I find that spritzing during longer bbq cooks helps retain moisture and leads to a better end product. Depending on the mixture you’re using you could also gain some flavor and color.
Prior to getting this bottle I had been using super cheap bottles acquired at a big box store. The price was right, but the quality was not. They lasted a couple cooks before the sprayer fell apart.
I went look for a higher quality food grade bottle and sprayer.
The ThermoPro TempSpike is a completely wireless thermometer… no wires! That allows you to wirelessly monitor your cook with compatible smart phone apps. It’s a available in a single probe version and and a dual probe version.
This is a look at the single probe TempSpike. Stay tuned to this post which will turn into a comprehensive hands on review as I become more experienced with this wireless thermometer.
Front of the box
Back of the box
The case and probe in the box
What came with my TempSpike – The probe, case, manual, charging cord and a couple additional pamphlets. Note that a USB charging block is not included, but it will work with any standard USB charger.
Side of the case. The storage case serves multiple purposes – storing the probe, charging the probe and it operates as a signal booster. This is a picture of the side of the case that shows you the USB charging port.
A closeup of the case
The probe comes with this sticker reminding you to always insert the probe past the marked notch to avoid damage.
A look at just the case
The TempSpike probe
Notch indicating minimum insertion to avoid probe damage
The case along with a section of the manual that describes each component
The section of the manual that walks you through getting started with the TempSpike
Case with included charging cable plugged in
Charging cable plugged in to this USB charging box from Anker. Note that a USB charging block is not included, but it will work with any standard USB charger.
Stay tuned for more on the TempSpike. I’m planning to use it on my next cook and will have more info then.
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Unicook Heavy Duty Waterproof Barbecue Gas Grill Cover, 55-inch BBQ Cover on my Recteq RT-700 “The Bull”
When I bought my Recteq RT-700 “The Bull” the OEM cover was backordered. I did order it, but it took quite a while to arrive.
Since I keep the RT-700 outside I wanted to have something to protect it so I looked for a compatible non-OEM option. Doing some digging, I stumbled on Unicook’s Heavy Duty 55″ Cover.
See picture above for this cover on my RT-700
It works great. Of course it doesn’t have a tailored section for the vent, but there’s enough room in the cover to make up for that. I’ve found that it’s high quality and easy to put on.
Unicook Heavy Duty Waterproof Barbecue Gas Grill Cover, 55-inch BBQ Cover, Special Fade and UV Resistant Material, Durable and Convenient, Fits Weber Char-Broil Nexgrill Brinkmann Grills and More – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Thoughts on Recteq RT-700 OEM Cover vs Unicook
The Unicook ripped after months of good use. So I pulled out the Recteq OEM cover that I originally ordered with the grill. Although this is new, you can see it’s… old because of the Rec Tec spelling.
recteq Wood Pellet Grill Cover for The RT-700 & RT-1250 | Full Length Heavy-Duty Premium Pellet Grill Cover for All-Weather Protection – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
A few thoughts…
Quality-wise, I would give the edge to the OEM cover. Ease of use, I would currently give to the Unicook. Again, I think this will get easier over time.
Update…
Having now used both, I can tell you that I prefer the Unicook. The difficulty of putting the OEM cover on combined with comparative price makes this an easy decision in my book.
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability. top:rtcover tag:tpr
Pictured: Rubbermaid Commercial Products FG334900GRAY Standard Bus/Utility Box – Review
It seems like you need an extra hand or two when it comes time to prepping meat for the smoker or grill. Sometimes I try to keep a “dirty” hand (for raw meat) and a “clean” hand (for spices and such). That’s great, but it effectively leaves me with one hand no matter what I’m trying to do.
Of course you could go back and wipe spice containers down. Or… not worry about it.
One thing I’ve started doing that works really well is wrapping my rub shaker in food wrap when it comes to applying. This allows you to grab it with meaty/contaminated hands. When prep is done, discard the food wrap and whammo!
+ Nitrile Gloves…
I also use nitrile gloves when handling meat and applying rubs.
These help prevent cross contamination and… protect your hands.
