Welcome Back - Season 4 Intro

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Today's episode is brought to you by aos kitchens, the South's leading outdoor kitchen design and installation specialists Welcome to a new season of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. This is season four. And it's just me and Dan to start off with a thought we'd have a little catch up. Obviously, it's been a long, long while since we launched season three. We've had a whole summer between us. So let's just have a little catch up. Dan, nice to kind of sit down and reflect right? I know four seasons, you thought you would have got rid of me right now? Surely, I've seen you the way you i up other people. And we're together at shows and things the way you talk to people. I'm not having any of it. I'm still a yeah, you knew my game plan, right? I just need you. I just need your edits and experience. And then I can try and find him out. Yeah, there was a lot of that going on. And we've got a great season lined up as well talking about editing, which I'm sure once you've heard a few of them, and certain two partners, you will absolutely love but you'll be able to understand how fun it's been this series, putting everything together for God, what a great year we've had out and about. It's been a while since we've done one of these catch up episodes, but how good was the summer? And how good was it? Yeah, I? Well, for a number of reasons, actually, it's been a good summer, right? I think, from a barbecue point of view. For me, it was like my first summer in my new house. So we spoke a lot around in seasons gone by about me moving house. And also we took a big break, because, you know, I was unable to record for a long while. So you know, obviously yourself and your family. And you know, we had a few friends over and a couple of parties and just having the space and you know, to cook some good barbecue food from a social point of view, that's been absolutely fantastic. I've not actually bought a new barbecue this year. So that's a chat. I cannot believe it in previous years. So yeah, that's I've really enjoyed having the space. Obviously, as you know, we were in quite small, small play, you know, very small garden, you know, previous previous years. And it was just nice to have all the kids ran around. And that kind of social element of barbecue that we talked about with a lot of people around and how it gets people together. And I think you know, being able to do that on a bigger scale has been been absolutely fantastic. But what about you? What's what's kind of been your highlight this summer? Well, we had a fantastic time of both sizzle Fest and me topia, which both of them are fantastic for different reasons. Me topia, we really got to let our hair down, had a lot of drinks, try some fantastic food from some fantastic cooks. For example, we got to partake during June. So fantastic. One more time. Fantastic. Yes, fantastic. We've had some good food from Genevieve Taylor, and some other people. And it's just nice to be inspired and look at different flavors and things and have other people cook for us. And then of course sizzle fast. What is there not to love. But probably the two main talking points for us from that from a food perspective would be the brisket. The brisket we had from Don a Cornish carnival, which was phenomenal particularly it wasn't rested at all he didn't have the chance to because obviously it takes so long to cook. And also we had that magnificent feather blade which we talked quite a bit about this season. But you know if you're going to try a different cut at all, we'd recommend going to get that and trying to work out what devilish device they use to make such a fantastic meal that sizzle fest. It's just been nice to be able to relax and enjoy barbecuing again. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, talking about that further blades. Oh, that was probably the best bit of beef I think I've ever eaten. It was magnificent so much so that I've now gone into my butchers and I've got a bit on order just so that I can try and emulate that at home whether we have the same results or not is a different story. Well from memory didn't they have it hung basically on a fire cage and we had been smoking it that way so you obviously won't be able to do it exactly the same way that they were at the show right? No, but again, just you know we'll we'll smoke it and lo and slow it give it the rest I mean it had it looked quite similar to a bit of brisket didn't it on a smaller scale it had the same smoke ring it had you know similar flavor. Obviously they polo did sort of pickled onions and things like that with it that really kind of cut through but yeah, just treat you like like a pizza piece of brisket. And that's what I'm gonna go for anyway and see see how that pans out. And I'd love to know more from you about your foray into Cold smoking as well, because we haven't really spoken about that much and what you've been finding with that, but you've been having fun with that as a toy. Really? Yeah, so yeah, earlier this year, I said in my new barbecue, I bought a cold, cold smoker instead. So yeah, I bought the pro q ultimate, ultimate smoking kit. So it was like It's like an aluminium case. And it came with a load of curing kits and that type of thing and wood dust. So yeah, I've been doing a few bits and pieces of smokes and I've cured my own bacon three or four times now. You know, done a bit of smoking. I've got smoked a lot of cheese. And