First cook on the mini tonight! (lots of pics) =)

So, got my mini today, and had my first cook. Gave it a really good breakin' in, too!

Unpacked and ready to assemble. Oh, and the NY Strip coming to temperature next to it.



Also got a few accessories for the large... a "small" plate setter - this will be used as a skewer rest in the bottom of the firebox for when I cook tandoori style, a new pizza stone (so I can cook in the oven inside as well on the egg outside), and an ash pan.



Nice, juicy, aberdeenshire angus NY Strip. Dry aged for 41 days.



... and seasoned. Not much fuss. Just kosher salt & freshly ground black peppercorns.



Quick calibration of the thermometer...



And we're ready to rock & roll. The setup: Only temporary, I need a table that holds both the large & mini now. :(



Come on baby, light my fire!



While the mini was doing it's first burn (let it burn around 400 or so for an hour), I went inside and did a little prep work, which included preparing the haggis. What's that, I say? HAGGIS? Well, someone said if I could make haggis look good, they'd give it a try. So here's my attempt. First, I parboiled it. Unfortunately, while it was parboiling, the ends exploded off. lol.



Originally I was going to parboil it, then slice it, then grill it over high direct heat for a nice sear... then serve it on top of grilled tomatoes... but since the ends exploded, I had to improvise. So what's any self respecting egger do in this situation? Wrap it in BACON!



After the haggis was ready, and the tomatoes sliced, I went back outside and put on some more lump and cranked the mini up to 750.



Brushed some oil on the grate...



And dropped my dinner on.



Almost immediately the flames started kissing the steak.



Zea wasn't about to move. She was staying right where she was, hoping I'd accidentally drop a steak on her wee little head. lol



First flip, about 90 secondes or so after putting it on.



Steak off, closed the vents to almost completely closed, and dialed back the temperature to around 425 so the steak could finish cooking.



Zea was going NUTS at this point, she could smell the steak and it was almost within reach...



About 15 minutes later, after several burps of the mini, I got it to stabilize around 425 and put the steak back on.



Let it sizzle for another 8 minutes (4 per side). Here it is ready to come off.



Resting, while the rest of the food cooks.



Bacon wrapped haggis on the egg. The haggis is already cooked, so I just had to crisp up the bacon a wee bit.



Profile view of bacon wrapped haggis.



Tomato slices & jalapeno ready to go on.



Everything roasting now.



Time for a wee dram of my favorite adult beverage



Dinner is served! TRex style NY Strip, served with bacon wrapped haggis, grilled tomatos, roasted jalapeno, baby romaine lettuce and a few onion slices that I found at the last minute. My wife was all "you should have grilled the onions!" Of course, she's right. lol



That steak was awesome. Better than the ribeye I cooked last Sunday.