The Big Easy has arrived

Plowboy

Plowboy

somebody shut me the fark up.
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I was one of the lucky folks to get one of the new Big Easy's from Char Broil. Just arrived today and pulled it out of the box. Now, I've not used it yet or read the materials, which are sitting right here. The proof will be in the final product. We'll get a turkey ready to cook on Saturday.

Though I think this could be an easy and safe way to cook a turkey, there seems to be a bit of marketing hype here, too. I wouldn't call it a fryer. At first glance, it seems to be a gas oven. The heat source is a propane burner ring that wraps 360 degrees around the bottom of the unit. I'm not sure where the term "infrared" comes from. The turkey sits inside of an aluminum bucket, so to speak. The burner heats the bucket from the perimeter of the base. This is purely an indirect cooking method. The unit has an igniter on board as well as a thermostat of sorts.

The unit really has me curious. Will post results on Saturday.
 

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Interesting...please keep us posted. About what does that run$ if you dont mind me asking?
 
Plowboy said:
I wouldn't call it a fryer. At first glance, it seems to be a gas oven. The heat source is a propane burner ring that wraps 360 degrees around the bottom of the unit. I'm not sure where the term "infrared" comes from. The turkey sits inside of an aluminum bucket, so to speak. The burner heats the bucket from the perimeter of the base. This is purely an indirect cooking method. The unit has an igniter on board as well as a thermostat of sorts.
Click to expand...

You are correct sir!

fry 1
premium.gif
(frī) Pronunciation Key
v. fried (frīd), fry·ing, fries (frīz)

v. tr.

  1. To cook over direct heat in hot oil or fat.
 
Does Charbroil name all their gas cooking products Big Easy? They have a gas grill by the same name. As a marketer, seems a bit strang unless they would market as Another outdoor cooker from our Big Easy line of products - or something of the sorts.
 
Oiless obviously makes it NOT a fryer, but how the hell do they get "infrared" from a gas burner?:confused:
Definetly a little false advetising there!!

On edit: Does it have heat adj. Might make a great chili pot!!
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Oiless obviously makes it NOT a fryer, but how the hell do they get "infrared" from a gas burner?:confused:
Definetly a little false advetising there!!

On edit: Does it have heat adj. Might make a great chili pot!!
Click to expand...

The cylinder for the turkey has a hole in the bottom of it to let grease drain out.
 
I hope these don't take off, I will miss the "Turkey fryer mishaps" in the news every Holiday season!
 
Q: how many ways do you need to cook meat?

A: As many as I can find.

Good luck with it this Saturday. Not into the frying but if that works it may be worth a look see.
 
It is a very interesting idea. I like toys so I have been thinking about getting one to play with. With the cost of peanut oil so high, I have started smoking more turkeys than I used to.
Neat idea. It looks like a deep fryer for dummies kinda thing.
 
13 lb turkey is in the brine. Instructions suggest 10 minutes per lb. But they also suggest going to 180 degrees in the breast. Eight minutes seems like a better rule of thumb to get closer to 160. Frankly, once I'm above 150 in all parts of the bird, I'm happy.

I'm using one of my Cambros to brine the bird. Put it up on end so that the lid is on top. Placed the bird inside of two trash bags and added ice to the top. Looks like you can get 2-3 birds in there.

Brine Recipe
2 C Soy Sauce
2 C Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 C Worchestershire
2 C Brown Sugar
2 C Kosher Salt
2 Gal Water

Using hot water or boiling your brine will help dissolve the sugars. You wouldn't need to add all of the water right away. Just enough to get the sugar dissolved. Of course be sure to cool it down prior placing the bird in the solution.
 

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I really like this heating device. The infrared comes from heating the stainless insert, this is pretty much how outdoor tube heaters work like at Joe's Crab Shack.
Temps around center came close to 600 deg according to stoker log. Under grill temp was less than 115 deg but I still had metal pan under grill.

Used some hickory in it to cook burgers. A fish/burger basket fits it real well so there are many other things you can cook vertical. My smoker grill top fits it almost perfectly with temp hole open the basket handle goes right through. Warning on using wood...
My first fire was caused by too much wood in bottom, it had soaked up some oils/butter. This was a big fire but the smoker cover helped reduce it some. The butter set it off when I was about to place shrimp basket in grill.
I cooked a large chicken in it to see how it does with nothing done to it. Not too bad but the bird will burn in some places if you don't oil the bird up a bit.
Next bird will be brined. Thinking of smoking at low temps under 150 with cover on, olive oil it up then blast it on high. Maybe some bacon on a rack above the bird to keep her oiled up.
All and all this is a fine grill that cooks more than just big meat.
 
breeze said:
I really like this heating device. The infrared comes from heating the stainless insert, this is pretty much how outdoor tube heaters work like at Joe's Crab Shack.
Temps around center came close to 600 deg according to stoker log. Under grill temp was less than 115 deg but I still had metal pan under grill.

Used some hickory in it to cook burgers. A fish/burger basket fits it real well so there are many other things you can cook vertical. My smoker grill top fits it almost perfectly with temp hole open the basket handle goes right through. Warning on using wood...
My first fire was caused by too much wood in bottom, it had soaked up some oils/butter. This was a big fire but the smoker cover helped reduce it some. The butter set it off when I was about to place shrimp basket in grill.
I cooked a large chicken in it to see how it does with nothing done to it. Not too bad but the bird will burn in some places if you don't oil the bird up a bit.
Next bird will be brined. Thinking of smoking at low temps under 150 with cover on, olive oil it up then blast it on high. Maybe some bacon on a rack above the bird to keep her oiled up.
All and all this is a fine grill that cooks more than just big meat.
Click to expand...

So you put chucks or chips in the bottom of the cylinder and then put the basket on top of that? Interesting.
 
Turkey Down!!!!

So far, I'm impressed. Seasoned everything, prepped the turkey, and dropped it in. Immediately, it started sizzling. Smells wonderful!! After 15 minutes, the skin was starting to caramelize. Going to check it after 75 minutes and see where its at.

There's a pic here of the burner without the cooking cylinder in place: Ring of Fire. The mesh lid does affect the crisping of the top of the bird. So far, this thing is living up to the self-hype.
 

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That thing looks pretty cool!!!!:biggrin:
 
Wow, this thing really works. Results were much like turkeys I've fried. Too much sugar in my rub and brine, so the skin got dark, but it was crispy just like a deep fried turkey. Its the real deal, people. I was skeptical.

13 lb turkey done in under 90 minutes.

BONUS: We got a quart of juice from the bird that we'll use for gravy tomorrow. Sunday dinner is set for tomorrow.
 

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Plowboy said:
So you put chucks or chips in the bottom of the cylinder and then put the basket on top of that? Interesting.
Click to expand...
I am using chunks right next to lower side wall. The main basket sits in just fine with the wood where it is. The wood did not catch fire till after a few cooks and dripping real butter on it at over 600 deg. Flash fire but I was ready with co2 and a cover.
The cover I mention is one from an old elec. char broil smoker, thermo removed to allow basket handles to protrude when cooking fish / shrimp / burgers ... small stuff.
I hope to get temp low enough for some pre smoking for one of the turkeys and the other will be done as usual slow smoked, wife doesn't trust my experiments. :biggrin: This grill is a lot of fun!
 
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