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Has anyone perfected open-dome grilling?

SonVolt
SonVolt Posts: 3,314
Sometimes I prefer to cook over high direct heat without the convection oven affect of a closed lid... chicken yakitori, steaks, shrimp, oysters etc.  I want a nice sizzle on the underside without the top getting too much indirect heat.  Typically I'm flipping frequently or maybe lazily basting with a glaze as it crisps up. Can't stand seeing chicken-on-a-stick for example go white on the top side from oven heat, much less a steak.  I've cooked over direct heat with the Egg twice now and I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to do this.   When I open the lid the temp goes nuclear or the flames start shooting up, definitely not ideal for this style cooking.   Has anyone perfected high-heat searing with the open dome? Should I just stick with a kettle style grill for this? I've used the search bar but seem to be getting mixed answers or recommendations against it - "if you're lookin' you ain't cookin" which I disagree with wholeheartedly. 
South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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Comments

  • CornfedMA
    CornfedMA Posts: 491
    I just did shrimp and seared a tuna steak with the lid open (bottom vent closed) last weekend. Granted, the lump had been burning for about an hr for some baked potatoes, so it wasn’t quite as “fresh” as it would be if I were just firing it up for some steak or chicken. That said, whenever I cook or sear with the lid open, I create a lower temp zone in the even that flames get a little out of hand (it helps that the XL has the real estate to do this). You could also shut the lid momentarily if you don’t like where the fire is going...
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    buzd504 said:
    Have you tried closing the bottom vent while  you have the lid open?

    I have not. I read someone mention that in an old thread, will give that a shot. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
    This is what a kettle is far.
  • jeffwit
    jeffwit Posts: 1,348
    edited June 2018
    Do it with a wok quite frequently. Get the coals where you want them and then shut the bottom vent. 
    Jefferson, GA
    XL BGE, MM, Things to flip meat over and stuff
    Wife, 3 kids, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, 2 goats, 2 pigs. 
    “Honey, we bought a farm.”
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    GrillSgt said:
    This is what a kettle is far.

    I was afraid of that... was hoping the Egg would replace the kettle altogether. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    For grilling like that, I use my briquette grill. I have the (maybe) unpopular opinion that for grilling the BGE isn’t that great. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Had to close the lid for chicken thighs yesterday... made glazing a pain the ass. The temp kept shooting up singing my knuckle hair. I'd really not have to pull out the welding gloves for basic grilling techniques. 




    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    I think that you formed your preference, or almost a doctrine, a dogma, when cooking on other cooking devices, and that if you did a truly rigorous test of the examples you offered, grilling a steak, or chicken skewers, on the BGE with the dome open or the dome closed, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but that overall the cook will just work better with the dome closed.

    Let me offer you a different theory: different cookers work best with different techniques, and an approach that worked best on one cooker might be a bad idea with a different cooker.  For example, you need to mop or spray meat cooking in a stick burner, but those things are not necessary in a BGE, and most people smoke meats at 200° in offset smokers, but many people here agree that Big Green Eggs smoke better and just work better at 250° or above.

    For myself, I've grilled steaks on old-fashioned charcoal grills with no cover, on a Weber kettle grill, on a Weber gas grill, and on a Big Green Egg with the dome closed, and to my taste, anyway, I've just never had steaks as good as the ones I grill in my Big Green Eggs, and cooked with the dome closed.

    By all means, if you just have a personal preference for standing there looking at the fire or something, have at it! And I agree with @buzd504 that adjusting the bottom vent (though I don't think you'd want to actually close it) so that the fire is the way you want it will help.  But my own suggestion is not to start with a fixed belief based on your experience with other grills, but to try to learn what works best with this one.
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    I gotta admit, I really do like sitting there watching the fire and the meat. Ha. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • 5DPatrick
    5DPatrick Posts: 6
    At the risk of being banned from the site, use Briquettes for open dome grilling. You will not need to fill the Egg up to the fire ring as you would a low and slow. Let the coals go white as you would on your weber, and cook away. I have the "Spider" that allows me to get the grid closer to the coals for a better sear, but that is not vital. With the dome open, you are nullifying the heat retention properties that make the Egg special, However on the fast cooks you are referencing, this is not a big issue.  
  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,868
    SonVolt said:
    Had to close the lid for chicken thighs yesterday... made glazing a pain the ass. The temp kept shooting up singing my knuckle hair. I'd really not have to pull out the welding gloves for basic grilling techniques. 




    Dude.  Those look awesome right now.  I might have to change my lunch plans.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Try using briquettes or throwing some lava rocks in there - they're like neutron absorbing rods in a reactor.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    Thanks. I quarted each boneless thigh and brined them in pickle juice (which I typically reserve for fried chicken).  Glazed them the last 10 minutes of cooking with a blend  of Lilly's Carolina mustard sauce, honey and chipotle puree.  Came out great, though the pickle juice brine was lost, I'll save that for the fried chicken... 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • buzzvol
    buzzvol Posts: 534
    Fill the fire box 1/2 to 3/4 full.  Leave bottom vent closed and dome up.  Light in three spots.  When coals are hot, grill with dome open.
    Lawrenceville, GA
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    Try using briquettes 


    That, to me, is the most obvious solution, but the BGE literature scared me away from using briquettes. I assuming it can't harm the egg itself since lump burns hotter.  If I did go that route, I'd need to somehow get the coals closer to the cooking grate. 

