Heat Wave and Cooking in Maine

Doug

Wind chill was -40 all day yesterday but today we had a heat wave. It was 12 degrees and no wind so I fired Humpty up. It was ham today, plain and simple...but excellent. I took a much longer time bringing the temperature up so as not to crack my EGG. With the extremely low temperatures we have had for over a week now, I was very concerned that getting the fire too hot too quickly would result in cracking. So....low and slow to start. Ham finally went on when the dome reached 325. Used a "V" rack sitting on a drip pan. That baby went for about 2.5 hours (I am still amazed how steady the dome temperature stays hour after hour). I added a glaze during the last 30 minutes or so....honey, orange juice and brown sugar. I pulled it off the fire when the Polder hit about 155. Let the ham set for about 10 minutes or so and then cut into the most juicy ham I've ever seen. On a very COLD January night in Maine...it was perfect!! And once again..even in the extreme cold... the EGG did a perfect job!! This winter "Q" thing is great!!

Spin

Doug,[p]My congratulations to you and thanks for sharing a cook that waters my mouth. We have been sub freezing for several days (not as bad as you). The EGGs have sat unused for 5 days now and the hankerin' is set in hard. I have a pork loin marinating for a Thursday cook (in the forecast snow):). We have used this time to experiment with recipes in the kitchen with hopes to make them on the EGG. I'd rather experiment on the EGG. The thaw is coming![p]Spin

Char-Woody

Doug, I understand your concern with outdoor temperature's and the BGE. I think it's a extreme case where it would cause a problem. I heat mine right up from cold to hot summer or winter. [p]Tonight it was 8 above zero here, and I made a pizza in a deep dish ceramic that was great. Half sweet Italian Sausage/sauted mushrooms/ other half Canadian Bacon for the wiffy. Used a combo shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese for with a 3 cheese sprinkled on top.[p]Heated the large bge right up to 500-550 degrees. Used 2 firebricks flat, two firebricks on edge, spare 13 inch grill suspended on the vertical firebricks, and just the 3/8 inch thick ceramic deep pizza dish on the grill. Very nice browned crust. Took about 18 minutes start to finish on the cook.
Yah..I agree...Cold is a fun time to cook!![p]Cheers...C~W[p]

Doug

Char-Woody, you made my mouth water. I've got to try pizza in the EGG!!

Eponda

Doug, Minus 55 with the wind off the lake Saturday morning here in Smithfield. Without the wind and a balmy 15 on Sunday, managed to smoke up some sirloin to use in a big batch of chile. I, too, tend to take it slow warming up the egg this time of year, although going from 10 to 600 is not much different from 70 to 600. Nice to see another Maine egger on the forum.

Tim M

Doug,
Be careful. If you try pizza in the Egg there will be one less place you visit - the pizza parlor. Egg pizza is the best!! Avoid any and all smoke though as the dough would really absorb it quickly.[p]I have to try a ham someday. Thanks for sharing.[p]Tim

Doug

Eponda, ya, the EGG has arrived in Maine! There must be some other eggers around here somewhere. Hopefully they'll find the forum and we can then organize. Who knows, maybe we can get an Eggfest going in the Great State of Maine!! Happy egging. From down on the coast!