First grill, how many beads?

[davethepom]

Dear fellow food fetishists,

Since acquiring my now beloved red head, I've cooked a heap of roast.  However, today will be my first attempt at grilling steaks.

I'm just wondering how many beads I should chuck in to get a hot enough bed of coals?  I was thinking around 25, what do you guys think?

Cheers,

Dave.

[jcnaz]

Dave, I grill steaks hot and fast so 20-25 sounds good to me in a 22.5. That would be for 4-6 nice big steaks!

[davethepom]

Thanks mate!  Only 3 T-bones today, and a pan for the onions on the side.  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

I'll rest them and might make a pepper gravy with the juices...  

[Duke]

Sounds delish! Does everyone there refer to charcoal as 'beads' or just the Pommies?

[Mmmmm]

A pan for the onions? Don't forget the 'shrooms, mate!

[davethepom]

Sounds delish! Does everyone there refer to charcoal as 'beads' or just the Pommies?

  Heat Beads is a brand of bbq fuel over here in Australia.  I call the black stuff in my fire pit charcoal. 

A pan for the onions? Don't forget the 'shrooms, mate!

Yeah, they'd fall through the gaps in the grill otherwise  .  I'll knock up a small plate later on in the warmer months.  No mushies on hand this time.  Good call though!

I'm off to the front dam to see if the fish are biting yet.  Catch you later.

[Duke]

Thanks Dave, hey would you mind showing us a picture of the dam?

[davethepom]

Thanks Dave, hey would you mind showing us a picture of the dam?

Just got back and no bites.  I tried flicking a lure, but it's still a bit cold so should have used bait.  Still, it's a lovely day so I don't care.

I'm off to pick my daughter up from work, but will try and put a pic up when I get a chance.

[davethepom]

I know it's been a while, but thought I should report in...

I stuffed the steaks up a bit, but they were still ok.  I had the grill incredibly hot and had to shut the lit to put out the fat fire, as the Weber is on my back veranda.  The choice was either perfect steaks and burn the house down, or dodgy steak and keep the house...the latter option seemed more appropriate!

As a result of closing the lid, the steaks were very smoky.  I also underestimated how incredibly fast they would cook, so they were quite overdone.  Ah well, here's a pic anyway:

 

And here's one of the dam...cheers!

[sparky]

It all looks good from here !
That fishin hole looks like a nice place , even if the fish aren't pulling on the hook

[davethepom]

Thanks sparky!  I might move things out into the yard next time, and cook for a lot shorter time.  I've got a gas bbq on the veranda as well, so generally cook steaks on the hot plate.  The kettle is unbeatable for roasts though!

The pic of the dam is from a few months ago.  The weather's warming up and they're starting to bite again now.