What's for Dinner?

[vinny]

i;m actually smoking a chuck roast tommorrow
making Mississippi PoBoy - done this many times - never disappointed

Pm your address, I'll bring the wine!

 

[Boatboy24]

Pizza the other night when the weather warmed up.
I have made the Ken Forkish “The Elements of Pizza” dough recipes, but I like this beer dough one the best:
https://www.fontanaforniusa.com/blogs/news/63-hydrated-pizza-dough-with-a-twistAt least so far….I’m still learning!
Margherita pizza in the oven. Sausage, artichoke, pepper and onion on the board.
View attachment 99085View attachment 99086

Oven envy!

 

[Boatboy24]

This is very intriguing. I love the flavor of chuck.

What do our resident sous vide'rs have to say on the subject?

I love chuck for many things, but have never coked it as a steak. Interesting.

 

[Mcjeff]

Yup, wrapped in a bath towel. Works great!

Yes. FTC. Foil, towel, cooler. Also known as the Texas crutch, but doesn’t seem like a crutch if it works better. I’ve learned to start earlier as you never know when it will finish. Pull it off when it hits the temperature and wrap it in foil, then towel and put it in a cooler until you are ready to eat. I do it also with pulled pork - works great if you are taking some to a party as it will stay warm and moist until you are ready.

 

[Mcjeff]

Thanks, when we moved I convinced my wife to splurge on the oven. She is now a believer as family wants to come over all the time for pizza, so she gets to see my son and nieces and nephews often.

 

[Boatboy24]

Yes. FTC. Foil, towel, cooler. Also known as the Texas crutch, but doesn’t seem like a crutch if it works better. I’ve learned to start earlier as you never know when it will finish. Pull it off when it hits the temperature and wrap it in foil, then towel and put it in a cooler until you are ready to eat. I do it also with pulled pork - works great if you are taking some to a party as it will stay warm and moist until you are ready.

I do the same with pulled pork. It's great to be able to have it done a couple hours early, so you don't have to worry about trying to time it. We actually did something similar this past Thanksgiving. Turkey, potatoes, stuffing all done here at our house, then wrapped and into a cooler for the trip to Grandma's house. All we had to do there was plate it and warm up the veggies.

 

[vinny]

Yes. FTC. Foil, towel, cooler. Also known as the Texas crutch, but doesn’t seem like a crutch if it works better. I’ve learned to start earlier as you never know when it will finish. Pull it off when it hits the temperature and wrap it in foil, then towel and put it in a cooler until you are ready to eat. I do it also with pulled pork - works great if you are taking some to a party as it will stay warm and moist until you are ready.

Interesting. I know the Texas crutch as a speed cheat. Smoking your ribs for an hour and then wrapping in foil while on the bbq to speed up the cooking time. Making a 5 hour rib smoke possible in 2-3 hours.

I'm not saying you're wrong, that's just what my TV told me. I saw it on a food network bbq competition show about 15 years ago.

 

[vinny]

I love chuck for many things, but have never coked it as a steak. Interesting.

How about sous vide over night, then smoked? Too much?

 

[vinny]

I can smoke with good results just using the bbq, but I have always wanted a dedicated smoker for temperature control. I have always been drawn to the offset. No real reason why, other than it looks like an efficient design, and I assume you could even cold smoke.

Any votes or advice?

 

[cmason1957]

This wasn't a dinner, it was a breakfast dish my wife made today, very tasty. Sausage, spinach, apple, goat cheese frittata.

 

[sour_grapes]

I love chuck for many things, but have never coked it as a steak. Interesting.

I am speaking of NON-sous vide here: I call 'em "batchelor steaks." If my DW is out of town, I will often buy a chuck steak. Preferably eye of chuck, but I am not that particular. Then I just cook it like a normal steak. Very tasty, but tough and with some gristle. Just cut it smaller and chew harder!

 

[ibglowin]

I can smoke with good results just using the bbq, but I have always wanted a dedicated smoker for temperature control. I have always been drawn to the offset. No real reason why, other than it looks like an efficient design, and I assume you could even cold smoke.

Any votes or advice?

I have an "offset" or what is commonly called a "stick burner". Have not used it in 10 years I think. I also have a 22" Weber Kettle and a 24" Kamado (Costco). I have cooked countless Briskets, Pork Butts, Ribs to perfection on the Kamado. I can cook more on the Stick Burner but I just don't cook for that many people any more. They are harder to maintain the temp and they call them stick burners for a reason. You will go through a boatload of fuel for every cook. Love the Kamado. I have a heat deflector so even though its not offset the heat is indirect. Its also VERY fuel efficient. The other thing I love is my BBQ Guru Temp Controller which makes the Kamado even more "set it and forget it". Just dial in the set temp and it will keep the temp right on the money all day long. No need to keep adding fuel all day and adjusting the temp like you have to do with a stick burner. If your cooking for a LOT of people then perhaps you may really need an offset but I have cooked a brisket and a butt at the same time on my Kamado or a Brisket and ribs which is easily enough food to feed our normal group of friends and family.

