Forgot to update with the spare ribs from Saturday evening.
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Forgot to update with the spare ribs from Saturday evening.
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Some cheeky tikka ahead of tonight’s curry.
That looks great, can I ask what rotisserie basket that is, need one for my KJ but the official KJ one is silly money compared to the only fire ones you can get from amazon!
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Recommendation from Nic at Meat Smoke Fire.
KJ one is very expensive, agreed!
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Oops! Must have forgotten to clear it out after the last cook!
And to think I was planning to do beef for Christmas Day on it; would have been a crap surprise at 6am on Christmas Day [emoji1]
Im planning on a nice hot burn off to rescue it, which seems to the advice; sound sensible?
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I’d wash the grill and the chicken stand, and do the hot burn without either.
It happens all the time when you remain a while without using your egg. It washes off easily.
I’d hot burn it with grill etc in just to save touching it more than necessary. Then wash after if you wanted, nothing will survive the temps.
I checked mine a few days before NYE as was cooking on it & had been away for a few weeks previously. I was clean, but just realise I’ve not checked the minimax.
Weber gasser always seems to be the worst post Xmas period, no idea why as use it for bacon etc through most of winter as so much better than indoor oven cooked.
I put it on a hot burn and will give the grills a wash down too; but seems to be ok.
Lighting it up made me want to cook on it though! May have to get something on next weekend [emoji1786]
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Did you get the moisture coming through the outer finish? Always find it weird when that happens.
I have an awning that comes out over the egg, so it’s an all year round for me, but NYE was a monsoon and never been so miserable outside cooking.
Get on it for the weekend coming up!
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Hmmm, not that I saw, but I pretty much set it and left it.
We built a gazebo for outdoor kitchen / dining / seating last year so it is all year round in principle; but for some reason I didn’t use it much at the end of last year. This spring I’m going to finish the outdoor kitchen area so it’s more usable. At some point I’m planning to do a nice built in kitchen, but for now will just use what I have.
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Since these photos I’ve added an IKEA sink unit and a water heater which I need to get plumbed in and I’ve also had some electrics installed.
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I’d forgotten about that set up you have - it’s probably the size of my entire garden lol.
You’ve no excuse for not cooking outside with all that cover, time to make amends and get the season off to an early start next weekend!
Ha, yes very true. I was using it all up until around November but the weather then made me depressed!
If nothing else I’ll start doing some weekday cooking on the gas BBQ and I’ve got some nice meat in the freezer we got as Christmas presents for the egg, so there’s plenty to be getting on with.
Does anyone have any experience with these fan temperature controllers? I’ve been looking at an Inkbird one for £130 from Amazon
INKBIRD WiFi Bluetooth BBQ Temperature Controller ISC-007BW with Fan,Automatic Smoker BBQ Fan Controller Grill Thermometer with 3 Probes for Big Green Egg,Kamado Joe,Primo,Vision,Akorn Kamado https://amzn.eu/d/9Xqzajz
I’m thinking it would be good for long overnight cooks so I can rest easy?
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Never used them; never needed to either but I suppose it may make sense in an overnight cook. I find the temperature in my egg quite stable once set and my worry would be the amount of fuel more than temperature (yes, directly related but I meant that if temperature dips by lack of fuel, the fan will not help much).
I have been using a BBQ Guru temp controller and fan for around 5 years now. Really only use it for overnight pulled pork etc. It keeps the temp rock steady for around 15 plus hours with one basket of charcoal.
I’ll probably pick one up and see what it is like. I’m mainly thinking for long cooks that start late at night / early morning and would speed up the set up process. Since I’m still getting used to the egg, it takes an hour or so for me to be happy the temps are good for low and slow. And then it’s a bit hit and miss for low temps.
I don’t mind that if I’m around and about, but not so great if I want to be asleep!
I’ve had an IQ110 for as long as I’ve had a smoker - used it pre-egg on my WSM and I love the things as much more relaxing for a long cook.
Wireless temp probe to alert me of something goes wrong, or out! But never had an issue over the years.
I did find I used it on every cook for a period of time, so spent the effort to stop using it & learn the vents again.
