Philadelphia BBQ

Tools of the Trade: Smokenator 1000

2010-03-29T07:43:00.012-04:00

The 22.5" Weber kettle is a very versatile piece of charcoal grilling equipment. When outfitted with the hinged grate, a water pan and either the charcoal rails or baskets, it can easily be pressed into duty as a smoker. Unfortunately, even with this additional equipment the space is somewhat limited. A few racks of babyback ribs barely fit, and adding anything beyond that is difficult without placing your food over the direct heat. Adding additional fuel is a delicate science, over the course of a 6 hour smoke you need to add additional coals a few times to keep the temperature up, but adding too much can cause a temperature spike that can have catastrophic results.

Enter the Smokenator 1000- a revolutionary device that converts the Weber kettle into a virtual offset fire box smoker. Not only does it keep the temperatures under control, but it opens up an entirely new area for additional food while smoking. By putting all the fuel along a 6.2" section of the side of the kettle, the rest of the charcoal grate can be used to cook some seriously large items- a whole turkey can fit in there, or even a few more racks of ribs. With the optional hovergrill, you can even exceed the cooking area of a Weber Smokey Mountain.

By stacking unlit briquets in the fuel chamber, then adding lit coals on top, the Smokenator allows you to perform a smaller version of the Minion Method, by keeping the lower vents mostly closed you can control how quickly the coals light, allowing a cooking time of up to 6 hours at 225 degrees without adding additional fuel.

Several configurations are available for purchase. The basic kit includes the Smokenator unit, steam pan, skewer (for stirring coals within the fuel chamber) and instructions for $55.95 before shipping. For $12 more you can add the Hovergrill, which places an additional layer of food 2" above the normal cooking surface. Additionally, a Taylor 5911n thermometer to monitor the chamber temperature is available as a $9 add-on to either kit.

The instruction manual (which I have managed to misplace) is very well written, and includes instructions on how to set up the initial load of fuel as well as making sure the vents are adjusted correctly. One unexpected addition was the creator's cellphone number for tech support. You don't see many people willing to give that kind of personal support to their customers these days.

How well does it work? Would you believe exactly as advertised? I opted for the complete kit including the Hovergrill and Taylor thermometer. For the first use I followed the instructions for the initial load of 60 briquets, carefully stacking the unlit coals inside the chamber and adding the specified amount of lit ones on top. Within a few minutes the coals were ready and the ribs (3 racks of babybacks) were added as well as some applewood chunks and chips. The temperature stabilized at 225 degrees within about 15 minutes and stayed reasonably steady through the entire cooking process with only minor agitation using the supplied skewer. Water was added to the unit twice throughout the cooking process. The water not only dampened temperature spikes, but kept much needed moisture in the chamber during smoking. Next time I use it I'll try a lot more food, I never expected it to be quite as easy as it was to maintain the temperature.

For the money, I don't know if there is a better addition to the Weber 22.5" kettles for smoking, and for 2010 there is a new version for the lucky few with the 26.5" One Touch Kettle.

Give the Smokenator a try, you'll be pleased with the results. I can't wait to use mine again.

Tools of the Trade: Maverick ET-73 Smoker Thermometer

2010-01-10T23:19:00.011-05:00

When you're using a smoker, one of the most difficult things to do is keep track of temperature. Not only do you have to worry about the chamber temperature, but you also have to worry about the internal temperature of whatever you're cooking. Lifting the lid to check on that is only going to make the cook time longer, as well as letting out all the smoke... not to mention the fact that you have to go outside to do it.

All these things seem like petty things to worry about when you're making delicious food, but when you're cooking something for 8 hours or more, you'd be happy to have something that would make your life a little easier.

To this day, I haven't found a better solution than the Maverick Smoker Thermometer. Not only does it monitor both temperatures, but it does it from inside your house with its remote receiver. I love to constantly monitor those long smokes, and this gives me the ability to do it without having to constantly hover over the smoker, which is a great thing indeed.

The waterproof remote transmitter has two probes, one that mounts to the cooking grate (with a supplied bracket) to monitor chamber temperature, and another food probe that is inserted into the meat. Last year I smoked a brisket for about 12 hours in a rainstorm with 20mph winds. This was for a competition or I would have avoided cooking on this day entirely. Although it sounds annoying, I was inside for the vast majority of the time and only had to go out to make some minor adjustments and add fuel very occasionally. It really made the experience a lot more tolerable. Even going outside every half hour to check my temps would have been a huge ordeal.

I'm not sure what the maximum range is, but it had no trouble making it the 60 feet into my apartment with fresh AAA batteries (supplied!), and the fact that the transmitter even has a cycling display was a big bonus. That way the receiver can live inside the kitchen, and when I walk by the smoker on the way to do something else I can check up on the progress without having to be near the other unit.

A small transmitter icon on the receiver lets you know if you're out of range, and the temperature of the meat probe seems reasonably accurate (within 3 degrees of my instant read). Setup is a breeze, just turn the transmitter on first and then the receiver to synchronize them. The entire system retails for under $40 from most places, and is available at Fred's Music and BBQ Supply locally, as well as Amazon and other online retailers. Remember, if you're lookin', you aint cookin'.

Recipe: Seasoned Grill Fries with Dip

2009-08-29T22:45:00.006-04:00

This incredibly simple yet versatile recipe requires a little bit of inside preparation before cooking, but is well worth it in the end.

Required:

3-6 large russet potatoes of roughly similar size
olive oil, preferably in a pump sprayer bottle
salt and pepper, any additional seasonings you like
2 cups of sour cream
1 cup BBQ sauce (you can guess which kind I prefer)

Take the potatoes and clean them under running water with a stiff bristled brush to get all the stuff off the skin. These used to live in the ground, remember?

Put them all in a large stock pot and fill with cold tap water to about 1" above the line of the potatoes. Put on stove over high heat until boiling; pot can be covered to speed up the process, but remember to remove the lid once the boiling starts unless you really enjoy cleaning your stovetop.

Allow potatoes to boil in the water for around 15 minutes and then remove from heat and drain. Let them cool for around 10 minutes to make them easier to cut without smashing. Boiling them first allows the outer parts of the potato to partially cook through, leaving the remaining inner sections (the ones that will be thinner once you cut them into wedges) to be cooked on the grill. If you boil them the right amount you'll see a line when the potato is cut in half where the very center section is still completely uncooked.

Once cool, cut potatoes into wedges using a sharp knife; I usually get 12 wedges per potato by quartering the potato first then cutting three wedges out of each quarter. For really large potatoes you might want to cut each quarter into 4. I'll leave it up to you, but don't call me in the middle for help.

Arrange the wedges skin side down on some type of large platter or cooking sheet and spray or brush lightly with olive oil.

Season the potatoes with spices you like and that go well with the food you're cooking. I always start with salt and pepper, but use things like ancho chili powder and dried cilantro flakes to give them extra flavor. You could always used a prepared spice blend as well, such as lemon pepper, cajun seasoning or even Old Bay. Make sure you get a good coating of stuff on them, as some of it is going to fall off while you're grilling. If you're putting them on the grill an you notice a side that looks a little light on the seasoning, you can always rub the potato in the residual oil and spices left on the platter that didn't land on potatoes the first time around.

