First kettle and first charcoal cook in 30 years.

[mike.stavlund]

That's some great looking food, Mike!  You are learning a lot, and gaining  ton of confidence. 

You are right on that the Kettle forgives a multitude of sins-- lid up if you're getting too much flare-up on your steaks (it will reduce the amount of oxygen inside to kill the flames).  Likewise, you'll gain the confidence to keep the lid on and cook chickens with mostly-full baskets and have them come out in about an hour (cold weather will slow them down, as will wind, but you'll quickly get a sense of how to adjust). 

Also, I'll +1 on the advice to not wrap your potatoes-- oil and season them as you like, then just put them on the grate with indirect heat.  They take me about an hour as well, and here's a great tip I learned on these boards:  potatoes are perfect at an internal temp of 205. 

Keep practicing, and I promise you will have the best turkey of your life this Thanksgiving. 

[namtrag]

That's some great looking food, Mike!  You are learning a lot, and gaining  ton of confidence. 

You are right on that the Kettle forgives a multitude of sins-- lid up if you're getting too much flare-up on your steaks (it will reduce the amount of oxygen inside to kill the flames).  Likewise, you'll gain the confidence to keep the lid on and cook chickens with mostly-full baskets and have them come out in about an hour (cold weather will slow them down, as will wind, but you'll quickly get a sense of how to adjust). 

Also, I'll +1 on the advice to not wrap your potatoes-- oil and season them as you like, then just put them on the grate with indirect heat.  They take me about an hour as well, and here's a great tip I learned on these boards:  potatoes are perfect at an internal temp of 205. 

Keep practicing, and I promise you will have the best turkey of your life this Thanksgiving.

Thanks, Mike!  It's so fun to pick up a new hobby this late on life, and be so excited about it.  I will try the potatoes on the grate next time.  There would have been not much room for them up there this time.

I actually think I might be able to do a turkey. That's a great goal for 6 weeks or so from now.  I will definitely have to do at least one dress rehearsal for that thought!