Any Time is Grillin Time

[olbriar]

That is what I'm finding cool about the pellet grill. You still have prep time but being as it's a constant temp cooking and convection... It takes less attention. No flame ups or need to turn the meat. I smoked ribs for nine hours last Saturday. I was working in the garden and couldn't help but put an eye on the ribs a few times. But, they needed no attention and I could have just as easily been at work or something.
All I need to do now is get my time/temps down. What I really need to work on is my lack of rub knowledge and cooking something besides steaks, chops, and burgers.
I have grilled a very boring past... very simple things in a very simple manner. I want to learn to cook all the things take a bit more time or more expertise.

 

[pastafarian]

That is what I'm finding cool about the pellet grill. You still have prep time but being as it's a constant temp cooking and convection... It takes less attention. No flame ups or need to turn the meat. I smoked ribs for nine hours last Saturday. I was working in the garden and couldn't help but put an eye on the ribs a few times. But, they needed no attention and I could have just as easily been at work or something.
All I need to do now is get my time/temps down. What I really need to work on is my lack of rub knowledge and cooking something besides steaks, chops, and burgers.
I have grilled a very boring past... very simple things in a very simple manner. I want to learn to cook all the things take a bit more time or more expertise.

9 hours for ribs? Beef? The reason I ask is that unless they're huge, 9 hours is a really long time for pork. I've never gone more than ~6 hours for any pork rib, baby backs take 4-5 max. That's @ ~225-250. 9 hours is brisket/pork butt territory, though like many in the BBQ world my temps are going up and cook time going down. Large beef ribs can go to the 9 hour range easy too. If your ribs are fall-off-the-bone? You've over cooked them! A proper cooked rib should be tender enough to easily bite clear to the bone without pulling away any meat outside the bite radius. If you're getting these results with that long of a cook time for pork ribs, you should check your pit temps. If you go too low and slow, you may get your diners low and sick.

As for simple? Simple is best! But doing simple really well is hard. More often than not, complicated rubs and sauces are little more than a distraction for the cooks inability to do the simple things correctly or to use quality ingredients. If I do a BJ's cryopack brisket, I use a rub. If I splurge and get an angus brisket? Salt and pepper! I still want to try a Wagu brisket, but can't find a local butcher that can provide one at even close to a reasonable price.

 

[olbriar]

They were large and beef ribs. I smoked them right at 200F degrees. They were done but as you advocated... not falling off of the bone. I was very pleased with the ribs but not that fond of the rub I used. I will turn up the heat a bit next time and cut down a bit on my cook time. It was my first attempt and I left the grill on max smoke which kept the grill at it's lowest temp setting.

Do you have a recipe for cooking fresh asparagus spears?

 

[batgeek]

Salmon with olive oil, garlic, herbs, chilli wrapped in foil and steamed

salmon should be cooked on a cedar plank, not steamed in foil, on a grill.

you can steam stuff inside on the stove.

edit: ahhh i see pastafarian has corrected this mistake already.

i would like to meet pastafarian and have a BBQ throwdown! (psst, it's Wagyu )

 

[breadnatty08]

Asparagus couldn't be simpler. Just cut off about an inch or so from the end, drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill. You can also wrap them in proscuitto when they're done and top with some hollandaise if you want to get fancy. Asparagus season is just wrapping up, so I'd get them on the grill soon!

 

[pastafarian]

salmon should be cooked on a cedar plank, not steamed in foil, on a grill.

you can steam stuff inside on the stove.

edit: ahhh i see pastafarian has corrected this mistake already.

i would like to meet pastafarian and have a BBQ throwdown! (psst, it's Wagyu )

It's ON! Now all you have to do is travel to NY.

Oh, and the fish in foil isn't for the stove either. Engine block (done it) or dishwasher (read about it)!

I hope I spelled dishwasher correctly.

 

[pastafarian]

Asparagus couldn't be simpler. Just cut off about an inch or so from the end, drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill. You can also wrap them in proscuitto when they're done and top with some hollandaise if you want to get fancy. Asparagus season is just wrapping up, so I'd get them on the grill soon!

My wife bought jarred Hollandaise the other day. Made me very sad. Yuck x 10! I can make it fresh faster than she can get that garbage out of a jar and into the microwave (which hopefully will kill the sauces awful sour flavor).

 

[breadnatty08]

I've only seen jarred hollandaise in some European stores, would never buy it. Homemade is always best, but it can be tricky for noobs who've never made a vinaigrette.
Jarred mayo on the other hand, can be the work of gods! (loves me some Dukes, but Hellmans is no slouch)

 

[olbriar]

I grilled out ribeyes tonight with fresh asparagus. I followed dread's tip on grilling the asparagus. All I can say is delicious!

