What to grill first?

Poncho · June 2003

So my first father's day was good to me. My first BGE should be arriving tomorrow. Since you all seem like a wise and friendly group, I'll ask you this: what should I have for dinner tomorrow night?

Unknown · June 2003

Poncho,[p]I'd do steak. The trick is going to be to learn to hold a steady temp for a while, and with steak you don't really have to. Just let it get as hot as it wants to (700+) and sear each side for a few minutes. Take them off for about 20 minutes for a rest and let the egg cool down to around 400 (shut the bottom and top for this). Back on for about 4 minutes per side (depending on how well done you want them, and thickness to begin with). That should give you a nice medium-rare with an average strip or ribeye. See the link for the extended version of the T-Rex method, and then go to his homepage to check out the flashback section. [p]Enjoy!! This site is great for other suggestions. If you want to cook something else but want immediate feedback, click on the archives and just type in your choice (pork tenderloin, salmon, whatever) and you'll have plenty of links to previous threads to peruse. [p]

[ul][li]T-Rex steak method[/ul]

Mike in MN · June 2003

Poncho,
Another EZ cook would be chicken. My first cook was chicken wings. I figured if I burned them up, it wouldn't matter. They are cheap, and they help to "season" the grill. [p]Season the chicken like you normally would, preheat the grill to about 400, and start grilling it direct... flip it around and stay away from the main hot spots. Should be done in just under an hour. The last half of the cook you can allow the temp to drop to 350 or so. When it looks/feels done, it should make a nice meal. You could check the breast or thigh with a thermometer, but I just gauge the amount of time, temp and firmness. I find the cooking to be more of a sight/feel thing. It's hard to say "this will be done in 55 minutes if it is cooked at 375°." Too many variables... opening and closing the dome, direct/indirect, drip pan with liquid, the amount of meat on the grill, preheating time...everything comes into play. [p]We make a lot of this sound EZ, (and it isn't rocket science) but there is a learning curve with this new cooking equipment you are trying to master. I have been cooking on my large BGE almost 1 year, and I'm still learning. I go into a lot of cooks scratching my head wondering what will work and what won't.[p]I keep a record of almost every cook, so I can go back to my notes and see what worked and what didn't. It's EZ, and it really helps. [p]Good luck, and keep asking questions.[p]Mike in MN

stike · June 2003

Poncho,
I'd do steak as well....
You've cooked it before, and so you know what a good sear looks like, and what a done steak feels like.[p]I might not go 800 degrees on the first try, maybe 650.[p]If you do thick filets, you'll actually find that their thickness gives you cushion. You'd have to leave them on for a long while to really screw them up.[p]Plus, they aren't very fatty at all, so you won't get any flaring.[p]AND, best reason, they're SIMPLE. you'll taste the BGE benefit most clearly with the simplest foods. A little kosher salt, some cracked pepper, meat, and the smoke from the lump.[p]No need for sauces or any crazy spices or rubs....[p]

What to grill first?

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