Are we all doing it wrong?


 
T

Tom L

TVWBB Fan
I picked up a copy of Cook's Illustrated's "All Time Best Grilling Recipes" last night because I usually consider them to be a great resource on most culinary matters and have had countless delicious meals based on their recipes. Needless to say, I was eager to see their take on grilling and barbecuing.

Pulled Pork: 5 lb boneless, smoke for 2 hours on the grill with 1/2 chimney of coals then finish foiled in oven at 325 degrees for 3 hours. (Mine takes 10 hours minimum on the WMS?)

Brisket: Brine it for 2 hours, Smoke for 3 hours on grill with basically a Minion start, add 10 more coals and let go 2 to 4 hours until it hits 195 degrees. Oven finish if it doesn't hit after 4 hours. (I do HH in 4 four hours, never tried Low and Slow but I want to)

Ribs: Basically steam them in an oven for 2 hours and then smoke them for 90 minutes on the grill. (5-6 hours in the smoker for me, 2-3 in foil)

Clearly they don't need to just use the smoker but these recipes are an eye opener just based on the cooking times alone. I am going to try the brisket recipe just to see how it compares to the HH method and maybe try the pork one on the OTG if I am cooking just for the family one afternoon.

Food for thought.

Tom
 
Those recipes were obviously created for folks that don't have a true BBQ pit, or advanced temp control skills on a grill.
For the "average Joe" temps on a grill will be higher than we would achieve on a pit, thus the shortened time in smoke and the foiled finish in the oven.

Just my $.02.
 
Try those recipes if you like, but for the best information on smoking/bbq keep it here IMO.
 
Cook's Illustrated is a go-to resource for us, for sure...but mostly for recipes. When it comes to cooking technique and execution (for grilling/BBQ) I think Dave/G's right, "keep it here".
 
Originally posted by Clark "Harbormaster" Hodgson:
Those recipes were obviously created for folks that don't have a true BBQ pit, or advanced temp control skills on a grill.
For the "average Joe" temps on a grill will be higher than we would achieve on a pit, thus the shortened time in smoke and the foiled finish in the oven.

DITTO!!!

Also agree with Don, we use a lot of recipes but not their ways of getting it done.
Click to expand...
 
I agree wholeheartedly with the comments by Dave, Don, and Glenn. I rely on Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country for a lot of recipes and techniques, but they don't use a smoker in their trials. When I compare Cornell chicken recipes between Steven Raichlen and Cook Country, Raichlen wins every time. However, Cook's Country's recipe for Syracuse Salt Potatoes is better than the original from Hinerwadel. It all depends what you are cooking.
 
Also in agreement to keep it here. I use a lot of different recipes from many sources but for technique, I use this message board. Partly for the vast knowledge and partly for the ability to ask questions directly to the person.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Darrell O:
When I compare Cornell chicken recipes between Steven Raichlen and Cook Country, Raichlen wins every time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Interesting as the Cornell recipe from CC is our go-to grilled chicken (although my cooking technique is different from theirs). I've never had Raichlen's. Is this it? Gonna have to try it if it's better than CC.
 
They don't use smokers on the show (at least that I've seen), but interestingly, they did do a review of smokers. Compared one of those green egg things with a Brinkmann and a WSM. Not a huge surprise which one they liked the best.

They also have a sweet SS Performer... if I watch it in slow-motion, does that mean I have a problem?
 
There's more than one way to skin a cat. America's Test Kitchen builds their brand by claiming that they have analyzed the "best" way to do a variety of cooking tasks. However one has to take that opinion with a grain of salt, because if they said otherwise, they probably wouldn't sell very many cookbooks.

The pork butt recipe above sounds like it would work between the high heat and the foiling. The brisket recipe, maybe not so much if it doesn't call for foiling or high heat. The rib recipe, well, there's really no point to steaming your ribs. I've seen another cooks country rib recipe on their show where they smoke the ribs for a couple hours first, then foil and finish in the oven. That is much closer to what we're used to seeing around here.

Anyway the vast majority of their audience has no experience putting out BBQ of the quality that most members of this board enjoy regularly. So, getting those people "close" to quality BBQ using untraditional methods is going to be good enough, most of the time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave from Denver:
...
Anyway the vast majority of their audience has no experience putting out BBQ of the quality that most members of this board enjoy regularly. So, getting those people "close" to quality BBQ using untraditional methods is going to be good enough, most of the time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now there is a really key 'tell' on this whole subject. Most people want an easy, fast way to cook. Most don't have a comparison to the foods cooked/grilled/smoked by the members here. And most don't have the equipment.