 

[breadnatty08]

Glad to hear! Haven't had the grilled stuff in a while. We blanch the asparagus at work for our antipasti plate. Still going strong on the local stuff from Delaware.
What did you serve the ribeye with (sauce, cheese etc)?

 

[pastafarian]

Putting sauce or cheese on a good Ribeye should be a felony IMHO!

 

[AntimonyER]

Putting sauce or cheese on a good Ribeye should be a felony IMHO!

Seasonings only on Ribeye, I agree.

 

[pastafarian]

I've only seen jarred hollandaise in some European stores, would never buy it. Homemade is always best, but it can be tricky for noobs who've never made a vinaigrette.
Jarred mayo on the other hand, can be the work of gods! (loves me some Dukes, but Hellmans is no slouch)

I believe she got it from Fairway. I think Trader Joes also carries it. Shame on them! Jarred mayo is a reasonable facsimile of the real thing, this stuff is not.

 

[olbriar]

Glad to hear! Haven't had the grilled stuff in a while. We blanch the asparagus at work for our antipasti plate. Still going strong on the local stuff from Delaware.
What did you serve the ribeye with (sauce, cheese etc)?

I served the ribeye with a knife and fork. It was stand alone great!
We had the asparagus and some fresh bread with it.

 

[cwhatever]

not a grillin thing but chicken breasts with garlic,salt,pepper then sautee fresh garlic and onoins in a little olive oil. then put breast in pan and sear bolth sides for like 30 sec's and then dump in white wine whorchester sauce or stubbs chicken marinade and coock low heat for like 30 min's and then a rice and veg. um great, most tenderouse chicken you can have.

 

[cwhatever]

another good thing is cook vegys in tin foil with them marinated up on grill, great!!!!!

 

[olbriar]

My favorite grilled chicken is beer butt chicken. I've not tried it yet on the pellet grill. Might be even better. I like to rub the chicken with some fresh garlic and some salt and coarse pepper. With it steamed with the beer it's always very tender and juicy.

Tonight I grilled out some burgers.... nothing fancy. I'm very impressed with how a pellet grill does burgers. No worry about flames and crusty edges. I cooked the with mesquite. Mesquite definitely is a stronger smoke taste than the hickory.

 

[breadnatty08]

This pellet grill is really intriguing me. If we ever have some space to grill, it's definitely an option we'll look at. Glad it's working out for you!

 

[cwhatever]

My favorite grilled chicken is beer butt chicken. I've not tried it yet on the pellet grill. Might be even better. I like to rub the chicken with some fresh garlic and some salt and coarse pepper. With it steamed with the beer it's always very tender and juicy.

Tonight I grilled out some burgers.... nothing fancy. I'm very impressed with how a pellet grill does burgers. No worry about flames and crusty edges. I cooked the with mesquite. Mesquite definitely is a stronger smoke taste than the hickory.

yes wow the beer but chicken is oh so great, can make any way want!!!!!!. they are good...

 

[olbriar]

This pellet grill is really intriguing me. If we ever have some space to grill, it's definitely an option we'll look at. Glad it's working out for you!

It's not the grill of grills I'm sure but I'm enjoying mine. They aren't as economical to operate as propane. I'm guessing a bit over a buck and a half an hour fuel cost. You are cooking with 100% wood which is at least a renewable fuel. It also adds flavor and the speed of burn is regulated making cooking a lot easier. I will not rave about the build quality for the money I spent.. but it seems decent and it has a five year warranty. There are moving parts... two fans and an auger. There is also a hot rod that ignites the pellets. All grill people know that these are things that will fail at some point. There is also the electronics that control the fuel rate to the temp you set. I'll be honest and say that it all concerns me.
But... right now I'm elated with the grill. Time will tell the tale if it's for the long haul or not.

My last grill was a big name stainless steel propane unit. I was tired of replacing grill after grill so I spent the big bucks and bought what I thought would last me forever... not so. It had brass orifices which won't rust. I was very ready for the not rusting out and hot spots that I've experienced through the years. However, the brass did not rust.. they split open instead. My starter quit after a couple of seasons too. I was able to replace the burners (cast iron) at thirty bucks each but... but.. I spent a bunch on this grill to avert such problems. It still has a spot on the patio and will see use for it's rotisserie abilities.

