Just NOT getting it!

Begger · March 2015

I tried 'planking' some Halibut today with good success. See photo for how I RAISED the grill grate with cut Fire Brick.
Now, the problem
I started with dome temp at about 400, which fell rapidly to where I wanted it at about 350. The top of the fish NEVER browned, or wouldn't have. I turned it UP to OVER 500 on the dome while my TC sensor just 2" into the egg at the gasket level read almost the same. It ramped up temp fairly quickly after opening both top and bottom vents pretty good.
I finally got some real good smoke out the top and the fish browned on top. The fish were buttered than covered in parmeson cheese and Panko bread crumbs. Some other seasonings were included.

I'd probably still be cooking if I had gone with 'indirect' and the plate setter.

Maybe I'm not letting the fire get going enough before I start cooking? I have an XL and started it in 4 places and let it go for 15 minutes PLUS before closing the lid. Lower vent and LID were still full-open.

When I looked at the planks (afterward) one of 'em was fully charred and the fish was better browned on top. The OTHER plank was just smoke damaged, not heavily charred and the fish was good, but not as browned.

If this is a little disjointed, it's because I don't know where to start. Let it burn for 1/2 hour before closing the lid and throttling back? I can tell the fire was NOT uniform. I thought raising the grate would help.
Picture shows 2 of 3 bricks. They are actually 1/2 bricks and were a bear to cut.

So far, I'm really disappointed with the evenness of heat distribution. Tomorrow I'm doing some chicken. I don't know what you call it, but it is cut open and laid flat. I'm planning on indirect at 400 or so, but at this point I'm just not sure.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/6t/h6b7dj21vfqp.jpg

ibanda · March 2015

I have tried cedar planked fish a couple of times. I don't get it either. Tasted like I was chewing on a fence post! Maybe that's just me, but I do not see the attraction.

Givengold3 · March 2015

Some like the plank, some don't. The chicken you are doing is called spatchcock. Even my wife was impressed when we tried it. Just like cooking to temp, not time, make sure that the coals are evenly lit before you start cooking. I have a large and starting it with 3 parafin squares does the trick in about 15. A little patience pays big dividends. Since the egg is so good at retaining moisture, crisp skin can be a challenge. Some people coat the skin with corn starch a couple of hours before grilling. Enjoy.

nolaegghead · March 2015

Cooking on a plank is a bit of a gimmick. The wood is lousy at transferring heat, but the cedar or alder is ideally soaked to keep it from burning as quickly, giving the food a head start, and the burning adds an "authentic" smoke flavor from the Pacific Northwest.

Lets start with the food. When triaging a cook, look at the food and how to fix what you see is wrong with it. You said it was good, maybe not browned enough on top. Moving it up in the dome does make the top cook faster than the bottom. Good move. The hotter you cook it, the more you cook the outside relative to the time it takes to finish. Sounds like you need a hotter fire and, if you have oil and moisture on the fish, less of that. A dry surface will brown faster than a wet.

As far as the flavor goes, either you like the burning plank wood or not, but in general if you have a nasty smoke flavor, you need to let your fire mature until the smoke smells nice. Let it stabilize with the lid down and the vents set where you want.

Cooking on a plank is an indirect cook and you'll either cook hot or a low and slow. The low and slow will not have as crispy an outside. Either way, don't overcook the fish.

The more fat in a fish, the more you can get away with overcooking and maybe achieve a crispy outside even on a lower temp cook. Salmon can survive overcooking because of the high fat content. Steelhead, not so much.

Don't worry about the evenness of the fire if you're cooking indirect. The heat will come from the top. Cooking direct, you do care about it. Light the top in several spots and get the whole top of the lump lit.

Your egg looks pretty pristine still. Keep on cooking, learn from every cook.

Begger · March 2015

I'm going with the SAME elevated setup tomorrow with the Chicken. No drip pan or 'indirect' to be used. I'll AGAIN start the fire in 4 places with 1/2 of a 'square' each place. I can see where the fire from today was NOT evenly lit.
I'll give it MORE time, even if I 'waste' some charcoal.

thanks all for the 'food for thought'.

Am I the first to try the 1/2 firebrick elevation trick?

nolaegghead · March 2015

I use bricks and extra grates to adjust my grill height, lots of people do. Good move.

Try no oil just seasoning on the skin. Also consider indirect with chicken, hot. You can get a very juicy, crispy chicken with both these methods. Either way, I pull my chicken when the breast is at 145-150 internal. It will keep on cooking after you pull.

BigWings · March 2015

ibanda said:

I have tried cedar planked fish a couple of times. I don't get it either. Tasted like I was chewing on a fence post! Maybe that's just me, but I do not see the attraction.

I felt the same way, it was just like eating a fence post. Until I realized I shouldn't be eating the plank!

DMW · March 2015

Where do you live? For 350*-400* direct, you will not have all lump burning in an XL. If you have hot lump covering all the surface of the XL, you will have a raging hot egg due to it's large diameter firebox.

UrbanForestTurnings · March 2015

I do planked salmon all the time. Turns out great. With the x large buy your self an extra grate. Think mines a 20" will check. Put your fire bricks on your 24" grate then the 20 on the bricks. Won't have to worry about your fire bricks falling. And I use full bricks not the half slab like u have. I cut mine in thirds. Works great. Then you have two levels to cook on. You can place two full bricks on edge in your fire box so the lump can be placed in the back of the egg. For direct and indirect cooks. Look at some of my posts .

