Yeah, loin is a bad choice. You want fat, and you want connective tissue.
Also if you're doing a pork shoulder, it'll take four hours longer than you think it will. Always.
Grim... wrote:
I don't think anyone's mentioned how much time you'll need.
Brisket will take about 12 hours, and then you need to let it rest for around 1.
The one we did for MeatUp last year took about 53 hours, but we did that differently
Brisket will take about 12 hours, and then you need to let it rest for around 1.
The one we did for MeatUp last year took about 53 hours, but we did that differently
I figured it was an early start, although possibly not that early.
Grim... wrote:
Brisket will take about 12 hours, and then you need to let it rest for around 1.
Depends how big it is. A full packer brisket (not that Joans has that) is 18-22 hours...
But this touches on something else: you’re not cooking to time, you’re cooking to internal temperature. The actual cooking time will be plus or minus some, depending on how warm you run the BBQ, how successfully you hold the BBQ temp in the ideal range, the weather, how often you open it, the mysteries of that specific piece of meat, etc etc. And when I say “some” I mean “maybe as much as two or three hours.”
Yes Chef!s are wrong, Oxford Charcoal Company is the best fuel.
A man is coming to my house in Wednesday to redraw my garage to include a large offset smoker.
A man is coming to my house in Wednesday to redraw my garage to include a large offset smoker.
Oh, there’s better fuel if you’re prepared to go deep into the weeds, I concede. I hear good things about the London Log Company. But they’re mostly for pro catering and have scary minimum order amounts and stuff. Whereas Heat Beads are on Amazon.
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
So he needs a meat thermometer first right?
Edit: yes.
Edit: yes.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
No, because I have already settled on my preferred hipster charcoal. It works for me and Phil the DPD driver knows where I live and which place to put stuff.Also: 50 quid order gets free delivery. That's 4 7.5kg bags.
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
So he needs a meat thermometer first right?
One of these is good:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AMIR-Thermomet ... 00SKC24D6/
And something like this is a massive help:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morpilot-Wirel ... 077TF4TGH/
BikNorton wrote:
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
No, because I have already settled on my preferred hipster charcoal. It works for me and Phil the DPD driver knows where I live and which place to put stuff.Also: 50 quid order gets free delivery. That's 4 7.5kg bags.
Hmm, that's cheaper than heat beads. I may give them a shot.
Although Heat Beads are fucking voodoo, and stay hot forever.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Oh, there’s better fuel if you’re prepared to go deep into the weeds, I concede. I hear good things about the London Log Company. But they’re mostly for pro catering and have scary minimum order amounts and stuff. Whereas Heat Beads are on Amazon.
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
(They’re also very good. Have you used them?)
I ordered some stuff from London Log Company back in 2014, still have most of carefully stored in my shed
I dug out the email and I bought 50KG of various charcoal and not really used it. Was ordered before our first child so I appear to have had time and money for this sort of stuff back then
They are expensive the 2014 price list went from £18-£68 for a 10KG bag of lump wood depending on the species of tree
Interesting point on heat beads will try them, I use mostly lump wood charcoal some restaurant grade, some not.
Will buy cheap briquette stuff when I just need to burn all the crap off my BGE.
If you need to be cooking for that length of time, how often do you usually need to change the coals? And how do you do that without it dropping the temperature too much?
With hipster charcoal I get 4+ hours out of half a bag in my 57cm Weber Smokey Mountain - keeping the fire damped by restricted inlet and exhaust plus regular dumping of raw wood lumps for the true barbecue experience makes the coals last ages.
My original Brinkmann is about the same but smaller so less coal. My learning offset smoker however has a tiny firebox so burns through coals quickly needing top-up.
And you're correct, "if you're looking you ain't cooking", so adding lit coals in one area and letting it slowly burn across the rest means not having to go in much. Smokers usually provides access to the firebox without opening the cooking chamber.
My original Brinkmann is about the same but smaller so less coal. My learning offset smoker however has a tiny firebox so burns through coals quickly needing top-up.
And you're correct, "if you're looking you ain't cooking", so adding lit coals in one area and letting it slowly burn across the rest means not having to go in much. Smokers usually provides access to the firebox without opening the cooking chamber.
Opening a BBQ to top up coals only caused a very brief drop in temperature typically. If you're using shitty supermarket charcoal you'll be doing it every hour. If you're using something voodoo like heat beads, more like every 6 hours.
