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A Slew of Yet More Newbie Questions

jimbotron
jimbotron Posts: 74
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Thanks for your patience! :blush:

Zippylip told me: "any time you do direct cooking, you're getting grease and stuff in the lump. So once your food is done, open the egg all up and let the remaining lump burn up, self-cleaning the egg. " But if you're just whipping up a single steak or a couple of burgers, that's an awful waste of charcoal, no? Or should I do quick burgers with place setter and drip pan to protect the lump?

What's best to use for a drip pan? Disposable aluminum ones get expensive. I have a medium egg.

I like the idea of doing multiple things simultaneously, and I have a medium egg...so a grill extender seems like a must-have? Or is there a third party product out there to get?

On the DVD, each time the chef shuts the top (after adding the food), he fiddles with the top. what's he doing? Opening or closing? And why?

Is it a bad idea to attempt ribs without a v-rack?

If I use a place setter without a drip pan, will I need to clean the place setter? If not, why use a drip pan with place setter, ever?

Should I use place setter with coooking plank? Also, are there any cheap sources of cooking planks? Maybe Costco, since I'd be buying in quantity?

How to cook a frozen salmon filets? Defrost first in fridge first? Generally, what's the rule with frozen stuff on a BGE?

What's my budget choice for a grate cleaner?

My BGE has no screen on the draft door. is that right?

The Polar thermometer (with probe that stays in food, and readout that stays outside the egg) seems cool. is it recommended?

I bought a couple 7lb bags of Nature's Mesquite Charcoal
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpdatabase/lumpbag50.htm for about $5 each at "Super Fresh", a chain in PA. I've also got a ton of Royal Oak. Should I save the mesquite for steaks and such? Or is it pretty much the same (i.e. for real mesquite flavor, I need to add smoking chips)?

Rather than use PAM on my grate, I was thinking of using TJ's spray olive oil. Is that a mistake, though, 'cuz of the low flash point of olive oil?

Comments

  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Zippylip told me: "any time you do direct cooking, you're getting grease and stuff in the lump. So once your food is done, open the egg all up and let the remaining lump burn up, self-cleaning the egg. " But if you're just whipping up a single steak or a couple of burgers, that's an awful waste of charcoal, no? Or should I do quick burgers with place setter and drip pan to protect the lump?

    I never burn off my lump. Just let it burn an extra 10 minutes or so the next time before you start.

    What's best to use for a drip pan? Disposable aluminum ones get expensive. I have a medium egg.

    I use a 14" pizza pan and cover it with foil.


    I like the idea of doing multiple things simultaneously, and I have a medium egg...so a grill extender seems like a must-have? Or is there a third party product out there to get?

    On the DVD, each time the chef shuts the top (after adding the food), he fiddles with the top. what's he doing? Opening or closing? And why?

    He probably doesn't have it oriented correctly and it resetting it. See the Whiz's site for instructions on that.

    Is it a bad idea to attempt ribs without a v-rack?

    I have never used one. I'm no Car Wash Mike, but I do pretty good ribs.

    If I use a place setter without a drip pan, will I need to clean the place setter? If not, why use a drip pan with place setter, ever?

    At a minimum wrap it in foil or burn it off when it gets real nasty. A drip pan will catch the major drippings from butts or multiple whole chickens.


    Should I use place setter with coooking plank? Also, are there any cheap sources of cooking planks? Maybe Costco, since I'd be buying in quantity?

    You want the plank to be your indirect piece. That will make it smoke more. I don't use them often - maybe 1-2 times a year.

    How to cook a frozen salmon filets? Defrost first in fridge first? Generally, what's the rule with frozen stuff on a BGE?

    Defrost everything first.


    What's my budget choice for a grate cleaner?

    Simple scrub brushes work. I love my Billy Bar.


    My BGE has no screen on the draft door. is that right?

    That is a relatively new add-on within the past 2 years or so. My large doesn't have one, my medium and mini do.

    Rather than use PAM on my grate, I was thinking of using TJ's spray olive oil. Is that a mistake, though, 'cuz of the low flash point of olive oil?

