Barbecuing Versus Grilling: Weber Performa, wood chips, Grill Grates & Hoboken Eddies

rsbeck

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Apr 20, 2010
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Need a separate thread for the Grill Dome -- I also want to hear more about it.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I'm sold. I ordered the grill grates. :)
 

Mobiusman

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Jersey Shore- waterside
Grill Grate tips

Since I seem to have inspired a few people to try to the Grill Grates, I feel that it is my responsibility to share what I have learned from about 15 uses so far. First let me say that I am still learning how to use them because they really do change the parameters of grilling and barbecuing. Having issued that caveat, I will say that I already know that I like them very much. So let me share what I have learned so far.

1) Buy some Weber or other brand non flammable non stick spray. (Sold at Lowes). Especially when they are new, let the Grill Grates (GG) heat up before spraying and then spray heavily just before putting whatever you are cooking on them. Do this each time, at least for the first 10 times and then as needed.

2) When you clean the grates, be careful not to scratch off the coating you have worked hard to put on the ridges. The only surfaces that matter are the top edges of the grates. Use a rounded wire brush (also sold at Lowes-no I do not own their stock!) to clean out the gullies or you will have a hodge-podge of flavors when you use them next.

3) If you are a fan of smoking, as I am, I advise that you use the minimum number of grate segments to support what you are cooking so that there will be maximal unobstructed grill area for the smoke to circulate around what you are cooking.

4) Although I have not measured this, it would appear that the ridges and air spaces between the food and gully of the GG are much hotter than the thermometer in the dome of your apparatus will indicate. So err on the conservative side with temp and times by at least 30% until you get your setup worked out. If you do not want to make burn marks where the ridges contact the food, decrease the temp and increase the time.

I can cook a 1 1/2 inch thick steak to MR in 2-3 min per side with the dome thermometer reading merely 450 deg. Fish fillets, even salmon 1 inch thick take only about 2- 3 min a side, at most, for "cooked but still comes off in scallops."

5) With GG's I no longer use the indirect cooking method unless I want something to cook very slowly, basically because I do not want to make "burn" score marks.

6) If you have a fairly liquid sauce and poor it over what you are cooking, it will, to some extent collect in the gully between the food and the GG and cause a vaporized steaming effect which I am learning to use to my benefit. The more you pour, the greater the effect.

7) Vegetables are a cinch on this, but they cook very fast. Obviously put them at an angle to the ridges so that they will not fall into the gullies. I like veggies al dente and have been doing a lot of asparagus on the GG's. I typically do them more to the periphery where I believe it is a bit cooler, BUT it takes less than 2 minutes to get them cooked and maintain a "snap". A simple starter recipe for asparagus is chop the bottom inch off of the stalk, put them in a shallow dish with some balsamic vinegar or balsamic oil and a bit of olive oil and let them sit for about 10-15 minutes and throw them on the grill for 2-3 minutes total just before everything else is done, with one flip using the GG spatula (I can flip 10 at a time with no misses). If you like caramelization, put a teaspoon or two of sugar in the liquid mixture while soaking.

8) Let the GG's cool naturally and then wipe the ridges clean when cool or before the next use.
 
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JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Russ has got my vote :)
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
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:p Russ and Amir we are buds in here, if not in audio. My barbecuing mirrors yours. I found how to wow the guests with a Weber some thirty years ago. I used home made white oak charcoal, and placed green White Oak branches on top of that. White oak imbues an sweet aromatic flavor for red meats. I use it for salmon at times too. It makes the fish taste on the wild side. Coat all food in olive or canola oil. Meat will plump, retaining all their moisture; no basting being needed.

My present barbecue is the Weber Performer. Russ gave a wonderful review of this versatile barbecue, and I won't go over the same points. The grill I use has two hinged sections where it is easy to load the charcoal. The charcoal trays allow indirect heat which we use for nearly everything. I use the wood charcoal as mentioned above. A metal chimney charcoal lighter comes in real handy. For a wide direct heat, I build a small campfire. With a few pieces of newspaper, and twigs from the trees, I quick start all the charcoal.