Hipster charcoal generates almost no ash and very little smoke (and of the good kind) when lighting, so there is no changing the coals, just chucking "this much seems about right" fresh on top.
BikNorton wrote:
Smokers usually provides access to the firebox without opening the cooking chamber.
Offsets do, not so much for other types.
All three of my column smokers have a door in the side below food level. Even taking the barrel off keeps the food under lid.
When the *water* needs replacing causes more problems, but I rarely actually need to, even in a 5-6 hour cook.
When the *water* needs replacing causes more problems, but I rarely actually need to, even in a 5-6 hour cook.
BikNorton wrote:
All three of my column smokers.
Good work
The man is coming round on Wednesday to measure up the garage plans including a third of it becoming a smokery.
Not sure what I'll do with these 4 smokers then. Give them away I guess. But not the 57cm Weber, that's too awesome.
I've even started doing offset grilling work in my kettle BBQ now, being 57cm there's enough space.
Not sure what I'll do with these 4 smokers then. Give them away I guess. But not the 57cm Weber, that's too awesome.
I've even started doing offset grilling work in my kettle BBQ now, being 57cm there's enough space.
I used 2 bags instalight charcoal in the weber and all the food was burnt and all fuel used up in an hour.
Previously I had some charcoal logs which were so much better so will use them in future.
Previously I had some charcoal logs which were so much better so will use them in future.
MeatUp happily accepts hardware donations.
BikNorton wrote:
I've even started doing offset grilling work in my kettle BBQ now, being 57cm there's enough space.
It's surprisingly good at it, it really is.
Joans wrote:
Hey Yes, Chefs!
Teach me how to cook a hunk of meat (say, brisket) on a bbq. What do I need over and above meat + fire?
Teach me how to cook a hunk of meat (say, brisket) on a bbq. What do I need over and above meat + fire?
The only only thing he didn't order was booze and attitude. :-|
Grim... wrote:
MeatUp happily accepts hardware donations.
But how will I get it there?I have already promised one to a guy at work and maybe did the same for one of the others this evening when I spotted another guy buying coal who loves my beans in Morrison's and spent half an hour telling him to buy hipster charcoal and how to use it, though.
Since Joan's also purchased an instant pot from the conversations on here, I thought I'd revive this thread.
Today we have made the African Peanut Stew. It was bloody lovely. Sorry I didn't take a photo until the stuff that is going in the freezer had gone cold.
Also, needs more sweet potato.
Today we have made the African Peanut Stew. It was bloody lovely. Sorry I didn't take a photo until the stuff that is going in the freezer had gone cold.
Also, needs more sweet potato.
Pulled pork in peanut sauce. Just tried a bit, it is impressive and tasty for how long it took.
The butter chicken was beautiful, lovely and tender. Cooked from frozen breasts too.
The breasts had been out the freezer all day, so were mostly defrosted.
My brother is making the vegan chilli today to try the pot for the first time. Ma is on hand as Sue* Chef, and then he’s going to try the frittata.
*I know that’s not how it’s spelled, but that’s her name.
*I know that’s not how it’s spelled, but that’s her name.
Ooh, I want to try the frittata, let me know how he gets on.
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
Ooh, I want to try the frittata, let me know how he gets on.
He said it came out very nicely, though he only tasted a little as he keeps it for breakfasts as a breakfast after he cycles to work. He makes a frittata every week for this reason, so he wanted to try it in the instant pot. He said he put his usual fillings in, though I have no idea what they are, but also put in what was left of a jar of pesto which he said made it nice and herby.
My best loaf of sourdough yet.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
My best loaf of sourdough yet.
Wow, that looks amazing! Do you have a bread maker or just use a regular oven?
That does indeed look impressive.
@chonks, no he doesn’t have a bread maker and even makes his own sourdough yeast.
@chonks, no he doesn’t have a bread maker and even makes his own sourdough yeast.
