Need tips on becoming a cook instead of just a smoker

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

One reason for getting the MM was I want to do more "cooking" instead of just "smoking" as I have been doing on my large.

I'm looking for tips on what you cook as well as on tools etc that will help. I figure on getting more CI pots/pages and maybe even a CI grate.

Has anyone got any stories on how they transitioned from smoking to cooking?

Thanks.

DoubleEgger · May 2017

What are you looking to accomplish?

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2017

Oh no, turn back now.

Sous Vide, griddle, induction cook top, and lots of internet searching. I recommend Craftsy cooking videos or Amazons signature series membership which gets you lots of videos from "The Great Courses" training series. These are wonderful videos.

SciAggie · May 2017

@SaintJohnsEgger My friend you just ask a great question that has no easy answer. You did drive to the heart of an important point - the egg is just a tool. Knowing how to actually cook and understanding what is going on during the cooking process makes all the difference.
@DoubleEgger asked a great question - what is it you want to do? Start by identifying some recipe with a cooking skill you want to master. What tools you will need are determined by what you want to cook.
I will say that a thermapen is definitely on the list of tools that are a must. You cannot divorce yourself from being bound by cooking times and temps until you have a way to accurately measure the internal temperature of the food you are cooking.
From there - ask questions, buy books, watch videos... I used to watch Jacques Pepin faithfully on Saturday mornings; I learned a lot from his cooking shows. Have fun with the journey and have fun with the screw ups that you learn from.

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

DoubleEgger said:

What are you looking to accomplish?

I'm semi-retired and I work from home when I do work (software developer). Wifey works 2.5 days a week and I want to take over the cooking. But I want to do most of it on the eggs. I also have a gasser with a side burner so I'm open to using that.

I like souther cooking, BBQ and seafood. Wife loves veggies but I'm not a big fan - more a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

i thought about taking Gordon Ramsay's master class but that may be too fancy for my style.

fishlessman · May 2017

google chicken recipes, then click images, pick what looks good

SciAggie · May 2017

@SaintJohnsEgger I search for a lot of recipes on Pinterest. Find something that looks good. Determine if you need to cook it direct or indirect - how do you translate the recipe to cook outside? Are there any specific skills required to complete the recipe? That's how I approach things. Learn as you go along.
For instance, I bought my MiniMax to use more or less as a charcoal "burner" with the lid up. I can stir fry or use my skillets. I have had to learn heat management but that's part of the fun.

fishlessman · May 2017

when you find an oven recipe you like add 25 or more degrees to the recipe temp for indirect cooks.

tarheelmatt · May 2017

I mean, I "cook" on all my Eggs. Don't have to just smoke on any one of them.

YEMTrey · May 2017

Pickup a couple of APL's books and work your way through the recipes and technique. That would be a great start.

Carolina Q · May 2017

Check out https://foodgawker.com. Thousands of recipes and a good search function too. Find one that looks good, click and it'll send you to someone's food blog with more pics and the recipe.

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

tarheelmatt said:

I mean, I "cook" on all my Eggs. Don't have to just smoke on any one of them.

I know that but then I would have an excuse for a new egg.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2017

Image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dToE1quFL._SX401_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Read this. it is the best "how to cook' book I've read. Has recipes but they are just to reinforce the process of using Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat to cook better food. I read it all last weekend. I knew a lot of it but learned a ton as well, Highly recommended if you want to learn to cook everything better.

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

YEMTrey said:

Pickup a couple of APL's books and work your way through the recipes and technique. That would be a great start.

APL?

Carolina Q · May 2017

Adam Perry Lang

tarheelmatt · May 2017

SaintJohnsEgger said:8

tarheelmatt said:

I mean, I "cook" on all my Eggs. Don't have to just smoke on any one of them.

I know that but then I would have an excuse for a new egg.

I see what you did there.

DoubleEgger · May 2017

Sounds like you like old school Southern food. The Better Homes and Garden cookbook (red white plaid) is a southern staple for generations. Tricia Yearwood's cookbooks would be right up your alley as well. As far as specific techniques are concerned, decide what you want to do and apply laser like focus to get it right ( @caliking 's naan). Don't be "all over the board" trying new stuff with reckless abandon. Build on your existing skill set and you'll be fine.

The key to everyday cooking is time. Develop those skills/recipes to cook in an hour to 1.5hrs tops and you'll actually use the skills you acquire.

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

DoubleEgger said:

Sounds like you like old school Southern food. The Better Homes and Garden cookbook (red white plaid) is a southern staple for generations. Tricia Yearwood's cookbooks would be right up your alley as well. As far as specific techniques are concerned, decide what you want to do and apply laser like focus to get it right ( @caliking 's naan). Don't be "all over the board" trying new stuff with reckless abandon. Build on your existing skill set and you'll be fine.

The key to everyday cooking is time. Develop those skills/recipes to cook in an hour to 1.5hrs tops and you'll actually use the skills you acquire.

I was raised on beans, meat and potatoes. Dad always wanted biscuits or cornbread for every meal. He also loved a green onion and salt with his meals. And still today I can eat my weight in tomatoe sandwiches. But you don't cook those.

I figure the more I cook, the sooner I can justify egg number three. Got to have at least a 1000 posts an multiple eggs to be taken seriously as an egghead.

