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

[emaw82]

I bought that same model last fall and love it. I was planning on buying the side smoker... I put it off and got used to using the water pan method in the charcoal grill and decided that is enough for the amount of meat I cook up. If I were smoking for a big get together I'd prob want the side smoker.

With that model:

Be sure to season it well and keep it oiled up. The reviews I saw said the unit rusts out big time. I don't have any rust yet... but something to keep in mind.

The unit maintains temp great. I have no trouble keeping it around 235 or so while smoking. If using the water pan method, it doesn't take very much charcoal at all. The first time I put about half a chimney of lit charcoal in there with my wood chips and had to prop the lid open because it got way too hot. 1/4 to 1/5 chimney worth of charcoal is plenty and should last an hour before you need to add any.

A great part of this unit is the side gas burner. It is a perfect size to use to light the charcoal in the chimney. Throw your charcoal in the chimney, light up that side burner, and put the chimney on it for 10 minutes or so. Coals are hot and ready to go (for smoking or charcoal grilling). Love it.

Hope you like it. Let me know how well the side smoker works with this grill... I may still end up getting it. So far I've only done pork, spares, turkey breasts, and different types of chicken on it. Made some insane chicken wings on it a few months ago and have been waiting for football season ever since... they'll end up being a gamdeday staple at my house.

[KCTitus]

Get as indirect as you can regardless your set up...deflect any direct heat if you want true BBQ. A water pan is helpful as it keeps the heat moist. The trick is to learn your smoker and know how it holds the temperature. The key to good BBQ is consistent temps.

Seasoning typically involves spreading the inside and grates with crisco or something like that and getting the smoker really hot so that the oil cooks onto the sides of the smoker. Think of it like seasoning and iron skillet.

As for the spraying of ribs, I have done both ways and found that if you do the 3-2-1 method, the 2hrs wrap time gives you more than enough moisture that spraying is unnecessary. The key is the finish, because after 2hrs in wrap the ribs are so loose that they almost fall apart and you are incapable of making good cuts. You need at least 45mins of finish to firm up the outside of the ribs enough to make them stable enough to cut and present.

Never, ever wrap pork butts...you want a good stiff bark on the outside. There's a ton of fat in those bad boys to keep the inside moist enough. Also, you want to take them to nearly 200 before pulling and resting.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Thanks for the input, everybody. I think I will go out and buy the side smoker today. You guys sold me.

Google "BRITU", and follow that recipe as closely as you can.

That's what I did my first attempt at ribs and they were freaking amazing. I may never try anything else.

I'm actually getting ready to rub my butt right now, so I can throw it on in the AM.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by emaw82

I bought that same model last fall and love it. I was planning on buying the side smoker... I put it off and got used to using the water pan method in the charcoal grill and decided that is enough for the amount of meat I cook up. If I were smoking for a big get together I'd prob want the side smoker.

With that model:

Be sure to season it well and keep it oiled up. The reviews I saw said the unit rusts out big time. I don't have any rust yet... but something to keep in mind.

The unit maintains temp great. I have no trouble keeping it around 235 or so while smoking. If using the water pan method, it doesn't take very much charcoal at all. The first time I put about half a chimney of lit charcoal in there with my wood chips and had to prop the lid open because it got way too hot. 1/4 to 1/5 chimney worth of charcoal is plenty and should last an hour before you need to add any.

A great part of this unit is the side gas burner. It is a perfect size to use to light the charcoal in the chimney. Throw your charcoal in the chimney, light up that side burner, and put the chimney on it for 10 minutes or so. Coals are hot and ready to go (for smoking or charcoal grilling). Love it.

Hope you like it. Let me know how well the side smoker works with this grill... I may still end up getting it. So far I've only done pork, spares, turkey breasts, and different types of chicken on it. Made some insane chicken wings on it a few months ago and have been waiting for football season ever since... they'll end up being a gamdeday staple at my house.

Cool, thanks for the tips.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by KCTitus

Get as indirect as you can regardless your set up...deflect any direct heat if you want true BBQ. A water pan is helpful as it keeps the heat moist. The trick is to learn your smoker and know how it holds the temperature. The key to good BBQ is consistent temps.

Seasoning typically involves spreading the inside and grates with crisco or something like that and getting the smoker really hot so that the oil cooks onto the sides of the smoker. Think of it like seasoning and iron skillet.

As for the spraying of ribs, I have done both ways and found that if you do the 3-2-1 method, the 2hrs wrap time gives you more than enough moisture that spraying is unnecessary. The key is the finish, because after 2hrs in wrap the ribs are so loose that they almost fall apart and you are incapable of making good cuts. You need at least 45mins of finish to firm up the outside of the ribs enough to make them stable enough to cut and present.

Never, ever wrap pork butts...you want a good stiff bark on the outside. There's a ton of fat in those bad boys to keep the inside moist enough. Also, you want to take them to nearly 200 before pulling and resting.

Thanks.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Okay, finally getting around to using the smoker for the first time today. Keep in mind I have never done this before, so don't make fun of me for my ignorance.

From doing research online, I gather that I should start with charcoal on the side smoker, and put wet wood chips on top of that once the coals are hot. I should add more wet chips every 15-30 minutes for a continuous smoke flavor. I have also read that I need to change out the charcoal occasionally. Here are some questions I have for you.

