A loud "Ciao" from the old world

[Ales]

Hi everyone!

I have been lurking in your website for a couple of months now and thought: "What the hell, they did/are doing such a great job with that website and helped me so much, I have to chip in!". And... here I am!

I consider myself a rather noobish griller (I started about 4-5 months ago and did not have many chances to cook) and I am still struggling with maintining a stable temperature over low and slow sessions (briquets and minions/snake method). I really need to get down to work and start dry calibrating.

So far I (un)succesfully cooked Pork (turned out to be quite good) and Beef (maybe should've picked a leaner cut... they were OK but way too fatty) ribs, beer-can Chicken (I should really buy an injector) and a quick Baltimore Pit Beef. I am ravenously reading all your recipes (and your comments here too now) and I will surely try something new in the next weeks.

Well, I think I bored you enough and I will part with the picture of my beloved BBQ the day it was born (read as: arrived at home) and promptly started walking!




I am thinking about buying a Smokenator (if only I could find a place that sells here in Italy - the closest one I found is in the UK).

Thank you again for everything and see you around!

[David Parrish]

Welcome Ales! We're glad you're here. I'll look into shipping the SNS to Italy shipping for you

We vacationed in Rome and Florence last year. I had a really nice Florentine steak.

[smarkley]

Welcome Aboard Ales

[Ales]

Welcome Ales! We're glad you're here. I'll look into shipping the SNS to Italy shipping for you

We vacationed in Rome and Florence last year. I had a really nice Florentine steak.

​Thank you very much!

I've read all about that fiorentino restaurant while browsing the Pit hoping to find reviews of suggested Italian restaurants next to the place I live (not so far from Milan at the moment), and have seen that amazing Fiorentina *saliva starts to dribble*.

Sadly over here grilling is not as common as in the USA and finding material is, if not hard, quite expensive (wood chunks cost three times more ), but I'm doing my best to emulate you at the best of my ability reading as much as I possibly can !

[Jon Solberg]

Great to have you here! Welcome!

[Danjohnston949]

Ales, Howdy, From Fargo ND, Wecome to the Pit! Dan

[jmott7]

Benvenuto, Ales!

My wife is from Milan. Lucky for me, she moved to Los Angeles and has developed a taste for barbecue.

My in-laws have a place in the hills above Lago Maggiore. It's beautiful, but I feel your pain on trying to be a grill/pit master there. I once spent an aggravating Sunday afternoon trying to grill steaks at their place. Just getting steaks cut how I wanted them was difficult. Still, it's an awfully nice place to eat bad steaks. So a lot can be forgiven.
But, seriously, talk to the Pit Boss about the SnS. You'll get longer cook times than you will with the Smokenator. With that and the kettle in your pictures, you should be in good shape.
Enjoy!

[Breadhead]

Welcome to the Pit Ales ...

SnS vs the Smokenator... No Contest! Read the comment section on Amazon about the SnS.

Beer can chicken? Read Meathead's comments on that topic. Then check out spatchcock chicken as a nice option.

Enjoy you time in the Pit and send pictures.👍

[David Parrish]

​Thank you very much!

I've read all about that fiorentino restaurant while browsing the Pit hoping to find reviews of suggested Italian restaurants next to the place I live (not so far from Milan at the moment), and have seen that amazing Fiorentina *saliva starts to dribble*.

Sadly over here grilling is not as common as in the USA and finding material is, if not hard, quite expensive (wood chunks cost three times more ), but I'm doing my best to emulate you at the best of my ability reading as much as I possibly can !

That steak was indeed quite memorable, and if you get a chance you should check out the wine bar too! That was my favorite part of the whole trip!

As far as the Slow 'N Sear, it now shows up as an option in our shopping cart, so you can order when you're ready.

[Spinaker]

Welcome to the Pit

[Ales]

Benvenuto, Ales!

My wife is from Milan. Lucky for me, she moved to Los Angeles and has developed a taste for barbecue.

My in-laws have a place in the hills above Lago Maggiore. It's beautiful, but I feel your pain on trying to be a grill/pit master there. I once spent an aggravating Sunday afternoon trying to grill steaks at their place. Just getting steaks cut how I wanted them was difficult. Still, it's an awfully nice place to eat bad steaks. So a lot can be forgiven.
But, seriously, talk to the Pit Boss about the SnS. You'll get longer cook times than you will with the Smokenator. With that and the kettle in your pictures, you should be in good shape.
Enjoy!

Well I'm actually an islander (good old Sardinia) but moved for work next to the Lago di Como. Where I come from there's quite an extensive culture about meat but it tends to focus on suckling piglets, lambs, baby goats, goats and sheep spitroasted over the fire (well adult sheep and goat are generally cooked in a different manner since they tend to be quite chewy). This is somehow the most common dish, suckling piglet served on a bed of myrtle:



Italy probably isn't the best place for beef (unless you are talking about Tuscany where you can find some incredible breeds such as the Chianina, and maybe Piemonte too), but we make up for that with other stunning courses!

Welcome to the Pit Ales ...

SnS vs the Smokenator... No Contest! Read the comment section on Amazon about the SnS.

Beer can chicken? Read Meathead's comments on that topic. Then check out spatchcock chicken as a nice option.

Enjoy you time in the Pit and send pictures.👍

Did it, both!
Actually I had already made my mind a couple of hours after I posted this threat reading Meathead review
About the beer can chicken, I know. But it was the first thing I cooked and I only did it once. You must admit that it is rather fascinating the way it present itself! I'll gladly try the spatchcock chicken as you suggested.

That steak was indeed quite memorable, and if you get a chance you should check out the wine bar too! That was my favorite part of the whole trip!

As far as the Slow 'N Sear, it now shows up as an option in our shopping cart, so you can order when you're ready.

Well, thank you very much! I will probably wait some weeks (shipping plus the exchange rate make it a bit expensive) but that is something I must have!

Thank you again for the help and kind welcome!
Have a great uhm, night (is it?)!

[Livermoron]

Welcome Ales, from California!

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit Ales! That white Weber is beautiful! I wish they were available in the US in that color. If they are I am completely ignorant. Hope you can get a SnS for it soon!

Since this is your first post, please check out our homework assignment post for new members, it contains a few how-tos and please-dos.

Also, it's very important that you add the domain AmazingRibs.com to your email safe list in case you are ever drawn as our monthly Gold Medal Giveaway winner!

Hope to hear & see more from you!