Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Charcoal Grills => Topic started by: Jaxon on June 01, 2014, 05:45:10 PM
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Y'all...I'm all messed up.
I went out yesterday and pulled my Weber up onto the deck so it would be right out the back door. It was MUCH BETTER than walking out to the back yard every time I wanted to check the grill. Now I'm thinkin' I'd like to LEAVE it on the patio, but its legs are wobbly and it's hard to move it around out there without one of 'em slippin' out.
But here's what we did together yesterday...I had a 3 1/2 lb chuck roast to smoke and pull (gettin' to be a favorite cook). I set up the Smokenator using hickory chunks...had a water pan underneath. When it got to 250* I put chuckie in. The Smokenator was flawless, holding the temp at 250* - 260* for over 6 hours. I went out every hour or so and knocked the dust off the ashes and added a few briquettes and it kept on chuggin'. When chuckie reached 180*, I sliced a couple of onions into 3 thick slices each and placed them in a foil pan ( I saw this on YouTube somewhere) and placed chuckie on top of them. Then I poured a dark beer in and covered the pan tightly with foil (I had a thermometer in the meat). I let the temp rise a bit and it took about another couple of hours for the temps to reach 210*. After that, I let it coast for about 45 minutes more. I'm not sure of the final temp, but when we took it out, the meat pulled very easily and tasted great.
Overall, it was a very good cook that took very little attention even though it was pretty much all day long.
Pics will follow this:
I have been thinking about a ceramic cooker (what a wide range) for a while. Now, I am thinking that this Weber is really hitting the mark. Do I need an egg-type? What would I actually cook therein that I can't cook in the kettle? I was at Lowes today and saw the Akorn for less than $300 (it is $299) and thought, "this MIGHT work...but what will I cook?"
When at look at the Performer, with the rolling table, self-starter, and charcoal bin, I'm thinkin' "this would look nice enough to leave on the patio."
I have been saving some money for one or the other - cannot justify both.
I know LA likes the Akorn (I like the PRICE) and some of y'all have other ceramics. Is it a "specialty" grill or something we could use a lot?
I would really like to have the Primo Oval with indirect cooking system.
Now, for the pics: note the "cloche" bread thanks to y'all...
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Jaxon,
Great cook - excellent looking food and pictures!
I am not an expert - never used an egg or ceramic cooker. One of my brothers swears by his. I have always found my Weber to be one of the most versatile grills I have ever found. I have the Performer with the gas lighting system - I love it. Every time I think about replacing it, I realize it does so many things... So, as I cull the herd, it is still one I will keep. (Along with the flat top :) )
FWIW - my 2 cents.
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I can't imagine you losing the flat top either.
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Jack,it looks really good but that bread is just over the top,thats a grand slam there.Man what a fine cook that was. ;)
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Jaxon
That would be one of the finest loafs of bread i have seen come out of the cloche. I think you nailed it on that one.
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Ah Grasshopper ::)
It's not so much what you need as what you want!
A performer is a great cooker........ But why get the same basic cooker you have?
Get the Kamado 8)
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That is some good looking meat. Can't give any advice on what to buy but will say you're doing very well with what you've got.
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Nice cook. As for the ceramic, it will do everything you can do on a kettle with a little less maintenance for smoking. I don't use my kettle for smoking very often, but if I needed to I would honestly consider the ceramic over it.
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Jaxon
That would be one of the finest loafs of bread i have seen come out of the cloche. I think you nailed it on that one.
After seein' some of the bread here - especially from the cloche - I got one for my bread-makin' wife. She makes bread quite a bit but we just started using the cloche. The first loaf was disaster because the cloche wasn't seasoned well and the bread stuck like glue. With advice from this forum, w learned how to season and add corn meal. This loaf was the result of that lesson.
Thanks...
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Jaxon
That would be one of the finest loafs of bread i have seen come out of the cloche. I think you nailed it on that one.
After seein' some of the bread here - especially from the cloche - I got one for my bread-makin' wife. She makes bread quite a bit but we just started using the cloche. The first loaf was disaster because the cloche wasn't seasoned well and the bread stuck like glue. With advice from this forum, w learned how to season and add corn meal. This loaf was the result of that lesson.
Thanks...
A beautiful loaf! Very nice.
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Nice cook. As for the ceramic, it will do everything you can do on a kettle with a little less maintenance for smoking. I don't use my kettle for smoking very often, but if I needed to I would honestly consider the ceramic over it.
I agree...the ceramic - or Akorn ( an insulated cooker ) gives you more consistent temps over longer time periods. Is that worth the money? It is a personal choice. I think part of the decision for me would be self analysis: Am I the sort of person that enjoys tinkering with the fire, an moving stuff around on the grill - or do I prefer more hands off for the longest periods possible?
