Got a new Weber Deluxe Performer last month. Used it just once about a week ago: I used a chimney full of coals and let the new grill burn for 30 min at 600 degrees for an initial burn and then put some burgers on and cooked them direct heat. They came out fine. Yesterday, I cooked 2 steaks and some boneless/skinless chicken breasts and they ended up with a "charcoal", almost burnt taste. I'm trying to find out where my problem is.
Background on yesterday's cook: I did not clean out any ash from the initial cook. I filled the 2 Weber baskets with lit coals, so I could do direct and indirect. I used 3/4 of a chimney with 80% of the coals from the original cook and 20% new coals. The coals, themselves, were Stubbs brand bought 5+ years back when I used to use a WSM quite often (I don't have that anymore so haven't been using charcoal). I used the gas ignitor on the grill to light the chimney. I did not use any wood for smoke. Towards the end of the cook, the grill was running over 600 so I used the top vent to dial it down to 500 but I'd say most of the cook was done between 450-500. Bottom vent open whole time.
Steaks: Seared them over direct - one side for 5/6 min and the other side for about 4. Then moved to indirect to finish. Pulled them at 135.
Chicken: Mostly cooked them indirect, then moved to direct for a few minutes. Pulled them at 170.
There's was nothing wrong with the meat textures/juiciness. Everything was good - it was the flavor. I did notice during the entire cook the grill's output smoke did not smell good - I could definitely smell a burnt smell. But, I can't remember if this was even before I put any meat on. I'm theorizing that I ended up burning the steak when I initially seared the first side and that burnt smell just stayed in the kettle the entire cook, which also affected the chicken. What do people think? Could old coals, re-used coals, or not cleaning the ash from the initial cook cause a burnt taste?
Thanks for any tips! I'm used to using a RecTec pellet and Weber gasser, but really want to get into grilling with charcoal.
Background on yesterday's cook: I did not clean out any ash from the initial cook. I filled the 2 Weber baskets with lit coals, so I could do direct and indirect. I used 3/4 of a chimney with 80% of the coals from the original cook and 20% new coals. The coals, themselves, were Stubbs brand bought 5+ years back when I used to use a WSM quite often (I don't have that anymore so haven't been using charcoal). I used the gas ignitor on the grill to light the chimney. I did not use any wood for smoke. Towards the end of the cook, the grill was running over 600 so I used the top vent to dial it down to 500 but I'd say most of the cook was done between 450-500. Bottom vent open whole time.
Steaks: Seared them over direct - one side for 5/6 min and the other side for about 4. Then moved to indirect to finish. Pulled them at 135.
Chicken: Mostly cooked them indirect, then moved to direct for a few minutes. Pulled them at 170.
There's was nothing wrong with the meat textures/juiciness. Everything was good - it was the flavor. I did notice during the entire cook the grill's output smoke did not smell good - I could definitely smell a burnt smell. But, I can't remember if this was even before I put any meat on. I'm theorizing that I ended up burning the steak when I initially seared the first side and that burnt smell just stayed in the kettle the entire cook, which also affected the chicken. What do people think? Could old coals, re-used coals, or not cleaning the ash from the initial cook cause a burnt taste?
Thanks for any tips! I'm used to using a RecTec pellet and Weber gasser, but really want to get into grilling with charcoal.
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