Also, my rub, recipe below, contains garlic and pepper flakes. Those sorts of things stay on your hands for a while. Beyond not wanting to smell my hands I also wear contacts. Oils from pepper flakes… stay on your hands even after you wash them a couple times. How do I know? My eyes feel like they’re on fire when I take my contacts out. So… Nitrile gloves.
PEIPU Nitrile Gloves,Medical Exam Gloves,Disposable Cleaning Gloves,(Large, 100-Count)Powder Free, Latex Free,Rubber Free,Ultra-Strong,Food Handling Use, Single Use Non-Sterile Protective Gloves for Cooking, Cleaning & More.– affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability top:rubwrap tag:tpr
GRILLART makes grilling accessories including several grill brush and scraper models.
This is a hands on look at their 18″ bristle free stainless steel grate scraper and brush.
A look at the stainless steel scraper blade. It features notches on each side to clean individual grate wires.
A closer look at the galvanized twisted wire. Note: I purchased this in June of 2020. It’s been outside, in the elements, constantly since that point. The galvanized twisted wire remains visibly rust free over two years later.
Hanging from my Weber grill. This brush is about 18″ in total length.
A look at the handle
The end of the handle features a loop for hanging
Hey, look, it’s hanging.
I would say the standard way to cook a steak, chop or similar is to cook on high heat to sear the meat then, if necessary, apply indirect heat to finish off the meat.
With a reverse sear, the order is… reversed. Low temperature is applied first to add smoke flavor and then high heat is applied at the end to sear the meat. This allows the meat to absorb flavors that would otherwise, overcook or dry out the meat if done in the standard way.
In order to withstand the reverse searing process, I recommend a larger piece of meat. If you have a thin steak, it’s going to cook too quickly.
I use Mercer Culinary’s Model M23210 10″ Knife to cut brisket. It’s serrated and made from high quality Japanese steel. The handle is polypropylene.
Previously I had used the “chef’s knife” from my kitchen knife set. That knife, at times, would cause brisket to shred instead of cutting a nice neat piece. The M23210 is super sharp and makes quick, neat work of cutting brisket.
For safety… I also picked up the 10″ x 2″ Mercer Knife Guard which fits the M23210 well.
What are Other’s Saying? Search this product’s Amazon reviews for “brisket – may include reviews for other sizes or variations
Also Consider…
Pink Kraft Butcher Paper Roll – 18 Inch x 100 Feet (1200 Inch) – Food Grade Peach Wrapping Paper for Smoking Meat of all Varieties – Unbleached, Unwaxed and Uncoated – Made in USA – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Aaron Frankline Teaches Texas BBQ, MasterClass
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability tag:tpr tag:brisketknife
For a short time, Thermoworks is discounting any one item by 25%. Discount is automatically applied to the highest price item in your cart at checkout.
25% off at ThermoWorks! – applied automatically in cart
This works on this great thermometer!
I’m a big fan of Rubbermaid’s Commercial’s utility tubs. I literally have a stack of these, in different sizes, for different things around the house, including homebrewing.
I use the 4.625 gallon size to thaw meat, trim, apply rub, carry around cook day tools and more. These are NSF rated and big enough to hold larger cuts of meat. They catch excess rub and drips and make clean up easier. With handles on every side, they’re easy to carry and move. You can also spin it around as you’re trimming or applying rub for easy access.
A look at the 4.6 gallon tub. These measure approximately 20.4″ x” 15.6″ x 5″
The bottom
A look at the imprints on the bottom
Close up of the Rubbermaid Commercial Products logo
NSF certified logo imprint on the bottom
These are generally available in two sizes (and multiple colors). The 4.6 gallon is on the left the 7 gallon is on the right. I’ve found the 4.6 gallon size to be right sized for BBQ-ing and grilling. The 7 gallon works too, but it’s a bit oversized for BBQ, when it comes to my needs. If you’re doing huge quantities of food, the 7 gallon is worth a look.
