Got the Mini! (reprinted from earlier reply to RhumAndJerk)

Stuart

(This is reprinted from and earlier reply to RhumAndJerk)[p]RhumAndJerk,[p]You asked.....so here I go, hope ya'll don't mind such a lengthy post![p]Needless to say I was frustrated to no end that I had to go to the store without the input of so many 'que masters. What an
inopportune time for the crash![p]As I said in that post the main impetus for my running out and buying a second egg was getting something to do lunch
on...small single servings etc. When I got to the store I faced with all four sizes lined up and had I won the lottery last
weekend I would have bought 'em all! Without much deliberation I succumed to the cuteness of the mini and snapped it up right
away. Earlier discussion in the forum about tailgating helped sway me as the portability was obvious in that little gem.[p]So I got him home and sat him on the table next to the large, what a sight! Given it's size the kids (3 and 6) assumed right away
it was for them. (They can fight over it when I pass.)[p]With the wife gone and little choices in the freezer to cook I set out 2 brats and went about some chores while they thawed.
Once they had warmed enough I prepared them in the manner of Char Woodys Firecracker Brat post earlier this month. While
they simmered in some Samuel Adams and onion I stoked the first fire in Jr. Right away I learned the challenges in cooking on
a mini. One firestarter in a mini and a fresh load of charcoal and you are heading to 500+ fast! [p]My original expectation of the mini was that it would be used for searing/dwell type cooking. Many a post on this forum had
emphasised the difficulty of low and slow.[p]For some reason, even though it was well past dinner time and I was hungry I decided to go for low and slow right out of the
gate. I put the top on slightly cocked and slid the bottom door almost closed. After almost extinguishing the fire I finally got it
to hold at 260. By now the brats were coated in French's and in a variation of Char Woody's recipe, coated with JJ's rub. I
fashioned a drip pan out of foil as well as a few rolls of foil to suspend the brat and began my first cook at 10:45 pm.[p]The temp fluctuated some but always within 260-300 and 45 minutes later I had the best brat I can recall eating (no bun, fixin's
or anything). While devouring the first sausage I openend the gates and let that egg get hot! The second went on direct and
damn if it didn't taste as good as the first, just crunchier! So with dinner finished at slightly past midnight I shut the doors and
let Jr. rest after his debut.[p]Cheers to BGE for another winning product and thanks to all of you for the inspiration. I think it's chicken ala mini tonight!
Wonder if the wife will think he's as cute as I do when she gets home from her trip tomorrow.[p]Stuart

Zip

Stuart,[p]You will find that Mini will come in quite handy. One of the nice things about it is if you are in a bind, you can use regular briquettes with sucess. This is nice when you take it with you on a trip and forget the lump and can't find any.[p]Zip

YB

Stuart,
The mini is a blast,you will have fun.
YB