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Barbecue
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11728		 Page 2 of 2
Author:  Mimi [ Mon Jun 05, 2023 23:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
BikNorton wrote:
Yep.

@mimi you were trying to do everything right. I close vents as I do offset cooking as Gaz was describing... But I get away with it due to all the terrible tolerances on gaps, I imagine on a Weber kettle they'd need to be at least partly open. And lid off for searing/hard grilling. Try not to be disheartened!


I was a bit to be honest, but I’ll get over it. I feel more confident after the replies so will try again.

Also spotted a perfectly round ring of dead lawn where Ma set the lid down so she could barbecue the Amazon boxes, just as a handy reminder :D
Author:  Grim... [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 11:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Quote:
set the lid down

The lid has a hook in it so you can hang it off the side of the drum. It's on the back of the handle, if you see what I mean.

Image
Author:  DavPaz [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 12:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Genius
Author:  Mr Russell [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 13:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
This reminds me very much of the Wikipedia high 5 pictures :D
Author:  Mimi [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 14:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
I knew the hook was there, but, y’know… It was a battle I was not going to win on the day.

And here is the battleground:
Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 18:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
That's where you stake down the "people who fuck with my barbecue" voodoo doll.
Author:  Mimi [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 20:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
The ring of shame.
Author:  Mimi [ Tue Jun 06, 2023 20:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
I’ve bought the things I need to try again. Well, apart from actual food. I’ll see how this week goes and what the weather is promising us for the weekend.
Author:  Mimi [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Giving the barbecue another go either today or tomorrow. Probably today.
Author:  Mimi [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 18:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Did a barbecue and cooked the food and it went really well*. These veggie burgers are not burned, they’d just me been marinading all day. We also had sausages, potatoes with rosemary, and corn on the cob, also the pickles that I made earlier today.

I was still unsure about putting the lid on and so cooked it mostly with the lid off, because I did feel like I it was getting cold with the lid on, but that’s likely a confidence thing after last time, plus I have a feeling that we didn’t use enough coals.

I would very much appreciate any tips for cooking potatoes in a barbecue. I boiled them and put them in foil with butter and rosemary, but I’d like to get a bit of colour on them.

*apart from the bit where I managed to fall and slam my entire body and head into a concrete floor and knock myself unconscious, which was scary and hurts a lot.
Author:  Dr Zoidberg [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 22:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Helen says par-boil the potatoes till they are nearly done, then marinade in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and sprinkled in mixed herbs, then wrap in foil to cook with the lid on, turning occasionally.

They turn out superbly, and have a lovely crisp to them
Author:  Mimi [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 22:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
Helen says par-boil the potatoes till they are nearly done, then marinade in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and sprinkled in mixed herbs, then wrap in foil to cook with the lid on, turning occasionally.

They turn out superbly, and have a lovely crisp to them


That’s sort of what I did, just with Rosemary instead of lemon (it was yours and Helen’s potatoes that made me want potatoes) but they didn’t crisp up at all. Do you seal the foil over them?
Author:  BikNorton [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 22:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Happy to hear the cooking went better!

I cook potatoes and corn by foil wrapping and putting around the edges of the coal bed, turning occasionally. It's a pain in the arse lifting the cooking rack off and on loaded with food but works.

Also smoking/offsetting potatoes "naked" works, but you're not doing offset cooking yet so don't worry about it.

Dont worry about either, really!

I hope you've not hurt yourself badly. Get to hospital if you have a headache, sleepy, etc!
Author:  Dr Zoidberg [ Fri Jun 09, 2023 22:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Mimi wrote:
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
Helen says par-boil the potatoes till they are nearly done, then marinade in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and sprinkled in mixed herbs, then wrap in foil to cook with the lid on, turning occasionally.

They turn out superbly, and have a lovely crisp to them


That’s sort of what I did, just with Rosemary instead of lemon (it was yours and Helen’s potatoes that made me want potatoes) but they didn’t crisp up at all. Do you seal the foil over them?


Yep. Come back and have more and you can see the process
Author:  Mimi [ Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
Mimi wrote:
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
Helen says par-boil the potatoes till they are nearly done, then marinade in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and sprinkled in mixed herbs, then wrap in foil to cook with the lid on, turning occasionally.

They turn out superbly, and have a lovely crisp to them


That’s sort of what I did, just with Rosemary instead of lemon (it was yours and Helen’s potatoes that made me want potatoes) but they didn’t crisp up at all. Do you seal the foil over them?


Yep. Come back and have more and you can see the process


Would love to! And you’ll have to come over to ours in return (and if I haven’t cracked the barbecue thing by then I’ll make something more traditional).
Author:  Mimi [ Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
BikNorton wrote:
Happy to hear the cooking went better!

I cook potatoes and corn by foil wrapping and putting around the edges of the coal bed, turning occasionally. It's a pain in the arse lifting the cooking rack off and on loaded with food but works.

Also smoking/offsetting potatoes "naked" works, but you're not doing offset cooking yet so don't worry about it.

Dont worry about either, really!

