Let's Talk BBQ

Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Charbroil Infrared & SRG style Cookers => Grills & Smokers => Big Easy (BEESR) and SRG Type cookers => Topic started by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 01:12:30 PM

Title: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 01:12:30 PM
Hi,

Same Thanksgiving Turkey theme here with me.  I have fried my turkeys in peanut oil for 8 to 10 years.  Very satisfied with my results with oil frying and I was okay with the cleanup and disposal of used oil.  It was the cost of the oil each year that compelled me to make a change to The Big Easy Cooker.

I got myself a TBE a few weeks ago and after reading another forum for a few weeks, I took the advice to practice on a chicken first.  Purchased a 5.5 pound Fasters Farms Chicken, rubbed it with peanut oil, put on some Cajon Seasoning and dropped her in, feet first, resting on a beer can holder to support it sitting up right. I did a pre-heat burn-off and seasoning of the TBE the day before.

With no wind, and 75 degrees outside temperature, I cooked it for one hour and ten minutes, with top on the whole cook, until the thigh was 185 degrees and the breast was 175 degrees. I must have dumb luck because my first try was a perfect bird.  I could not have wish for any better results.

Next try will be on Thanksgiving afternoon with a 15 pound butterball turkey.  Wish me luck because it will not be good for me if I drop the ball this Thursday, lol….

I will make a post with a few pictures. I apologize in advance if the picture posting here is not correct in any manner in this post as it is my first try.

-Nick

(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3183.jpg)

(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3201.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3207.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3210.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3211.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3212.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3213.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3215.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3216.jpg)


(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad56/falcon1zero/First%20Chicken/DSC_3217.jpg)
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: TMB on November 27, 2013, 01:24:07 PM
This is why I wanted you here with us!  Great cook and pictures!
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: drholly on November 27, 2013, 01:42:32 PM
Gosh that's a nice looking bird! Good for you.
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 01:50:48 PM
This is why I wanted you here with us!  Great cook and pictures!

Thanks Tommy.  Glad to be here...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 01:51:30 PM
Gosh that's a nice looking bird! Good for you.

Thank-you Sir...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: HighOnSmoke on November 27, 2013, 01:55:31 PM
Turkey looks perfect Nick! Great job!
On a side note: Has Tommy been talking to you about mods yet??  ;) 8)
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: sliding_billy on November 27, 2013, 01:56:08 PM
good looking bird.  Welcome!
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: teesquare on November 27, 2013, 01:57:51 PM
Beauty of a bird there!…Tellus about your camera, and your picture posting "method" - i.e., which hosting service are you using?
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: hikerman on November 27, 2013, 02:00:54 PM
Nick, you did a lot better than good.......that's a beauty of a bird you did. Great job!
If I may suggest one thing, Tommy invented a device called a TommyRing that goes in bottom of the TBE but still allows the basket legs to support, it lifts food further up in the better cooking zone. I'm a frugal guy so I used a wok support that is for an electric stove. Anyway, the benefit of this is you can put a handful or two of smoking wood chips on the outside of Tommy's ring or mine and you get a nice smokey flavor. Do not let the wood get drippings from your meat as there will be a fire.
Good luck with your turkey and have a great holiday with the family!
Gene
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: smokeasaurus on November 27, 2013, 02:18:19 PM
Great looking turkey. Got me all fired up for tomorrow.......................
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: SmokinKat on November 27, 2013, 02:39:03 PM
Awesome looking practice run!!  Can't wait to see pics of the "real" bird tomorrow!   Best of luck to you-- I'm sure you'll nail it!   

Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 02:42:11 PM
Turkey looks perfect Nick! Great job!
On a side note: Has Tommy been talking to you about mods yet??  ;) 8)

Thank you sir.  Nothing with the mods so far.  ???  I hope I have not been bad - it's way too soon to be "called on the carpet" already, lol...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 02:59:56 PM
Beauty of a bird there!…Tellus about your camera, and your picture posting "method" - i.e., which hosting service are you using?

Thank you sir.

