Weekend Cast-Iron Chili Cook!

KiterTodd

This forum is interesting...some weeks it's all about the Spatchcock, other weeks there are a lot of brisket or pork shoulder threads and some times it's full on cowboy steaks.  Like a sorority house full of girls that all have their menstruation cycles in sync, the eggheads all across the country seem to key in on particular cooks.  This week it seems to be chili!   Who am I to fight it? 

First chili on the egg for me.
I'm going with a classic recipe (ground beef, pork & sausage) but also throwing in some cubed sirloin.   We''ll see how it goes!




Lighting now...

Chubbs

Looking forward to halftime, final, and overtime pics

KiterTodd

Thanks, Chubbs!

Okay, I did learn that 7 lbs. of meat (along with all the other fixin's) is too much for a 7 qt dutch oven!   So I have another full pot simmering on the stove.  At least that'll allow for some taste comparison and/or marrying together afterwards.

Browning the meat and cubed steak;


Adding to the veggies...


I have since transferred that enameld CI portion into a larger pot for a nice slow simmer without fear of bubbling over.  Based on this, I am guessing 4 lbs. of meat is the max for this DO by the time you add in tomato and veggie fixins. 


AAaaaannnnd, we're on the egg now!  


I did a test before lighting with the AR and found it to put the DO too high in the dome and the lid wouldn't close.   So, for this cook, bringing the grate up to the felt line with the plate setter was the way to go. 

KiterTodd

Looking good...

(should be a photo attached before and after stir- first time trying this upload from iPhone)

The pot on the grill is definitely thicker than the one in the house (on stove). Moisture loss I suspect, I just added some liquid. And corn! That's right, sonetines I put corn in my chili.

They both taste great. One inside is a little thinner and spicier. One outside is thicker and a bit richer. Can't say I can taste lump for sure. It's been on 2 hours at 325. Uncovered.

EGG_Daddy

I am so jealous.  Love corn in chili and I need to get a dutch oven.  However, I have dutch ovened 2 girls in my life.  

Froman

Mmmm. That looks amazing. I need to try egg chili.

SmokeyPitt

Dayum!  I would say so far you are in the lead.  7 lbs of meat...you could make a keg of chili. 

KiterTodd

The cook is done, the chili has been eaten, the votes are IN!

I have to say, the chili was awesome and I really enjoyed cooking it on the egg.  Just going out there and seeing it bubbling and cooking from all sides made it seem a little more immersed then a typical gas stove simmer where one tiny little flame is keeping a whole pot going.  I don't know if that helps flavor but it does seem that you can decrease cooking time.

I had the unique opportunity to taste the same exact batches of chili cooked inside vs. outside.  I have to be honest and say they were both great and I didn't like one better than the other.  They were just different.

INSIDE chili had a stronger tomato flavor.  Maybe it is because I cooked it covered so it lost less moisture to evaporation.  Could also be that it was probably cooked at a lower temp so maybe less of the 'mater broke down.  Anyway, it was good.

BGE chili was a lot thicker.  I cooked it uncovered and added liquid a few times during the cook.  It still came out thicker.  Flavor was a little richer.   I could not taste any lump/smoke flavoring.   It was fun and I'll make it this way again!

I used RO lump and put two small chunks of wood in.   Next time I'll put in more wood to bring on more smoke flavor, but it's good to know if you don't want that flavor you won't get it.

I look forward to trying future beef stews, gumbos and jambalayas in the DO on the egg.

The BGE batch, all done!


The family had chili-mac.  I had several bowls just like this...



And, if you want to bring a crisp island taste to your cook, I'd recommend this for the cook!  Yummy!

KiterTodd

EGG_Daddy said:

...and I need to get a dutch oven.  However, I have dutch ovened 2 girls in my life.  

:-bd    )

theyolksonyou

Good post. Thanks for the review.

KiterTodd

And the best part of cooking it, is leftovers today!
Chili is always better the second day.

pgprescott

Real nice work there. My mouth is watering. I like chili even better the days following.

TTC

Nice! I've got to get a CI dutch oven.......

cook861

Chili whats els is their to say 

SloppyJoe

Recipe?

johnmitchell

Great post and pics of the cook..My favorites are the plated/bowled pic and the drinks.. =D>

KiterTodd

SloppyJoe said:

Recipe?

SloppyJoe, have to be honest, it's different every darn time!  I kind of see what I got, what meat I like at the store, and what I'm in the mood for.  This was ground beef, with a lbs. of pork, lbs. of hot pork sausage and a lbs. of cubed sirloin.  Browned it all, drained.   Then sauteed some onions, garlic, peppers and a little celery.   Put the meat back in, a couple cans of kidney beans, and a mix of crushed, cubed and sauced tomatoes.  Lots of spices (notably chili powder and cumin) and let her simmer!  

Sorry I can't be more precise, I don't think you can go wrong if if you follow that method and your heart! 


Thanks, johnmitchell.  That's my favorite part also.