STAND BACK, FOR TONIGHT I COOK WITH LIQUID FUEL.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Welcome to my first cook using a gas grill. Please keep an extinguisher near your computer screen.

I don't yet have the CI grates sorted out (a bit corroded and gunky) so I'm taking advantage of the rotisserie that came with the grill. We're doing Weber's Lemon Something-Something seasoning on a bird first coated with olive oil/butter. Most of the seasoning fell off prior to the grill I think, from handling and trussing it up somewhat. And that's probably good since we wasted most of the bottle on this one thing. Stuff comes out FAST.


Had cranked 'er up to High for a minute and then down, to preheat with burners on Medium.




Well, THAT'S not gonna work! (New thermo, so should be accurate since placement is near cook surface?) I wasn't going to use the middle burner of course, so that went off and I turned the others to Low. "350" I think it became. I chose one click more heat, using Med on the front and Low on the back. That one click to one burner added 25 degrees. Nice.


Another new toy, partially stuffed with alder chips. I didn't soak them first, because I'm lazy and unorganized today. White smoke for awhile, not one of my brighter moves.




With The Boy's help we engage the spit and head outside. I hadn't yet wiped down the spit that came with the grill, so I'd taken use of my kettle's roti spit instead.

[pause for effect]

The spit for a gas grill is longer than a kettle's roti spit.

Back to the kitchen and now, I have two spits and tines to clean. (I'm adding this to my Dumbass Portfolio of Grilling Mistakes.)

[jcnaz]

That is a sweet old Genny!

[addicted-to-smoke]

"Weber 900" actually, but yes I'm really taking to it in a way I never have with my Q300.

[captjoe06]

Sure us pretty.  I'm at a point where I have zero interest in cooking on my gasser.   Makes me angry just thinking about how much money a I've spent on gas grills in the past 12 yesrs

[addicted-to-smoke]

With the breast currently at 140 things are starting to smell good. Could probably take some more heat on the dial but I don't want to overshoot on my first go with this machine. 6:40pm here, so it'll be a late dinner for us already.

Joey this is all an experiment for me. My Q300 is one step away from going away because I'm just not into it at all. At least the 900 looks more classic and has far more flexibility. I'm onboard with how fast it heats and stays steady, so there's that.

[addicted-to-smoke]

160 at the breast, from what I can tell. Really kind of expected it to be higher by now, so I bumped the rear burner one notch while we wait out "the stall" (that's what it feels like when you're hungry.)

[addicted-to-smoke]

Another 20 minutes and no change. Front burner now on high. I have no idea what I'm doing actually. Bird doesn't "look" overdone by any means, so I'll hit it with some more heat and see what's going on. I hate to keep poking it with a thermometer and seeing juice spill out.

[Travis]

Still turnin or she done now. Like the smoke tube.

[addicted-to-smoke]

OK the last chunk of time with added heat did the trick; I pulled it at 168 and it was juicy and really good. The wife took one bite and declared, "You could sell this."

It wasn't that good; the seasoning wasn't consistently covered but everything else was mighty fine. I'll be looking for about 168 in the breast from now on. And I don't know that the smoke did anything at all, but I'll check the leftovers tomorrow to know for sure. Smoke tube is a Char-Broil from Target for no more than $10. My only other regret is using too small of a cutting board and lost some freakin' juice to the counter afterwards.







**********************************

The few times I've actually done a rotisserie chicken I look at the price of the bird ($7-$12) and look at the price of the cooked rotisseries the grocery store sells ($7.69) and ask myself why bother. Today I finally realized the ones you cook yourself are usually larger (getting a "roaster") and if you're watchin' it you can make it BETTER.

[iCARRY]

Looks like a winner to me. Next time I do one, I am going to inject with some creole butter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pbe gummi bear]

Thanks for the entertainment on a Friday night!

[Travis]

Looks like it worked out just fine in the end. What did you think, being the first cook on the gasser? Pro's and con's?

[addicted-to-smoke]

That is the magic question, right Travis? I won't say this is conclusive but I have some impressions.

Pro:
* The gas grill is obviously faster and easier to "start up."
* This gas grill is taller, which is also better even if you're not a tall guy (I'm 5' 10").
* Unlike my Q300 with its infinitely variable knobs., the Low, Med and High knob settings here are easily repeatable temp selections.

Cons:
* I'm going to reserve full judgement here on taste until I take the time to work the smoker box like I should have done. But I'm pretty sure there's no way the flavor can be as good as with charcoal because even without smokewood, a charcoal grill imparts mild smoke flavor simply because of the charcoal.

* Not as fun or flexible as charcoal, but I get that for many people (gas grill owners) they aren't looking for "fun" so much as they just want their steak done how they like. Using a round kettle is like working with an infinite pallet on an empty canvas; intimidating at first but cathartic and freeing once acclimated.

[jamesnomore]

Looks like you nailed it! The temp lies like a kettle does, it's not as hot as advertised. I'm sure all are different but in my experience I don't trust it. For smoke sometimes I'll drop a chunk of wood between the grates bypassing the need for a tube. How gunked are your grates?

[addicted-to-smoke]

They're solid on both sides, with mostly sauce cruft. I *think* they should be OK to cook on?



I've got a nylon brush on the way, will give them a light brush with that and then a light oil with a silicone brush and call it done. I will likely store them inside, away from the humidity particularly since I won't be using this grill often.

I want to pick up either the warming rack or lid rack and have an additional cook option while using the roti if possible. Not really sure what could fit on those however. Corn on the cob?