but for me, what I've even been doing is I've been I've been going into the supermarket and buying like really cheap, cheap, cheap cheddar cheese, and then smoking it over, you know, for 10 hours using like an oak, for example. And it makes it taste like a much more expensive cheese than that when I'm finished with it, then you know when you buy it so I bought a piece recently from from Lidl, calm, I can't remember how much the price is. But when I was cutting it, and just eating it plain, it almost had that like rubbery feel, you know, like almost a bit plasticky. But once you've gone through the smoking process, it actually felt like a proper, mature smoked cheese, if that makes sense. So it doesn't have to be a lot of money for those types of things. And I've sort of dipped into garlic and I'm gonna be doing salmon, I'm going to be curing and then smoking some salmon as I come up to Christmas. So that's that's going to be quite nice. One of the things I do want to try, although I'm not a massive coffee drinker, you can smoke coffee. So my wife is a big coffee drinker. And we've we've got a load like ground coffee, so I want to give that a little go and see if what that does. Interesting. Do you think it'd be better doing it with ground coffee? Or do we better to get beans and smoke the beans? I don't know nothing about it, or how even the flavor permeates but do you think that would make a huge difference? The only the only science was I don't know. I'm gonna give it a go though. So I do actually have a bag of beans as well as some ground so I could almost do a taste test and see which comes out better. So the excitement you'll be tried them and no new. Terrible, terrible I wish you just had teeth. But that'll be that'll be it, if you'll check it. Yeah, pretty much but ya know, it's it's, it's been really, it's really good. Again, it's called smoking. Actually, I've had quite a lot of fails. Obviously, we love talking about failing, right. Yeah, so I have done a couple of YouTube videos. So I did an unboxing video, so I thought it'd be quite good for everyone to see what you get in the kit. And then I did choose one. However, I've probably failed just as much as I've done good quality. The first one I didn't actually the first time I did it, you basically you've got this coal smoke generator, you put all the dust in and then you put a tea light underneath. And what I didn't realize is that you're only supposed to put a T light in there for a couple of minutes just to get the dust burning and then you leave it in it will naturally kind of go around itself. I just left it in there, put it in and two minutes later the whole thing was pretty much on fire. So that was that was fail number one. And then phone number two is also what you've got to make sure that you don't do is the dust shouldn't be touching each other as you kind of go round in this in this square. And I think what had happened is some of the dust was kind of laying on the the metal ridge in between and what that meant is that the burn link or a hot forward and then became really warm and then actually ended up melting the cheese a glob of melted cheese so yeah, it's not come without its fails. But yeah, it's been good fun to kind of get into cold smoking. I'm looking forward to you smoking bacon as well and pass on so on to me because you recently gave me a chunk of bacon to try to cured which I really enjoyed. I love the fact that you can get a proper thick cut obviously if you just give me a huge slab without having one of those machines to properly Thinly slice the bacon but you know everyone wants to pick up bacon but I really enjoyed that. Even if you thought that I wasn't going to but I'd love to try kind of that smoked as well. But I suppose it's the experimentation of how long do you smoke it for you know what would see us what different flavors do they impart etcetera. So that and combining stuff like the smoked cheese doing with the Ooni must be a good fun kind of experimentation as well, right? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. and experimentation is exactly what I'm doing. So the good thing about that particular kit, you know, that ultimate bundle, I mean, it's not the cheapest bundle to buy, I think from from procure, with everything, it was 180 quid. So however, what you get is you get Beach, whiskey cherry, oak, Apple, you know, so you get a few, quite a few different things to try, which just allows you just to see which works best as well. So I've been doing quite a lot of garlic as well quite like that kind of smoked garlic flavor. So yeah, it's and obviously then you can use it on other things. I have done a couple of bits of bacon that I've cured or the although the one that I gave you, I didn't have time to smoke it. So you just had that as it is. But yeah, it's as I said, it's good fun. For you, what do you think it's the kind of next thing that you want to try in your barbecue journey. So I've been cooking a lot more with pork because my wife is not really a huge fan of the pig unless it's the bacon variety, to be fair, and I still to this day can't work out if that's because she's had poor experience with pork in the past or has been cooked badly. Or she just does not like pork in general. But I did a pork belly brisket style when you came over with the family, which was nice. And I don't know, I wasn't sure what to expect flavor wise, but it's wonderful. I highly recommend people trying that I've been doing bits and pieces where with kind of nuts and