If you are the latter type....then - even better than the cookers you are looking at would be a pellet grill. ;) ;D I guess I would call it an objective based choice. What is the objective?
And - Jack that bread is a ...( wait for it ::) 8) )..."cloche call"...cloche to perfect! :D
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oh my.......
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Nice cook. As for the ceramic, it will do everything you can do on a kettle with a little less maintenance for smoking. I don't use my kettle for smoking very often, but if I needed to I would honestly consider the ceramic over it.
I agree...the ceramic - or Akorn ( an insulated cooker ) gives you more consistent temps over longer time periods. Is that worth the money? It is a personal choice. I think part of the decision for me would be self analysis: Am I the sort of person that enjoys tinkering with the fire, an moving stuff around on the grill - or do I prefer more hands off for the longest periods possible?
If you are the latter type....then - even better than the cookers you are looking at would be a pellet grill. ;) ;D I guess I would call it an objective based choice. What is the objective?
And - Jack that bread is a ...( wait for it ::) 8) )..."cloche call"...cloche to perfect! :D
I definitely agree with tee here. Your Weber is great, but if you are looking for a set it and forget it type smoker or grill go with a pellet grill. You can see what I own by looking at my signature. And yes I do use every one of them. Each one has it's purpose at my place. I still am thinking of a Primo but like you I am not exactly sure exactly what I could cook on it that I can't cook on what I have. If I want to grill with charcoal I use the Performer. If I want more smoke I use my WSM. So really it is a personal decision on what is going to fit your needs and what exactly you want it to do.
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I can't help with your decision, but I have to agree with everyone else that is some great looking food and that loaf is amazing looking.
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The ceramic is going to use less charcoal, hold up to winter cooking, and give higher temperature grilling than the performer. I would go with the ceramic ;)
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So, I'm sittin' at the kitchen table whilst Deb is workin' on another loaf of bread. We were talking about our cookin' yesterday and I read her your gracious comments about her bread.
I told her how easy it was having the grill on the patio instead of out in the backyard on the pad with the smoker.
She asked me, "is there anything out there that would make it easier for you to cook?"
I had to struggle to stay calm and speak slowly without trembling. I said, "well...there ARE a couple of grills I've been researching for awhile, but...I don't know..."
I talked with L A on the phone this afternoon and my grillin' guru told me about his vast knowledge and experience with the Akorn. He has smoked 4 butts at once with his.
He wisely answered all my questions and kindly gave me some of his sage advice...just get the AKORN, JACK!!!
Well...it IS affordable (I've been saving for several months) and it will be another learning experience for me and it has more capacity than anything else I have.
We have a friend who is wanting a charcoal smoker that she won't have to "babysit" and she was askin' for advice. Deb told me to "buy the Akorn and learn how to use it, then you can show Peggy how to use it." "okay, okay, I'll get one..." "I'll use the gift card I received after I retired." "You're a good man", she said.
So...Looks like the decision was pretty much made FOR me and believe me, I appreciate your comments in support of the Akorn.
Mike - I may be going to "the pellet side" in another 6 - 8 months. Right now, I have 10 bags of charcoal to burn and nowhere to store pellets. B T W, L A sez that this grill uses very little charcoal so I should be set for a long time. I used well over half a bag yesterday. I'm still gonna use the kettle, so keep those posts coming.
Thanks y'all...I'm going to bed to get a good night's sleep. I have to get to Lowes tomorrow.
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The bread looks fantastic. ;)
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Jaxon, you really did good on that chuck roast and Deb, your bread is perfect. I might need to try some of that bread my next trip through. Wish I could help you with your decision on which grill to buy, but I will eat anything you cook on any grill. Just sayin'.
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Jack that Deb is one of a kind, but I'm sure you know that. That chuck and bread looks fantastic. Like you I am retired and I do like stepping out on the back porch to cook. I had the Performer before the big spring sale and I sometimes regret selling it. I wanted a Komado type grill for a while and had to make more room by selling off everything. I think the Akorn will hold temps a lot better than the Performer Therefore being more economical. I hope to get me one right shortly and I will probably get a pellet grill when LA does hee hee . ;D
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Looking forward to hearing about your Akorn, Jack. I can see some excellent cooks coming... ;)
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Jaxon: I hope you did not buy that Akron grill yet. After reading your posts, I researched ceramic grills even though I knew about the Green Egg and their higher cost. I found out about Komodo Kamado grills at www.komodokamado.com. You need to check out these grills, and be sure to go to the bottom of the home page at "click here" and read more about these grills with pictures, etc. I asked my wife to get one for me on Father's Day; I am glad my reflexes are still good and did not get hit by the flying frying pan!!