Benefits of Raised Direct

CheeseheadIllinois

I've been seeing references to "raised direct" in a number of posts.  I've got a large BGE (not sure if that makes much of a difference) but am curious as to what you see as the benefits of cooking raised?  Are there certain types of cooks where you do raised vs. standard?

gdenby

In an Egg, or any cooker where the food is exposed to burning coals, most of the heat energy is in the form of IR radiation, not hot gases. As is the case with all such radiation, the intensity falls off by the inverse square. Raising the food just a few inches can prevent burning, but still promote crisping on the side facing the coals. This makes it a good position for doing smaller items, burgers, chicken parts, etc. that can cook quickly w. a few turns, and which most people like nicely browned on the outside.

tcracing

I bought the small fire ring, and use that to raise my grid.

Skiddymarker

As noted by @gdenby - cooking at the fire ring level is about 2"-4" below the felt line (base to dome junction). If you raise the grid to the felt line - like you would if you use a plate setter legs up you are cooking indirect - the food is not exposed directly to the burning lump. If you raise the grid to the felt line without the setter using bricks, bolts and nuts, extender grids or beer cans you are raised direct. For many of us raised direct is the method used for spatched chicken, wings, burgers. 

jcaspary

The main benefit is getting the food farther away from the direct flames and further away from the heat.   Helps to keep moisture in what you are cooking and prevents overdoing the outside portion of what you are cooking.  Since I got my Woo most of my cooks have been raised.  I'm sure veterans will have more input.

Dobie

I use a Woo and cook at the felt line. To me this should be the factory grate location.

Carolina Q

If the cook isn't a long one (so you're not likely to run out of lump), you can just use less lump and still place the grid on the fire ring. Distance is distance. As long as top browning (e.g. pizza) isn't an issue. In that case, you'd want the food higher in the dome.

Skiddymarker

Dobie said:

I use a Woo and cook at the felt line. To me this should be the factory grate location.

Agreed, there should be some way to get to the felt line offered by BGE. Actually, I think you need to position the grid at both the fire ring and the felt line, depending on the cook. If you want to get a really hot sear you have to be close to the burning lump, on the fire ring or lower. If you want to grill at a lower temp, you need to be at the felt line. I do think BGE should offer some way to get to the felt line for raised direct cooking as part of the basic egg package. Most use an AR or Woo or even the Grill Dome extender. There must be someone who uses a BGE raised direct solution. 

Little Steven

Dobie said:

I use a Woo and cook at the felt line. To me this should be the factory grate location.

They had to allow for the platesetter.