Thanks Dan- I was just showing the grill to my son and we were trying out the sweep- some fine ash dust getting left behind- I’ll check it out more closely once the grill cools down.
We are having flank steak tonight so I am thinking about cooking it on the charcoal grill - Indirect for 20 minutes and a minute or two over the coals. And some baked potatoes that will be on for about 40-50 minutes - I guess.
After that it will be burgers and chicken until I get a good handle on the temperature settings.
Then on to some nicer cuts of beef.
Thanks Brett- I have about six bags of briquettes to go through courtesy of the man I bought the grill from.
I will keep a close watch on the bottom of the grill and keep it clean. I read you like to cover the deflector plate with aluminum foil, right?
I won’t be using the grate in the bottom position for awhile except for lighting the coals with the gas assist- is it possible to use the deflector plate with the coal baskets sitting on it for regular/ not low and slow cooking? That might help keep the ash/ drippings from gunking up the sweep.
Yes, for all my LAS (not the airport) I heavy duty foil my deflector plate which makes for quick and easy cleanups. I store my deflector plate on the bottom cart rack when not in use so no food on it equals not vermin or ants on it. Just a way of keeping a clean work space.
Coals need maximum airflow to breathe and burn so I’ve never placed the CBs atop the deflector when cooking. Don’t know if that would work.
For direct cooking, I usually use the CBs as a circle under the center cook grate GBS center hole. I’ll place heavy duty foil around the CBs so I’m covering the space below where I’ll go indirect after searing atop the center grate.
Basically I prefer to go direct sear both meat sides and then move to indirect to finish up. This foiling below the cooking grate has really reduced junk getting into the grill and make for easier cleanups.
From my experience, using two CBs with JD and in a center circle, dome temps when closed, on indirect gets to around 450° very consistently.
Grate temps, when I use my CI grate, with JD as my source, I have measured 1100° with my IR gun. This is my goto for searing steaks, salmon, ahi, boneless chicken, sausages and more. That direct heat sets a nice char on the outside and then I move to indirect to finish temps.
You can also do direct over coals, in CBs with the CBs on the lower coal grate position. IIRC
@JohnTak prefers this setup for more forgiveness. I do this setup when using live fire, oak specifically, to cook tri tips.
If you get to that point, but a second coal grate so you’ll have the one at the bottom and you can add the other one in the upper position as you need it. This way you’re never fanagaling with coal grates. I have the two grates and it’s made life simpler for me.
www.thermoworks.com
