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Mini owners... Suggestions please.

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Chubbs
Chubbs Posts: 6,929
in EggHead Forum
At the beach and only have my mini. Cooking dinner tonight for 5 adults. Any suggestions? Thinking about turbo butt cook.
Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
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    For five adults, that sounds like your best option. If 4 women & you, it might be fun to do ribs (standing & coiled), but I think you get only 1 slab. Good luck Chubbs!
    Flint, Michigan
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    edited June 2013
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    Bet you can get 5 strips on there of 4 burgers or lots of dogs. Cooks so fast do in two cooks. Sausage works.  Put on a butt and then do the extra after as it will all cook fast....

     

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    You said and I forgot (damn I am old), what beach are you?
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • egger ave
    egger ave Posts: 721
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    4 burgers will fit or bunch of wings, crosscut beef ribs. The ribs are cut thin so they a marinate well and cook fast. Did enough for 8 on mini Saturday night in about 30 mins.
    1 Large BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Minimax BGE, Original wife and 3 dogs living in the heart of BBQ country in Round Rock Texas. 

    "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

    Albert Einstein
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Okay guys, went with a 5 lb bone it shoulder. Already a disaster. Setup is woo with stone wrapped in foil egg settled in at 350 dome. Plan was turbo. Came back down after 40 mins and it was smoking like crazy. May already be ruined. Charred and black. See setup below. Now have a foil pan under it. Help if you have done one on mini. Please
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    I am just at a small beach in SC. Called edisto island. Nicknamed "Deadisto". Right on the beach not many people and you can sit on beach drink, fish and cook only. Good times and exactly what I needed.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited June 2013
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    I would go get Kings Hawaiin hot dog buns, some dogs, some slaw, and pineapple...but that's just my new favorite thing! 

    Derp...I just fully read this and saw you have a butt on already.  I imagine the burning/smoking was from the fat hitting the coals.  I think the pan should help with that.  I'm sure it will still turn out fine...you may just have want to remove some of the char ;). 

    If it is ruined...see 1st paragraph :).  On a hot egg you could crank out some dogs in no time. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Disaster struck. So much fat dipping I had a fire in my firebox. Ceramic stone from amazon shattered after catching fire. Might be my first disaster. @CenTex you would be proud of me though. Only way to fit groceries in fridge was to remove all of the wine. It is 3pm and I am 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio deep. Wife is not amused. Especially because I almost burned the house down.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Now in Texas crutch mode. Foil. Might be going in garbage can. Oh well. Pretty disappointed in first butt cook on mini. Especially seein others have done with success. Just don't know how I would have setup differently. Other than getting a smaller butt
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
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    Sorry to hear your butt cook got off to a bad start. Not a lot of space left on a Mini for drip pan under a butt.



    If you have access to tri tip the Mini can fit a 2 lb one pretty easily and a little larger with some creative bending or folding.



    You can shape a meatloaf to fit as another option.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    R2Egg2Q said:

    Sorry to hear your butt cook got off to a bad start. Not a lot of space left on a Mini for drip pan under a butt.



    If you have access to tri tip the Mini can fit a 2 lb one pretty easily and a little larger with some creative bending or folding.



    You can shape a meatloaf to fit as another option.

    Thanks man. You are one of the one I was waiting on. How did you manage the butt on your mini recently. Seems up have to go turbo so you don't rub out o lump but the grease gets the fire going crazy. Really charred underside but might be able to salvage. Smells pretty good. Everyone I hammered so might live happily ever after.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    This may be late in the game for your current cook, but foiling may be the key.

    I had a near colossal failure when doing a turbo butt in my small recently. Came outside midway through cooking a 10# butt @ 350+°F and saw smoke billowing out the top. Smelled nasty. The drippings were hitting the clay saucer heat deflector and burning. Butt was at about 120-130°F, when I wrapped it to protect it from the creosote/nastiness. Thought for sure I would have to trash the butt. It turned out pretty good (not my best) despite the trouble. I learned that I need a drip pan next time, with an air gap below it.

    The drip pan and foiling may be what you need to get a butt done in the mini. I haven't tried something like that in my mini yet. Like you, I would look to R2Egg2Q for guidance/tips.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Thanks @caliking. Unfortunately there is no room for a drip pan in the mini. I really don't see how it is possible to cook one in the mini without foiling the whole cook. I had so much grease dripping throughout the egg my firebox caught fire. The ceramic piece (although wrapped in foil) also caught fire and cracked in half. I had thermopen readings of 197-209 so I pulled it and have it chilling in warm oven. QC taste test was horrendous. Plan B is shrimp burgers. But I wanted to cook those for lunch tomorrow.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    I've never had an issue with just making a little bowl with foil that sits on your stone under the grid. Catches enough drippings to prevent anything bad.... At least on the 5+ butts I've done in the mini. But yeah no room for a pan.
    Seattle, WA
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    I like to keep it super-simple.  I love doing a smoked Kielbasa on the Mini.  Hot Mustard and any kind of tater or veggie side is real good.
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,961
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    Chubbs said:
    Disaster struck. So much fat dipping I had a fire in my firebox. Ceramic stone from amazon shattered after catching fire. Might be my first disaster. @CenTex you would be proud of me though. Only way to fit groceries in fridge was to remove all of the wine. It is 3pm and I am 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio deep. Wife is not amused. Especially because I almost burned the house down.
    That's my boy........that wine ain't gonna drink itself.


