working out for Disney

[epcotisbest]

So last night I did another reverse sear, caveman style steak. For reverse sear you set the grill up for indirect heat and a low temp, around 250 and use an internal temp probe. Then you slow cook indirect to an internal temp of about 115. Then you take the steaks off the grill, remove the heat deflector and open up the vent to get a glowing hot fire. Then you put the steak directly on the coals for about 60 to 90 seconds per side. Gives you a great char to the steaks and you don't have to worry about over cooking as the steaks are only over direct heat for a short time.
Now, you can't really do this with regular charcoal briquettes as they contain too much filler and have too much ash. With lump charcoal, there is no filler, very little ash and very little sticks to the steak.
Anyway, here are some photos.

 

[MinnieM123]

So last night I did another reverse sear, caveman style steak. For reverse sear you set the grill up for indirect heat and a low temp, around 250 and use an internal temp probe. Then you slow cook indirect to an internal temp of about 115. Then you take the steaks off the grill, remove the heat deflector and open up the vent to get a glowing hot fire. Then you put the steak directly on the coals for about 60 to 90 seconds per side. Gives you a great char to the steaks and you don't have to worry about over cooking as the steaks are only over direct heat for a short time.
Now, you can't really do this with regular charcoal briquettes as they contain too much filler and have too much ash. With lump charcoal, there is no filler, very little ash and very little sticks to the steak.
Anyway, here are some photos.

View attachment 153843

View attachment 153844

View attachment 153845

Boy howdy, that looks GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[epcotisbest]

Boy howdy, that looks GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only was it good, but it was fun to prepare as well.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

I just came back from a long, but not very intense walk. I haven't been sleeping well, so my energy is a bit down today. I keep going over things that need to happen for this move to go smoothly. The day after we return from WDW, the movers show up to begin day one of packing. Ugh. I need to stop ruminating about this at night. My son and I are meeting my husband at MCO next Friday, so I am just going to try not to think about this move and just enjoy being at WDW.

It's also starting to hit me that I will be moving out of this house for good. When we moved to London, we knew we'd be back. This is permanent. I moved into this house just before my 10th birthday. My mom and my grandmother live only a few blocks away. All of this is starting to hit me this week.

 

[Figgy1]

So last night I did another reverse sear, caveman style steak. For reverse sear you set the grill up for indirect heat and a low temp, around 250 and use an internal temp probe. Then you slow cook indirect to an internal temp of about 115. Then you take the steaks off the grill, remove the heat deflector and open up the vent to get a glowing hot fire. Then you put the steak directly on the coals for about 60 to 90 seconds per side. Gives you a great char to the steaks and you don't have to worry about over cooking as the steaks are only over direct heat for a short time.
Now, you can't really do this with regular charcoal briquettes as they contain too much filler and have too much ash. With lump charcoal, there is no filler, very little ash and very little sticks to the steak.
Anyway, here are some photos.

View attachment 153843

View attachment 153844

View attachment 153845

I think you and my dh both must shop at Cavemen R Us He only buys lump charcoal

 

[Figgy1]

Hello-

I just came back from a long, but not very intense walk. I haven't been sleeping well, so my energy is a bit down today. I keep going over things that need to happen for this move to go smoothly. The day after we return from WDW, the movers show up to begin day one of packing. Ugh. I need to stop ruminating about this at night. My son and I are meeting my husband at MCO next Friday, so I am just going to try not to think about this move and just enjoy being at WDW.

It's also starting to hit me that I will be moving out of this house for good. When we moved to London, we knew we'd be back. This is permanent. I moved into this house just before my 10th birthday. My mom and my grandmother live only a few blocks away. All of this is starting to hit me this week.

Sorry you're not sleeping well. I hope you are very happy in Joisey! ENJOY your much needed vacation. Not long to go until you get to just live again.

 

[Figgy1]

Good morning next to last workout before we leave. LS 5 advanced miles. As soon as I get home I'm going to chop and shred veggies and make a few smoothies for the road. I'm trying to be a little extra healthy until we hit property! Be healthy and well.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning next to last workout before we leave. LS 5 advanced miles. As soon as I get home I'm going to chop and shred veggies and make a few smoothies for the road. I'm trying to be a little extra healthy until we hit property! Be healthy and well.