When the weather turns cold, I drape old towels over the dome, with space provided for the vents. This keeps the barbecue at 400 F. in cold windy weather. When Thanksgiving comes along, I put my 20 lb. broad breast free range turkey into the kettle. That is another thread we should start. How to cook the best turkey.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
Good to have another buddy in the camp! This reminds me to write up my advanced cooking tutorial. For now, this is a teaser! :D

 

rblnr

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 3, 2010
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I'm a hardcore wood-griller, year-round. Did so on ten or so Manhattan rooftops and balconies before moving to the 'burbs. Have a big rectangular box from Lowe's after needing more grate space than my trusty Weber. Will one day build a firepit. Have experimented w/all kind of woods to smoke with, marinades and so forth. Sold BBQ sauce briefly. Such are my credentials :)

Only thing I have to add to this great discussion is that fast very high temp cooking is a way to go w/grilling too. Like the NY steakhouses, I'll cook some cuts of beef at high temps -- keeps the steaks extremely juicy.
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
479
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Sacramento Ca
Last night I lay some hamburgers on the grill. Wood charcoal, and plenty of White Oak chips provided the aromatic smoke. Funny how a hamburger can have folks ooing and awing.
 

wineslob

New Member
Aug 5, 2010
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I have a gas CharBroil, a Montgomery Ward badged Webber (large model) and a Webber 18.5. The Charbroil is turning into rust.
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
479
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Sacramento Ca
Hi wineslob, We have our old kettle which we use for large gatherings like Thanksgiving when I do two turkeys. That 12 year old kettle, though stored under the elements, is still shiny black. Did you see previous posts on what charcoal is best? There is a consensus Cowboy wood charcoal is the best.
 

Ronm1

Member Sponsor
Feb 21, 2011
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wtOMitMutb NH
IMO, no chips for Q, real wood/firebox
 

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mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Now I'm hungry. Man that food looks great.
 

slowGEEZR

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Sep 20, 2010
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There's some good advice in this thread. Here's a pic of me, the one in the black tee, taste judging at the final table at the Bubba Can Cook cookoff, in Navasota, TX back in '07. This annual cookoff is in honor of my brother in law. He founded the IBCA, International Barbeque Cookers Association and my sister in law is still on the board. I travel all over Texas to judge BBQ at IBCA sanctioned events. If any of you ever want to be a taste judge, let me know. A lot of my friends win between 60 and 120 thousand dollars a year competing, so I know some pretty darn good cookers! One of them is my sister in law, who has been invited to the first Jack Daniels World BBQ cookoff and Memphis in May BBQ cookoff and has been interviewed on televised BBQ shows. She and her husband would enter as many as 42 cookoffs a year! Totally nuts!
I was taught how to BBQ back in the early '70s by my German, peanut farming father in law and have yet to taste any as good as he could make just using his $30 flimsy pit.


 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
Steve, in the next life I like to come back as you!!! :D

Question: I love the hot sausages I get at good BBQ restaurants. They look just like the cajun ones you have on your smoker. They are spicy but not crazy spicy. Where do folks buy those? Or do they make them? The sausages I find locally just don't taste that way.
 

slowGEEZR

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2010
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Colorado Springs, CO
Steve, in the next life I like to come back as you!!! :D

Question: I love the hot sausages I get at good BBQ restaurants. They look just like the cajun ones you have on your smoker. They are spicy but not crazy spicy. Where do folks buy those? Or do they make them? The sausages I find locally just don't taste that way.

Ha ha, no, if you came back as me you'd have too much body fat from eating too much barbeque! Ronm1 had the picture with the sausages, but I can tell you that the best sausages are simple and home made. Either get in touch with some country folk or a country small town meat market and I bet you'll find some good sausage.
Ronm1
 

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