GrillSgt · May 2017

I have been an inveterate cookbook collector/reader for decades. I don't buy a cookbook to make the recipes but more to learn the relationships between the product and the ingredients. To me it's all about flavor profiles. Go to a used bookstore and buy a cookbook by Jacques Pepin or Tom Colicchio. They are both great teachers to go along with their skills. They also both believe in simple foods taken to a high level. Mario Batali has a great grilling cookbook. Have fun and keep us posted on your progress.

There is a cookbook with Pepin and Julia Childs preparing the same dish but two different ways. Very interesting.

SciAggie · May 2017

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Read this. it is the best "how to cook' book I've read. Has recipes but they are just to reinforce the process of using Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat to cook better food. I read it all last weekend. I knew a lot of it but learned a ton as well, Highly recommended if you want to learn to cook everything better.

Cool! I didn't know about that one.

fishlessman · May 2017

get ready for some sticker shock, new things have ingredients you never thought to buy. you cant make a simple inexpensive pho without a pile of star anise for instance

and some cardamon pods, and those rice noodles thats not in the cupboard. for your budgets sake, start out with one new dish a week

and practice helps, make the same dish 5 times in a row improving it each time

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Read this. it is the best "how to cook' book I've read. Has recipes but they are just to reinforce the process of using Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat to cook better food. I read it all last weekend. I knew a lot of it but learned a ton as well, Highly recommended if you want to learn to cook everything better.

That sounds like an interesting book. In your view, does it translate well to cooking on the egg?

Focker · May 2017

I would start out cooking dishes you like the best, and advancing from there.

For me, BBQ was the beginning, then Italian, Asian, Mexican. Pick a cuisine, explore, learn, move to another. Don't get pigeonholed.

Mexican has been a recent favorite, having numerous Supermercados to get authentic ingredients from rather easily. Also have a nice Asian market down the street for stir fry ingredients.

My top 5 chefs, have been such an inpiration along the journey, in random order...

Francis Mallmann
Jacques Pepin
APL
Rick Bayless
Lidia Bastianich

There are several other inspirations, AB, MB, Ming Tsai, Ian from The Farm, Michael Simon, Steve Raichlen, Peter Reinhart, Martha Stewart for baking, etc etc...but watch vids, buy books, dive in, have fun, and learn.

The tools will follow, as you explore.

Gordon's master class would be fantastic.

SciAggie · May 2017

@The Cen-Tex Smoker One click shopping on Amazon is going to make me poor(er)...But I have a new book

tarheelmatt · May 2017

I have always been into cooking from an early age. Helping my Mom a lot in the kitchen.

My Mom had a neck surgery once that didn't allow her to do much for a while, so what she'd do is pull a chair up and instruct me how to cook.

When we were able to get cable TV, I started watching cooking shows. I watched Martin Yan (Yan Can Cook), Graham Kerr, and Justin Wilson often. They'd always give me some inspiration to do something, though I didn't have the ingredients they had.

Guess what I'm saying is take a look at your PBS station. Many cooks are on that as well as Food Network and Cooking Channel, though their content isn't the best these days. I really love Iron Chef and watching these guys mold and layer flavors in those dishes.

I'm not a cookbook or recipe type most times. I'll have an idea in my head, and I'll roll with it.

Get in and have fun. Get folks involved around you and all will have a blast.

fishlessman · May 2017

tons of stuff on the nibblemethis site, most done on an egg

SaintJohnsEgger · May 2017

SciAggie said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker One click shopping on Amazon is going to make me poor(er)...But I have a new book

LOL. I'm leaving on a four day cruise or I would have bought it already too. Instead, I'm waiting until I get back to order.

I've got people house sitting to watch my dogs and eggs so don't anyone get any ideas.

@SciAggie did you watch the video on Amazon about the author and the book?

GATraveller · May 2017

If I was you I'd do a lot of reading. Books and interwebs.
chefsteps.com is a great resource. YouTube also.
In other words......do a lot of homework then ask questions here about how to translate kitchen cooking to the Egg.

Edit - America's Test Kitchen is another good source.

Eoin · May 2017

Read lots of cookbooks. Try lots of recipes. Knowledge plus practice.

SciAggie · May 2017

SaintJohnsEgger said:

SciAggie said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker One click shopping on Amazon is going to make me poor(er)...But I have a new book

LOL. I'm leaving on a four day cruise or I would have bought it already too. Instead, I'm waiting until I get back to order.

I've got people house sitting to watch my dogs and eggs so don't anyone get any ideas.

@SciAggie did you watch the video on Amazon about the author and the book?

No. The recommendation of @The Cen-Tex Smoker was enough. I just made the leap.

gdenby · May 2017

Consider the Egg as a particularly versatile cooking instrument. It will produce a large range of temperatures. Not quite right for cold smoking, but everything from hot smoking, thru bbq, baking and searing is easily possible because the temp range available is so large. And compared to most kitchen ovens, can be much more accurate. So, learn temperature control. And as fishless mentions above, learn the difference between direct and indirect cooking, which is very important. Likewise, the distance between the food and the burning lump.

Note that frying can be rather hazardous. Grease/oil fires in an Egg can be really scary.

For searing, get a pair of welders gloves, and long tongs.

W. the addition of various ceramics and CI, one can bake bread, meat pies, or make braised dishes and stews.

That's pretty much the shallow end of the cooking pool. Step in and get your feet wet.

Need tips on becoming a cook instead of just a smoker

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