    Use peanut oil, vegetable oil ,or Pam. Olive oil is expensive for this use and burns easily.
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    ehehe..jimbo..sounds like you're trying to drink from a fire hose!!...questions are all over the place.. :) all of fidel's answers are good...oh.. and it's PLATEsetter..not PLACEsetter...common misnomer but thought it might help...oh..and nothing wrong with PAM.. if you look at the ingredients it's a combo of oils, vegetable, soy, etc...with some water and 'propellants'..you can get it for high temp also...
  • HungryMan
    HungryMan Posts: 3,470
    Don't hang out with Fidel at an Eggfest. It will cost you too much money.
  • Thanks VERY much, Fidel! (btw, the name "Buford Georgia" makes me hungry!)

    One unanswered question:

    I like the idea of doing multiple things simultaneously, and I have a medium egg...so a grill extender seems like a must-have? Or is there a third party product out there to get?

    PLATEsetter, yeah, oops, thanks for the correction, Eggtucky!
  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    Jimbo, allow me to clarify what I told you specifically regarding burning the lump. After I have had a low & slow, & burned through a lot of the new load of lump, & I have had a couple secondary cooks, when I am down to that last-use pile of multi-used lump, I like to do something direct, like burgers, wings, thighs, or anything else that's gonna drip grease into the lump (& add flavor when vaporizing for that matter) because I am burning the balance of the lump at the end of that cook regardless... after I remove my burgers or whatever, I just open'r up, top & bottom, & let the last of the lump take the last of the grease w/it...

    Regardig the Pam, you MUST use it if for no other reason than it's like a hand-held flame thrower :evil:
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
  • My BGE has no screen on the draft door. is that right?

    That is a relatively new add-on within the past 2 years or so. My large doesn't have one, my medium and mini do.


    Hmm...I just bought my BGE new this weekend. Could the dealer have forgotten to include it? do I have a prayer of getting the company or the dealer to send me one?
  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,168
    This is a whole lot of questions at one time.........but, I'll try to chime in here ;

    As far as direct cooking is concerned, do it just for quick grilling. You don't need to burn off anything that has dripped into the coals...next time you light the charcoal you'll burn all this off.
    I line all my drip pans with aluminum foil......that's cheaper to throw away than aluminum pans....
    The grid extender is a handy tool, or, you can go to the "eggsessories" web site for more options.
    Fiddling with the top is to raise the temp. back up quickly to where it was before raising the dome.....just be sure you know where it was before the adjustment.
    I never use thy V-rack for ribs. Not that it can't be done.....I just prefer them to lay flat on the grid....my preference.
    Always use a drip pan when using the PS...or, at least cover it with foil.
    Don't use the plate setter when using cooking planks.....they're to be done direct. If you find a cheap source for these, let me know!
    As far as grid cleaners go, I just use a copper-wire brush after each cook to clean the gird....just like you would use with any charcoal cooker.
    I don't know how old your egg is, but, they have been coming out with the spark arrestor as standard equipment for over a year now. You can get the screen to add to your current configuration for a very small fee.
    Pam, or some other oil-based ingredient besides olive oil would be better for oiling the grid......
  • Gotcha, Zippylip. Thanks for clarifying!
  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    did I read you have no screen? it had one when I was cook'n on it the other day, did you check the floor of your car :blush:
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    egret, agreed on the foil pans, for a while I was using them as 'disposables' until I figured out the foil thing, I bought a stack o' pans at Sam's Club (I think 10 or so) about 2 years ago & still have a few left, they'll go indefinitely if you line them right
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
  • The responses are in line in green, just too much to try and retype with reply.

    Zippylip told me: "any time you do direct cooking, you're getting grease and stuff in the lump. So once your food is done, open the egg all up and let the remaining lump burn up, self-cleaning the egg. " But if you're just whipping up a single steak or a couple of burgers, that's an awful waste of charcoal, no? Or should I do quick burgers with place setter and drip pan to protect the lump?

    Not something I do and yes it is a waste of lump to me. The orange lava looking lump in the bottom of your egg is at about 1100° not much other than metal or ceramic is going to survive down there.

    You may end up once in a while with some odor/flavor but I haven't noticed it in my cooking.


