|
|
Post by smashtoad on Sept 4, 2015 9:37:46 GMT -5
Fellas,
I'm an amateur in the strictest sense, but have been eating all my life.
This weekend I plan to fire up my new copper performer deluxe with the SN. I know the copper finish is pointless...but d**n it looks good. I am pretty pumped at the prospect of becoming a solid griller into the future.
I'm going to grill tonight, and smoke a couple of chickens tomorrow. Not sure what the wife wants to grill this evening, but I plan to grill whatever it is indirectly, yes? Is there anything that grills better over the coals? If she wants steaks, I'll sear over the coals, but cook indirect.
I am going to fire it up without any dry runs...just being honest. I don't have my 732 yet...I have the DT-09GG. Any initial tips that come directly to mind would be very appreciated if anyone sees this before this evening.
Peace |
|
|
|
Post by rangerone on Sept 4, 2015 9:55:01 GMT -5
Fellas,
I'm an amateur in the strictest sense, but have been eating all my life.
This weekend I plan to fire up my new copper performer deluxe with the SN. I know the copper finish is pointless...but d**n it looks good. I am pretty pumped at the prospect of becoming a solid griller into the future.
I'm going to grill tonight, and smoke a couple of chickens tomorrow. Not sure what the wife wants to grill this evening, but I plan to grill whatever it is indirectly, yes? Is there anything that grills better over the coals? If she wants steaks, I'll sear over the coals, but cook indirect.
I am going to fire it up without any dry runs...just being honest. I don't have my 732 yet...I have the DT-09GG. Any initial tips that come directly to mind would be very appreciated if anyone sees this before this evening.
Peace Having two cooking zones for grilling (direct and indirect) works best in my opinion. When I do steaks, sausage, chicken parts, etc. I always start the meat off beside the charcoal (indirect) with the lid closed until the internal temperature of the meat is close to where I want it to be, but definitely below the target temperature by about 20F - 25F. You will develop your own feel for this after doing it a few times. I check it using a hand held digital meat thermometer. Then I move the meat over the charcoal (direct) leaving the lid off and finish the meat by searing it until it is nicely browned. This is called a reverse sear method (read more about this at AmazingRibs.com) and it is the best way to grill meat in my opinion. The secret is to turn the meat often when it is directly over the charcoal, and forget about grill marks. Try to get an even brown look to the meat. May not look as cool as the grill marks, but you get better flavour. I always use the thermometer to tell me when the meat is done. |
|
|
|
Post by smashtoad on Sept 4, 2015 10:04:30 GMT -5
Thanks Ranger. Looking forward to that 732 mod. Hope to have it done by next weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by ncsmoker on Sept 4, 2015 15:12:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by smashtoad on Sept 5, 2015 17:23:33 GMT -5
I grilled four burgers last night. Cooked them indirectly at like 230-250 for what seemed like 40 minutes. I got them to about 145F and threw them over the coals to crisp them a bit. Once they hit 165 I pulled them...and they were the best burgers I've ever had from a home grill.
It sounds like hyperbole...but it's not. My wife and daughter were incredulous that I made those burgers. They were so juicy...but done on the outside.
Thanks fellas...this is gonna be fun.
|
|
|
|
Post by 1luckytexan on Sept 6, 2015 16:14:04 GMT -5
there are so many 'unusual' things to try - they may not always be hit with everyone, but it CAN be surprising what works.
smoked cabbage, meatloaf, Atomic Buffalo Turds (jalapeno poppers/ABTs) I have smoked hardboiled eggs in a little pecan smoke for about 30-40 minutes, then later made deviled eggs with them - awesome.
even hot dogs with 45 minutes or an hour in the smoke go to the 'next level' in taste.
here's a recipe;
Smoked Hard-Boiled Eggs
A little info on hard boiling eggs first. Older eggs are less likely to crack while boiling and will peel better - try to buy them a week or more before you need them. The night before you plan to cook and smoke them, place the cartons on their sides, this will help center the yolk if you plan to make deviled eggs with them. Place the eggs from the fridge onto the bottom of a large pot and cover them with cool tap water leaving 1/2" or so above the eggs.(bringing the eggs to temp along WITH the water will help reduce cracking)(adding a coupla' Tsps. of salt will help to coagulate any 'leaking' eggs should they crack - vinegar will too BUT peeling will be more difficult - avoid adding vinegar). Begin heating the pot on high. NOTE! you MUST begin timing the eggs as soon as boiling begins. Less than 10 minutes risks a slight underdone yolk, more than 11 minutes will begin the green/black mineral deposits on the yolk (harmless but unsightly). During the 11 minutes of boiling, prepare a large bowl of 1/2 ice and 1/2 water to receive the eggs. This will stop the cooking process further decreasing the green-black coating on the yolk. After the 11 minutes of boiling has expired IMMEDIATELY pour of the hot water and place the eggs in the ice water. After a few minutes begin peeling. Take an egg and crack it in several places then roll it atound betwenn your palm with a little pressure, peel under a stream of water to wash off small shell pieces.
