# "Grill Challenged" Newbie



## jaguarjim (Apr 24, 2011)

Hello everyone.  My name is Jim and I live just south of Jacksonville, Florida.  I am closing in on my 47th year of living and have grilled for nearly my entire adult life.  I've come to realize recently that what I called "grilling" simply wasn't all it could be.  In the past I have thrown a piece of meat onto a hot fire and cooked it to the desired doneness. 

My brother has been grilling for years and recently accurately described me as being "Grill Challenged".  I've been fortunate enough to taste his efforts on many occasions, but it wasn't until recently that I realized I don't have to have the best grill on the market in order to get the best flavor from my meat.  With my brother's assistance, I was able to cook the best spare ribs I've ever done and did so on a cheap Brinkman gas grill.

(Click Here to see my report with Q-View).  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I am excited about learning the real "How To's" of smoking and grilling.  I am also looking at purchasing a Weber 22 1/2" Kettle grill.  This will be my first non-gas grill in over 20 years and I'm actually looking forward to cooking on charcoal again.  I don't think I will get rid of my cheap gas grill as there are times that I can see how a quick cook out can be beneficial, especially for brats, hotdogs and burgers.

I'm still exploring the site but can already see how it can quickly become the "go to" site for any questions I may have and look forward to learning from all you other Grill Masters.


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## fife (Apr 24, 2011)

David has got you in the right place to learn there is so much here. Good to see ya here


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## SmokinAl (Apr 24, 2011)

Glad to have you aboard Jim!


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## beer-b-q (Apr 24, 2011)

Welcome to SMF, Glad to have you with us.
 

This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.
 

For those of you new to Smoking, be sure to check out *Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse*.

Click Here it's *"FREE"* ... 5 Day eCourseE

Be sure to put a general location on where you are located in your profile this helps us when answering questions you might have.

Also for those of you new to smoking,  Get a good Probe Thermometer as we smoke by Temperature NOT TIME.



A good choice for a remote dual probe thermometer is the Maverick ET-732


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## les3176 (Apr 24, 2011)

Welcome to smf glad to have ya!!! Tons of info here and great members too!!


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## meateater (Apr 24, 2011)

Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.


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## jirodriguez (Apr 24, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! After you get yourself a smoker you can show your brother how to do some low and slow BBQ ribs.


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## callahan4life (Apr 25, 2011)

Welcome my brother! As I told you, the Weber Kettle grills are great. I still use mine a lot for smoking and grilling. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





For dedicated smoking be sure to take a look at the *Masterbuilt Electric Smoker MES 40 (Sam's Club $299.85 plus they offer a 3 year warranty for $25)* . A lot of the folks here use them and swear by them. When my *Brother-in-Law, "Fife"*, recently wanted to get into smoking I gave him the same recomendation and he couldn't be happier with his. I am even thinking of adding one to my arsenal of outdoor cooking equipment.

You may also look into building a smoker. Do an *internet search* as well as a *SMF Forum search (above) for Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS)* ). You can build one for $100-150. One of these is definately in my future.

Make sure you sign up for the FREE eMail course (see link in "Beer-B-Q's" post above). Also as I told you and *"Beer-B-Q"* mentions above get a good thermometer. The Maverick ET 732 is the one I have and love it. It can be purchased through the on-line store, *"A-Maz-N Products LLC"*, owned by SMF Forum member "*TJohnson*". Check with him because I think he is still offering free shipping. He also ships very fast I had mine less than 48 hours from ordering.

I am sure you will do fine with your new hobby, it's in our genes.

Oh about that comment from "*JIRodriquez*" (above), don't even think you can out do your teacher!


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## callahan4life (Apr 25, 2011)

JIRodriguez said:


> Welcome to the forum! After you get yourself a smoker you can show your brother how to do some low and slow BBQ ribs.




Easy Johnny! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Your going to make me have to drag all my equipment to my little brother's house for a rib throwdown! Hey, wait, this could be fun!


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## jirodriguez (Apr 26, 2011)

LOL... nothing like a little competition to get the good BBQ flowing! And I'm sure the families would enjoy being "judges"..... heh-heh.


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## hardslicer (Apr 26, 2011)

welcome to the site.....this is the best place to learn smok'in without a doubt


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## jaguarjim (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the comments and welcome messages.  I'm quickly learning a lot and just need to remember to visit the site well before the time to actually begin cooking.  My brother told me something that I always keep in mind before attempting any grilling endeavor and that is "you get to eat your mistakes".  I've tasted some pretty good Q lately and look forward tasting damn good Q of my own making.  

Now, as for those of you instigating  a competition between my brother and I, well, all I got to say is that I am well aware that I'm not in his league but I am very, very competitive and will not cower down from any challenge.

We have a family cookout planed for Fourth of July 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  weekend 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





, so I'm throwing it out there...Pork Spare Ribs and then we can let the family decide.  There has to be one rule in place and that is 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  that it will have to be a blind test.  Let me know if you accept the challenge big brother.


