First Cook on New LGBE

SaintJohnsEgger

As I promised yesterday I did my first cook on my new Egg today.

Since I had to keep things around 350 to set the seal I decided to bake pumpkin bread as my first cook. That went well but I couldn't get the temp that I was shooting for. After playing with (called learning) the vents top and bottom I was keeping the temp at 375 very consistently. A little higher than I wanted but I'm okay with that. I was surprised at how small adjustments affected the temperatures. I knew enough from my research to not adjust the openings as a result of opening and closing the lid. I was surprised that the temp dropped when I opened the lid as I expected the temp to go up as a result of the fresh air. If I had left the lid open then it may have gone up but opening and shutting as quickly as possible caused it to go down. I only had one screw up and that was about 10 minutes in when I started shutting the openings down. My temp dropped drastically and I got lots of white smoke. I guess I was smothering the fire so I opened things up and I was fine after that.

The pumpkin bread came off great and the steaks went on next. They turned out okay but the London broil was seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning and it turned out better than the other two which had Bone Sucking Sauce as a seasoning. It may work well as a rub for a long slow cook but as a seasoning you couldn't really taste it. I also sautéed some onions in my new 8" cast iron skillet on the side burner of the gasser.

I forgot to take out the plate setter before cooking the steaks so they were cooked at 350 deg indirectly. All in all everyone was happy with my first cook and I learned a few things. Enjoy the pictures. I'm sorry that they are not in the proper order but I loaded them all at once and this is the order I got. You can probably figure most of them out.

RedSkip

Congrats and Egg-cellant first cook!  Welcome to the madness, prepare you wallet to go empty in due time.

Hans61

Off to a good start. Check out reverse sear method for steaks :-)

SemolinaPilchard

Hans61 said:

Off to a good start. Check out reverse sear method for steaks :-)

And hot tubbing. Does anyone have directions for hot tubbing a steak prepped and ready to go? I'd rather not type all that out.

Hans61

SemolinaPilchard said:

Hans61 said:

Off to a good start. Check out reverse sear method for steaks :-)

And hot tubbing. Does anyone have directions for hot tubbing a steak prepped and ready to go? I'd rather not type all that out.

I was thinking since he left his plate setter in After the bread baking  :-)

SaintJohnsEgger

I ended up with the Egg shown along with the table. I also added a  plate Setter, an ash tool and a SmokeWare Cap. I ordered a PSWoo that should be here some time this week.  I got some leather gloves and a brush for cleaning the grate.

I did this first cook using the cast iron BGE cap. I figured I should learn to use it before upgrading. After another cook or two I'll switch caps.

kl8ton

Lookin good.  it's always shocking to see those white virgin internals

Mattman3969

SaintJohnsEgger said:

I ended up with the Egg shown along with the table. I also added a  plate Setter, an ash tool and a SmokeWare Cap. I ordered a PSWoo that should be here some time this week.  I got some leather gloves and a brush for cleaning the grate.

I did this first cook using the cast iron BGE cap. I figured I should learn to use it before upgrading. After another cook or two I'll switch caps.

Your initial cook looks great!!  If only my first cook was equal to yours.  

Be careful with the brush because they can leave strands of wire behind.  Not good for human consumption.  I use a balled up piece of foil to clean my grids.  

lousubcap

Great set up and cook right out of the gate.  No fear and that's the way to run. As above with the wire brush precautions mentioned by @Mattman3969.  

SaintJohnsEgger

Hans61 said:

SemolinaPilchard said:

Hans61 said:

Off to a good start. Check out reverse sear method for steaks :-)

And hot tubbing. Does anyone have directions for hot tubbing a steak prepped and ready to go? I'd rather not type all that out.

I was thinking since he left his plate setter in After the bread baking  :-)

I guess with the plate setter in I was essentially baking my steaks instead of grilling them. If that was the only mistake I made then I down with that. Live and learn.

SaintJohnsEgger

lousubcap said:

Great set up and cook right out of the gate.  No fear and that's the way to run. As above with the wire brush precautions mentioned by @Mattman3969.  

I used a really stiff nylon brush. I will never use metal again after reading about meat picking up metal shards.  I think in the future I will raise the temperature and burn everything off then use crumpled tin foil to clean the grate. Being a new Egg I couldn't raise the temperature to do that.

DMW

Nice cook, and don't worry about the 350* for the first few cooks. It's really just not that important.

StillH2OEgger

This site is fantastic, but trial and error is still required. You're off to a good start.

SaintJohnsEgger

DMW said:

Nice cook, and don't worry about the 350* for the first few cooks. It's really just not that important.