Safe travels and have a blast. Maybe our paths will cross.

 

[epcotisbest]

This morning's early walk was pleasant. The overnight low was only 74, and that feels a little warm, but this morning, there was a nice, steady breeze instead of the thick, soupy feeling humidity levels. With the slight breeze, there were dried up leaves dropping like it was fall, but it is far from fall. Anyway, nice walk. By the time I got back in, a little before 7 a.m., it was already 77. 90s again today. My wife is in Macon until Sunday, much warmer and more humid down there.

 

[epcotisbest]

So when she is out of town I am usually tempted to have fast food or pizza, and honestly, sometimes I do. Happy to say today for lunch I sliced a tomato and topped it with some tuna salad. No chips or crackers.

 

[Figgy1]

Safe travels and have a blast. Maybe our paths will cross.

You too! Safe travels

 

[Figgy1]

So when she is out of town I am usually tempted to have fast food or pizza, and honestly, sometimes I do. Happy to say today for lunch I sliced a tomato and topped it with some tuna salad. No chips or crackers.

View attachment 153969

So sorry to hear you're not enjoying the weather. At least you're being smart walking early and eating healthy. Junk food and heat is not a good combo! Br safe and HYDRATE!

 

[epcotisbest]

Grilled some chicken thighs this evening. Used Weber Kickin' Chicken rub and wrapped a few in bacon because, hey, why not? These will last me for a couple of days.

 

[MinnieM123]

Grilled some chicken thighs this evening. Used Weber Kickin' Chicken rub and wrapped a few in bacon because, hey, why not? These will last me for a couple of days.

View attachment 154005

OMG!!!!!!!!! Wrapping them in BACON???!!! You're a GENIUS!!!!!!!! Love it!!! How long do you cook them for?

 

[epcotisbest]

OMG!!!!!!!!! Wrapping them in BACON???!!! You're a GENIUS!!!!!!!! Love it!!! How long do you cook them for?

Yeah, wrapping things in bacon just makes everything better. And, I never cook by time. See that probe in one of the thighs? That is a temperature probe. I always cook until I reach the desired internal temp of whatever I am cooking. For dark meat chicken I go to about 175 internal temp. Also monitor the grill temp and cook different things at different temps. For example, for this cook, the chicken was cooked at 350 degrees, indirect heat.
White meat chicken will get dry and tough cooked to 170, so it comes off the grill at 160. Cooking times vary with almost every cook and I don't really know why, but cooking by time, a difference of just a minute or two can be the difference in moist, tender food and dry, chewy food.
For pulled pork, I slow cook, indirect at 250 grill temp, to an internal temp of 200 degrees. That can take from 10 to 14 hours or longer, depending on the size of the butt and stall time.
Ribs are cooked indirect at 230 in a 2-2-1 method that actually does cook by time as well as internal temp.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but I will say I used to just turn on the gas grill, throw on some meat and cook for awhile till it looked done. I am a bit more precise with my grilling now and the results are 100% worth it. I have not even used the gas grill, except for storage space and extra prep area for a long time except for every now and then when I want to grill a burger and some hotdogs quickly. Otherwise, even burgers and dogs taste much, much better cooked over lump charcoal on the kamado grill.
I suppose I could have worse, more time consuming hobbies, but I like to grill and to experiment with different methods and try unusual things.

 

[MinnieM123]

Yeah, wrapping things in bacon just makes everything better. And, I never cook by time. See that probe in one of the thighs? That is a temperature probe. I always cook until I reach the desired internal temp of whatever I am cooking. For dark meat chicken I go to about 175 internal temp. Also monitor the grill temp and cook different things at different temps. For example, for this cook, the chicken was cooked at 350 degrees, indirect heat.
White meat chicken will get dry and tough cooked to 170, so it comes off the grill at 160. Cooking times vary with almost every cook and I don't really know why, but cooking by time, a difference of just a minute or two can be the difference in moist, tender food and dry, chewy food.
For pulled pork, I slow cook, indirect at 250 grill temp, to an internal temp of 200 degrees. That can take from 10 to 14 hours or longer, depending on the size of the butt and stall time.
Ribs are cooked indirect at 230 in a 2-2-1 method that actually does cook by time as well as internal temp.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but I will say I used to just turn on the gas grill, throw on some meat and cook for awhile till it looked done. I am a bit more precise with my grilling now and the results are 100% worth it. I have not even used the gas grill, except for storage space and extra prep area for a long time except for every now and then when I want to grill a burger and some hotdogs quickly. Otherwise, even burgers and dogs taste much, much better cooked over lump charcoal on the kamado grill.
I suppose I could have worse, more time consuming hobbies, but I like to grill and to experiment with different methods and try unusual things.

