I'm brand new to the world of charcoal grilling and just nabbed a new Gold Series Performer this afternoon. I haven't fired it up yet and before I do, I'm curious to hear what you guys cooked when you broke in your very first Kettle. Any suggestions for a fun starting cook? Is there a standard Kettle initiation that I should be aware of? ;D
I like to get a new or "new to me" kettle really hot the first time that I fire it up to burn off any chemical or cleaner residue.
Next I like to cook something that will put a good coating of vaporized fat and smoke all over the inside of the kettle. Sort of gunking it up but with MY gunk! Chicken is good for that, or a bunch of burgers and ABTs!
Roast pork, nothing does crackling like a kettle
Of course you'll have to do all the other trimmings as well, roast vegies , Apple sauce, gravy
For grilling- steaks, brats, or burgers. For low and slow ribs or the forgiving pork butt if you got time and mouths to feed. Anything cooked with your effort on a shiny new toy will automatically taste better. Make sure to report back.
My first charcoal cook as an independent adult was a small 8 rib rack of lamb, grilled indirect on a CGA. For my OTG first cook, I think I cooked some marinated tri tip from Trader Joes.
My first cook on mt OTG, after years of only using a gasser, was grilled shrimp. I followed that, a few days later, with some nice ribeyes. Cook whatever you want. I guarantee it'll be good. Have fun and welcome yo the club.
Chicken thighs was my first kettle cook, lots of fat very forgiving.
My first was hamburgers, they turned out great considering i used to use a crappy grill and they turned out so so.
Marshmallows when I was 5ish
Still have the kettle.
My first Weber Kettle cook was on my first and only Weber I've ever had and still have and use all the time for every cook. I made up some hotdogs because I wanted to try out the grill and nobody was home since everyone was out Christmas shopping. I didn't really care what I grilled up as long as I got a chance to get something cooked up on it. I wanted a Weber for a while after using another brand....never want to use any other grill! The control I can get with the kettle design and the flexability makes it the perfect design for me.
Thanks for the replies.
I'm going to throw a package of extra-thick cut bacon on tomorrow and see how it goes. I have thermometers coming so I'll wait to do any major cooks until I have those in hand.
First thing I cooked on my 18" kettle back in '74 was baby back ribs. They came out really good. I'll never forget them and so the die was cast. :D
We cooked a stuffed chook the day we scored our old redhead from the inlaws, and have never looked back!
My first kettle cook was just this past weekend, I just cooked burgers and brats. The burgers dripped on the coals and cooled things down, but with a bit of patience everything turned out great. Planning to cook some ribs and ABT's this weekend.