scratching and mashing it up on considering actually blending it down next time to like a dust and using that as like a crumb and things for flavor profiles. I've also been considering or haven't done it yet, brining stuff. It's not something I've ever done like okay, I suppose, technically a dry brine whether your sees it like putting salt and pepper and stuff overnight. Yes, I've done that. But for example, I've never put like a whole turkey in like a water bath brine for like 24 hours or whatever. And I want to see how that also changes the effects on cooking birds and things on the monolith as well. So those are kind of the plans that I've got that and I'm also looking at doing Christmas this year without a turkey because in the UK, it's almost impossible to get hold of decent price turkeys at the moment because of one thing or another. So I'm at the moment kind of trying to plan something a bit different for Christmas this year. Because in the past I always would have been Turkey, bit of beef, maybe some gammon Off we go but why not play and do something different whether I smoke a duck on there or something whether I actually I've never smoked my own gammon or anything, do something like that. I suppose in a way it's trying to think outside the box from a barbecuing point of view because you don't really hear about that many people doing that sort of stuff. So American low sir, right. Yeah, I suppose most most of the time. I think it depends which accounts you look at and kind of go go through your inspiration. Obviously, we know a lot of people that won't do the traditional low and slow American style, they'll they'll do a lot of other takes on things but yeah, interestingly, I normally do something around gammon for Christmas turkey obviously standard this year I think to do a bit of beef. Nice. So again, hopefully get a hold of the right right piece of Turkey but most going to do a bit of beef for a change. It's not something I would traditionally go near a Christmas. Yeah, I think I've given that a go. Yes. Why not? Yeah, we'll ask about a bit of fall rhythm. Okay. Yeah. So again, just trying to try and do something a little bit different. So but as a as a joint rather than just you know, seeing your love so yeah, we'll we'll see but that's obviously to look forward to but yeah, so I mean obviously you again for everyone that listens to this and then goes on to you know, listen to season four, we talked about me toper in sizzle fest along but I'm kind of getting our guest views on those two, you know, on those two particular festivals they were the two that we went to this year obviously Utopia was a first for us, wasn't it? I think what we want to try and do is make sure we spread ourselves around and and go to different festivals each year and try and get you know different perspectives on things but meat Yeah, meat Opie was interesting, wasn't it? It was a lot of great food. Yeah, on show. It was it was it was definitely more food orientated than some of the others that we've been to in previously a lot more food vendors and some incredible steaks and stuff that we managed to try and Genevieve Taylor's venison she did was correct. It was like yeah, It's like a venison schwannoma type dish wasn't it, which was, which was fantastic. And obviously bumping into so many people that we weren't expecting to see, as well as meeting some new faces as well, which was, which was good fun. And you having some seafood there as well, which isn't like you at all, which is something a bit different. And that's the thing that the shows it allows you to push yourself outside the comfort zone without having to commit to trying to cook something that you don't think you're going to like yourself, right? Yeah, so what was it? What was it we had to squid? Oh, we have some squid. We had some scholarships. I'm sure at one point, someone gave us some wealth, because as well, weirdly, I'm sure I'm sure. I definitely don't remember it in those. But that means nothing there, right. I mean, we had to kind of be short, but yeah, you're right. I suppose the good and the bad thing. I've thought about military periods that you aren't you already doing little tasters, which is a good thing if you're not committing to a full meal or something. But on the other side of that you kind of want a little bit more of the good stuff, right? So the stuff that you do like you want more of it, particularly with our appetites, right? Yeah. Yeah. There's no getting around it. You're also paying London prices and London show, right? So that's the other side of it. You get in taster samples from some fantastic cooks. Some are amazing. Some you wonder if you can do better where you know you can do better at home. And that's all the more painful when you're paying the London prices, but the same time for the experience is great. