Michael in Texas

[Michael_in_TX]

Hi all,

Greetings from about 30 miles southeast of Houston. I am just getting starting in grilling/BBQing. I’m trying to find a hobby away from the computers, start cooking more of my own food and not eating out all of the time.

My first few forays in grilling were not all that successful. I have since stumbled upon this site, bought Meathead’s book, "devoured it," and my results have improved markedly. In fact, I made some really awesome chicken thighs the other night! (Thankfully chicken thighs are a very forgiving meat.)

My initial grill is a forty-year-old cast aluminum grill that I inherited from my father. It looks very similar to the PK cast aluminum grills…the ones with the four vents – two on top and two on the bottom.

There is nothing wrong with the grill and I am certainly not going to get rid of it, but Sunday night I ordered a 22” Weber Kettle. Prior to reading Meathead’s book and this site, I really had no idea that one did not cook everything at full blast, so I was practicing temperature control…trying to get it around 225 and 235. With this particular cast aluminum grill, the vents are very loose and bumping the grill can easily change them. Also, trying to adjust the bottom vents is challenging as one can’t see what one is doing and I nearly banged my head on the silly (and rather hot) grill trying to do it.

So the getting the Weber kettle – which should arrive Saturday – is primarily for the "convenience" features, such as the easily accessible lever for the bottom vent and the hinged cooking grate. Plus, its ubiquitous. I learn best by watching and that grill is sure in a lot of videos online.

Looking forward to learning more and posting my experiences!

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit Michael. Congrats on the Weber - it can do almost anything you want to do. I highly suggest getting a Slow N Sear to go with it. That will greatly improve the odds of producing superior products on the kettle.

[Harpeth2018]

What he said! My skill with my Weber kettle immediately went up after putting a Slow N Sear in it. Nowhere near perfect but it is a great addition.

[klflowers]

What they said. A lot of times accessories are overrated, but not the SNS.

[klflowers]

And welcome to the pit from TN

[Mr. Bones]

Howdy, Michael, from Kansas Territiory! Welcome to Th Pit, an Merry Christmas to ya, amigo!

I'm glad yer here now, so's I can learn along with, an from ya!

Beautiful Kitty! I had one Rescue me, here bout a year an a half, back...Life-Changin Experience, every nanosecond, since!

He guards myself, an our Smokers.

NONE SHALL PASS!!!!! (Not Kiddin!)

[lonnie mac]

Welcome! I am 33.7 miles southeast of Houston!

[Henrik]

Welcome to the Pitmaster Club! Smart move to do dry runs on the kettle, it really helps. We’d love to see photos of your aluminum grill!

Since you’re new, and if you haven't already done so, please check out our homework assignment post for new members, it contains a few how-tos and please-dos. This will help you learn your way around so you can get the best experience from our forum.

Also, it's very important that you:

Give us an email address you actually use. You can check the email we have on file for you by clicking your name in the upper-right, then User Settings, then the Account tab. You currently cannot change your email on file with us since it’s tied to your Pitmaster Club account as well as our payment processor, Stripe. Don’t worry though, you can change it by simply visiting https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/pi...il-request.php

Add the domain AmazingRibs.com to your email safe list. We NEVER spam! This is important so you can receive special deals we occasionally work out for our members, receive notices about your account, such as if you’re up for renewal or are ever drawn as our monthly Gold Medal Giveaway winner, which is open to all paying USA members or those with a USA delivery address (we’d hate to have to pick another person because you don’t answer us)!

Thanks for joining!

[Donw]

Welcome from Maryland. Glad you are here.

[fuzzydaddy]

Welcome from Pensacola!

[LA Pork Butt]

Welcome to fun in the Pit!

[Keiferr]

Welcome from southeast Michigan!

[CaptainMike]

Howdy from a fellow Michael up here in The Great State of Jefferson!! Gotta like a fellow who's earned the trust of a cat.

[HawkerXP]

Welcome to the Pit!

Merry Christmas!

[Lock Stock and Barrel]

Michael, Welcome to The Pit from Victoria, Texas. Glad to see you upping your game with Meathead's book and a Weber... According to everyone that uses them a Slow N Sear is the main tool for this kettle as mentioned above.

I am attempting to do the same thing as you and stop "Computering" and start doing more outside cooking and chores.. My favorite thing to do outside of work is to build things so I built a six foot propane reverse flow smoker last summer and the rewards have been tremendous! Best food I have cooked with 50 years of BBQ'ing!

Hope you get as much out of this site as I have. Good Luck. Merry Christmas, and see you outside in the smoke!

[Oak Smoke]

Welcome from another Texan! You'll love the Weber.

[Oakgrovebacon]

Welcome to the pit from Southern Illinois

[Karon Adams]

You are more than welcome to join us! these days, cooking outdoors on grills and smokers can be as primitive or as technical as you wish to cook. I must say, I prefer to lean towards the less electronic style but that is just myself. your mileage may vary.

You have found THE best place to learn about the realities of this kind of cooking. In my experience, the various TV hosts and guests aren't telling you QUITE everything. in the old style of asking a chef for a recipe and he agrees but tells you "It will not be the same". often because he didn't give you the QUITE correct recipe but also because much of the recipe is experience and technique.

I would HIGHLY recommend you take those mistakes, eat them, take note of them and learn from them. because in the end, the more mistakes you make, the better your technique will become. to me, if you can turn out a good meal with a group of ingredients and a heat source, well, that is the very basics. all else is refinement. and we all find our refinement in our own ways. you only need to make it taste great for you and yours. don't let anyone tell you that there is only one way or even only one correct outcome. Make what you like and make it taste the way YOU want. anything else is interesting but irrelevant. so long as you and yours enjoy the meal, you have succeeded!

You'll find information here (Good and useful info, unlike the chefs holding back), you will find friends here, and most of all, you'll have a LOT of fun on this journey. Looking forward to seeing how you make those grills sing!!