 

[ceeaton]

I can smoke with good results just using the bbq, but I have always wanted a dedicated smoker for temperature control. I have always been drawn to the offset. No real reason why, other than it looks like an efficient design, and I assume you could even cold smoke.

Any votes or advice?

Stick burners are fun, but you can't walk away for too long or your fire will start to die down. I use some charcoal to get it going, then start throwing on the logs, normally hickory or mesquite. You can cook a ton of food, but we might have a get together that needs that much food about once every 10 years. I'd agree with @ibglowin, go for the unit that can cook the amount of food you'd normally need. You'd be surprised what nifty hacks you can come up with to cook a brisket on a Weber kettle or cold smoke on a Weber bullet smoker...

 

[Boatboy24]

I am speaking of NON-sous vide here: I call 'em "batchelor steaks." If my DW is out of town, I will often buy a chuck steak. Preferably eye of chuck, but I am not that particular. Then I just cook it like a normal steak. Very tasty, but tough and with some gristle. Just cut it smaller and chew harder!

Shhh. Chuck eye is the last of the 'cheap cuts'.

 

[Boatboy24]

How about sous vide over night, then smoked? Too much?

Haven't done it with chuck, but I have done beef ribs in sous vide for 36 hours, then on the grill or smoker to firm them up and add that grill/smoke flavor.

 

[heatherd]

I can smoke with good results just using the bbq, but I have always wanted a dedicated smoker for temperature control. I have always been drawn to the offset. No real reason why, other than it looks like an efficient design, and I assume you could even cold smoke.

Any votes or advice?

I bought a 3-in-1 that's an offset smoker, gas grill, and charcoal grill from Home Depot that I like because we don't have a ton of space and like to keep it in the garage. I use that and a MEATER+. I'd buy it again. The only real down-side is that you can't set it and forget it, but if you're already doing that with your grill and are used to managing fuel, drafts, and the like you'll be able to do the same easily. We used it for yummy smoked salmon recently, have done brisket, and have done chuck roast.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Smoke-H...rill-with-Side-Burner-in-Black-3500/203223826

 

[ceeaton]

I bought a 3-in-1 that's an offset smoker, gas grill, and charcoal grill from Home Depot that I like because we don't have a ton of space and like to keep it in the garage. I use that and a MEATER+. I'd buy it again. The only real down-side is that you can't set it and forget it, but if you're already doing that with your grill and are used to managing fuel, drafts, and the like you'll be able to do the same easily. We used it for yummy smoked salmon recently, have done brisket, and have done chuck roast.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Smoke-H...rill-with-Side-Burner-in-Black-3500/203223826

And here I thought you just made great wine!

 

[vinny]

I have an "offset" or what is commonly called a "stick burner". Have not used it in 10 years I think. I also have a 22" Weber Kettle and a 24" Kamado (Costco). I have cooked countless Briskets, Pork Butts, Ribs to perfection on the Kamado. I can cook more on the Stick Burner but I just don't cook for that many people any more. They are harder to maintain the temp and they call them stick burners for a reason. You will go through a boatload of fuel for every cook. Love the Kamado. I have a heat deflector so even though its not offset the heat is indirect. Its also VERY fuel efficient. The other thing I love is my BBQ Guru Temp Controller which makes the Kamado even more "set it and forget it". Just dial in the set temp and it will keep the temp right on the money all day long. No need to keep adding fuel all day and adjusting the temp like you have to do with a stick burner. If your cooking for a LOT of people then perhaps you may really need an offset but I have cooked a brisket and a butt at the same time on my Kamado or a Brisket and ribs which is easily enough food to feed our normal group of friends and family.

View attachment 99099

Thank you.

Lots to consider. I have a Napoleon Prestige gas grill which I hate. It sucks back 5 times the gas of my last grill which was $500 and side by side there is no difference in cook quality. I've been threatening to get a Weber since I bought it.

Part of me wants to run out and buy something just so I can get to smoking everything in sight,

I bought a 3-in-1 that's an offset smoker, gas grill, and charcoal grill

but I guess some serious research is in order. I get grief for having so many things. I use them all, but not everyone around here appreciates my 'stuff' as much as I do and deck space is limited.. for now.

 

[Mcjeff]

Interesting. I know the Texas crutch as a speed cheat. Smoking your ribs for an hour and then wrapping in foil while on the bbq to speed up the cooking time. Making a 5 hour rib smoke possible in 2-3 hours.

I'm not saying you're wrong, that's just what my TV told me. I saw it on a food network bbq competition show about 15 years ago.

Yes. I’ve heard it used in that context, but it works to keep it warm and moist also.

 

[Mcjeff]

I have friends that have big green eggs or kamodo’s and swear by them. I almost bought one a couple of times. It can do a lot of things. I like them, but never bought one.
I have a Bradley for smoking. I like that it controls the temperature and it smokes well, but you have to buy their wood “biscuits”.
Also Vinny, Bradley is a Canadian company.. B C.
There are a lot of options out there.