A Cajun who has everything but dumbfounded on bbq

[CajunEggin]

Welcome to the Pitt! All that cooking you do is going to transfer right over into BBQ, and you've got one of the best cookers out there in the BGE, and the recipes, videos, and discussions on this site are incredibly helpful! You'll also find that this is a positive place where people encourage one another even when one makes mistakes, not to mention that the people here are about the nicest people one could hope to meet. Fire up that BGE and show us some pics of what you cook!

Thank you! I will do that, experiment and take pics. Not sure how to do that (mods)
I feel at home here.
Here is my thinking. Everyone around the country has their own take own the best, and we can all learn from each other, I am so very thankful to all of you for the welcomes, thank you!!!!

[CajunEggin]

Welcome, your cooking skills sound like you really enjoy great food. BBQing is a more of a laid back venture. You'll love it.

I worked in a high end restaurant in my younger days so know the basics, it is just the science of what temp, how long for different cuts of beef and pork to some extent that have me baffled, I will surely ask questions, thank you to all of you!!!!

[CajunEggin]

Welcome to the Pit! I grew up in New Orleans and cook on a large Big Green Egg. What do you want to cook? My suggestion is begin with a Boston Butt. If to you have a recipe you can make Tasso on the egg.

Wow, hi from NOLA, Geaux Saints Who Dat, And oh oh Geaux Pelicans. I want to master the brisket like an uncle of mine did in the 70's, pure heaven, but done so simple....sometimes I guess we over think this. Ha.

[Mosca]

Here are some really basic BGE tips.

#1, and I can’t stress enough: don’t fret about what charcoal you use. It all works. I’m not saying there aren’t differences: there are. Find one that you like and that you can get at 3pm on Sunday afternoon if you have to. Get used to how it works. Then use it often.

#2, it isn’t that hard to figure out how to hold a low temperature (in the 200s) with the vent settings. What’s tricky is how to do it without overshooting, then undershooting, and bouncing around until the BGE finally settles. Every BGE is a little different, but... patience is your friend. The most effective way is to start an hour earlier than you think you should have, with about 10% more fuel than you think you should use. Get the fire going with the bottom vent open and the lid open. Then shut the lid and set your dampers to your normal settings for when the temperature is where you want it (on my BGE 225 is the tiniest crack top and bottom). Then wait... until both the temperature settles and the smoke is blue. This is what that extra hour is for. That wait for the gray and white smoke to clear.

Example photo:



#3, see all that electronic stuff? You don’t need any of it. I got it because I like gadgets. It’s fun. But once you get the temperature set, your BGE will hold that temperature until it runs out of fuel. In the words of Jesse Pinkman, “Science, b*tch!”

#4, the thermometer on the BGE is actually pretty accurate, and if yours isn’t you can adjust it with the little nut on the back. But it is important to know the temp at the cooking level, because that is where the food is and that’s what recipes are based on. Get a digital thermo with probes for the meat and the pit. And anyhow, once you know the difference between pit temp and dome temp, you can use the dome thermo if you have to. After about 3 hours they will be close to the same, as heat soak evens out the chamber.

#5, don’t obsess over minor differences in temperature! Most (every?) cook will work at a wide range of temperatures. Ribs are great at 225, 250, 275, and everywhere in between. Same with brisket and pork shoulders. Those are the Big 3. Once you are used to how each cook goes in your BGE, you can use this information to time the end of the cook: “I need to have this pulled pork done by 4PM, so I’ll do it at 275 instead of 225. That way I don’t have to get up at 3AM.”

#6, register your BGE so that if you ever have a warranty claim it will be honored. I bought my BGE in 2011, and just this year had a problem with the dome. One phone call, and a text with pictures, and a week later I have a new dome.


Eat well!

[Smoking77]

Welcome from Los Angeles!

[treesmacker]

Welcome from Southern Oregon. I'm still learning, from the great pit masters here, even after a year as pit member, so can't help you too much with BBQ, but I would say Meathead's book is a good read to start.
You mentioned gumbo, and peaked my interest. Maybe you could help with some advice on that. I just looked it up and found the recipe and video below; I watched the video, and it looks sooo... delicious. What do you think of this recipe? Anything you would do different? Any shortcuts or tips? It certainly has some good online ratings.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21...-creole-gumbo/

[FireMan]

I was wonderin how I missed this thread, then looked at the date you joined. I was a bit incognito over that weekend. You have really brought some energy in, gumbo, jumbalaya, etc. Welcome aboard, eat good and have fun!

[OmegaDog12]

Welcome to The Pit from the Midlands of South Carolina. I'll trade you a recipe for mustard-based BBQ sauce for a Etouffee recipe
The OmegaDog

[Craigar]

Wow, I am blown away with your responses. Oh I have many recipes. I have sense you all have been so nice, a recipe from an old butcher that lived next door. And my modification, due to salt concerns. First time in 40 years this has gone public. Just try it and let me know, or ask me anything



Dugas Seasoning


6 parts Paprika - Reg Sweet Hot 2 each or just straight paprika as we did all these years

4 parts Salt

2 parts Black Pepper

1- 2 parts Cayenne

1 part MSG (can subsitute more paprika or some other spice you like, you have to keep the ratio)

1 part Sugar

1 part Garlic power

½ part onion powder

½ part chili powder

¼ part White pepper


Version 2

6 parts Paprika

4 parts Salt

2 parts Black Pepper

1 parts Cayenne

1 part MSG

1 part Sugar

1 part Garlic power

½ part onion powder

½ part chili powder

¼ part White pepper


Version 3 BBQ rub

4 parts Paprika

2 parts Hot Paprika

2 parts Sweet Paprika

2 or 4 parts Salt ...experiment

2 parts Black Pepper

2 parts Turbino Sugar

1 part Cayenne

1 part mild Chili

1 part other Chili

1 part chili powder

1 part MSG

1 part Garlic power

1 part onion powder

½ part White pepper






Dugas Blacking Sasoning Great on fish on the grill

3 tbsp Paprika

2 tsp Oregeno

2 tsp Thyme

2 tsp Sugar

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cayenne

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic


Dugas Blacking Sasoning x3


¾ cup tbsp Paprika ¼ cup Reg Sweet Hot

½ cup Oregeno

½ cup Thyme

2 ¾ tbsp Sugar

2 ¾ tbsp Salt

1 ⅓ tbsp Cayenne

1 ⅓ tbsp Black Pepper

1 ⅓ tbsp Garlic

Thank you for sharing and welcome to the Pit!

[Willard]

Lance, welcome from Central Florida. My wife lived in Baton Rouge and Chalmette for about 20 years. My stepdaughter is a native of Chalmette and now she and her husband live in Lafayette. He has an egg. Anyway, nuff about me. Have fun. Show us that Cajun food.