97BlackAckCL
Elite Member
Making smoked chicken legs tonight, can't wait :hungry:
BBQ/Smoking Meat
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GangsterOfLove
New member
The fact you pan sear first is interesting. I've seen it discussed on other forums.
Around here about the only steak that gets pan fried is a breakfast steak. Everything else is grilled - maybe high heat for grill marks and then low heat, but grilled.
It seems to be a regional thing - East Coast and Midwest go for pan searing, West Coast not so much.
Ol'Blue
New member
I can go either way. The reason I do it is because at times the green egg can be a of a pain to get to cool down because it holds heat so well. When I'm on a time crunch I will sear it and drop it on the green egg. If i;m just chilling for the weekend and have time to spear I'll just use the Egg only. Just depends on what is going on. I had dinner to make and the Cubbies to watch so dinner had to be done on time and cleaned up before the game.
Blue
haha I was surprised at 00Sebby too, he uses Montreal on everything!!!!
00Sebby
Senior Member
Because it's that good. You can never go wrong with a course blend of black pepper, salt, garlic and spices. I use other stuff but Montreal is very universal. For example, it was great on these smoked/grilled chicken legs I made last night. I also had some authentic Jamaican jerk sauce to dip in. They were fantastic! And, of course, great brew.
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Because it's that good. You can never go wrong with a course blend of black pepper, salt, garlic and spices. I use other stuff but Montreal is very universal. For example, it was great on these smoked/grilled chicken legs I made last night. I also had some authentic Jamaican jerk sauce to dip in. They were fantastic! And, of course, great brew.
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00Sebby, I'm new to trying to cook things, but IMO it's only half seasoning as the challenge, cooking something to the right temp and knowing when it's going to be good to eat, that is a bigger skill than the seasoning & it's the X factor, what you really can't "teach".
00Sebby
Senior Member
And good libations. You can't forget those![emoji482]
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00Sebby
Senior Member
But to be a bit more serious, to me it is hitting the right temp with minimal airflow. So it is what cook temp that allows desired doneness without drying out the meat with too much airflow. Crispy skin, good bark, great sear, etc. and juicy just under the surface. I hate going through a layer of jerky to get to the juiciness or find out there is no juiciness.
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00Sebby
Senior Member
For example, tonight I am cooking this spatchcock, these legs and potatoes that will all be finished at the same time. Grill temp is about 300 but the airflow is almost nothing. So the chicken and legs will all have crispy skin and done but juicy centers. I couldn't do this with a gas grill. [emoji490]
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For example, tonight I am cooking this spatchcock, these legs and potatoes that will all be finished at the same time. Grill temp is about 300 but the airflow is almost nothing. So the chicken and legs will all have crispy skin and done but juicy centers. I couldn't do this with a gas grill. [emoji490]
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so its oxygen that dries out the meat, i thought it was too high of heat? oxygen makes more sense.
00Sebby
Senior Member
The airflow is a big factor. If your grill takes a lot of flame to hold temp then that means a lot of air moving across whatever's cooking. The air takes moisture with it. If the grill is a sealed unit like the Big Green Egg it requires less flame and air to hold temp. Therefore moisture is more likely to be retained.
I attached a pic of finished product to show what I mean. This chicken was on the grill for about 1.5 to 2 hours. In a normal grill it would be basically chicken jerky by then. Yet in the Egg, the temp was high enough to get crispy skin, even hot enough for the skin to shrink, the meat was done enough that the thigh fell off trying to take it off the grill, yet it did not dry out the meat at all due to very little air flow. These were very moist, smoky and great.
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97BlackAckCL
Elite Member
My smoked chicken legs came out fantastic, I was tempted to follow Sebby's method and use Montreal seasoning, but I ended up making my own rub with the following ingredients and it was amazing!
I coated them with EVOO
And then rubbed them to sit overnight
Smoked those babies with Cherry wood
The final product! They were super juicy and the skin was crispy and cooked perfect. My GF isn't a big fan of dark meat, but she loved these and was impressed with the flavor!
I coated them with EVOO
And then rubbed them to sit overnight
Smoked those babies with Cherry wood
The final product! They were super juicy and the skin was crispy and cooked perfect. My GF isn't a big fan of dark meat, but she loved these and was impressed with the flavor!
00Sebby
Senior Member
Hey I don't try to discourage people from over-achieving. [emoji6]Those do look great. [emoji106]
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Not that you work in the Big Green Egg marketing department, but...
Do you only open the BGE when you need to flip? (And I'm assuming although that does increase the airflow you mentioned, when you reseal it, it's *less* airflow than a normal gas or charcoal grill)
Do you ever add coals to it during or just once at the beginning?
I haven't considered a BGE but you might change my mind.
Ralphman
New member
If your looking you ain't cooking, just gotta learn how your pit works and how climate affects it, how your fuel burns, ive only used an egg one time for two beer can chickens and i was very surprised how well it worked and that I didn't have to fiddle with it, not once did i have to add charcoal, but did learn you downt just open the top like your opening a cooler for a cold one, you might be missing eye brows if you do
00Sebby
Senior Member
Yep, I only open when I need to flip. However, you can still sear steak at 600+ degrees with the lid closed so it is in no way just a smoker. As for adding charcoal, I make sure it has what I need when getting ready to cook and I often only have to use what was left from the previous cook. I can easily cook for 8 or more hours without reloading. The seal is just a gasket on the Egg base it is a sealed unit when you lower the lid. The damper and the vent cap are the only sources of air and exhaust. It's like magic.
00Sebby
Senior Member
Burping is required sometimes. LOL I have lost arm hair many times.
Ralphman
New member
Bout to do some surgery to my it, going to wack off the end cap and stack and add a vertical chamber at the end, just going take a bit because 1/4" plate aint light and a Lincoln 115v burning.035 self sheild at 20% duty cycle @90 amp and i got it maxed out probably at 120 so less the two min of burn time in a 10 min period sucks. But its going to be well eork the broken back, burns and beer drinking to double the capacity and make my over kill fire box live up to its full potential
