Ok, too abysmal failures in a row

Cadfael

Well, did some ribs over the weekend and got too much pepper on them - inedible trash.

Tonight, tried pizza for the first time. Got the temp to 600 had the stone on for 25 minutes put the pizza on - wife made from scratch dough. And it burned beyond all recognition. Wife is talking about selling the egg and I think she may be right.

DynaGreaseball

Hang in there, Man. The next two will be the best you've ever done!

Chuck/Tx

Unfortunately, it takes practice to get it right. But reading also helps. Do you have a good book on grilling? If not, I'd recommend one. Also, will stick my neck out a little further: At first, concentrate on grilling things like steaks and burgers, and hold off a while before cooking barbecue (low and slow). Something like a pork tenderloin, cooked indirect, that takes an hour or less is also good to start with. Control your cooker temp as it comes up and stabilize it at around 350* or 400* for grilling before you start experimenting with higher temps. And, finally, be sure you have a good meat thermometer. Good luck; don't give up yet.

RRP

Tell us about your set up - just the pizza stone resting on the grate? If so at 600 that is too high and not enough ceramic mass. That stone was undoubtedly too hot!

"Sparky"

Hey man don't give up yet.Please give us some specifics about your cooks,and maybe we can help You've already got the best eguipment,you just need to learn how to use it properly We are here to help

Cadfael

RRP, that was it. I didn't have a platesetter and thought it wouldn't make that big a difference. Guess I was wrong Feeling a little better. Got both disasters diagnosed. (Ribs - used an unfamiliar recipe and didn't scale it right). BTW, how much are the platesetters and where's a good place to find them?

Oh, and steaks and burgers are the best of any grill I've used and ribs with my dry rub have been good.

Chef in the Making

Don't sell that egg. Once you get that pizza down you will never go back to Pizza Hut again.

My first couple of pizzas were not the best in fact they were also a disastor. Now I cook them at around 400 degrees using a placesetter and pizza stone with parchment paper.

As to the ribs if you think you have to much spice on them in the last 30 minutes or so mob the ribs with a sauce that is sweet. I like to add maple syrup and brown sugar to my sauces as it takes the heat down a level.

The egg does take a little time to get use to it but in the words of Winsston Churchill "never give up, never never give up" You won't regret it.

Car Wash Mike

Well, you picked a couple hard cooks to start with. Don't quit just yet. Many, many people here will help you. I have talked to people on the phone for hours helping with ribs, Max does with Turkeys. Way to much knowledge on this forum for you to give up.

Mike

Cadfael

I've been remiss - thanks for all the encourage. I'm feeling much better now Tomorrow night - hamburgers!

PhilsGrill

Don't quit. You need a plate setter for pizza. Feet down, then I use the three green feet and then a sixteen inch pizza stone. Temp only to 425 for one hour then put pizza on.

Mainegg

The best equipment you have is right here on the forum. Take advantage of it and ask tons of questions. take it slow and learn to control your temps and get a plate setter and pizza stone. If you don't want to invest after having a few not so great cooks then get a couple of fire bricks and use a pan to defect the heat some and try again. I use parchment paper under my pizzas and go around 450 to 500. I like mine a little doughy, not so crispy. hang in there and you will soon be talking about your second egg. BELIEVE ME! Julie

RRP

While you can improvise using fire bricks in certain patterns, you'll find the plate setter is such a simple solution. Besides it's terrific for other indirect cooks on your egg. They are available at most all dealers - if not they can order one for you. Another thing is when you had your stone directly on the grate it was closer to the burning lump. With the plate setter besides leveling the heat it also raises the stone so your pizza peel effortlessly misses the edge of the BGE. BTW I only bake my pizzas at 450.

bubba tim

keep on trying. You should have seen RRP's first pizza.
:woohoo: :woohoo: Just kidding. That is the fun part about being an Egghead. We all mess up from time to time. :blink: just figure out where you went wrong and go for it! Nuf said.

Cadfael

That reminds me - parchment paper. Tried a small pizza for my son first and the parchment paper charred and stuck to it. Does it have a max temp (thing the egg was closer to 700 at that point)?

Zippylip

When trying to make my first several pizzas, I discovered instead how to make charcoal - it'll come

bubba tim

you are way too hot! 425 is good. PLatestter legs down with a pizza stone. It takes about an hour to get everything up to temp. The stone removes the moisture from the dough and thats what makes it crispy. well this is way past my bed time. Must get up oily to tend to the boat in Homestead before Ike. TRy again grasshopper! Wait till you try brisket. After many many years still perfecting... :P

obstructionist

Try baking bread instead. Two tries for me so far, with two perfect loaves.

Cadfael

Good luck with the storm Bubba Tim - up here in southeast lower Alabama were' counting on y'all to turn it for us

BobS

It will definitely get better! Also, you cannot blame the BGE for too much pepper.

IMHO there is too much emphasis on using the Egg at high temps. It takes practice. I make GREAT pizza and try not to go over 475-500. Yes it can be done, but it is more than throwing any ol' pizza dough on the grill.

Bacchus

Dude, the best pizza I ate in my live ever, came off my egg. You will get it down soon.

momcooks

I haven't braved pizza yet. Think I'll get a Pappa Murphy's first to try. That way it won't nearly be as much work if I burn it. My first steaks were not good. I took the 'ready in 10 minutes" Tossed them on. A tad smokey.

Klag

You can do baby backs with absolutely no seasoning/rub and come out great on the Egg, just put some BBQ sauce on torwards the end.

Might not have the crispy crust, but still really good. At least try that before getting rid of the Egg. Or a pre-made rub like Bob Gibson's etc.

Unless your near Atlanta and are looking to sell the Egg for cheap... then you should just sell it (to me).

stike

how did the egg put too much pepper on the ribs?

just wunderin

anyway. your stone was probably just sitting on the grid, right? if so, the stone was a lot hotter than it should be, getting all that direct heat from the lump.

you need a barrier between the stone and the fire to take the brunt of the direct heat.

lots of ways to do it. one is a platesetter, legs up, then the grid, then the stone sitting on the grid.

some folks go platesetter, legs down. spacers (copper elbows maybe, three stones, wads of tinfoil) then the stone sitting on those.

Klag

stike wrote:

how did the egg put too much pepper on the ribs?

just wunderin

The Egg makes me drink more beer, so anything's possible

Jeffersonian

how did the egg put too much pepper on the ribs?

LOL...The Egg turned me into a newt! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

stike

i got better

stike

lots of guys throw their brand new golf clubs in the water, too. :laugh:

it's like golf. any clown can hit a couple great ones. takes a while to be able to string them together though. and although you might have top-notch equipment, you really need to practicepracticepractice

can't golf well playing once every couple of weeks. gotta do it a couple times a week. same with cooking (egg or no)

Car Wash Mike

You have got to be kidding me, you compared golf to cooking. Why not welding, doesn't that take practice? Oh, oh, how about underwater basket weaving. I get the point, but give me a break on the difficulty.
You play golf?

Mike

Fidel

I do both, but I'm not very good at either.

:(

Car Wash Mike

Welding or underwater basket weaving? :woohoo:
Mike

Fidel

Touche.

I can't weld a thing, but my Dad and brother are both experts at it.

Never tried my hand at weaving much.

Golf, well, I'll prove to you that I am horrible in person one day.