Meat Smoke Fire Group Cooking Class – 21st September 2019
These are the links to the recipes we cooked:
- Vertical Roast Chicken
- Spatchcock Chicken – the recipe is to cook this direct, we cooked it indirect, both work well.
- Reverse Seared Picanha
- Rib-eye, skirt and rump steak cooked on cast iron and dirty
- Plancha seared cauliflower with truffle and black sesame
- Roast rack of French trimmed lamb
- Hot plank smoked salmon
- Focaccia with rosemary and Maldon salt and garlic and one with tomatoes
- Pecan smoked chocolate brownie
- Apple tart tatin
Questions and Answers
Which Charcoal should I use?
The Green Olive Firewood Company do charcoal that has a much milder smokey flavour. It’s made from SheOak. You need their restaurant grade lump wood charcoal. You may find though it coats your Egg with a layer of white ash.
Stag Charcoal also produce some great stuff in Hertfordshire. Look for their single species Ash or Birch for a less smokey cook.
When you really get into BBQ then look at some of the excellent charcoal from the Oxford Charcoal company. They have a very good reputation for their single species charcoals. They have a great chart on matching wood to meats and fish.
I still use Big Green Egg’s charcoal. I find it very consistent and it burns really well.
How can I sous-vide meat to hold it's temperature?
Sous vide can be used to hold meat at a temperature for a long period of time. I have a Jewish client who will make a forerib of beef on a Friday and then put it into the sous vide at 53°C overnight and eat it on the Sabbath. The forerib is fully cooked on the Friday, it’s just been held at 53°C until the family are ready to eat it.
What do I do about warranty issues?
The office normally turn these around next day.
What were the spices we used?
We used spices and rubs from Spice Punch.
The other company who produce some loverly rubs are Angus and Oink.
Where's the best place to buy sawdust for my ProQ Cold Smoke Generator?
They sell Wood dust.
They also sell bacon curing salts.
Where did you get the oven gloves?
You can buy them here.
How do you know which meat needs what temp?
How do the tougher cuts of meat cook?
How do I cold smoke food?
Smoking on the Egg over burning charcoal is called hot smoking. While this method is great, it’s no good if you don’t want to heat up the food you are smoking.
Cheese, smoked salmon and bacon all require a smoking process but don’t need to be cooked. To do this you need a cold smoker.
I use a product called a the ProQ Cold Smoke Generator. It is a metal maze that you fill with sawdust and light a tealight under.
I place the ProQ into the bottom of my Egg on top of any unused charcoal. I then put the food to be smoked on the stainless steel rack above the smoker. I open the bottom vent of the Egg about 2 fingers and the daisy wheel at the top just a little.
I smoke most of my foods for about 10 hours (1 fill of the ProQ). If you like it more smokey you can run the process twice.
Cold smoking is best done when it’s cold outside (<15°C) so do it overnight or in the winter.
To make bacon buy a bacon cure from somewhere like HotSmoked.co.uk.
What should I do about rust on my daisy wheel?
If you get rust on your daisy wheel, give it a light scrub with a scourer. Then wipe with oil (vegetable or olive). Pu the daisy wheel into your Egg after you have finished cooking. This will burn off any gunk and season your daisy wheel.
The best place to store your daisy wheel is inside the Egg at the end of the cook. When you’ve finished cooking, take it off and put it inside. Use the snuffer cap (green ceramic one) to put your Egg out and weather protect it.
If you’ve got the new rEGGulator, this is super seasoned and designed to stay on top of you Egg the whole time.
Beer can chicken, is it really as good as they say?
It’s a myth in my opinion. A chicken wrapped around a can will act as a cooling blanket. You’re going to take the chicken off the BBQ when it reaches 74°C. Therefore the liquid in the can is unlikely to get anywhere near boiling point.
Read this great article by Meathead from AmazingRibs.com.
I personally prefer to cook my chickens on the metal vertical chicken roaster. This allows air to flow inside the chicken cooking it from the inside and outside at the same time.
What's the best cooking temperature for steak?
My three favourite ways of cooking steak are:
- Dirty – cooked directly on the charcoal
- Seared – cooked on the cast iron searing grid to give the steak a criss-cross finish
- In a cast iron pan – this will give a crust over the whole of the steak.
All three are great methods so give them all a go and find your favourite.
How do I cure salmon and bacon?
The best place to buy cures for bacon is from HotSmoked.co.uk. Supracure is what you need.
What dimensions does the hole in the table need to be?
What was the coleslaw we had for lunch?
