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My Mini is here

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StoicDude
StoicDude Posts: 80
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I ordered it on Monday last week and needed to wait until today to get it.
It seems tat plenty of people are picking up the Minis these days.

Here is my line up. Mini will be mainly for me and sometimes the girlfriend. Searing steaks is what got me to get one. We will see how it does.
DSC04335.jpg

I used the Weber cubes for lighting the coals. Just buried one in the charcoal. I think that I can put one under the grate next time and it will do a better job. It lit the coals without a problem and I had clear smoke in 7 minutes. Nice!

DSC04334.jpg

First fire.
DSC04333.jpg

Spatchcocked chicken is inside and cooking. I will post some other pics later.
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  • StoicDude
    StoicDude Posts: 80
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    Action shots. :laugh:

    DSC04331.jpg

    DSC04332.jpg
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    My first thought with appropriate music in my head...

    "Mighty Mouse here to save the day".

    You will love the mini and there are a lot of fun things you can cook.

    Get some brauts, dogs, burgers, chicken, of course steak, and on and on.

    Looking forward to seeing your pictures.

    Congratulations and make sure that doesn't fall off the side shelf.

    GG
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  • Maynard
    Maynard Posts: 55
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    Congrats on the mini... i just watched 20 minutes of video of Fred roasting a whole chicken on the mini !

    Pt. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN07tGig9AA

    Pt. 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASiWGs8_bLY


    I would have never guessed.
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  • StoicDude
    StoicDude Posts: 80
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    Hey guys, just finished eating my spatchcocked chicken.

    I tried posting pictures, but for some reason it is not showing up. The links are good, but there might be a picture limit for new guys on the forum.

    A couple of observations and some things that I didn't mention before.

    When I got the Mini, I was ready to assemble and cook, but they didn't pack the hex bolts to tighten the screws. :angry:
    Had to run out to Home Depot to grab some and my cooking was delayed for some time. Not a good first impression.

    Now to the actual cook. I put some BGE lump right to the bottom of the fire ring, so the firebox was full, but it didn't go past the fire ring.

    I made a big newbie/ anxious guy mistake and put the grate and the chicken on at the same time, which resulted in some of the chicken sticking to the grate. No big deal.
    The temperature, before I put the chicken on was 450 (I checked the thermometer in boiling water for accuracy before that), but once the chicken was on, the temp stayed at 280 the whole time. This was for about 1hour to 1hr 10 min.

    I assume that the probe couldn't get an accurate reading. I checked the temperature of the chicken with a thermometer and it was 150 in the breast and 180 and climbing the thighs. The thighs just pulled of, so I took them off and let the breast portion rest. after another 15 min it came up to 180.

    I threw on an old frozen twice baked potatoe and it cooked in 25-35 min at about 420. I ddn't touch the vents from the time I cooked the chicken.

    The potatoe came out great! It had a smokey flavor to it. I think it was a combination of the chicken juices and pieces left on the grate and charcoal.

    The chicken was very juicy, but the areas close to the bone were bloody. I was a bit surprised, because the thighs ended up reading 190so they were certainly done.

    Next time it will be better. Trexing a ribeye tomorrow.
    Thanks for reading.
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  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
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    The temp gage on my mini is 75% out of the lid on purpose. I remove the Gage and place the clip on the outside with about 2 inches showing in the inside. Gives me room for the taller cooks. Yes I have done a 5 pound butt in my mini. Took adding lump 2 times but that was easy it was only a scoop at a time.
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    No pics...
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Welcome to Mini World!
    Too bad about your nuts! the dealer should've had some but often they don't have any. Sometimes you just have to go to the hardware store if you want to get things done NOW!

    This is the only pic I have where you can kind of see what the thermometer looks like with the sping clip on the outside.
    IMG_0033.jpg
    Need to do this for big stuff or anything piled high in the dome. in those instances, I usually look through the chimney to make sure the dome thermo isn't poking the meat (false reading).

    Also, unlike the larger eggs, with the mini the addition of food does impact the airflow, so your dome temp drops and stays lower for longer. more flying by the seat of your pants. start with the temp you want and you'll be fine. I rarely use the daisy due (in part)to this. I leave the top wide open and adjust temp with the bottom draft door only. If you want to retain more smoke for flavor, use the daisy.

    I also bought an extra grid for my mini and made a raised grid for chicken and indirect cooking. I use it a lot.

    Have fun and best of luck!
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  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
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    You will fall in love with that mini.When do the for sale signs go on the Webers?
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  • StoicDude
    StoicDude Posts: 80
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    Thank you for the suggestions. I will try the cooking with the probe/ thermometer pulled back.
    The Webers are staying, believe it or not. My Genesis is 3 years old and works great, plus the girlfriend knows how to use it.
    The kettle is fun as well, considering that I ve done a brisket on it and it came out great. I had to add some lump every 2 hours and cooked for 8 total. The temp was right around 270 and required vent adjustments every 1-2 hrs. Not bad.
    If one breaks the large BGE will be considered.
    The mini is very efficient and the searing temperatures are what got me sold.
    The only time I see coals glowing red in my kettle is when they are in a chimney.
    In the Mini they glow red when you turn up the temp.

    I ll try to post more pictures, but it hasn't been working well.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    The kettle is fun as well, considering that I ve done a brisket on it and it came out great. I had
    to add some lump every 2 hours and cooked for 8 total. The temp was right around 270 and required
    vent adjustments every 1-2 hrs

    You probably already know this, but it's easy to run an Egg (Large)for 24 hrs or more without adding charcoal.

    It's also easy to maintain one temp. for 8 hours or more without needing to fiddle with it.

    Unlike those countertop Rotisserie cookers on TV, you really can "set it and forget it"!
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    Just red X.
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  • StoicDude
    StoicDude Posts: 80
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    Finally fixed the pics. B)
    The link was wrong and was throwing me off.

    I am aware of the set it and forget it nature, but currently I cant justify another grill.

    I ll see what the prices at the Eggfest are and that might be my in for a Large.

    Spending another ~$800 for a grill when you have 3 good ones already is hard to justify right now. (Too many other hobies as well :evil: )

    I Trexed a ribeye today and it was certainly the most flavorful and the juiciest steak I ever cooked and tried. I didn't take pictures, because I was really hungry, but at the same time I am still practicing and this was not my best effort.
    The egg got to 630 but wouldn't go higher and the steaks were only an inch thick so I had to pull them quickly of the grate. Usually I get much thicker steaks.

    I will grill two USDA Prime fillets on Monday and will take pictures. I ll post it on Monday or Tuesday.

    By the way, my daisy wheel is leaking around the base, not the top. What I mean by this is that the bottom of the daisy wheel, the one that touchesthe egg (not on top) is leaking some major air.
    Is this normal?
    How tight of a seal is it supposed to be?
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