What's for Dinner?
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That KJ Lump Charcoal looks fantastic. Perfect for longer cooks. The briquettes are fine for burgers and steaks etc.
I use the briquettes in a snake formation and seem to be able to do nice long cooks, with minimal intervention. Put two or three hunks 'o wood along the way. And they definitely have less ash than the regular briquettes. I've had less luck with the lump charcoal (mostly Cowboy brand) as it is variable, sometimes it burns hot, sometimes it burns slower and lasts longer...just have to watch the grill/smoker more closely.
Pulled out the beef tenderloin today. Was bottling a batch of Pinot Noir, so ran out of time to do a roast, so cut off a 3 lb hunk and wrapped well and threw in the freezer for another time. Cut up some petite 1 1/2" thick fillets from the remaining part, served with twice baked taters my wife made and a salad. I pulled my steak off at 127*F and let it sit for about 20 minutes. If it was fish, it would have been classified as sushi, so I enjoyed it very much! Tender as can be, had a lump of hickory in when I started the briquettes, so just a smidgen of smokey goodness. Only seasoned with some kosher salt and pepper, very good dinner (and the sun came out today, the "cherry on the top" for me).
Pulled out the beef tenderloin today. Was bottling a batch of Pinot Noir, so ran out of time to do a roast, so cut off a 3 lb hunk and wrapped well and threw in the freezer for another time. Cut up some petite 1 1/2" thick fillets from the remaining part, served with twice baked taters my wife made and a salad. I pulled my steak off at 127*F and let it sit for about 20 minutes. If it was fish, it would have been classified as sushi, so I enjoyed it very much! Tender as can be, had a lump of hickory in when I started the briquettes, so just a smidgen of smokey goodness. Only seasoned with some kosher salt and pepper, very good dinner (and the sun came out today, the "cherry on the top" for me).
Ok question for you gurus, lol
I’m planning to have the boys soccer team come over for a farewell to a boy moving to FL, about 18 teenagers that usually like to devour lots if foods.
I’m thinking how I can handle this better on the charcoal grill if I’m cooking hamburgers and some hotdogs.
Best way to place the charcoals, to cook many burgers in one shot, how manage the safe zone and direct fire zone, etc.
Maybe charcoal in the middle and leave the outsides as the safe zone?
Would it be better cooking frozen burgers from Costco or that would be a sacrilege, lol, and instead I should go for the real deal and buy the patties and cook them.
Would you cook them direct fire or use a baking pan on the fire?
Suggestions please...
I’m planning to have the boys soccer team come over for a farewell to a boy moving to FL, about 18 teenagers that usually like to devour lots if foods.
I’m thinking how I can handle this better on the charcoal grill if I’m cooking hamburgers and some hotdogs.
Best way to place the charcoals, to cook many burgers in one shot, how manage the safe zone and direct fire zone, etc.
Maybe charcoal in the middle and leave the outsides as the safe zone?
Would it be better cooking frozen burgers from Costco or that would be a sacrilege, lol, and instead I should go for the real deal and buy the patties and cook them.
Would you cook them direct fire or use a baking pan on the fire?
Suggestions please...
I'd personally put your two charcoal baskets on opposite sides (like how the directions show you to do it). Put the frozen Costco burgers in the middle and let them thaw for a few minutes with the lid on, then move them over the direct flame, but put the lid back on or you will have a raging inferno (you may anyway depending on the fat content of the frozen burgers). As they finish or flare up, move them back to the middle away from the heat. You should be able to get 10 or 12 burgers lined up the middle, once done put in a foil lasagna like pan and cover with foil. Either serve immediately, or just before serving throw them in the pan over the hot part of the grill to warm up a bit. You could also do some Italian sausages, or Chorizo type sausage before you do the burgers and keep them warm in a covered foil pan in the oven (as low as it will go).
The idea is to have a bunch of food ready all at once, if they have to wait they are teenagers and will bitch about it. Varis, you should be good at this since you normally cook enough food for a third world country's army.
