BBQ Tips and Tricks

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Goosey

2775 posts

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#225918 11-Dec-2017 14:13

Hi,

Creating this for us to share our BBQ tips and tricks

- recipes

- Gas & Charcoal tips and tricks

- Best use of accessories and/or work around

No limited to any specific BBQ manufacturer....

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2775 posts

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#1916755 11-Dec-2017 14:17

I've just purchased a Weber Q2200 Gas.

Im thinking about doing a glazed ham and have differing advice. Has anyone done this in a gas grill?

I have the weber indirect foil trays and trivet. But some Glazed ham recipes call for a dish.

Am I at risk of drying out the ham if using the trivet? Or would it be safer if I got a cast iron pan to collect the 'drip / have some water in there'?

One recipe is calling for a 45 min roast and then peel off the skin, baste and cook further (and thats using the trivet).

Another is simply using an oven equivalent method but without peeling off the skin (simply diamond cutting it).

Confusing!

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kiwi_64

255 posts

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#1916759 11-Dec-2017 14:21

Buy a good meat thermometer/probe!

(then 55 Celsius for beef, 60 for lamb, 65 for pork, 75 for chicken )

Geektastic

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#1916807 11-Dec-2017 15:02

Start with a good BBQ.

We have a Canadian made Broil King and it's excellent. I can heat the grill to well over 300 C - it produces restaurant quality char grilled steak in about 4 minutes! Good quality, heavy gauge stainless too, not the flimsy weak stuff commonly found on the Chinese made ones.

networkn

Networkn
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#1916810 11-Dec-2017 15:06

Don't BBQ Naked!

If you have a charcoal grill, the easiest way to light your briquettes is to put them in a chimney, with a tuna can (or similar) of methylated spirits under it.

Burns cleanly, no chemical spell of firefighters, or ash from newspapers.

Paul1977

4983 posts

Uber Geek

#1916819 11-Dec-2017 15:27

networkn:

If you have a charcoal grill, the easiest way to light your briquettes is to put them in a chimney, with a tuna can (or similar) of methylated spirits under it.

Burns cleanly, no chemical spell of firefighters, or ash from newspapers.

I recently got a Kamado Joe. After mucking around with fire starters for several weeks have ditched them in favour of a propylene blowtorch for lighting the charcoal.

Not the cheapest investment but lights the charcoal in no time, and apparently the gas canisters last for ages. Just be sure you wear hand and eye protection (and maybe old clothes)... the charcoal will snap, crackle, and pop!

networkn

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#1916823 11-Dec-2017 15:37

I think my solution sounds cheaper, simpler, safer, and less time intensive. :)

$4 can of tuna, and $5 bottle of meths. No safety gear required, no time spend holding a blowtorch near exploding coal.

kryptonjohn

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#1916827 11-Dec-2017 15:40

kiwi_64:

Buy a good meat thermometer/probe!

(then 55 Celsius for beef, 60 for lamb, 65 for pork, 75 for chicken )

Beat me to it/me too/+1

Get a Redi Chek ET732 dual probe from Amazon about $NZ100 shipped - gives both BBQ and meat temp and has a remote readout so you can close the hood and watch the cricket until it hits temperature.

I cook at 200 and take beef off at 54 and rest it under foil. Leaving the probe in sees the temp continue to rise as it rests and the heat equalises out between the outer and inner depths- I've seen it hit 60.

Also: marinate in sticky sweet soy sauce, or dry rub with salt, pepper or anything savoury you can find (maggi onion soup mix works great). It all chars on the outside leaving a delicious smoky crust to contrast the juicy tender medium rare inside.

And if you want to cheat, get good quality fillet (tenderloin/eye fillet). Makes anyone look good as long as they don't overcook it.

MikeAqua

7769 posts

Uber Geek

#1916828 11-Dec-2017 15:40

I like the use of a wood-chip box in the gas BBQ. Soak the chips for about 20 minutes, then put it over one of the burners while cooking the meat.

I use my BBQ to heat the fish smoker. I have one of those kilwell smoker boxes. I put the whole thing onto the 4 burner section of the BBQ and used the burner to provide heat - no messing around with dishes of meths etc.

Mike

kryptonjohn

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#1916831 11-Dec-2017 15:44

networkn:

I think my solution sounds cheaper, simpler, safer, and less time intensive. :)

$4 can of tuna, and $5 bottle of meths. No safety gear required, no time spend holding a blowtorch near exploding coal.

