What's for Dinner?

[geek]

I like the looks of that beer!

My wife really likes it, me too.
I really need more practice on the burgers, they came out fine but usually struggle moving them out of the fire on time.

 

[ceeaton]

My wife really likes it, me too.
I really need more practice on the burgers, they came out fine but usually struggle moving them out of the fire on time.

More attention needs to be directed at the burgers, less to the beer!

(I'm one to talk, I once started my charcoal, went to get a beer and never poured the lit coals into the baskets, and had to start another batch of charcoal in the chimney. Needless to say, dinner was late that night).

 

[ceeaton]

Finally got around to attempting a brisket today. Only the flat, from a cryovac purchase from BJs. Took the fat down to 1/4" (it was pretty much there to begin with), and used a 1/2 salt / 1/2 ground black pepper rub on it (via Franklin's down in Tejas). What amazed me the most was the "stall". It hung around 165* for about 3 hours, I eventually let the smoker go to 300* from the 220* I was holding it at. I wrapped it in parchment paper at 160*F (didn't have any butcher paper, thought I did, one of the kids used it for a "project" and never told me) at around 12:30 pm, then scrambled to get the temperature up later in the day. It only rested about 45 minutes, but was very tender and "passed" the pull test (hung without breaking, broke in the middle with slight pressure). All the kids liked it (except the neighbor girl, but that's her problem, we didn't know she was coming for dinner until about 2 pm). Hope to try a whole brisket next time, but I'll have to get up a bit earlier (was up at 4:45 am, but to take my daughter to work, not start the brisket) to ensure it's done for dinner.

Reserved about half of the brisket (before cooking this part) to make some pastrami. In the fridge at this point, turning it twice a day and once cured will smoke cook it to 165*, cool it and slice with a mandolin (aiming for a Monday project). The part I left for today was plenty for 6 people (4 of them "kids").

Edit: note that I did a "snake" of charcoal around the foil pan. It lasted about nine hours and was still warm enough to do a couple of hot dogs at the end. Very efficient way to do an all day cook in my opinion. (started at the pulled up corner of the foil pan, ended where you still see a few coals on the left, so about 3/4 or a snake)

 

[Monty Knapp]

Finally got around to attempting a brisket today. Only the flat, from a cryovac purchase from BJs. Took the fat down to 1/4" (it was pretty much there to begin with), and used a 1/2 salt / 1/2 ground black pepper rub on it (via Franklin's down in Tejas). What amazed me the most was the "stall". It hung around 165* for about 3 hours, I eventually let the smoker go to 300* from the 220* I was holding it at. I wrapped it in parchment paper at 160*F (didn't have any butcher paper, thought I did, one of the kids used it for a "project" and never told me) at around 12:30 pm, then scrambled to get the temperature up later in the day. It only rested about 45 minutes, but was very tender and "passed" the pull test (hung without breaking, broke in the middle with slight pressure). All the kids liked it (except the neighbor girl, but that's her problem, we didn't know she was coming for dinner until about 2 pm). Hope to try a whole brisket next time, but I'll have to get up a bit earlier (was up at 4:45 am, but to take my daughter to work, not start the brisket) to ensure it's done for dinner.

Reserved about half of the brisket (before cooking this part) to make some pastrami. In the fridge at this point, turning it twice a day and once cured will smoke cook it to 165*, cool it and slice with a mandolin (aiming for a Monday project). The part I left for today was plenty for 6 people (4 of them "kids").

Edit: note that I did a "snake" of charcoal around the foil pan. It lasted about nine hours and was still warm enough to do a couple of hot dogs at the end. Very efficient way to do an all day cook in my opinion. (started at the pulled up corner of the foil pan, ended where you still see a few coals on the left, so about 3/4 or a snake)

View attachment 48894

View attachment 48895

Looks good! Been wanting to try a brisket in my electric smoker. Maybe soon. Planning ribs Monday.

 

[ibglowin]

Looks great for a first attempt! Did you spritz to keep it moist? Was there water in your drip pan? Brisket is without a doubt the hardest BBQ meat to master. If you can learn to nail it you will become a Jedi (Pit) Master!

I only nail 1 out of 3 I would say...... The other 2 (to me anyway) have faults. Too dry, too tough. But I keep on keeping on! I will try my next attempt on Monday!

Finally got around to attempting a brisket today. Only the flat, from a cryovac purchase from BJs. Took the fat down to 1/4" (it was pretty much there to begin with), and used a 1/2 salt / 1/2 ground black pepper rub on it (via Franklin's down in Tejas). What amazed me the most was the "stall". It hung around 165* for about 3 hours, I eventually let the smoker go to 300* from the 220* I was holding it at. I wrapped it in parchment paper at 160*F (didn't have any butcher paper, thought I did, one of the kids used it for a "project" and never told me) at around 12:30 pm, then scrambled to get the temperature up later in the day. It only rested about 45 minutes, but was very tender and "passed" the pull test (hung without breaking, broke in the middle with slight pressure). All the kids liked it (except the neighbor girl, but that's her problem, we didn't know she was coming for dinner until about 2 pm). Hope to try a whole brisket next time, but I'll have to get up a bit earlier (was up at 4:45 am, but to take my daughter to work, not start the brisket) to ensure it's done for dinner.

Reserved about half of the brisket (before cooking this part) to make some pastrami. In the fridge at this point, turning it twice a day and once cured will smoke cook it to 165*, cool it and slice with a mandolin (aiming for a Monday project). The part I left for today was plenty for 6 people (4 of them "kids").

