*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****

SPG

SPG

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I did a roast chicken in the kettle yesterday, and while it was moist and tasy the skin wasn't crispy. I used 2 charcoal baskets on either side and put a foil tray on the charcoal grate inbetween them with carrots & potatoes in - the potatoes had a strange texture, they were slightly chewy.

Any tips for crispy skin and non-chewy spuds?

Forgot about oiling the chicken, Simply brine it overnight in a salt/sugar water, mix pat it dry and crack on.
 

taB

taB

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CountryWoodSmoke - UK BBQ - CWS -- is very good too

Enjoying him ripping into that prat Greg Wallace on Twitter at the moment.

Added the onlyfire Rotisserie for my Weber Mastertouch last week. A couple of hours' after arrival I had a smoky, incredibly juicy and crispy whole chicken ready to devour. I can improve on it but for a trial run I was super happy. Used a £3.50 chicken from the supermarket too as I didn't want to mess up a nice one from the butchers.

Also getting the hang of using my MEATER which is a brilliant tool. Allowed me to nail the above, I would likely have overcooked it otherwise as it was a faster cook than I expected.

Will get the pizza parts some time soon...

Keep the good advice coming all!
 
Soldato
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Cognac, France
Enjoying him ripping into that prat Greg Wallace on Twitter at the moment.

Added the onlyfire Rotisserie for my Weber Mastertouch last week. A couple of hours' after arrival I had a smoky, incredibly juicy and crispy whole chicken ready to devour. I can improve on it but for a trial run I was super happy. Used a £3.50 chicken from the supermarket too as I didn't want to mess up a nice one from the butchers.

Also getting the hang of using my MEATER which is a brilliant tool. Allowed me to nail the above, I would likely have overcooked it otherwise as it was a faster cook than I expected.

Will get the pizza parts some time soon...

Keep the good advice coming all!

How long did it take roughly?
 
Last edited:
Soldato
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8 Jan 2007
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Cognac, France
About 90 minutes + resting I think. I took the lid off too often to check it was still going round...

I really need to stop lifting the lid to check things (mainly charcoal)!

I only have a pen thermometer and a wired 2 probe inkbird thermometer so I can't permanently keep a probe in the rotisserie chicken.

Ordered a full new setup yesterday, hopefully it will be here today or tomorrow for a long weekend :). I already have a chimney and stuff. Thanks for the advice here, went with:
  • Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5750 - Black
  • Weber 57cm Premium Cover
  • Weber Universal Smoker Box
  • Weber Kettle BBQ Rotisserie
Also ordered a couple of accessories:
  • Weber Apple Wood Chips, (0.76kg)
  • Weber Lumpwood Charcoal, 5kg Bag
  • Weber 3pc Tool Set - Still laughing that this is referred to as a tool set :D
All I need now is a Weber apron and I'll the definition of all the gear no idea! :p

Thinking about it, you should get yourself a thermometer too!
 
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I just ordered a Inkbird IBT 4XS from amazon. I did a compare with the Meater and weighed up the pro's & con's. For the types of cook's I'll be doing (individual steaks & chicken) the Inkbird seemed to tick all the boxes. I'd definatly get a Meater when I start to do bigger cuts of meat once I fully get to grips with proper BBQ cooking.
 

taB

taB

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I just ordered a Inkbird IBT 4XS from amazon. I did a compare with the Meater and weighed up the pro's & con's. For the types of cook's I'll be doing (individual steaks & chicken) the Inkbird seemed to tick all the boxes. I'd definatly get a Meater when I start to do bigger cuts of meat once I fully get to grips with proper BBQ cooking.

Looks decent for what you want. I tend to just check temperature when cooking bigger things and was pleased I had this wireless one now I've got a Rotisserie!
 
Soldato
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Gloucestershire
Managed to pick up a Weber Touch Master Premium yesterday. Also bought the briquettes (and hickory wood, but probably won't use those just yet until I know what I'm doing!)


I've watched a few videos on the TM, and most people seem to put the fuel on one side, and start cooking the meat like an oven (with lid down), then move the meat over the fuel at the end to give that BBQ char at the end.

Is this the 'main' way of doing things? I've never had a BBQ with a lid before, so cooking things not over the fuel is a bit new to me. Of course I see the sense in it as you don't burn the outside, whilst having the inside undercooked (eg classic sausages mistake)

I didn't bother with the chimney starter thing, but I was surprised the BBQ came with those two 'holders' for the coal. Best to use those at one side of the BBQ?

And probably the main thing I'm really not sure about yet, are the two dampers. Again for basic BBQing, what's the best practice? What sort of temps are you looking for inside? How 'quick' does the BBQ react to opening/closing?

Sorry for all the questions! Possibly hoping to fire it up on Sunday if the weather is promising! :)
 

taB

taB

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@Shadowness yes never cook direct with the lid on. The fat drips and just creates black acrid smoke rather than catching fire. Webbers are great for indirect cooking. Food to one side

This isn't right for everything. I've just cooked lamb neck fillets to medium (for the kids, would be pinker otherwise) with fajita rub over direct heat with the lid on.
 
Soldato
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17 Jan 2005
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Location
Liverpool
I didn't bother with the chimney starter thing, but I was surprised the BBQ came with those two 'holders' for the coal. Best to use those at one side of the BBQ?

And probably the main thing I'm really not sure about yet, are the two dampers. Again for basic BBQing, what's the best practice? What sort of temps are you looking for inside? How 'quick' does the BBQ react to opening/closing?

Sorry for all the questions! Possibly hoping to fire it up on Sunday if the weather is promising! :)

I tend to cook with the top vent wide open and control the temperature with the bottom vent. Most of the time, I only need the bottom vent open a fraction to get it to a good temperature inside, unless I'm using the Vortex when I leave it wide open. I only ever close the top one to kill it off when I'm done cooking to save the charcoal. A proper probe is handy as well, as the lid thermometer isn't the most reliable! After a few uses, you'll have it nailed on anyway and learn how it reacts to opening the vents. I've never bothered using the charcoal baskets with mine, but a chimney starter is definitely a worthwhile investment.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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3,553
Location
Nottingham
Enjoying him ripping into that prat Greg Wallace on Twitter at the moment.

Added the onlyfire Rotisserie for my Weber Mastertouch last week. A couple of hours' after arrival I had a smoky, incredibly juicy and crispy whole chicken ready to devour. I can improve on it but for a trial run I was super happy. Used a £3.50 chicken from the supermarket too as I didn't want to mess up a nice one from the butchers.

Also getting the hang of using my MEATER which is a brilliant tool. Allowed me to nail the above, I would likely have overcooked it otherwise as it was a faster cook than I expected.

Will get the pizza parts some time soon...

Keep the good advice coming all!

I want a rotisserie now. How did you fuel the Weber for this?
 
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