New UK Q'er. Needs your advice!

nezza · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

Hi guys,

I'm in the UK and just started my journey in proper Q'ing after being a professional sausage cremater for several years!

I've ordered a couple of books and stuff but I need to decide which way to go on equipment. You know when you get into a new hobby and you end up buying stuff at the start you regret! Well I want to avoid that by picking your considerable brains!

I'm going to want to grill and smoke (duh!) but wondered what the best route for the beginner? For example, I see lots of people recommending the Weber One Touch Gold - which can obviously do both, but obviously not at the same time and tricker to do long smokes than with a dedicated smoker.

In terms of the stuff I want to cook, it'll be ribs, turkeys, UK equivalant of butts plus the usual direct stuff like chicken, steaks burgers etc. Hmm, sounds like I want to cook it all so maybe that's not that helpful!

So if you had your time again would you get a seperate grill for direct cooking and a seperate smoker for that task?

OR as I'm a beginner get to grips with something like the Weber Kettle first before getting into dedicated smokers. (I know you can obviously smoke with the weber kettle but it's harder right?).

As I say, I'm in the UK so that may have a bearing on what's available here.

Thanks so much!

Nezza

Markbb · Posted: Mar 27 2007 Post subject: Smoking

I have a weber kettle and have been able to smoke baby backs in the kettle with no problem the coals lasted approx. 6 hrs minon way, personally I highly recommend the 22" kettle.

SoEzzy · Posted: Mar 27 2007 Post subject:

Welcome to the forum nezza!

A kettle is not a bad way to start, you can now get them with hinged sides to the food grate, and this allows you to access the coals and add more coals and wood for the smoke while in the middle of a longer cook, it takes a bit of practise but doesn't really take long to learn how to use well.

You can also get side charcoal baskets to hold your charcoal up and allow you to put a water / drip pan in the center under your meat to 1) keep things a little moister, and 2) to catch the drippings and keep them out of the fire.

The unfortunate thing is there is not really a cheap way of both grilling and bbqing at the same time, without either building a pit to order or getting two pits one to grill on and the other to bbq on.
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ProBBQ · Posted: Mar 27 2007 Post subject:

Hi Nezza,
Give us a call if you need a hand www.probbq.co.uk
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CtheSmoke · Posted: Mar 28 2007 Post subject:

Welcome friend... Smile

First thing, send all your books back. Anything and everthing you need to know, want to know, think you need to know, know you know, don't know you know and never thought to know, you will find here or a link to it somewhere else (short of recipes)... Wink

Personnally, I have a off-set. It can double as a smoker and you can also use it for a grill using direct heat. I will say that there's nothing like a kettle grill for grilling though. I had one till it burned out and I then got a off-set. I loved my Kingsford kettle grill

I have a Char Griller and it's a great entry level smoker/grill if they're availible in your country...
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nezza · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks for all the replies, very useful.

I know this next question is a hot topic (sorry, I'll get my coat) but given the equipment currently available, is there anything you can't do on a gas that you could do on a charcoal?

e.g. can you smoke successfully with a gas?

Is there a discernible difference in taste? Not just perception, but actual!

Taste would be the biggy for me, after all it's why we're doing this!

I know for a fact though in our household, a gas bbq would get used more because of the convenience and 'instant'ness of it - which potentially means more bbq!

I know this is an age old discussion, but I wonder with more modern advances (like smoker boxes for gas) if the situation has changed at all?

badcat222 · Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Austin, TX

Where there is a will, there is a way....

I don't know why one couldn't smoke with a gas grill. Smoke boxes are readily available. As for me, my barbeque & grilling lineup consists of the following:

Kenmore gas grill
Weber 22 1/2" One Touch Gold charcoal grill
Bar-B-Chef offset smoker
Weber Smokey Mountain vertical smoker. (should arrive Friday)

They all have their niche.
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