- 1/2 red cabbage sliced finely
- 3 large carrots grated
- 2 peppers (red, orange or yellow) sliced finely
- Handful of chopped coriander
- Red onion finely sliced (optional)
- 2 fresh jalapeños deseeded and finely sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Juice 1/2 lime
- 1tbsp quality dijon mustard
- 4tbsp olive oil (light, not extra virgin)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Put it all in a bowl and give it all a good mix together.
How do I cook Beef Short Ribs?
I just use a simple 50/50 Maldon Salt and course ground black pepper rub.
To cook them, setup your Egg to cook indirect at 110°C. They’re going to take about 10 hours before they reach the point where the connective tissue breaks down. This is likely to be around an internal temp of 92-95°C.
A rack of these ribs like the one in the photo is called a Jacob’s Ladder.
How do I cook a turkey?
Where did you get the sink unit and side tables?
I got the Keter Unity side table from Argos in thier sale for £50. I’m not sure thay are still selling these though.
I got the Keter Unity XL unit online from a garden center for about £200. This is now on Amazon at £177, a better price than I paid.
What online forums should I be involved with?
There are several great forums online (mostly on Facebook).
- Nuts about barbecue – the smallest of the group but the one just for those of you who have been on a Meat Smoke Fire cooking class. This is the ideal place to ask questions related to what we learned in the class and also what to try next.
- Big Green Egg BBQers UK – dedicated to cooking on the Big Green Egg and hosted by a UK team. This is a superb source of information. I’m actively involved here. There is a US version but I tend to not pay it too much attention, they’re not as adventurous with their cooks across the pond on the whole so it gets very samey.
- CountryWoodSmoke – UK BBQ – CWS – The UK’s best BBQ forum for every type of outdoor cooking. Again I’m actively involved. It’s run by a top bloke called Marcus Bawdon who has experience of cooking on just about everything.
People to look out for and trust:
- Bill Gardner
- Mark Thomason
- Julie Connor
- Marcus Bawdon
- Adam Flint
Which are the good butchers to buy online from?
- Turner and George – run by Richard Turner and James George. Richard is the executive chef for Pitt Cue and Hawksmoor.
- Philip Warren Butchers – based in Launceston Cornwall, these guys supply many top restaurants. They’re two minutes off the A30 if you’re driving through Cornwall.
- Hannan Meats – famous for their sugar pit pork. Worth a try.
Where can I source good seafood?
BarbequeBill (Bill Gardner) recommends and uses these guys all the time, The Cornish Fishmonger and has done for a good few years. He now writes for them.
We bought from them direct when we were done in Cornwall over the summer. We will be back as the fish was superb.
What are the must have gadgets?
- Plate Setter or ConvEGGtor
- Cast Iron Searing Grid
- Baking Stone
- Vertical Chicken Roaster
- Thermapen MK4
- Meater+
- Tefal Ingenio pans
- EGGspander system
- V-Rack
How much longer does it take to cook a chicken in the Egg?
How do I get crackling when I'm cooking pork?
I leave my joint uncovered in the fridge overnight, this will dry the skin even further. When you’re ready to cook, pour boiling water over the scored skin, pat it dry and then coat with olive oil and maldon salt. Rub the salt into the scored skin.
Cook your joint on the Egg. For belly pork I cook it skin side down. Towards the very end of your cook, if it hasn’t already crackled, turn your Egg up to 220°C and let it crackle the skin. It will do this in 15 mins. Keep checking it to make sure it’s not burning.
Rest your joint loosely foiled.
Are there any Big Green Egg Cooking Books?
Big Green Egg do have some cooking books. They’re actually cheaper on Amazon than from Big Green Egg:
- Big Green Egg Cookbook: Celebrating the Ultimate Cooking Experience
- Big Green Egg Cookbook: Cooking on the Big Green Egg
- Ray Lampe’s Big Green Egg Cookbook: Grill, Smoke, Bake & Roast
Having said that I don’t rate any of them. The recipes aren’t ones you are going to want to go back and do over and over. You’re much better off using recipes you can find on the web including this site.
The books I do recommend are linked from my book review page.
Do you use the top or bottom vent to control the temperature?
See my page on setting the temperature on your Big Green Egg.
Do I use wood chips or chunks and do I soak them in water?
The question about using wood chips and chunks and when to use them is a good one. If you’re happy with the level of smoke you’re getting from your charcoal then you don’t need to use chips and chunks. However if you want to add more smoke to your cooks you have the following options:
- Change charcoal brands to something to suit your cook. See the section about different charcoals. Some people will switch charcoal to a type to match their cook and then only use charcoal to get the flavour they are after.
- Use chips – when you are doing shorter cooks you will get more smoke from chips.
