What's on your grilling and smoking menu for the Fourth of July Weekend?


 
Erik Tracy said:
Me and a good friend are going to try for a 4th of July brisket throwdown. We both have 18WSMs and hope to find some primes at Costco on Thursday. The trash taking has already begun - which makes it all good.

Music? I'm thinking either blues or southern rock or both. (y)
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I was just looking over the selection of Prime Briskets at Costco yesterday (Rochester MN). They had 2. TWO. Both at 10 1/2 pounds. And at $4.99/lb.
Ugh, I had to pass.
They also had 10-12 flats that were either $7.99-$8.99? Again, pass. Good luck.
 
Tracy Seelhammer said:
I was just looking over the selection of Prime Briskets at Costco yesterday (Rochester MN). They had 2. TWO. Both at 10 1/2 pounds. And at $4.99/lb.
Ugh, I had to pass.
They also had 10-12 flats that were either $7.99-$8.99? Again, pass. Good luck.
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Yup - hence my words "try" "hope"

We need to confer before Thursday for a fall back plan. Or postpone the throw down. :(

We are going early Thursday morning to have a look-see.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
Barbacoa and al pastor tacos with homemade salsa verde, pico and guac.
My vertical skewer arrived in the mail yesterday, all set to go.
2 hour smoked beef cheeks and then braising them in broth, onion hot sauce or something like that until very tender, more so than brisket from what I have read. Something like 210 will let the cheeks pull nicely....I could be wrong thou....YIKES!
The al pastor tacos I just plan to find a nice 3 pound cut, something with fat in it like a shoulder and slice it thin, stack it up and smoke till 145 degrees or so......
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Do post up pictures, if you can, and your thoughts on the vertical skewer.
 
James Villa said:
Do post up pictures, if you can, and your thoughts on the vertical skewer.
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I bought a cheaper made in china off of Amazon version. I wanted the trompo king but at an on sale price of $120.00 I wasn't ready to commit.
We make a lot of tacos and al pastor is my fav so we will see if another purchase will be warranted. My $37.99 with free shipping looks like it will do the job pretty nicely actually. The skewer has threads on the bottom for easy cleaning, I hope it stands up for a while.
I will try to remember to get marinade and skewering pics to go along with the cooking pics.
I will probably have my own thread on it as I really am hoping for some top shelf cooking here.
I either have to have 2 smokers going at once or find a wood I can use on both beef and pork. I was thinking cherry but haven't used it with beef before. Any suggestions on 1 wood to smoke both beef and pork at the same time would be appreciated.
I have hickory, pecan but not much, cherry, apple, peach. I was going to go pecan and cherry, thanks!
 
The more I think about it, if I can’t go to Darryl’s I’d better think of something pretty soon, maybe chicken legs, and burgers, maybe? I’ll do some kind of more involved feast when my ex nephew in law comes to visit next week, he loves a party! I’m considering several options for next week, but, I need to nail down some more specific times when he’s going to be free.
 
I think i am going to smoke some ribs and a brisket. I haven’t smoked ribs in ages so it’s about time plus i am out of brisket in the freezer so a restock cook is in order
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I either have to have 2 smokers going at once or find a wood I can use on both beef and pork. I was thinking cherry but haven't used it with beef before. Any suggestions on 1 wood to smoke both beef and pork at the same time would be appreciated.
I have hickory, pecan but not much, cherry, apple, peach. I was going to go pecan and cherry, thanks!
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I would go 2-1 on pecan/hickory vs cherry.
Normally I go 2-1 on fruitwood vs nut wood on pork, ( or why bother? ) but with beef I would go with more nutwood.
If you had some oak that would be a nice smoke for both beef and pork.
 
Hey, I’m in Michigan, we have lots of cherry, I use that for almost everything, it’s killer on a brisket!
I’ve done the pecan/cherry route many times and it’s really nice, I tend to lean toward more cherry.
 
Will do a chuck roast to shred and freeze for an enchilada dinner during an upcoming vacation. Aside from that, I'll be eating from the grills of others.
 
My in-laws always do a big 4th of July party and my wife's dad makes pulled pork, ribs, chicken and hot dogs and everybody who shows up brings sides and desserts. He's in his 70s now so I keep waiting on him to ask for some help cooking all that but he keeps saying he's got it. I'm sure he enjoys it like we all do.
 
Breaking in a new huge grill (burn-in will be 2 16lb bags of Kingsford briquettes Thursday morning,) probably simple things like burgers and steaks. Maybe a few good dogs.

Hrrrrm...... something I have not made in a very long time..... grill roasted chicken over a bed of mushroom & leek stuffing (see Cook's Illustrated.) Make stuffing, put it in a tinfoil pan and drape the spatchcocked bird over it so it catches all of the goodness. It's a good idea to double the stuffing, it's just that GOOD.
 
We throw a nice 4th of July party up north every year.
Tomorrow is the Dungeness crab opener in our area of Washington .
Smoking a pork butt.
Will have brats and burgers if needed.
lots of salads and sides.
A bunch of fresh crab.

This year we will also get a bit creative and serve several vegans.
I am not quite sure how to handle vegans but I will try.
We shoot trap and and do large fireworks.
If they don’t care for that I can’t help them and they are in the wrong spot.
 
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