G'day from Ipswich


  • My Name is Paul
    I have been in to home BBQ for many years.
    I have been a member of a lot of the well known aussie BBQ forums.
    I notice a few of them are not active anymore but I found this one.
    So I joined up.
    I'm not one to really spend a lot of time chatting in the forums... but I'm happy to talk if I have something to say.

    I was born and bred in Ipswich QLD.
    I moved to Central QLD when I got married in 1980 and that was were I got in to home BBQ I guess, although I have been cooking outdoors with my Mum and Dad for as long as I can remember.
    My first home BBQ was in a mining town in Central QLD .
    The mining company used to supply the employees with a furnished 3 bedroom house for $15.00 a week.
    Included was a concrete slab type BBQ, but they didn't like the heat so when people moved if the BBQ had been used much it was usually had it.
    So as a part of the refurbishment for the new employee tennants the old BBQ was dumped and a new one installed in the yard.
    It was pretty common for those of us that didn't work for the mining company to scavenge the old BBQs and make a good one out of the pieces.
    They actually came with a hand turned spit.
    I was 21 at the time and I used to put a chicken on the spit and sit there turning it over the coals for an hour.
    My wife used to bring me all the beer I could drink while I was doing that.
    I used to think about how I could automate the process and ended up using windscreen wiper motors to do it.
    I have moved on a lot from those days.
    I now have a Weber kettle ( I think its called a "Compact") and a Weber Q Q3200 (LPG).
    I enjoy using both.
    The Compact is not the original Weber kettle design.
    I bought it new thinking it is but I have since been told that they are notorious for the issue that I struggled with for a long time .
    The fire didn't keep going!
    It doesn't have the deep bowl that is on the regular Weber Kettle and I believe this changes the way that the air feeds the fire.
    Anyway I fitted a blower fan and a Heatermeter controller to it
    ( This was a lot of fun actually. It was kind of like hotting up an old car)
    It now is the best and most predictable BBQ ever!
    I can basically dial in any temp I like and with just sensible management of the fuel, the BBQ will do anything I ask of it.
    I find the Gasser much easier to operate... but as I'm sure you all know very well, its possibe to operate it in "idiot proof" mode or "creative" mode.
    IMHO both have their place.
    Case in point.
    I have a piece of pickled pork in the fridge that I'd like to turn into "poor mans ham" on the Q .
    I guess (for me) that would be mildly on the creative side.

    But the misses wants me to cook sausages on it for tea tonight, definately idiot mode.
    The ham won't be finished in time if I were to put it on now.
    I could use the kettle... but I can't be bothered with getting my hands dirty. LOL
    I'm busy tomorrow and Monday so I'll make the ham on Tuesday on the Q.
    Anyway... there is a bit of an introduction to me.
    I hope this little chat helps people to get an idea of how I think and breaks the ice, so to speak
    Cheers,
    Paul

  • Hi Paul, welcome to the forum and thanks for the detailed introduction.

    Pickled pork in the Weber kettle was my go-to Xmas cook for many years and the way it turns out, I don't know why anyone would bother to make ham. We scored the fatty skin in a diamond pattern and coated it with marmalde for the last part of the cook and it was superb. Sliced the next day it's great in sandwiches too.

    Enjoy the forum and we look forward to some pics of your cook-ups.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • Thanks for sharing with your story, Paul. That is a great story about BBQ, love, family so many sweet things.
    When people sit or stand around the BBQ, hand over dishes and drinks.
    It is most relaxing moment i could think about.
    Only jealous of QLD weather as VIC has been raining for 2 months when i count on my fingers.
    All the best, thanks again mate for sharing. :)

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