Make sure your grilling surface is cleaned off; oil or non stick spray is usually not necessary. These are best cooked over indirect heat with the lid on, but can be flipped over the coals to really crisp them up if you like. When they're cooking at the right temperature they'll make a whistling noise as they cook. You'll know they're done when the outer part of the potato is a medium brown and starts to bubble up a little.

Mix the two cups of sour cream with about a cup of BBQ sauce for a delicious dip. Make sure you keep this in sight however, or you'll spot people putting it on their burgers before the fries are even done.

Feel free to experiment with different seasoning and dip combinations; I've probably made these a few dozen times and they've always been delicious. Ranch dressing with a bit of hot sauce is always a great combination as well.

Give them a shot, I'm sure you'll make them again and again.

Recipe: Grilled Thai Chili Glazed Chicken

2009-08-29T15:39:00.022-04:00

I was sitting for about ten minutes in the produce section of the supermarket trying to figure out what I wanted for dinner, but wanted to use up some of the stuff I had in the house before buying a ton of fresh ingredients. I ended up walking out with three limes, a fresh ginger root and a clove of garlic for the modest price of $2.49 American. Ginger and garlic are included in a lot of the asian cooking I do, so I knew I was off to a good start.

I started by dicing up some of the garlic and ginger and toasting them in a little oil. I usually season the oil this way when I cook with a wok, but haven't really tried it as the beginning of a glaze before. Once my kitchen smelled like a Chinese restaurant, I added the juice of two limes and the zest of one. Then 2 cups of honey and 2 Tbsp of Sriracha chili sauce got dumped into the pot. I continued to simmer this mixture for a few minutes to allow it to reduce slightly, then removed it from the heat to allow it to cool off before I had to cook with it. Once cooled, the glaze will be much thicker and stick to the chicken on the grill more easily than at a warmer temperature.

I seasoned three boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and dried cilantro flakes and went outside to get the grill set up. I used about 3/4 of a chimney starter all on one side of the grill so I could do higher heat indirect grilling; once the chicken started to firm up, I brushed the glaze on every few minutes, flipping them over every other time. The glaze stuck well, and many of the garlic and ginger pieces were stuck to the outside of the chicken for a good long time allowing it to soak up the flavor as it cooked.

As you can see in the picture, the glaze stuck to the grill grates as well; the excess that dripped down into the bottom of the grill actually solidified and stuck my lower vent to the inside of the bowl. Once a fresh batch of coals were dropped in the next day it freed up again as the honey warmed up.

Before going outside I set up my steamer to cook some sushi rice to go with the chicken, but ran out of time for a vegetable. Oh well, something to remember for next time.

After plating the chicken I put little drips of Sriracha all over, and piled the rice up to the side. The honey, lime and chili flavors work well together, I can't wait to make this again. Never be afraid of fresh ginger, no matter how ugly it looks.

Sometimes the best recipes are the ones you make up as you go along...

Tools of the Trade: Eastman Outdoors ZaGrill Pizza Cooker

2009-08-29T14:39:00.008-04:00

Look, everyone loves pizza. I've been making them at home for a quite a few years now on a pizza stone in the oven, but have fallen in love with making them on the grill a little more recently. Pizzas can be cooked directly on the grill grates, but the higher temperature can lead to burned spots in places or dough that is not cooked all the way through depending on the type of dough you use.

We recently got a ZaGrill Pizza Cooker from Eastman Outdoors; this ingenious little product has a double heat shield in the base to keep temperatures more consistent on the bottom of the crust. The nonstick cooking pan is removable, which makes taking the pizza on or off the grill a snap. It won a Vesta award in 2005 for its design as well.

First we get the coals ready to maintain a temperature around 450 degrees, spread out evenly over the charcoal grate. Once we're in the correct range, the ZaGrill base is put on the grates to get up to temperature.

My girlfriend Sarah is an artist at rolling out pizza dough in a round shape of uniform thickness, so while I was outside playing caveman she was inside getting the dough ready. We used Trader Joe's refrigerated pizza dough for this pizza, rather than making our own; this dough is very consistent and we've used it quite a few times in the past, so we knew what to expect. At less than a buck for a bag of dough, the price and quality are hard to beat. They also make a garlic/herb version as well as whole wheat if you'd like something a little different. Flour was spread across the butcher block to keep the dough from sticking and rolled out into a 12" circle to fit on the cooking pan.

It is important to poke several air holes in the center section of the dough to keep it from puffing up and making a dough-dome when it starts to bake. We also brush a light coating of olive oil on the outer rim of the crust with basting brush. Then we liberally sprinkle on basil flakes and ground italian seasoning, as well as a layer of fresh romano cheese. I'm not a huge fan of most pizza crusts, but I've never left a scrap of one after we've made it this way.

Place the pizza on the cooking pan and onto the ZaGrill base in the grill with your temp around 450 degrees. Put the lid on and cook until the outer crust begins to brown slightly, but not to the point of the center section looking cooked; this usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove the entire pan from the grill and place on a clean heat safe surface, keeping in mind that the crust is exposed below the pan slightly through the air holes.

Now that you don't have to worry about the crust moving around on you, add your toppings. We used Trader Joe's pizza sauce for this as well, since we were already there buying dough; its a little on the bland side, so we added more seasonings to it after spreading it on the crust with a smooth bottomed 1 cup measuring cup.

Next we added the cheese and toppings; we went with grated low moisture mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and asiago with sliced pepperoni and green peppers. We like to layer the cheese in with the toppings, so it all sticks together and the flavors mix together while the pizza cooks. The instructions included with the pizza cooker tell you to cook it at 475 degrees for 25 minutes, but the initial test I did like that ended up with scorched cheese and an over crisped crust, so we went with less time and temperature this time around.

After about 15 minutes at 450 degrees, we started checking the pizza every two minutes or so. The smell was phenomenal, and the hardwood charcoal we used added a little bit of aroma and flavor you wouldn't get from cooking with an indoor oven.

The pizza came off the grill at right around the 20 minute mark and was given a few minutes of rest on a pizza stone (didn't want to use a wheel cutter on the nonstick surface) before cutting into it. Its life was very short after it was sectioned into slices. The crust was just about perfect, slightly crispy without being burned; a lot more evenly browned than I expected it to be. The flavors of the toppings got along with each other very well as would be expected, and the 5 different cheeses added an interesting depth of flavor. The crust was amazing with the added herbs and sharp taste of the romano; if you haven't tried this on homemade pizza you might want to give it a shot. Even the Philly pizza fanatics over at Pizza is Delicious would approve.

The ZaGrill Pizza Cooker is useful for cooking refrigerated and frozen pre-made pizzas as well as rolled dough of any type. The included instructions are most likely for the frozen variety due to the higher heat and longer duration it would take to bring these up to temperature, although it isn't noted. It is also important to mention that at the low cost of $19.95 shipped on Amazon.com, you could easily use a couple simultaneously if you had a large enough grill to accommodate them.

The removable pan is also useful for grilling vegetables or smaller items that would normally fall through the grates, but don't tell Nick you used it for that.

Eastman Outdoors also specializes in tons of outdoor grilling and frying equipment, you might want to check out their entire product range; its all top quality stuff.

