How important are temperatures?

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balone
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:22 pm

How important are temperatures?

Post by balone »

Hi,

I was just wondering how important is it to have a certain temperature - give or take - for cooking certain things. For example a 3-4cm steak. Does that require a certain temperature to cook properly? or does hotter = quicker cook, and should I just go off internal temperature of the steak?

Using coals on a Weber Kettle.

When cooking how open or closed should the top and bottom vents be? are these how you regulate temps?

thanks.
titch
Posts: 5868
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:51 pm
Location: Sth East Melbourne

Re: How important are temperatures?

Post by titch »

Vents!
I always open top full and adjust temp with the bottom vent
Temps are really just a guide, I cook fast and hot then adjust down, some do the opposite.
I suggest you google for the The Complete Australian Barbecue Kettle Cookbook , its very good and gives some great to follow basics
Second hand shops are a good place to look.
I believe the Heatbeads site has some good instructions as well.
Nothing about BBQ is set in concrete, 10 people will cook the same thing all different and it will all come out great.
so here we go
https://heatbeads.com.au/hints-and-tips ... arn%20more

https://heatbeads.com.au/hints-and-tips ... -bbq-timer


https://heatbeads.com.au/hints-and-tips ... eat-beads/

Go to the Charcoal section on this forum and start cooking.
Welcome to a whole new world

remember, listen, and then find your preferred way.

Where abouts are you?
Cheers
Titch
Davo
Forum Administrator
Posts: 5330
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:44 am
Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: How important are temperatures?

Post by Davo »

There are usually only 4 heat levels you need to consider for BBQ.

1/ Smoking - usually between 80 to 120C or around 190-250F

2/ Barbeque- a little different to smoking but is still regarded as low n slow and this can be done from 120-150C or approx. 250-320F

3/ Roasting or baking- about 150-180C or 320-380F

4/ Grilling can be done at any temp over 180C but prefereable around 220C onwards depending how much you want the charr.


I personally like using the high heat grilling but indirect eg: place the fire on one side of the kettle, the food on the other side, roast say a steak for 20-30 minutes then lift eh lid and slap it over the fire side and close the lid...the lid stops any flare-ups which is handy for meats like pork belly or a fatty lamb and it keeps the flavour around the meat instead of up in the atmosphere, check it after a couple of minutes then flip....you then determine your doneness level or char level.


The technique i just described is known in BBQ circles as Reverse Sear ......kinda like you're bringing the meat up to a preheat stage before grilling, you're also using the juices of your meat to baste the meat before grilling instead of oils although it doesn't hurt to lightly apply a little olive oil to the suface to stop any stickyness but the meat will let go anyway when it's ready.


Cheers


Davo
Moderator/ Admin

Weber Q320
Weber Performer Kettle
Weber WSM 18.5
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