Too funny- Admit it, this is you...

Wolfpack

nolaegghead said:

Ragtop99 said:

The problem has been solved by the fact we seem to host most BBQ events. Family members now set up summer events for my house on the assumption that  is where it is going to be if it involves the BBQ.

Unless asked, the only time I say anything is if the grillmaster is taking the spatula and squeezing the life out of the burgers.  No matter what your cooking style or grill type, that's a universal no-no.  Other than that, I figure I can have an extra couple beers and then I won't care as much about what I'm eating.

According to the Burger Lab on Serious Eats, you can smash the burger without loosing moisture (and moisture is prolly mostly fat) as long as you do it in the first 30 seconds to minute of cooking.  Fascinating site, Griffin I think mentioned it and i did a little reading there earlier today.  Premise was, why are there so many "smashed" burger joints where the burgers taste good?  Good scientific methodology.

Makes sense- the fat hasn't melted yet if you do it early enough. Smashing after fat melt pushes irrecoverable juice out.

TUTTLE871

Everyone I know usually will ask me to help right off hand because they have all eaten at my place and they know they can't replicate it.
If I ever get to go to @griffin or @travisstrick for BBQ I'm bringing a lawn chair and a frosty beverage and sit back and relax.

BigGreenBamaGriller

It is soooo hard not to be this guy at my family's gatherings. Our grandmother buys filet mignons and my wife's uncle puts them on a gasser that is set as low as it will go. He seriously grills them for about 25-30 minutes then puts on Kraft BBQ sauce (again, we're talking about the most expensive cut of meat here). Did I mention that they pour bottled water on them to keep them from being complete jerky...

One last thing, he cuts into each steak to make sure that they are all complete toast

Foghorn

TexanOfTheNorth said:

nolaegghead said:

I'll watch what's going on at the grill and when something's done, I'll grab it for me or SWMBO.  I'd rather eat off the vegetable tray than try to choke down a medium well ribeye that tastes like it was dragged through a camp fire.

In a similar but decidedly different vein, I won't cook any red meat (except for burgers) for my in-laws. They like everything medium-well to well done and I just can't make myself do it!

Have you tried cooking them steaks that are progressively, but nearly imperceptibly more rare over time? I've done that to a few friends and relatives. It works about half the time.

CeeGeeW

It's not a BGE, but this is still one of my favorites.  (no fingering involved).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Py7uk3lPOc

hapster

CeeGeeW said:

It's not a BGE, but this is still one of my favorites.  (no fingering involved).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Py7uk3lPOc

You owe me 4 minutes...

BYS1981

that is not me. I am laid back at bbqs and only help if asked - my dad for instance always wants me to cook at his BBQs, but otherwise I'm hands off

DMurf

So when we go to my MIL she leaves the kitchen and has me cook. When we lived close there was not a holiday gathering that I did not end up working the line. 

When we first started dating my wife was in the med-well to well done camp. Over the years she has moved into the med-rare camp and will even go for steak tartar. Now we prefer to eat at home due in large part to the EGG although we do go out just to spend time with each other. 

Adamd

TexanOfTheNorth said:

nolaegghead said:

I'll watch what's going on at the grill and when something's done, I'll grab it for me or SWMBO.  I'd rather eat off the vegetable tray than try to choke down a medium well ribeye that tastes like it was dragged through a camp fire.

In a similar but decidedly different vein, I won't cook any red meat (except for burgers) for my in-laws. They like everything medium-well to well done and I just can't make myself do it!

I agree. I end up never cooking it "well done" enough because I find myself just not being able to do it. If there is just no pink left i feel like I failed the cook. 

I get a kick out of how some people grill. What determines when they think the food is done is very interesting. When it is char black and smoking some people think the meat is done. Yet when you go to a restaurant no meat ever comes out like that. I rather grill at everyone's house. I just don't because I am a good guest haha. 

Ragtop99

nolaegghead said:

According to the Burger Lab on Serious Eats, you can smash the burger without loosing moisture (and moisture is prolly mostly fat) as long as you do it in the first 30 seconds to minute of cooking.  Fascinating site, Griffin I think mentioned it and i did a little reading there earlier today.  Premise was, why are there so many "smashed" burger joints where the burgers taste good?  Good scientific methodology.

I think their point was it was ok to smash to get an even maillard reaction when cooking on a flat metal surface.  It then goes on to say:
    "So when is it not a good idea to smash? Well there's the obvious: you can't smash a burger on a grill."

I see most people doing it on a gas grill well after the first minute, trying to achieve the flare-up.  

The moisture loss chart was very interesting. 

The flip side of the smashing is that is adding extra handling which they say is no no in other places.  I guess a good maillard reaction is king. 

nolaegghead

Foghorn said:

nolaegghead said:

I'll watch what's going on at the grill and when something's done, I'll grab it for me or SWMBO.  I'd rather eat off the vegetable tray than try to choke down a medium well ribeye that tastes like it was dragged through a camp fire.

In a similar but decidedly different vein, I won't cook any red meat (except for burgers) for my in-laws. They like everything medium-well to well done and I just can't make myself do it!

Have you tried cooking them steaks that are progressively, but nearly imperceptibly more rare over time? I've done that to a few friends and relatives. It works about half the time.

I wish there was a rub that made the meat look well done but otherwise taste like it was cooked properly - like you could cook a steak to 125 and it would taste exactly like a medium rare/rare steak except it would be that dull dead grey of medium well.   That invention would make a fortune.

TexanOfTheNorth

nolaegghead said:

Foghorn said:

nolaegghead said:

I'll watch what's going on at the grill and when something's done, I'll grab it for me or SWMBO.  I'd rather eat off the vegetable tray than try to choke down a medium well ribeye that tastes like it was dragged through a camp fire.

In a similar but decidedly different vein, I won't cook any red meat (except for burgers) for my in-laws. They like everything medium-well to well done and I just can't make myself do it!

Have you tried cooking them steaks that are progressively, but nearly imperceptibly more rare over time? I've done that to a few friends and relatives. It works about half the time.

I wish there was a rub that made the meat look well done but otherwise taste like it was cooked properly - like you could cook a steak to 125 and it would taste exactly like a medium rare/rare steak except it would be that dull dead grey of medium well.   That invention would make a fortune.

It would also need to keep any "juices" from showing on the plate!

Wolfpack

BigGreenBamaGriller said:

It is soooo hard not to be this guy at my family's gatherings. Our grandmother buys filet mignons and my wife's uncle puts them on a gasser that is set as low as it will go. He seriously grills them for about 25-30 minutes then puts on Kraft BBQ sauce (again, we're talking about the most expensive cut of meat here). Did I mention that they pour bottled water on them to keep them from being complete jerky...

One last thing, he cuts into each steak to make sure that they are all complete toast

ouch-

travisstrick

BigGreenBamaGriller said:

It is soooo hard not to be this guy at my family's gatherings. Our grandmother buys filet mignons and my wife's uncle puts them on a gasser that is set as low as it will go. He seriously grills them for about 25-30 minutes then puts on Kraft BBQ sauce (again, we're talking about the most expensive cut of meat here). Did I mention that they pour bottled water on them to keep them from being complete jerky...

One last thing, he cuts into each steak to make sure that they are all complete toast

He better have lots of free/good beer or I wouldnt go. 

henapple

I stay away from the cook to prevent pulling my hair out. I never take anything unless asked er either... Bad to show up and dis the cook.