Edit: note that I did a "snake" of charcoal around the foil pan. It lasted about nine hours and was still warm enough to do a couple of hot dogs at the end. Very efficient way to do an all day cook in my opinion. (started at the pulled up corner of the foil pan, ended where you still see a few coals on the left, so about 3/4 or a snake)

View attachment 48894

View attachment 48895

 

[ceeaton]

Looks great for a first attempt! Did you spritz to keep it moist? Was there water in your drip pan? Brisket is without a doubt the hardest BBQ meat to master. If you can learn to nail it you will become a Jedi (Pit) Master!

I only nail 1 out of 3 I would say...... The other 2 (to me anyway) have faults. Too dry, too tough. But I keep on keeping on! I will try my next attempt on Monday!

Water in the drip pan, no spritzing. There was a decent amount of moisture in the parchment paper. It was very tender and juicy, just not as tender and juicy as I though it should be, but then it was the flat and not the pointe, so less marbling in the meat. I also think I trimmed too much of the fat off, should have left it be as is since it looked pretty cleaned up out of the cryovac sack.

I think it was a good first attempt (at least everyone ate it, and there are about 3 slices left in the fridge).

 

[stickman]

@ceeaton Looks good! I have been saying I want to attempt brisket, but haven't yet, need more research.

 

[ceeaton]

@ceeaton Looks good! I have been saying I want to attempt brisket, but haven't yet, need more research.

I've been cooking for about 45 years or so (started grilling for my parents around age 10) and have no idea why I never attempted a brisket. My wife hypothesizes that neither of us were brought up in a house that smoked a brisket. We occasionally did corned beef, but that was the extent of it. I think I was always worried I'd mess it up and throw away a $20+ piece of meat. Well that worry is in the past, just need to keep looking for briskets on sale for my next attempt.

Kinda cloudy/rainy/humid around these parts. Hanging in the basement watching cooking videos (I know, no life) so I gave the charcoal grill a rest and did some chicken parmesan. Halved and pounded the chicken, didn't coat and fry but went "healthy" and coated in olive oil, italian spices and grilled. Cooked in the oven in a freshly made ragú, image shows the last step, heaping handful of provolone to top up. Wifey made some hamburger and hot dog buns into cheesey garlicy toasted buns. Serving with a salad and pasta for the parm.

Edit: the report is that the family preferred the chicken grilled and not fried. I'm somewhat dumbfounded, I felt like I was taking a shortcut because I'm in lazy mode today.

 

[GreenEnvy22]

Fridays dinner.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade Italian sausage grilled tonight, plus corn on the cob.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Tomorrow, baby back ribs. Prep'd them tonight.

 

[ibglowin]

9.5 pounder is on the Pit Boss at 0630 MST!

 

[sour_grapes]

This was a coupla days ago. Obviously, I didn't cook it, but we had nice seafood fare at a quaint harborside restaurant. Poached halibut with a delicate white sauce and roasted cauliflower for one dish, and broiled flounder with mushrooms, capers, and tomatoes in a butter sauce. You can see we didn't like it at all!
This was all washed down with at Gruener Veltliner that hit the spot.

 

[ceeaton]

Pulled pork in the works. Small part of the butt (only 3.75 lbs). Was 160*F at noon, only up to 165* at almost 4 pm, so opened the bottom vents wide open and hope I can "will" it to 190*F before dinner time. I knew a brisket had a stall, but a small pork butt piece?

 

[Johnd]

Pulled pork in the works. Small part of the butt (only 3.75 lbs). Was 160*F at noon, only up to 165* at almost 4 pm, so opened the bottom vents wide open and hope I can "will" it to 190*F before dinner time. I knew a brisket had a stall, but a small pork butt piece?

View attachment 48973

Yup, usually hits a plateau somewhere between 140 and 150 as the collagen changes over to the lovely textured moistness that makes it so yummy and tender. It’s typically shorter in smaller pieces of meat......

 

[ibglowin]

Plus you have the bone usually. Wrap it with in foil till ~200F

 

[ibglowin]

Fixing to wrap in pink butcher paper. 165F.

 

[ceeaton]

Yup, usually hits a plateau somewhere between 140 and 150 as the collagen changes over to the lovely textured moistness that makes it so yummy and tender. It’s typically shorter in smaller pieces of meat......

Plus you have the bone usually. Wrap it with in foil till ~200F

Did finally get it to 190*F, but could only let it rest for 30 minutes. I don't have nice gloves to pull it with, so had to use two forks. Turned out really nice. I usually don't like to wrap it so the bark stays nice and crispy. Normally I do one of these and finish if off the next day in the crock pot. This is the first one I fully finished on the Weber kettle, it was very good!

 

[Johnd]

Did finally get it to 190*F, but could only let it rest for 30 minutes. I usually don't like to wrap it so the bark stays nice and crispy. Normally I do one of these and finish if off the next day in the crock pot. This is the first one I fully finished on the Weber kettle, it was very good!

One of my best efforts ever exaggerated the resting period, and modified the way that I do butts and briskets forever. Was taking some clients up to the hunting property to hunt on a Thursday evening through Sunday, and wasn’t going to have time to cook on Thursday after the hunt. Put a whole brisket on the Primo Wednesday evening, got through the plateau and went to a foil covered pan at 160 in the AM. Pulled it off at 195 around 11, double foiled it, wrapped it in two towels, put it into a soft ice chest and headed out. At dinner at 6, it was still piping hot, insanely juicy and tender, very impressive effort. Now, I endeavor to finish those two cuts several hours before dinner time just to get extended resting time.

 

[pgentile]

Dinner tonight here in Philly. Babyback ribs with rosemary/garlic/spices slow cooked 4 hours with homebrew beer then grilled. Wings slow cooked two hours then grilled two ways, buffalo and asian, Roasted potato salad with bacon, chive blossom, chives and chive oil. Naked grilled corn. Grilled romaine lettuce with blue cheese. 2017 sauvignon blanc from the home winery. Hope everyone had a good one.