Vanity, Vanity, Thy Name is Barbecue


 
D

Dennis T.

TVWBB Super Fan
I'm relatively new with my WSM (3 smokes - two baby back ribs, one turkey) and like most newbies, I'm thrilled with the quality of the barbecue.

Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I will be hosting her family for a get together. Call me vain, but I would LOVE to wow her family with some terrific barbecue.

Details are evolving, but for planning purposes it looks like 11 adults (7 men/4 women). Of the 4 women, one eats only chicken (white meat), one is vegetarian, another is quasi-vegetarian (would eat chicken), and the fourth is normal (my wife!). The men are all confirmed meat eaters ... some more than others.

I have a WSM and a 22.5" Kettle at my disposal.

While I haven't done a butt, it seems like pulled pork is perfect for such gatherings. On the other hand, everyone loves ribs so part of me would love to knock their socks off with some terrific ribs. (The family is really into Montgomery Inn ribs - discussed on another thread - essentially boiled w/ very sweet sauce).

Any menu ideas or past experiences to share would be appreciated.
 
Dennis--

Wow them.

Can you swing a butt cook in advance? Re-heats easily. Do ribs on the WSM and perhaps a high-heat roast/smoke of chicken, maybe a bunch of quarters, thighs, or bone-in breasts (or a turkey breast!) on the kettle.
 
Thanks Kevin.

I was kinda thinking along those lines. I could do a butt in advance and reheat. On party day, I could do some ribs on the WSM and chicken on the kettle (I was thinking maybe beer can). I didn't think about a turkey breast ... that would be nice.

Do you think the rib/pulled pork combo is too much?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do you think the rib/pulled pork combo is too much? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hell, no! You're kidding, right?
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Seriously, no I don't. Not for a gathering and not for a holiday, solemnity of the holiday notwithstanding. I think it would be fun for both you and your guests. You could have a selection of sauces available and/or time and fashion the ribs as an appetizer but either way I'd just go for it. Wow 'em.
 
Dennis, dont forget the vegatarian! Are you going to grill some veggies for him/her? Sweet Peppers, corn, pineapple, peaches. Maybe even a grilled stuffed apple from the How To Grill book. Anyway, there are lots of options in How To Grill that would more than cover the vegetarian so that you can wow them too.
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Tony
 
Yep, Tony, good ideas. A couple skewers of veg or a veg/fruit combo on the kettle would work great.
 
No, I didn't forget the vegetarian ... someone needs to clean up.
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Seriously, I'll have to give that some thought ... I'll have to be careful to not cook the veggies with the meat. I'll have to think about timing ...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dennis T.:
No, I didn't forget the vegetarian ... someone needs to clean up.
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Ohhhh... you're a bad man!!!
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Have fun and let us know how it goes.

Tony
 
Tony,

Thanks for the veggie ideas and I'll definitely resurrect this thread over the next week or so as the plan takes shape.

I like to joke with my vegetarian neice-in-law (I mean, a tofu turkey is funny, right?), but I'd like to make something with her in mind. She gets short changed at family gatherings since meat is always the main event.
 
Tony, was watching a BBQ show the other day when the guy cooking took some of his BBQ rub and sprinkled it on veggies on the grill. Great idea!!!<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tony Hunter:
Dennis, dont forget the vegatarian! Are you going to grill some veggies for him/her? Sweet Peppers, corn, pineapple, peaches. Maybe even a grilled stuffed apple from the How To Grill book. Anyway, there are lots of options in How To Grill that would more than cover the vegetarian so that you can wow them too.
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Tony </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Dennis, I have some veggie family members and they buy vegetarian burgers at Walmart all the time. They are made of a mix of veggies and maybe some soybean, but I have grilled them and they taste pretty darn good especially with the fixin's. I dont remember who makes them but they appear to be readily available.

Tony
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Tony, was watching a BBQ show the other day when the guy cooking took some of his BBQ rub and sprinkled it on veggies on the grill. Great idea!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That does sound good. I am grilling some burgers and brats tonight, I may throw on some veggies and give it shot.

Tony
 
Tony,

I have veggie burgers from time to time ... as you say, if I "run 'em through the garden" they don't taste too bad.

That would be a good choice ... I'd like to try something different, but I don't want to make this too complicated either ...
 
They must be the easy-going sort of vegeterrariums.
I know a girl over here that won't eat veggies cooked an a BBQ that was used for meat (any time in the past). Even if you went out and bought a new grate!
 
Morgan ... I thought of the concern you raise. I definitely would not grill veggies the same time as meat. That's why I need to think about the logistics. (Either that or this is the excuse I was looking for to purchase a second kettle!)

A veggie item/dish that could be grilled ahead of time would be just the ticket.
 
Veggies, clean, place in disposable half pan (20 for $4.50 @ Sam's) DDDrizzle with EVOO, Kosher Salt, fresh ground Pepper and granulated garlic to taste. Smoke Roast @ 350*f +/- till tender. Use pit bull to keep the meat eaters away
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Konrad,

Does "Smoke Roast" refer to smoking at higher temperatures ... like the 350 you mentioned?

Any veggies will do?
 
I would think "smoke roast" would be cooking indirect with smoke wood for flavor. Veggies really wouldn't benefit any from cooking at a lower temp, so 350 should be fine. I like the idea of using a disposable pan so the veggies don't come in contact with anything that's touched meat. If you're doing BCC on the kettle, you may even be able to get the pan on at the same time. I'd wait until towards the end of the cook, though, since they won't take as long as the chicken.

Greg
 
Dennis--

Konrad's idea is a good one. I use whole, small button mushrooms, small, whole peeled shallots (halved if large), whole peeled garlic cloves, broccoli florets, red pepper triangles, fresh green beans snapped in half. When I'm doing this much I of course don't skewer. I use a grill basket (more like a bowl with holes) and toss with evoo, a little S, P, and fresh thyme, though dried will work. Cook in the kettle, high, kettle covered, stirring occasionally. 5 or so min before finish, I toss in a handful of cherry tomatoes, whole, a little fresh basil and marjoram, taste for salt and that's it.

Btw, you can do this ahead of time. I do for pasta sauces frequently, roasting the vegs in the a.m. for dinner that eve. You could do this, or the like, pre-chicken, and re-heat later. Pull when barely tender, omitting the tomatoes, cool, hold in fridge. For the re-heat, reduce a few Tbls of balsamic by 2/3, add a Tbl of unsalted butter and the veg. Warm, then add the tomatoes and herbs, stir cover, heat on med-low till hot.

To use with pasta (might not be a bad idea--more substantial) use rotelli and cook less of it than 'usual' (it's nice as a grilled veg w/pasta thing rather than a pasta w/grilled veg thing). Cook the pasta when you're reheating the veg. Save a 1/2 c of the pasta cooking water when it's done and drain the pasta; toss with the hot veg mix in its pot, adding a tsp of whole butter and/or evoo. Add a splash of reserved cooking water if needed for moisture. Toasted pine nuts are a nice addition. Serve. Nice with freshly grated asiago on the side.
 
Greg - I like the idea of a pan as well. I hesitate to put the veggies on the same time as the chicken, however, as wouldn't there be some "contamination"? Meaning, the chicken aroma or whatever? I don't know.

Kevin - I really like your idea about doing this pre-chicken and then reheating for serving. That (a) cuts out the "contamination" and (b) simplifies what I have to do "real time".

You guys have given me some great ideas!
 
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