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Phase 3 and Beyond: Cooking

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nysportsfan
nysportsfan Posts: 241
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Welp, my final stage is complete, here are the results of the first simple cook - a spatchcocked chicken with accordion potatoes and asparagus.

On the grill about to be pulled off at an IT of 163*:
img20110129190623.jpg

Results were awesome. Golden brown and the JUICIEST chicken I have ever eaten. My parents and brother were hooked. They were very impressed by the simple chicken and a chipotle rub. The potatoes were good, just needed a bit more spice. The Maverick thermometer worked great, really glad I have it, never opened the dome at all.


img20110129191929.jpg

It will take me some time to get the knack for stabilizing the temperature. I was back and forth, up and down, but I think it just takes some courage to get the temp right and leave it/walk away. I will definitely try and get used to it. If this is the result, I am happy as can be B)
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Comments

  • bobbyb
    bobbyb Posts: 1,349
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    great first cook!
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    SCHWEET!!! ;):)
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  • Fornia
    Fornia Posts: 451
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    Awesome looking stuff there!!! Great 1st run, you'll be winning over more fans everytime you use it!

    So, is it......mets or yanks? g-men or jets?
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  • kip stabone
    kip stabone Posts: 51
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    You'll be the envy of Fanatic and Icon in no time. Looks good.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Congrats on your first cook. You will see as time passes by and you continue to read this forum you will see your cooks improve. Your parents and brother may someday get an egg as well. ;) Tim

    The way I keep my temps from going up and down and having to chase them during my cook is I get my egg stabilized before putting my food in.

    If you lite your fire with the bottom damper wide open and daisy wheel off you will begin to adjust your dome temp with the bottom damper first by closing the screen then the door.

    As you approach your desired temp close your bottom damper in small increments until it is about an inch to 3/4 inch open. That should get you around 400F dome. Now place your daisy wheel on wide open and close it in increments. Once you reach your desired temp let your egg stay there for 30 minutes or more longer.

    In time you will get your own system and lighting your egg and getting it stable will become 2nd hand.

    Another thing I do I before I put food on my egg I wait for the VOC's in the lump to burn off. That is the bad smelling smoke. You will know when that is when you wave your hand over the dome and daisy wheel if it smells like an outside bonfire it's not ready yet.
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  • nysportsfan
    nysportsfan Posts: 241
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    I did wait a while until that smell went away. I added a chunk of apple wood right as the chicken went on. I put it on the outside of the burn, and it was blackened but still there at the end.

    If I want to do low and slow, should i just keep the temps around 250 right away with the vent mostly shut as well as the daisy wheel mostly shut? I know its harder to bring temps down rather than go up. I did that today and opened more and more as time went by and I wanted a higher temp. Hope to slow cook some ribs tomorrow around 250, and figured nearly choking off temps right away would be the way to do it.

    Oh, and Jets and Mets fan, d'oh.

    Thanks guys, much appreciated. Best chicken I've ever had, and it was only on the first cook!
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    nysportsfan wrote:
    If I want to do low and slow, should i just keep the temps around 250 right away with the vent mostly shut as well as the daisy wheel mostly shut? I know its harder to bring temps down rather than go up. I did that today and opened more and more as time went by and I wanted a higher temp. Hope to slow cook some ribs tomorrow around 250, and figured nearly choking off temps right away would be the way to do it.

    The way I stabilize my egg at 250F dome is like I said before start your fire with the vent open then slowly close them as the temp approaches 50F to 25F degrees before your desired temp. This way your lump will burn and establish an air way to burn. One other thing I do is when my cook is indirect I will place the plate setter in shortly after I start my fire. If your egg is stable when you put your meat in you should not have to adjust the vents. In time your egg should recover. Have a great rib cook tomorrow. Tim :)
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Tim, you actually USE the daisy? Only time I ever do is for a lo n slow. Otherwise, it's buried in a snowbank. Seriously! I know it's out there somewhere! :)

    Yes, sportsfan, for 250°, both top and bottom should be mostly closed, once you get close to temp. Though, if your not a Yanks fan, I'm not sure why I'm answering your questions. And then there's Rex. :laugh:

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Hey Michael, I use my daisy wheel on cooks less than 350F. For the most part. The only thing is I don't have a snow bank to store my daisy wheel in. :woohoo:
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  • nysportsfan
    nysportsfan Posts: 241
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    Makes sense, thanks. I will try it tomorrow. I almost want an excuse to cook something on it regardless :laugh:
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  • nysportsfan
    nysportsfan Posts: 241
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    Mets stink, no argument there. But Rex is the man, and all he's done is win so far ;)

    When you say once you get close to temp, that's basically right away for 250* no?
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    I really don't blame you there bud. ;)

    I have been following this forum and egging food for over two years and I still want to eat my main meals off the egg unless I need a break. Before I had my first egg a year we got our second large egg. :woohoo:

    Keep in mind there are many ways to do your cooks and lit your egg and...so read the forum and get your system. Use my suggestions a guide lines to get you close. ;)
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    2Fategghead wrote:
    The only thing is I don't have a snow bank to store my daisy wheel in. :woohoo:

    Smart a$$. :laugh: I still have 2' on my roof, ice dams and water in my house!! Not much, but still...

    I rarely cook anything below 350°, unless it's a butt or sumpthin'. Therefore, no daisy.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Lovenbrau
    Lovenbrau Posts: 307
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    When I do potatoes like that I put a small slab of butter in each cut, and season with what ever you like. Then wrap in foil and cook. Everything looks good, can't go wrong cooking on the egg!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    For a 250° cook, I leave top and bottom vents wide open (daisy wheel off and dome closed) to about 225°. Then I add the daisy (barely open) and close the bottom to about 1/16". You have to sneak up on it because, if it gets too high, it takes forever to bring it back down.

    Mets are hopeless. Rex is a blowhard. :laugh:

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Man that is a but load of snow. :unsure:
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  • Mr Holloway
    Mr Holloway Posts: 2,034
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    Nice first cook
    Great pics :)
    You are going to eat very well now :laugh:
    For help and recipe ideas, the search engine is amazing.

    Shane
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