Official CCS Grillmasters thread

[hebs]

Smoking meat with indirect heat coming from a firebox reminds me a bit of driving a boat.... you have to get used to there being a lag between you doing something to change course and the course actually changing, and as such you have to be more precise about the adjustments you make.

If your temp drops and you add coal and/or wood and the cooking chamber temp spikes, it might stay up there for 20-30 minutes unless you go open the cooking chamber up.

Other side is if your temp drops and you add coal/wood it sometimes takes 5-10 mins for it to begin burning and give you a true read on how much consistent heat your current amount of fuel is going to give you.

I've gotten alot better at managing it in my offset smoker with firebox, but it is a challenge.

Yeah... yer a better man than me for using that offset smoker. lol. It was just too inconsistent for my liking so I never tried it enough to get good with it. I gave that grill away because of it. lol

Even without using the cyberq, I can set the BGE’s temp and it will hold it within a couple degrees for hours. When using the cyberq, I can maintain 250 for 25hrs straight without having to add any additional charcoal.

 

[Ares]

Yeah... yer a better man than me for using that offset smoker. lol. It was just too inconsistent for my liking so I never tried it enough to get good with it. I gave that grill away because of it. lol

Even without using the cyberq, I can set the BGE’s temp and it will hold it within a couple degrees for hours. When using the cyberq, I can maintain 250 for 25hrs straight without having to add any additional charcoal.

No judgement here @hebs ... I completely get it.

I've looked at the pellet smokers and such, thinking about being able to start a cook and set it/forget it while I sleep.

I might grab one someday, but right now it is a hobby for me.... it is challenging, but somehow I enjoy the food at the end more when I've spent hours doting over it.

Especially when I've done brisket, as I've said I stay up all night with it.... it is a different experience, and really feels good when I spend 16-18 hours on something and not only do I enjoy it, but my friends/family rave about how good it is.

At least right now, I like the challenge.... someday I'm sure I will consider giving it up for the convenience of something that can largely handle the temperature for me automatically.

 

[Burque]

Smoking meat with indirect heat coming from a firebox reminds me a bit of driving a boat.... you have to get used to there being a lag between you doing something to change course and the course actually changing, and as such you have to be more precise about the adjustments you make.

If your temp drops and you add coal and/or wood and the cooking chamber temp spikes, it might stay up there for 20-30 minutes unless you go open the cooking chamber up.

Other side is if your temp drops and you add coal/wood it sometimes takes 5-10 mins for it to begin burning and give you a true read on how much consistent heat your current amount of fuel is going to give you.

I've gotten alot better at managing it in my offset smoker with firebox, but it is a challenge.

I know one thing, if I didn't have a pellet smoker I wouldn't smoke food. I had a buddy that had to tend the fire all night and that just sounds like far too much of a PITA.

 

[Ares]

I know one thing, if I didn't have a pellet smoker I wouldn't smoke food. I had a buddy that had to tend the fire all night and that just sounds like far too much of a PITA.

It puts love into the meat....

That sounded less creepy before I typed it

 

[Crystallas]

Met someone with a stock of old Ball Shepherd original grills needing refurbishing. Aside from taking up a lot of space, I'm really toying with doing up some one these projects and flipping them. Maybe even keeping one if they work.

I seen these before in back yards when I was a kid, but never knew what they were. Any of you oldtime BBQ nerds have any legit info on these that isn't just typical stuff any person could find off a web-search?

 

[hebs]

No judgement here @hebs ... I completely get it.

I've looked at the pellet smokers and such, thinking about being able to start a cook and set it/forget it while I sleep.

I might grab one someday, but right now it is a hobby for me.... it is challenging, but somehow I enjoy the food at the end more when I've spent hours doting over it.

Especially when I've done brisket, as I've said I stay up all night with it.... it is a different experience, and really feels good when I spend 16-18 hours on something and not only do I enjoy it, but my friends/family rave about how good it is.

At least right now, I like the challenge.... someday I'm sure I will consider giving it up for the convenience of something that can largely handle the temperature for me automatically.

I can definitely appreciate the challenge aspect. I get that same feeling with the BGE depending on what/how I'm cooking. Pellet smokers eliminate almost every single challenge. They're great for folks who just want to home cook "smoked" meat.

The BGE is almost as simple. The butt I smoked on Thursday to Friday turned out great. I put it on around 10pm, woke up around 7am and wrapped it in foil and then took it off around 5:30pm. (after I had to bump up the cooker to 275 for the last couple hrs to push the meat to 200) I even left the house for about 4 hours on Friday to get some last minute camping supplies for our weekend kayaking trip.

 

[modo]

I need someone's best brisket recipe....I have been experimenting and I'd like to see what other have done.

I have a pellet grill to cook on and I can pretty much keep it constant at any temp I want.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Maybe this has been covered, but I'm not going through 48 pages. What is everyone's current grill set up?

I bought my Weber Q 3200 when I graduated college 6 years ago. Been a fantastic grill for me, but looking to upgrade. Need something bigger now that I don't plan on moving again for awhile. Looking at the Weber Genesis II S-435. Anyone got one? I also might get one of the Original Weber Charcoal grills just to have a charcoal grill lol.

 

[modo]

Maybe this has been covered, but I'm not going through 48 pages. What is everyone's current grill set up?

