Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
After my new Aura Kettle Zone Cooking System arrived yesterday I had to try it out today.
https://auraoutdoorproducts.com/collections/kettle-zone-pre-order-specials/products/kettle-zone
Had a tri tip and I could not think of a better way to try it out.
I followed Malcolm Reed's recipe for a London Broil that I did about a year ago and really really liked, so I decided to use it for the tri tip. I half the recipe (because this tri tip was a little over 2 lbs) and used red wine vinegar rather than balsamic vinegar because it's what I had. https://howtobbqright.com/2016/08/24/grilled-london-broil-recipe/
Also prepped some chicken breast for the family members who don't like beef.
For this cook I decided to use the Weber charcoal baskets because I wanted one on each side and because I wanted to be able to move both underneath to get that great sear on the tri tip at the end.
15 RO Chefs Select briquettes in each basket with a small piece of Hickory, small piece of Pecan, and a shard of Hickory in each. I lit 14 briquettes and I put 7 lit in each basket. Then I put the diffuser plates and grates in and let the temps climb. My goal was to put the meat on once that temps hit 225, but I got catch up in an intense backyard whiffle ball game so the meat got put on when the temps were at 250. Then temps rose quickly to 280 and I thought oh-no this is going to just keep running alway from me, but then I got the vents set and the temps quickly locked in at 275 and did not move at all. This was a little higher then I wanted to cook at but neither the whiffle ball game nor the cook suffered for it.
Let the tri tip go to 125 then took it off and let it rest. Below is just before I pulled it for the rest.
When the chicken was close to being done I lit a small amount of lump charcoal. I pulled one of the half diffuser plates out, move both charcoal baskets under then one side, and poured the lump on top of the charcoal baskets.
Put the tri tip back on when the grate temp was reading over 400 and the other side was, still under 300.
Both meat hit temp right at the same time super cool! Chicken 165 and tri tip 135.
After a painful 15 minute rest, I cut it up. Both my daughter and I announced after the first bit that this was the best beef I have ever cooked.
No plated pictures. I left my phone in the kitchen and wasn't leaving the table to get it. There was no steak left!
OK, so first my takeaways from the meat. That was the best piece of beef I have ever cooked.
I love that recipe I followed, I took it to 135 which is right where I like it for a bigger piece of beef, the smoke come through really well, and I just love tri tip. This was so good I am going to look for that thread on the best cook ever and adding this one.
Now on to the Aura Kettle Zone Cooking System, it was much easier to set up, use, maintain temps, change the set up than I thought it would be. It was super easy and super fun to cook on. I am so much happier with it than I even thought I would be. It is a great user friendly system. Now, my next cook is going to be ribs and I want to try to keep the temps down, but I really think that was a me issue not a system issue, no whiffle ball until after the ribs are on.
https://auraoutdoorproducts.com/collections/kettle-zone-pre-order-specials/products/kettle-zone
Had a tri tip and I could not think of a better way to try it out.
I followed Malcolm Reed's recipe for a London Broil that I did about a year ago and really really liked, so I decided to use it for the tri tip. I half the recipe (because this tri tip was a little over 2 lbs) and used red wine vinegar rather than balsamic vinegar because it's what I had. https://howtobbqright.com/2016/08/24/grilled-london-broil-recipe/
Also prepped some chicken breast for the family members who don't like beef.
For this cook I decided to use the Weber charcoal baskets because I wanted one on each side and because I wanted to be able to move both underneath to get that great sear on the tri tip at the end.
15 RO Chefs Select briquettes in each basket with a small piece of Hickory, small piece of Pecan, and a shard of Hickory in each. I lit 14 briquettes and I put 7 lit in each basket. Then I put the diffuser plates and grates in and let the temps climb. My goal was to put the meat on once that temps hit 225, but I got catch up in an intense backyard whiffle ball game so the meat got put on when the temps were at 250. Then temps rose quickly to 280 and I thought oh-no this is going to just keep running alway from me, but then I got the vents set and the temps quickly locked in at 275 and did not move at all. This was a little higher then I wanted to cook at but neither the whiffle ball game nor the cook suffered for it.
Let the tri tip go to 125 then took it off and let it rest. Below is just before I pulled it for the rest.
When the chicken was close to being done I lit a small amount of lump charcoal. I pulled one of the half diffuser plates out, move both charcoal baskets under then one side, and poured the lump on top of the charcoal baskets.
Put the tri tip back on when the grate temp was reading over 400 and the other side was, still under 300.
Both meat hit temp right at the same time super cool! Chicken 165 and tri tip 135.
After a painful 15 minute rest, I cut it up. Both my daughter and I announced after the first bit that this was the best beef I have ever cooked.
No plated pictures. I left my phone in the kitchen and wasn't leaving the table to get it. There was no steak left!
OK, so first my takeaways from the meat. That was the best piece of beef I have ever cooked.
I love that recipe I followed, I took it to 135 which is right where I like it for a bigger piece of beef, the smoke come through really well, and I just love tri tip. This was so good I am going to look for that thread on the best cook ever and adding this one.
Now on to the Aura Kettle Zone Cooking System, it was much easier to set up, use, maintain temps, change the set up than I thought it would be. It was super easy and super fun to cook on. I am so much happier with it than I even thought I would be. It is a great user friendly system. Now, my next cook is going to be ribs and I want to try to keep the temps down, but I really think that was a me issue not a system issue, no whiffle ball until after the ribs are on.