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. If you've been looking or thinking about an outdoor kitchen, then look no further now us outdoor kitchens, they are the self leading outdoor kitchen design and installation specialists. Their extensive showroom is based just outside former from the Dorset Hampshire border and as well as numerous in store displays, also features a live outdoor kitchen, where they could every week on Komodo grills, pizza ovens, and all filmed and shown on YouTube. They offer a wealth of knowledge on how to transform your patio into the most incredible outdoor dining area with styles and options to suit every budget. And you can guarantee they will be able to create something perfectly suited to you and your home. They stock and supply everything that you're going to need for outdoor cooking including barbecues, Komodo ovens, pizza, ovens, outdoor fridges, every accessory that you would need to become the ultimate outdoor chef. So if you want to make yourself the envy of your friends or neighbors, get in touch with them today to arrange a consultation and take the first step in transforming your back garden into the most incredible entertainment space. Visit aos kitchens.co.uk. So yeah, that was good, obviously sort of festivals, another, you know, another quality. Another quality event. And obviously we talked about that probably more so than mediocre in this next, you know, this upcoming seasons that we you know, perhaps not necessarily talk too much about that. But obviously, we've had some fun, you know, I think we've had quite a few people kind of contact us over the summer and kind of started talking to us about cooks that they're doing and people have asked us some advice, which is always you know, kind of reassuring and nice to hear from people that you know, are listening to the podcast. Obviously, we've got to meet Jody from aos kitchens, who's obviously been working with us now over the season three, and also now season four. So that was really nice to kind of get down and see God AC or the kitchens. I'm so jealous. I so want one of those kitchen. Awesome stuff there. It's fantastic, isn't it and to cook with him as well, which was great, great fun. And having a go on kind of the kitchens that he's actually got down there and in the showroom. And it makes you realize different sizes are some of the quality kit as well because I'm so used to seeing things like an oni out there or small portable pizza ovens. But then the della vita he had there was a huge, wonderful piece of kit, which I'd absolutely love but you're not gonna be able to put that in the back of the car driving around much right? No, no, that's true. And obviously we got some videos coming out on YouTube Haven't we from from that day, so that's going to be something again for people to kind of look at look out for. We've got we've got a few videos that are just asked cook Yeah, literally cooking all sorts of different things, some more outside our comfort zones than others, mainly me having to do some some baking challenges, but there we are. But yeah, so I think it's, it's been a good it's been a good summer's break. Overall, I think, you know, we've had some great food, we've had some great conversations and great chats with people. I think we've planned a lot of things that have come out of that. But you know, what's your take on season four now? We've been We've we're we're kind of launching? Well, for me, I think we are both incredibly proud of what we managed to put together for the summer specials. And that was a fantastic launchpad for us. I think that we learned so much from the conversations that we had in that period where we spoke to Charles, we spoke to Adam, we spoke to Genevieve. And coming off on that, we got the opportunity to speak to some more fantastic people in the barbecue world, which you'll see coming up over the next 1011 12 weeks, some really great people, which we're looking forward to. And as well talking a lot about mental health and BBQ has come up again and again and again. And whether that's the further away we get from the pandemic, and the fact that barbecue brings people together, or just the fact that people are now ready to be able to talk about these things, you know, it's great to bring that to the forefront while also talking about great food. So, in particular, I'm proud about that as well. And there's some really interesting stories that come up throughout this next season, that it's worth keeping an eye on and reflecting on maybe, if you're having a bad day, you know, people are always out there to talk to get through it. But also someone else is probably having a lot worse day than you are. And sometimes that can help. And it's important to talk. So I'm proud of that, as well as some of the content we've got coming up. But what about yourself? Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I think, you know, you'll see from the selection of guests that we've got, you know, we're trying to cover again, a lot of different bases. So yes, obviously, mental health is something that is getting covered. When we're talking to another bucket, British barbecue company, which is, which is good, you know, we've got another, you know, suite of influences hope, you know, some high profile names within within UK barbecue scene. Obviously, we had a fantastic chat with Simon, the Butcher, who was kind of talking very much about kind of British, British beef and British meat in general and the pasture fed and that kind of passion, but also just then offering some alternatives, you know, some less cotton, some more cost effective meats, as you know, obviously, financially, things are a bit doom and gloom at the moment. So it was kind of, again, a bit of fresh air that it shouldn't just be raw going out and spending 5060 quid or 100 quid or whatever on a piece of brisket, actually, you could try this, and it is half the price or something like that. So that's also quite good. I think, you know, it doesn't always have to be costly things to cook, and still get great results. So yeah, I think that was that was, you know, an interesting episode. And we've had a, we've had a laugh pretty much with