I bought my Weber Q 3200 when I graduated college 6 years ago. Been a fantastic grill for me, but looking to upgrade. Need something bigger now that I don't plan on moving again for awhile. Looking at the Weber Genesis II S-435. Anyone got one? I also might get one of the Original Weber Charcoal grills just to have a charcoal grill lol.

I have a pitboss 1000 pellet grill, a simple weber charcoal grill, and a masterbuilt pro smoker....

I don't really do gas anymore

 

[Ares]

I need someone's best brisket recipe....I have been experimenting and I'd like to see what other have done.

I have a pellet grill to cook on and I can pretty much keep it constant at any temp I want.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/smoked-brisket-texas-style

I follow this guy's recipes as far as the cook goes, but often I buy/use other rubs or sauces.

His "recipes" tend to be very in-depth and force you to learn about the meat cuts and begin from buying/storing the meat, to prepping/rubbing/brining/injecting the meat to cooking/wrapping the meat, all the way to slicing/serving/storing leftovers.

I do the beef broth injections for a big brisket as he says, and I buy mine at least a week in advance in the vac-seal as he says competition cooks usually do.

I use Sucklebuster's Texas beef brisket rub, and I buy some of their sauce as well, although I have so many sauces people pick w/e they want to use.

He discusses how people can, and do cook brisket higher to get it done faster and claim it comes out just as good, but I've done all of mine low and slow, 225-250... I try to keep it under 280 even when it flares up hotter.

A cook for a 17-22lb brisket for me usually takes 16-18 hrs.

 

[modo]

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/smoked-brisket-texas-style

I follow this guy's recipes as far as the cook goes, but often I buy/use other rubs or sauces.

His "recipes" tend to be very in-depth and force you to learn about the meat cuts and begin from buying/storing the meat, to prepping/rubbing/brining/injecting the meat to cooking/wrapping the meat, all the way to slicing/serving/storing leftovers.

I do the beef broth injections for a big brisket as he says, and I buy mine at least a week in advance in the vac-seal as he says competition cooks usually do.

I use Sucklebuster's Texas beef brisket rub, and I buy some of their sauce as well, although I have so many sauces people pick w/e they want to use.

He discusses how people can, and do cook brisket higher to get it done faster and claim it comes out just as good, but I've done all of mine low and slow, 225-250... I try to keep it under 280 even when it flares up hotter.

A cook for a 17-22lb brisket for me usually takes 16-18 hrs.

this looks good, thanks. I will give it a shot

 

[Ares]

Maybe this has been covered, but I'm not going through 48 pages. What is everyone's current grill set up?

I bought my Weber Q 3200 when I graduated college 6 years ago. Been a fantastic grill for me, but looking to upgrade. Need something bigger now that I don't plan on moving again for awhile. Looking at the Weber Genesis II S-435. Anyone got one? I also might get one of the Original Weber Charcoal grills just to have a charcoal grill lol.

Gas grill/burner on the right... I use the burner for my charcoal chimney, fits right over the burner perfectly.

Charcoal grill/firebox on the left... you can charcoal direct heat if you like, but I only ever really burn coal in the firebox for indirect heat smoking.

I like it, but there are a few times a year when I wish I had a dedicated smoker with a larger cooking chamber.

I can fit 3 racks of ribs at most in there on the grates, unless I buy something to get them vertical.

I can fit 1 brisket comfortably with 1 pork butt...

Or I could probably fit 3-4 pork butts depending on size, but they are easier because they take up less surface area.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Gas grill/burner on the right... I use the burner for my charcoal chimney, fits right over the burner perfectly.

Charcoal grill/firebox on the left... you can charcoal direct heat if you like, but I only ever really burn coal in the firebox for indirect heat smoking.

I like it, but there are a few times a year when I wish I had a dedicated smoker with a larger cooking chamber.

I can fit 3 racks of ribs at most in there on the grates, unless I buy something to get them vertical.

I can fit 1 brisket comfortably with 1 pork butt...

Or I could probably fit 3-4 pork butts depending on size, but they are easier because they take up less surface area.

I like that. Exactly what I'm looking for. I like the gas option for during the week when I'm doing brats/burgers/chicken/steak, but want an option for charcoal to do ribs on and longer cooks. Thanks

 

[modo]

You don't need a gas grill for quick burger....get a chimney starter. It will heat up your charcoal in a matter of minutes...

 

[Hawkeye OG]

You don't need a gas grill for quick burger....get a chimney starter. It will heat up your charcoal in a matter of minutes...

Yes, thank you for your obvious statement.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I have the same type of set up as Ares, though the orientation is reversed (gas on the left, charcoal stuff on the right). Works great for my purposes.

The side burner is great for lighting a chimney starter, use that a bunch for smoking meats and whatnot.

 

[Ares]

Yes, thank you for your obvious statement.

Careful, or Urblock will come in here and doom your loins

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Careful, or Urblock will come in here and doom your loins

Eat shit and die. Hope you never have kids.

*drinks Jose*
*pets dog*
*mauled by cat*

Still friends?

 

[Burque]

I use a Traeger for my smoking needs and a small propane grill for the steaks burgers and things of that nature.

 

[brett05]

My local butcher had whole angus brisket for $3.99 a pound, wagyu for $8.99 a pound. Does a brisket need that high of quality and if so, is that good pricing? (made one VERY bad brisket many eons ago)