Larger 7.125 Gallon Size: Rubbermaid Commercial Products FG335100GRAY Standard Bus/Utility Box, 7.125 Gal, Gray – Note that multiple variations of these products may be available, as such a different version may appear at the link
I’m very happy with my smoked briskets and ribs. I’ve done a lot of these meats. Through trial and error and learning from other, these generally turn out delicious.
Not that there’s one right way, but for these, there are some pretty clear guidelines out there that can get you close in short order. For ribs, there’s the classic 3-2-1 method, for brisket Aaron Franklin’s Method provides a methodical approach that makes for outstanding brisket.
For chicken wings, the picture isn’t as clear. I posed the question on Twitter, and walked away with some great ideas. In fact… lots of ideas. The path to the perfect smoke wing, varies, just like a lot of smoked weeks, but I’ll say, I think there may be more and more varied paths on this meat as compared to some others.
This post is a chronicle of my journey to get a great wing off my smoker.
Let’s say you want brisket for dinner. With an 8 to 12 hour cook time followed by an hour or two rest period, you’re looking at a total of 9 to 14 hours total. Let’s just average that out and 11 hours. Add an hour prep time and let’s say, brisket takes… 12 hours.
This means if you want a 6 PM dinner, you need to be starting at 6 AM. I’d still say that’s a little risky because things could take longer but for this scenario, let’s say 12 hours/6 AM start.
This is okay, but, depending on if you’re a morning person, getting up at 6 AM on a weekend may not be the on your wish list. Translate that to a week day when you’re not at home and it becomes even more difficult because you can’t tend your pit.
To resolve these issues, I present to you my two step burnt ends technique.
Step 1: Prepare and smoke a brisket. Here’s my complete brisket process. Slice the leaner part of the brisket and… eat it. Cube the thicker, fattier part and save for a later date.
Step 2: Prepare the “burnt” ends and smoke separately at a later time. Since this part of the process is 2 to 3 hours, it can easily be completed day of for a lunch or dinner.
Cubed thicker/fattier portion of the brisket. These were cut after resting in the refrigerator overnight. That makes them very easy to cut and they stay together well.
In a gallon bag frozen for later use. In this case, I knew I’d be back to them in a week to 10 days so I just used a gallon zip loc. For longer periods of time, vacuum sealing would be the way to go.
Fast forward to step 2 cook day. The brisket cubes are thawed and tossed in Tuffy Stone’s Cool Smoke Spicy BBQ sauce
Placed on a quarter sheet pan to be returned to the smoker
On the smoker. I usually do about 225 for 2 to 3 hours based on taste and feel.
Burnt ends!
This gets you freshly smoked brisket in 2 to 3 hours and makes cook times more manageable. It’s also a great way to break up huge briskets into manageable portions. If you have a hard time getting through a brisket, this lets you prepare meal size portions with very manageable cook times.
My Brisket Process – Complete Illustrated Write Up
My process is based on Aaron Franklin Brisket process – Amazon author page – with a few tweaks
Chart via How to Smoke Brisket With Barbeque Pitmaster Aaron Franklin
If you interested in the specifics here is a write up on the process, including a really helpful chart from MasterClass
Aaron has also has a MasterClass on his method
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Ribs have been a go-to of mine since I started smoking. as far as cuts of meat, Ribs are by far the thing I’m most likely to smoke. Like a lot of backyard cooking enthusiasts I’ve tried many different methods with varying results.
I would say the 3/2/1 method is one of the most used techniques out there. 3 hours unwrapped, 2 hours wrapped, 1 hour unwrapped. I know this produces good results… for other people. I’ve done it dozens of times and personally struggle to make a consistently good rib, bouncing around between not tender enough and more often way too tender. With the latter, it’s common for me to have rendered most of the fat out of the ribs only to be left with fall apart meat that’s lost most of it’s flavor.
I think the two hours wrapped is generally too long, again for me… I have know it works for some and if it works for you that’s great!
After a lot of playing around, I’ve finally settled on a 3, 1, 1/2 method. A lot of the credit for this goes to Aaron Franklin – Amazon author page. I have made some adjustments based on my equipment and tastes. Additional resources at the end of this write up.
