First Cooks - Thanks

Daryl

Thanks so much to all of you that helped convince me the BGE was the right cooker. Thanks also to VFucci, Gretl, and djm5x9 for your suggestions on a turkey recipe. I prepared the brine as you suggested and started the Turkey soaking in the fridge, as it thawed. We bought a large pack of chicken breasts last night so I threw them in the pot of brine with the turkey. After I completed the table, per Bill Wise plans (Thanks Bill, you did a fabulous job on those plans!), I decided to practice starting a lump charcoal fire and regulating temperatures. It would be a shame to waste the fuel, so I threw one of the chicken breasts on for brunch. I cooked at 300, then 400, then 425, then back near 300 after I completely shut off the vents. In spite of my inexperience and wildly fluxuating temperatures, 30 minutes later, the chicken breast was truly the best I ever tasted. It was more tender, and juicy than Chick Fillet (without the oil!). Tonight I cooked all the rest of the breasts at a constant (relatively) 330F after throwing a handful of soaked pecan chunks on the coals. What a difference! I love the smoke flavor! Tomorrow, I will cook turkey as planned, on the Willies sitter. I am having so much fun, and the wife is already planning to let me sleep in the house again. I was headed to the doghouse for spending so much money on a new grill (after all, a new grill can be had for $15 at the grocery store can't it?). I guess if she does not have to cook, and We both get the best grilled food we ever ate, we found a win-win situation![p]

Char-Woody

Daryl, a great post,and even tho most of us have been there and have had the same experience, it's always worth reading again. We get a kick out of re-living the past with the next new "egger" in the family. "Believe it or not" it gets better and better.
Cheers to ya..C~W