Newbie's First Weekend

WudEyeDoo

Hey everybody, I just wanted to thank you for helping me thru my first weekend with my brand new egg! With a skeptical wife, a hungry son, and company coming, the pressure was on and you helped BIG time![p]The ribs Saturday were a big success and chicken today was good also. Everybody liked it. I think it was pretty good for a beginner but I am sure I can get it even better with experience.[p]I can tell that temperature control takes experience. That would have made the ribs better I'm sure (I had wider swings than I wanted). On the chicken (boneless, skinless) do you bother to brine it? I didn't. It could have been a little juicier in my opinion. I used a Polder to 180 and stopped there.[p]Anyway, thanks again and here's to a great forum and great Eggin'.[p]Bob

Smokin' Todd

WudEyeDoo,
I have 2 years expierence on the egg(6 years Qin' in all)
Just yell out for advice and many here will help you amigo.
ST

Char-Woody

WudEyeDoo, well, the chicken depends..if breast meat, boneless your over done..170 maximum on the white meats and 180 on the thigh and leg parts. Usually on a whole bird the inner thigh meat is the temp zone.
Take us thru the process you used and we will see if we can help improve the next one. You should have seen my first cooks..whew..Thats where Char- was stuck on...heeeyaaa!!
C~W

Tim M

WudEyeDoo,[p]Temp control takes a few cooks. After 3-5 you will be a pro.[p]Tim
[ul][li]Tim's BGE place[/ul]

Trout Bum

WudEyeDoo,
So said boneless/skinless chicken, so I assume it was breasts. If so 180* is to much for boneless. I would shoot for 160*-165*. I also sauce em a little the last 10 mins. or so. On of my favorites is Jim Beam Barbacure Sauce.
I only brine whole birds, never tried it on boneless breasts.
B D

WudEyeDoo

Char-Woody,
I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Marinated couple hours. temp at about 330. Turned once, cooked about 40 min. until 180. Also I sauced it about 10 minutes before I took 'em out. Next time I will stop at least at 170. Thanks. Do you see anything else I did I might improve on?

Char-Woody

WudEyeDoo, Not too much..the marinating I do here is simply olive oil..Tones Lemon pepper, and in the bag 4 or 5 hours in the fridge or over night. During the cook (indirect), I usually turn them about every 10 minutes to grill mark em and rotate the breasts..You can remove them anytimeinternal temps reach 165F and rest em in foil, like you would a whole bird or whole bone in breast. Takes about 10 to 15 minutes and you might like that way too. I never use a thermometer and check em for doneness by bending a breast section with my tongs..When the meat breaks easily, I am in nirvana time. Your options of course. Temp check is the safest route.
Cheers..
C~W[p]

Gretl

Big Daddy,
I try to brine poultry whenever I can. Obviously with busy schedules that's not always possible. I think last month's issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine featured a lengthy discussion about grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The recommendations were pounding the meat to an even overall thickness, and brining. The recommendation was seasoning with some olive oil and herbs, and grilling hot and quick on each side. I have gotten around the drying out problem occasionally when I'm VERY lazy; I put the breasts in a baking dish with a little olive oil to prevent sticking, and Egg them indirect (over firebricks) with some kind of sauce about halfway through. This isn't true grilling, but the flavor is still good, the Egg keeps the meat moist, and the grill doesn't have to by dynamited clean.[p]Just my two cent's worth.[p]p.s. I read that article in a doctor's waiting room; I had a VERY hard time not stealing it. I'll get a copy from the library and xerox the article instead of risking getting caught filching.

Char-Woody

Gretl, I usually do that and still have nerve to ask for back issues if they got em...Is that bad?? ;-)[p]C~W[p]