A Full Plate Annual Rib Cookoff rules are up!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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!