I got rained out, but I got most of it done in the grill…
I got rained out, but I got most of it done in the grill…
by MacTechG4
7 Comments
MacTechG4
Up here in New Hampshire, it’s been raining consistently on my days off (Saturday and Tuesday) and I hadn’t used the grill or my Vortex in a whole month, so i figured it looked like it was going to hold off long enough to get a cook in… (it didn’t)
I had chicken thighs (bone in with skin) and butternut squash
I used Jealous Devil briquettes, with a piece of apple and pecan wood, and some Jack Daniels honey BBQ sauce thinned with a touch of ACV
Internal temps got to around 130 before the rain got bad, so I pulled them, and moved them to the air fryer with the temp probe set to 165
It only took about 7 minutes at 400 in the AF to finish them
The butternut squash was made with brown sugar and nutmeg and a drizzle of olive oil, and basically candy…
I’d say the chicken was about 90% done before I hit it with the air fryer
My list of firsts on this…
First time seriously using briquettes (should have stuck with lump, these were Jealous Devil briquettes, and didn’t get as blazing hot as my JD lump) next time it’s back to lump…
First time using thinned BBQ sauce (or BBQ sauce in general)
First time cooking skin on and bone in chicken (next time I’m going back to skinless)
What I’ve learned from this cook;
1; open the bottom vent more for briquettes and plan to add more midway through the cook, this took about 45 minutes, and the coals were nearly gone by the end (probably why the cooking stalled towards the end) I was using vent settings I used for lump
2; go back to lump, I just know how to work with it better
3; bone in and skin on doesn’t really work with me, I’m used to skinless (phrasing? 😉 )
4; butternut squash cooked on the charcoal grill is obscenely delicious
5; the plan to slowly convert my mother to using charcoal and abandon her three burner ‘expert’ grill is progressing well, it’s slow and subtle…
Superhereaux
I do a lot of thighs on the grill, probably my most grilled item for the last few years. Love ‘em!
I use both lump and briquettes depending on what I have at the moment. I’ve had good luck with both but prefer briquettes because I can fit more in the vortex which leads to point number 2…
Vents open all the way, all the time! In fact, the kettle I use with the vortex doesn’t even have vent control on the bottom, it rusted out years ago so it’s always open. I’ll usually move the grill further out on my patio to get more airflow going. Get them temps up.
Next time, try it without bbq sauce before/during the cook. The sugar in the sauce will burn. I just use dry rub so the skin has a better chance to crisp up. The natural fat in the skin seeps out and cooks and if you cover it with sauce, well, not so much.
Just my experience, go with whatever works for you.
Clarktroll
What do you mean rained out? Oh you don’t keep a pop up canopy for keeping the grill gods happy?
BroDega1
Whenever it rains while I’m grilling I just remember that “if yer lookin’ you ain’t cookin’”
Chipmaker71
Here in Wisconsin, we grill rain or shine. Thunderstorms and blizzards. Haven’t even been rained out.
sonnyblack516
No seasoning?!
Iluvgr8tdeals
With time, you’ll get more comfortable grilling in bad weather and soon there will be no rain check for you. It’s been raining quite a bit in the Northeast and graduation season calls for grills to be lit up. I’ve grilled in the rain (had no choice as the graduates and family were waiting for the meats) and I have horned my skills and can now grill in the winter in the snow.
You’ll also learn how often you need to check in the stuff on the grill. Weather becomes a non factor.
7 Comments
Up here in New Hampshire, it’s been raining consistently on my days off (Saturday and Tuesday) and I hadn’t used the grill or my Vortex in a whole month, so i figured it looked like it was going to hold off long enough to get a cook in… (it didn’t)
I had chicken thighs (bone in with skin) and butternut squash
I used Jealous Devil briquettes, with a piece of apple and pecan wood, and some Jack Daniels honey BBQ sauce thinned with a touch of ACV
Internal temps got to around 130 before the rain got bad, so I pulled them, and moved them to the air fryer with the temp probe set to 165
It only took about 7 minutes at 400 in the AF to finish them
The butternut squash was made with brown sugar and nutmeg and a drizzle of olive oil, and basically candy…
I’d say the chicken was about 90% done before I hit it with the air fryer
My list of firsts on this…
First time seriously using briquettes (should have stuck with lump, these were Jealous Devil briquettes, and didn’t get as blazing hot as my JD lump) next time it’s back to lump…
First time using thinned BBQ sauce (or BBQ sauce in general)
First time cooking skin on and bone in chicken (next time I’m going back to skinless)
What I’ve learned from this cook;
1; open the bottom vent more for briquettes and plan to add more midway through the cook, this took about 45 minutes, and the coals were nearly gone by the end (probably why the cooking stalled towards the end) I was using vent settings I used for lump
2; go back to lump, I just know how to work with it better
3; bone in and skin on doesn’t really work with me, I’m used to skinless (phrasing? 😉 )
4; butternut squash cooked on the charcoal grill is obscenely delicious
5; the plan to slowly convert my mother to using charcoal and abandon her three burner ‘expert’ grill is progressing well, it’s slow and subtle…
I do a lot of thighs on the grill, probably my most grilled item for the last few years. Love ‘em!
I use both lump and briquettes depending on what I have at the moment. I’ve had good luck with both but prefer briquettes because I can fit more in the vortex which leads to point number 2…
Vents open all the way, all the time! In fact, the kettle I use with the vortex doesn’t even have vent control on the bottom, it rusted out years ago so it’s always open. I’ll usually move the grill further out on my patio to get more airflow going. Get them temps up.
Next time, try it without bbq sauce before/during the cook. The sugar in the sauce will burn. I just use dry rub so the skin has a better chance to crisp up. The natural fat in the skin seeps out and cooks and if you cover it with sauce, well, not so much.
Pic for comparison, skin on, bone in.
https://preview.redd.it/3udnb2m6xk7f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06150888ac73c167c0834a941382dc52fcdb9e41
Just my experience, go with whatever works for you.
What do you mean rained out? Oh you don’t keep a pop up canopy for keeping the grill gods happy?
Whenever it rains while I’m grilling I just remember that “if yer lookin’ you ain’t cookin’”
Here in Wisconsin, we grill rain or shine. Thunderstorms and blizzards. Haven’t even been rained out.
No seasoning?!
With time, you’ll get more comfortable grilling in bad weather and soon there will be no rain check for you. It’s been raining quite a bit in the Northeast and graduation season calls for grills to be lit up. I’ve grilled in the rain (had no choice as the graduates and family were waiting for the meats) and I have horned my skills and can now grill in the winter in the snow.
You’ll also learn how often you need to check in the stuff on the grill. Weather becomes a non factor.