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## callahan4life (Apr 26, 2011)

jaguarjim said:


> Thanks for all the comments and welcome messages.  I'm quickly learning a lot and just need to remember to visit the site well before the time to actually begin cooking.  My brother told me something that I always keep in mind before attempting any grilling endeavor and that is "you get to eat your mistakes".  I've tasted some pretty good Q lately and look forward tasting damn good Q of my own making.
> 
> Now, as for those of you instigating  a competition between my brother and I, well, all I got to say is that I am well aware that I'm not in his league but I am very, very competitive and will not cower down from any challenge.
> 
> ...


*GAME ON! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## fourashleys (Apr 27, 2011)

:welcome1: Need Q-view of the "family fued" don't forget us


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## callahan4life (Apr 27, 2011)

fourashleys said:


> Need Q-view of the "family fued" don't forget us


There will be Q-View and Q-Video for sure! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Especially the part where my brother is on his hands and knees worshiping me for the but whipping he just received.


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## jaguarjim (Apr 28, 2011)

To whip butt, you must first learn to use your 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  properly as *BUTT is spelt with two T's.  *

I just want to make sure you are aware of the difference because I'm a quick study and I am going all out and will do whatever it takes whip that BUTT of yours.  It'll be fall off the bone tender when I'm done with you.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  .  You guys still want Qview of that?


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## callahan4life (Apr 28, 2011)

jaguarjim said:


> To whip butt, you must first learn to use your
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have created a monster. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Are you ready to kick this to REAL COMPETITION LEVEL? How about Ribs, Chicken, Brisket and   Pork BUTT? Remember BBQ isn’t for cowards!


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## jaguarjim (Apr 28, 2011)

I think NOT!!!  Please review the thread Title given me by you.  ("Grill Challenged" Newbie).   I believe ribs will be more than enough for the family to enjoy.  I will be smoking 2nd attempt this weekend to perfect my rub.  I'll give a Q-view, but the ingredients will be kept confidential for now.


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## smokeifyougotem (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey good luck, I'm still a rookie myself but wasn't everybody once.  I built a UDS and I love it,  So much actually that I have held off on building the 22" WSM sitting in my garage its still in the box.  Let the BBQ wars begin!!!!!


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## jaguarjim (Apr 30, 2011)

I just picked up my frist charcoal grill in over 20 years.  After doing some research, I chose the Weber One-Touch Gold 22 1/2" model.  I'm stoked!   I just put it together and it took about 15 minutes.  Got my ribs out of the fridge and will soon be starting up some charcoal on my new Weber

Rapid Fire Chimney Starter.  Also have plans to grill some chicken wings tomorrow, but first want to sink some chompers into some spare ribs.  Q-view to follow.


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## the dude abides (Apr 30, 2011)

Hey Jim,

I have that same grill and love it.  I assume it has the flip up grate.  That makes things way easier for adding charcoal and chips.  Get yourself a small aluminum disposable mini loaf pan and fill it with water, beer, whatever and place it over the coals when doing indirect cooking.  It will make a nice moist environment.


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## jaguarjim (Apr 30, 2011)

Glad you love your Weber.  I really read up on them before purchasing it.  So many great reviews that I've already declared this to be my last grill as I will just replace the parts.  I still plan on a smoker though, maybe even try building a UDS but that is a little while away.  Got to get one technique down before moving on to another.  Thanks for the tip about the loaf pan.  I read some earlier posts about that very thing.  I have a simmering pan with some apple juice in there right now.  I also placed some hickory smoking chips in a foil pouch and placed them on top of the Kingsford hickory briquets and am hoping to get some great smokey flavoring into them ribs. It's smoking real good right now, something that was lacking when I last tried spare ribs on my Brinkman LPG grill.


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## smokeifyougotem (Apr 30, 2011)

Here are some ribs I did on my weber 22 kettle.  I did the loaf pan with apple juice over the side with the coals and just dropped wet applewood chips in about a handful every hour that kept a nice easy smoke going be sure to use a small amount of coals and keep adding you dont want to get over about 15 -20 in there at any one time or else it will be hard to control the temps.  I smoked them on there for three hours and then went to the (Texas Crutch Method) much like foiling only you use a big disposable aluminum pan like for a buffet fill it with 12-16 oz of your favorite liquid and you put all ribs in there on top of a rack to keep above liquid, foil top throw on gas grill at about 325 for 1 hour and it will steam ribs so the fall off the bone makes them so juicy and tender, then back on weber for finishing sauce. 

This will shrink them up like pic on right, pic on left is before (texas crutch)

Hope this helps.


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## jaguarjim (May 1, 2011)

Nicely done.  I appreciate the tips...I had never heard of the Texas Crutch Method before and will certainly give that a try.


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## SmokinAl (May 1, 2011)

Texas crutch! I like that idea.


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## jirodriguez (May 1, 2011)

Nothing like the holidays and some nice BBQ to brin a family together.... can't you just feel the love!


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## tyotrain (May 1, 2011)




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