Poultry and pork turning out like this

Powak

 What’s the deal when my poultry or pork is looking like this when grilling at 400-450 raised direct? Is it not enough fire on top of the coals? Was the meat too cold outta the fridge?  Should I be cooking closer to the coals? That’s after the first turn of at least 7’minutes or so. When the meat reaches finish temp it’s just cooked at best. No good caramelization or crust.  

fishlessman

Powak said:

 What’s the deal when my poultry or pork is looking like this when grilling at 400-450 raised direct? Is it not enough fire on top of the coals? Was the meat too cold outta the fridge?  Should I be cooking closer to the coals? That’s after the first turn of at least 7’minutes or so. When the meat reaches finish temp it’s just cooked at best. No good caramelization or crust.  

thats odd, the fire isnt spreading out. ill assume you checked the dome gage for calibration.  whens the last time you removed the firebox and cleaned behind it. reason im asking is that the hinge side of the egg is usually hottest and those in the back are the least cooked, the firebox holes in back may be clogged behind the box, the back lump isnt really looking well lit

Powak

New base, just changed it out 3 cooks ago. Coal was piled high up to the top of the fire ring. PSWOO2 in. Started fire with my torch. Seemed to be burning down below the top layer of coal. 

nolaegghead

Close the bottom vent, open the lid and let the fire spread all over the top of the coals.  (light the top, not the bottom)

A trick to getting white meats to look prettier is to marinate in something with caramel color (liquid Aminos, or Dales, etc) and/or a bit of sugar on the surface, which turns brown at a much lower temp than protein.

fishlessman

did you light in several places front back left right and let the fire spread out, something just doesnt look right with the lump. ive only experienced a white cook like that once, someone mentioned they lit from the bottom. never again. a white 16 hour pork butt , so disappointing

Mattman3969

Chicken wet when you put it on?

Powak

Mattman3969 said:

Chicken wet when you put it on?

Yes. Marinated em in Newman’s own parmesan garlic dressing and threw right on the grill.

Mattman3969

I have a hard time getting wet chicken to brown up too.  I’m guessing it had to dry the moisture before the browning will begin.  

Powak

Bout to have the same issue here today. I’m going to try that close the bottom vent trick again.
been running for an hour and most of the top coals are still black. Fire’s down below and I even lit with the electric hoop lighter.

nolaegghead

Mattman3969 said:

I have a hard time getting wet chicken to brown up too.  I’m guessing it had to dry the moisture before the browning will begin.  

True, at standard pressure.  The maillard reaction occurs between 280-330F, above the boiling point of water (aka "moisture").  Jack up the pressure by BBQing on a planet with much greater mass/denser atmostphere or somehow increase the pressure in other ways, and you can literally get the maillard reaction to occur with moisture on the surface.   Theoretically. How is this info helpful?  It probably isn't.

Powak

nolaegghead said:

Mattman3969 said:

I have a hard time getting wet chicken to brown up too.  I’m guessing it had to dry the moisture before the browning will begin.  

True, at standard pressure.  The maillard reaction occurs between 280-330F, above the boiling point of water (aka "moisture").  Jack up the pressure by BBQing on a planet with much greater mass/denser atmostphere or somehow increase the pressure in other ways, and you can literally get the maillard reaction to occur with moisture on the surface.   Theoretically. How is this info helpful?  It probably isn't.

Dang! Maybe it’s bbq’n in New England. We got just the right humidity to turn the egg into a steamer.

Mattman3969

nolaegghead said:

Mattman3969 said:

I have a hard time getting wet chicken to brown up too.  I’m guessing it had to dry the moisture before the browning will begin.  

True, at standard pressure.  The maillard reaction occurs between 280-330F, above the boiling point of water (aka "moisture").  Jack up the pressure by BBQing on a planet with much greater mass/denser atmostphere or somehow increase the pressure in other ways, and you can literally get the maillard reaction to occur with moisture on the surface.   Theoretically. How is this info helpful?  It probably isn't.

I think the real reason for pale chicken n chops is because it’s Shark Week

nolaegghead

Mattman3969 said:

nolaegghead said:

Mattman3969 said:

I have a hard time getting wet chicken to brown up too.  I’m guessing it had to dry the moisture before the browning will begin.  