1) How often does the charcoal need to be changed out?
2) When the charcoal is changed out, do I just do the same process as usual? Pour lighter fluid on and just light it up again?
3) What is the optimum place to put the meat? I don't think I'm supposed to put it directly over the fire, right? Should I put it in the middle of the charcoal grill, or the left side, or the right side? Does it matter?
4) I keep hearing that I need to maintain a constant temperature, but there is no temperature gauge on the side smoker itself. Do I just rely on the charcoal grill temperature gauge?

Originally Posted by thurman merman

1) How often does the charcoal need to be changed out?

When it's getting low. You want to be ahead of it so that you don't lose heat.

2) When the charcoal is changed out, do I just do the same process as usual? Pour lighter fluid on and just light it up again?

Pour a little lighter fluid in your mouth. Do you like the taste? If so, then use it to light your charcoal. Otherwise buy a chimney starter to light your coals.

3) What is the optimum place to put the meat? I don't think I'm supposed to put it directly over the fire, right? Should I put it in the middle of the charcoal grill, or the left side, or the right side? Does it matter?

middle is fine as long as you rotate your meat about half-way through. Otherwise, put the meat as far away from the fire as you can without rubbing it on the side of your smoker. Obviously the chamber will be hotter nearer the fire so you want to control that as well as is possible.

4) I keep hearing that I need to maintain a constant temperature, but there is no temperature gauge on the side smoker itself. Do I just rely on the charcoal grill temperature gauge?

Doesn't matter what the temp is in the firebox. You only care what the temp is in your smoking chamber where the meat will be cooking.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Phobia

When it's getting low. You want to be ahead of it so that you don't lose heat.

Pour a little lighter fluid in your mouth. Do you like the taste? If so, then use it to light your charcoal. Otherwise buy a chimney starter to light your coals.
middle is fine as long as you rotate your meat about half-way through. Otherwise, put the meat as far away from the fire as you can without rubbing it on the side of your smoker. Obviously the chamber will be hotter nearer the fire so you want to control that as well as is possible.

Doesn't matter what the temp is in the firebox. You only care what the temp is in your smoking chamber where the meat will be cooking.

Thank you for the help, sir. I will now go out and purchase a chimney starter.

[Renegade]

I bought the same grill set up last year, and love it.

1. Buy the grill cover, worth the $50 to save your grill
2. Get the side smoker box, great if you are doing small amounts of meat.
3. You will find that charcoal will cook at different heats. When you smoke in the winter time, you will have to add more charcoal than you do smoking in the summer time.
4. Follow the recipe for the ribs. Start with Baby Backs. Much easier to do than spare ribs IMHO. My total cook time for BB ribs is 3.5 hours
5. As a general rule, each briquet will generate 10-15 degrees of heat. Most places indicate each one generates 25 degrees, but I have never found that to be true. I use around 20-25 briquets to keep my temp between 200-250. Low and Slow is the rule to follow.
6. Post pictures of your first smoking.

[MOhillbilly]

stove black is like 15 bucks a quart. Redid Big Black a few weeks ago. ****in oil based paint!

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Thank you for the help, sir. I will now go out and purchase a chimney starter.

Seriously, if you find the Walmart brand (which is $10, I think), pass. Go to Lowe's and spend $15 on the Weber chimney starter. When I first bought mine, I figured chimney starters were all alike. The Walmart brand was very difficult to get things going. The Weber, which is shorter and wider, has better air flow and will light your coals on first try.

[Groves]

Originally Posted by MOhillbilly

stove black is like 15 bucks a quart. Redid Big Black a few weeks ago. ****in oil based paint!

Dude, I'm going to weld a counterweight on that lid.

Originally Posted by Renegade

5. As a general rule, each briquet will generate 10-15 degrees of heat. Most places indicate each one generates 25 degrees, but I have never found that to be true. I use around 20-25 briquets to keep my temp between 200-250. Low and Slow is the rule to follow.

See - that's crap. Every rig is going to be a little different. Every person operating that rig is going to get a little bit different results because they'll control their dampers a little bit differently. I leave my chimney wide open and close my firebox damper off to about 1". My charcoal lasts a very long time. But I don't know how many I put in there. I generally use an entire chimney. I also don't use chips I use chunks of wood. In fact, I'll routinely use wood entirely for the whole smoke.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Renegade

I bought the same grill set up last year, and love it.

1. Buy the grill cover, worth the $50 to save your grill
2. Get the side smoker box, great if you are doing small amounts of meat.
3. You will find that charcoal will cook at different heats. When you smoke in the winter time, you will have to add more charcoal than you do smoking in the summer time.
4. Follow the recipe for the ribs. Start with Baby Backs. Much easier to do than spare ribs IMHO. My total cook time for BB ribs is 3.5 hours
5. As a general rule, each briquet will generate 10-15 degrees of heat. Most places indicate each one generates 25 degrees, but I have never found that to be true. I use around 20-25 briquets to keep my temp between 200-250. Low and Slow is the rule to follow.
6. Post pictures of your first smoking.

I've read a lot of bad reviews about the grill cover, saying it's cheaply made and rips easily. Have you had any problems with it?

Thanks for the tips.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

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?