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sotv

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Everything posted by sotv

  1. For a few years now I have been using those cheap £1 spray bottles you can pick up in most stores. They do a job for 12 months, but usually leak out of the neck of the bottle or pump handle. Can anyone recommend a decent one, from their experiences (with links if possible) that is leak free, made of food safe material and has a bit of longevity about it. Also looking for a Small Pot (cast iron) and a Cotton (not Silicone) BBQ Mop set to place on the grill and heat sauces up. Struggling to find a complete set over here. Seen this on Amazon US store, around the £25 mark to import over here, which will do if can't find anything else more suitable, anyone seen anything similar over here?. Wilko do a cheap cast iron pot, but looks very small? that I could add a seperate mop to? Thanks
  2. Thinking this may be the last lo&slo cook on mine for a while as getting something else this month. Will keep it for cold smoking though. Couple of racks of ribs on it chugging along at 225F in windy and cool conditions. Nice and dependable, it has served me well for nearly 4 years.
  3. Thanks, will keep an eye out to see if the smaller quantities come back into stock over the coming months, to try some first, before buying a larger amount, perhaps
  4. I did look at your Liverpool Pellets Link and they are certainly more cost effective, but the minimum order is £210's worth, which is a bit of a gamble if they aren't suited to the Weber Smokefire. Although Weber say the Smokefire is designed to use competitors pellets, people are reporting that brands like the Traeger ones are longer than the Weber ones for instance and can get stuck and cause jams and other brands have a lot of sawdust in them. I have seen this in some videos and it is shocking the difference in quality between some brands. I am happy to stick the Weber if necessary, but would like to try a comparison with another brand, just to see if the Weber are any good, or if there are better out there. More concerned about flavour in the long run than price, but don't want to buy a pallet full of a competitors first, to find out they're no good or not suited iyswim. I might try some Lumber Jack Beech they're at a reasonable price over here at American BBQ and people have had some success with that brand with the Smokefire in the States as well
  5. I will probably give one ago next month, I always thought rolled brisket was just flat end, but as you say it would be a very big brisket if it turned out to be a 7kg flat. It does sound and look like a full brisket trimmed and as I need to practice, should be a decent piece to give one ago
  6. Has anyone any experience of the CookinPellets brand, they seem well reviewed in the States but although a bit expensive over here 54kg for £99 I have some of the new Weber Pellets to try but looking for a brand to compare them by, to see if any noticeable difference in smoke flavour on the meat I cook.
  7. sotv

    Black Bacon.

    Well done, did black bacon once and you are a lot less messier than I was, with the making of it. The Black Treacle got everywhere 😀
  8. Quick question about rolled brisket I was in my local Morrisons today and they had a couple of pieces of Brisket on the butchers counter, they were much bigger than the normal 1kg pieces you see on the meat shelves in supermarkets. Although both pieces were called rolled and had string round them they looked like a point and flat piece and a good 5-6kg if combined. Spoke to the butcher and they said it is a whole brisket but fat trimmed and then rolled, looking at Skagg2000 picture above I could see how that could be. He got one out of the fridge to show me although vacpacced it came in at just over 7kg (£6.50 kg) couldn't see what the marbling was like due to it being packed and rolled, but the one on the counter didn't seem to have a lot, but as I said it was rolled, but not as tightly as the vacpacced one. Seemed quite a bit of blood in the vacpac, but if anyone has any experience of buying one of these and had any success, would be grateful for any feedback. As even if needed further trimming there was less than a kg of fat on the 7kg piece, I would estimate and to end up with 6kg of meat for £45 seemed decent value. I can't believe it was just a flat end at that weight and must have the point there as well although looked like a 20 inch sausage, when rolled but would imagine or hope would turn out like Skaggs when unrolled. I appreciate that proper butchers brisket may be a better quality buy, but as never cooked a whole brisket before, seems decent value to practice on if it is suitable to use?
  9. As such I can only go on reports from the States on the Smokefire as still awaiting release in the UK. It seems to be the EX6 model that they seem to be focused on with the flow problem at the moment as it is 12 inches longer, but the incline doesn't seem to be steep enough for the flow of pellets, Weber have made an insert for it to increase the angle of descent (reducing capacity by approx 1kg) As for my model although seen a few reports of flow problems, but nowhere near as many as the EX6, so hopefully it won't be an issue and if it is and no insert available, I will look at some food safe silicon spray to use or as recommended 00 steel wool and a fine scouring pad to help with the flow. As I said, I hope it isn't a problem, or if it is, it can be rectified easily enough as leaving a cook unattended, if necessary was a big selling point for me.
