OTT Chili question...

vb4677

What's the best/easiest/cleanest way to get the cooked meatball off the grid? 

Mine last night got a little stuck and was quite loose to start with... bit of a challenge not dropping any on the deck and then getting it onto the cutting board to make some smaller chunks, but I eventually got it broken down and into the dutch oven. Figured all y'all had figured that step out!

Stormbringer

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

Focker

I just used the meat cleaver I chopped it with to transfer when out camping, worked fine.

vb4677

Stormbringer said:

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

This is sorta what I did.  I was hesitant, as I didn't want to melt my chopping board... And I also didn't really want to just mash it down through the grid, and have it splash about.  Lastly, I use some stew meat, so there were some bigger chunks that needed to be chopped...  thanks for the suggestion!

Stormbringer

vb4677 said:

Stormbringer said:

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

This is sorta what I did.  I was hesitant, as I didn't want to melt my chopping board... And I also didn't really want to just mash it down through the grid, and have it splash about.  Lastly, I use some stew meat, so there were some bigger chunks that needed to be chopped...  thanks for the suggestion!

Ah fair point on the melting, I have a wooden chopping board so not an issue.

Focker

A game changer for hot and/or finished meat handling for me was Malcolm's double glove technique.  @pgprescott hooked me up at the Rock River Valley Eggfest.

I have asbestos hands, but still got tired of waiting around to get into things.  You could pick the meatball up with your hands and crumble this way, without loosing dexterity.  Works awesome for pulled pork, as I'm picky when it comes to cleaning them.  
https://youtu.be/3VKpNXlK4Lo

vb4677

I like that @Focker !

Toxarch

Why make meat balls and then crumble them? Why not meat patties like for a hamburger? More surface area so it shouldn't fall through the grates.

Carolina Q

Wait. If you're making chili, why would you want to make meat balls? Dump the ground beef into a Dutch oven to brown. Pour off the grease, then add your other stuff.

And if you actually want meatballs, do 'em in a skillet.

Or am I missing something? Wouldn't be the first time.

fishlessman

its one giant meatball getting smoked over the chili if its already loose, tilt the grill into the dutch oven and roll it in

YEMTrey

I just put vacuum sealed chopped brisky from my last cook in my chili. :shrug:

Focker

It's like meat loaf, beautiful browning, smokiness, smoke ring, grease drains into the pot. 

"Pour off the grease."
Are you high?  
Know fat, know flavor.
No fat, no flavor.

I actually liked it better vs browning first, for ground chuck.  This method rocks on the vertical smokers.

YEMTrey

I'll give it a try sometime.  Seems pretty popular. 

Carolina Q

Focker said:

It's like meat loaf, beautiful browning, smokiness, smoke ring, grease drains into the pot. 

"Pour off the grease."
Are you high?  
Know fat, know flavor.
No fat, no flavor.

But it's NOT meat loaf, it's chili. You're gonna get more browning and smokiness if you cook loose ground beef than if you wad it up in a ball. And if you want the grease, then don't pour it off. I always do.

A smoke ring? In chili? A smoke ring has no taste and in chili, you can't even see it.

KiterTodd

I suppose before attempting to lift mine I scrapped it off the grates, carefully, with a thick spatula.  After that, I had a dense ball that I was easily able to transfer with a pair of roast lifters (think big giant forks).

I believe I also subscribe to the jiggleitalittle method after I first put the meat on the grill.  After it has been on the heated grates for a few seconds, give it a short slide back and forth.  That breaks the initial stickage and is usually no longer a problem.

vb4677

KiterTodd said:

I suppose before attempting to lift mine I scrapped it off the grates, carefully, with a thick spatula.  After that, I had a dense ball that I was easily able to transfer with a pair of roast lifters (think big giant forks).

I believe I also subscribe to the jiggleitalittle method after I first put the meat on the grill.  After it has been on the heated grates for a few seconds, give it a short slide back and forth.  That breaks the initial stickage and is usually no longer a problem.

"jiggleitalittle" - that's what she said...

Ladeback69

Carolina Q said:

Focker said:

It's like meat loaf, beautiful browning, smokiness, smoke ring, grease drains into the pot. 

"Pour off the grease."
Are you high?  
Know fat, know flavor.
No fat, no flavor.

But it's NOT meat loaf, it's chili. You're gonna get more browning and smokiness if you cook loose ground beef than if you wad it up in a ball. And if you want the grease, then don't pour it off. I always do.

A smoke ring? In chili? A smoke ring has no taste and in chili, you can't even see it.

I did it back about a year ago, but did two meatballs instead of one large one.  After you break it up into the chili mix you put it back on the egg to cook for a few more hours to get even better.  This way you don't have to brown the meat before putting it in to go on the Egg.  This was good, but Brisket chili is better.

vb4677

Hey @Focker - where do you get your cotton glove liners?
I've got some good nitrile gloves - just haven't seen the cotton liners around anywhere...

HeavyG

Stormbringer said:

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

A metal pizza peel also works and can lift the whole loaf.

Focker

vb4677 said:

Hey @Focker - where do you get your cotton glove liners?
I've got some good nitrile gloves - just haven't seen the cotton liners around anywhere...

Any tractor supply type store Farm and Fleet, Fleet Farm, Thiessen's, etc will have them.

My buddy @pgprescott has them at his BBQ Shop.  howtobbqright.com has them as well.
I wash and reuse.  One pack will last a very long time.

vb4677

Nice....

caliking

Look into getting a frogmat or two. Should work for what you have in mind.

vb4677

Funny you mention that @caliking , I picked up a cheapo grill mat somewhere and this very thought hit me this morning!  I may get the hole punch out on that mat and make my own "frog mat" !  Gotta let that fat flavor get into the dutch oven!