Look for more grilled pizza recipes here in the future, we're going to keep this going.

Tonight's Dinner

2009-08-26T22:01:00.009-04:00

It's hot so let's keep it simple.

Yellow, orange and red heirlooms dressed with some simple olive oil and vinegar and a few sprinkles of Locatelli Romano.

Boneless pork loin chops. Pork chops are one of my favorites and when they're on sale, I stock up. Salt and cracked pepper are all you need.

On the plate.

That's it. Simple and ready in no time.

Tools of the Trade: Maverick OT-03BBQ Digital Grill Thermometer

2009-08-18T22:09:00.005-04:00

Let me start by saying that for the money, this is a VERY impressive thermometer. I'm not going to go all infomercial on you by describing all of its features and benefits and then asking you "how much would you pay?" or anything, so I'll come right out and say it. $24.99 is all this thing costs. Maverick did an amazing job with the design of this unit, and I'd gladly pay $40 for one now that I've used it.

I've used digital thermometers in the past to measure the internal temperature of something I was cooking, but never one that gave me the air temperature in the cooking chamber of the grill. For this I've tried bi-metal candy/fryer thermometers stuck in the vents, standard off-the-shelf oven thermometers and the venerable Outset F810 (which since writing my previous review got stuck at 300F and has gone to glory) on the surface of the grill; while these are all inexpensive solutions, none of them are really ideal. With any dial type thermometer on the grill surface you have to lift the lid to check your temp, which gives your coals additional oxygen, making it even harder to keep the temp regulated. The thermometer in the vent is good for some things, but the tip never gets near the grill surface (dome temp and grill surface temperature can vary by 30 or more degrees) and can bang into your food when you put the lid on. Additionally, you can't close the lid vent all the way to cool the coals down and still monitor your temperature.

While this Maverick BBQ thermometer is their entry level product for this application, don't let the low price fool you. This thing is packed with features, and all of them are very well thought out and easy to use. The first time I used it, I didn't even look at the instructions. I'm not saying this to impress you with my dazzling ability to figure things out, but to give you an idea of how intuitive the design really is; anyone can read the instructions and use something the first time, but what will happen if they don't use it for a year and can't find the instructions again?

Included in the package is a probe with a metal clip that holds it to the underside of the cooking grate, the thermometer unit and a stand. The stand stays clipped to the back of the thermometer when you aren't using it to keep it from wandering off; in this position it can also be used to hang the unit on a wall. On the back of the body of the thermometer are a pair of magnets that can be used to stick it to any nearby metallic object. I wouldn't think it would be wise to stick it to the outside of your grill when it was in use, but you could also use this model as an oven thermometer.

The real beauty of the design is that not only does it display the temperature inside your grill, but it allows you to set a target temperature; if you go more than 15 degrees above or below an audible alarm goes off to let you know your grill needs attention; since it goes on average temperature over a 10 second span, the displayed temperature isn't shooting all over the place making it harder to read quickly. When you are close to your target temperature the display will read "optimal" to let you know you're making the right choices. The Start/Stop button on the top of the thermometer can be used to temporarily silence the alarm, I'm a big fan of the placement of this button as you can easily hit it without removing your gloves. If the beeping gets to be too obnoxious while you're shuffling your food around with the lid open you can always switch the alarm off. The display is huge and very easy to read from a distance, which is certainly a plus.

The folks at Maverick didn't stop there; they added a timer so you can keep track of how long you've had the food on, or put it in count down mode so an alarm goes off once time has expired.

The probe is built to withstand temperature spikes up to 700 degrees, but the manual recommends that you not exceed 482 degrees for more than 4 hours as the braided stainless probe wire might deteriorate; placing the probe close to the edge of your cooking grate away from direct heat should keep it well below that unless you're trying to use your grill as a blast furnace.

This is a great device to help you learn the basics of temperature control as well; I sat next to the grill and maintained 350 degrees for around a half hour in an empty grill with very little effort. In fact, I was seated most of the time enjoying a beer, not hopping up to check the dial. I can't wait to try it out on a much longer smoke in the very near future.

This thermometer can be purchased semi-locally at Fred's Music and BBQ Supply in Shillington PA (just outside Reading) as well as on Amazon for a few dollars more.

Go grab one- pick up a couple racks of ribs while you're out to save yourself a trip later!

Tools of the Trade: 5 low-cost accessories for your Weber One Touch kettle

2009-08-13T16:32:00.001-04:00

Since many of you already have a Weber, I wanted to put up some info on some "cheap upgrades" for your grill, just in case you didn't already have them. A few of them have different versions, and I'll show the variations so you know which one will work best for what you want to do. These products are all made by Weber, so a perfect fit is guaranteed.

Grill Cover- This bad boy can really keep the grill looking fresh for years, but keep in mind that these come in both standard and premium versions. The gray standard version is low cost (under $10 most places) and is great for keeping dust off the grill if you have it stored under an overhang or in a shed, but isn't really well suited to protecting the grill from the elements for long, especially in the winter. I call this the "one year cover" as that's about as long as they seem to last without tearing. The premium black version costs about twice as much, but lasts years longer. Keep in mind that although it seems like common sense, no cover is going to last very long if you put it back on a hot grill.
Tool Holder- Unless you have a table right next to the grill, you're going to want a place to put your utensils when you aren't using them. Most propane grills have some utensil hooks built in (and often one or more work tables), but no such luck on their round charcoal counterparts. The good news for you is that this gem of an accessory costs less than $5, and clips right onto the rim of the grill. They make a polished stainless version as well for about twice as much; while it looks a little classier, it has one less hook. Both work on the 18.5" and 22.5" models. For the money, this might be one of the biggest time saving additions you could get.
Charcoal Rails or Baskets- When setting up the grill for indirect cooking, these little guys keep the coals where you put them; the center section stays at a moderate temperature to keep your food from burning to a crisp before it has a chance to cook through. You could do without them, but for between $9 for the rails and $18 for the baskets, why would you? The baskets are designed to work only with the 22.5" models, but I prefer the rails as they can be clipped more towards the center to give you larger hot zones if you need them. These work perfectly with a hinged grate, as they can be positioned directly below the hinge for drop in convenience.
Side Work Table- This one is a really great idea. I move my grill a lot, so I haven't purchased one yet, but when it stops getting tossed in the back of the car all the time this will be one of the first things I buy. The earlier versions were made of wood and clipped to the rim and one of the legs, but the new ones are made of high temp plastic. The newer version seems like it would be a little more stable since it has legs that touch the ground, and it also includes three tool hooks. If you are planning on getting one of these they do make a cover that accommodates the table so you don't have to remove it every time.
Rapidfire Chimney Starter- I know we sound like a broken record at this point, but if you only take home one accessory with your new grill, this should be it. Works with all types of charcoal, and lights it quick and easy with no lighter fluid. They last for years if you don't leave them outside. Can be had for under $15 if you get one at Home Depot or Lowes when you're picking up your lumber and sheet rock screws. Grab the newspaper off your neighbor's front porch and light up your coals, you'll be cooking before you know it.