  10. Thought I would start a blog about my experience with the new Weber Smokefire EX4 from ordering, setup and hopefully some successful cooks, over time. This is the first pellet grill I have ever owned and I pre-ordered from Riverside Garden Centre in early January 2020 after seeing all the pre-release promotions that started appearing in November 2019 onwards. The product appealed to me initially as I have always wanted a grill, pizza cooker and also the ability to cook lo&slo (this has a temp range of 200-600F) and this seemed to fit the bill. I have used a ProQ Frontier (Charcoal Bullet Smoker) for the past 4 years and had some reasonable success with it over that time. But the need to constantly monitor it and refill the charcoal basket (usually at silly o'clock in the early morning) for long cooks, I always found it to be a bit of a bind personally and I am hoping the Smokefire will negate some of that, with its electronics and ability to leave for up to 12-15 hours unattended if necessary. I know the idea of that doesn't appeal to everyone who enjoy's controlling the live fire aspects of outdoor cooking and that is all part of the fun for them doing that. I'm just at that age now, where I want to watch a bit of Sky, enjoy a drink and monitor the cook from my phone and just let the machine do its thing. I must admit I was getting very worried by some of the early videos and reviews of the Smokefire in the US when it was released in January as the machine seemed prone to grease fires, hopper issues, along with Augur feed problems, and a very limited function Connect App upon release and spending over £1000 on this is a big investment for me and to spend that, on what could be a dud, just began to seem like a big waste of money, when you could buy a tried and tested one already on the market from another manufacturer In the last 4-5 weeks since release it has become clear that some but not all greasefire problems were down to user error and what some people were calling grease fires were actually flare ups, when you cranked up the temperature to sear at 500+ degrees. The thought of a greasefire was my biggest concern with the varying temps you cook at and no drip shield and although not ideal a drip pan would certainly help stop that as well as cleaning after cooks. I am fine with using one as I am used to a drip pan with cooking on my ProQ anyway and I don't see it as any hardship or reason to cancel my order. Weber, certainly in the US have already addressed the hopper issue with an insert they are supplying free of charge, which makes the ramp steeper to feed the pellets better and hopefully if needed with my model will already be shipped out to me, when I get my machine in March. The Augur I won't know about till I assemble the machine and see how it works as it seems limited to certain serial number during manufacture. The Connect APP is an ongoing project that can allow for firmware and software updates over the coming months and years and it appears that Weber have big plans for this and I understand that this will take time and will evolve into something special in that period. So all in all I am feeling much more confident about this machine now and just want to get my hands on it and do some cooking, I am hoping to keep this blog going and update with the assembling of it and some future cooks. Thanks for reading this initial post and any further ones Steve
  11. I haven't heard anything since last weekend, looks like sometime between 3rd and 4th week of March from what WowBBQ were saying to a couple of people on this thread that have ordered from there, although Riverside were saying earlier for the EX6. So just waiting for an email from who I got it off, once my EX4 is ready. Getting impatient now (ordered early January) and just want to start cooking with it, after watching Trendkill BBQ cooking on it on his videos on Youtube, he has definitely wet my appetite for it.
  12. It's nearly 70kg dead weight closer to 300kg volumetric weight, how much luggage allowance does she get. By the time you have paid Vat and Taxes on all of that, will be closer to £600+ I suspect (not something she can smuggle through "nothing to declare" in her suitcase and hope to get away with it), along with the need to convert it to UK voltage. There is a reason it is the cost it is in the UK. Hopefully you get it for £390 though.
  13. James17 did say the same thing, but this conversation was at 11am this morning with them, so unless Weber haven't bothered to inform them. They seem to be expecting the EX6 in the warehouse tomorrow at Riverside (and they advertise themselves as the Biggest UK Weber World Store) so not a small retailer, so either person I was chatting by DM to, hasn't the correct details. or they are actually getting them I won't be able to confirm anyway, as they haven't had notification on the model I have ordered the EX4 yet anyway. If they do get them, I am sure a few social media type posts from new owners will be appearing from new owners in the UK, by the end of the week.
  14. Been having a DM conversation with Riverside about the Smokefire and my order and they informed me they're expecting their stock of the EX6 in tomorrow from Weber for the people that have pre-ordered it from them and hope to have them out for delivery on the Tuesday. I have the EX4 on order but they haven't had any confirmation from Weber yet, when to expect them.😞
  15. That all seems very positive then and if Weber UK are as proactive as Weber US seem to be finally, then if there are any problems, they will be addressed quickly and professionally by them. They have a wider selection of Weber branded pellets in the US, but hopefully they will become available soon over here. The cost of pellets used in a cook , seem substantially higher than charcoal, but that is to be expected with any pellet grill p.s. Seems Weber US are recommending removing the finger guard over the Augur as part of solution to the feed problems. May have a chat to Weber Uk before I assemble mine to see if they recommend the same thing over here. Thanks for the info.
