Welsh Dan

@Icefever I broached the subject with my better half and was met with a resounding no! Although she did say I could do something out there for Boxing Day, thinking a nice ham would be good!

I’ve recently progressed my shack. I cast the slab a few months back and have got the frame and roof on weekend just gone. Cladding will be going on next on the back and one side wall including an openable window/serving hatch/extra work space. Want to have my kamado on the left hand side cut into the work top with a work surface next to it (cupboard/fridge underneath) and then the custom offset smoker I’m having for Christmas, on the right hand side. The over hang to the right I’m planning on putting a fire pit underr there so I can hang a Dutch oven from the roof. Or if I get more bbqs I can use the space for them 😉

I have mine closed right down and it goes okay, bottom vent I have to have so only 2 or 4 of the small square holes are Open and the top vent is barely cracked open and it maintains quite well. I think someone else commented about how little air it needs. I think best advice I’ve seen on here is only change one thing at a time and make the changes gradually and also when you do make a change, give it a chance to work, it may take a bit of time to cool down/ heat up.

How did you start your charcoal? I’ve done a few on mine and it’s been absolutely brilliant at lasting for 7-8 hours. I used minion method: I started by filling the bowl with charcoal but leaving A small well in the middle. Few lumps of smoking wood in there too. Used about quarter to third of a charcoal starter with two natural firefighters until it’s going really well, and tipped that in. Leave vents open for a while until you start getting to temp then start closing them down a bit at a time. Suppose the charcoal you’re using could effect it too?

Restaurant Grade Cooking Lumpwood Charcoal 2 x 12kg, Perfect For Charcoal BBQ's, Large Chunks For Longer Burning Barbecues https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QK87785/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gM6VEb0M6TQER I ordered this, in stock and good delivery. Think they’ve got a website and the more you buy the cheaper it is but didn’t want to buy five bags!

Yeah it came this afternoon. Just finished putting it together and want to cure it tonight as well. Very happy with it, seems solid!

How is yours going @Robdan?

Had an text message saying it’s being delivered tomorrow. Maybe the chaser email I sent earlier in the week worked!

I had an email saying it was dispatched last Tuesday but tracking info has no update, just keeps saying waiting to confirm a delivery date. Does say allow 7-10 days I think but frustrating when others have had theirs! Haha Fingers crossed an update soon...

Hi Adam, another wales based member! also ordered from Aldi on Sunday although no update on delivery just yet... @Robdan is just rubbing it in too! Haha

@Robdan had an email today to say smoker has been dispatched, excited!

@Smokin Monkey my better half made a cheese potato dish, thinly sliced potatoes with cheesey white sauce, was really nice!

Yeah I was thinking that actually but was worried it would come across as badgering if I kept on about it. After all they are the ‘experts’. They are pretty good up there to be fair and worst case I’ll still have a joint of meat I can cook either on the bbq or oven.

I’ve got in touch with my local butcher and asked them about it. Said they could over text message but that remains to be seen... I tried to be specific asking for the whole cut i.e point and flat end (packer cut I think they call it in the US. He said they could do that at £6.50 a kg so if that is the right cut then pretty good compared to what I’ve seen online. Out of interest anyone else who’s got a whole cut what did you pay per kilo?

Did my first Spatchcock chicken on bbq Yesterday. Oiled chicken and put on rub of sea salt flakes, dried thyme, sage, touch of paprika and 3 sliced garlic cloves. Left marinade for almost 24 hours. setup for minion method with some charcoal briquettes, 2 small apple wood lumps and poured in 1/2 a chimney of lump wood (small stuff as it was the end of the bag) monitored temp on bbq thermometer and also used stick thermometer through lid gap, supposed to see the lid was fairly accurate. Better than I thought it was. found temp was fine at first Holding around 130/140 but after about 45 mins it seemed to rise uncontrollably. I guess because bbq leaks air like a sieve so valves and small chimney are pretty much useless! anyway, cooked for about 1 hr 15 mins and checked breast and thigh temp. Overshot slightly by about 10c on both but still very nice. Turned over and put over coals for a few mins then wrapped in foil to rest for 10 mins or so. all in all a decent cook and flavour was fantastic and Amazingly moist. Got the leftovers today!

