We've been preparing the way for the delivery of my Big Green Egg. Mostly that’s meant a lot of painting and oiling out on the front deck where it's going to go. We get good airflow out there and it’ll be protected from the elements. Plus I like the idea of my smoky pork butts wafting their delicious smokiness all over the neighbourhood, and the extra elevation will help with that.
For myself, however, most of the prep has meant disappearing down a YouTube spiral of barbecue videos; some of them basic instructional pieces about how to set up and how to manage temperature and smoke quality. But my faves are the barbecue nerd cooking videos. There's about half a dozen of them that I’ve become addicted to, and in particular Malcolm Reed’s How to Barbecue Right channel. He seems to have hundreds of ways of cooking the same set of ribs and burgers and joints over and over again. He also has a really soothing, almost narcotising delivery. Indeed most of the barbecue guys are like this. They are my new chill out music. Mellifluous southerners being mellifluous about burgers and spare ribs. When the world gets too much I just plug into one of these podcasts and let it blot out the crazy.
I even wonder sometimes whether barbecue might be the cure for what ails America politically and culturally. But I guess the vegans would have something to say about that. Sigh.
Anyway, once I've got everything set up my first big choice is going to be what to cook straight off the bat. I should probably just do something I've done a dozen times before like Bangkok chicken. But I'm really thinking about getting my butcher to make me up some smokehouse burger patties so I can knock these bad boys out of the park.
One of my work colleagues is Brazilian and has a Komodo Joe... I mentioned you discovering the Big Green Egg and he was off, I should have recorded the conversation for you (it was at the pub so very noisy). He was telling me what size egg/komodo I needed and I was like "mate, it's me and a cat, I couldn't eat all the BBQ I'd produce!"
I shall have to live vicariously through the posts on the Burger. And if the Independent Sovereign Nation of Westralia ever allows us to cross the Nullabor again, BBQ party at JB's house!
my boss on maternity leave sent a pic of her hubby and the 3yr old doing a side by side grill (after being excoriated by some yanks about calling grilling bbq'ing i have finally come around to their point of view). Anyway, on the 3yr old pretend bbq there was all the standard fake food like eggs and bacon etc but the kid had also put a fake croissant on there and it got me to thinking . ... what if you properly smoked a croissant in a bbq and then filled it with whatever meat you had just cooked? Dispense with the traditional burger bun and fusion it with some french goodness. Probably already been done . . .i should look it up.
Honestly, for a fairly fail-safe awesome first cook I'd steer you towards pulled pork. It's a very forgiving cook, doesn't care super much if the pit gets a little hot (unlike ribs, which turn to leather) and the result is oh so good.
Geez, I dunno. If you are really after soothing, narcotising mellifluity, Bob Ross makes this guy sound like The Chipmunks on speed…though there’s no evidence that he could barbecue a chunk of dead mammal for shit.
That video was going so well. I'm glad that I'd already had lunch. But then he cut his perfect burger in half with a knife!? What is the world coming to...
I've been wasting my life
I would recommend starting off with some cheaper cuts of meat until you get a feel for the egg.
Pork loin or cheap ribs would be a good way to get started. Yes to BBQ being the cure all for American malaise.
Also, do not get hung up on the whatever type of sauce is recommended, it's all about the meat.
The philosophy in Texas is that sauce is for people who can't cook.
One of my work colleagues is Brazilian and has a Komodo Joe... I mentioned you discovering the Big Green Egg and he was off, I should have recorded the conversation for you (it was at the pub so very noisy). He was telling me what size egg/komodo I needed and I was like "mate, it's me and a cat, I couldn't eat all the BBQ I'd produce!"
I shall have to live vicariously through the posts on the Burger. And if the Independent Sovereign Nation of Westralia ever allows us to cross the Nullabor again, BBQ party at JB's house!
my boss on maternity leave sent a pic of her hubby and the 3yr old doing a side by side grill (after being excoriated by some yanks about calling grilling bbq'ing i have finally come around to their point of view). Anyway, on the 3yr old pretend bbq there was all the standard fake food like eggs and bacon etc but the kid had also put a fake croissant on there and it got me to thinking . ... what if you properly smoked a croissant in a bbq and then filled it with whatever meat you had just cooked? Dispense with the traditional burger bun and fusion it with some french goodness. Probably already been done . . .i should look it up.
https://youtu.be/gF0fp-jk6oc
ASMRBBQ I suppose
Try a nice wagyu brisket. I find that even I can't muck that up too badly.
A friend has one of these contraptions, and I must say his BBQ and smoked chickens are pretty amazing.
Honestly, for a fairly fail-safe awesome first cook I'd steer you towards pulled pork. It's a very forgiving cook, doesn't care super much if the pit gets a little hot (unlike ribs, which turn to leather) and the result is oh so good.
This recipe (https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/perfect-pulled-pork-recipe/) is simple, forgiving, and produces the most amazing pulled pork you've ever eaten.
The overnight dry brine is key.
Geez, I dunno. If you are really after soothing, narcotising mellifluity, Bob Ross makes this guy sound like The Chipmunks on speed…though there’s no evidence that he could barbecue a chunk of dead mammal for shit.
That video was going so well. I'm glad that I'd already had lunch. But then he cut his perfect burger in half with a knife!? What is the world coming to...
Goodbye deadlines.