One of the big advantages to the Weber One Touch grill series is the ability to control the temperature with the top and bottom vents; the unfortunate part is that the grill doesn't come with any type of thermometer to monitor your progress. Many people go through years of owning a kettle thinking that closing the vent in the top will hold the heat in and increase the temperature when the opposite is actually true. More airflow from the vents means more oxygen for the burning coals, and the temp can go up rather quickly when airflow is increased. Soon we will be writing several articles on temperature control, and even a few product reviews to give you an idea of what's out there.

Grilled Vegetables

2009-08-10T22:51:00.012-04:00

After sampling some grilled zucchini at The Taproom, I've been meaning to recreate them on my own. Back home, my mom would throw any vegetable you could think of on the grill and I definitely owe my love of grilled veggies to her. Seared flesh, whether vegetable or animal, is never unwelcome on my grates.

During the work week, I won't get home til about 7 o'clock which doesn't leave a lot of time for finding fresh produce or hitting any of the plethora of farmer's markets in the city. Last week, I was searching for produce stands around the chadds ford area, which is where I work, and came upon a listing of farm stands in the Brandywine Valley. SIW Vegetables is located on south creek rd. just off of route 1, south of 202. During lunch last week, I took a drive to check it out and it was everything I hoped for. Multiple wagon carts held all kinds of just picked veggies and fruits. Knowing me, you can guess I zeroed right in on the tomato cart. Heirlooms, Uglies, Grapes, Jersey's, I was in heaven. Corn on the cob, squash and zucchini soon found their way into my bags as well. I'm ashamed to admit, I've been slacking on the corn on the cob this year and fully intend to make up for it. A ten spot later and I was on my way. This farm will definitely be a weekly trip for me and I'm considering joining their CSA next year.

So onto tonight's grill.

Corn on the cob.
Growing up in southeastern Pennsylvania meant that every summer, you could count on eating corn on the cob multiple times a week. At least in my house anyway. To this day, my parents still have the same propane burner setup and huge aluminum pan that spent as much time poolside as we did. Always full of water, always filled to the brim with dozens of ears of corn.

Now there are a few different ways to cook corn on the cob and everyone has their favorite. My go to method is simple. I will pull the corn husks down but not off and get rid of all the corn silk. Pull the husks back up and recreate the cocoon around the corn. The husk will act as an insulator and keep the corn from scorching.

Once I've got my coals ready, I'll arrange them centrally in grill so I can use the edges of the grate for the corn. Putting the ears directly over the coals will have the heat burning thru the husks in no time so set up your grill however you prefer for indirect heat.

Those are gonna sit and roast for about 20-30 minutes like that. Meanwhile, I sliced up some zucchini and yellow summer squash and hit them with some olive oil from the Misto. The misto is a pump action oil sprayer that Scott found and we both use it religiously. After a quick spray of olive oil, I dusted the veggies with some garlic pepper and set them aside.

Checking on the corn, I'll see if it's starting to shrivel at all and make sure to rotate the ears for even cooking. Hell, take a small bite and see how far along it is. You'll notice the outer layer of husks with start to dry up and brown but the inner layers are still protecting the corn from damage since they're loaded with water. Here I pulled them off and hit them with a blend of butter and olive oil from Olivio that's readily available in any dairy section. Quick season with salt and pepper, pull the husks back up and thrown back on the grill.

Some people will use grill baskets to grill vegetables or smaller items that can fall through the grates but I usually cut whatever I'm grilling longways so I can avoid that. You may lose a few men along the way but it's a price I'm willing to pay for grill marks.

Obviously your cook times will vary depending on how thick you cut the veggies but they don't usually take very long. I had these on for about 10 minutes with a flip in the middle.

End Scene

what are you gonna grill next?

Johnsonville Irish O'Garlic Sausages

2009-08-09T13:40:00.012-04:00

Yesterday we shot over to the grocery store to pick up some bratwurst to grill up for lunch while we were waiting for the ribs to smoke. The regular Johnsonville brats were totally sold out, which I suppose is what you'll find if you go on a beautiful Saturday in the summer. In the freezer case we spotted one solitary package of what I believe to be a new offering from Johnsonville, as I'd never seen them in the store prior to this trip.

If you thought Ireland's contribution to American cuisine was limited to potatoes and Lucky Charms cereal, boy were you wrong! These Irish inspired sausages are "spiced with a wee bit O' Garlic!" according to the package, and were raw sausage; not one of the fully cooked variety that Johnsonville also sells. In fact, when compared to the Original Bratwurst variety, the only addition to the ingredients list is garlic.

So for all practical purposes, these are bratwurst. You grill them exactly the same way, slowly over low heat, turning frequently to avoid burning. Make sure you never puncture a bratwurst during cooking; handle them with tongs that do not have sharp ends only, and never use a fork to pick them up. It usually takes around a half hour to cook them this way, but its absolutely worth the effort. You'll know they're done when they're browned on almost every side and little geysers of juice begin to spew out of the casing.

We all really enjoyed these and will absolutely buy them again. The garlic flavor wasn't overpowering, but added a little element to the taste that made these sausages a little more interesting. Like any good sausage, they go great with a beer. They are a welcome addition to the Johnsonville bratwurst line, give them a try if you see them in your local store.

Charcoal and you; picking the right bag.

2009-08-04T18:26:00.014-04:00

As we've discussed in earlier posts, charcoal is the only way we cook. On very rare occasions I will use a propane grill at a friend's house if I need to, but my loyalties lie in fuel that comes out of a bag, not a bottle.

There are many brands of commercially available charcoal, but not all coals are created equal. The one thing that I think is most important to mention at the beginning of this article is this; NEVER use an easy start or "match light" charcoal if you care about the way your food tastes. This also includes the stuff that you "light in the bag" to save time. This stuff is always made with some type of chemical accelerant in the formula; this is similar to soaking what could have been perfectly acceptable charcoal briquets in a bucket of lighter fluid. You can smell it as soon as you open the bag, and since it isn't just on the outside layer, that smell will continue to permeate your food as you cook. Nobody likes drinking gasoline, so why make food that tastes like it? You also shouldn't add more of this type of briquet in the middle of cooking, especially not by pouring the bag into a hot grill... the little chunks of broken briquets and the dust in the bottom of the bag are very flammable.

There are two major types of charcoal you can buy in the store, lump hardwood and briquet. Almost everywhere you go you can get the basic blue bag of Kingsford, and to be honest, that is what I use most of the time.

Hardwood "Lump" Charcoal:

While not nearly as uniform in size or appearance as briquets, lump charcoal is made the same way it has been for centuries. Wood is allowed to smolder, but not actively burn due to deprivation of oxygen. The end result is mostly carbon; it is a lot lighter than it started out, and burns in a more predictable fashion than wood chunks would. Lump charcoal is not as readily available as briquettes, and usually costs substantially more for the high quality stuff. Another thing worth mentioning is that the lumps can be quite fragile; try to get a fresh looking bag that hasn't been too banged up, and don't throw it around on the way home unless you really want smaller chunks and more dust for some reason.

Lump charcoal lights faster and burns shorter than briquettes do, but with no additives. This makes it a little better for temperature control if you have to raise the temp quickly, but you will have to use more volume over long duration smokes or long cooking sessions with a lot of food being grilled. This faster burning quality can be lessened (if not eliminated) by limiting the flow of oxygen during use. Many people swear that it tastes a lot better, but I haven't found the difference in the brands I've tried so remarkable as to swear off briquets totally. Try both and see what you think.