@Robdan yeah I ordered one okay at 7:45 by the looks of it. nice find on the charcoal, I was looking for decent stuff today funnily enough. Bought briquettes from Tesco but did a normal bbq the other day and although okay at the time when the burgers and sausages cooled they had a not pleasant chemically smokiness to them. I’ve used the briquettes before so not sure what it was. just did chicken with them tonight though and it was fantastic! @brisketburner2020 also got an ink it’s on the way, was due today but had been delayed!

@brisketburner2020 I ordered one today as well... fingers crossed it arrives in one piece. @Robdan did you order one after?

Thanks for getting back to me all. Yes I am using pot on the kitchen stove. Cracked on yesterday and did it, this was the gist of my process: I steeped 1kg of grain (cara crystal malt) in a Muslin bag for an hour in 6l of water then removed to Another pot where I batch sparged with another 2l of water letting them soak for a bit (1l each time which almost covered them). I added this sparge water back to the boiling pot which gave me a little over 7l I reckon in the boil. Followed a basic recipe and added some hops during boil and at flame out. Cooled the wort in sink with ice down to room temp. Strained this into fastferment and then added yeast. All appeared well but hydrometer reading was only 1.02... I’m thinking the Muslin bag limited the movement of grains too much and reduced sugar release hence the low reading. I guess a proper brew bag will be a good investment and yes I would like to buy a proper boil pot but just bought a Kamado smoker from Aldi (praying it arrives in one piece) so another splurge on another hobby may not go down well!😬😂 I’ve seen a tutorial on making one so might price up the bits and see... Been in the fermenter for a little over 12 hours now and no signs of life.... Based on the hydro reading is going to be a weak ale, around 2.5% I think, is there a way I could increase this? Steep some more malt and add it in? I put plenty of hops in so not too worried about that... Any other comments or suggestions welcomed!

Ahh nice, my dads side of the family are from pontypridd. Wow that Aldi one looks like a bit of a bargain, I shall investigate further. I was on the verge of getting a pro Q but for £50 more that may be worth it! I know cracking weather we're having, I want to be out there all the time, planning a spatchcock chicken cook for Sunday.

Hi all, after a bit of advice... I'm jumping in at the deep end and would like to try an all grain brew after doing a few extract brews in the past. On a whim I recently bought a 10L fast ferment conical fermenter and all the ingredients needed but realised my big kitchen pot only holds 6 litres of water (7 at a push but awfully close to the top). I guess my question is, is there anyway I can get a bigger brew given my limited boil quantity or do I just stick to the 6 litre capacity for a 1st smaller brew and in the meantime buy a bigger pot? And also any recipes would be good for some future brews, am going to keep the first one simple. I like pale ales and have bought a few hops to try out - saaz, admiral, cascade, mosaic, citra. I also have some crystal malt, cara malt, pale ale malt, some biscuit malt and some red x. Thanks in advance!

Hi Rob, I also a newbie on here but welcome! Where abouts in South Wales are you, I'm from Newport... Out of interest what Kamado did you go for? Considering getting one but fear the cost is too much for a first smoker!

Hello all, I’m a (IMO) seasoned standard BBQer but looking to practice and get better and do more low ‘n slow cooking. Currently have a standard bbq from the range, decent size with smoke stack and coal door but is difficult to maintain low temperature on it for long cooking as it lets in air like a sieve and I believe the kid thermometer is very in-accurate (just ordered a wireless temperature probe to be able to test/verify it). Recently did a small brisket and pork shoulder on it which both came out okay but I fear temp was slightly too hot for the duration of the cook. Ive seen you guys do a lot of mods to improve existing grills but would like to buy a proper smoker, looking at bullet/barrel or offset. Having read some advise it would seem that given I already have a decent bbq I may as well get a bullet/barrel smoker as opposed to offset as I don’t really need the additional grill space? If my above assumption is correct then my next question is what budget/entry level one should I go for? I’ve seen a few which I’m considering but would like to know some more opinions: Napoleon 3 in 1 smoker either 200(41cm) or 300(48cm). I believe it’s just grill diameter is the difference. £252/£332 Weber smokey mountain smoker 37/47cm - £296/£359 Kamado joe - joe junior (34cm cooking diameter) currently with 23% off at £459 a bit more than I was looking to spend but seems a good deal at from what I understand a bit of kit that should last... Sorry for the long initial post but keen to have opinions. Especially as she’s not happy about me buying another bbq 😬