The idea is to have a bunch of food ready all at once, if they have to wait they are teenagers and will bitch about it. Varis, you should be good at this since you normally cook enough food for a third world country's army.
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LOL, I knew that army comment was coming....LOL
Nah, not that much.
So you'd prefer frozen Costco burgers versus buying the fresh made patties?
I thought about putting a pan over the fire, but your method sounds good, the 2 charcoal basket on opposite sides, having the center of the grill as the "safe" zone.
Nah, not that much.
So you'd prefer frozen Costco burgers versus buying the fresh made patties?
I thought about putting a pan over the fire, but your method sounds good, the 2 charcoal basket on opposite sides, having the center of the grill as the "safe" zone.
We wouldn't joke with you if we didn't love you, Varis!
I use that method all the time. Look up at my earlier post today with the fillet steaks. I seared them for a minute or two on each side, then put them back in the safe zone, turned them every 3 minutes or so, and every one loved them (though they like medium well, where I like "twitching", so I took mine off early).
Edit: and you might be able to get 14 burgers lined up the middle, you just need to rotate them every now and then so they all get done at the same time.
Ha ha! They don't care they are teenage boys and will eat most anything! Microwave the hot dogs if you want! LOL
The Costco frozen patties are good. Like Craig said have the mammal flesh cooked and ready to go when they arrive and they will be happy testosteronies!
The Costco frozen patties are good. Like Craig said have the mammal flesh cooked and ready to go when they arrive and they will be happy testosteronies!
Costco is all over the EU. That Euro price is the only believable thing in the photo.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Had a good day at Costco on Friday. I picked up a 10lb pork belly to make some bacon (more pics later), some pre-rubbed St. Louis spares, and a cilantro/lime flank steak. We had the steak Friday and you've seen those pics. Today, I cooked the spares on the Performer - roughly 285 for about 2 hours, then about 1.5 hours in foil at roughly the same temps. Then about 30 minutes back on the Performer indirect while I did a couple small filets directly over the charcoal basket. All turned out great. I normally don't like to foil, but was short on time and it really helped. Also did some grilled broccolini and some 'tots. Ribs were sauced twice after foiling over about a 30 minute period w/ No. 5 sauce (homemade). I used the baskets on the Performer and a small chunk of cherry wood in each, with a mix of K and leftover Royal Oak. Delicious.
Ribs just out of the foil:
First coat of sauce on and filets on directly over the still hot basket.
Ribs off and resting for a few minutes:
Broccolini on (bacon onion vinaigrette dressing as marinade/sauce)
Finally, plated up w/ some tater tots:
Good day of cooking, all on the Performer.
Ribs just out of the foil:
First coat of sauce on and filets on directly over the still hot basket.
Ribs off and resting for a few minutes:
Broccolini on (bacon onion vinaigrette dressing as marinade/sauce)
Finally, plated up w/ some tater tots:
Good day of cooking, all on the Performer.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
$9.99 for 2 20lb bags at Lowes right now. The Professional is nice stuff, but you can't beat the Memorial Day sales at Lowes and HD on the regular stuff.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Go to Walmart and get some Royal Oak lump. Kingsford is nice (and I use it a lot), but lump is a whole different world.
Okay, no pix. We had many friends over for an event tonight, and I never even thought about taking a picture.
We decided to redo our will, 14 years after the last time. (Details are unimportant, but many things that we thought were correct in the past would not have wound up going the way we thought they would have.)
