Need some inspiration/ideas

robnybbq · July 27

Thanks. Will try to plan for next week. Off to eating out again.

GrateEggspectations · July 28

@robnybbq

You mention that many items you’ve made haven’t turned out. I think that would make me want to keep trying them until identifying what went wrong and correcting it.

Dyal_SC · July 28

.

Taking it that you’re messing around? If so, kudos. 😂

robnybbq · July 28

I am just in a bad mood.

It’s more about getting into cooking at home again period. Typically I have a short time to cook so planning sucks on my part. When we do pre plan, let’s say thaw out some steaks for tomorrow. When tomorrow comes we don’t use them, the steaks go in the trash.

Some meals come out ok. Just not really good like they used to. My guess that is more time to meal prep.

just taking a chicken breast, dumping a ton of rub on it still tastes like rub when done. To me not appetizing.

Not having 6 hours to prep and smoke ribs that do come out ok. Briskets are 14 hours. Beef ribs I have done and need 6+ hours.

Just can’t get into the right mindset to to find something that we can shop for, prep, light the egg, cook and eat that is better then dining out with flavor not just dumping rubs on meat has been a challenge for me.

Don’t get me wrong. Rubs are great for longer cooks as the flavor will deepen in the meat. But for a quick grillling the food just tastes like rub. Cooking for myself as no one will eat the food I make (everyone eats their own meals) has become another deterrent. Cook for hours for one single meal. Hate leftovers.

And not getting a gas grill again.

JohnInCarolina · July 28

Gulfcoastguy said:

Battleborn said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

I like to put potatoes or sweet potatoes on just before I shut off the vents. They cook off of the residual heat in the ceramics. A lot can be done with baked potatoes. Baked sweet potatoes taste better mashed than boiled ones. You can choose to wrap them in foil or not, it makes no difference if you aren’t planning to eat the peel.
Look up the salsa vault thread , there’s a great grilled pineapple salsa recipe on there, courtesy of our professor of fracture mechanics.

Sounds like a fake title. Just kidding, kinda. I’m not that smart, so it sounds made up.

Just poking the bear a bit.

That’s a poke? 🤪

Jokes aside, that is a great recipe. That salsa never lasts very long whenever I make it. It’s been a while, I need to make some more before the summer is over.

robnybbq · July 28

So you just put various salsa on grilled meat and that’s it?

Pineapple salsa on a fish does sound good. So for this I would have to thaw out a frozen piece of fish for a day then cook it.

I get it for a meal but not every meal. Again it would be for me only as no one else here would eat it.

dbCooper · July 28

robnybbq said:

I am just in a bad mood.

It’s more about getting into cooking at home again period. Typically I have a short time to cook so planning sucks on my part. When we do pre plan, let’s say thaw out some steaks for tomorrow. When tomorrow comes we don’t use them, the steaks go in the trash.

Some meals come out ok. Just not really good like they used to. My guess that is more time to meal prep.

just taking a chicken breast, dumping a ton of rub on it still tastes like rub when done. To me not appetizing.

Not having 6 hours to prep and smoke ribs that do come out ok. Briskets are 14 hours. Beef ribs I have done and need 6+ hours.

Just can’t get into the right mindset to to find something that we can shop for, prep, light the egg, cook and eat that is better then dining out with flavor not just dumping rubs on meat has been a challenge for me.

Don’t get me wrong. Rubs are great for longer cooks as the flavor will deepen in the meat. But for a quick grillling the food just tastes like rub. Cooking for myself as no one will eat the food I make (everyone eats their own meals) has become another deterrent. Cook for hours for one single meal. Hate leftovers.

And not getting a gas grill again.

I think your first sentence is the source of all the troubles. Life is what you make it, fix your bad mood and good things will follow.

Throwing steaks in the trash one day after thawing just makes no sense. They can live for weeks in the fridge with wet/dry brining techniques. Ribs may take six hours to cook but they don't take six hours of your time.

Cooking with fire is one of the simple pleasures in life. It's doubtful that is the source of your bad attitude.

robnybbq · July 28

If I am not home I am not letting the egg burn. I have it on a wooden deck. So I have to be home for the 6 hours.

The steaks were tossed after we did not use them when planned and were busy the next 4 nights. Opened them up and they smelled bad and gray so we tossed them.

robnybbq · July 28

And I am not blaming the egg. I am blaming I don’t know how to cook anymore and was looking for inspiration.

TechsasJim · July 28

As mentioned above, perhaps the egg isn’t a good fit for your current lifestyle.

When I’m in a rush or short on time, I routinely go to the Blackstone.

DoubleEgger · July 28

Hungry Hussey on YouTube is an excellent resource for the Blackstone.

SmokingPiney · July 28

robnybbq said:

I am just in a bad mood.

It’s more about getting into cooking at home again period. Typically I have a short time to cook so planning sucks on my part. When we do pre plan, let’s say thaw out some steaks for tomorrow. When tomorrow comes we don’t use them, the steaks go in the trash.

