BBQ Thread (Smoker/grill)

[Selassie I]

My smoked chicken wings are insane. I'm not revealing everything but I give lots of hints.

Ingredients to my wings sauce...

I take the seeds out of the Habs before putting them in the food processor.

Everything but the melted butter is mixed in here. I put it in the fridge until later.

 

[Selassie I]

I just cut the tips off the wings. I prefer to cook them like this. They are easy as pie to pull apart after cooking and I think they cook better without separating them.

 

[Selassie I]

Soak the wings in a mixture of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and cold water for about 2 hours in the fridge.

 

[Selassie I]

Drain and then coat with your favorite spice. Let those sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

 

[Selassie I]

Have egg heated to 350 on indirect heat. I use apple wood chunks for the smoke. Cook for 45 minutes ... flip.... cook 45 more minutes on other side....

 

[Selassie I]

Coat with wing sauce and put in pan.

Put them back on the egg and let the sauce cook in for about another 10 - 15 minutes.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I'm looking for an affordable pellet smoker
Any advice?
Something under 1k and preferably closer to $500
My electric smokers die each year and want something long lasting

 

[iced]

ahhh crap - i did my coconut shrimp yesterday for my GF's parents for easter, forgot to snap some pics

 

[RamFan503]

Coat with wing sauce and put in pan.

Put them back on the egg and let the sauce cook in for about another 10 - 15 minutes.

Gonna have to taste me some of those. They look like they will burn you a new one. :eek:

 

[Selassie I]

I'm looking for an affordable pellet smoker
Any advice?
Something under 1k and preferably closer to $500
My electric smokers die each year and want something long lasting

I love my Big Green Egg. There are some imitation ceramic smoker/grills on the market that cost a little less but they aren't as good for the long slow cooks and keeping the temp. I know that cause my friend bought an imitation. His wife calls it the Fegg... fake egg... they regret buying the imitation.

You can buy a Big Green Egg for around $600... you can trick it out for less than $1k.

It uses lump charcoal so it's not a pellet. I can't help with any 411 on those. I swear by my egg though.

 

[Selassie I]

Gonna have to taste me some of those. They look like they will burn you a new one. :eek:

Cammy eats them with no problem. My boys think we're crazy... they don't like em as hot as we do.

 

[RamFan503]

Cammy eats them with no problem. My boys think we're crazy... they don't like em as hot as we do.

Yeah - don't get me wrong. I tend to be a total masochist with foods so I would definitely like to eat some of them. I might pay for it later but ... SO? Did I ever send you any of my Stu-icidal Tendencies sauce?

 

[Selassie I]

Yeah - don't get me wrong. I tend to be a total masochist with foods so I would definitely like to eat some of them. I might pay for it later but ... SO? Did I ever send you any of my Stu-icidal Tendencies sauce?

Oh yeah. I got some. Hahahaha

There's something about the fresh peppers that I really like. Not sure what it is, but I enjoy the taste more.

 

[RamFan503]

Oh yeah. I got some. Hahahaha

There's something about the fresh peppers that I really like. Not sure what it is, but I enjoy the taste more.

Totally agree. You have to get hold of some fresh Jolokias. I don't know how else to describe it but that they have kind of a meaty flavor to them. The fresh ones we got out of AZ were tasty but not quite as hot as the powder I use in sauces.

I'm still working on Stu-icidal level 4 but I think I'm going to have to order some straight capsacin (sp?) so that it's not so thick. The Level 3 I made has so much Jolokia in it it is almost more of a paste than a sauce. I can tell you though. Wings with Level 3 on them are simply no fun to eat. They are more of a challenge type thing. We get a lot of guys trying to show off for their dates ordering them. They get a bit nervous though when they have to sign a waiver before we will bring them to their table.

 

[Selassie I]

Here's something kinda freaky. My parrot Rasta loves it when I make wings or whole smoked chickens.

He's like a cannibal. Lots of people who see him eating chicken think it's weird. Hahahahaha

One thing I find very interesting though, is how he instinctively knew to crack the bones of chickens open to eat the marrow. I say this because Rasta was hand fed by me since he cracked out of his egg. He thinks he's human and had to see me eat things when he was younger before he'd even try something new.

His favorite thing in the world to eat is bone marrow. He knew about this from instinct. He will perfectly crack open a chicken bone and eat all the marrow... and he knew how to do this without seeing it being done.

A few pics from earlier today. Leftover chicken bones...

 

[CGI_Ram]

Coat with wing sauce and put in pan.

Put them back on the egg and let the sauce cook in for about another 10 - 15 minutes.

Those look... BEAUTIFUL! Whoa!

 

[RamFan503]

His favorite thing in the world to eat is bone marrow.

What a trip. I wouldn't have thought parrots would eat anything like marrow let alone have any clue on how to get to it. Of course you did raise him.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I'm looking for an affordable pellet smoker
Any advice?
Something under 1k and preferably closer to $500
My electric smokers die each year and want something long lasting

Traeger is what I have. They have a few different sizes. There are more expensive brands out there but I'm not sure ther much better. They're basically just an auger that feeds the pellets into a small cup.

I have the smallest model. It retails for around 400. The next one up retails around 550.
I thought I would regret getting the smallest one, but I dont. I have room for 2 full racks of ribs laying flat. 4 if I use a stand on edge.
Also unlike other grills it's all or nothing with a pellet smoker. You can't cook in smaller stations like with a Gass grill or charcoal. If you want to cook for 4 people you still have to heat the whole thing. Costing much more in pellets.
I found I would rather have 2 small ones then 1 big one.

A 40 lb bag of pellets has lasted me through quite a few smokes. Obviously the lower the temps the longer the pellets last.

The only complaint I have with the smaller unit I own, is that it's not good to burn it on high for more than 30 min or so. The auger is shorter than most and sometimes will start burning into the feeder box. Doesn't bother me since I don't smoke at 500 degrees. If I'm cooking steaks I just keep an eye on it. This isn't a problem with the next size up though.

I also like that I can get any type of wood I want.

 

[RamFan503]

Traeger - Oregon product. Just sayin' I know a lot of people who own Traegers and haven't heard one person say they didn't like it. They have a bunch of different styles and sizes.

@Dieter the Brock - if you are using a Little Chief or Big Chief then for my money, virtually any other smoker is an upgrade. I use a basic propane fired smoker for most of my outside events and when I am doing smaller quantities. I burn through them in about a year but I am putting hundreds of pounds of meat through them. The ones I have been using lately are Smoke Hollow. You can pick them up for around 2 bills.

BTW - Mine sit outside in the weather all year also. I could probably make them last quite a bit longer if I had somewhere to store them out of the weather.

 

[LesBaker]

Here's something kinda freaky. My parrot Rasta loves it when I make wings or whole smoked chickens.

He's like a cannibal. Lots of people who see him eating chicken think it's weird. Hahahahaha

One thing I find very interesting though, is how he instinctively knew to crack the bones of chickens open to eat the marrow. I say this because Rasta was hand fed by me since he cracked out of his egg. He thinks he's human and had to see me eat things when he was younger before he'd even try something new.

His favorite thing in the world to eat is bone marrow. He knew about this from instinct. He will perfectly crack open a chicken bone and eat all the marrow... and he knew how to do this without seeing it being done.

A few pics from earlier today. Leftover chicken bones...

You live under the same roof as Upper Right Hand Corner Crazy Hot Chick and a bird that is self aware and maintains eye contact with you as he cracks open bones and eats the marrow.

You're fearless.