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Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Baz
Growing in Experience

Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

I want to get into charcoal cooking. I've always cooked on a gas BBQ and won't be ditching my Beafeater anytime soon but I want to try charcoal for bigger pieces of meat when we host friends. Can anyone give some tips for a newcomer? I'm a little torn between getting an old-style kettle BBQ and something a little fancier like a Char-griller. Also, where is the best place to get fuel and how long does it tend to last?

 

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Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Cheers Jason, it's been a while since I've been in here! Great to see cooking with charcoal growing so rapidly, and more and more products popping up.

 

The competition circuit has come to a close for the year, pleased to say I was part of a winning team in the penultimate round!

Happiness is a full smoker - moonshinebbq.com.au
MartyH
Amassing an Audience

Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Not charcoal, but this could be a very easy way to get into smoking. It uses wood pallets and you just set the temp you want and away you go. Just hit stores apparently

 

https://www.bunnings.com.au/pit-boss-grill-and-smoker-bbq_p0037585 

MitchellM
Amassing an Audience

Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

@MartyH On a side-note all NSW, QLD, VIC Bunnings stores will be doing BBQ charcoal and gas demonstrations over the next two weekends for the footy finals. Might be worth giving your local store a call if your interested in getting into charcoal BBQ'ing and seeing if there is a demonstration going on. I know I'll be cooking up some BBQ smoked chicken wings at my store.

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Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

I just posted this in another discussion, but thought I'd add it here as well given the price tag of $219 makes it a reasonably affordable way to get into charcoal.

 

My birthday was just before Christmas, and a bunch of the extended family got together and gave me a Char-Griller Akorn Junior. I'm looking forward to throwing the first brisket in it - hopefully on the weekend! Seeing it's nice and small, I think it will be fun to do some experimentation. I might need some tips from @MoonshineBen on some smaller cuts of meat to play with. So far I'm thinking brisket, ribs, chicken wings and beef cheeks, but I'd welcome more suggestions. 

 

Jason

Char-Griller Akorn Junior Kamado Charcoal BBQChar-Griller Akorn Junior Kamado Charcoal BBQ

 

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Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Very nice mate! THere's a lot of people cooking on these now, seem quite versatile.

 

How was everyone's Xmas and NEw Year? Keen to see the cooks everyone had. 

 

We had a couple of great ones, we tackled our version of the McRib (because McDonald's one is rubbish), in response to a competition on the ABA page. Pretty happy with how this turned out. It's basically a deboned slab of ribs, topped with some onions, cheese, mayo, then some chopped pork belly, then more cheese, onion and pickles, then crackling. And it's amazing.

 

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We also tried our first porchetta. This wasn't a proper one, this was an all belly cut, stuffed with sage, garlic, chilli and a couple of other things. Next time we will be going to whole hog (pun...) and rolling the loin into the middle of it. But taste and crackle on this was out of this world.

 

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Happiness is a full smoker - moonshinebbq.com.au
alang
Just Starting Out

Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

the ghar - grill Akorn jr would be a good charcoal grill to start with, it has 3 layers of insulation so if you have kids around not going to be super hot to touch and retains the heat pretty good. have been using the heat beads lump charcoal in the gray bag good value for money and starting the charcoals with the ozito charcoal starter is so easy or just use the samba cardboard fire lighters. to save on charcoal once you finished cooking just close the vents and let it go out and next time just top up and light

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Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Thanks for joining in the discussion @alang. You'll have to add to this long-running discussion and share what you've been cooking lately - https://www.workshop.com.au/t5/Outdoor/Ideas-for-your-next-barbecue/m-p/7180

 

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Workshop community. We're really pleased you could join us and look forward to reading about your projects and plans. Feel free to post whenever you have something to share or need a hand with anything around the house and garden.

 

Jason

 

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Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Re: Best way to get into charcoal BBQ

Hi all,

 

As this has been a very popular discussion, just thought I would add a new video from the Bunnings team - How to choose a smoker.

 

Hope you find it helpful. Feel free to post anytime you need a hand with anything. We'd love to see your barbecue set-up at home and what you've been cooking lately.

 

Jason

 

 

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