That's very helpful and the primary takeaway on your chicken was the indirect heat, and of course, the internal temperature probe. I have an electric fork temperature gauge that I bought this summer, and it's been a life saver--I've found that I don't have to cook things quite so long as before, and the quality of the meats is so much better when they're not overcooked and dried out on the grill.

Do you buy the skin-on thighs, or without? It sort of looks like you buy with--I couldn't tell from the picture. I thought with the bacon wrapped around them that they might be skinless?

 

[epcotisbest]

That's very helpful and the primary takeaway on your chicken was the indirect heat, and of course, the internal temperature probe. I have an electric fork temperature gauge that I bought this summer, and it's been a life saver--I've found that I don't have to cook things quite so long as before, and the quality of the meats is so much better when they're not overcooked and dried out on the grill.

Do you buy the skin-on thighs, or without? It sort of looks like you buy with--I couldn't tell from the picture. I thought with the bacon wrapped around them that they might be skinless?

Those are skin on, but we enjoy both and usually just buy whichever is on sale. Bacon does work well with skinless. Heck, you could wrap a paper cup in bacon and it would be good, but don't over cook it!

 

[MinnieM123]

Those are skin on, but we enjoy both and usually just buy whichever is on sale. Bacon does work well with skinless. Heck, you could wrap a paper cup in bacon and it would be good, but don't over cook it!

Thanks for the clarification. And I agree--bacon is one of the most delicious foods on the planet!! I was asking all these questions, because I'm thinking of trying to grill the chicken the same way you did. I'll try it either tonight or tomorrow night (weather permitting -- we're in an odd pattern of pop-up showers, but I'm sure I'll be able to cook these this weekend). I'll try that indirect heat with I assume the cover on (but vents open to allow some airflow). (I have a traditional charcoal Weber, stand up grill.)

 

[epcotisbest]

Thanks for the clarification. And I agree--bacon is one of the most delicious foods on the planet!! I was asking all these questions, because I'm thinking of trying to grill the chicken the same way you did. I'll try it either tonight or tomorrow night (weather permitting -- we're in an odd pattern of pop-up showers, but I'm sure I'll be able to cook these this weekend). I'll try that indirect heat with I assume the cover on (but vents open to allow some airflow). (I have a traditional charcoal Weber, stand up grill.)

Yes, indirect with cover on and adequate airflow, but not too hot. Here is the temp probe I use. It has two probes, one to monitor food, the other to monitor grill temp, either at the grate or at the dome vent. The sending unit is good for several hundred feet, so I can take the remote receiver and go do yard work or whatever and just glance at the temps every now and then without ever going back near the grill until ready to take the food off. It is handy and with kamado cooking, you don't move the food around or flip it at all when cooking indirect or even open it back up until time to take it off. There is a saying on kamado forums, "If you're looking, you ain't cooking."
So let me know how your bacon wrapped thighs turn out. Bet they will be great.

 

[epcotisbest]

Thanks for the clarification. And I agree--bacon is one of the most delicious foods on the planet!! I was asking all these questions, because I'm thinking of trying to grill the chicken the same way you did. I'll try it either tonight or tomorrow night (weather permitting -- we're in an odd pattern of pop-up showers, but I'm sure I'll be able to cook these this weekend). I'll try that indirect heat with I assume the cover on (but vents open to allow some airflow). (I have a traditional charcoal Weber, stand up grill.)

Want to try something that will blow your mind and tempt your taste buds? Do a google search for chocolate covered bacon. It is so good it is just crazy. Easy to make. Some candy shops have it as well. Chocolate covered Ruffles potato chips go well with chocolate covered bacon. I can't have either one anymore, but still sneak a taste every now and then.