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Verdict is in.

    Booze- 1
    Matt- 0

    Pulled pork gets a C-. Juicy but the flavor profile was way off. Not my usually rubs and the combo of bad smoke hurt this one. I hate foil and had to use it majority of the cook. Everyone likes it but boy was it a **** effort. I am buying a shoulder every day until I get it right on this thing. Any ideas why the ceramic stone shattered? Was in egg at 370 or so dome. Heard a crack. Opened her up and foil covered stone was on fire. Set shoulder aside and removed foil from stone and it wa cracked in half. Pretty disappointed considering first use. Might call them up.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Mama Roneck
    Mama Roneck Posts: 386
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    C- but bookmarked anyway.  This will be a perfect example for newcomers to the forum of why they shouldn't overthink BBQ and just give it a try.  Even in the worst of circumstances, it came out ok, and you drank a lot of wine.  Win Win Win. 
    Mamaroneck
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    edited June 2013
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    Lets start with you have a really big butt Chubbs. Second you can make a saucer out of foil with sides 1/4 inch high and put a heavy layer of salt in it. It can sit just off the foil wrapped pizza stone with penny's or washers or??? You were using the Mini Woo?
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Mama Roneck said:
    C- but bookmarked anyway.  This will be a perfect example for newcomers to the forum of why they shouldn't overthink BBQ and just give it a try.  Even in the worst of circumstances, it came out ok, and you drank a lot of wine.  Win Win Win. 
    I think this post should be amended a tad.

    This thread serves as a perfect example to newcomers that although the cook shoudl be well-marinated, there may be limits to how much alcohol should be infused into the cook before letting him/her light up an egg.

    @Chubbs - just yankin yer chain. I'm jealous that you're having a good time drinking and egging !

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
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    Which stones do you have?  I've heard of folks having issues with the 4 pack from Amazon.  Perhaps try a little lower temp.  Not sure about the sugar content in your rub but perhaps 370 might be a bit high.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    I got the two pack of stones that everyone gets. 370 dome is what it settled in on. Was trying for closer to 320. Yes, @Mickey I used mini woo. Once I wrapped the butt in foil it did just fine but the Q definitely has an off flavor that I think is from the bad smoke of the fire early on (obviously I let it burn clean by bad fire I mean the grease dripping into coals). The second setup was a small foil try and the butt sitting right in it. This worked well until the cup runneth over and then I was right back to a fire again. Plus the portion of te but that was in the pan sort of boiled in the juice. If the bars on the mini woo were a little lower you could fit a pan on the stone but it is a tight fit now and if that were the case you could not fit enough lump for the cook. I looked at my wrapper in my trash can this AM. It was 5.39 lb shoulder so maybe a smaller one would have helped. With a little tweaking I think it could work, but got to be lower temp than turbo I think and got to find a way to prevent all of the drippings from hitting the coals. Work in progress. FWIW, some of our company is from Maine and one of them was eating pulled pork sandwich for breakfast so a win in my book.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Chubbs sure sounds like having a smaller butt is the answer..
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Did another butt on the mini tonight. 4+lbs.... No issue, smaller butt or makeshift foil drip pan solves it for you.
    Seattle, WA
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    SkinnyV said:

    Did another butt on the mini tonight. 4+lbs.... No issue, smaller butt or makeshift foil drip pan solves it for you.

    Pic of setup?
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Woo, foiled stone, foil drip catch smashed down and grid.
    image
    Seattle, WA
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    edited June 2013
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    Thanks Skinny. Did you have to foil the shoulder at all? What temp do you cook it at?
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Cooked at 275 it did get over 300 for 2 of the hours until I brought it back down.
    Foiled for the rest period only until dinner in the in house oven.
    Plenty of juice in the foil I glazed over the pulled pork along with some byrons rub.
    Seattle, WA
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    How long did it take to get to temp? Use maverick? I cooked this one turbo style without maverick because didnt want to ruin cables. Tested with thermopen.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    I don't own a maverick and I shot over 300 because of me placing in the butt and leaving for over an hour. So not sure how long , usually first 30 mins after placing the butt in you can get dialed in to temp if you stay on top of it.

    I guessed wrong on door opening before I had left but was able to bring it back to 275.
    Seattle, WA
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