There are many, MANY ways to cook or grill/smoke. Just look at the THOUSANDS of posts on TVWBB (let alone all the other sites, TV shows, cookbooks). You can take your pick of instructions from any of these, but I'm real happy right here (and at The BBQ Source).

Rich
 
Tom, those brisket and pork butt approaches are sort of a shortcut method, and I've got a couple articles on TVWB that are similar. Applying smoke and finishing in the oven results in a pretty good product if you don't want to spend all day barbecuing. Only you can be the judge of whether it's a good as something cooked the entire time in the smoker.

Brisket - Smoked & Oven Finished
Pork Butt - Quick Cooked

Regards,
Chris
 
I don't bother with the so-called "experts" books. Everything I've done on the WSM and the kettle has been from the information I've gotten from the experienced people here on Chris A's web site.

And it's always been great!

(I do have one book - "How To Grill" by Steven Raichlen, but I prefer to listen to the friends here on TVWBB).
 
I don't think we are doing it wrong because for me its an escape, an event even. Something I look forward to when I do an all nighter. Why would I want to shorten the experience. And oh yeah, the results can't be beat.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Clark "Harbormaster" Hodgson:
Those recipes were obviously created for folks that don't have a true BBQ pit, or advanced temp control skills on a grill. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

i think Clark said it pretty well right there. i am very new to true bbqing and grilling and when i have tried talking to others that bbq as well, sometimes they have no idea what i am talking about.

for example, i was talking to the meat guy at my small local grocery. i was picking out some pork steaks and he said those are great on the grill. i replied with, "oh yeah i love them on the grill, i like to get the thicker ones and cook them indirect for a couple of hours and they are just awesome."

his face shifted when i said indirect, then contorted even more when i said a couple of hours .... he looked at me like i was crazy and said: so what you cook 'em till they're burnt?

i told him that i dont use a lot of coals and sear them, then put them over on the side so they can slow cook for a while... and how it really helps them get nice and tender.

he was just staring at me and finally said, well who knows what youre doing with that grill, but if thats how you like your meat.... This was the MEAT guy...jeez!

anyway.... i rambled did i? sorry. But im with Eric, for me its an escape and i do not mind tending to my grill for hours. some just dont have the passion and knowledge... or care to.
 
Becky.... Enough said. You like many are now the "meat guys" because , unfortunately. there are no meat guys, We know better (then) most!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Marc:
Becky.... Enough said. You like many are now the "meat guys" because , unfortunately. there are no meat guys, We know better (then) most! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have to agree. Like the "butcher"/"meat guy" I talked to at a high end meat counter. He said they don't stock full packers because they only provide the best cuts -- trimmed briskets.
icon_frown.gif


Rich
 
So, I guess as he said " each to his own, as the farmer kissed his cow " I can tell you, I get more grounds work done now with the kettle going, than I ever have. My new son-in-law loves me and we have become fans of Beck's non alcoholic beer...that helps me put in a 6 hour day on the grounds.....life is good mit za smoke ! YEAH, EACH TO THEIR OWN !
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They also have a sweet SS Performer... if I watch it in slow-motion, does that mean I have a problem? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, I once recorded and old outdated Raichlen hour special just to look at all the Webers he had lined up.

I have a friend who does the over steam thing on his ribs. Over the past couple years I have slowely moved him to realy Q. Just this past weekend he had 4 racks of BB and instead of his normal steam method he brought them over and threw them on since I already had the smoekr going. I think the shorter methods are great for some people, just not the memebers of this wonderful site.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Cash:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Darrell O:
When I compare Cornell chicken recipes between Steven Raichlen and Cook Country, Raichlen wins every time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Interesting as the Cornell recipe from CC is our go-to grilled chicken (although my cooking technique is different from theirs). I've never had Raichlen's. Is this it? Gonna have to try it if it's better than CC. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's it Don. That's funny you and I have been going back and forth talking about Cornell chicken for years. Give the indirect recipe a try and let me know what you think.
Regards,
Oak
 
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