First cook on my new CGA

[HankB]

Actually my second cook on a CGA, but the first on this one which I have modified to use ManGrates.

The little chimney holds just the right amount of charcoal for half the CGA.



One thing I like about the GA is the capability to zone the fire so I can have a cooking area and a holding area.



Spuds and broccoli are done and now the corn on the cob.



Now the burgers.



I also toasted my buns but didn't capture images of that.  It was time to eat!

Results: The short answer is a successful cook.

My biggest concern with these grates was the time it would take to get hot due to the massive amount of cast iron they are made from. I've got to weigh them some time. After about 10 minutes following dumping of the charcoal, I measured the grates at over 500°F using an IR thermometer. That seems not to be an issue. The second question was whether the lowered charcoal grate would allow sufficient air flow. That turned out not to be a problem either. And the final proof is the grill marks on the potatoes, corn and burgers. The CI was plenty hot. One of supposed benefits of ManGrates is reduction in flare ups and I did not get any flare ups, though I would need to cook a lot more burgers in one session to validate that claim.

For the next cook I need to exercise the "Go Anywhere" aspect of this Weber. At the moment I'm testing it's ability to snuff the fire. I'm not sure it's tight enough to extinguish the fire. With dinner finished, the shell of the GA is still hot to the touch at 175°. With better planning, I'd crack the vents and smoke a couple fatties, brats, polish sausage or maybe some chicken. At a remote setting, I'd either let the coals burn down or dispose of them in a fire proof container. Maybe a sheet of foil between the lid and base would help.

[Duke]

That's a really sweet GA Hank! It looks like you have it dialed in nicely.