50/50 Direct & Indirect?

SkySaw · August 2010

At home I cook on the BGE 3-7 times per week; however, at my cottage, I'm still cooking on my old Weber Kettle. The problem is that my wife likes a couple of things that I cook on the kettle more than on the BGE

For example, she prefers chicken pieces done on the kettle. I always do a 2-zone setup on the kettle, where the lump is situated in 1/3 of the kettle, and the rest is left empty. This way I can sear the chicken under the lump at the beginning of the cook, and then place it over the empty section of the grid to cook indirect until done. This gives effortlessly crisp or at least bite-through skin every time.

With my BGE, I usually go either direct or indirect; I like fire, but I'm scared of really hot things, so I am not a fan of removing grids, putting in plate setter, etc. in a hot Egg. I see that BGE sells a half-stone and raised half grid, and that the CGS sells a half stone for the AR, so nice and easy 50/50 setups are available.

Is anyone regularly doing 50/50 setups in their BGE, and if so, what setup are you using?

Mark

cookingdude555 · August 2010

Hey Mark, I am with you on the kettle chicken vs. the egg. Its the one thing I hold onto my Performer for, it does some damn fine chicken. What I have been trying to do lately is get a more "indirect" direct cook. I mean that I try and put as much space between the chicken and the fire as possible. Right now I am doing this with the woo3 from the CGS, and I use only the amount of lump that I need for the cook. This means a smaller fire that is almost running with vents wide open, and the chicken at about gasket level. It seems to give me a good compromise. The only problem is that fat drippings still cause more smoke. On the kettle you can control the smoke more as the chicken is on the indirect side the most. I will probably buy an adjustable rig soon to make this easier and allow me to cook more like a kettle for chicken, yet still retain the benefits of the egg. I am rambling at this point so I will stop typing.

Michael B · August 2010

The half-stone and raised half grid you mentioned works well.

PhilsGrill · August 2010

>I see that BGE sells a half-stone and raised half grid, and that the CGS sells a half stone for the AR, so nice and easy 50/50 setups are available.
Is anyone regularly doing 50/50 setups in their BGE, and if so, what setup are you using?

Just what you said above. Works fine.

TheDirtyBurger · August 2010

I have the spider with a small CI grid for my large. I will sear whatever sometimes to get the crisp or grill marks. Then I will put in the adjustable rig and either put whatever I am cooking on the top grid OR I will bust out the rig extender and then go as high in the dome as I can.

At first I could not get over paying $100+ for the rig and everything, but after I buy this next batch of products from the ceramic grill store I will be close to $250-$300 and wish I would have just done it all right away. I am literally buying everything I wanted, BUT doing it over 6 months and paying for shipping 3 times.

If you are going to go in, go balls deep!

Bacchus · August 2010

IMHO, cooking indirect over high heat on your BGE can result in perfect skin/chicken. Play with the time/temp a little, make sure you pat the skin dry, etc....and you will get it like what the Mrs wants or better.

SkySaw · August 2010

Cookingdude - your suggestion is amazing to me, since my favourite way to do chicken parts on the Egg is direct and as high as I can get them and with a very small fire at 275. Sweet smokiness...

Mark

SkySaw · August 2010

Thanks Ron. I've tried whole chickens at 400 high in the dome indirect, but it was more of a baked effect than bbq (high, direct at low temp) or grilled (like the Weber).

Legs are cheap and I love to try out new things - do you suggest something higher than 400 when you say high temp?

Mark

Bacchus · August 2010

Yeah, 500deg. The extra hun does wonders.

cookingdude555 · August 2010

SkySaw wrote:

Cookingdude - your suggestion is amazing to me, since my favourite way to do chicken parts on the Egg is direct and as high as I can get them and with a very small fire at 275. Sweet smokiness...

Mark ... we're egg cooking twins, awesome. My temp is a little higher though, I am closer to 450-500 with the vents all the way open. All this talk, I think its a chicken day tomorrow.

SkySaw · August 2010

These are two very interesting ideas - i'm really glad I posted this thread.

I usually sauce the chicken for the last 10 minutes of the cook. At those temps for either the direct or indirect methods, I'll have to sauce and pull each piece individually!

I'll give them both a trry and post some results when I'm home.

Mark

50/50 Direct & Indirect?

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