Thanks for that piece of information. The  total cook lasted almost 3 hours so I'm thinking I don't have to worry much about it any more. But my next cook may well be low and slow. Don't have any high cooks slated anytime soon.

Hans61

SaintJohnsEgger said:

Hans61 said:

SemolinaPilchard said:

Hans61 said:

Off to a good start. Check out reverse sear method for steaks :-)

And hot tubbing. Does anyone have directions for hot tubbing a steak prepped and ready to go? I'd rather not type all that out.

I was thinking since he left his plate setter in After the bread baking  :-)

I guess with the plate setter in I was essentially baking my steaks instead of grilling them. If that was the only mistake I made then I down with that. Live and learn.

Not a mistake. Reverse sear is low heat with plate setter in then when meat is within about 10ish degrees of your desired take the steaks out remove plate setter put grate back in and open vents up to searing temps 550-650 (doesn't take long) and give the steak about 90secs per side and you have the perfect doneness with and perfect sear - it's my go to for 1.5+ inch steaks 

hot tubbing is well reviewed too I'll let someone else explain that one since I don't do it 

SciAggie

Nice job. Keep cooking and you'll have it figured out in no time. 

bgebrent

Congrats brother!

KC_Steve

SaintJohnsEgger said:

I ended up with the Egg shown along with the table. I also added a  plate Setter, an ash tool and a SmokeWare Cap. I ordered a PSWoo that should be here some time this week.  I got some leather gloves and a brush for cleaning the grate.

I did this first cook using the cast iron BGE cap. I figured I should learn to use it before upgrading. After another cook or two I'll switch caps.

Is that the BGE table?  If so, did you apply a finish to it or did it come that way?  It looks great.

texaswig

Welcome to the group . That's a nice first cook. 

TideEggHead

Nice job! Enjoy the fresh white ceramic while it lasts!

Cashfan

Great job on the first cook. 

I have the same table, I like it but wouldn't mind if it was a little bigger. I remember when mine looked like that, almost two years ago now. Be careful with hot platesetter or firebricks. They can char the tabletop......

bhedges1987

Look how purdy that egg looks!!!

Pumpkin bread is my weakness. +1

SaintJohnsEgger

KC_Steve said:

SaintJohnsEgger said:

I ended up with the Egg shown along with the table. I also added a  plate Setter, an ash tool and a SmokeWare Cap. I ordered a PSWoo that should be here some time this week.  I got some leather gloves and a brush for cleaning the grate.

I did this first cook using the cast iron BGE cap. I figured I should learn to use it before upgrading. After another cook or two I'll switch caps.

Is that the BGE table?  If so, did you apply a finish to it or did it come that way?  It looks great.

It is a locally sourced table. I love the finish on it and I may try to build a matching table for more room or see if the local source can build me one.

There are 5 coats of polyurethane on the visible surface of the table and  one coat un the undersides of the table. 

SaintJohnsEgger

Cashfan said:

Great job on the first cook. 

I have the same table, I like it but wouldn't mind if it was a little bigger. I remember when mine looked like that, almost two years ago now. Be careful with hot platesetter or firebricks. They can char the tabletop......

I'm still trying to work that out. I need to come up with a way of setting the PS down safely. I checked table temps all through the cook with my infrared thermometer and my hand to make sure that things were safe.

abpgwolf

Way to go! You went all out on you first cook. You're going to have a great time with your new Egg. 

Hotch

Nice run on your first cook and welcome to the herd.
May I suggest that you check your band bolts over the next few cooks? Typically it is a surprise when new!!

Also I have an 18" tile from homey depot to use a hot spot for my PSWoo.
Plate Setter. I works great for me. Here is my Mini and MM sitting on tiles.

SaintJohnsEgger

Thanks @Hotch
 Anything special about that tile or will just any ole ceramic tile will do?

Hotch

No, just don't pick an ugly one as my lovely wife instructed me!
We use these a lot on top of our tables at Eggfests we cook at for both the dutch ovens and plate setter/.
And if need be you can always put a three or four 1/2" copper 90's under it for an air gap.

Hotch

By the way you will greatly appreciate the PSWoo.
Next round of funding, get the R&B oval stone and Platform support.
Works great for both Brisket and Ribs with the PSWoo.

Welcome and post those cooks!

YEMTrey

Welcome to the site and excellent first cook. 

cfuller3

Excellent first cook.  Not that I critique, but your fire box is not centered in the photo of it empty.  It also looks like it might be off center some when it's got coals in it.  Maybe it's just the fire ring that's off. Might also be shadows. (You've got crabgrass) .... The 'spurts' will tell you that is pretty important.  I learned by not having mine loaded right. It causes uneven burning/breathing or something.  Check it and enjoy the smoking......