StillDragon® Community Forum

Welcome!

Be part of our community & join our international next generation forum now!

In this Discussion

Need a BBQ

So I just picked up a new house and I want some BBQ ideas to fix up out the back.
I know there are some obsessed folk on here so give me some tips on what I need.
It'll be out on display so although I'm not against DIY it needs to look good. It's also just me and the missus most of the time so I'm not feeding armies.
I'm wondering about the 'eggs'. Ive never used one but think I like the idea.
The wife likes the convenience of gas but there's nothing quite like the flavor of a steak dripping onto hot coals.
I want solid fuel.
I like the idea of playing with smoke too but I'm thinking a dedicated smoke house that can cold smoke is the way forward there.
I like ribs, I like steak. I like roast pork, I like hot smoked trout and eel, I like cold smoked salmon.
I want to do black forest style hams. There's not much I don't like as long as it had a bit of love put into it.
I realise that's a big wish list but for those in the know, what should I be looking into? More importantly, what should I steer clear of?

Comments

  • A Gator Pit of Texas classical offset stick burner. One day I'm going to import one of these, there is nothing comparable here.

    StillDragon Europe - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Europe & the surrounding area

  • Sounds like you need two, maybe three, and a smoker.

  • @grim said: Sounds like you need two, maybe three, and a smoker.

    This .

    I will say, as a former Pro BBQ competitor and a current KCBS judge, the pellet grills can do a lot. I was against them for a long time but finally bought one and use it ALL the time. I have 2 custom built (by me) competition smokers and never use them now. Just too easy to fill the hopper and set the temp.

    I have a GMG Daniel Boone and smoke everything from butts to briskets. I also turn the temp to 500 and do a mean ribeye steak. Gives the steak an over the wood fire taste. You can pick one up new in the $600 range but I bought a demo for half that. Check Craigs list.

  • edited April 2016

    Let me introduce you to something else .... A poitjiekos.

    Cook slowly for approx 5 to 6 hours and man o man is that tender.

    image

    Poitjiekos.jpg
    800 x 571 - 53K
  • edited April 2016

    I'm with the other guys, not that i'm any kind of expert.

    I think you need at least 4 types, the cold smoker you intend to build is one, but a good smoke generator can be added to one of your other 3 to deal with that.

    The standard aussie inclusion of a 4 burner hooded BBQ/grill is a very good bit of kit indeed and quite versatile. Perfect for when you get home from work late and just want to sear a steak for the two of you and unbeatable for doing a big bacon, sausage and egg fry up for houseguests for breakfasts and a few other things.

    A low and slow smoker is a very good bit of kit as well. The UDS can be made really cheaply, made to look smart if that is a requirement and can be converted with a fan and a pid to be set and forget overnighters, they'd be my choice if i was doing it over again. As much as i'm enjoying my stick burner, it's a lot of work and can't be left alone for more than 20 mins.
    The pellet burners are, as SC says a great option and come with built in control if you don't want to DIY.

    image

    The third BBQ that i am using probably 4 nights a week (there's only 2 of us here too) is a cheap round weber style charcoal grill. Mine is a small tacker, mini size. I use it for just about everything. I'm baching atm and last night i made fish and chips with garlic bread for myself all cooked over the charcoal.

    Unbeatable.

    With your training i reckon you will get use out of all three and an attachment for a smoke generator (i have an unused one if you are interested) in either your UDS or your gas grill or a seperate chamber will complete your BBQ arsenal.

    Build Your Own Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) by Deeg

    uds1.jpg
    800 x 600 - 68K

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited April 2016

    Forgot the PID examples.

    DIY automatic temp controller for my UDS @ The BBQ Brethren

    Tweeting, Wireless, Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) temperature controller using Android by Deeg

    If you decide to go this way and build two, i'll swap one for the smoke generator kit. ;)

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Very cool. Thanks for the input guys.

    I actually had a 2’x3” bit of SS tube that I was going to make a generator out of. I also had an aquarium air pump sitting there as well. Not sure where I got that idea from but is that still a good way to go about it?
    Those links look like a computer fan with speed control. I have a heap of those sitting around already too.
    The ball valves and fire box aren't clear to me yet. What the go too design for a smoke generator these days?
    Looks like I have a heap of reading to do.

