Charcoal Quantities
 

This might be so obvious to the cognoscenti that have been so ably contributing to this very entertaining thread that I hesitate to add it...

... but...

... apropos to the amount of charcoal that one might use on a 57cm Weber versus the smaller 47cm version, I use sufficient (in my 47cm), to have a nice hot fire on one half on the grate only... that way, I can 'sear' things like burgers (which need to be cooked reasonably well all the way through, lest one ends up with food poisoning), over the coals, and then move them over to the non-coals side to cook through without ending up with a burnt offering... same technique works with lamb steaks and chicken pieces... but one has the real fire for the man-sized steaks that one really does need pink in the middle...

Judicious use of the lid ensures optimum performance.

Happy barbequing (or braaiing for those of a Southern Africa persuasion).

Well got the Weber 47cm 1 touch premium today, will assemble it tomorrow and hope for good weather at the weekend, do any of you use the smoking chips, found these on the net they sound good but never tried any before, thanks

Jack Daniels Wood Smoking Chips 1kg, 0078342017499

I bought a bag of those many years ago and still have most of the bag left!

Unless you want the neighbourhood to go IMC, just soak a handful in a small bowl for about 30 min and put them on the coals just as you start cooking.

They will indeed add a certain smokiness to your cooking, clothes, cat etc. etc. if you use too many!

Have fun assembling your black orb!

Will do BEagle, thanks for all your help. cant wait:)

Agree ... the same technique works with gas. My preference is moist oak or hickory chips ... But not too many. Never thought it necessary to have "additional" additives like that brand of Tennessee Rocket Fuel :=

Hope the Wx holds ... Looking forward to the pics :ok:

Thanks Coff, i have invited the family over on Sunday, will give the additives a miss i think, Photos to follow success or otherwise.

Coff,

Hickory chips? You mean...



http://static.rateyourmusic.com/lk/f...52/3998831.jpg

Very good Courtney :D

Mind you ... I've never felt the need to exaggerate my codpiece :cool:

Just be thankful you haven't got a barbecue in Syria, the link in the last page in the "here comes Syria" thread suggests as pilots you may well have ended up on it..

:sad:

Courtney ...

I just think we should close out this bit of thread creep so "others" of a later birth date don't think we're barking mad ... well not totally that is :ok:

So fire up that Moog ...


41 years ago :eek:

Best regards ...

Coff.

You as well BEagle ... you're of a similar "vintage" :ok:

Good Grief ChriStina! Chicory Tip sums up all that was wrong about the 'glam rock' rubbish of the 1970s....:ugh: My 'era' was about 5 years earlier, mercifully.

The early 1970s was a time when the likes of Clive Dunn and even the vomit-inducing 'St Winifred's School Choir' could displace John Lennon from the top of the charts....:yuk:

Many years later, I was with a crew in an hotel bar in Dubai. When the group* stopped for a break, the singer came up to the bar and we chatted with her. One chap asked "I'm sure I've seen that chap somewhere before?" - to which she replied "Yeah, he used to be the drummer for Sweet, but he likes to keep quite about it!".

Which I can well understand!

Anyway, what's happened to the barbi' weather....:uhoh:





'Group' - a term to describe a popular beat combo...

Barbi weather? Mine was in use last night. Lamb chops marinated in a thick mint sauce, new potatoes and petits pois. A nice gentle Merlot. We didn't eat outside, though, I must admit.

We always say goodbye to our "winter" Sunday lunches, by cranking up Mr Weber and doing the last of the year on it. On Sunday we enjoyed a Full roast chicken, complete with sausages stuffing and trimmings, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower cheese and potatoes. A lovely original Bakewell Tart, bought on a recent trip to Bakewell, followed, all done on the rotund one (Charcoal tradition here). My last bottle of La Crima di Morro D'alba followed by a wee nip of Laphroaig made a most enjoyable Sunday afternoon with the kids (now in their 30's). Looking forward to the rest of the season, and, agree with Beags on using too many wood chips.:ok:

Smudge

Indeed - as the old saying goes "Anything more than a handful is a waste"...:E

not to mention "nobody misses a slice from a cut cake .........."

This spring's BBQs have been on

beefmaster gas [1]

red weber he whose leg keeps falling off when I move it [2]

brazier woodburner [1]

but all the noshing was done in the conservatory [but not all the drinking, the rule is, if you want to eat, you suffer outside with me, and keep me in drink, until all is prepared]

Ah yes that obscure SI Unit the BSH ... The British Standard Handful :E

1 BSH = 3.1*10-4m3 or 310cm3 :8

The BSH was oft discussed (and assessed) during my Aero Eng course at London QMC.

We decided that the BSH had to be augmented by a Q-factor - Q as in quality, rather than quantitty.....

But we were rather juvenile!

Well, I decided to try a Duck last weekend, using the indirect method. All charcoals held firmly to the left and right with a nice clear area in the middle. Setting a very small draught from the base (one hole), with some Grand Marnier moistened wood-chips, we repaired to our local Tabac for an "Apero" while the fowl cooked on a low heat.

On egressing from said establishment some hour and a half later, it was hard not to notice the plume of smoke some 2KM to the north - reminiscent of GW1 and the Iraqi oil fires...

It's a long story but basically, we subsequently had a very nice dinner at our local restaurant.

A certain PPRuNer will no doubt recall a similar 'duck sacrifice' at Incirlik....

We had decided on Peking Duck as the last Det. meal before we returned to Blighty in our trusty FunBus. The duck was duly acquired at the Commissary and a plan made for the feast. Annointing the duck was no problem; however, as we had no Chinese pancakes (and couldn't be ar$ed to make any), a couple of aircrew decided to go and source some from the local economy....

Well, the duck went into the oven and started cooking nicely, so off we went to the Class 6 to find a rare old Peter Vella Red :uhoh:. Which took a while as the establishment was quite busy....

Eventually, we left and walked back to the tanker accommodation. In the distance we could see a 'significant' grey haze coming out of the door. Upon arrival, the source was obvious - the whole lower floor was shrouded in thick smoke, which had more than a 'hint of duck' to it. It seems that there was a large hole in the top of the oven and the roasting duck fumes had very successfully made their bid for freedom. We opened all the doors and windows to clear the fug and to attempt to restore VFR, whereupon our trusty pancake sourcers reappeared bearing the fruits of their endeavours, having driven almost to Adana and back....

Well, the Peking duck turned out well and everyone enjoyed it. But a French Jaguar mate (who had spotted our very beautiful lady crew member and was attempting to make his target run, silly boy, without checking his six) had been royally watered by the tanker team and was nigh-on unconscious by the time we finally ate. Serves the bugger right!

Some years later I went back to INCZ; the aroma of roasting duck still permeated the UK tanker accommodation!

Happy days!

strake
The indirect method is more effective with charcoal on one side (only) and the meat on the other.

For low and slow smoking in a Weber .....The Smokenator
Expensive for a sheet of bent metal with holes but, as I don't have the skill to make one, well worth the investment.


FL