Anyway, we had a party of 8 to enjoy witnessing our last will and testament, and to eat and drink!! We had some awesome cheese for starters. Most of dinner was veggies, to meet the request of one dear friend. We (once again) had fresh fennel and onion, sauteed, then braised in ho-made chicken stock; after it cooled, added cilantro and chopped pistachios; turned out super nice. We also had Swiss chard (onions, coriander, hot pepper), sauteed in olive oil, then braised in ho-made chicken stock. I also roasted asparagus at 450F for ~20 mins. TBH, it turned out more mushy than I was expecting; I served this with a real treat, viz, ramp aioli: I took ramps, and chopped them in a food processor. Then I added two egg yolks and fresh-queezed lemon juice to the jar. I added the ramp to the jar, then olive oil, then hit it with an immersion blender, and made a nice ailoli that tasted like ramps and olive oil. We also served Swiss chard, sauteed with shallots and braised with chicken stock. Nice all the way around!
On the grill front, I grilled mushroom caps, with soy and olive oil. Turned out tasty.
Finally, the protein: I procured a 3.2 lb tenderloin, and dry-bined it for 10'. I then washed it and dried it,and and then marinated it with lost of fresh thyme, fresh garlic, and EVOO. After all day marinating, I fired up a medium heat grill, and cooked the tenderloin for ~20'. Came out scrumptious, with internal temps of 120 to 140 F, depending on area.
We decided to redo our will, 14 years after the last time. (Details are unimportant, but many things that we thought were correct in the past would not have wound up going the way we thought they would have.)
Anyway, we had a party of 8 to enjoy witnessing our last will and testament, and to eat and drink!! We had some awesome cheese for starters. Most of dinner was veggies, to meet the request of one dear friend. We (once again) had fresh fennel and onion, sauteed, then braised in ho-made chicken stock; after it cooled, added cilantro and chopped pistachios; turned out super nice. We also had Swiss chard (onions, coriander, hot pepper), sauteed in olive oil, then braised in ho-made chicken stock. I also roasted asparagus at 450F for ~20 mins. TBH, it turned out more mushy than I was expecting; I served this with a real treat, viz, ramp aioli: I took ramps, and chopped them in a food processor. Then I added two egg yolks and fresh-queezed lemon juice to the jar. I added the ramp to the jar, then olive oil, then hit it with an immersion blender, and made a nice ailoli that tasted like ramps and olive oil. We also served Swiss chard, sauteed with shallots and braised with chicken stock. Nice all the way around!
On the grill front, I grilled mushroom caps, with soy and olive oil. Turned out tasty.
Finally, the protein: I procured a 3.2 lb tenderloin, and dry-bined it for 10'. I then washed it and dried it,and and then marinated it with lost of fresh thyme, fresh garlic, and EVOO. After all day marinating, I fired up a medium heat grill, and cooked the tenderloin for ~20'. Came out scrumptious, with internal temps of 120 to 140 F, depending on area.
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Pasta. Lots of pasta!
@Boatboy24 those ribs look yummy and awesome..!!
Is that a cast iron grate? I assume you like it better than the default stainless steel that comes with the Performer.
Is that a cast iron grate? I assume you like it better than the default stainless steel that comes with the Performer.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Yep, cast iron and I do like it much better then the standard Weber grate. Gets nice and hot, which makes for nice grill marks. There are plenty of vendors to choose from if you want to grab one. Mine happens to be made by Stok and it was about $50 (Target, I think). The grates are a little thinner than some, but some of those others will charge up to $100 or more.
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Tried something new.
I took a London broil, marinaded it in Worchestershire sauce, then applied salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
I then seared the outside (2 minutes per side) and then set it on the top rack.
I then tossed in a big bunch of rosemary branches that I had left over from trimming my pots.
It smoked up nice and added a nice flavor to the meat.
If you have not tried this, you should.
I served it with a nice baked potato, mushrooms, and a nice garden salad.
I took a London broil, marinaded it in Worchestershire sauce, then applied salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
I then seared the outside (2 minutes per side) and then set it on the top rack.
I then tossed in a big bunch of rosemary branches that I had left over from trimming my pots.
It smoked up nice and added a nice flavor to the meat.
If you have not tried this, you should.
I served it with a nice baked potato, mushrooms, and a nice garden salad.
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Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
That's the one.
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