Outdoor cook

[teesquare]

Hi Gang!
I am Teesquare. And I am a BBQ-holic....But also enjoy cooking anything you can imagine ( and some you can't ) on outdoor cooking equipment.

My currrent stable consists of:

Yoder YS-640 Pellet Grill/Smoker - amazing machine!
Weber E-330 in Copper - the obligatory gasser
Smokin' Tex 1405 Pro - electric cabinet smoker
Char-Broil Big Easy SRG ( Smoker Roaster Grill)
Lookin' forward!
T

 

[CraigC]

Hi Gang!
I am Teesquare. And I am a BBQ-holic....But also enjoy cooking anything you can imagine ( and some you can't ) on outdoor cooking equipment.

My currrent stable consists of:

Yoder YS-640 Pellet Grill/Smoker - amazing machine!
Weber E-330 in Copper - the obligatory gasser
Smokin' Tex 1405 Pro - electric cabinet smoker
Char-Broil Big Easy SRG ( Smoker Roaster Grill)
Lookin' forward!
T

So, are you going to get a real "Q" pit? BTW, welcome to DC.

Craig

 

[teesquare]

Thanks for the welcme Craig!

I sort of miss the old days of staying up all night and babysitting the fire, and feeding it sticks......NOT.....

I grew up running big offset pits. I just have figured out that - much like technology in all other respects - there are more ways to skin a cat!

More and more BBQ competitions are being taken by the pellet grills. I recently bought this one instead of replacing the old Lang I got rid of, just to see if they can do the job.
Thus far - I am pleased.
T

 

[CraigC]

Thanks for the welcme Craig!

I sort of miss the old days of staying up all night and babysitting the fire, and feeding it sticks......NOT.....

I grew up running big offset pits. I just have figured out that - much like technology in all other respects - there are more ways to skin a cat!

More and more BBQ competitions are being taken by the pellet grills. I recently bought this one instead of replacing the old Lang I got rid of, just to see if they can do the job.
Thus far - I am pleased.
T

Too bad, compitition "Q" is allowing all this new equipment. Kind of eliminates the skill/technique factor from doing good "Q". Disrespecting those that had actual talent with the pit. Just my opinion.

Craig

 

[teesquare]

Well...I used to feel that way.

But - a different perspective would be that if KCBS and others have been allowing the use of Stokers, or PID's to manage airflow on traditional stick burners, and- that is darned close to the same thing that pellet grills are doing, with the only addition of feeding the pellets.

And - we may see a back-lash effect:Perhaps there will be some new sactioning body that is formed to "preserve history" of BBQ. Then they can have an opportunuty to do comps. at Civil War re-enactments, or old time rodeos, or...?

But - in reality - it is the food product that wins. I mean - i learned how to make some really good brownies the other day - in the microwave and in a coffee mug to boot!!! Does that make me miss doing them the old fashioned way...? A little. But not enough to think that is the only way I will do them.
And - like I said earlier - when I was much younger, I liked sitting up all nite. Shoot - we would play dominos, cards, etc....and it was a real party atmosphere. Good tmes!
I just do not feel like staying up like that anymore. But I still like the 'Q!
T

 

[Josie1945]

TeeSquare, Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Welcome to DC, have fun!

 

[teesquare]

Thanks to both of you! Glad to have found this site!
T

 

[BigAL]

Welcome, T. I'm a pellet pooper, too. I like to cook, not play with fire all day....I got better ____ to do. But, to each their own.

You do have a camera, don't you? Pix are good.

I'm gonna have to check out the Yoder, I have a traeger and Louisiana Country cooker.........and yes a kettle OTS for when I do want to play with fire and beat on my chest.

Look'n forward to your cooks.

 

[teesquare]

Thanks BigAl!
I just looking over some of your posts over on he "Q Joint! ...Funny!!!
I researched pellet cookers and all I could find - and was not comfortable with the general construction of the pellet grills out there.
I suppose coming from the stick burner end of things - I was wanting the feel of the offset pit weight, and longevity.
Like the CS line - it uses a the short throw large diameter auger, and the sliding/adjustable damper allows you to hold higher heat on the left, and lower on the right - similar to MAK 's direct heat zone. Except this one is adjustable by you - every time you cook.

I am still learning this cooker and really like it.
T

 

[forty_caliber]

I use a Traeger all the time now. I'm way too busy to feed sticks these days. The quality of the end product is what it's all about.

