New owner

royvol3

lots of questions to start with. I was thinking of trying a spatchcock chicken for my 1st cook, I  need a good recipe, detailed intrustions (eq. use plate setter or not, do you use a drip pan when cooking) as you can tell I am very new to this kind of cooking, I also need to know what are the must have accessories, (eq. chimey starter, best kind of starters, BBQ GURU, & are they worth the money)...Thanks

Mickey

No plate setter. No drip pan. BBQ Guru is not needed. Spatchcocked Turkey and Chicken on the Big Green Egg (you cut out the backbone and cook opened) I like a 11/12 lb bird. If I need lots of turkey I just cook a couple ( 1 & 1/2 hr cook app) Chicken 3 to 4.5lb bird or birds. Under an hour cook. Or, just add a package of legs extra. I do not brine the turkey or Chicken. If time I like to leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (no problem if no time) I cook "direct" @ 400 on a raised grill "skin side up" and never turn over. I will use a coffee rub. Use what you like. NOTE PLEASE (A LOT OF SMOKE IS NOT YOU FRIEND) I use about a single handfull of mixed chips: Cherry & Pecan. Cook to temp (not time) breast @ 160 and thigh @ 180. Coffee Rub (turkey, chicken, beef & pork) Equal part: Instant Expresso Ground coffee.. Equal part: Brown Sugar.. ½ part: Black Pepper.. ½ part: Kosher Salt.. ½ part: Garlic Powder.. ¾ part: Ancho Chili Powder.. Don't worry on exact, just close on measurement. I used to use turbinado sugar but we like with brown better. This is pulled from MollyShark, Hungry Man, & Richard In Fl then tweaked. I find the ancho chili powder is far less expensive in the bulk spice area than the bottled area ( have used both light or dark version). I make it starting with a half cup Instant Expresso Ground coffee and work from there as it seems to store well if sealed.

Mickey

Also S&P works well.

robnybbq

Excellent advice. If this is your first cook make sure you let the lump burn and wait for clean smelling smoke before putting the chicken on. If it smells like a campfire wait a little longer. This can take 20-30 mins with fresh new lump. Somestimes longer if needed.

Skiddymarker

Welcome, good advice from @Mickey, even if he was shamelessly promoting his coffee rub - it is very good and deserves shameless promotion. 

Fill the egg with lump to at least the middle of the fire ring. i use an electric starter, from the top near the front, after 8 minutes take out the starter. Let the egg stabilize - dome temp at 400º best to leave it for about an hour to be sure until you get the hang of it. 

Raised direct means the cooking grid is at the felt line, you need something to get it there. Some use empty beer/soda cans, bolts and nuts, adjustable rigs and lots of other ways. Fire bricks sitting on their side on the fire ring also works. Good luck!

If you haven't already, go to this link and enter your zip/postal code

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1568855#Comment_1568855

stemc33

Welcome. +1 on direct raised at 400°. If you don't have a good thermometer, I'd put that on the top of the list. I use the ThermoPop from Thermoworks. Most use and promote the Thermapen from the same company. The ThermoPop is slightly slower, which could equal a lot of arm-hair on hot cooks. Here's a link.

http://thermoworks.com/

Cooking to temp not time, will make your food taste so much better. You'll get better at guesstimating time with experience, but still need to cook to temp. Don't worry about opening the egg during a cook to check the temp, it comes back up to temp almost immediately.

Skiddymarker

@stemc33 - think you meant but still need to cook to temp.......

and when opening the egg - burp it, burp it, burp it! 

jtcBoynton

Must have accessories - good instant read thermometer. Take your time adding others. There are alternative products, so look around and check out past discussions on this forum to help you decide.

stemc33

Skiddymarker said:

@stemc33 - think you meant but still need to cook to temp.......

and when opening the egg - burp it, burp it, burp it! 

Good catch. I just edited/fixed the post.

Mickey

Any cook. Burp-Burp-Burp

cook861

welcome we like pictures

Grillin_beers

I tell you my favorite accessory, cast iron grate. I love it for searing steaks ect. I guess the most important is a good thermometer. I use a thermapen for instant read and an iGrill for my low and slow cooks. A lot of people seem to do a spatchcock chicken for their first cook. Good luck and remember pics or it didn't happen!

ChrisSonn23

I second the burp comment. Didn't do it one time and caught a fireball to the face! Singed my beard, eye lashes and eye brows!

tulocay

Welcome

henapple

Crack a beer. Just stare at the egg.
Crack a beer. Hug the egg.
Crack a beer...just because. ..
Crack a beer.. egg.

@royvol3‌ ...where are you located?

hapster

Welcome!!!

Be sure and take and post plenty of pics. Food porn is pretty popular round here.

TigerTony

As far as best kind of starters.
Number one way on my list is a Mapp torch.(not propane)
It's quick easy, fairly inexpensive and last a long long time before buying a refill bottle.
Hold flame in three different spots on lump for 15-20 seconds each and it's lit.
I can't imagine a better way.

jtcBoynton

If you use the waxed starters, they sometimes misbehave and don't do so well if they don't get enough air.

royvol3

Hey guys thanks for all the advice & please keep them coming, question about burping, do I need to burp while cooking or just burp it when I'm checking the food temp...

royvol3

1 more question, but I'm sure there will more later, do you guys use a drip pan when cooking direct heat?

DRKEgg

Only need to burp when opening to check food, but it is VERY important to burp on higher temperature cooks.

royvol3

I was thinking I might throw a couple of baked potatoes on while the birds are cooking, anyone done this? Suggestion on best way to do so or whether or not to do it...

TigerTony

royvol3 said:

I was thinking I might throw a couple of baked potatoes on while the birds are cooking, anyone done this? Suggestion on best way to do so or whether or not to do it...

Yes why not do some baked potatoes.
There are many ways. I like to poke some holes in the potato cut some shallow slits, rub it with some butter or oil. Wrap a foil boat leaving top uncovered. Sprinkle with favorite sessoning or just s and p. Cook along side chicken. Then be creative add cheese-chives or my favorite roasted garlic, whatever....!

Fred19Flintstone

Welcome @royvol3 ! Regarding your question about a drip pan while cooking direct, that can't happen because by definition, the drip pan will deflect the direct heat making it indirect. Does that make sense?

royvol3

yes it does, I actually didn't think about it that way, another question, tomorrow will be the first cook, how does it usually take to get the egg up to temp, eq. 350 to 400

NPHuskerFL

Welcome.

royvol3

hey mickey, do you coat the bird with oil before you put the rub on, or just use rub only...

royvol3

are the electric charcoal starters worth purchasing & if so are there any difference between the cheap ones at lowe's & the actual big green egg ones. thanks...

royvol3

would like some detail info on reverse sear & caveman style cooks for steaks...

jhl192

I usually don't bake my potatoes direct. I have an AR (Adjustable Rig) so if I am spatchcocking a chicken direct I bake my potatoes on a second grid above the bird, further from the flame. I wash, stab with a fork, rub with Olive oil, put on kosher salt and cook to an internal temp of 210 degrees.

Mickey

jhl192 said:

I usually don't bake my potatoes direct. I have an AR (Adjustable Rig) so if I am spatchcocking a chicken direct I bake my potatoes on a second grid above the bird, further from the flame. I wash, stab with a fork, rub with Olive oil, put on kosher salt and cook to an internal temp of 210 degrees.

Just a suggestion. I cook a lot of spatchcocked chicken and turkey direct on the AR. Put your protein on top of the AR. I cook at 400.