First kettle and first charcoal cook in 30 years.

[GregS]

For your first chicken just put some salt and pepper right on the skin, put the bird on the grill, and let the Weber show you what it can do.

this is great advice for a first cook.  it's also one of my favorite recipes. 

[namtrag]

Well, all our kids made other plans,  so my wife and I postponed the chicken and went and bought some nice bone in rib eyes at whole foods.

I did prep the chicken today, so will cook it tomorrow.  Severely screwed up the spatchcocking.  One chicken I cut the breast side instead of the back.  Ended up just cutting it in half after removing the backbone.  The other one, I cut too far from the backbone on the first cut, but once I flipped it over breast up,it looks ok.   They have been soaking in brine for several hours.

Anyway,  back to the steaks...started my baskets up and went back in and prepped.  Put a little olive oil on the steaks, then liberally sprinkled with pepper and sea salt with garlic (comes in a grinder from trader joes).  Set them aside while I coated some red potatoes the same way and wrapped in foil.  Went out and spread the baskets out and placed the potatoes between them, and put the lid back on.  Sat for 45 minutes and let the potatoes cook. 

Then I took the steaks out and put them on the great between the baskets, cooked for 5 minutes each side with lid on, then seared two minutes per side directly over the coals.  My wife loved it this rare, but I cooked mine a little longer once I cut in and saw it was too rare for me.

Anyway, observations and problems I encountered.  I left the lower and upper vents open the whole cook.   My coals still had flames on them after an hour, so when I seared the steaks, I had some severe flare up.  Not sure why, and would welcome tips.  I am wondering why the coals didn't settle down after that much time.  Also, even after an hour or so, my red potatoes were a little crunchy.

All in all the food was excellent, and I will get better.  I am kind of worried about cooking the chicken tomorrow, as I am thinking I need to learn some temperature control techniques!

[namtrag]

Another issue was, I bought a kenmore electronic thermometer for $7.99.  I stuck it in the steak after cooking it indirectly for 4 minutes, and it registered 125.  The steak was hardly even warm.  Can't figure that out!

[1buckie]

"I had some severe flare up.  Not sure why, "


Olive oil.......and some from the fat of the meat...............

but, if they had some flame licking up before the meat went over, no whimpering....I try like hell to have it go like that  rarely succeed....... 


Here's a couple related cookups that shows the trials I have "grilling".............

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/hyena-brisket-w-taterzilla/msg107984/#msg107984

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/previous-don't-really-need-all-those-kettles-just-one-18-12'-5/msg7900/#msg7900

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/f'in-thermometers-f'in-hi-heat-f'in-searing/msg98039/#msg98039


Dinner looks grate, BTW !!!!

[namtrag]

Great threads, and lots of great tips.  I am hooked on charcoal for sure.

It's funny I thought my charcoal still having flames after an hour was a problem, but it sounds like it's great if you're cooking steaks!

[Troy]

Don't worry about the little flames and flare ups, just close the lid and they'll die down.

[Jason]

Set them aside while I coated some red potatoes the same way and wrapped in foil.  Went out and spread the baskets out and placed the potatoes between them, and put the lid back on.  Sat for 45 minutes and let the potatoes cook.

Next time, try cooking the potatoes on the cooking grate, indirect, with the lid on. About an hour at 350 is about average for me. Food looks tasty!

[Chuck]

Potatoes always take a long time to cook. I tried some steak fries on the grill one time, and even at ~1/4 inch thick they weren't done cooking indirect at ~325 after 45 minutes. Try parboiling them next time.

As far as the thermometer, that seems weird. It is a $8 job so that might be part of it, but I think the probe sensor wasn't in completely or was too far through to the other side near the coals. I've invested in a Maverick ET-733 for grill surface temp and monitoring the meat during a cook. Then for more exact temps at various points during the cook I've got a reconditioned Thermapen from a sale earlier this year.

[weirleigh]

Great to see you were able to get that performer cleaned and running today  Sounds like the wife enjoyed her steak so I would call the first cook a success.  You will figure out what works for you as you cook a couple of more times.  I always prefer my potatoes cooked on the grill and they always take a long time for me as well.  I an getting pretty good at slow cooks with pork and chickens but still a novice when it comes to basic grilling. 
Just to let you know the first steak I grilled I tried adding smoke, I cooked the steak a little too long and I guess used a bit more wood than was necessary because it tasted just like beef jerky.  As far as beef jerky goes it wasn't bad at all but not exactly the flavor I was looking for in a steak.  The wood was oak because I live in the woods, it is plentiful and free, I did buy some hickory the other day and will use that on the next slow cook I do just to see the difference.
Grilled a piece of salmon today that was a first for me as well and it came out great, I always I eat my mistakes and try to adjust my cooking the next time.

[namtrag]

Thanks guys! 

I put my two chickens on with 8 red potatoes a while ago.  I can't get my temp up.  It's stuck at 290! Edit: at 320 on grill surface.  I was hoping 350-400

All vents wide open! 

Do I add more charcoal?

This is my set up when I first put the chickens on

[namtrag]

I was worried for nothing.  1:15 after putting them on, they were at 160-175 anywhere I stuck the thermometer... Leaving them on for a while with a few apple chips while my wife's cabbage wedges cook on the gas grill

[1buckie]

I was just about to answer & say this:

"I was worried for nothing."


But I won't.....just leavin' you to an excellent dinner................

[namtrag]

I was just about to answer & say this:

"I was worried for nothing."


But I won't.....just leavin' you to an excellent dinner................

It was most excellent!  I am learning that it's hard to screw up on a weber kettle!

[1buckie]

alrightee then...................


You'll hit a foul ball here & there, everybody does, but just keep trying, new things, re-runs of favorites......

that's actually a pretty good idea that we've talked about before......run the same dinner or cookup numerous times so you really know what to watch for on that particular cook / food...........

[namtrag]

alrightee then...................


You'll hit a foul ball here & there, everybody does, but just keep trying, new things, re-runs of favorites......

that's actually a pretty good idea that we've talked about before......run the same dinner or cookup numerous times so you really know what to watch for on that particular cook / food...........

Haha, realized I came across a little cocky there, but what I meant is if I can do it, it must be pretty easy!

The repeat of the same dinner is a great idea.  We will definitely do this one many times, as whole chickens are a great way to feed a family, and are on sale quite often!