One brand that I would warn you to consider avoiding is the Cowboy Brand Hardwood Charcoal; my personal experience with the stuff has been that the bag had a lot of bits small enough to fall through the charcoal grate or chimney starter without ever producing heat, and it burned fairly quickly, even with the lid on and the vents almost completely closed. The only positive thing I could say about it is that it is the cheapest lump charcoal I've ever seen marketed, but this is one of the situations where you get what you pay for. Many other people have reported on other sites that they got strange looking non-wood items as a surprise in the bag. Since this isn't a toy in the bottom of the cereal box, I wouldn't want to find any in mine.

I have had a lot more experience with briquets, but look forward to trying out a more varied range of lump charcoal in the future. There is a great database of lump charcoal types and information maintained by the Naked Whiz that is absolutely worth reading. They review all different types of lump charcoal themselves using a very thorough scientific method and allow consumers to submit ratings for the products as well. Based on a review I read there of a local store brand, I plan on picking up a bag of it to try out this weekend.

Briquets:

The original Kingsford charcoal briquet was made from the junk lying on the floor after body panels for cars were made. Yes, I'm being completely serious. Lucky for us, this was the 1920's and the manufacturing plant belonged to Henry Ford. Back in those days, car bodies were made of wood and not metal. Good thing too, because metal shrapnel from the floor of the Nissan plant probably doesn't burn very well compared to sawdust and wood scraps. I imagine the taste would be different too. Must be one of those "right place at the right time" things.

Today, I imagine the manufacturing process and formula has changed slightly, but not the concept. Without getting too much into the way briquets are made, I will note that there are several non-wood elements added to the mix to promote even burning and to allow them to stick together into those little rounded black pillows. Kingsford uses starch to bind the briquets together, mineral char and carbon as well as wood char for fuel, and sodium nitrate and sawdust to make them light more easily. They also add limestone to color the ash white, and borax makes an appearance as a compound to help them release from the mold during manufacturing. Does this taste like anything while its burning? Maybe so. The price and availability of briquets from Kingsford is enough to offset the possibility for many, including myself. As I said earlier, most times I buy the basic Kingsford stuff for my BBQ needs; plenty of competitions have been won with the stuff over the years.

I did try a bag of Kingsford Competition Briquets a few weekends ago while camping, and I was impressed with their performance. The ingredient list on these is a lot lower than with their blue-bagged brethren, including only wood char, starch for binding it all together and borax to release it from the mold. A very scientific review of this new offering from Kingsford was posted on the Virtual Weber Bullet site, showing the fact that they burn faster and produce less ash than the standard issue Kingsford stuff. The attempt was to make something similar in taste and performance to lump charcoal but in the convenient briquet form. I am looking forward to doing a head-to-head comparison of the two at a later date to see if there is a noticeable difference in taste. They do cost almost double what the regular briquets do, so keep that in mind. They were definitely worth another try from what I've seen.

There are plenty of other briquets made by other manufacturers, including many store brands available based on where you live. A lot of times, a little research on the internet can tell you who the products are actually made by, and some of them are actually high quality stuff for less money than the bigger brands. In this case it pays to do your research.

As Nick mentioned in a previous article, the best way to start coals quickly is the chimney starter, and the Weber Rapidfire chimney is the best I've ever used. If you don't already have one, get one soon. Even if you swear you can't taste the lighter fluid, consider this: not only does it light them quickly with no lighter fluid, it costs less than a few bottles of that junk and won't run out.

In the coming months, we'll be trying out several different kinds of charcoal to see what we can learn. We'll let you know what we find out.

Now go outside and cook something!

A Full Plate Annual Rib Cookoff rules are up!

2009-07-31T21:16:00.012-04:00

Both sets of rules have been posted to the new dedicated site for the September 12th battle royale.

As you may already know, the venue has changed to the Piazza at Schmidt's for this year.

Important info:

Entry Form

Professional Division Rules
($150 entrance fee, ribs, brisket and vegetarian entries)

Amateur Division Rules
($75 entrance fee, ribs required, anything goes and vegetarian optional)

Not entirely sure how we're entering yet, unless they surprise us and announce a new "Inebriated Division" to make it an easier choice.

Deadline to enter is 4pm on September 5th, so don't sleep.

Official timeline for the day should be announced soon, so stay tuned.

Grill Profile: Weber One Touch Kettle Grill Buyers Guide

2009-07-29T21:33:00.017-04:00

Have you decided on a Weber One Touch but don't know which one would be best for you? This guide should help you make a more informed decision, as the information from most other sources might not make a lot of sense if you aren't already familiar with their product line.

Growing up we always had a Weber kettle in the backyard. Propane grills would come and go, but that well worn black orb on a tripod was always there. My father had already had it for around 25 years when I started grilling my own food, and while it may not have been as shiny as a new one, it worked every bit as well. Even though the design and manufacturing processes have certainly changed in the 50+ years these grills have been in production, the shape is instantly recognizable. These grills are durable, easy to maintain and very well designed. One of the main advantages to the lack of drastic change is the availability of replacement parts should they become necessary.

Although the shape remains the same, some of the features on the current Weber One Touch grills are fairly recent additions. I'm going to focus this guide on the four models that represent the middle of the Weber charcoal grill product line, which I hope will make it easier to understand. Choosing the right one for your needs can be a little confusing, and its next to impossible to get all this info in one place, even from Weber's own site. I am deliberately ignoring the 26.75" version of the One Touch Gold for the purposes of this guide due to the significant price increase (double the cost of the next closest one) and the additional features it does not share with the smaller versions.

All members of the Weber One Touch family have several very important things in common, all of which are improvements over their lesser-priced competitors:

One Touch cleaning system- on all models there is a lever on the underside that sweeps ashes and debris that have fallen below the charcoal grate through three large slats in the bottom of the grill. There are differences in these, but the function is the same. Earlier versions had several vents on the bottom of the grill instead, but no real way to remove ash quickly; this system doubles as the air flow control for the bottom as well.

Porcelain enameled bowl and lid- very important for rust prevention. With proper care, the coating on these grills will last for many years of solid use.

Aluminum no-rust lid vent- this little guy is incredibly important for temperature control, and making it out of aluminum ensures that it wont rust out or seize shut.

Glass reinforced nylon handles- these were made of wood on the older models, but would crack and splinter once they sat out in the elements for a few years. This newer design is far more durable, but keep in mind that they can get quite hot.

Heavy duty plated steel cooking grate- each member of the One Touch team has a different one, but the key thing to remember is that they're easily replaceable. Many retailers keep them in stock, and since the sizes haven't changed in a long while, you should be able to get one easily years down the road when yours gets nasty.

I recommend selecting the series you want first- this is a selection that will be based solely on features, so I will compare and contrast the various differences in layout and materials.

