Weber Kettle Club Forums
Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: Travis on October 03, 2016, 11:23:15 AM
-
My family just got back from camping up at the state park. Beautiful weather, picking apples at the local orchard, bonfires and cook outs. The campground was full for the weekend and I had packed up our 77 faded black for the trip.
One couple behind us pulls in and we introduce ourselves. I noticed he has a Wally World smokey joe size no name. Whatever. I don't hate, but then I see the infamous match light charcoal...
I watch this man (from the safety off my camper) dump half a bag in this little thing, spray it down even more with lighter fluid and before the coals are even start to ash over, throw on them pork steaks and brats. Not an inch of room left on the grate surface and as the grate went on so did the lid. I just cringed.
A little while later I notice the lid and grate with the food still on it sitting on the picnic table and the rest of the bag, including the bag, thrown on the grill. Again, once flames were shooting out the top, food on and lid on.
I thought about saying something but decided not to. I told my wife I now know the reason some people say, "I just don't really care for bbq."
Everyone should learn how to cook. Especially men and especially fathers. I felt bad for this dude, but I sure wasn't going to possibly offend this man infront of his wife while they were trying to enjoy their weekend so I let it be. It made me appreciate this site, all us grillfella's, and our good sense of what to cook on even better.
Take care boys!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Hahahhahahahahha
Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk
-
Maybe he likes it that way. Bless his heart.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)
-
How do you not get sick from that? I could not imagine that! I'm sick just reading about it.
-
I have to admit, I was doing that type of cooking about 4-5 years ago. Chicken always came out undercooked and anything beef or pork related would be waaaay dried out.
-
The poor fella gotta start somewhere. In about 10 years he could be a nationally known pitmaster!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
The poor fella gotta start somewhere. In about 10 years he could be a nationally known pitmaster!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's right, BB! I told my wife that he should join a bbq forum and that would benefit him greatly. I know it has for me!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
It's really the stereotype of charcoal grilling. I didn't know any better years ago. That grill I'm trying to trade from the inlaws? I told the wife 8 years ago that charcoal sucks. It's messy, hard to light and control temp and gets ash all over your food. I didn't know any better and I bet if I started using it I would have been soaking match light coals with lighter fluid also. I'm glad time passed, I did some homework, landed here and started learning to TRULY grill and BBQ with a Weber performer. I am grateful for this club, the fine members we have, and the knowledge we freely share with each other. Had it been me I would have probably mentioned the WKC and just said check it out for some great tips and tricks. Hoping the guy would learn to stop eating lighter fluid induced food.
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
-
Had it been me I would have probably mentioned the WKC and just said check it out for some great tips and tricks.
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
You're right! That would have been a good way to help. It was hard to stomach it. I will definitely keep that in mind next time.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
I don't bring any of my grills or charcoal along camping. I use an old tripod that I've had forever and cook over the open fire. I also use a coleman stove. I do this mainly to save room on the trip so I don't have to lug along a grill but I like to change it up when camping and utilize the fire as much as possible. Also use the pie irons and wienie forks.
-
Oh, and you did the right thing by not saying anything. After all, I know I've learned the most from my previous failings.
-
poor guy, even when I was a kid and my father used lighter fluid... at least he was smart enough to let it burn a long, long time before putting food on it.
I really wish they'd stop selling lighter fluid. a chimney is easier to use anyways.
-
MY girlfriend's grandparent's have a lake house and they obviously let anyone in the family use it. We got her grandpa a brand new weber for Christmas last year since his at the lake house was almost falling apart. We even regularly bring up bags of lump charcoal, a chimney starter, and lighter cubes for anyone to use. Last time we were up there I went to go cook on it and as soon as I took the lid off I was like WTF is that smell. There was still a bunch of unburnt/lit briquettes in there. Turns out one of her aunt's family is the exact same way. They brought bags of the match light stuff and just dosed it all in gallons of lighter fluid. You would think people would notice their food had weird taste/smell to it.
-
MY girlfriend's grandparent's have a lake house and they obviously let anyone in the family use it. We got her grandpa a brand new weber for Christmas last year since his at the lake house was almost falling apart. We even regularly bring up bags of lump charcoal, a chimney starter, and lighter cubes for anyone to use. Last time we were up there I went to go cook on it and as soon as I took the lid off I was like WTF is that smell. There was still a bunch of unburnt/lit briquettes in there. Turns out one of her aunt's family is the exact same way. They brought bags of the match light stuff and just dosed it all in gallons of lighter fluid. You would think people would notice their food had weird taste/smell to it.
That's nice of you. Leave friendly instructions on how to properly light and maintain charcoal. I'm sure future users would appreciate it.
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
-
Awesome story!
I watched a guy using one of those braziers they mount on permanent poles in public parks douse the coals with fluid, light it, douse it again, light it, douse it again, etc. and then finally yell at his wife "Hurry up with the burgers - the flame keeps going out!!"
-
Awesome story!
I watched a guy using one of those braziers they mount on permanent poles in public parks douse the coals with fluid, light it, douse it again, light it, douse it again, etc. and then finally yell at his wife "Hurry up with the burgers - the flame keeps going out!!"