- Use chunks – ideally suited to longer cooks where you want smoke for a slightly longer period.
Remember meat takes on smoke when it is cooler and wetter. Therefore you need the smoke at the beginning of the cook. Therefore place your chips and chunks towards the centre of your Egg where the charcoal will be burning at the beginning of the cook.
Be sparing with your chips and chunks. I use less than a handful of chips and maybe just two chunks. Start light and build up to the level of flavour you want. A lot of people overpower their food with the smoke flavour, ruining it in my opinion.
Can I use my Egg undercover or indoors?
Cooking indoors though isn’t recommended. You’ll see restaurants doing it but they have very powerful commercial ventilation systems and safety measures to make sure they don’t poison themselves. An Egg will produce carbon monoxide, which can kill if not ventilated properly. I would never recommend using an Egg indoors. As my wife always says, ‘you only need two accessories to cook outside all year round, an umbrella and a glass of wine’.
What Thermometers do I recommend?
You’d have heard me say several times in the class that I cook by temperature and not time. In order to do this you need a thermometer or two.
A Thermapen is my essential tool. That’s why I had my aprons designed with a Thermapen pocket. I wouldn’t be without mine. I personally sell the latest version as it’s waterproof and backlit. It’s so good I have one for classes and one for home use. Cheaper alternatives aren’t as accurate and don’t read temperature anywhere near as quickly, I therefore don’t use them.
The other Thermometers I showed you were the Meater, the wireless probe I used to cook the chickens and the lamb. I am now a dealer of these and you will be able to buy the Meater+ in my shop. The block (4 probes) is still not available to the public and might not be until late summer. I may or may not stock this when it is available.
Which way up do I put in the Plate Setter (or ConvEGGtor)?
How do I light my Egg?
- Top up the Egg with new charcoal to just above the line where the fire bowl and the fire ring meet.
- Create a small indentation in the centre of the charcoal and put in just one lit fire starter.
- Cover very loosely the fire starter with a few pieces of charcoal, you need to allow a good airflow.
- Leave the lid open and open the bottom draft door. Leave your Egg for 10 minutes to allow the middle of the charcoal to get going.
- After 10 minutes, close the Egg lid and open the cast iron top fully. Remember to position the screw towards you.
- Leave the Egg closed for about 5 minutes until it hits 180°C and has started warming the dome.
- You can now adjust your Egg to the temperature you want to cook at. See my temperature guide.
Do take a look at the Big Green Egg Tips Series. This video covers lighting your Egg,
What is a dirty steak?
A dirty steak should only ever be cooked on lump wood charcoal or burning untreated wood. Never make one on briquettes, your steak will end up being covered in the gritty material they are manufactured from.
What temperature do you cook steaks at?
I cook thinner steaks at a hotter temp (300°C) while doing much thicker steaks at a lower temp (250°C). If my steaks are thicker than 1.5inches, I will then consider doing a reverse sear as we did with the picanha.
Do you need to turn steaks?
Why am I having issues lighting my Egg and getting the temperature up?
- Fuel – lump wood charcoal
- Oxygen – air
- Heat
If you’re struggling to get the Egg lit and up to temperature fast it’s likely to be one of these three things lacking. Causes could be:
- Your charcoal is damp, make sure you always keep it inside out of the rain and dew.
- There isn’t enough airflow:
- You may need to clean your Egg. I recommend taking the ash out of your Egg every 5 or 6 cooks using the ash tool and doing a total clean, lifting the ceramics out, every 12-15 cooks.
- The charcoal you are using has too many smaller pieces, these will block the airflow.
It’s good practice to keep your Egg clean.
Cleaning your Egg
- Every cook – rake the left over charcoal from the previous cook and let it fall down into the bottom of the Egg.
- Every 5 or 6 cooks – clear the ash from the bottom of your Egg using an ash tool. If you are going to hoover it out, make sure the ashes are cold, I have a customer who set fire to her Henry vacuum cleaner because the ash was still hot the following day.
- Every 12-15 cooks – lift out all the internals of your Egg and give everything a brush down with a dustpan and brush.
Is there any advantage to making sauce in the egg?
Treat your charcoal as one of the ingredients of your cook.
When do I cook direct vs. indirect?
Obviously some things could be done either way, sausages for example. It’s the same inside, sausages can be cooked in a pan or baked in the oven.
When do you start timing a cook, when you put the meat in or when the Egg has got back to temperature?
I always have a Thermapen handy to check the temperature. I also use the Thermoworks Smoke when doing longer cooks as I can leave this attached to the Egg and a probe in the meat. I can then monitor the cook from the other end (like a baby monitor).