One Touch Cleaning System:

On the One Touch Silver models, the system is comprised of a lever and three aluminized steel blades. These blades have been coated with a process that bonds them with an aluminum-silicone alloy, giving them increased corrosion resistance over normal steel. They can eventually rust out, especially if soot is able to build up on them holding moisture right against the surface. They are available through Weber as replacement parts should this eventually become an issue for you. Ashes are dropped out of the bottom of the grill into an aluminized steel dish that can be removed (with some effort to avoid making a mess) to discard the cold ashes. As long as you keep the dish clean you won't have a problem, but a gust of wind can easily coat you from the knees down in white ash on a good day, and let charcoal fragments and embers out when the bottom control is used to regulate airflow. On this model, the cleaning system requires simple assembly, but anyone who can follow simple directions will have no problem completing this step in a matter of minutes.

The One Touch Gold models have a slightly different setup that offers a few distinct advantages. First, the internal blades in the system are made of stainless steel rather than the coated steel of the Silver version. The fact that the system is already assembled is a plus, but the biggest difference is the removable high capacity ash can. The whole thing comes out with a simple turn of the handle and can be carried very easily with no drastic ash loss. For people that grill frequently, this can be a major selling point.

Glass Reinforced Nylon Handles:

The One Touch Silver has one handle on the lid and another handle positioned in the front of the grill for rolling it around. For most things this works just fine.

The One Touch Gold adds an additional handle on the rear of the grill to make lifting it easier. Fairly simple addition, but quite useful when repositioning the grill or trying to move it over things, especially when hot.

Heavy Duty Plated Steel Cooking Grates:

The Silver models get the basic cooking grate. These will stand up to years of hard use if kept clean, and the plating is very resistant to chipping, even when coming into contact with metal grill tools every time its used. Handles stick up above the cooking surface so the entire grate can be easily removed (please wear insulated gloves) to tend to the coals underneath. A couple of bricks near your cooking area can make a very easy spot to set the grate down without scorching anything important, and can be quite useful in keeping your food off the ground, something I know I'm a big fan of.

The Gold models get an upgraded version with hinges built into the edges for adding additional coals during the grilling process. This is mainly used when using indirect heat, a technique that is essential to long duration smoking, or cooking anything that would burn if placed directly over the hot coals. It should also be noted that these are available for a fairly reasonable cost (under 20 bucks) should you choose to upgrade later, and work very well with the addition of charcoal rails or baskets that are used to keep coals where you put them. In summary, if you're hyped to have a hinged grate but don't care about the extra handles or ash can (two options that can't be added later if you change your mind), grab a silver and buy this grate as a replacement part- buy a few cases of beer with the money you saved.

By this point in the guide, you should have a pretty good idea of what series you prefer. This next section should be a lot simpler than the previous one. Always best to save the easy parts for last, right?

Both the One Touch Silver and One Touch Gold models are available in 18.5" and 22.5" sizes. While this may not seem like much of a difference, this measurement is only the diameter of the cooking grate. When converted to area, the 18.5" has 268.8 square inches of area, whereas the 22.5" version has 397.6 square inches. The math nerds tell me this is very close to a 48% increase.

This measurement is important in the size of the cooking grate, but also in the outer dimensions of the grill itself. If you do most of your grilling by yourself or with a handful of friends, the 18.5" grill would probably suit you fine, and would be easier to store if you have a smaller cooking area. If you cook for larger groups, or your friends are impatient and have to have all their food cooked at once, go with the 22.5" version. Keep in mind that the lid on the 22.5" is also slightly taller- much better if you plan on smoking a large turkey or making beer can chicken. There are also a few accessories that only work with the larger size, like the rotisserie attachment and charcoal holder baskets. Most of the accessories made by Weber are designed to work on either size.

Also, the 22.5" version is the only one available in additional colors. Both dark green and royal blue are offered in addition to the original black. These options are not usually stocked by most retailers, so expect to pay a little more for the froo-froo fancypants look. I bought mine in blue.

Since price can also be a deciding factor, I priced out the basic black versions in all 4 models at Lowes to give you a baseline:

Weber One Touch Silver, 18.5" - $69.70
Weber One Touch Silver, 22.5" - $89.70
Weber One Touch Gold, 18.5" - $129.70
Weber One Touch Gold, 22.5" - $149.70

These prices are listed online and are current as of 7/30/09- they can fluctuate a little seasonally, but are usually around the same as they are now.

Good luck with your selection, and keep in mind that these grills are designed to last many years with proper use and maintenance. Enjoy!

Summer Time

2009-07-29T00:49:00.004-04:00

Obviously been a few months since I've updated this thing. Summer means less time at home and more beach, more woods, more out of town so I haven't had a lot of time to put into making some sweet BBQ. Not to say I haven't been grilling and smoking when I can but nothing I felt the need to document.

Scott is now a co-author on the blog and it makes perfect sense. Most any time we hang out, it's to cook food. He knows his shit and has the wisdom to match his years. Buy his BBQ sauce and spice rub.

Charcoal Vs. Gas

2009-07-29T00:15:00.007-04:00

Is it even a debate?

An argument as old as Scott, propane versus briquette. For purists, nothing beats the flame of charcoal and I'm definitely with that school of thought. However, for the casual backyard griller, the convenience of propane almost always wins out. Propane requires no prep, has no messy cleanup and lasts longer/is cheaper that charcoal.

Right?

I guess it depends how you value your time, patience and tastebuds.

I've gone completely charcoal in my backyard. The smoker and a charcoal grill are all I need. I grill 4-6 nights a week and am way more impatient than most. My saving grace and the one tool any griller should have is the Weber Rapidfire chimney starter.

Anyone who has ever complained about the setup time of charcoal needs to invest in one of these. At around 15 bucks at your preferred home improvement megalopolstore, it's a cheap deal for an awesome tool. Let's figure your propane grill is new and efficient, it probably takes 5-8 minutes to heat up to searing temperature. I can have a full chimney of briquette's ready to roll in 10. Less time if you use lump natural charcoal. It's simple. Crumple up some newspaper, give the paper a few spritzes of oil(olive, vegetable, whatever. thanks alton!) and stuff it under the chimney and light. The oil will keep the paper from burning too fast and your coals will be glowing in no time.

You cannot deny that charcoal simply tastes BETTER. It adds another element to whatever you're grilling. It's not simply just high heat cooking your meal but a smokey, distinct FLAVOR infusing it's way through your food and given the option, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Tools of the Trade: Outset F810 Grill Surface Thermometer review

2009-07-28T23:13:00.008-04:00

The Outset Grill Surface Temp Thermometer tells you the real story under that lid.

If you are planning on doing any serious outdoor cooking with your grill or smoker, you need to keep in mind that that bobo-ass thermometer they stuck through the lid of your grill isn't going to tell you what you want to know. The folks at Outset have your back, though.

Charcoal or gas, this thing will save your food from a fiery death due to temp spikes or uneven cooking caused by cold spots. You can easily slide it around the surface to measure several locations. Please don't use your fingers though- you'd be surprised how often you think it'll be safe to touch even when the needle reads 350 degrees. I've had mine a few years now and have purchased several for friends, and none of them are broken yet, despite some fairly heavy use. The body is made of stainless steel, so a quick cleanup after use will keep it looking sharp for years. It measures only 2.25” across, so its easy to shuffle out of the way of the food as you flip it.

We've used these with great success in our charcoal grills and smokers, and with similar results in propane configurations. The temperature difference between the grill surface and the lid thermometer was sometimes as much as 50 degrees. Readings are also shown in metric for scientists and Europeans.