True, at standard pressure.  The maillard reaction occurs between 280-330F, above the boiling point of water (aka "moisture").  Jack up the pressure by BBQing on a planet with much greater mass/denser atmostphere or somehow increase the pressure in other ways, and you can literally get the maillard reaction to occur with moisture on the surface.   Theoretically. How is this info helpful?  It probably isn't.

I think the real reason for pale chicken n chops is because it’s Shark Week

True, pay close attention to all your Seals.

Powak

Feels like a Bob seger song tonight, Fire Down Below 

4TheGrillOfIt

I would add that taking a little extra time to arrange the top of the coal bed can help.  If you have giant chunks next to little chunks the smaller ones will be burning hotter and burning up before the larger chunks can ash over.  I usually throw larger chunks to the perimeter of the Egg or save them for indirect cooks.  

Your photo above illustrates this pretty well.  

nolaegghead

4TheGrillOfIt said:

I would add that taking a little extra time to arrange the top of the coal bed can help.  If you have giant chunks next to little chunks the smaller ones will be burning hotter and burning up before the larger chunks can ash over.  I usually throw larger chunks to the perimeter of the Egg or save them for indirect cooks.  

Your photo above illustrates this pretty well.  

Whaaaa???  If this is true, I just learned something.

Powak

Last few direct cooks I’ve done I’ve had this issue. Wonder if it does have something to do with Ash Can I threw in there. Maybe that concentrates the air intake directly to the bottom of the coal basket vs the holes in the fire box...

@4TheGrillOfIt definitely good advice on the coal sizes though. It’s also been behaving this way with all small coals in there though so I think there’s something else goin on too.

4TheGrillOfIt

nolaegghead said:

4TheGrillOfIt said:

I would add that taking a little extra time to arrange the top of the coal bed can help.  If you have giant chunks next to little chunks the smaller ones will be burning hotter and burning up before the larger chunks can ash over.  I usually throw larger chunks to the perimeter of the Egg or save them for indirect cooks.  

Your photo above illustrates this pretty well.  

Whaaaa???  If this is true, I just learned something.

It must be true.  You just read it.

YukonRon

I usually try a griddle or skillet. I get it going super freaking hot and toss them on it about 10°F below desired IT, flip them a couple times to get the look and flavor/texture we like.

Then serve.

Typically I am unaware of that problem, even indirect we we get good color and texture on pork and chicken. Might be the rubs I use or the brining/marinades we use too?

nolaegghead

Browning from the maillard reaction is accelerated in an alkaline environment and the reverse in acidic.  A vinegar marinade will inhibit browning.  Sugars and proteins are more alkaline and will improve it.

Powak

nolaegghead said:

Browning from the maillard reaction is accelerated in an alkaline environment and the reverse in acidic.  A vinegar marinade will inhibit browning.  Sugars and proteins are more alkaline and will improve it.

DAYUM that’s definitely it! Explains why’s every-time I’ve use vinegar based salad dressings I’ve gotten that rubbery white looking meat. 

Mattman3969

nolaegghead said:

Browning from the maillard reaction is accelerated in an alkaline environment and the reverse in acidic.  A vinegar marinade will inhibit browning.  Sugars and proteins are more alkaline and will improve it.

Thank you for that brain tid bit.  I will now store it in my Mind Palace 

Slkegger

If I lit the xl with the lump piled half way up the fire ring and did 450 direct I would only have a fire in one spot at the back after 5 min dome closed. I only use about 3-4 inches thick of lump evenly spread. This doesn't give a long cook but even heat on the grill and hotter glowing coals. Also I find if there is too much lump, at Temps below 450f the fat drippings put the top coals out and then the fat doesn't fully burn but smolders and gives bab smell to food.

Powak

Slkegger said:

If I lit the xl with the lump piled half way up the fire ring and did 450 direct I would only have a fire in one spot at the back after 5 min dome closed. I only use about 3-4 inches thick of lump evenly spread. This doesn't give a long cook but even heat on the grill and hotter glowing coals. Also I find if there is too much lump, at Temps below 450f the fat drippings put the top coals out and then the fat doesn't fully burn but smolders and gives bab smell to food.

I gotta try this. Maybe I’ll switch back to RW too after I get down thru the 70lbs or so of RO I got left. Seems to me I always got a good bed of hot coals with RW.

fishlessman

thin chops went in presalted and frozen