OK, most of the USofA is gripped by freezing temps... Cheer up Bunky, the equinox is past and the days are getting longer and lighter. Even with Christmas on the horizon, it's important not to surrender to thoughts of gloom and doom as the economy contracts like an iron fist. Temps ~ 20 deg F, got the old Webber fired up with the rotisserie ring in place. On the grill are 20 lbs of dry rub pork ribs in a vertical rack , cooking oh-so-slowly over a charcoal fire at ~250 deg F. -- hard, but not impossible, to keep it so without a grill block. Long probe oven thermometer vice my ScanGauge. The smell drifting through the neighborhood is driving passers-by and down-wind dogs crazy... Let 'em howl! Who says BBQ is only for the summer? BBQ and Natty Boh; Ho Ho Ho, bring it on! Hon, the only possible improvement would be steamer crabs and Natty Boh... Happy Holidays from the Land of Pleasant Living.
You really need a photo to go along with your post. Preferably with the Weber smoking and snow in the background.
When I lived in Minnesota, we used our gas grill frequently during the winter. Even did the Holiday grilled turkey thing. That did not work out well. Naturally, I would roast veggies on it, now.
Last night, 7F actual, below zero wind chill. I cooked a nice little 2 rib Prime Rib Roast on my Big Green Egg. It had been rubbed with my own home made Mediterrainian Spice Rub and cooked to 125F center temp. Baked potatos cooked right along side it and were perfect! I had to mop juice off the counter twice after it ran off my cutting board! I'm a huge year-round barbequer...esp. with the big green egg it's easier than doing it in the oven and nothing tastes better. Christmas Eve I'm roasting 2 ducks for our dinner on the Egg...that'll be a first for me, but I have no doubts about the results!
But you live in the tropics Evan, wouldn't that green egg turn blue up here? -11F here last night Although I do use the gas grill most of the year.
Barbecue in winter is a real treat, though a few precautions are in order. If you're using a little portable camping barbecue, be sure to bring it in when it cools down, so the raccoons don't wake you up in the middle of the night, trying to get the lid off.
Yup, I fire up the grill on a regular basis. No turkey. Yes, veggies... though roasting fresh corn in the husk is a summer only thing. .
Yes I do it out of habit.But Im curious if the Egg's magic wouldnt make brining unnecessary. Im doing 2 turkeys this year so I think I may do a comparison experiment.
Try this for an alternative cure. This is a photo I just took from my deck a few minutes ago. The pool is in the bottom right just out of shot, and if you look closely you can see the roof of the winery in the vines and trees over to the left up over the valley. By patsparks, shot with FE270,X815,C510 at 2008-12-22 Check the colour of the sky!! This is a sunset from a few days back(little grainy) By patsparks, shot with FE270,X815,C510 at 2008-12-22 If that don't fix winter depression I don't know what will. Oh and in winter it looks almost the same, no snow. About a quarter of the trees drop their leaves.
I've done it both ways and prefer the brine...but in a pinch you'll still get fantastic results...esp. if you're truely smoking (as in a very long low slow smoke) and not just cooking and smoking a bit.
Thanks, Pat. You have a pool? and it's summer there... Well, gee, I have a passport, maybe I'll just pop on over and visit! Wait, you don't have those icky toads or humongous spiders, do you? there's always something...
