Update: 2nd cook, pork chops. Meal complete

Chad

Update
Cooked the 4 chops tonight. I brought the egg up to 400 and let it stabilize. It was pretty windy here, and being my second cook, was a bit tricky. I tossed some sweet maple chips on coals before cooking.
I let them cook ~8 minutes a side before pulling them with the temp about 140. I let them rest under aluminum foil and a towel for about 10 minutes will I did the asparagus and romaine hearts.

It was another great cook. My wife, sister and her boyfriend were all really impressed.

sorry no pictures, it was consumed quickly after the side dished came off the grill.

Thanks again for the help.
/update


Alright, finally able to do my second cook on the egg and I've selected pork chops for tomorrow evening.

I have 4 chops, 1/5lb each and ~1 inch thick. I'll be soaking them in a brine to help hold some moisture. Now what I don't know is the best method to cook them.

from searching, I'm thinking about Trexing them, but wanted to make sure my methods are right.

1. internal egg temp 7-800 degrees
2. lid open and sear for ~75 seconds on each side
3. pull and let chops rest and bring temp down to 350 ~10 minute process
5. add in some apple chips for a little smoke
4. chops back on to finish, ~5 minutes a side, pulling when internal temp hit 135-140
5. rest for 5 minutes under foil.

I think this will turn out proper chops, but again this is my second cook and really don't want to waste 2 pounds of meat.

Side dishes will be romaine hearts slightly grilled (as described here), asparagus from the grill and then possibly potatoes.

Let me know what to change, or please verify if I'm correct in my planning.

oh...also, is there any harm in going up to 7-800 degrees on my second cook?

Thanks in advance

"Sparky"

I would wait on the high temp cooks for a week or two.Just to make sure that everything is set up properly.This is my opinion.I waited for 12-15 cooks before I raised the temps that high.

dhuffjr

Maybe on the temp. Your plan sounds good. I'd have to double check the temp but that sounds right for a final temp. I normally cook chops a bit under the USDA regs.

Myself I'm normally a 350/400 kinda guy. The higher temps with the classic T-Rex method tends to give me more burning than crust. Maybe its me or my taste preference.

I also normally do loin chops, but you sound like your on track. If you tank a cook never fear there is always the next time. I promise you will cook some boinkers. Whether you share them with us or not is the question.....ask Chubby and LawnRanger what happens when you do........

BENTE

me i would think about wraping both of those chops up and doing them later. i would not recomend going up past 450 until your 7th or 10th cook. your gasket needs time to "cure". meaning a couple (your choice) of cooks sort of low so the glue under the gasket has time to "seep' into the cracks and crevises.

now that was the procedure we told people for the last year and a half. now BGE has come out with a new gasket made out of the same material that they make NASCAR (and i am sure others) fire suits out of. it is called Nomex. they have not started putting them on the factory eggs yet. so i am assuming you have a grey "felt" gasket. i hade one last me 2 1/2 years, and i did not "cure" mine.


your methoud sounds great!!!but i would hate to see you take some good looking 1 inch thick chops and have them turn out great but you smell something "strange" and open up when your egg and see the top and bottom of your egg gasket sticking to each other instead of to the egg...


but if you store them right you will have a good dinner next weekend. i have cureds a gasket in 3 days but i had to.


good luck and welcome!!!

BENTE

it will take longer to go down to 350 than 10 min. i would throw your watch out the window when looking at egg temps it will get there when it wants to.......... trust me

Mike in Abita

All good responses below. Why not just cook them like you did on you old pit? I'm assuming you have grilled before? Maybe you could do a comparison cook from what you remembered, to what the EGG can do. Not saying the TRex method won't work but why run the risk on your gasket.

Although it might be worth the risk.



As you can see I did fry the gasket on the MINI during this cook.

Cory430

That is an awesome pic Mike!...Almost worth the trouble of replacing the gasket.

Chad

Good replies everyone. At least I'm on the right track with cooking methods, even if I'm off on heating and cooling times with the egg.

I'm glad I asked about the gasket, I'd heard conflicting answers about it. It sounds like I most likely would have messed it up.

Looks like I'll just do a lower temp cook and hold off on the Trexing for another time.

ILL--EGGER

I've egg'd pork chops twice now and both times they turned out great. Get the egg to 450 and grill direct for about 7 min. per side and then measure internal temp. (I shoot for 150). They are VERY juicy and well done at this temperture. I believe that the recommended interanal for pork is actually 160 if i'm not mistaken.

Chad

update in first post.

Thanks again for replies. You guys probably saved my gasket.

Time to start thinking about dinner next saturday. yea, unfortunately right now I can only fire up the egg on weekends due to my work schedule.