Process for making food changes all the time. Do you cook over a stone hearth in your house? Not saying that's bad, just most people don't do it that way anymore

.40

 

[teesquare]

And - I usually agree. But - I do not discount the validity of other methods of cooking/smoking. In fact - I use them. I make the best pulled pork in my Smokin' Tex 1405 - and I like to use my Weber gasser for certain things -

I just left the "pelletheads" site due to the narrow-mindedness and personal agendas that prevailed on the site.
I enjoy exchanges with folks that are enthusiasts....just not zealots....make sense?
I just want a place to discuss and have fun without the castagation that the pelletheads site uses against any branded product that htye have not "performance tested" yet....Funny - becuase the testing is all done by one person - that sells a competing brand...What would you expect the potential of objective outcomes to be?

 

[forty_caliber]

I agree with you. It's easy for bias to color the results of any test.

Just the same as saying because you didn't smoke that on a side box rig it's not authentic Q.

Might not be strictly "traditional" by some definitions but it's Q just the same.


.40

 

[teesquare]

Yep....I appreciate the tradition of old fashioned stick burners, and the commitment to produce quality 'Q on them. I really do. I just don't see myself going back to them on an often used basis.
And - it is purely a logisic decision for me- time is worth too much anymore.

I guess it parallels why we in other areas of life - choose newer technologies. Ti save time and effort.

Still - some things are worth saving as Americana....part of life in a by-gone era. That is where I am afraid we will find our good old stick burners in the not so distant future.
T

 

[Hoot]

Teesquare, Welcome to D.C.!!
Speaking as one of the old school, open pit, up all night folks, the older I get, the tougher that approach becomes. I still believe that it is as good as it gets, but I completely understand your viewpoint and agree that modern technologies are certainly (well...., almost ) as good. I look forward to hearing more.

 

[forty_caliber]

...the older I get, the tougher that approach becomes...

Exactly!

.40

 

[teesquare]

Thanks Hoot!

Don't get me wrong fellas-

To me there is still nothing better than brisket from the motherland ( Texas for me!) that has ben rubbed, rested, and slow smoked on an offset stick burner......For me - that is better than the finest steak ever cooked in any manner.....

I just can't run with the pups like I used to - so...the unfortunate truth in my case is that "necessity is the mother....of invention"

I have been experimenting with different combinations of things like:

Cold smoking a brisket in the Smokin' Tex for a couple of hours - then putting it on the Yoder YS-640 to actually cook. Of course - this is not objective ( but I am very anal retentive by nature - ask the Mrs. T) but I do not believe anyone could tell the difference -vs- offset stick cooked.
Great bark, nice smoke ring - etc...)

There may be one area of improvement - will have to try it a few more times to be sure - due to variations in the meat from cook to cook: It was more moist than I would have been able to turn out on my old offset - without "crutching".

T

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks Hoot!

Don't get me wrong fellas-

To me there is still nothing better than brisket from the motherland ( Texas for me!) that has ben rubbed, rested, and slow smoked on an offset stick burner......For me - that is better than the finest steak ever cooked in any manner.....

I just can't run with the pups like I used to - so...the unfortunate truth in my case is that "necessity is the mother....of invention"

I have been experimenting with different combinations of things like:

Cold smoking a brisket in the Smokin' Tex for a couple of hours - then putting it on the Yoder YS-640 to actually cook. Of course - this is not objective ( but I am very anal retentive by nature - ask the Mrs. T) but I do not believe anyone could tell the difference -vs- offset stick cooked.
Great bark, nice smoke ring - etc...)

There may be one area of improvement - will have to try it a few more times to be sure - due to variations in the meat from cook to cook: It was more moist than I would have been able to turn out on my old offset - without "crutching".

T

I think you've stumbled into the biggest nest of non-judgmental folks on the 'Net...most arguments are good natured.

And Hoot...he'd be happy with a squirrel on a stick and a box of matches...don't let him fool you!

 

[teesquare]

Sounds like I found my home neighborhood!

I just love open minded discussions about cooking. I certainly look forward continue to learning from others, and may a have trick or two to share along the way.
But I don't think there is only one way to do anything - and that is the essence of the fun in cooking for me.
T

 

[Hoot]

And Hoot...he'd be happy with a squirrel on a stick and a box of matches...don't let him fool you!

Awww....shucks, ma'am. I reckon so!