I just used the meat cleaver I chopped it with to transfer when out camping, worked fine.

vb4677 said:

Stormbringer said:

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

This is sorta what I did.  I was hesitant, as I didn't want to melt my chopping board... And I also didn't really want to just mash it down through the grid, and have it splash about.  Lastly, I use some stew meat, so there were some bigger chunks that needed to be chopped...  thanks for the suggestion!

Ah fair point on the melting, I have a wooden chopping board so not an issue.

Wait. If you're making chili, why would you want to make meat balls? Dump the ground beef into a Dutch oven to brown. Pour off the grease, then add your other stuff.

And if you actually want meatballs, do 'em in a skillet.

Or am I missing something? Wouldn't be the first time.

I just put vacuum sealed chopped brisky from my last cook in my chili. :shrug:

I'll give it a try sometime.  Seems pretty popular. 

I suppose before attempting to lift mine I scrapped it off the grates, carefully, with a thick spatula.  After that, I had a dense ball that I was easily able to transfer with a pair of roast lifters (think big giant forks).

I believe I also subscribe to the jiggleitalittle method after I first put the meat on the grill.  After it has been on the heated grates for a few seconds, give it a short slide back and forth.  That breaks the initial stickage and is usually no longer a problem.

Carolina Q said:

Focker said:

It's like meat loaf, beautiful browning, smokiness, smoke ring, grease drains into the pot. 

"Pour off the grease."
Are you high?  
Know fat, know flavor.
No fat, no flavor.

But it's NOT meat loaf, it's chili. You're gonna get more browning and smokiness if you cook loose ground beef than if you wad it up in a ball. And if you want the grease, then don't pour it off. I always do.

A smoke ring? In chili? A smoke ring has no taste and in chili, you can't even see it.

I did it back about a year ago, but did two meatballs instead of one large one.  After you break it up into the chili mix you put it back on the egg to cook for a few more hours to get even better.  This way you don't have to brown the meat before putting it in to go on the Egg.  This was good, but Brisket chili is better.

Stormbringer said:

If it's that loose, take the grid off the top of the Dutch oven and put it on the chopping board. Then crumble the ball through the grid onto the board. Or use a big ass thin spatula.

A metal pizza peel also works and can lift the whole loaf.