2012 BBQ, Grilling, and Smoking Thread

A few years ago we decided to take a break from Thanksgiving turkey. Since then, we've had prime rib, cornish hens, and lamb. Next year I may do lobster and shrimp.

I've toyed with frying a turkey, but since I don't yet own the proper implements for cooking one, it's not a priority.

Coming along.

My wife didn't tell me she wanted roasted sweet potatoes until late in the lamb cooking process.

Into the fire they go.

Looks delicious!

Although I've never had lamb.

I decided to give the propane monster a break. Cooking live with...yep, you guessed it....bourbon.

I fried my first bird this year. It was quite tasty, and very quick, but I can't say it was better than oven roasted.

I've heard the opposite, that it's far better and more flavorful.

If I never eat another oven roasted turkey, that's okay by me. Even the better-prepared ones just seem...bland...to me.

WTF???

It's all about the gravy and the stuffing IMO.

When I do a Turkey, which admittedly is only at Christmas, I always stuff the flesh with garlic, rosemary and bacon and shove a pricked orange uo the turkey's arse. When I roast it I make a full vegetable trivet (a layer of veg and fresh herbs between the Turkey and bottom of the pan), which I take out towards the end, push through a sieve, mix with fresh stock, wine and the turkey juices and once all that's done I have a really flavoursome gravy.

In addition I always so something other than a traditional stuffing. I still use pork, bur vary ingredients. Last year it was a stuffing made with juniper berries and gin, in previous years it's been ones made from walnuts, apricots, chestnuts and so on.

So really, Turkey is a bit like a blank canvass. It's all about when you do with it to tart it up. It's also why I don't like the idea of a fried turkey, because it's basically just the turkey on it's own (and tasting full of oil).

You haven't tasted my wife's turkey in that case. Don't get me wrong, the fried bird was very good, and quite easy to prepare. It's probably a good choice for many lesser cooks. Have you ever barbecued a turkey? I've done that a few times with quite enjoyable results.

Lamb is not popular over here, don't hold it against her. It has a bad reputation for off flavors. The problem for most American pallets is that it has some flavor, and thus something must be wrong with it.

It's actually pretty popular in New England, though. I'm not level surprised, but I am somewhat surprised. Shepherd's pie and lamb stew are both common menu items at comfort food type restaurants in Maine. At any rate, I love lamb, but as a holiday meal, we reserve it for Easter.

Yes, I've barbecued them a few times and, most years, we bought our Thanksgiving turkey from a local barbecue place. Since I was almost always working on Thanksgiving, it was more convenient to buy one.

Barbecued/smoked is the way to go AFAIC, though I'm told that a cajun frired turkey is pretty darn good.

Well, it's nothing to do with the meat, per se, since I've never eaten it. But when I was little there was a sheep farm next to my elementary school and the sheep would sometimes come up to the fence and let us kids pet them.

I guess I never could bring myself to eat one because of it.

Where do you get wood chunks?

Here, they're sold at barbecue supply stores and in the barbecue supply sections of both the local grocery chain and Academy Sports and Outdoors.

During winter time, do you chaps ever home smoke in an oven? I have a smoker that was bought for me years ago, but have never used it (much like my very expensive but never used fish kettle!).

If so, what chips would you use?

That sounds dangerous.

Huh. I've never noticed. I guess it's because I've never looked.

I imagine doing it that way makes brining the meat (or using some other preservation method) essential to prevent spoilage.

Lamb is one of my favorite 'meats.' If it is made properly, I'll take it over anything else.

God, I've missed lamb. The commissary here on my base used to have lamb chops here, but I haven't seen any in over a year. All they have are 5 pound legs of lamb, which is more than I could feasibly eat on my own.