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Novice Egg-Head needing a kick start...

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
Hey all,[p]I am a Newbie or Noob. Just bought my Egg about 5pm today. I came strait home and grilled up some burgers. They were great. However, I struggled some getting them cooked. I heated up the egg to 300 and tried to cook them, took forever, so I bumped on up to 400 to finish them.... Anyone have any good starter tips for quick burgers?[p]I could not find anything in the cook book that even told me the temp to cook at...[p]I am planning the jump to steak on New Years Day, but want to practice up on the burgers this weekend. I see from reading the posts that "searing" seems to be the key to cooking, but some say top open, others top closed....[p]Also, the guy at the store sold me a plate setter. I have no idea what to do with it. LOL[p]Any starter tips offered will be appreciated.[p]Happy New Year, GO DOGS![p]Boo[p]
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Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Boo,It will take you a month or two to learn to control the heat but don’t worry you will master it before you know. I light my fire in a minimum of 3 places 4” to 6” apart and leave the top open for a good 15 min to get the charcoal good and hot I then pit the dome down and adjust the heat as required ( using mostly the bottom vent, closing to much top vent will cause creosote and a bad flavor.) [p]For steak I like to let the egg heat up to 650 ish and sear the steak and then turn it down for the rest of the cook.[p]The platesetter if for Indirect cooking or low and slow. [p]
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  • AZ Traveler
    AZ Traveler Posts: 664
    Boo,[p]Hey Boo, welcome to eggdome. Most folks on the forum t-rex their steaks but I usually fire mine up to 500 degrees and cook them 4 to 5 minutes a side. Works well for us. I usally do hamburgers the same way. Enjoy and welcome. AZ
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  • Boo
    Boo Posts: 8
    Diesel one,[p]Thanks... I will try those tips. I have been wanting an Egg for over a year, finally took the plunge today. I will try to leave the cast iron top open for red meats and such and see how it works. I did get a pretty "smoked" taste in the burgers tonight.[p]Thanks again

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Boo,
    Check out the following links two of the best I have found. [p]http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm[p]http://www.wessb.com/

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  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    Boo,
    Welcome! Check out nakedwhiz.com, lots of good info and how-to with pictures. Also dizzypigbbq.com, great spices and recipes. Wessb.com, another good information site.
    Have fun and Happy New Years, ....those steaks will be the best.
    Clay
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  • wobin
    wobin Posts: 211
    Boo,
    Buy thick steaks. Crank the heat up to 650-700° and sear about 90 seconds per side. Take out steaks and let rest about 15-20 min while your cooling the egg down to 350-400°. Finish cooking steaks to about 120 internal and let rest again for about 10 minutes. You should have perfect med-rare dinner. Don't put any pepper on during the sear, it will burn and taste funky.[p]Cheers and HNY, Glenn[p]
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  • Big Daddy - OCT
    Big Daddy - OCT Posts: 101
    Boo,[p]If this hasn't already been mentioned (I didn't read all the posts) you will quickly find that there can be as many ways to cook something on the egg as there are eggs. For burgers I started out cooking them directly over the fire but the last two cooks I used the plate setter in the "feet up" position with the grill on top of the feet. I got the dome temp up to the 450 range and threw on the burgers. I only turned them once and I didn't note the total time of the cook but boy they were good. The outside did get that darker carmelized look and they were the juiciest burgers that I've ever made!![p]Good luck and enjoy your eggsperience![p]Bruce
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  • Groundfish
    Groundfish Posts: 71
    Boo,
    have you calibrated your thermometer yet? boil water and make sure it's at ~212º you may not have been cooking at the temps you thought. how long was forever? low and slow can yield wonderful results. keep a log of what you do each time and experiment away. low and slow, hot and fast, direct, indirect, extended grill, smoking woods, etc................

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  • Wardster
    Wardster Posts: 1,006
    Boo,
    Smoke everything like my Mounties did to your Dawgs in the Sugar Bowl last year!!![p]Just kidding. Good advice below. Welcome, hang around, and post often!!![p]Good luck
    Apollo Beach, FL
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  • duckegg
    duckegg Posts: 267
    Boo,
    When I first got my egg I used my Weber chimney starter, a full load of lump is fully engulfer in a bout 10 mins. Dump it into the egg and it is hot enough to do burgers right away.
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  • Metalhead
    Metalhead Posts: 668
    Boo,
    Dang dood, congrats on your first really great purchase. Throw that book away. You have cooked burgers b-4 rite?[p]Just go wit your gut. I was apprehensive at first and decided that No MORE. I know how to grill and smoke stuff. I do use these guys for fine tuning but the only way for myself to truly become an EGGhead is to just DO IT[p]goog luck and happy egging
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  • Boo
    Boo Posts: 8
    Metalhead,[p]That is what I am discovering. I tried Ribs on Sat, they were okay, too smokey and tough. Should I boil them before egging them?[p]Cooked steaks today, they were really good. Cooked them slow on about 300 until they were done to my liking.[p]Thanks for all the tips.
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