Getting ready to cook my 1st meal????

Unknown

I'm getting ready to fire up the egg for the first time here in an hour or so, but I have a problem. When I received my egg they forgot to include the temp gauge and the daisy wheel. They said that its in the mail and that I would receive it next week, but I can't wait!! I'm worried about getting the thing to hot. I am going to try steak and bake potatoes for my first meal. How long should I wait until I put them on without knowing the temp.? I've got the cook times on each of the two, but need to know how to regulate the temp. while cooking them. Thanks for any help!![p]Dave

Bordello

dgoat,
This is a hard one. You are not familiar with cooking on the egg, I would wait for the thermometer and daisy wheel to arrive. Just my opinion.[p]New Bob

BBQfan1

dgoat,
The following is my opinion only, but I think your choice of meal is one that CAN be pulled off without those two items.
Get the Egg started by your method of choice, vent open and of course, uncapped. Don't go crazy with the lump charcoal; a pile that comes just up to or over the airholes in the firebox will product 500+ temps with vent open and dome uncapped, which'll grill a steak nicely without getting too intimidating flame-wise for a first time cook.
I do start baked potatoes in the micro because they can take a while on a charcoal grill. I get them to point of just losing the bone in the centre, rub with olive oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. You can wrap in foil, but then they won't pick up any bbq flavour. They will brown up nicely though. Okay. For the spuds, give them a half hour on the Egg on a grill where you can hold hand at grill level for like a two count...make sure you don't have heavy direct flame under the potatoes or they will blacken.... move to a 'less active' flame area of the grill if this is happening. Keep the temp moderated by closing/opening only that bottom vent as required.
I'd remove the spuds when done and before doing the steaks; you only want to be concentrating on the centrepiece of your meal, the steak, while it's cooking.
Check the fire; hot glowing coals, a bit of low, but intense flame? Good; 'just right for steaks' as dad always said after we finished up a meal of dogs and burgers! LOL The hand test should result in a brief 1-2 count before you gotta pull back. Put the steaks on the grill over hot coal area. Now you are into an area where you're on your own somewhat, as factors such as meat thickness, hot spots and 'gut feelings' enter the picture. If the fire looks like I've described and you are after medium rare, I'd go about 1.5 minutes then using long handled tongs and gently easing the lid up (hold open about 1" a few seconds til you see smoke curl out steadily; if it rushes back in, close the lid cause it's gonna belch some fire in a backdraft)... Okay, spin those steaks 45 degrees to get some of those attractive hatchmarks going. Take a quick peak at underside at this point to see how they did during that 1.5 minutes. Use that as your barometer for further cooking time. After the time you feel necessary to finish that side, flip and repeat, cutting down a bit as it will finish faster on second side. Remember steaks will cook a little longer after you take them off. Pressing down on them will help indicate level of doneness, with spongy result being very rare and very little give meaning it's getting well done. Some compare the resistance to different areas of your hand, but I've never found the comparisons to be correct; I must have boney hands! LOL
Some might say to use a 'dwell' with the 'rain cap' on, but let's not muddy the waters on this one......Better to ere on side of underdone and you can always have folks cut into the steaks and return for a brief finish on still-stoked Egg if need be...no shame in that; first cook and you are working without a net...
It's up to you whether to go ahead, but I think your choice of cooks is one that can be done without the daisy or thermo... final call is yours.
Qfan

BBQfan1

Dgoat, I see you wrote your question about 4:25 and I spent so damn long writing out the above response, chances are you've probably already cooked and eaten those steaks! LOL
Oh well, hope it went well...I needed the typing practice anyway!
Qfan

Unknown

BBQfan1,
BBQfan1,
The baked potatoes got a little over done on the bottom, but thats because I didnt turn them quick enough. My fault. The steaks turned out great. Some of the best steaks i've ever cooked my wife said. I think i'm gonna like this thing.Thanks for the tips!![p]Dave