That made me laugh out loud! Very funny.
Whenever my parents' backyard neighbor would light his grill it would be a must see event for the entire family. He would use the old metal cans and dump half of it on the charcoal. The flames would be three feet high or more. Surprised his house never started on fire.
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
-
I bought a 26' to leave at parent's house last year for larger cooks when everybody is there on the weekends. Up until recently, my Dad would buy the "burn in bag" charcoal in just the light the whole thing when my brothers or I weren't there.
-
This thread reminds me of the old Eddie Murphy bit - "Now THAT'S a fire!!!!!"
-
This guy was next to us at the last Good Guys show. Made for a great photo but I bet the food had to be tainted with a slight lighter fluid smell and taste.
(http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/08/26/DSC01953.md.jpg)
(http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/08/26/DSC01958.md.jpg)
-
I remember that pick @Cellar2ful. That's almost exactly what is was. Scary!!
-
Just start taking shots of the lighter fluid till you pass out.
Crimson Performer Platinum "AH", Red MT "P", Red Mist SSP "EZ", Faded Black "A", Black OTG "DE".
-
Good grief. I can fully understand people getting put off barbecue, or charcoal barbecue specifically, when things like this happen. All it can take is one or two really bad experiences with something to sour someone for good on it. I'm thinking of that Pentax K1000 camera with the broken light meter in high school that screwed me on the photography segment of this communications technology class I was taking. At the time, I didn't have the experience to shoot film under varying lighting conditions without a meter and I was also not familiar with Tri X either so I was depending on that meter. I ended up with really horrible thin negatives that were about as thin as the grade I got on that assignment. I've never touched a Pentax since and been quite happy with my Canon and Bronica gear, even though now I understand it wasn't the fault of the camera per-se but a bad situation created by unmaintained junk Toronto Board of Education equipment. I'm sure there are people out there who've had a similarly spectacularly bad meal or two cooked over lighter fluid that won't ever consider eating food from a charcoal barbecue or cooking on one. That's unfortunate.
Come to think of it, one of my first experiences with a charcoal barbecue was at summer camp when I was a little kid. They made a huge pot of baked beans for lunch for everybody and cooked it on a charcoal hibachi. It took forever to get the coals going and took forever to heat up this massive pot of beans and everyone was starving by the time it was ready. Talk about the wrong took for the wrong job...
-
OMG... My Dad. He could not live without lighter fluid. He had me doing the same damn thing, until one day I realized there's a better way! I tried to show him, butt he went to his grave with lighter fluid...
-
I was able to convert my dad and brothers to a charcoal chimney. That's all they use now.
How about you guys with the performers? Do you use the gas feature or do you start with a chimney?
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
-
Both. Load the chimney, set it over the burner in the performer and FLAME ON.
Only times are I don't use a chimney with the performer are if I am using the vortex or the charcoal bins.
-
Chimney over the burner. Sometimes I just use a Weber fire starter cube.
Crimson Performer Platinum "AH", Red MT "P", Red Mist SSP "EZ", Faded Black "A", Black OTG "DE".
-
@Travis should have had them over for dinner the next night.
-
Some kinds of stupid not only cannot but will not be fixed. Trying to fix it is futile.
-
When I was a kid, we'd go upstate NY to an undeveloped plot of land my grandparents owned for a "picnic day". I'd watch my dad and uncle alternate between downing bourbon and squirting lighter fluid onto an already raging inferno, tossing burgers and hot dogs onto the grill and charring the shit out of dinner for all!
Ya' know what,,,, it was always one of the best dinners we had!!!! My DAD and his brother made it!!!! We didn't know anything else! But, we knew the whole family was together, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (living and past) we would laugh, run around, take target practice with a .22 rifle, toss a football and listen to stories we've heard 100 times before around a campfire before a long drive home.
And I'll bet that the family of your campmate feel the same way about their meals last week because dad made it.
Just sayin'.
-
When I was a kid, we'd go upstate NY to an undeveloped plot of land my grandparents owned for a "picnic day". I'd watch my dad and uncle alternate between downing bourbon and squirting lighter fluid onto an already raging inferno, tossing burgers and hot dogs onto the grill and charring the shit out of dinner for all!
Ya' know what,,,, it was always one of the best dinners we had!!!! My DAD and his brother made it!!!! We didn't know anything else! But, we knew the whole family was together, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (living and past) we would laugh, run around, take target practice with a .22 rifle, toss a football and listen to stories we've heard 100 times before around a campfire before a long drive home.
And I'll bet that the family of your campmate feel the same way about their meals last week because dad made it.
Just sayin'.
Can't argue with that, for damn sure! Good point!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
OK, I remember as a kid my dad used GASOLINE. Crazy bastard! He would pile the Kingsford, the reason I use it to this day, and he had this little squeeze bottle that he would keep a little gas in. He would squirt some on the pile and I was the one who, when I was older, got to light it! I would stand about 2 feet back and flick the match into the grill. WHOOOSH, that sombitch was LIT and HOT! Probably wasnt good for us but like I just read, IT WAS MADE BY DAD and thats how he done it!! Thankfully the gasoline thing didn't stay with me as a practice...good times though!