The basics of this method are 3 hours unwrapped, 1 hour (or less) wrapped and 1/2 hour unwrapped. This is actually a hotter faster method compared to what I used to do.
Thank you to BBQ Finds Reader Jeff for this photo! – Connect with Me!
Weber’s Smokey Mountain Cooker comes in three sizes….
I’m a huge fan of Weber’s line of products and their customer service. I’ve owned many of their products including the Smokey Mountain Cooker. Although I’ve since moved on to a different primary smoker, I found the Smokey Mountain Cooker to be one of the best smokers for the money.
Here are the general dimensions and capacity of the three sizes of Smokey Mountain Cookers. These may change slightly with model year adjustments.
22″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
18″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
14″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability. rp:wsmc tag:tpr
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Jack Stack BBQ, you’re probably familiar with their Cheesy Corn Bank. It’s pretty amazing.
Jack Stack used to make this recipe available on their website, that was years ago. From what I can gather, it has since been pulled down.
What is now my BBQ rub recipe started out as a recipe I picked up 15+ years ago. I’ve tried to find the source to quote it, but have been unable to figure it out. It’s changed markedly since then with a couple major changes and loads of tweaks over the years.
It’s not the only rubbed I use, but it’s what I use most often. I don’t think there’s one right rub, especially from person to person, but this one is tried and true. I’ve used it on everything from brisket to ribs to chicken and typically will add some to my pit beans.
As you can see from the photo above, I’ve mostly settled on Badia brand spices. They’ve got a great selection, great quality and are, generally, a great value for the money.
My biggest tip on saving money buying spices is… buy in bulk. If you look at the per ounce cost between a small shaker and a big container, the difference can be drastic
Of course, none of the spices are really secret, because they’re pictured above but a couple that really stand out are…
Flatiron Peppers – I first became aware of these year’s ago when on vacation in Estes Park, Colorado. I’ll get super specific and say that I was at the Country Market of Estes Park. A small grocery store, deli and gas station. One of the owners was giving away samples. We chatted and tried their peppers and have been hooked ever since. Regular red pepper flakes just don’t do it any more. We have and use all their varieties but for my rub I use two Four Pepper Blend and Dark and Smoky. Tip: as each of these shakers gets more and more empty the small powdered peppers at the bottom are much hotter. For the rub, I’m looking for the large chunkier pepper flakes as I don’t want to blow anyone away with heat.
Gebhart’s Chili Powder – I’ve tried a bunch of chili powder for different things and Gebhart’s is just my favorite.
On to the recipe, when I have a link to a specific spice, I’ll include it…
1/2 Cup Sugar in the Raw
3 TB Kosher Salt
4 TB Gebhart’s Chili Powder
2 TB Chipotle Powder
2 TB Ground Pepper
2 TB Smoked Paprika
2 TB Lemon Pepper
2 TB Celery Salt
1 TB Garlic Powder
1 TB Garlic Flakes
2 TSP Flat Iron Four Pepper Blend Pepper Flakes
2 TSP Flat Iron Dark and Smoky Pepper Flakes
2 TSP Cayenne Pepper
2 TSP Celery Seed
1/2 TSP Cinnamon
Savory Option: There isn’t a whole lot of sugar in this rub, but there is a little. If you’re looking for a completely savory option, leave out the sugar and the cinnamon. The cinnamon isn’t sweet, but I think it gives a slight impression of sweetness.
After adding most of the 1 and 2 tablespoon additions
After adding most of the spices
Everything combined
Like a lot of people I like to re-use spice containers for storing and shaking my rub. I really like the larger Badia containers for doing these as they have much larger holes compared to a lot of the brands. Lids for McCormick and such generally have small holes that are unusable for rub. As you can see Badia’s are nice and large.
In the shaker! Tip: My rub (and probably a lot of rubs) have spices of different sizes. The heavier spices are going to tend to sink to the bottom. Shake the container thoroughly before applying and periodically as you work your way around.
Tip: wrap your rub shaker in food wrap when it comes to applying. This allows you to grab it with meaty/contaminated hands. When prep is done, discard the food wrap and whammo!