    What's best to use for a drip pan? Disposable aluminum ones get expensive. I have a medium egg.

    I used to use disposable, then I went to Walmart and picked up a stainless steel deep dish pizza pan. $3 and works great. I line the pain with aluminum foil because I didn't like cleaning out the grease and stuff. Some times I will just make a foil bowl of such. I try not to cook over the setter without something to catch drippings. The setter surface if dirty with grease will give off smoke and order when it gets hot enough

    I like the idea of doing multiple things simultaneously, and I have a medium egg...so a grill extender seems like a must-have? Or is there a third party product out there to get?

    Look at tjv's site eggaccessories for the woo2 and other accesories. BGE has some solution too. You can also use some ceramic stilts or even fire brick.

    On the DVD, each time the chef shuts the top (after adding the food), he fiddles with the top. what's he doing? Opening or closing? And why?

    Probably not setting the center of gravity properly. See The Naked Whiz site for help with that. I always check the dome settings when I open the dome and always check again when closing the dome. One doesn't want the temp to run a way or go down.

    Is it a bad idea to attempt ribs without a v-rack?

    HECK NO!!!! I use the V rack if I have a lot of ribs to do or I will cook on 2 layers. You will see more pictures with out the V rack than with the V rack

    If I use a place setter without a drip pan, will I need to clean the place setter? If not, why use a drip pan with place setter, ever?

    I am not sure on this, but I don't think one should clean the setter with soap/water/cleaner. I don't like a greasy looking plate setter is the reason I use a drip pan or foil tub of some type.


    Should I use place setter with coooking plank? Also, are there any cheap sources of cooking planks? Maybe Costco, since I'd be buying in quantity?

    I don't cook with planks much at all. I don't use the setter when I cook on the plank. For adding flavor I use wood chips/chunks. There will be a lot of differing opinions on this.

    How to cook a frozen salmon filets? Defrost first in fridge first? Generally, what's the rule with frozen stuff on a BGE?

    I always defrost and cook - for anything.

    What's my budget choice for a grate cleaner?

    I use heat and a $1.49 wire brush from Lowes.

    My BGE has no screen on the draft door. is that right?

    If you egg is old, in my opinion, you should buy one. If your egg is newer it should have come with a screen - get it from your dealer.

    The Polar thermometer (with probe that stays in food, and readout that stays outside the egg) seems cool. is it recommended?

    Again, a lot of differing opinions. IMO, YES get only the Maverick ET-73.

    I bought a couple 7lb bags of Nature's Mesquite Charcoal
    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpdatabase/lumpbag50.htm for about $5 each at "Super Fresh", a chain in PA. I've also got a ton of Royal Oak. Should I save the mesquite for steaks and such? Or is it pretty much the same (i.e. for real mesquite flavor, I need to add smoking chips)?

    In my area I try to get Royal Oak or Cowboy and use flavor chips. I do have a source for Mesquite Lump. It sparks a lot so I use starter cubes or oil/napkin to light.

    If I have Mesquite I would use it. One quick chicken cook and you will know what you like or don't like.

    I don't mind at all cooking with mesquite. Some Q books will say never. Some will say it gives a 'sweet' flavor - which I not to sure if I agree but that is what they say.

    Part of the fun of all this is finding out what you and who you are cooking for like. There are no specific rules. Experiment some. I use a lot of different smoking woods. Mesquite, Hickory, Pecan, my favorites are Cherry, Apple, Grape Vine, Jack Daniels oh yes peach. Fruit wood is particularly nice.


    Rather than use PAM on my grate, I was thinking of using TJ's spray olive oil. Is that a mistake, though, 'cuz of the low flash point of olive oil?

    Try using different 'stuff' see what works best for you. Most of time I don't use anything.



    Whew...

    GG
  • Contact your dealer it should have been provided as standard parts. Check the BGE site.

