Tom from Bournemouth (ex-pat yank)

[lakemirror]

Hi all. Making the move from Florida to Dorset next month and was excited to find this web site. I was searching the internet for a way to get my British butcher to understand what I meant by pork butt and one of your forum messages popped up in the search results.

Have spent lots of time in Bournemouth prior to making the decision to move, as my wife's family lives there and we visit a couple of times a year. I'm bringing a new WSM with me, my old one will be waiting for me in Florida for times we return. I mostly smoke ribs and butts and have been perfecting my salmon recently. I like to do a turkey at Thanksgiving but seeing as how that's not a British holiday I guess I'll be on my own to eat it.

My good friend Rob here in the states heads up the Swamp Boys competition BBQ team, he has done very well at it...see swampboys.com I am purely amateur but possibly better described as enthusiast.

Cheers!

[Steve]

Welcome to the forum. Good to have you on board. I'm sure we'll all be picking your brains in no time.

[All Weather Griller]

Hi Tom,

Great to see you on board, there are a few people here that like to cook in honour of "Thanks Giving" see our You Tube vid that I did with a couple of friends a year or so back:



I know its not traditionally a holiday here, but many of us need to use it for an excuse to fire up LOL.

There are quite a few people with contacts on the Butchery front, so we may be able to help. Although I fear you will miss the generosity of the US cuts. Ours are unfortunately not so big.

Look forward to seeing your posts and if you're ever around the South East of England, we hold comps that you would be more than welcome to attend.

All the best

Adie

[Chris__M]

I like to do a turkey at Thanksgiving but seeing as how that's not a British holiday I guess I'll be on my own to eat it.

If you want to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, and need people to eat it, I am sure that some of the folk here can oblige!

[stickthekettleon]

Yup, did turkey for Halloween and Christmas last year both worked out a treat
Welcome to the forum

[lakemirror]

Thanks, everyone, glad to be here.

Might as well post my first question right here: what's the consensus on fuel for low-and-slow? I'm not sure that I'll find my old reliable Kingsford briquettes in England so I'll need a replacement. I can do either lump charcoal or briquettes....what do you use, and where do you get it?

Also, I see with further reading here that the winner of your final is going to the Jack. My buddy Rob, mentioned above, claimed 1st in pork shoulder last year. That's Rob and Amy, 3rd and 4th from the right. He said it was a blast.

[joker smoker]

Hi Tom and welcome, Bournemouth is quite a nice place to be. The concensus on fuel seems to be one of the following. 1.Aussie Heat Beads 2. Restaurant Grade Lumpwood [from Bookers or Makro] 3. Coconut Briquettes from CPL..You may also find Costco here for things like heavy duty foil and large ziplock bags

[All Weather Griller]

Joker Smoker and the Doc have pretty much nailed it. We are also subject to scrapping around in the winter for suppliers of fuel, so stocking up in the summer is advised.

Doc will concur I think, in the UK we have an unusual seasonal approach to BBQ and so supplies out of the norm are hard to come by. We tend to post our findings and little nuggets of info on here. I think if you need something at anytime someone here will know where is best to get it.

Also there is a growing culture of people saying "I'm off to the states anyone need anything bringing back?".

[All Weather Griller]

Ya you wont find Kingsford, Royal Oak or even Cowboy lump over here but the non branded stuff from cash and carry ( Price Club/Costco/Smart and Final to you and I ) tends to cook well.

BBBQS sends a team to the Jack and the Royal but I think you have to have a British passport.

I don't think the Passport is essential for the Royal dude, that could be a way forward... LOL

The passport - Anti American National thing in International teams (I think) is a JD thing.

[stickthekettleon]

And oh god!!! NEVER buy briquettes at the garage forecourt.