starter nuggets. I use the nuggets.

> Lump charcoal burns cleaner and leave less/fewer ashes and gives a nice smokey flavor. You can add wood chips or even rosemary sprigs to add additional smokey flavor. Note: I'm not a big fan of the smokey rosemary flavor, but some people like it. If I want the rosemary flavor, I just add it to the a marinade or chop it super fine and sprinkle it on directly.

> Lump charcoal burns longer. If your grill can be closed off (air circulation cut off) then the lump charcoal will go out and you can continue to use it multiple times.

Note: There are various kinds of lump charcoal and various "sized" pieces. I like bigger chunks. Smaller chunks light quicker, but burn faster...too fast... seems wasteful to me.

If your grill has adjustable air vents (especially if there are ones at both the top and bottom), you can use the vents to control air flow. With a little practice you can be pretty accurate with temperature. Example: withy big green egg (a Kamado style grill) close the bottom vent about 3/4s closed, and have the top about an inch open and that is 350 degrees...if I open it up all the way top & bottom it will go up to 700 degrees... you just learn to adjust and it become second nature.


Interesting. Thanks! And that’s interesting that the more you open it, the hotter it becomes. I would have thought it the other way around since closing it traps heat in. Why is that?
Leon On December 21, 2023




San Diego, California
#12New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 17:08:00
What about vegetables? Do you guys grill vegetables or just stick to the meats? If so, what/how do you grill them?
mrmhead On about 20 hours ago




NE, Ohio
#13New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 17:08:43
@chaski Said

Rule #1: Do not use lighter fluids. This will ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #2: Do not use stuff like paper wadded up. This is just excess waste and can also ruin the smokey flavor.

Rule #3: Instead use either an electric starter or fire starter nuggets. I use the nuggets.


For my "standard charcoal" (Kingsford) I've used a paper towel soaked with cooking oil - usually canola.

Never use those "Easy-Light" coals - makes the food taste like lighter fluid.
mrmhead On about 20 hours ago




NE, Ohio
#14New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 17:10:40
@Leon Said

Interesting. Thanks! And that’s interesting that the more you open it, the hotter it becomes. I would have thought it the other way around since closing it traps heat in. Why is that?


More oxygen - burns better / hotter.

Same idea with the billows for iron forges.
chaski On about 8 hours ago
Stalker





Tree at Floydgirrl's Window,
#15New Post! May 26, 2019 @ 17:12:54
@Leon Said

Interesting. Thanks! And that’s interesting that the more you open it, the hotter it becomes. I would have thought it the other way around since closing it traps heat in. Why is that?



With the vents open top and bottom the air flow is greater so more oxygen thus helping the burn. Think of it a little like the bellows used to stoke the fire... though of course the air flow isn't that strong.

Supposedly the amount of opening in the top vent is like "fine tuning" the temperature, and the bottom for larger adjustments.
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