They can be purchased from Amazon for around $10, less than the cost of a few racks of ribs you might ruin without one. As far as grilling gadgets go, this one should be listed in the “essentials” column.

My only (very, very small) complaint is that only “grill” and “sear” ranges are shown, not the lower “smoke” temperatures. I guess they figure that if you are smoking you probably know how to read numbers.

Get one now before you burn something else, mmkay?

Tools of the Trade: Char-Broil Brush Hawg family review

2009-07-28T22:38:00.010-04:00

Lets face it, cleaning your grill can be a real pain in the ass. Not everyone remembers to clean it after use, mainly because whatever you just spent your precious time cooking (not to mention staring at and smelling) is headed for a one-way trip on the Stomachtown Express within minutes of coming off the flames.

Grill brushes are the usual weapon of choice in this endless war of a clean cooking surface, but they aren't exactly high tech device. Most are good for a few weeks of use but then become so worn down or caked with food bits, sauce sludge and carbon that their usefulness becomes limited. Some of the even lesser quality ones fall apart during use. I know I've owned dozens over my lifetime, and some were only good for a few uses before being fired out the door for a new model.

I've had the same brush for three seasons now, and it’s endured some seriously heavy use. Tossing those crappy brushes when you get a new one is a thing of the past with this monster.

The Char-Broil Brush Hawg has been out for a few years now, and although it is priced slightly higher than some of its competitors offerings, this is money well spent for a multitude of reasons.

The handle is noticeably longer and bigger around than most. Listen, I like not having to pluck the hair on my hands as much as the next guy, but the smell of it burning off can be kind of distracting when you're trying to cook. Savages can turn the heat down on their propane grills to clean them, but charcoal users are stuck once the coals get hot. Save the flesh on your hands for food-rescuing maneuvers that will impress your friends and get yourself one of these brushes instead. At 19” of overall length, you can clean even some of the largest grill surfaces without harming your delicate skin. The added diameter is good for people with larger paws as well, and you can even two-hand it if you need some serious force.
The hook on the end is better than an eyelet. Not only can you hang it from just about anything (most notably the metal behind the handle on a Weber kettle grill), you can use it to lift up the grates to add more coals when you misplace your gloves again. You can even use it to scrape the grate underside if you have blackened stalactites from previous delicious adventures hanging down. Most grill brushes are useless when it comes to this--you can scrape the top all you want or even try to catch them on a diagonal, but they are never going to come off without a fight.
Two scraping blades on the front are better than one. Anyone who has used a brush in the past without a scraper knows that the wire brush sometimes won't get all the crap off the grate. You can nosedive while brushing to scrape those problem areas, or invert the brush for some serious downward pressure on the ones that you should have cleaned off weeks ago.
Replaceable heads mean the cleaning fun never has to end. No more throwing brushes in the trash, there is enough stuff clogging up the landfills--not to mention the money you could be saving to spend on your next BBQ. It should also be mentioned that the bristles are a hell of a lot more durable and denser than almost any brush I've ever used. The first head lasted well over a year, and the bristles wore down more than they bent. More on this later.
The entire unit is dishwasher safe. I don't own one, but I'm betting some of our readers do. Nice to know if it ever comes up.

When you finally wear through the first set of wire bristles (it won't happen quickly unless you're doing something really wrong) you have quite a few options.

The O.G. Stainless bristles- a pack of two stainless steel heads of the same quality as the one that came with the brush. MSRP on Char-Broil's site is listed as $8.99, but our friends at Lowes think just under 4 bones is a fair price.
Scouring Pads- really good for cleaning your grill before cooking something that likes to stick to the grates, like fish. Don't be a fool and use it on a hot grill, you won't be pleased with the results. This comes in a pack from Char-Broil direct with one stainless brush (MSRP $5.99), but Lowes bounces back with the nice price at $3.97.
Wire mesh heads- available as a replacement but I've never seen these in the store, so I don't know what they're for. I could make something up but I might be wrong. I contacted Char-Broil about it and will post an update here when they hit us back. The MSRP is $4.99, but no local retailers I've seen have them.

Now, a few notes on buying one of these bad boys, as I'm sure you've been swayed by its overwhelming merits. Home Depot sold them as recently as a few weeks ago, but no longer lists them online. I'm not going to the store to check for you, so use a phone or go yourself. At the time this review is going live, Lowes has dropped their online price to $8.97, which makes it even more of a worthwhile investment. Other retailers include Amazon and K-mart. Somewhere near you probably has one on the shelf, get out there and look.

Still not convinced? Char-Broil wasn't done there, they wanted to make sure even people with larger grills felt the love. The new Mega Brush Hawg uses the same replaceable heads as the original but uses them two at a time. It would also be ideal to hit your roommate on the head with when they use your grill and forget to clean it. Lowes sells this for just under a ten-spot, I'm sure the three of you out there with Weber Ranch Kettles will appreciate the time you'll save. For only a couple bucks more it might be the right way to go.

Because good things come in small packages (and sometimes that extra elbow grease is necessary) they also make a Hedge Hawg, the handle-free midget Brush Hawg cousin. The soft ergonomic grip keeps your hands from getting tired during those long scrubbing sessions in the spring, and is a hell of a lot better for cleaning the gunk on some parts of the inside of the grill than something with a long handle. The whole thing fits right in your palm, and was designed to be used on a cold grill. As you might be able to guess, it also uses the same brush and scrubbing heads as the rest of the Hawg line. Char-Broil must really love us to treat us this well.

Although Char-Broil states on their site (as well as product packaging) that these products are “safe for all grate types”, many grill manufacturers will tell you not to use anything made of stainless steel on a porcelain cooking grate. Its your grill, do what you want...but don't say I didn't warn ya.

Now get off the internet and go outside and cook something!

A Full Plate announces date for 3rd annual Rib Cook-Off

2009-04-28T12:10:00.004-04:00

Saturday, September 12th, 2009.

It's on Mr. Ribley!

We're doing it again! It's a few months away, but mark you calendars now for the 3rd Annual Rib Cook-Off. Saturday, September 12th, 2009 will mark the third time grillers from across the metro converge to cook up ribs and engage in two other categories of competition.

More details to follow, along with an official website where entry forms, complete rules and sponsorship details will be posted.

bring it.

Round One

2009-04-19T11:27:00.004-04:00

9 Racks
5 rubbed with mermaid BBQ rub
4 rubbed with Mom Dukes caribbean rub
Hickory and Peach wood chunks

shooting for 6-8 hour smoke. Showing 215 degrees on the firebox side right now and about 190-200 on the left side. true temp is about 250 on the right and 220 on the left and pretty stable.

The char broil gauges i mounted seem to be junk so I'm relying on a surface temp TT thermo. Also have legit BBQ thermometer gauges on the way that i'll mount in place of the char broil ones.

2 1/2 hours in. Temp was holding steady at about 200.

At 4 hours, I sprayed them down with an apple juice/Tangerine OJ mix and wrapped in foil. Some purists look down on any sort of "braising" with liquid but it makes for insanely tender meat so whatever. Racks spent about 2 hours on at just a hair under 200degrees before I pulled them off.

Mopped down with Mermaid BBQ and finished for about a half hour back on the grates as the heat smoldered.