Mr Chonks wrote:
Do you have a bread maker
oh my sweet summer childHere, to give you an idea of how hard I've gone into this, are the notes from my latest loaf, which is approximately my 25th or so:
Quote:
400 g Canadian bread flour
50 g rye
50 g wholemeal
180 g 100% starter
12 g salt [2%]
365 g water [77%]
Starter:
• very ripe, fed approx 6 hours before
Knead:
• just dumped all ingredients into mixer
• mix on “5”: approx 9 min
• pulled away from sides but not bottom
• occasionally got “stuck” to sides
• Sticky, elastic to touch
• No extra flour during kneading
• 30 min -> add salt, gentle knead
Bulk proof:
• room temp (16 deg C)
• After 1 hour, gave it approx 30 min in an oven at 25-30 deg C
• This significantly accelerated proofing
• ~3.5 hours total, 3x straight folds
Shape & rise:
• Shape, into small banneton, into bag
• Felt very gassy / light. Did not knock back; shaped quite gently.
• Also springy and quite stiff (lots of gluten?)
• Rise in fridge 10 hours (2145 — 0800)
• Very big — filled banneton
• Bloop test seemed good
Bake:
• preheat 260 top/bottom
• Pizza stone on shelf 4, combo cooker on 3
• FORGOT to spritz dough with water spray
• 20 min lid on 240 bread
• Lid off / down to 200
• Spritzed when lid came off
• 20-25 min more
Results:
• great!
• crumb light, fairly even; not too gassy
• crust good thickness and crackle
50 g rye
50 g wholemeal
180 g 100% starter
12 g salt [2%]
365 g water [77%]
Starter:
• very ripe, fed approx 6 hours before
Knead:
• just dumped all ingredients into mixer
• mix on “5”: approx 9 min
• pulled away from sides but not bottom
• occasionally got “stuck” to sides
• Sticky, elastic to touch
• No extra flour during kneading
• 30 min -> add salt, gentle knead
Bulk proof:
• room temp (16 deg C)
• After 1 hour, gave it approx 30 min in an oven at 25-30 deg C
• This significantly accelerated proofing
• ~3.5 hours total, 3x straight folds
Shape & rise:
• Shape, into small banneton, into bag
• Felt very gassy / light. Did not knock back; shaped quite gently.
• Also springy and quite stiff (lots of gluten?)
• Rise in fridge 10 hours (2145 — 0800)
• Very big — filled banneton
• Bloop test seemed good
Bake:
• preheat 260 top/bottom
• Pizza stone on shelf 4, combo cooker on 3
• FORGOT to spritz dough with water spray
• 20 min lid on 240 bread
• Lid off / down to 200
• Spritzed when lid came off
• 20-25 min more
Results:
• great!
• crumb light, fairly even; not too gassy
• crust good thickness and crackle
It had better be good for that amount of effort!
Well, it's not (yet) as good as the £3 loaves I can buy from the restaurant at the end of the road, so....
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Well, it's not (yet) as good as the £3 loaves I can buy from the restaurant at the end of the road, so....
As long as you enjoy it then, I guess.
Give that new Indian Chicken thing at Maccy D's a miss would be my advice.
The naans are a bit dry and the whole thing fucking falls apart when you're eating it, mine wasn't well assembled which didn't help either but it's no Quarter Pounder with Cheese that's for sure.
Mrs Hearthly enjoyed the French burger though.
The naans are a bit dry and the whole thing fucking falls apart when you're eating it, mine wasn't well assembled which didn't help either but it's no Quarter Pounder with Cheese that's for sure.
Mrs Hearthly enjoyed the French burger though.
Today I got a pizza out of a vending machine.
£7.50 and it was very nice.
£7.50 and it was very nice.
Attachment:
pizzarooney01.jpg
Attachment:
pizzarooney02.jpg
While I have no objection to it in principle, I have to raise something of an eyebrow at their use of the word 'fresh'.
Fresh can mean 'recently made or obtained' - so it fits that definition.
I think it may become my new Friday treat, there are nine different varieties to try.
I think it may become my new Friday treat, there are nine different varieties to try.
Dude, it's Thursday
Hearthly wrote:
Fresh can mean 'recently made or obtained' - so it fits that definition.
I think it may become my new Friday treat, there are nine different varieties to try.
I think it may become my new Friday treat, there are nine different varieties to try.
It wasn't recently made though was it? It was recently warmed through
DavPaz wrote:
Dude, it's Thursday
Freshly made in the future
DavPaz wrote:
Dude, it's Thursday
Bonus Friday because I'm off tomorrow.
With a stomach ache.
Cras wrote:
While I have no objection to it in principle, I have to raise something of an eyebrow at their use of the word 'fresh'.
"Warm in three minutes."
Leftovers. You're eating leftovers.