Some St Louis cut ribs trimmed, membrane removed and ready for rub application. I use a Rubbermaid Commercial Products FG334900GRAY Standard Bus/Utility Box – Hands on Review – for this. It’s food grade, large enough to hold a lot of meat. Applying rub in this, saves rub and saves cleanup time and hassle.
Rub applied. Tip: I use NItrile gloves when applying rub. Not only can I discard those when done to help prevent cross contamination, they protect my hands from spices. I love delicious smelling hands and all, but that can get to be a bit much. Also, I wear contacts. Even after multiple hand washings I would be able to tell you that this rub has a little bit of spice in it… when it comes time to take contacts out
.
End result, look at that beautiful mahogany color
I’ve found that spices store pretty well in the containers that they come in. But, if you’re making larger batches of rub or storing for longer periods of time, you may want to add some extra freshness protection.
Putting food wrap directly on the bottle and then replacing the cap gives a better, more oxygen resistant seal.
Vacuum sealing + storing in the freezer is probably the best way to store larger amounts of spices for a longer time.
The video below shows me sealing some of my rub using an Inkbird Vacuum Sealer
This vac sealer sealing some of my BBQ Rub. See: Hands on Review via my Homebrewing website Homebrew Finds
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability top:myrub tag:tpr
This is a hands on look at the 32 quart Kingsford branded charcoal kaddy. I picked this up for wood pellet storage.
A look at the bottom. There is a lip on each end to raise the containers a bit, giving them some airflow. This reads Made in the USA and Buddeez. This is a Kingsford branded container that’s manufactured by Buddeez.
There are a few good reasons I can think of to remove pellets from your pellet grill/smoker.
Maybe some pellet grills have a way to easily remove pellets, but mine (Recteq RT-700)… does not.
Looking for solutions I cam across the Bucket Head Shop Vac. The Bucket Head attaches to any standard 5 gallon bucket and… vacuums. When I need to remove pellets from my pellet smoker, I just vacuum them out. When I’m done I detach the Bucket Head from the bucket and put a regular lid on for storage. It works great!
I only use this for pellets so I don’t have to worry about cross contamination with dirt and such.
Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application. Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application. Always read and follow manufacturer directions.
Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability. rp:hdbuckethead tag:tpr
The Thermapen is a thermocouple thermometer produced by ETI, Ltd and sold by ThermoWorks. It’s used by restaurants, home cooks, homebrewers, grillers, bbq-ers and more.
Here’s an in depth hands on look at the latest iteration, the Thermapen ONE starting with a history of the Thermapen, accuracy and response time tests and lots more.
The Thermapen was introduced in 1992. The original invention of the Thermapen was by Electronic Temperature Instruments Limited (ETI, Ltd.) of Worthing, England. Each subsequent version of the product has been engineered and manufactured by ETI, Ltd.
Thermapen was the first thermocouple thermometer designed for commercial and home kitchens. Prior to that time all other thermocouple thermometers were designed for science and industry; and were much larger, handheld devices with separate probes. These were generally priced at about $200 or more (after purchasing a probe). Keep in mind that’s in pre-1992 dollars.
From left to right – Original Thermapen, Thermapen MK2, Super Fast Thermapen (now sold as Thermapen Classic), MK4, Thermapen ONE
Pictured: French Press Starter Kit – via La Colombe
A good number of years ago, I had the pleasure of watching Alton Brown’s Good Eats on the subject of coffee. It explained many things and helped me understand why I was struggling to produce something that I would call a good cup of coffee. Since I have had the pleasure of traveling to Central America many times and have furthered my love and appreciation of a good cup of coffee. I’ve gone from drip to french press to pour-overs to roasting my own green coffee beans to making espresso in my home that rivals or often time exceeds the brew that’s coming out of many coffee shops at a fraction of the price. Here are some tips to take your cup to the next level no matter where you are in the spectrum.
If you’re happy with your cup of Joe, that’s what counts. If you’re not and looking to improve consider some of these ideas.
toppost:coffee
Brisket!