Due to upgrade it soon, Chinnock - I’ve not forgotten you, just had to prioritise other things for my discretionary spend recently. Equally not worked out whether to go for the Egg one or the Fireboard one.
Ok, I’ll definitely pick one up. And something to do a long cook with to justify buying it in the first place [emoji3]
Anybody got some good veggie dishes to do in the egg? I’m thinking things like roast cauliflower, aubergines could be good. Maybe kebabs, but they would probably be easier on the gas bbq.
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I have the other inkbird controller (027 I think) and it works really well. Have done a few low and slow cooks now where I have been out of the house for a few hours and it did a good job of keeping it right on the desired temperature, making small adjustments as necessary. Also does a better job at getting it to the right temperature quickly at the start of a cook without overshooting than i do.
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I've been using a fireboard for well over 12 months now and have to say it is an awesome bit of kit. Expensive but brilliant at controlling long cooks. I would recommend it.
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Pork overnight and just added the ribs earlier.
The egg-spander is a cracking bit of kit, I have to say.
They look great so they do.
We went for the broil king keg and it almost keeps too much heat in only had it a year though. This is my year for the bbq I can feel it..lol
I use the Weber lump wood is that decent for this type of cooking seems good to me last year.
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Big K ACH15 is my default these days, it’s brilliant stuff.
I vary the size of fire I light depending on what I’m cooking, sometimes I get the heat carried away, but just have to roll with it; had grill temps at 240F but the dome at 300F, which saved my arse today after the pork misbehaved for waaaay to long.
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Nice you are a bit ahead from me I am still playing with size of fire, getting a clean burn and keeping the right temp.
I do however love the pizza in the keg total qualty but with supermarkets shutting down their bakery departments it’s getting harder to get fresh yeast I find
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Tikka for tonight, with a couple of escaped casualties!
For one I thought about getting a photo:
Reverse seared flat iron for lunch
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Looks great, can’t beat a reverse seared hunk of beef.
What temp you cook to pre-sear, ad assuming you removed the probe when the grill was going silly hot?
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Cheeky tomahawk last weekend, used a tiny piece of mesquite & could really taste it.
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I am not that careful with the probe (probably should be). No, I thought the flat iron was a little bit thin for a probe (<1”) so resorted to the old finger in the air method and left it about 2 minutes each side with the ceramic diffuser on a plancha, then removed both implements.
Looks ogre at so it does.
Nothing as great on mine yesterday
Some lamb kebabs,chicken,smoked sausage(great with mustard) and some veg.
The butternut was quality always love it
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I need to try it with a thinner hunk of meat, but always would need to try a probe to get a reference point prior to,rest & sear to understand what I’m working with. Food science geek by original trade & never left it behind lol.
It really is good stuff, few friends have been around the houses on different ones & this is so consistent we have given up playing. Add some wood here & there to adjust the flavours and all sorted.
The lack of smoke is also much better for neighbours! Some of the briquettes are a nightmare when getting going. We still have a neighbour who favours the magic liquid & we have to leave the garden when he cooks, luckily it isn’t often & long may it remain so.
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The problem with a thin piece is that it’s much harder to position the probe centrally enough to be certain of the actual temperature.
I learned to cook without those implements, and while I love the precision it gives you on a roast, for example, and allows me to have very satisfying results, I usually trust my experience on thinner pieces (flatiron, chicken drumsticks/thighs ,etc.)
I will add that I am also a sucker for the actual chemistry behind cooking. I feel it makes cooking much more interesting when you actually know why you are doing what you are doing, instead of repeating what you were taught/what you learned empirically.
Ello ello ello. Wot ave we ere then…
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Nice. what make is it?
Cheers. It’s the Boss Grill xl.
Just starting the first burn to figure out temps
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Excuse the patio, it’s in dire need of a jet wash. As are the fence panels.
Very nice Jon!
Wont look that clean ever again though.
I’m sure it won’t mate.
Struggling with the temps at the minute.
Bottom vent open a finger and the daisy 5mm, it’s still going beyond 380f.
Even both vents fully closed it’s still topping out at 330f. I thought fully closed was supposed to put the thing out.
Not too many coals in there either.