    GG
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Yours is probably just older inventory.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    a cheap source of cedar is simply to use utility grade shingles. they are sold in bundles. utility grade shingles are simply shingles that are used as undercoursing because they have visible knots, or other visual 'issues'. cedar shingles are not treated, unless they are specifically sold as treated.

    i have a bundle i bought to shim out a wall, and what's left has lasted me five years of salmon cooks every once in a while. was maybe five bucks? probably got 30 of them

    i cut off the thinnest end and try to soak for an hour or so.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,168
    Hey, Stike....are you talking about the shim shingles you can get at local building supply stores?
  • The Polar thermometer (with probe that stays in food, and readout that stays outside the egg) seems cool. is it recommended?

    A minor point of correction--"Polar" is a line of sport watches/heart monitors used by runners and cyclists to monitor heart rate, distance, etc. Here's an example.

    I think you mean Polder, which offers a line of remote kitchen thermometers. One such unit is here, but I believe they make others.

    Just a little thing, but didn't want you to be perplexed with your results if you're doing internet searches!
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    i always call them shims, but they now actually sell shims which are cut down and kinda small. used to be you just would buy utility grade shingles and make your own.

    so, don't get the narrow (like, inch and a half wide) shims that are four inches long (that'd have to be some small salmon!). look for a bundle of the shingles. they are full size (4 to 6 inches wide, 18 inches long) and bundled with a metal strap.

    DON'T get treated (obviously).
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • As a price range for cooking planks, my local Costco has them for around $1 a plank in modest quantities, while the local Publix grocery carries them for about $2 a plank.
  • Just found out Stop&Shop has them for $5.95 for a two-pack.
  • Zippylip told me: "any time you do direct cooking, you're getting grease and stuff in the lump. So once your food is done, open the egg all up and let the remaining lump burn up, self-cleaning the egg. " But if you're just whipping up a single steak or a couple of burgers, that's an awful waste of charcoal, no? Or should I do quick burgers with place setter and drip pan to protect the lump?

    I've never done that. I actually have never done a 'burn' clean. I'm unsure why this would be necessary. I do take the lump out from time to time and thoroughly clean that part of it.

    On the DVD, each time the chef shuts the top (after adding the food), he fiddles with the top. what's he doing? Opening or closing? And why?

    When you open the lid, the swivel thingie on the daisy wheel can swing all the way open, so I guess he's putting it back to the adjustments he wants it at.

    Is it a bad idea to attempt ribs without a v-rack?

    I normally do not use a rack. I only use a rack if I want to cram a whole bunch of slabs and they don't fit laying flat. I prefer laying flat.


    If I use a place setter without a drip pan, will I need to clean the place setter? If not, why use a drip pan with place setter, ever?

    I rarely use a drip pan. My platesetter is a mess. Sometimes I cover it with tin foil if I'm doing a really messy cook.

    What's my budget choice for a grate cleaner?

    If you have a dog, let him/her lick it. That's what we do. :ohmy: Seriously. They get it real clean. Then I put it on the heat for a little bit just in case there might be germs. Sometimes if the dogs aren't around I'll rub the grate with crumpled up tin foil.

    The Polar thermometer (with probe that stays in food, and readout that stays outside the egg) seems cool. is it recommended?

    I only ever use a Thermapen. I love it. One of my favorite cooking tools ever.
  • Dimple's Mom wrote:
    If you have a dog, let him/her lick it. That's what we do. :ohmy: Seriously. They get it real clean. Then I put it on the heat for a little bit just in case there might be germs.


    Good idea, though I'm dogless. OTOH, it's likely only a matter of time before the BGE company offers a custom branded BGE dog (for several hundred dollars, of course!).

    Thanks for all!
  • OTOH, it's likely only a matter of time before the BGE company offers a custom branded BGE dog (for several hundred dollars, of course!).

    I have it on good authority that the Mother Ship is already doing market testing on this new product:

    a_brown_green_080908300w.jpg
  • Lab Rat
    Lab Rat Posts: 147
    Jimbotron,

    You asked:

    "I like the idea of doing multiple things simultaneously, and I have a medium egg...so a grill extender seems like a must-have? Or is there a third party product out there to get?"

    I (with input from others on this forum) made my grid extender from stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers and an 18" Weber grid. You can use a BGE grid if you prefer. It cost less than the BGE extender and has more room. Another advantage is that the Weber grid has less space between the bars so smaller food (like asparagus) is less able to slip through.