Some meals come out ok. Just not really good like they used to. My guess that is more time to meal prep.

just taking a chicken breast, dumping a ton of rub on it still tastes like rub when done. To me not appetizing.

Not having 6 hours to prep and smoke ribs that do come out ok. Briskets are 14 hours. Beef ribs I have done and need 6+ hours.

Just can’t get into the right mindset to to find something that we can shop for, prep, light the egg, cook and eat that is better then dining out with flavor not just dumping rubs on meat has been a challenge for me.

Don’t get me wrong. Rubs are great for longer cooks as the flavor will deepen in the meat. But for a quick grillling the food just tastes like rub. Cooking for myself as no one will eat the food I make (everyone eats their own meals) has become another deterrent. Cook for hours for one single meal. Hate leftovers.

And not getting a gas grill again.

Again, it's not the cooks or the cookers - it's you. I have been there, done that with a bout of severe stress and depression. You just go through the motions expecting great results.

My way out was counseling. It worked. Mental health is often taken as a joke, but it's real. My counselor set me back to right in about eight weeks.

I STRONGLY suggest that you take this path. The results might amaze you.

zaphod · July 29

@Botch suggested I cross post this from the "OT - What are you doing right now?" thread.

just came in from the "morning after the night before" cleaning of the egg. Nothing special last night (burgers and sweet corn) which needed a particular cleaning, it's just something I enjoy doing in the early morning. The neighbourhood is quiet, birds are out and the air is crisp and clean. After I scrub off the grills and put the cleaned ash into the compost I pick lump for the next burn and fill up the basket. Then I am ready to strike a match if I have a spur of the moment desire to egg.

I like the quiet solitude while I clean up the egg and get ready for the next burn. The house and backyard are a different place with just me and nature early in the morning.

--------

As a followup to the original post, my wife and I were looking at each other for supper inspiration and I said I do *not* want to egg. Then one of us remembered the two bags of frozen samosas. Yumm. That quickly led to thinking about grilling a zuccinni and three bell peppers we had on hand. One match later and suddenly I'm grilling and very happy about it.

400F direct on the SS grid for the vegetables, then I threw in the plate setter for 400F indirect with two levels of SS grids for samosas. 1 hour from match to snuff and a fabulous BBQ meal for the family.

Dyal_SC · July 29

Ugh… I hear ya man. Lots of pressure on men that we typically don’t talk about.

Honestly trying to help here, as I gave you some pointers already when I’ve been in a rut with grilling. Sometimes it takes a jumpstart to start doing things again you used to like to do.

It may sound weird, but possibly try out a lacto-fermentation project. Only takes a clean mason jar, a handful of salt and some peppers. @lkapigian has some good advice on that. Quick to start, fun and pretty (yeah I know, not a manly word) for the kitchen.

Also, sprucing up your outdoor space is rewarding and satisfying. Get a new bird feeder, maybe a colorful hummingbird feeder, plant something, freshen up your patio, plant some herbs, put out some decor. Make it cool so you look forward to getting out there.

Today, I cleaned out my garage and took a trip with the unwanted crap to the dump. Got it organized again. I’ve gone back in there about 10 times tonight, just putting away tools in my tool hutch that I’ve found around the house — my point being is that sometimes putting in some elbow grease and making it more inviting will make you want to get back out there. Takes getting off your butt to do it though. Just choose a day, put on some gloves and start in one corner.

Good luck, bro! The traffic of life will try to drown out the good stuff with it’s noise. But if you listen closely enough, you will hear a blue bird chirping. Focus on the blue birds.

CTMike · August 3

It seems there’s a Wegman’s about 30 miles from you in Montvale, NY. Put a large cooler in the car and head out.

CTMike · August 3

Gulfcoastguy said:

. . . . professor of fracture mechanics.

@lousubcap

“Sudden, catastrophic failure in the face of stress with little or no plastic deformation.”

Certain things that were drilled in to us in the Naval Nuclear Power Program refuse to die.

lousubcap · August 4

@CTMike - you can't F with Mother Nature, physics, math and gravity...At my age the gravity challenge is ever present.
Taking the plant from cold with the Rx and then straight to underway (schedule demands) was the least preferred option by an order of magnitude.

MeatSmokeFire · August 8

Have a look at some of the recipes we've done. There are about 400+ on our site: https://meatsmokefire.co.uk. They're all designed for the Egg.

robnybbq · September 2

MeatSmokeFire said:

Have a look at some of the recipes we've done. There are about 400+ on our site: https://meatsmokefire.co.uk. They're all designed for the Egg.

Thanks. Looks like some good recipes in there.

robnybbq · September 2

Made some calzones the other night. Not too bad. Almost chili season as the weather is changing, hopefully will make some in a few weeks.

lousubcap · September 2

robnybbq said:

Made some calzones the other night. Not too bad. Almost chili season as the weather is changing, hopefully will make some in a few weeks.

Glad you had success. If I remember right, you have quite a sweet outdoor cooking set up. Time to play with it more.

Need some inspiration/ideas

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