How important is the deflector in regulating temps? I was wrongly sent a deflector for the 18 inch instead of 21 so am using both half moon ceramics from the divide and conquer.
It should put itself out with both vents closed. It takes a few minutes, the time to burn the oxygen inside.
If it doesn’t you have a significant air leak; possibly the felt on the opening.
Should be able to regulate temps without the deflector, that just moves it from being direct heat to indirect.
It sounds like air getting in as suggested above. You can check the seal on the felt by putting a piece of paper between the bottom & lid. It should hold it fairly firmly, if it doesn’t then there is a gap that needs sorting.
There will be instructions online on adjusting your bands holding the lid to get a good seal. Obviously when it’s cool!! I had to do a few tweaks after I built mine to get it perfect. If there aren’t there will be for the Joe / Egg and they are all pretty similar from what I’ve seen.
The other way is fitting a thicker gasket, but I’d try aligning top & bottom properly as my first attempt.
With the egg, I had a handful of plastic pieces to put between the lid and base to help set the bands distancing correctly. Not sure if you got similar? I can try to locate mine and pop them in the post for you try if you wanted?
Edit to add - is the tension on the spring too great at the rear causing the front to open slightly? I know some Joe folk had that problem.
Thanks Marc & Matt.
The paper does pull out but you need to pull on it.
Im guessing it’s just a matter of trial and error. This combined with my impatience isn’t a great mix.
Silly question now. If I’m cooking a chicken at 350f. Do I put the chicken on when the temp reaches 350, or do I add the chicken once lit and bring it up to 350?
Thank again.
That’s good you have a good seal there. Another way to find out where / off you have an air leak is to get some wood smoking in there / chuck a burger on, smoke will come out of places when the top vent is shut.
Few reviews online suggest the lower vent is often a source of air ingress even when shut.
Could possibly be just a learning curve. I was the opposite & was running too cold initially. Equally the size of fire you make has a huge effect & once ceramic is hot, cooling it down is a long process!
Get the bbq to temp and then add the chicken. It will drop in temp, but you know you’ve already got it dialled in correctly & don’t have to be fiddling with vents.
Whilst egg related, have a look at this video on lighting / getting to temp, Nic is exBGE and now has his own company doing classes etc.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MpOlOMx6weQ
https://meatsmokefire.co.uk
Also has some guidance on vent settings which may help.
Thanks again all.
I’ve watched quite a few videos on the subject and read this thread from start to finish, so I assumed I was pretty clued up. Obviously theory is very different than reality.
I’m using a Meater type probe as I don’t trust the dome gauge, but surprisingly enough, it is pretty much aligned with the probe.
Anyway, it’s all part of the fun!
Edit - It’s sitting nicely at 354f, so we’ll see how the chuck turns out.
https://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk...ermometer.html
I have 2 MEATER probes but I always have this on the grill too, means I don’t have to look at my phone & can just glance at the screen.
Used this model for years and the predecessor going back about 15yrs or so. I even have a second pair, so I can keep the bbq one in place and simply plug the meat probe into the 2nd device when it goes to rest & still keep an eye on it.
Well the chicken reached its internal temp of 165f but it wasn’t cooked enough.
Probe was placed in the thickest part of the breast. The breast looked succulent, but in between the thigh and carcass was still bloody.
I think I’ll have more success with my wired probes once they are shipped back from VN.
That is a shame for the first cook mate. I'd have thrown it back on in whatever state it was in - new world spatchcock style!
I always use a Thermapen instant read & give everywhere a probe just to check, I use it with everything I cook, no matter how many times I have done it - even down to burgers as you can make sure you hit a perfect temperature & not go too far & get the cheese on nice & early.
Also found the vertical roaster really handy for a chicken before I got the rotisserie.
I threw it back on until it hit 174f internal and it was delightful! So juicy.
I’ve got a handheld probe which I should have used as a second check, but totally forgot about it.
I started it out with a beer can but it fell over. I’ll either get a proper vertical stand or spatchcock it in future.
Happy with the learning curve though, so all is good. Thank you.
What surprised me as well was the slight smokiness to the chicken (good thing). I used Big K restaurant grade coals (as per your recommendation) and no wood.
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