Nanook · March 2015

I suggest going with your original plan for the chicken. 400° indirect, until breat is 155-160°, and thighs is 180+°. Should take 50-60 minutes.

Little Steven · March 2015

What NOLA said and I have a question on your lighting method. You say you light in four spots...how? Fifteen minutes with the dome open should be enough to get some lump burning but it isn't really heating up the ceramic. I would allow a little longer with the dome closed if you are looking for hotter grid temps.

GaBGE · March 2015

I have never cooked on planks before but I do have an xl. I let it burn about 15 minutes before closing the lid but then let it burn 20-30 minutes with lid closed before putting meat on. I have learned that you can't cook on the egg if your in a hurry. Close the lid and have a beer or 3 and then it will be ready to cook on.

Begger · March 2015

Right this minute my DOME temp is about 430 and slowly goes up or down. I'm TRYING to NOT mess with it but old instincts die hard.
Grate Level temp is about 225c = 437f ( I have an EXCEL Spreadsheet which goes BOTH ways, was easy to write and goes f->c OR c->f

Water pans on the plate setter are nicely bubbling away (I can hear it) and the aroma is starting to become very food-like. I want a beer.

Cutting the birds was a slight learning curve, but the 2nd was perfect while the first was an OOOPS!

Film at 11

Mickey · March 2015

Spatchcocked Turkey and Chicken on the Big Green Egg

(you cut out the backbone and cook opened)

I like a 11/12 lb bird. If I need lots of turkey I just cook a couple ( 1 & 1/2 hr cook app)

Chicken 3 to 4.5lb bird or birds. Under an hour cook.

Or, just add a package of legs extra.

I do not brine the turkey or Chicken.

If time I like to leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (no problem if no time)

I cook "direct" @ 400 on a raised grill "skin side up" and never turn over.

I will use a coffee rub. Use what you like.

NOTE PLEASE (A LOT OF SMOKE IS NOT YOU FRIEND)

I use about a single handfull of mixed chips: Cherry & Pecan.

Cook to temp (not time) breast @ 165 and thigh @ 180.

THEBuckeye · March 2015

Soak Plank in water for 15-20 prior.

Chubbs · March 2015

Why are you using a water pan? Not needed in an egg just FYI.

Nola and Little Stevens comments are spot on. Leaving the dome open while egg lit and them closing lid and throwing food on is not right. I leave the dome open a few minutes and close dome so ceramic comes up to temp. Catch the vents on the way up and them let it stabilize and burn clean before throwing on food.

Yes on fire bricks. Very popular raised direct solution

Hi54putty · March 2015

Chubbs said:

Why are you using a water pan? Not needed in an egg just FYI.

Nola and Little Stevens comments are spot on. Leaving the dome open while egg lit and them closing lid and throwing food on is not right. I leave the dome open a few minutes and close dome so ceramic comes up to temp. Catch the vents on the way up and them let it stabilize and burn clean before throwing on food.

Yes on fire bricks. Very popular raised direct solution

+1
Keep the dome closed. That's your problem.

Begger · March 2015

Yes, dome closed, indeed. I opened ONCE during the hour+ cook of my chicken today. Temp recovered to about 420->430 in about 5 minutes TOPS.

Bird was perfect. Here's a shot coming OFF the grill…..which over an hour later is STILL crazy hot.

It COULD stand to be a LITTLE crisper. Making raisng the grate some into the dome?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ja/8spctu2j38f1.jpg

onedbguru · March 2015

having an XL, I have done the planks in the past - not too often though. With an XL you can do "semi-indirect". I use a weber chimney to get things get started, then push it all to the back of the fire box. Put the grid on and food on the front. Works very well. BTW it is easier to catch the temp on it's way up than it is to overshoot and try to get it back down - especially on the egg.

With this setup, you could probably cook it a 400 dome with no problem. Also, soak the planks for 15-20 first.

Begger · March 2015

PS, I suspect I wasnt' too clear. After letting it get going for maybe 15 mintues, I CLOSE the lid, leaving it pretty much open top and bottom until the ceramic gets pretty warm.

I'm sure at the end of even the modest cook I did today, I'm appearing on InfraRed spy satellite photos.

theyolksonyou · March 2015

Glad you had success today. You seemed pretty bummed on the fish. Learn and keep on pushing forward. You'll get past the learning curve in no time and be pumping out great eats.

The best part of a bad cook is you get to try again.

pgprescott · March 2015

theyolksonyou said:

Glad you had success today. You seemed pretty bummed on the fish. Learn and keep on pushing forward. You'll get past the learning curve in no time and be pumping out great eats.

The best part of a bad cook is you get to try again.

Fine words.

Zmokin · March 2015

theyolksonyou said:

Glad you had success today. You seemed pretty bummed on the fish. Learn and keep on pushing forward. You'll get past the learning curve in no time and be pumping out great eats.

The best part of a bad cook is you get to try again.

Aren't pizza delivery guys in the business of saving a bad cook night.

" Hi Dear, I burnt the chicken, let's order pizza tonight"

Just NOT getting it!

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