Don't tell me you eat the tuna and drink the meths! ;-)

Paul1977

4983 posts

Uber Geek

#1916833 11-Dec-2017 15:47

Goosey:

I've just purchased a Weber Q2200 Gas.

Im thinking about doing a glazed ham and have differing advice. Has anyone done this in a gas grill?

I have the weber indirect foil trays and trivet. But some Glazed ham recipes call for a dish.

Am I at risk of drying out the ham if using the trivet? Or would it be safer if I got a cast iron pan to collect the 'drip / have some water in there'?

One recipe is calling for a 45 min roast and then peel off the skin, baste and cook further (and thats using the trivet).

Another is simply using an oven equivalent method but without peeling off the skin (simply diamond cutting it).

Confusing!

I've done this a couple of times on my old Masport 6 burner gas grill.

Did indirect heat by just having the very left and right most burners on with the ham sitting in a baking dish on the grill in the middle (this caught all the drippings) above the dormant burners. That particular method for indirect heat isn't an option on your Q2200, but you just need to make sure there is as much of an air gap as possible between the indirect tray and the baking dish the ham is in.

I personally peeled off the skin and diamond cut the fat before putting it in the grill, a lot more effort if you are trying to remove the skin part way through the cook. Cooked at about 300F (approx 150C) basting every 15 min with glaze for (I think) about 75-90 min.

I don't think you'll dry it out unless you cook it for too long or too hot, with a ham you are not really "cooking" it, just warming it through.

My father just got a Q2200 and he loves it, and I suspect he'll be attempting a ham on it this year.

I'll be trying a double smoked ham on my new Kamado.

EDIT: Typos.

dt

1152 posts

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#1916836 11-Dec-2017 15:50

Paul1977:

I recently got a Kamado Joe. After mucking around with fire starters for several weeks have ditched them in favour of a propylene blowtorch for lighting the charcoal.

Not the cheapest investment but lights the charcoal in no time, and apparently the gas canisters last for ages. Just be sure you wear hand and eye protection (and maybe old clothes)... the charcoal will snap, crackle, and pop!

+1 for the blow torch + charcoal chimney

I got the next model up the Bernzomatic TS8000 off Amazon for $35+shipping USD on special.

Its works wonders, up and running in minutes every time, simple and easy.

The canisters do last a while, I got mine last summer and I still haven't replaced it.

Been having A LOT of scotch fillet as of late, this Auckland weather feels like its Friday everyday at the moment.

Paul1977

4983 posts

Uber Geek

#1916839 11-Dec-2017 15:55

networkn:

I think my solution sounds cheaper, simpler, safer, and less time intensive. :)

$4 can of tuna, and $5 bottle of meths. No safety gear required, no time spend holding a blowtorch near exploding coal.

Cheaper certainly, but I'd argue the less time intensive, simpler, and safer part. Transferring the hot coals from the chimney to the fire pit would surely throw out at least as many hot embers as my method? I'd personally want hand and eye protection if using a chimney as well.

Only need about 30 seconds in each spot you light, so actually very quick (at least compared to firestarter blocks).

Lots of different methods to achieve the same result I guess.

Paul1977

4983 posts

Uber Geek

#1916843 11-Dec-2017 16:02

dt:

+1 for the blow torch + charcoal chimney

I got the next model up the Bernzomatic TS8000 off Amazon for $35+shipping USD on special.

Its works wonders, up and running in minutes every time, simple and easy.

The canisters do last a while, I got mine last summer and I still haven't replaced it.

Do you use the TS8000 AND a chimney? I just light the lump directly in the fire pit.

I got Mitre 10 to beat the Bunnings price on the TS4000, so was about $118 in the end as I decided I couldn't wait for international shipping! Considered the TS8000, but from what I had read the 4000 is easily hot enough and I didn't think I'd ever have a need for the flame adjustment to justify the NZ price for the higher spec model (quite a big price difference here).

Tinkerisk

4159 posts

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#1916846 11-Dec-2017 16:08

Make your own magic dust rub!

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Paul1977

4983 posts

Uber Geek

#1916848 11-Dec-2017 16:13

kryptonjohn: I cook at 200 and take beef off at 54 and rest it under foil. Leaving the probe in sees the temp continue to rise as it rests and the heat equalises out between the outer and inner depths- I've seen it hit 60.

That's a good point, and something I'm still not that great at... factoring in that the food will continue to cook while resting. Can be the difference between perfect and overcooked.

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