I hope you've not hurt yourself badly. Get to hospital if you have a headache, sleepy, etc!


Do you mean you put them *under* the cooking rack? Interesting. Will try, thank you!

I’m feeling ok today. Head is completely fine, no lasting effects apart from a bit of a lump, but man alive did I smash my knees badly. They seized up last night but some of the swelling is down today so at least I can walk again. Very bruised and feeling very silly, but I am very lucky and glad I didn’t break anything.
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 18:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Yep, plonk them right against the outside coals. Direct contact to cook the sugar but not as hot as overhead.

But it is a faff, so tonight as I'm doing wings offset the corn is on the cooking rack, left and right. Onions in the rear foil bag. Peppers charring for a few minutes before moving either side the onions.

Sausages waiting to go on shortly, burgers to cook hot right at the end (in an hour or so).

I normally have coals to the left, offset to the right, but coals-offset-exhaust (the top vent is back-middle) should be a more even flow. It just feels right on the kettle grill for the coals to be on the left. Learning and accepting change!

Foil tray under the offset section to catch the drippings. Keeps the kettle cleaner, adds flavour if you're lazy and only replace it when there's significant mould growth :D (there almost never is, it's basically pure boiled fat with salt)

Thankfully 500g packs of wings were cheaper per kg than 1kg, they really eat up the space but I can't argue with value!
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 18:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
That's too much coal, I can't break the "starting the smoker" habit of fully loading the chimney. Couldn't fit the corn down there if I wanted to.

I started the last 12kg bag of the last pallet load! Down to the last two 15kg bags from before they rebranded (ie caught on and reduced the bag size while raising the price)
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 19:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
A coal rake like the Weber one is a super useful tool - something to poke/shift coals through the rack anyway; for years I used a fork where the fork end had rusted off, really useful metal-stick-wooden-handle.

The Weber one also doubles as a really effective lever/handle for getting the cooking rack off, with a bit of practice.

https://www.weber.com/GB/en/accessories ... /7649.html
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 19:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
It's almost 3 hours since I lit the coals. This still feels like "a quick grill" to me; an hour is for the wings though.

Corn hadn't cooked so moved to the coals, which I'm getting ripping hot to sear the burgers. Everything else moved far away.
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 20:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
I've been hearing thunder for 2 hours. The sky has just gone stupid grey in less than a minute and the wind is kicking up again. This might be cutting it close!

But I didn't get to cook yesterday dammit.

Edit: I'm watching the clouds behave like waves crashing against the shore! @nervousPete this one's for you :)
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 20:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
That's the other side of the valley, the front less than a quarter of a mile away, clouds roiling in super quick! Moving due north which is super weird, which explains all the power cuts in yesterday's storm.
Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 20:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Only slightly piss wet through, seconds to spare :DD
Author:  Mimi [ Sun Jun 11, 2023 21:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Wow. That all sounds like quite a science!

I notice that the second time I tried the barbecue all of the coals turned to ash, rather than stay as little blocks, presumably because they actually burned properly.

How did you beat the coals up further to seat your burgers.

And what do you mean by mould? Actual mould?
Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Jun 12, 2023 9:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
It's what works for me, having the entire meal ready at once rather then piecemeal.

Being an unstructured thinker who struggles without structure I've had to develop a system. It takes longer than it could but it delivers quite well cooked meals and a reasonably unstressed cook :D

I don't claim it's best for everyone or every circumstance, but if any of it is useful to someone else, bonus.
Author:  Mimi [ Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
I’m a very structured thinker, but I use similar systems and tricks in things I’m familiar with to avoid chaos (like cooking… I’d opt to make you an entire cooked breakfast only using the oven, because it is neat and orderly, and contained).
Author:  Sir Taxalot [ Tue Jun 13, 2023 0:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
It looks tasty but hold up Bik, did you say the wings took an hour to cook?
Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Jun 13, 2023 9:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
They were on the whole time, offset all the way. Crispy skin, juicy meat, fall apart joints.

They only ever take an hour, hour and a half on the smoker itself, I've just not got used to doing it this way yet. And when I've got the luxury of time, why not use it? :)
Author:  Sir Taxalot [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 0:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
That sounds tasty, indeed, and I imagine the smell of it cooking would be smashing too.

I don't really have the luxury of time at all, everything's such a rush these days for me :(
Author:  Mimi [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 19:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Did a simple barbecue this evening, with the lid on the whole time. Worked fine. Just took a while to get my confidence.
Author:  Dr Zoidberg [ Mon Aug 21, 2023 13:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
Mimi wrote:
Ok, so if (big if) I considered buying a permanent barbecue so that that likes of @Cras didn’t scoff at my disposable one, and Mr Zoidberg wasn’t too scared to visit in case I poisoned him,


Not only did we survive, the food was plentiful and tasty.

Thanks again Mimi and Russ
Author:  Mimi [ Mon Aug 21, 2023 20:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: Barbecue
It’s only been 24hrs. I’d give it another few to be on the safe side :D

Still didn’t quite know what I was doing, but it seemed to all come out ok.
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