BBQ/Grill/Smoker Experts: I Need Your Advice

[Mama Hip Rockets]

I just bought the Char-Griller 5050. It is a combination gas/charcoal grill. It also has an option to add on a side smoker.

In the user manual, it says that I can use a water pan on half the charcoal side of the grill to smoke meat in about a third of the time that it would take in the side smoker. I've never smoked meat before, so I'm curious to know how similar/different these methods would be.

Has anybody tried the indirect heat method with a water pan on a charcoal grill? How does it compare with the slower smoking, taste-wise? Is it good enough, or should I just shell out the extra $50-$75 for the side smoker?

Here's the grill:



And a picture with the optional side smoker attached:


http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CG4Q8wIwAg

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Awwww sadface

Barbecue tough guys crack me the hell up. If anyone was 'right', there wouldn't be 1000 ways to do it.

But you go right on believing that you've unlocked the holy grail.

We've placed 2nd in KCBBQ society sanctioned competitions. Go along your merry way.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Stewie

We've placed 2nd in KCBBQ society sanctioned competitions. Go along your merry way.

Congrats - and I've learned from folks that have placed in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. I'm not nearly as good as them, but I'm not a moron either.

You're wrong - a Maillard reaction absolutely occurs at lower temps. It is much more pronounced at higher temps, but if you set it at 225 and keep the moisture levels appropriate, you'll absolutely get some of the 'browning' associated with it. The reaction occurs and if left unchecked, can give you a nasty 'burnt' smoke flavor.

As I said in my first post, you want to raise your heat to finish (thus giving you a good bark), but to say that the reaction simply doesn't occur at 225 is folly.

But you go ahead and break out your E-Peen here, everyone is very very impressed.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Congrats - and I've learned from folks that have placed in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. I'm not nearly as good as them, but I'm not a moron either.

You're wrong - a Maillard reaction absolutely occurs at lower temps. It is much more pronounced at higher temps, but if you set it at 225 and keep the moisture levels appropriate, you'll absolutely get some of the 'browning' associated with it. The reaction occurs and if left unchecked, can give you a nasty 'burnt' smoke flavor.

As I said in my first post, you want to raise your heat to finish (thus giving you a good bark), but to say that the reaction simply doesn't occur at 225 is folly.

But you go ahead and break out your E-Peen here, everyone is very very impressed.

Sorry, but you're wrong. Maillard needs temps above 300F and needs a specific pH level. Carry on.

[jspchief]

I'm still pretty new but one of my favorite rubs has what I think would be a high sugar content. It comes out pretty black, but the flavor doesn't suffer.

As for pork temps, I really believe there's a lot of leeway cooking at such low temps. The important thing to me is resting it.



Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by jspchief

I'm still pretty new but one of my favorite rubs has what I think would be a high sugar content. It comes out pretty black, but the flavor doesn't suffer.

As for pork temps, I really believe there's a lot of leeway cooking at such low temps. The important thing to me is resting it.



Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

Most rubs have a high sugar content. It melts and flavors the meat while mingling with the other spices.

Pork depends on the cut. I always under cook large cuts because of carry over cooking. Over cooked pork is bad bad bad.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If it's ever been frozen, I think 170 is way way too high for a loin.

Meat that's ever been frozen has killed off the trichinosis. At 170, you'll be awfully dry just for the sake of being dry, IMO. I'd take it off at about 155 and wrap it for a bit. It should climb up to about 160. That's a perfect temp for a pork loin, IMO.

Originally Posted by jspchief

Frozen? Eww.

I like to hit 165 with a loin, so I said 170 to be safe. But to be fair I do use a water pan.

If it stalled at 155 I probably wouldn't be afraid to take it off.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

Thanks, fellas.

I was planning on hitting 155 and pulling it, wrapping it and letting it rest.

Just had no idea how long it would take to get there.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Maillard happens at high temperatures and has nothing to do with low and slow. Sugars don't caramelize at 225.

Originally Posted by Stewie

Sorry, but you're wrong. Maillard needs temps above 300F and needs a specific pH level. Carry on.

I'm sorry, Stewie, but you're wrong. Caramelization can occur between 250 and 300 degrees. Maillard happens easily at 300, but can occur much lower.

I've Googled this just to make sure, and the words that are important in describing when Maillard happens are "most readily" - As in: "The Maillard reaction occurs most readily at around 300° F to 500° F."

Obviously, higher temps will make it happen faster, but like it or not, it does occur at lower temps. If you don't believe it, put a roast in the oven at 225 degrees for a few hours. You will have browning (Maillard).

As I was researching to make sure I wasn't talking out of my ass, I discovered that in some cases, Maillard can happen at room temperature given enough time and the right circumstances. According to a number of sources just by Googling "maillard reaction temperatures," you'll find that some prize-winning dark beers have been colored by room temperature Maillard reactions in roasted malts.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I'm sorry, Stewie, but you're wrong. Caramelization can occur between 250 and 300 degrees. Maillard happens easily at 300, but can occur much lower.

I've Googled this just to make sure, and the words that are important in describing when Maillard happens are "most readily" - As in: "The Maillard reaction occurs most readily at around 300° F to 500° F."

Obviously, higher temps will make it happen faster, but like it or not, it does occur at lower temps. If you don't believe it, put a roast in the oven at 225 degrees for a few hours. You will have browning (Maillard).

As I was researching to make sure I wasn't talking out of my ass, I discovered that in some cases, Maillard can happen at room temperature given enough time and the right circumstances. According to a number of sources just by Googling "maillard reaction temperatures," you'll find that some prize-winning dark beers have been colored by room temperature Maillard reactions in roasted malts.

Yeah, whatever. I can get water to boil at 190 if I wait long enough.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Yeah, whatever. I can get water to boil at 190 if I wait long enough.

Being pissy and acting lie a teenage girl doesn't change the fact that you were wrong, Stewie. It doesn't make you a lesser cook or BBQer.

And I don't care how long you wait, water won't boil at 190 degrees F unless you're more than 10,000 feet above sea level. It'll steam, and it'll evaporate, but no amount of waiting will get 190-degree water to boil (below 10,000 feet).

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Being pissy and acting lie a teenage girl doesn't change the fact that you were wrong, Stewie. It doesn't make you a lesser cook or BBQer.

And I don't care how long you wait, water won't boil at 190 degrees F unless you're more than 10,000 feet above sea level. It'll steam, and it'll evaporate, but no amount of waiting will get 190-degree water to boil (below 10,000 feet).

As near as I can tell, his sole purpose in this thread has been to be pissy and act like a teenage girl. That or just a condescending (inaccurate) prick.

**** him, I'm not going to argue with the guy; it's not worth the effort. Afterall, he came in second in a barbecue competition once. Guess I'll never get to be on his team though, and for that I am truly heartbroken.

I heard a quote awhile ago that I found particularly apt for courtrooms, message boards and pretty much any other situation where you're arguing with a stubborn jackass:

"A memorandum isn't designed to educate the reader, but to protect the writer."

When someone's intent on remaining inaccurate - let them. You know where you stand and it's in writing.

[mlyonsd]

Smoked a couple rump roasts today. Getting ready to slice them into French Dips. This stuff rocks:

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

When using the 3-2-1 method, do the ribs need to be flipped over at any point during the first 3 hours? Or do I just leave them on one side the whole time?

I use rib racks so they stand up...no turning.