The camera is a Nikon D7000 and thousands more in lenses.  These were taken using the Nikon 16-85 lens.  The pictures are in "Photobucket".  I am still trying to figure out the posting method as I just joined photobucket last week and this is only the second time I tried this.  I was hoping I would not "bomb-out" the whole process.  In other words, I have no idea what the heck I am doing as far as getting the pictures on these post, lol.

I tried that Photobucket app installed on this forum but have not quite figured out just how that works.  This time I just used some process in photobucket that generated a list of URL's of the photos I selected.  Then I pasted those URL's into the post.  Then highlighted each URL and hit that "Insert Image" icon on the post menu bar.  That put those codes at each end of the URL, I had to do that for each URL one at a time. The picture posting is still a work in progress for me at this point.

Do you think the pictures are too large?  I did reduce them quit a bit from their original size.  What do you think??


Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 03:08:29 PM
Nick, you did a lot better than good.......that's a beauty of a bird you did. Great job!
If I may suggest one thing, Tommy invented a device called a TommyRing that goes in bottom of the TBE but still allows the basket legs to support, it lifts food further up in the better cooking zone. I'm a frugal guy so I used a wok support that is for an electric stove. Anyway, the benefit of this is you can put a handful or two of smoking wood chips on the outside of Tommy's ring or mine and you get a nice smokey flavor. Do not let the wood get drippings from your meat as there will be a fire.
Good luck with your turkey and have a great holiday with the family!
Gene

Thank you sir.  Yes, I did learn about the "Tommy Ring".  On this cook, I did not have that but I just happened to have a piece of cookware, a round chrome baking/cooling rack (I don't know what) that just happened to fit in there perfect.  Since then, I went to Walmart and got a 9 inch springform pan, that I will be using from now on.  I don't know what that rack was/is but I cleaned it up after the cook and put in back where I found it before anyone knew I used it for grilling, lol... :o

Edit: Spelling, Lord...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 03:18:25 PM
Great looking turkey. Got me all fired up for tomorrow.......................

Thank you sir.  I must say that I love your handle, "smokeasarurus"  8) - that's great!  Great avatar as well too, it fits.  I wish I could come up with stuff like that...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: HighOnSmoke on November 27, 2013, 03:18:48 PM
Beauty of a bird there!…Tellus about your camera, and your picture posting "method" - i.e., which hosting service are you using?

Thank you sir.

The camera is a Nikon D7000 and thousands more in lenses.  These were taken using the Nikon 16-85 lens.  The pictures are in "Photobucket".  I am still trying to figure out the posting method as I just joined photobucket last week and this is only the second time I tried this.  I was hoping I would not "bomb-out" the whole process.  In other words, I have no idea what the heck I am doing as far as getting the pictures on these post, lol.

I tried that Photobucket app installed on this forum but have not quite figured out just how that works.  This time I just used some process in photobucket that generated a list of URL's of the photos I selected.  Then I pasted those URL's into the post.  Then highlighted each URL and hit that "Insert Image" icon on the post menu bar.  That put those codes at each end of the URL, I had to do that for each URL one at a time. The picture posting is still a work in progress for me at this point.

Do you think the pictures are too large?  I did reduce them quit a bit from their original size.  What do you think??

Nick you have an excellent camera! That is what I use plus the big bucks in lenses.  I either use my 17-70 or 40mm macro for food
cooks.  I use photobucket and have never had any problems.  I usually resize my photos on Picasa before uploading to photobucket.
I size them either 800x600 or 640x480, but tee will have to answer about the max size for this board.

Mike
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 03:20:49 PM
Gosh that's a nice looking bird! Good for you.

Thanks you sir...  You are too kind.
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: hikerman on November 27, 2013, 03:22:51 PM
First off Nick.....my dad was sir. You can call me anything but late for dinner!  lol

Glad you have a ring for TBE. I use wood in mine all the time. It's not the same as smoking, but adds a real nice flavor.

Oh by the way, glad your here, good group of folks on this site, we ask and learn from each other. It's all about caring and sharing!
Enjoy my friend!
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 03:32:00 PM
First off Nick.....my dad was sir. You can call me anything but late for dinner!  lol

Glad you have a ring for TBE. I use wood in mine all the time. It's not the same as smoking, but adds a real nice flavor.

