Need some help. Picked up new performer today.


 
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Jeff Magnuson

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Okay so I picked up a performer today. My first grill this evening was some new york strips. Anyway the grill I have been using for years is a Phoenix gas grill, much like the holland gasser. So myself and the rest of the family agree that the steaks I cooked tonight were not as good as the ones on the Phoenix. They were a little dry. Still good flavor, just not what we expected. So either I was expecting to much or I did something wrong. So if anyone here as any feedback on the way they cook steaks, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
 
It was not the grill. Yeah, its different from gas...its better. Once you get it, you wont look back. What kind of coals did you use? How much, describe your set up, there are so many variables...need more info please
 
I'm guessing that you cooked them too fast over too hot heat.

I like to make a 2 level fire - coals banked on one side of the kettle and no coals on the other side.

I will sear my steaks for 4 minutes or so a side to get a nice crust and grill marks, then move the steaks to the cool side of the grill and cover the grill for another 4 - 5 minutes or so until they are just short of where I want them to be in terms of doneness and then let them rest for 5 - 10 minutes.

I cook on a gasser (Char-Broil Commercial and now a Weber Genesis) and a Performer and so long as the quality of the meat is comparable, the steaks cooked on the charcoal will have a much better flavor - smokey and sweet - than the steaks cooked on the gasser.

I do remember that when I first went from my old generic gasser to my first Weber kettle, I was very frustrated because I had a hard time regulating the temps and my food would cook too fast and my results were erratic. My family probably ate a lot of crappy food but they never complained.

I almost gave up and went back to the gasser but I kept on and eventually learned to let the coals settle down before cooking (usually, I was pulling my food OFF the grill about the time I should have been putting it ON the grill) and I learned to control the temperature (I use the top vent, although others suggest that its best to leave the top vent open throughout the cook and control the temps with the bottom vent, its easier for me to use the top vent because I can easily see how open or closed the vent is) cooking on the Weber became a blast and now it is my favorite way to wind down after work and to look forward to on the weekend.

Practice makes perfect!

Pat
 
I used the kingsford competition. Filled up both of those charcoal bins to the top. Let the gas run for about 5 minutes. Then about 35 minutes later put the steaks on. Few minutes each side over the coals, then removed them from direct heat, put steaks to the side off the coals. The wife likes hers well done. So hers got pulled at about 165. Me and the rest of the familys got pulled at 150. STeaks were in a marinade all day. Sat at room temp for around 30 minutes until they went on the grill. Also once the steaks got moved off the coals, I set the vents at about 50%.
 
For starters, I think you pulled them way too late. Pulling at 165 (I assume you rested them too?) will give you internal temps pushing 180. Shoe leather, beyond well done.

To me, it reads like you WAY overcooked them.

Keep trying. The performer (and OTG, OTS) are incredible inventions!
 
Temp will continue to rise 10-15 degrees after pulling from the grill, while resting. If she wants well done, pull 'em at about 150 internal, and rest 10 minutes. Final temp should be about right.

If the charcoal bins were full, coals may have been only 1-2 inches below steaks - really hot. Use less coals, or dump the bins to spread them out, to get a few more inches clearance.

Also, burning charcoal is a hot intense dry heat, whereas burning propane is a moist heat. Combustion of hydrocarbon chains produces h2o/water as a byproduct. This will affect cooking as well.

In order to know how wide open the bottom vents are, mark the ring above the ash sweeper handle. Look down in the bowl, and using a Sharpie, beginning with the handle all the way to the left, swing it the right to just when the vent begins to open, and mark "Closed" or "C". Continue sweeping right, and mark "Open" or "O" for when it is fully open. This will be a range of about 1 3/4-2 inches, and you can also mark 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 increments as well.

Finally, your opinion of the Performer? Was ignition/prep as easy as gas, but with all the flavor of charcoal?
 
Thanks for all the feedback, I can see were I made some mistakes. Doug the performer is a nice grill. Well built, and the gas ingition is very nice. Also I cant say enough about the large table on the performer, that really helps out. So all around great grill, I just need to learn it.
 
well, everything has been said buy some cheaper stuff and practice. i like grilling indirect first and then direct last for a bit of char.yummo. forget the baskets and pile the coals on one side for a two zone fire.
 
I'm a rails guy versus the baskets, more adjustable to my needs. Many good suggestions mentioned above. It is different cooking on non-gas than on gas, especially with Holland-type grills, which I sell (and have my own opinions about
icon_wink.gif
.) I would also suggest using some oak smoke with steaks/burgers, a nice flavor I enjoy.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by george curtis:
well, everything has been said buy some cheaper stuff and practice. i like grilling indirect first and then direct last for a bit of char.yummo. forget the baskets and pile the coals on one side for a two zone fire. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agreed, I often cook indirect first also, not always but often. I dont bother with the baskets either. Depending on how much coal I have left from the previous cook, I fill my chiminey 1/2 way to all the way full. I always dump the lit coals to the far left side which creates an easy 2 zone and always leaves the right side clean and clear for the next time I need to light my chiminey.
 
Pull your wife's steak at ~135 and yours at ~125. Try that and see if she likes hers and you like yours. Start with steaks at least an inch think. Season them your way and let them sit out at room temp for about a half hour before grilling. Don't try to flip them until they are ready, ie, don't pull them off the grate if they are still sticking. JMO
 
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