They came out really really awesome. Honestly, I was shocked at how deep the smoke ring was. In the excitement to eat, I forgot to take some shots of the cut ribs but they were seriously thick smoke rings.

Next up, I want to smoke some chicken wings and try out a pork butt for pulled pork.

And so it begins...

2009-04-14T22:05:00.000-04:00

The Chargriller Smokin Pro. After using this setup for a week straight last year on vacation, I was sold on picking one up for my home use. It's a pretty versatile piece of equipment and you really can't beat it for the price. Much research and advice later, I bought one last night and set about assembly and figuring out what modifications I wanted to do off the bat. It's much easier to do whatever mods you want while the box is clean and free of the months/years of use that inevitably build up from smoking/grilling. I've documented the mods I've done as the step by steps I've found online have been pretty lacking. I mainly followed the chargrillermods PDF that's been floating around thesmokering and smokingmeatsforums. If you want the PDF, I can email it to you.

Here's the smoker after assembly. I didn't install the front shelf as the two wood(doubt it's wood) planks were split where an overzealous installer assembled them too tightly. I have a couple pieces of thick scrap that I'll be using in place of those.

So if you've never used a smoker or side fire box equipped barrel, there's always the issue of varying temperatures across the grates. Ideally, the temp will remain constant and true throughout the unit but with a lot of non-commercial setups, that's hard to maintain. Basically, the temperature is always hotter at the firebox end or end closest to the fuel/fire and that sucks if you're trying to stoke a long, drawn out smoke or if you have a lot of meat on the grates. Nothing like seeing some racks ready to go and calling "Chow Time", only to find the racks on the cool end just not quite there. People waiting around on you, not fun.

So the following few mods are an attempt to control and distribute temperatures across the smokin pro. What I want to do is keep the temp range the same from the end by the firebox to the other. To do this, I need to direct the heat and smoke further down the barrel before it rises and dissipates. The smokin pro comes with a lot of pieces to use it as both a grill and a smoker. To accomodate the grillers, they provide a coal grate that sits in the belly of the barrel and can be adjusted to different levels much like the standard charcoal grill with the grate you can raise and lower towards the flame/heat. I don't really plan on using it, like ever. Instead I did the following.

Bare Belly of the Pro

I grabbed a long piece of steel stock, 1 1/4" wide by 1/8" thick. Cut it into 22.5" sections and measured out the bolts holding the belly to the legs. Center to center, they are 15" apart. Attach the rail stock over top of the existing nuts and then tighten your own nuts down.

First Rail

Both bolted down

Now I've gotta mount a baffle at the mouth of the firebox. I got a couple sheets of metal and a piano hinge and went to town. Using cardboard, I trimmed and traced and trimmed and traced until I got a piece that would hug the barrel by the rails and still be able to swing up when I need access to the box from the barrel side. Mount the hinge to the baffle first and then line up where you want to mount it to the barrel. I went a couple inches above the top firebox mount bolt. Lastly, I cut a couple tuning plates from the remaining sheet metal. 2 - 6inch pieces and a 4 1/2inch piece. We'll see how well they work after the first few smokes.

Here's the baffle I trimmed down

Here's where it should mount.

From up top once mounted

And the view of how the smoke will flow through.

Finally, the tuning plates.

Next up, I extended the chimney vent down to the grate level using a piece of dryer vent. The stock chimney vent is located about a foot above the grates and allows for a lot of smoke and heat to blow by the meat too quickly. By extending the chimney venting down to the grates, you're prolonging smoke and heat in the chamber and making for a better, more sustained smoke.

Finally, I added two grate level temp gauges. The gauge that's supplied with the smokin pro has been dismissed as complete junk and I wanted to be able to monitor both ends of the chamber. I grabbed two char-broil gauges and drilled out two mounting holes on each end and as close to the grate as I could manage.

Here're some end product photos.

Mermaid BBQ

2009-04-11T09:57:00.000-04:00

Mermaid BBQ is the bastard child concieved after years of cooking, grilling, heckling and generally causing a ruckus whenever we get together. It is a company, a team and group of friends.

The Company:

As grillmaster, Scott began making his own barbecue sauce many years ago for himself and friends. Word has spread pretty far and wide and has Scott making insanely large batches of sauce in different varieties in a tiny apartment kitchen outside of philadelphia. He has begun experimenting with different spice and rub mixtures as well. Shipments have gone across the country and across the world. At this time, you can order sauce and rubs directly from Scott. Email him at mermaidbbq@gmail.com

I am a microbatch garlic and onion BBQ sauce, made by hand in pennsylvania since 1998.. brown sugar/tomato based and 100% vegan in content, mermaid sauce is highly addictive; produced for sale to people interested in the BEST product for grilling/cooking of any type. Mermaid BBQ sauce has been used with great success on ribs, poultry, bland chinese food, pasta, burgers, pork tenderloin, rice dishes and almost anything else you can imagine.

The Team:

Scott and I have been grilling and cooking together for as long as we've been friends. Going on 10 years now I guess. Aside from similar, sarcastic personalities, we both really just love to cook for people, a lot of people. Annual car shows, camping trips and weeklong beach vacations have us regularly working together to feed masses of our friends. We almost always have Sarah working with us and have had had help from Eric, B-team Scott, George, Kyla and many others over the years. The past few years we've really stepped up our game and have even entered a few competitions this past year. Lately we've been focusing on the smoking side of cooking meats and I'm excited to take it even further this year.

Last years Rib cookoff in Northern Liberties earned Scott and the team a first place finish and mention on a few food blogs including Phoodie and Phoodaphilia. Sadly I wasn't able to work this event but came by after to chow down.

Scott and B-Team Scott workin the monster ranch kettle

Scott, Kyla and Myself Nomming.

After the cookoff, we spent a long week in Ocean City, Maryland.

Here's some of the smoking that went down.

We were smoking twelve racks of ribs at a time with a steady temp range of 200-225degrees. Overall smoke time was between 7-9 hours.

This is the same model Char Griller smoker I'll be getting and it will be modified with some improvements to the design. I can't wait.

Closed out the year with our car clubs annual Toys For Tots Event down at FDR. Every year, DCI hosts a huge GTG and toy drive to collect toys for the marines. Scott and I (and others) usually handle the food duties and this year we decided to make it a competition with entrants judged by the marines who come to pick up the toys. Scott, Sarah and I took second place behind Coolwater.

We smoked ribs on the weber with apple and hickory and bacon wrapped shrimps mopped with Sauce on the little camp grill.

Our setup
1 Weber Ranch Kettle for crowd feeding duty
1 Weber One touch
1 camp grill for sides

Scott tending to the bacon wrapped shrimps

Second Place

That about caps off our year of notable events. Keep your eyes peeled.

Opening Day

2009-04-10T17:41:00.000-04:00

So basically this is going to be a place for me to dump photos and talk about food that i cook. Focusing mainly on smoking meats and grilled foods but will include whatever i think is great.

Here's some ribs i grilled the past weekend for a BBQ at my new place. Currently just using a charcoal grill until i pick up a barrel smoker next week sometime. kingsford briquets layered with hickory.

3 racks rubbed down with a carribbean jerk style seasoning my mom obtained and modified over the years.
2 racks rubbed down with mermaid BBQ rub