    I did a bit of cold smoking at the Austrian restaurant I worked at for a while. It was just a gutted out commercial fridge with a hole cut in the bottom and a draw for the saw dust. Pretty basic but the results were great.

    So the smoke house will be a separate project I guess.
    The UDS looks like a good option but will it go low and consistent enough to cold smoke salmon etc.?
    I want to do a lot of jerky too.

    There is already a bricked in four burner Jumbuck type barbi there. Sounds like this is a good thing to still have on hand anyway just for the convenience of turning a knob and get cooking.

    Is a pellet grill like a Webber? I’ve also got one of those that was on its’ way to the tip. It’s just the legs that need some attention so perhaps I should just get this thing going and run it on charcoal.
    I just googled pellet grill and they look like a bloody steam train. Certainly a conversation piece. Are they complicated to build/run?

    Richard, I know a few south Africans here that do poitjiekos. Lot of dried fruit and stuff. Just like a dutch oven.

    In Australia we have camp ovens which are basically the same. They get used for roasting and baking too for things like quick breads (damper)

    So no one is talking about the Big Green Egg?? Waste of money?

  • The smoke generator will do your salmon and jerky and stuff. None of the BBQ's will go low enough to do cold smoking. Just use the UDS, Offset or whatever as the chamber and run a smoke generator for the smoke. For jerky you want some air flow too i believe thats why i added an exhaust fan to my cold smoker.

    You'll need to dismantle the weber for a UDS build, they use the lid and the shelves. Do a bit of googling on it.

    The Hark is a pretty popular pellet smoker here and comes in gas or electric for a reasonable price. @Malted has one i believe but he uses a smoke generator for cold smoking as it doesn't go low enough.

    I like the phone app controller but i haven't got the energy for electronics builds. Being able to control the smoker from bed or from the lounge while watching footy does it for me and would tip me over the edge to do a UDS build. :D

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Love my BGE but find you have to have the propane BBQ for the quick cooks. I have a corn stove (same idea as the pellet mentioned above) and think that would be awesome for control....but I think I am a piker in this thread LOL

  • @bbok said: ....but I think I am a piker in this thread LOL

    Bullshit, if everyone thought like that we'd only ever get the same three opinions.
    The most valid opinion is rarely the loudest in my experience.
    I think I might be in trouble finding an egg in AU though.

  • Sounds like you already know what you want.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • I know what I think I want but I also realsie how little I actually know too. I'll be the first to admit that.
    I want something flexible to cook the sort of things I was talking about.
    So I'm keen to hear all views on what I should or should not be looking at.
    An egg with a generator and a pizza stone sounded like it would do what I wanted at look good doing it, only it would fall short on the ease-of-use side of things.
    What I want and what I need are two very different things :)

  • The eggs have a ceramic lining, i don't know how you'd drill that to mount a smoke generator.

    You can make VERY good pizza with a gas bbq and a pizza stone, it's just a little more exe with running the gas for 3/4 hour to heat it up.

    You can make good pizza in the oven with a stone cheaper.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Cheers.

    @punkin said: The eggs have a ceramic lining, i don't know how you'd drill that to mount a smoke generator.

    I'd try mount it to the bottom vent but only assuming. Certainly no permanent mods.

  • edited April 2016

    Pizza in a gas grill. @punkin I have a bunch of fireplace bricks that I put in my gas grill when I do bread or pizza. I line the back and sides with about 18 of them. I then proceed to absolutely annihilate that thing to a rediculous 700-800f (depends on the wind) until it holds temp like a rock, then I bake.

    I did drill out the orafice on my valves by a couple thousandths to push more BTUs.

    Stays hot for a day or so.

  • The pellet smoker I have is the same size as a gas grill.

    Green Mountain Grills

  • edited April 2016

    @punkin said: The smoke generator will do your salmon and jerky and stuff. None of the BBQ's will go low enough to do cold smoking. Just use the UDS, Offset or whatever as the chamber and run a smoke generator for the smoke. For jerky you want some air flow too i believe thats why i added an exhaust fan to my cold smoker.

    The Hark is a pretty popular pellet smoker here and comes in gas or electric for a reasonable price. Malted has one i believe but he uses a smoke generator for cold smoking as it doesn't go low enough.

    30" Masterbuilt Electric Smoker.

    Damm you Gazza! I prefer to sit on the side-lines of this forum.

