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New method for the Paella - did not work like I thought..

Texansurf
Texansurf Posts: 507
edited August 2015 in EggHead Forum
I made another paella today, and since I have been having trouble with the direct temp on the bottom (the Socarrat keeps getting a little over done) I thought I would try it out with the plat setter and indirect.  Well no over cook but, the Socarrat never developed.  I guess I need a Woo, to raise the grate for direct.  


Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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Comments

  • Big_Green_Craig
    Big_Green_Craig Posts: 1,578
    I do a ton of paella. It seems like a 425F cooking temp works very well to develop the socarrat. What temp did you use in both the direct and indirect?
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  • Texansurf
    Texansurf Posts: 507
    I was in the 425 range and it was direct for the saute of the chicken, chorizo, and veggies.  

    Do you use the plat setter, when cooking?  That was my change in this cook.
    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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  • Big_Green_Craig
    Big_Green_Craig Posts: 1,578
    No, I don't use the plate setter. My paella pan sits directly on the grill grate. The direct heat is necessary for the socarrat to develop. Maybe an option would be to cook direct until the socarrat reaches your desired doneness, them add your plate setter and finish the rice indirectly? 
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  • Texansurf
    Texansurf Posts: 507
    I think you are right, I need to get a Woo so I can do a raised direct, I think that will get me where I want to be.
    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    Looks tasty!  

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • Volgrill
    Volgrill Posts: 15
    I've had trouble with Paella on the BGE.  Did better with my old Weber.  My theory is this.  Cooking rice of course requires the moisture from the stock to both soak into the rice and evaporate.  So when cooking with the Weber (lid off) the temperature doesn't elevate too fast.  But with the BGE, if you cook lid up, the temp will skyrocket too fast.  But if you cook with the lid on, the ceramic nature of the egg doesn't give the evaporated moisture anywhere to go, so by the time you get the socarat, you've over-cooked the rice.  

    Make sense?  Advice anybody?
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    Can I eat dinner at your house? That looks great! 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    Volgrill said:
    I've had trouble with Paella on the BGE.  Did better with my old Weber.  My theory is this.  Cooking rice of course requires the moisture from the stock to both soak into the rice and evaporate.  So when cooking with the Weber (lid off) the temperature doesn't elevate too fast.  But with the BGE, if you cook lid up, the temp will skyrocket too fast.  But if you cook with the lid on, the ceramic nature of the egg doesn't give the evaporated moisture anywhere to go, so by the time you get the socarat, you've over-cooked the rice.  

    Make sense?  Advice anybody?
    Did you completly close the bottom vent on your BGE when you were cooking with dome open? Kind of like Woking in the Egg. 
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • smbishop
    smbishop Posts: 3,061
    edited August 2015
    I recently made two Paellas on the BGE.  I agree with Darian, bring it to temp and close the bottom vent.  That is what I did during the preliminary cook.  I opened the vent and closed the lid as the rice cooked.    At the end of the cook, I opened it up to raise the temp to get the soccarrat.  I also inverted my spider a put the grill on that.  This put the pan is below the gasket, but above the regular grill height.
    Southlake, TX and Cowhouse Creek - King, TX.  2 Large, 1 Small and a lot of Eggcessories.
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  • Texansurf
    Texansurf Posts: 507
    Thanks Volgrill  Photo Egg and smbishop I will try that next time.  
    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited August 2015
    smbishop said:
    I recently made two Paellas on the BGE.  I agree with Darian, bring it to temp and close the bottom vent.  That is what I did during the preliminary cook.
    Does the temperature stay stable when you close the bottom vent, or does it climb? I'm planning on cooking my first paella later this week. Also, how much does the temp need to come up for the soccarrat?
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    SciAggie said:
    smbishop said:
    I recently made two Paellas on the BGE.  I agree with Darian, bring it to temp and close the bottom vent.  That is what I did during the preliminary cook.
    Does the temperature stay stable when you close the bottom vent, or does it climb? I'm planning on cooking my first paella later this week. Also, how much does the temp need to come up for the soccarrat?
    It stays stable. This is how I do my griddle cooks.
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @eggcelsior Thanks!
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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