new member from mid michigan

dfi · 06-13-2011, 11:33 AM

Greetings one and all. I have no idea how long these things are suposed to be and I tend to ramble so I hope you all will bare with me on my introduction. I am a trained chef but have not cooked professionally for upwards of 15 years. All of my adult life I have had a propane grill arround and used it off and on. I happened upon the first season of pitmasters and was instantly hooked and intrigued. Shortly after it was over I purchased a masterbuilt electric smokehouse to go along with my grill and began to play around and learn BBQ. About this time I found the BCRN and the radio show and began to listen religously. came to realize that if i really wanted to do it right I needed to be able to cook with charcoal and wood.

Father's day came early in our house and I spent last night assembling my new Chargriller four way Grillin' pro (one half is a propane grill with a side burner and the other half is a charcoal grill with a smoker box.

I have been reading up and am excited to dive into BBQ the real way (outdoor, live fire cooking baby) My motto in life is "anything worth doing is worth over doing" which explains why I roast my own coffee and am preparing to start the pursuit of a 5th college degree.

with that being said I am sure I will ask a ton of dumb questions but I am looking forward to learning and prefecting my q.

Helen_Paradise · 06-13-2011, 11:51 AM

Welcome! I'm a mid Michigan visitor every year to Midland/Mt. Pleasant

dfi · 06-13-2011, 11:55 AM

hey thats not to far. we are just a bit south west of Lansing

bbquzz · 06-13-2011, 12:25 PM

Welcome DFI from a summer resident of Northern MI, Mullett Lake. Loads of great folks here, we're all anxious to learn or teach.

friesian_rain · 06-13-2011, 06:57 PM

Hi and welcome... I've never been to Michigan

dfi · 06-13-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friesian_rain

Hi and welcome... I've never been to Michigan

you're really missing out...summer are the best two weeks of the year if you can avoid the construction

friesian_rain · 06-13-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfi

Quote:

Originally Posted by friesian_rain

Hi and welcome... I've never been to Michigan

you're really missing out...summer are the best two weeks of the year if you can avoid the construction

I've been close; I'm originally from New York...

bigwheel · 06-13-2011, 08:15 PM

Hey DFI welcome. Now I have come full circle back to electricity for long cooks..propane for grilling. Now tell us whut be the key on the Masterbuilts to keep the chips smoldering and the temps lowish? Reason I axe is a got cheap knock off made by the Royal Oak folks which has the same injuneering flaw which has the chips at the same level as the half fast water pan. Took a chinaman to think of that huh? Aint used it yet but am thinking of sitting a firebrick on edge just fits under the heating element cuz it is long and flappy and has a zig zag pattern...and putting the chip box on the element and putting a Sams half pan on the first rack from the bottom with water in it. Let me know if that seems feasible or how did you handle the problemo back afore you graduated up to wood. Or maybe it wasnt even an issue. Who knows? Thanks.

Vermin999 · 06-13-2011, 09:32 PM

Welcome!!! I grew up in Michigan, about an hour north of Lansing in a town called Carson City.

Pappy · 06-14-2011, 07:00 AM

Glad to have you join. I spent a whole month on vacation, camping with my parents, in Michigan when I was 15, on a lake. Had a boat & motor. Fished & went swimming every day. Betst summer ever.

dfi · 06-14-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Hey DFI welcome. Now I have come full circle back to electricity for long cooks..propane for grilling. Now tell us whut be the key on the Masterbuilts to keep the chips smoldering and the temps lowish? Reason I axe is a got cheap knock off made by the Royal Oak folks which has the same injuneering flaw which has the chips at the same level as the half fast water pan. Took a chinaman to think of that huh? Aint used it yet but am thinking of sitting a firebrick on edge just fits under the heating element cuz it is long and flappy and has a zig zag pattern...and putting the chip box on the element and putting a Sams half pan on the first rack from the bottom with water in it. Let me know if that seems feasible or how did you handle the problemo back afore you graduated up to wood. Or maybe it wasnt even an issue. Who knows? Thanks.

the only issue i ever have with the masterbuilt holding temp is when i tried to use it when it was below zero out. I had it in an insulated but unheated garage but i couldn't get it above 210....havent had the chip problem either.....i am using less chips than i used to even....I have been pretty happy with it, it has an electronic thermosat and timer so it is as close to set it and forget it as u can get...

can anyone share thoughts on lump vs. traditional charcoal? Bought some lump yesterday and grilled some hotdogs....think i am gonna smoke a brisket on the new rig friday but not sure which way to go