    Cold smoking is also dependent on ambient temp. In the cooler climate of the southern part of Australia I very much liked to cool smoke cheese at ambient temp on a cool morning. Home smoked cheese is a magnificent thing. Some folks put a whole heap of frozen ice packs in the smoker to keep the temp inside the smoker down; I have never tried this.

    Also when I was south I made jerky with just an aquarium pump pushing air through the smoker -it was good. In northern Australia I tried to make jerky in the "build up" (humid weather in the period when the tropical monsoon has not yet started) and it did not dry out. It cooked/braised without drying. I suspect I needed more air flowing through the 30" Masterbuilt Electric Smoker but I am not sure because blowing MORE humid air through would be the same as a regular amount of humid air would it?

    I used my MES 30 in Adelaide in a trouble free period of maybe four years. I have used my MES 30 in the Darwin region for about 12 months and had to replace the element, after 6 months it looks like I have to replace the element again. Seems to me that the latest "Gen 2" has some important design modifications that are a significant improvement over the original design.

    Back to why I chose the MES.

    • I like the electric element heat part of it, set and expect it to remain constant temp for a long period of time without feckin with it. That is a brilliant thing.
    • Electric element will sit on a lower temp than the gas burners (low and slow is where it is at). My Dad has a gas Hark and it is difficult to get to a low temp.
    • MES can burn pellets, chips, chunks, what ever you shove in it - rather than being limited to pucks etc.

    However, the smoke generator on the MES is crap. The smoke tray sits above the electric element and it is too hot on the smoking fuel and generates creosote that blackens/tars everything. That certainly couldn't be good for food.

    I use a big kahuna, Smoke Daddy cool smoke generator on my MES. The major fault with the smoke daddy is that you can't choke it down enough for a thin blue smoke. I line the bottom air inlet of it with aluminium foil with pin holes in the foil - this slows it down sufficiently for a cooler smoke. The chips and pellets mix I got with it from the Australian distributer run far too quick and too hot with the standard air vents that come with the device. I use just pellets in it but have to baby it along for a while before I can let it go. There is an aquarium pump that pushes air through it (works on a venturi system drawing air above the smouldering fuel).

    The other thing that pisses me about the MES is that they say you can spray the racks with oil before use and they will clean easier. Bollocks! Marinade, meat juice, smokey stuff etc cooks on and the chrome comes off. If they just made stainless steel shelving it would be no problem.

    So the MES is not perfect but it almost suits my needs possibly better than another device might. I would like to say it is perfect but it is not.

    I have tried smoking in a hooded BBQ. Sure you can get a hint of smoke but at the end of the day the food is not "smoked", it just has a hint of smoke; too many vents on a hooded BBQ to let the smoke out. Kinda like having a root and saying yeah it was good but I only just got my knob in, once.

    I have used a pizza stone in my hooded BBQ and it was crap but my missus got me a pizza oven box with inbuilt stone that sits on the hooded BBQ and it is brilliant:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWucTfUNy14

    It has heat under it but also draws the air into it and this goes through the top of the pizza and then out. With this flow through it, it reaches much higher temps on the bottom AND the top; works a treat.

    Bringing me in on the pellet smoker train was really not where I am at. I think of them as the devices where heat and smoke is generated by a whole mess of pellets. I hope y'all enjoyed my off topic rant (since I said nothing about the big green egg).

    Back to what has been said before, different devices for different things. If you try to do too many things with one device you will compromise the results.

    Ramble finished.

    If it aint half off, it aint on sale!

  • I have NEVER smoked cheese.....but am keen to learn :)

  • Sorry mate, i made you post :))

    It's very true about humidity when making jerky. Even here on the dry side of the mountains if we have rainy weather meat will not dry. And i have a 4" exhaust fan pulling air through my jerky box.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • @bbok said: I have NEVER smoked cheese.....but am keen to learn :)

    Done a stack of cold smoking from cheese to nuts, but one of the most rewarding things i have smoked is salt.

    Regular table salt spread on a tray in the top of your smoker for 3-4 hours while you are smoking something else is a great addition to your spice rack.
    Even things like boiled vegies are made terrific with the addition of the smoked salt in the water rather than regular, and sprinkled on a boiled egg or such it's terrific.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited April 2016

    image

    drawing.jpg
    700 x 495 - 31K
  • Thanks guys, plenty of options to look into.

Sign In or Register to comment.