every single person. So again, talking about mental health, I mean, it's just as fun for us to do this. And it's actually a light relief for us as well to actually do this and talk to people and see people's different perspectives. And it certainly takes my mind away from things, other things that are going on into the world and just being able to focus on a conversation with someone you might be meeting face to face for the first time, but you've already had lots of interactions with. So yeah, that's really good. You know, good part of doing this podcast. And I think by the time that we finish this season, the last episode comes out, it'll be our 50th episode. If we've done our math, right, and if we get to record the little last little bits and pieces, because we're almost there. After obviously, this goes out, we'll still be doing a little bit of work behind the scenes. Yes, 50 episodes, I mean, you get get less of a murder, right. But it's that and also just imploring people do keep reaching out to us, whether it be on Instagram, whether it be through our website, and by emails, or other forms, even if you know us and you just drop us a message on kind of messenger or anything. We learn more by talking to people and answering questions, and it's definitely affected how I'm cooking. The last two shows we went to I was getting a lot of conversations with people saying that now life's getting back to normal, I hate the phrase new normal, so I refuse to use it. They're getting less and less time to barbecue. And I found that I've deliberately been doing Instagram posts and just cooking for myself deliberately 30 minute meals at home on a barbecue and that includes the start of that timer is when you put the chimney star on and learning more about that the fact that you can use a chimney star as a barbecue itself. If you just do in steaks, just being a bit more conscious and clever of what you're doing will elevate your game. And it's going to elevate us if you're asking us these questions and we can discuss them on the podcast. So please do keep doing that. And Owen and I have been on drives before one of us is driving the other one is checking kind of their emails or checking kind of our podcast page and responding to people and we that's some of our favorite things to do is when you guys reach out to us And we can talk to you back. So don't be strangers. You know, it's not just these people we're interviewing, we want to talk to you want to talk to you as well. So do reach out to us. Yeah, absolutely. And we want to know your questions. A if we can't answer them, we can get our guests to answer them. And I think you know, that's also really powerful. Talk, you mentioned actually low and slow, and just just actually thinking about it that over the summer, and you said about people getting back to normal. I actually can't remember the last time I did a low and slow cook. Because I just got busy it because life got busy again, right. The last one I did was probably that pork belly for you to brisket, pork belly, which was when I reckon August, three months. Yeah, something like that. I've done plenty of cooking since but none of it's been low and slow, or home at all. And I've a few times I've been hovering my thumb about getting a grass fed British brisket and doing something with it. And for whatever reason, I just haven't yet pulled the trigger on that. And I don't know if it's a time thing. Or if it's just subconsciously, I'm trying to do other cooks. But no, you're right. There was a period when all we were doing was just low and slow smoking cooks. Do you think that we've moved on past that for the time being? Or do you do personally think it's a time situation. I do think it's more of a time to time thing really. Again, one of the things that I realized I was doing this summer, which is kind of partly because of my indoor oven and hob is terrible. I actually got my gas barbecue out for the first time this summer. In like two years, a boy was water quicker. It fries eggs quicker. You know, I was making pancakes and stuff outside for breakfast because it was super quick. Yeah, I think over the last month, certainly over the last month or two months, you know, life's been very busy that actually, the main things that I've been doing is either using a gas barbecue quickly firing up the trigger for a cook that's under an hour. And you know, even yesterday, I was doing smash burgers, it was literally 15 minutes, the barbecue was on full. And that's it. It's off. Its off again. i Yeah, it's interesting, I think probably Christmas will be the next time I actually do something low and slow. Yeah, and we've been talking about trying to get together at some point over Christmas and doing something. So whether we decide to get an interesting piece of meat and try something low and slow for something to do and see if we're so by the end of the cook, we'll find out I'm sure we'll document that for you as well. If you keep your eyes on your social media over Christmas, you may find something along those lines, open up a bit like the wings tests that we did with different rubs the other year. So yeah, definitely keep your eyes peeled for that. And again, tag us in any kind of Christmas barbecuing experiments you get to do if you have the chance to do something different that you haven't been doing for a while. I know for someone like T bone, he's always doing stuff a bit off the page in different ways. So for someone like him, there's probably everything that you want to