 

[cwhatever]

It's not the grill of grills I'm sure but I'm enjoying mine. They aren't as economical to operate as propane. I'm guessing a bit over a buck and a half an hour fuel cost. You are cooking with 100% wood which is at least a renewable fuel. It also adds flavor and the speed of burn is regulated making cooking a lot easier. I will not rave about the build quality for the money I spent.. but it seems decent and it has a five year warranty. There are moving parts... two fans and an auger. There is also a hot rod that ignites the pellets. All grill people know that these are things that will fail at some point. There is also the electronics that control the fuel rate to the temp you set. I'll be honest and say that it all concerns me.
But... right now I'm elated with the grill. Time will tell the tale if it's for the long haul or not.

My last grill was a big name stainless steel propane unit. I was tired of replacing grill after grill so I spent the big bucks and bought what I thought would last me forever... not so. It had brass orifices which won't rust. I was very ready for the not rusting out and hot spots that I've experienced through the years. However, the brass did not rust.. they split open instead. My starter quit after a couple of seasons too. I was able to replace the burners (cast iron) at thirty bucks each but... but.. I spent a bunch on this grill to avert such problems. It still has a spot on the patio and will see use for it's rotisserie abilities.

i work on grills and heat-cool-heat-cool on anything is hard whether stainless, brass or whatever.just have to deal with it. sorry!!!

 

[olbriar]

i work on grills and heat-cool-heat-cool on anything is hard whether stainless, brass or whatever.just have to deal with it. sorry!!!

I know I'm not alone with the rust out problem. I often wondered if I suffered more because I grill year round and that will truly produce the cold-hot-cold problem. I theorized the problem is the moisture that collects with the temp changes. It has to be something similar or the problem would be duplicated on all of the gas equipment inside the home.
The humidity of the outside complicated by the extreme temp changes.
I'm hoping to skirt some of those problems with the pellet grill. I'll likely be trading problems.. but I'm ready for a new problem lol.

My brother-in-law advocates buying the cheapest propane grill a person can get by with. Use it.. take care of it.. enjoy it. When it starts displaying problems.. toss it and buy another one. In the long run he may have the best slant on it. I can't bring myself to toss my old grill but if it had cost six hundred dollars less.... it would be history.

 

[cwhatever]

I know I'm not alone with the rust out problem. I often wondered if I suffered more because I grill year round and that will truly produce the cold-hot-cold problem. I theorized the problem is the moisture that collects with the temp changes. It has to be something similar or the problem would be duplicated on all of the gas equipment inside the home.
The humidity of the outside complicated by the extreme temp changes.
I'm hoping to skirt some of those problems with the pellet grill. I'll likely be trading problems.. but I'm ready for a new problem lol.

My brother-in-law advocates buying the cheapest propane grill a person can get by with. Use it.. take care of it.. enjoy it. When it starts displaying problems.. toss it and buy another one. In the long run he may have the best slant on it. I can't bring myself to toss my old grill but if it had cost six hundred dollars less.... it would be history.

Well sounds great for inexpensive grills.with sears you can get an mpa(master repair agreement), it will fix grill and if can,t fix they will replace grill or any product no problems.

 

[olbriar]

Well sounds great for inexpensive grills.with sears you can get an mpa(master repair agreement), it will fix grill and if can,t fix they will replace grill or any product no problems.

That's not all bad either. How much does such a plan cost? I haven't shopped Sears in years. I don't know why... they have always treated me right. You know you will have to replace the stater and you know you will have to replace the orifices at some point. I guess you could weigh that against the cost of the mpa and decide which way you want to go.

 

[pastafarian]

I know I'm not alone with the rust out problem. I often wondered if I suffered more because I grill year round and that will truly produce the cold-hot-cold problem. I theorized the problem is the moisture that collects with the temp changes. It has to be something similar or the problem would be duplicated on all of the gas equipment inside the home.
The humidity of the outside complicated by the extreme temp changes.
I'm hoping to skirt some of those problems with the pellet grill. I'll likely be trading problems.. but I'm ready for a new problem lol.

My brother-in-law advocates buying the cheapest propane grill a person can get by with. Use it.. take care of it.. enjoy it. When it starts displaying problems.. toss it and buy another one. In the long run he may have the best slant on it. I can't bring myself to toss my old grill but if it had cost six hundred dollars less.... it would be history.

I used to be in your BIL's camp. After spending time and $$$ every season on the cheap gas grills, I bought a Weber. 10 years later I've replaced one igniter, that's it. The Weber's starting to look its age and will probable be replaced in a season or two, but for total cost of ownership for me has been way cheaper than the cheap grill. I also have an upright propane fueled pit and a traditional offset pit that doubles as a large direct fire charcoal grill....and a Weber kettle, a Aussie grill (for the cabana) and my old Brinkman combo pit.

Note to self, stop buying bbq equipment!