Oh by the way, glad your here, good group of folks on this site, we ask and learn from each other. It's all about caring and sharing!
Enjoy my friend!

Okay, good enough.  Sometimes I can't get that protocol out of me, I just naturally say that, it freaks out the teenagers around here too, lol.

Everyone here can just "call me the breeze",  8) lol...
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: Smokin Don on November 27, 2013, 03:39:27 PM
Great looking Turkey!!! A nice first post & photos. I would say one of the nicest looking birds I have seen done on the Big Easy!!! Don
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: Old Hickory on November 27, 2013, 03:52:51 PM
Great job on that bird and your photo's are super.
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: smoker pete on November 27, 2013, 03:56:49 PM
Great looking Bird Nick  8)

Here's a little info on how to use Photobucket:

First I use "Microsoft Office Picture Manager" or your favorite program (Photoshop, etc) to resize the photo.  I like to use 800x600 pixels.  Create appropriate folder on Photobucket and then upload the photos to Photobucket.

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/PhotobucketInfo4_zpsf8f34670.jpg)

To post a photo in the forum just roll over the photo and you'll see the icon in the upper right end corner

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/PhotobucketInfo1-Copy_zpsb14860f9.jpg)

Roll over the icon and you see a menu of options.  Click on "Get Links"

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/PhotobucketInfo2-Copy_zps287bbceb.jpg)

Use 1 of the 2 "IMG" options for most forums ... IMG codes and/or IMG thumb

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/PhotobucketInfo3_zps080c799e.jpg)

Copy/Paste the "IMG Thumb" and it shows a thumbnail view of the photo.  When you click on the photo it shows the full photo view

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/Turkey/SRGturkeyBreast02112011/th_SRGturkey2.jpg) (http://s854.photobucket.com/user/papa_peter/media/Turkey/SRGturkeyBreast02112011/SRGturkey2.jpg.html)

Copy/Paste the "IMG codes (for forums, boards)" will show the full photo view

(http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/papa_peter/Turkey/SRGturkeyBreast02112011/SRGturkey2.jpg)
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 03:59:54 PM
Great looking Turkey!!! A nice first post & photos. I would say one of the nicest looking birds I have seen done on the Big Easy!!! Don

Thank you Don, you are too kind.  But I can't take "Turkey-Cook" credit for that one.  Its actually a baby turkey - a 5.5 pound chicken  ???.  But I understand your point and I thank you for your acknowledgment that it at least looks nice, no matter what is...  :)
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: mr breeze on November 27, 2013, 04:03:42 PM
Great looking Bird Nick  8)

Here's a little info on how to use Photobucket:.......

Thanks a million Pet.  That is what I needed to know.  I will use that method from now on.

Thanks,
-Nick
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: muebe on November 27, 2013, 09:34:43 PM
Fine looking bird Breeze!

The BE makes a great yardbird ;)
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: pz on November 28, 2013, 01:51:38 AM
That bird looks just about perfect, Nick.  I'm doing a turkey for the first time tomorrow on the SRG, and like you, started with a chicken.  Some say it is difficult to mess up a cook on the SRG, but I'm usually fairly good at "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong"  ;D

Fortunately it is only me and my sweetie, with the possibility of one of our kids later in the day   :D
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: TwoPockets on November 28, 2013, 11:16:24 AM
Nice looking bird. I bought TBE after I nearly burned my house down frying a turkey one Christmas. Just want to let you know that TBE is a great cooker for other things. I have done turkeys, chickens, chicken wings and legs (order some leg racks from Char-Broil), Boston butts, and about a month ago I did the best standing rib roast I have ever tasted. My wife doesn't want baked potatoes cooked any other way than in TBE. The racks will be a great investment since you can move your food higher up in the basket where it will cook faster.
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: RAD on November 28, 2013, 11:23:57 AM
Good looing bird and I also love my BE.
Title: Re: First Post & First Cook
Post by: Savannahsmoker on November 28, 2013, 02:46:17 PM
Man that bird is one right.