tag us in. But we'd love to see what you guys are doing as well because we want more inspiration to speaking to people like Dan from urban street hurry, Dom from college carnivore and previous series, I don't want to necessarily spoil some of the guests that we've got coming up. But again, from the conversations that we've had in this series, they do inspire us. But it's very easy for us to talk about different techniques for stuff we've already done before, and just how to improve our game from that regard. If someone's doing something completely different, we never would have considered we want to hear about it as well. And then show you how we can mess it up on a grand scale. That's my speciality, frankly. So getting the chance to do that will be great too. And getting more into British charcoal as well. It's something that I need to look into more and try a few different ones. I mean, I've got some charcoal from the green olive company coming up to us too. So that'll be good. Have you been going more into British barbecue charcoal and using that I've been using what I've been using the reserves that I had, which was the Weber charcoal which you know we were talking about in a previous episode. That's just come to an end. I actually need to order some new ones. I think I said to you earlier in the week off off off air that I've actually ran it I've pretty much run out of everything. I'd run out of Trager pellets, I'd run out a lump word I'd run out of briquettes so I'm waiting for a new audit to come in so yeah, I've got a I've got to restock that coffers on Do you have any plans for next year have something you want to do or want to achieve? From barbecue? know Yeah, I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm still just thinking about Christmas to be honest with you and Having some family open, you know, and actually planning a menu for that. So no is no is the answer what where are you? From you? Yes, it's part of barbecue. But I would love the opportunity for us whether it be both of us or depending on diaries, if it means any one of us could do it, but have the chance for us to actually interview someone on stage in front of people live, I think it'd be fantastic, great. And get kind of that audience is your that is your Word of the Day is that is my word of the day. It's been one of those days, frankly, Oh, fantastic day, it has to get your live participation would be great as well have the opportunity to do something like that. I know. We've been speaking personally for a while about whether we do something catering wise somehow whether it just be for your your boys kind of football club or something different. I think it would be a good notch for us to cook for people on a grander scale like that. If it happens, and if my sanity would allow it is a different thing altogether. Those are some of the different things that I thought would be interesting and exciting for us to get up to next year. Whether it's possible. Time will tell I guess. Yeah, well, let's see. Let's go 2023 brings right but first you guys have quite enjoyed this new series. Yeah, absolutely. Also, just a couple of things to notice as well. We on the meat & Greet BBQ podcast website, we've now got a shop function. So you can see the meat & Greet BBQ podcast merch. We've got aprons, mugs, T shirts, we've we're thinking about some other merch coming in as well. We started a new affiliation with with the pen. So again, if you're looking for a new meat thermometer, and you're you're conscious about cooking to temperature and not time, you'll you'll be able to find that on our website or links through our social media channels. Obviously, you know, that will help us in terms of getting a little kickback from thermal pen, which will allow us to grow the grow the podcast even further. So that's really exciting to kind of work with such a prestigious brand, like thermo panda obviously is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. So yeah, I think roll roll on season four. Hopefully you enjoy the guests that we've got coming up, we thoroughly enjoyed recording. And Christmas is going to be upon us very, very soon. And then and then we'll be talking about all the stuff that 2020 is very exciting and horrible to think of that. When we started this podcast 2020 or less when we first started talking about it. I can't remember if we actually recorded any episodes in 2020. Did we know it's 2021 we launched it even so we've been talking about it for what would have been three years ago. So it's been a journey, right? To use a cliche, but we'll do our best to keep on driving for you trucking and keep it going. So yeah, do keep listening. And what we're going to do as well. Details pending, but for our 50th episode, we will be looking at running a little competition. So keep your eyes peeled on our social channels. And we'll let you know more. You better get on solid something for that right. Yeah, definitely. just announced it. So it's gonna happen. It's got to happen now. And I'm the one editing it. So I'm just going to put that on a loop for four or five minutes for everyone. So yeah, go get a groove on that. Oh, yeah. Finally, yeah. Thank you again for listening. As long as you keep listening, we'll keep churning them out. Where possible, of course. Yeah, thanks very much guys. And yeah, we hope you enjoy season four. And until next time, keep on grilling Today's episode is brought to you by aos kitchens. The selfs leading outdoor kitchen design and installation specialists.