How long does the pizza stone take to heat up?
When cooking pizza I prefer to have the plate setter feet up, the stainless grid on top and then the baking stone. The gap between the plate setter and the pizza stone will stop the pizza stone getting too hot and burning the bottom of your pizza base before the top is cooked.
Do you ever wash the equipment?
Never wash any of the cast iron parts or the ceramic parts. Washing the cast iron will cause it to rust. Ceramic is porous and would soak up the water and could then cause damage to your Egg if it was heated rapidly, turning to steam.
To clean your Egg just turn it up to 350°C and it will burn off all the fats. Just wait until any smoke has stopped and you’ll find everything is clean.
I keep all my cooking surfaces and the metal daisy wheel inside the Egg, it’s the best place for them. You can put them straight in after a cook, even with the Egg hot.
Can you cook on higher temp for shorter time?
What's the difference between loin and sirloin?
Equipment
Thermapen
If there is one tool you have then I recommend it be the Thermapen. These handheld probe thermometers will transform the way you cook as you’ll know when something is ready rather than having to guess. I use the MK 4 version as it’s waterproof and has a backlit display that rotates so it’s always easy to read. You can buy them direct from my site. Either way they will be shipped direct from ETI, the UK manufacturer.
Meater+
I love the Meater+ as its app will estimate when your meat will be cooked and tell you when to take it off your Egg so that it doesn’t overcook. I wouldn’t be without a Meater.
They are now available to buy in my store and I hold stock of these. Use discount code CLASS10 at the checkout.
Pro Q Cold Smoke Generator
The ProQ Cold Smoke Generator is an excellent tool for cold smoking meat, fish, cheese, garlic, salt and many other things. The idea is it doesn’t generate heat so it’s not cooking your food when it’s smoking it.
For things like bacon and smoked salmon, you need to cure them first. HotSmoked.co.uk sell Supracure for bacon which is what I use. They also sell all of the sawdusts to use in your CSG.
The CSG is now available to buy in my store and I hold stock of these. Use discount code CLASS10 at the checkout.
Tefal Ingenio Pans
I used these during the class to cook the taste tatin, you can also use them to cook sauces for wings and for pizza. They have removable handles and are really solid. I wouldn’t be without mine.
You can get them from Amazon using this link.
Bad Byron’s Butt Rub.
We’ve been using this rub at Big Green Egg in the UK as long as I have been working there. It’s not too sweet unlike the majority of the other rubs on the market, in fact it doesn’t contain any sugar at all.
We use it on pork and beef.
You can get it from Amazon using this link.
Leather Aprons
I’ve designed and had made my own Meat Smoke Fire branded leather aprons with a Thermapen pocket. They’re available in my online shop.
Cook Books
Food and Fire
Launched in 2019, this has to be one of the best BBQ books for simple but super tasty recipes. I personally love that nothing is complicated, it's just showing off techniques and taste combinations and letting the food and BBQ talk for itself.
While the book doesn't focus of cooking on a ceramic BBQ like the Big Green Egg, all of the recipes could be cooked on the Egg.
It's by Marcus Bawdon who runs the forum CountryWoodsmoke on Facebook. Buy it today, you wont regret it.
Meathead
This is by Meathead Goldwyn, the man behind the AmazingRibs.com website.
What I love about this book is the way science is used to explain how the cooks work. His website is awesome and a constant reference for me. If you've been on one of my classes, I will have tought you techniques I have learned from Meathead.
Fire Food
Written by DJ BBQ (Christian Stevenson). DJ BBQ does a lot of cooking with Jamie Oliver. There are some fabulous and easy recipes in here.
There is a whole section on dirty cooking (cooking directly on the charcoal). I have done the dirty carrots and can highly recommend them.
Food DIY
Tim Hayward is a Cambridge based food writer, restauranteur and chef.
Tim judged at one of the original Grillstock festivals in Bristol. The series of Tweets he put out during that event, describing all his experiences during the weekend was truly commical, I wish I'd saved the timeline.
His book contains loads of great curing recipes as well as BBQ stuff. I really love it and use the recipes all the time. It's available on Amazon from this link.
Low and Slow
Neil's book and his restaurant Temper are worth a look. Neil will often do things very differently, like take meat out of the fridge and cook directly without bringing to room temp.
The Burger Book
I've just bought this book. I was sceptical about how good a book could be on just burgers, how wrong I was. There are tonnes of ideas in here. It's by Christian Stevenson, A.K.A. DJ BBQ. He's done a lot of work with Jamie Oliver and can often be seen on the TV in a full stars and stripes spandex outfit, odd but funny.