Cornish Game Hens Update

Lawn Ranger

As for the previous post....Absolutely incredible! Did these guys at about 350 on an elevated grid with a mosiac of broken firebricks and drip pan. I've found that without the bricks and pan to deflect the heat, the tips and smaller parts of the birds get way too overdone. I basted them every 20 minutes or so with a balsamic vinegarette dressing to keep some moisture on the skin. Mrs. Lawn Ranger said they were the best!....high praise. I hope somebody makes a note of this so they can instruct me as to how to do it again....I will have forgotten it by morning.[p]
Getting old is not for sissies! [p]Mike

Clay Q

Lawn Ranger,
From your picture I could tell that the birds would taste great. Nice job. [p]I've started a BBQ journal because I want to remember some of the great ideas posted here. My failures and successes also need documentation- my do it yourself guide book. This forum should be certified as a BBQ University on line. Let's see, who would be the dean and professors....?

wdan

Lawn Ranger,
Is your mosaic setup some kind of highly specialized indirect method, or do you not have a plate setter?

thirdeye

Clay Q,[p]Here is a great format for a cooking log. At the bottom of the link are Excel & Adobe formats.[p]~thirdeye~

[ul][li]Cooking Log[/ul]

Clay Q

thirdeye,
Hey, thanks! I plan on putting in some OT too- so not to be dry data. [p]Well, this morning is a little cool at 5 degrees. Going to slow cook country style spareribs for supper and I'll document this cook. He he he...... I just get a kick when I low and slow in cold weather. Never could do that with my horizontal smoker. [p]Yep, it's gonna be a nice day.
Clay

Love Handles

thirdeye,
Hey man, thats a cool chart. I just printed it out and will use it soon. Every time I make something on the egg and someone likes it they always say, what kind of marinate or rubs, or how long did you cook it. I usually never have the answers cause I just kind of go with the flow. This chart will help.. See-Yaa

Lawn Ranger

WDAN,
There is certainly nothing "Rocket Science" about what I do. No, I do not own a platesetter. The mosiac pattern is like a jigsaw puzzle of broken, 1 inch thick, firebricks. Over the past couple of years many of my bricks have become broken; mostly through me dropping them. The pieces are anywhere from 2 to 4 inches across...maybe a bit larger.[p]When I'm doing something with a drip pan and don't want anything as dense as solid firebricks under it, I simply place several of the broken pieces about 1/2 - 3/4 inch apart to cover the lower grid. I then put the pan directly on them. It allows a little more direct heat from the bottom coming between the broken pieces....don't know if that has any bearing on world peace, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.[p]Mike

Clay Q

thirdeye,
The chart pretty much covers everything except a few important conditions; BBQ Chef mental state. Beer consumed; type, brand and quanity consumed.
Enviroment; quiet and peaceful or house full of relitives.
Any burns; from moveing lump around with bare hands, picking up hot platsetter with bare hands, flipping meat with bare hands.
BBQ score card; each guest marks a number 1-10 on how good the BBQ was. Anyone scoreing 7 or less don't invite back.
Was the food fit for a dog to eat; burnt, raw, ugly, or otherwise how disgusting was the finished product?[p]

fishlessman

thirdeye,
im seeing why i like to cook on an egg so much, its the intense thought that goes with the prep and technique that has me trapped. in my fish camp i have sketcthes and notes of all kinds of tips and techniques to catch fish. they are thumbtacked all over the place on the walls of discussions ive had with other fishermen, things ive read, and those blurry visions you get after a dozen or so beers, written and saved so that they wont be forgot. i now see my kitchen walls covered with different cooking techniques, sketches of indirect setups, etc.,... maybe look good on the wall with my zoloft clock