-
Kind of why I buy and drive Chevy's. dad did when he was with us so I do now. I get it.
Crimson Performer Platinum "AH", Red MT "P", Red Mist SSP "EZ", Faded Black "A", Black OTG "DE".
-
There are times I like using lighter fluid. It still smells like BBQ. You know, 3 briquettes piled up with a squirt of fluid then a chimney on top still smells friggin great.
-
To squirt, or not to squirt. That is the question.
-
My Dad made his own chimney starter, with a Folgers can and a wire weave to prop up the coals a few inches off the bottom. Holes for ventilation in the Folger's can made with a church key. He lit 'em with newspaper balled up in the bottom. In the '60s. The late '60s, I'm not that old.
He was pretty proud of it, apparently it wasn't the norm. He did it because lighter fluid tastes like shit.
I have followed this course.
Now, who knows church key? And who cooks with a Folger's can worth of charcoal?
-
I have two church keys-use them to punch extra holes on can tops for beer can chicken.
-
My Dad made his own chimney starter, with a Folgers can and a wire weave to prop up the coals a few inches off the bottom. Holes for ventilation in the Folger's can made with a church key. He lit 'em with newspaper balled up in the bottom. In the '60s. The late '60s, I'm not that old.
He was pretty proud of it, apparently it wasn't the norm. He did it because lighter fluid tastes like shit.
I have followed this course.
Now, who knows church key? And who cooks with a Folger's can worth of charcoal?
I have a church key to this day!!! I use a 1 pound Folgers can to space my Minion in the WSM. I put the can upside down in the middle, pour in the stubbs. Then I fill the Can with unlit, pour that in the chimney and start it up on the SSP.
So... I do know what a church key is and I have done the Folgers can chimney. Does that count? 8)
J
-
I was able to convert my dad and brothers to a charcoal chimney. That's all they use now.
How about you guys with the performers? Do you use the gas feature or do you start with a chimney?
Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (https://siteowners.tapatalk.com/byo/displayAndDownloadByoApp?rid=91018)
After a while of kettle collecting you'll end up with several chimneys. I modded this one for my performer by cutting the bottom section off with some tin snips. Brings the coal closer to the fire.. seems to work a little faster.
(http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag159/Elastokinematic/Mobile%20Uploads/20161015_185442_zpsjjz7z1do.jpg)
-
My Dad made his own chimney starter, with a Folgers can and a wire weave to prop up the coals a few inches off the bottom. Holes for ventilation in the Folger's can made with a church key. He lit 'em with newspaper balled up in the bottom. In the '60s. The late '60s, I'm not that old.
He was pretty proud of it, apparently it wasn't the norm. He did it because lighter fluid tastes like shit.
I have followed this course.
Now, who knows church key? And who cooks with a Folger's can worth of charcoal?
My Dad did this same thing back in the sixtys. He was ahead of his time he also rescued old webers from the trash trucks.
Always taking different ways home to see what he could find.
Always had several in the back tard and he was eager to share them with who ever needed one. Got us all started out right.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)
-
all this chimney and lighter fluid talk reminds me of a camping story from years ago. I was trying to fire up the smokey joe and forgot the chimney and had no lighter fluid. I ended up soaking a paper towel in cooking oil and put it and a dry paper towel at the bottom of a small pile of coals and drizzled a little more cooking oil on the coal. Worked really well in a pinch. Since then, I've always used cooking oil or left over bacon grease to aid in starting the camp fire as well.
-
all this chimney and lighter fluid talk reminds me of a camping story from years ago. I was trying to fire up the smokey joe and forgot the chimney and had no lighter fluid. I ended up soaking a paper towel in cooking oil and put it and a dry paper towel at the bottom of a small pile of coals and drizzled a little more cooking oil on the coal. Worked really well in a pinch. Since then, I've always used cooking oil or left over bacon grease to aid in starting the camp fire as well.
Absolutely! When my family goes camping, that's what I use for starting coals. Paper towel with a little veggie oil on it. Works beautifully!
Anyone ever use Frito's? The corn chips. Pile some up with kindling around and you got a campfire going! The oil in the chips work wonders for ignition.
Dude, so glad you brought that up! Awesome!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
That's so sad. People like that are missing so much. I feel bad for them. Weber's come with pretty decent instructions but not all bother to read. And they're so easy to use correctly!
I put something together to help with something like that. A friend said he could never make ribs like mine. I disagreed and put together some instructions on how to do this. http://smpoke-on.blogspot.com/2016/10/ribs-on-kettle.html
Feel free to review and criticize. Just remember:
- This is not aimed at you.
- I don't claim that this is the only way to make ribs. It is the way I (mostly) smoke mine.
- I don't claim to be the best at smoking ribs. I'm sure there are better.
If you think there are ways to tweak these instructions to make someone more likely to succeed, speak up! (Yes, I know it could use pictures. ;) )