All Things BBQ

[workinonit]

To us in the Pee Dee and Lowcountry of SC, BBQ happens around Christmas or Thanksgiving timeframes and involves a whole hog cooked on my hog cooker with the coals of oak wood burned in a barrel. Usually takes at least 12 hours. Our sauce is a vinegar based but over the years it has evolved to something that is a bit on the sweeter side and tons of flavor.

Anything else that we cook outside is called grilling. I'm in the ReqTeq camp for pellet grills. Quite amazing piece of technology that will cook almost anything and do it very well. I do want to try the charcoal pellets.

 

[gsganzer]

gsganzer have you attended one of The BBQ Breathern Bashes? More often than not it's on Ray Roberts near Pilot Point but always along IH35. Oops you missed the Spring 2024 April 6 but a Fall get together will soon start taking shape. I haven't gone over there last two years due to achy bones and bad eyes. You'll never have opportunity to taste more examples and have more people taste yours and maybe swap pocket knives.

I haven't even heard of it. I'll be looking for it now though. I love BBQ and because I travel, I get to try all the regional differences. I'm still partial to beef brisket, TX pit style.

When I try out different BBQ places, I always pay particular attention to their sides. I figure they probably know how to smoke meat, otherwise they wouldn't be in business. But I'll often find their sides mediocre, like soured coleslaw or baked beans that are too sweet.

I think I'll end up smoking a spatchcocked chicken for the weekend with "wolverine beans".

 

[Molalla1]

I haven't even heard of it. I'll be looking for it now though. I love BBQ and because I travel, I get to try all the regional differences. I'm still partial to beef brisket, TX pit style.

When I try out different BBQ places, I always pay particular attention to their sides. I figure they probably know how to smoke meat, otherwise they wouldn't be in business. But I'll often find their sides mediocre, like soured coleslaw or baked beans that are too sweet.

I think I'll end up smoking a spatchcocked chicken for the weekend with "wolverine beans".

I love a spatchcocked chicken, it's the only way in my book . . .

 

[gsganzer]

I love a spatchcocked chicken, it's the only way in my book . . .

Agree. Spatchcock is my new go-to for chickens and the Thanksgiving turkey. Brine it overnight, then rub and smoke it. A great way to get flavor to every part of it. I'll use the leftovers and carcass to make chicken tortilla soup. That recipe is also in this forum.

 

[Yander]

I put butter under the skin of the turkey breast and spatchcock. I'm talking like half a stick on each breast. Keeps the breast meet moist. Flatten the butter out to cover the breast. Room temp butter


It slows the cooking down on the breast to allow the legs and thighs to get done at the same time as the breast.
I did 5 turkeys each year for the past two holidays this way.

 

[gsganzer]

Maple-bourbon brine and then 8-hours on the ceramic grill. Perfection!

 

[Molalla1]

Maple-bourbon brine and then 8-hours on the ceramic grill. Perfection!
View attachment 871207

Nice gsganzer !!

 

[gsganzer]

Oh my gosh, it's so incredibly tender and juicy! I could eat the whole thing in one sitting. Wow!!!

I cut off one of the drumsticks. When I went to cut into it, it ALL came off the bone. So freaking tender and flavorful, it's unworldly. Unbelievably good!

 

[workinonit]

8 hours? For a chicken? I guess the skin holds it together. Wornder what temp that cooks at?

 

[gsganzer]

8 hours? For a chicken? I guess the skin holds it together. Wornder what temp that cooks at?

It was cooked at 200 degrees. It had a nice subtle red smoke line in the meat. With it being brined, I don't even think it's possible to dry it out.

What's nice about spatchcocking, is you can almost choose how long you want to cook it. Turn the temp up and grill it and be done quickly, go low and slow, or pick anything in between. I always use a Thermopro temperature pen and make sure I'm about 170 degrees in the thickest part.