Getting snobbish about our BBQ

I am new to this forum, in my third year of minimalist BBQ with a brinkman 2 door vertical. My observations: the smoker works fine in good weather, but becomes almost useless when it is cold and windy. I suspect this is because the firebox is capable of raising the temp maybe 150 degrees, on a 70 temp day 70+150 = 220, but on a 35 degree day 35+150 = 185. Then there is wind chill, which drops the top temp even more.

When all goes well, a good load of briquettes will burn about 6 hours at about 180-220. The usual heat arc is for the temp to go up in the first hour to about 240 then drop down to around 180-200 for a long time.

I have sealed the doors with stove gasket material, and of course drilled holes in the fire pan. I am going to replace the fire pan with a bigger one, since I just bought a $13 walmart grill for parts.

I also have a bullet smoker that is about 20 years old, made in America, stored outdoors, and no rust - but have not used it in years.

I favor brining, applewood, my standard base rub is black pepper and the cheapest mustard.

All comments and suggestions will be welcomed
 
Hi, twinwasp! Welocme to the forum. A good place to discuss what you wrote above is in Qtalk, (where this thread is but the bottom section). Use a title that has 'Brinkmann 2 door vertical' in it and something about looking for suggestions. You will get a lot more traffic that way. If the type of smoker you want to discuss is in the title of your thread you will draw people that have experience or would like help themselves. Also, look to the bottom of this page, below the "Posting Rules" box and you will see the google custom search. I wrote "Brinkmann 2 door vertical" in it and clicked on 'search' at the right and had quite a few threads come up for that specific smoker. You might even find the information you need without having to wait for people to show up and comment on your thread. Good luck! :becky:
 
Kathy's Smokin' said:
I love the tolerance and friendship posted about here. Does it extend to folks that prefer well done steak? My experience on this forum has been it is not safe to post a well done steak cook thread.
Click to expand...

I like medium well to well done steaks too, but I know how to cook all of them for my family members who don't like them that done. It's just preference, and not everyone is the same. I find that medium well give me the perfect amount of tenderness and juicy-ness I like...

 
^ That's perfect, looks tender and juicy. I make a juicier and more tender well-done steak now than I did before joining this forum, I've learned a lot about meat the last three years. I made shoe leather too often before that because I didn't know better. My next freezer half-beef order looks like it will be steak-heavy because of who I'm sharing the whole cow with. I'm looking forward to perfecting a well-done, might even post a thread or two to show what I've learned. The support in this thread is the reason I'm thinking about creating a cook thread again, I'd pretty much given up on doing that. Thank you, BBQDane, Cajun Ty, RevZiLLa and Tony, you just made a difference. :becky:
 
Thanks Turkey Leg. Well put. I'm fairly new to smoking, brand new to this forum, and certainly no competitor. It's the process I love and the camaraderie I seek. Great BBQ is icing on the cake.
 
Might be off post here, and not my intention to offend anyone, but in my world it's not how you start the q but how it is finished. Boiled, baked, pressure cooked, hell microwaved, whatever you need to do, but its gotta be finished in the smoker, or grill. Plenty of matches here, WHAT IS MATCHLIGHT??
 
This is what Match Light briquettes look like, made by Kingsford. They come already infused with lighter fluid so they "light with just one match". Consumers Reports tested them because of numerous complaints, link below. Match Light works as marketed under some circumstances, mainly, if they have been protected in the necessary ways to stop the lighter fluid from evaporating. Storing an open bag in the back yard metal shed all summer will allow the lighter fluid to evaporate -- then you're just left with regular briquettes that will not light with one match held to them. The reason they are made fun of here is the lighter fluid…. which permeates the cooked food with an undesirable flavour.




http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/06/match-light-charcoal-claim-check/index.htm
 
Hey to Kathy, Thank you for the reply. Just funnin about the Matchlight, I am well aware what it is, been smokin meat for 30 years, im old school charcoal for the grill wood only for the smoker:clap2:
 
ok, maybe off topic, but i have been doing these shoulders for several years now and am finally going to buy or build a smoker.

Opinions please: which is a better smoker for the weekender, Gas or electric?
 
NCBackyardSmoker said:
ok, maybe off topic, but i have been doing these shoulders for several years now and am finally going to buy or build a smoker.

Opinions please: which is a better smoker for the weekender, Gas or electric?
Click to expand...

You will get a better response if you post this in Q-Talk.
As far as your question goes, I would think gas. Have you thought about wood, charcoal or pellets as a fuel source ?
 
Agreed, better in Qtalk. I couldn't resist this question even though I have no time to be here. :roll:

My two cents -- forget gas and electric. Best smokers for weekenders are a UDS, kettle or Weber Smokey Mountain that run on charcoal. Craigslist seems to be a good place to find second hand smokers at good prices if budget is the first concern. Experience has taught me cheap offset smokers (COS) are more trouble than they're worth, even if you got it for free.
 
I know this is an old topic, even if it is pinned, and I'm a new guy without much history. But here goes:

The food doesn't know how it was cooked; it either tastes good, or it doesn't. Everything else is posturing.

Which isn't to say that your equipment and techniques are worthless, if you are producing good food. But it does mean that if someone puts a plate of ribs in front of you, and they are spectacular, it doesn't matter if they were smoked, boiled, or lutefisked.

That's it!
 
In NC people are really snobby about bbq. The western part of the state has a thicker sauce style then the vinegar based bbq sauce. The sauce is what half the people argue over and the other half debate on the proper way to cook the meat. Some say charcoal is best while others swear by cooking with wood. I'm partial to the bbq cooked with hickory wood myself.

I don't make too much of a big deal about it if I'm hungry I can pretty much eat any kind of que.
 
I am new here but I say who ever is cooking is the best. A lot of lifes problems have been solved sitting around a grill. It's time together held captive by watching something cook into something better. Breaking bread together is biblical. Many friendships have been enhanced by a little love, laughter and some good food.:wink:
 
I have actually avoided the 'smoking scene' in my area due to running into snobby windbags, just like our local 'beer scene'. I judged the group by the few, my serious mistake. I have met really down to earth bbqers here as of late. This site seems to be filled with the good ones. Glad I finally found my way on the path.
 
I'm an admitted barbecue snob, but only because everything I do is better than yours. ;)

It doesn't mean I won't try other methods and thoroughly enjoy the work of others.
 
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