If the above is done during or near the end of a BBQ session, the still warm, peeled eggs should be place on an oiled (to prevent sticking - might try the non stick foil next time) grate in the pit (this is a BBQ recipe - about 225degrees and a little smoke please) for 30-45 minutes. More than 45 minutes and they begin to get a little leathery. Try some pecan wood smoke. Very tasty and yes they can be used for THE BEST deviled eggs. have fun. (the above cook times are for folks at/near sea level - those at altitude probably know how to adjust)
Carl
1 Lucky Texan
|
|
|
|
Post by ncsmoker on Sept 6, 2015 20:19:10 GMT -5
Can't agree with you more 1luckytexan. Any vegetable is fair game. Any meat or fish. Smoke my own bacon and ham now. Do deserts on the Weber.
Smashtoad did burgers on my Weber tonight, they took 6min tonight to get a good sear on each side(3min per side). I use 80/20 chuck for my ground beef. The coals were run down the center of the grill and were stacked 2-3 high. Approximate temp 600 degrees. The juices were running out of them so that the buns disintegrated by the end and had some on the plate. My secret is forming the burgers with salt and pepper a couple of hours ahead of grilling them, letting them firm up in the frig, and then pulling them out about a 1/2 hour before grilling to warm up.
Tom
|
|
|
|
Post by 1luckytexan on Sept 7, 2015 1:44:02 GMT -5
+1 on that lean/fat ratio. I know people who use the ground sirloin and, to me, it's way too dry.
also, I usually cook thin-ish 1/4lb frozen patties and eat a double burger - if there are kids or dieters in the group, it works well for them to get one pattie, and, a double burger has more delicious surface area for maillard reaction flavor and any flavor smoke you used. (I've been enjoying grilling with cherry lately) I also freeze leftover patties, make quesadillas with them. Put down a tortilla in a frying pan while the pattie is being thawed on a paper plate in the microwave. cut the pattie into 8 strips. I use a coupla slices of pepperjack cheese on the bottom (divide one to maximize coverage) place the burger strips down on the cheese, then use 2 more slices of cheese on top of the meat., then another tortilla. About 3 minutes on high, turn the temp down to med, I use the papaer plate from the microwaved meat and pres on the tortilla to flip it and the pan, then 2 minutes on that side. makes a big meal for one or a nice snack for 2 - maybe some sour cream and salsa, chips and some melon or fruit...easy peasy!
of course, crumbling the meat, different cheese, buttering the tortilla, a spatula and a real griddle would all work too.
the wife likes spaghetti squash grilled - there are so many grillable and Q-able recipes around.
Once, in my big pit, I experimented with bread. I bought some frozen dough at Kroger, divided it into 4 big 'lumps'/buns. Cooked it on the top grate of my good-one 30-24 where I knew it was hottest. This was near the end of a poultry cook and I had already stopped adding flavor wood so, there was just lump charcoal burning. Everyone like the bread and it even surprised me how well it worked.
Funny thing, my middle daughter was shocked at what i was doing and actually said "you can't cook bread like that!"
I snarkily replied - "Yeah, whoever heard of cooking bread with heat from burning wood."
kids
lol!
|
|
|
|
Post by smashtoad on Sept 8, 2015 9:46:57 GMT -5
I experienced my first stall on my second ever cook! I smoked two gigantic (seriously...weird how big they were) whole chicken breasts on Sunday. They were so big that I butterflied them.
It took about three hours...maybe a little less. They were amazing. Once the breasts got up to about 145F they just...well...stalled. I finally added four more coals and got her rolling again. The outside was crisp, but the inside was perfect...again...the wife and I just looked at each other and wondered why we hadn't been doing this for years. |
|
|
|
Post by 1luckytexan on Sept 8, 2015 12:46:51 GMT -5
the old theory on the stall in butts and briskets was - conversion temp of collagen. but, now many people think it's strictly moisture loss. I see no reason it can't be some of both but, I'm not really in a position to experiment much. I just try to do what works. for chicken breasts though - it may have been mostly moisture loss, not much collagen I don't think. There IS fat under the skin so, maybe that was involved?  |
|
|
|
Post by ncsmoker on Sept 8, 2015 13:05:23 GMT -5
Never had a stall in chicken or turkey. Don't know what happened with your breasts. What was the grill temp, I like to smoke chicken at 275 to 300.
Tom
|
|
