My Maria turns on me and gives me the Bird!


 

Bob Correll

R.I.P. 3/31/2022
I was hoping to be presented with some new challenges when I brought Maria home to live amongst my Weber family.
Be careful what you wish for.

Straight grilling is not a problem, this adventure started with a Weber ez-que rotisserie, made for a gas grill, that I adapted for her.

100 degrees outside.
keep it simple with a brined bird on the roti.
start by burning down some hickory.
IMGP7957.JPG


add some lump.
IMGP7974.JPG


set bird to spinning.
Oh crap! I was sure the clamps were tight!
pick bird up off the coals (no plans for caveman chicken)
set things in motion, again.
IMGP7967.JPG


IMGP7965.JPG


all is fine now except:
only getting 3 Mississippi heat directly under the cage.
improvise.
IMGP7977.JPG


give up on the all natural, and add some KBB.
IMGP7984.JPG


add another shield.
(I'm convinced that if George Stephen had not invented the covered grill, someone else would have, eventually.)
IMGP7980.JPG


realize that spreading the coals, rather than in a pile, is the answer.
IMGP7987.JPG


now a 1 Mississippi fire.
time for a Jim Beam, and some a/c to celebrate.

2 hours from start, and done.
IMGP7994.JPG


only zukes and onions sautéed in butter for a side.
IMGP7998.JPG


It turned out really good, but no better than with my Weber roti on a kettle.
I'm not sure if I'll abandon this project or not.
It actually could have been fun, had it not felt like an inferno outside.

Thanks for the visit!
 
Why am I guessing that "oh crap" weren't the words coming out of your mouth when she dove for the coals? :) Nice save, and looks like a good schoolin', too.
 
lol Brian!
it was not 'crap' and Brooke, the lab with sensitive ears, was not with me.
she gives me dirty looks when I say bad words.
 
Bob it looks like everything still turned out well. You're just getting to know Maria. Ladies often require a little patience. Don't abandon this yet.
 
Bob; great play on words!! --- My Maria Turns On Me And Gives Me The Bird!!

Really good cook and the results are great even if they took a bit more work. The SM grill is in my future! I see many more of them here than I did when I lived in Southern California.
 
Hey Bob, great looking chicken, nice color!

It was your thread on bringing Maria home that inspired me to build a Santa Maria grill rather that pay out big buck for a Weber, in the design process I added a fire grate with a couple of ventilation holes on each end, like in my WSM so that the fire can breath, I see yours doesn't have one, ...so what is your experience do you think it would be necessary, or just build the fire on the floor?

Thanks,

Karl
 
certainly went thru a lot of work to heat the ol' BirdBob:p
two hours with Beam hangin' around and i'd be ready for that Maria to scorch me too!
a long hard ride but you got'er done and dinner looks AWESOME!
 
Very nice looking chicken despite your little hiccups!! A few things I have learned using my grill. Use a charcoal grate which I see you are using. Split the logs so they are not so big, it makes it easier to control your fire mass. Add logs sooner than you think you need them. Use that poker that came with your grill to move those coals around. DO NOT add mesquite lump charcoal to add fuel to an already going fire, especially if you are wearing shorts and flip flops, talk about fire works. Another thing I have been doing lately is using the ring from the WSM to keep the coals in a small area if I'm doing a small cook like a tri tip. Hope these little tips help you out and happy grilling!!!
 
Bob...sorry you had issues but heck you got to play with fire all day!! Got the bird done so it works!! Is that fire grate setting directly on fire brick/slab? Looks that way from your pics...what about getting some space between the grate and the brick? Just a though!

Nice work any way looks like fun(cept the weather temp) I'd melt for sure!!
 

 

Back
Top