    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • Don't see how you can complain about that chicken those look awesome.  I've found I gotta use my 5 finger glove for almost any tending/turning/brushing/mopping anyway.  I love the ideas about closing the bottom vents.
    Kirk, South Hills of Pittsburgh, Large BGE
  • 5DPatrick said:
    At the risk of being banned from the site, use Briquettes for open dome grilling. You will not need to fill the Egg up to the fire ring as you would a low and slow. Let the coals go white as you would on your weber, and cook away. I have the "Spider" that allows me to get the grid closer to the coals for a better sear, but that is not vital. With the dome open, you are nullifying the heat retention properties that make the Egg special, However on the fast cooks you are referencing, this is not a big issue.  
    I've wondered if this was "legal", lol.  I need to try this too.
    Kirk, South Hills of Pittsburgh, Large BGE
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    Don't see how you can complain about that chicken those look awesome.  I've found I gotta use my 5 finger glove for almost any tending/turning/brushing/mopping anyway.  I love the ideas about closing the bottom vents.

    The chicken came out great, but it was kind of pain in the butt dealing with the lid and heat. With a kettle I just sit there and relax with the lid off,  drink my beer and watch it sizzle away... all is right in the world.  The egg required a lot more attention and constant monitoring than I was used to. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    SonVolt said:

    The chicken came out great, but it was kind of pain in the butt dealing with the lid and heat. With a kettle I just sit there and relax with the lid off,  drink my beer and watch it sizzle away... all is right in the world.  The egg required a lot more attention and constant monitoring than I was used to. 
    Metal cookers radiate lots of the heat out their sides, and briquette's ash decrease the IR coming out. Lump in an Egg works differently. Anything sitting right over glowing lump is getting maybe 2200F. 9" up, 1100, 18" up, 550, hotter than most oven broilers. Any fat is just going to explode when it hits the coals.

    Myself, I don't have a problem w. closing the lid, and having a smaller fire, w. the meat way up. May have to do a flip every 10 min., but that is quite enough time for a brew. I can always sit and stare at the sky, slack time, while I digest.
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    put a grid under the fire ring, briquettes on that grid, grid for cooking over the top of the ring.  you now have a kettle grill. ive done this many times when i am out of lump ;)

    Interesting. Do you just wedge the rage on the sides of the fire-ring? Or do you put something to do rest it on?
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    gdenby said:
    SonVolt said:

    The chicken came out great, but it was kind of pain in the butt dealing with the lid and heat. With a kettle I just sit there and relax with the lid off,  drink my beer and watch it sizzle away... all is right in the world.  The egg required a lot more attention and constant monitoring than I was used to. 
    Metal cookers radiate lots of the heat out their sides, and briquette's ash decrease the IR coming out. Lump in an Egg works differently. Anything sitting right over glowing lump is getting maybe 2200F. 9" up, 1100, 18" up, 550, hotter than most oven broilers. Any fat is just going to explode when it hits the coals.

    Myself, I don't have a problem w. closing the lid, and having a smaller fire, w. the meat way up. May have to do a flip every 10 min., but that is quite enough time for a brew. I can always sit and stare at the sky, slack time, while I digest.

    For whole spatchcocked chicken that would be just fine. It's just that chicken thighs on a stick cook quickly... 10 minutes with the dome shut and they'd be cooked through and only the bottom crisped up. It's something I like to flip often, especially once I start glazing. 

    Yakitori is one of my favorite things to grill and the traditionalist in me wants to cook them in the open air. 


    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    I was several beers into a six dozen wing cook last week when I forgot to close the bottom vent for end of cook flipping and charring.  Nothing happens quickly when you’re flipping six dozen wings on multiple racks except fire when you don’t close the bottom vent.  Closed or barely open botttom vent will give you a great grilling fire without running away from you.
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Legume said:
    I was several beers into a six dozen wing cook last week when I forgot to close the bottom vent for end of cook flipping and charring.  Nothing happens quickly when you’re flipping six dozen wings on multiple racks except fire when you don’t close the bottom vent.  Closed or barely open botttom vent will give you a great grilling fire without running away from you.


    So you completely close the bottom vent?
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • TEXASBGE2018
    TEXASBGE2018 Posts: 3,831
    SonVolt said:
    Legume said:
    I was several beers into a six dozen wing cook last week when I forgot to close the bottom vent for end of cook flipping and charring.  Nothing happens quickly when you’re flipping six dozen wings on multiple racks except fire when you don’t close the bottom vent.  Closed or barely open botttom vent will give you a great grilling fire without running away from you.


    So you completely close the bottom vent?

    I've had a lot of success doing this. I leave the vent open maybe 1/8"-1/4" or completely close it if its windy enough to control with air coming in from the open lid. Never had any issues.


    Rockwall, Tx    LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    You might look into a grill raiser/stacker/swing or woo/rig setup.  That way you can control the with the height of the grill.
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    SonVolt said:
    Legume said:
    I was several beers into a six dozen wing cook last week when I forgot to close the bottom vent for end of cook flipping and charring.  Nothing happens quickly when you’re flipping six dozen wings on multiple racks except fire when you don’t close the bottom vent.  Closed or barely open botttom vent will give you a great grilling fire without running away from you.


    So you completely close the bottom vent?
    Yep.  With an open lid the fire will still be good and hot, it just won’t run away from you. 
  • evie1370
    evie1370 Posts: 506

    My approach when I am doing wings or anything with a higher fat content is to start out indirect till about done, then remove the plate setter to allow them to get crispy. Maybe I will try closing the bottom vent next time...

    Medium BGE in Cincinnati OH.

    "

    "I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me. " Duke of Wellington, Battle of Waterloo.
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    put a grid under the fire ring, briquettes on that grid, grid for cooking over the top of the ring.  you now have a kettle grill. ive done this many times when i am out of lump ;)

    Fish has the best egg solution, imo.  Eggs are not great, nor designed for open dome cooking.  I've been reading up on open grilling, and am getting into it.  It's quite interesting, and nothing like we (or at least me) are used to.  I'm thinking an Argentinian grill is in my future.
    Phoenix