  16. Glad you've changed your mind, things seem to be settling down now across the pond. Weber seem to be offering a hopper insert for the EX6 ,to buyers over there and the few that had incorrectly assembled augurs are being sent out replacements. So Weber are listening and being proactive. If they are addressing the products over here before delivery, that is even better. Is the GBS for both models or just the EX6, and will it be two seperate grills with the circular bit in the middle, or is the picture you have posted the sear grate which looks to the right of centre and what looks a lower level than the grates? If so does that affect the ability to still use a waterpan on lo&slo cooks, or is it removable? Also did they advise the use pans with lo&slo themselves Did they give any clue when we will actually receive them, Weber UK told me they are still planning on shipping them out to retailers week of 2nd March? Sorry for all the questions, hoping they may have given answers at the event? Starting to get excited to receive it now, even my wife has noticed, with all the youtube videos I have been watching and saying look at this you can cook on it, not that she is bothered or that interested tbh😄
  17. Added The Lodge Combo Cooker Set to my collection this week. Was looking for a couple of skillets for my grill with varying depths and these also combine to form a dutch oven.
  18. Are the Thermapens worth the extra over other instant read meat thermometers? Looking for something like these sort of things, and seem to be about £30 on ebay for the MK3 at the moment. The Thermopro ones seem very popular in the States but not so positive reviews of them over here
  19. @James17 if you're still looking for reviews, give this guy a watch, doing some fabulous looking cooks on his smokefire. His latest Tomahawk Steak one really shows what it can do as well on the reverse sear side of things, more videos like his and I am sure peoples worries will start to lessen about this pellet grill. I still think some not all of the early problems (except for the hopper) were down to user errors and a bit of impatience and people buying them ready assembled in the US without checking the fittings had been done properly. We'll have to see, (those words could comeback and bite me in the backside 😀) just a few more weeks to wait hopefully, before they are sent out in the UK and see what sort of quality, build and fitting is for the UK buyers. It is clear the app needs some work, but that can come with updates over the coming months, but so long as it sets accurate temps for now, that is all that is needed to get started on it Noticed all Weber Smokefire purchases are getting a free Grill Academy course up to £99 when registered, they don't seem to offer any courses aimed at the smokefire itself, but some other interesting courses available though.
  20. Seems logical and they are only recommended up to a temp of 392F anyway even if they were suitable, wouldn't really need the drip trays for that sort of temp, but wouldn't want the hassle of removing everything to get at them if I wanted to bump the temperature up past that. Have dropped an email to F.H. Brundle as they sell 316 cut to size, so hopefully they can offer something that is still affordable as 316 is quite expensive as a welded mesh per roll
  21. Will Galvani Would it be alright to use galvanised welded steel mesh for these, or does it have to be food grade stainless steel, only going to use them as drips trays, not to cook food in. Found some with 50x50mm holes with 2.5mm diameter wire locally, used for rabbit hutches etc
  22. Going to need one for a pellet grill. So many to choose from out there, have been looking at the Black & Decker ones as seem reasonably priced, but thought I would see if any recommendations from people with actual hands on experience of one they use for cleaning up their grills first. Probably use it for the car interior as well
  23. Gone for the Emile Henry one in the end 🤞
  24. Completely understandable from some of the early reviews, I have wavered a few times over the past week on what to do, sticking with it for the moment. But do feel the amazingribs review will make or break this version of it tbh. More positive reviews coming out and as you say Harry seemed pleased with it. But I certainly wouldn't cook using his style, but he is a serious competition BBQ'er and didn't cook how I would do in my back garden myself, he is all about that 1 perfect bite for the judges and not a stand around getting messy and stuck in social meal type thing. Nothing wrong with that, just different. BBQGuys have done a beef rib cook on it on youtube and if I can get them cooked anywhere near that sort of quality I will be very happy, that's the sort of thing that I want to be able to do lo&slo on this machine and the ability to grill a chicken/turkey or steaks or cook a pizza and if it does that better than I can at the moment on my current setup (which I am very confident it should😀), then I will be happy. Hoping to see some long brisket cooks to see how it works on the those sort of cooks to put my mind fully at rest
  25. Been speaking to the retailer and Weber over the last 24 hours and the retailer has offered to let me cancel my order till I am more reassured about the product if I want (think I am going to stick with it though, at the moment) Weber UK have confirmed the need for a water pan over the flavorizer bars for lo&slo, going to look at a reusable one if possible, if I can find the right sized ones (a half and full size grate one for the EX4) as don't want the expense of the disposable ones, but still trying to find out the gap distance between bars and grate. A new video with a few basic hints and tips released by the BBQGuys, highlights a new point to me about the use of an extension lead, that is something I never considered, hopefully not to much of a problem till I can sort an outside power source in the coming months. More reassured over the hopper on the EX4 version from a personal point of view. https://youtu.be/WhnPzoDgnDE
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