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View Full Version : First cook on my new Ranch Kettle


Demosthenes9
04-03-2016, 11:48 PM
My brother had a small get together over at his house so I packed up the Ranch Kettle and my Gen2 Performer to take care of the cooking duties. As this was my first time cooking on the Ranch, I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn't let a silly thing like that stand in the way.




Lined 1/2 the charcoal grate with somewhat of a single layer of coals and fired up 2 large chimneys (3/4 full) and 2 small chimneys.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss209/Demosthenes9/Ranch/IMG_20160403_135757.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss209/Demosthenes9/Ranch/IMG_20160403_135910.jpg




Time to get things started. I dumped all the chimneys out on top of the unlit coals, trying to spread things out so I had to where I had 1 layer of lit coals on top of the layer of unlit. Next, time to load up the first round of proteins, 24 hamburgers and 13 split chicken breasts (marinated in a sesame ginger bottled concoction). I started off by placing the burgers on the right side of the grate, then spun the grate so that the burgers were over the coals. Then I put the chicken on indirect.



http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss209/Demosthenes9/Ranch/IMG_20160403_143046.jpg





All three bottom vents and the top vent were at 1/2. I put the top down for a few mins to let the magic happen. Opened it up and saw that the burgers were cooking very quickly so I immediately started flipping them. I put the top back down for a few more minutes. Pulled the top up again and saw that the chicken was cooking nicely and the pieces had shrunk. I moved them all to the front right quadrant then moving all the burgers from over the coals and started stacking them on the back right to stay warm while the rest of food was cooked.




Next, time for 18 Ribeyes to go on over direct heat. I closed the lid and gave the steaks a few minutes to cook. I then decided to pull the burgers, and put on the other 14 chicken breasts that were marinated in Italian dressing and Worcestershire sauce. I also flipped the ribeyes. After a few more minutes went by, I checked the ribeyes and pulled some that were ready.




http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss209/Demosthenes9/Ranch/IMG_20160403_144657.jpg



At some point during this cook, I fired up another 3/4 of a large chimney for my Performer. When those coals were ready and dumped, I threw on 2 packs of Hebrew Nationals and a pack of Purnell's Bratwurst to cook indirectly as I really didn't have time to give them much attention.



Man, what a fun and exciting cook. I was completely clueless about quite a few things in regards to the Ranch and it definitely showed. Many, many mistakes and miscalculations were made, but in the end, everybody loved what came off of it. Though I have to say that 10 or so people made it through the serving line before the Italian marinated chicken made it to the serving table. ;D ;D

cfrazier77
04-03-2016, 11:52 PM
Awesome cook, well done.

tish
04-04-2016, 12:16 AM
That Ranch is a monster. Definitely great if you're cooking for a crowd. Looks like it got the job done! :thumb:

KORND4WG X
04-04-2016, 01:05 AM
Awesome cook. Sounds like a lot of fun:-D

punchy
04-04-2016, 01:57 AM
that thing is huge. I would like to see what you cook for a big get together, if that was a small one.

VoodoChild
04-04-2016, 02:12 AM
Good Cook ! Youll Love the Ranch Kettle !
I Know I love mine.

Titch
04-04-2016, 03:09 AM
great cook mate,food looks delish, hope your Brother was grateful.

cheez59
04-04-2016, 04:48 AM
Ain't nobody gonna ask you "where's the meat":shock:

JackW
04-04-2016, 06:46 AM
That is one awesome cooker! Great food too.

Jack

MisterChrister
04-04-2016, 06:59 AM
As an unrepentant Kettlehead, when I see these threads, I'm filled with a confusing conflict of emotions. Awe, joy, gladness for you, sadness for me, and deep envy bordering on sinful covetousness. I'll try to be happy for you, though. Great cook! :mrgreen:

16Adams
04-04-2016, 07:10 AM
What a beast!!!

1911Ron
04-04-2016, 01:09 PM
Awesome cook! :clap: I love my Ranch!

THoey1963
04-04-2016, 01:27 PM
Beautiful pit and food!

el_matt
04-04-2016, 03:12 PM
I sooooo want a Ranch. Great cook, and thanks for admitting the learning curve.

Matt

STLBBQer
04-04-2016, 03:16 PM
I don't know enough people to make that Ranch Kettle a necessity. Then again, maybe I don't know enough people because I don't have a Ranch Kettle?

4ever3
04-04-2016, 04:17 PM
Those things are ridiculously HUGE!!!!

I want one!!!

Nice cook!

KevinJ
04-04-2016, 06:04 PM
That thing is a cooking machine, to bad they're so darn expensive.

steelarz47
04-04-2016, 08:53 PM
I would love to buy that beast but it will have to wait alongside the rest of my wants; it is high on the list though.

Demosthenes9
04-04-2016, 09:05 PM
Awesome cook, well done.

Thanks !


That Ranch is a monster. Definitely great if you're cooking for a crowd. Looks like it got the job done! :thumb:

Yeah, it's a hoss. Job got done, but I was less than graceful doing it. I made some big mistakes but luckily was able to overcome them.



Awesome cook. Sounds like a lot of fun:-D

Thanks !! It was!


that thing is huge. I would like to see what you cook for a big get together, if that was a small one.

Yeah, it's big. As for the party, they were figuring on 45-50 people give or take. Big parties at my house are upwards of 80 to 120 on a couple of occasions (I come from a large family.) The large numbers is one of the reasons that I always used gassers before getting the RK. I have a 6 burner Brinkmann Pro and 2 3 burner Weber Genesis C's. I'll load the 6 burner and one of the Webers with meat 3 times and let someone else use the other Weber to grill sides like peppers, asparagus, etc.


Good Cook ! Youll Love the Ranch Kettle !
I Know I love mine.


Thanks! I love it already !

Demosthenes9
04-04-2016, 09:08 PM
great cook mate,food looks delish, hope your Brother was grateful.

Thanks ! He was. Got lots of thanks from attendees as well. They loved it.



Ain't nobody gonna ask you "where's the meat":shock:

Hehehehheeh


That is one awesome cooker! Great food too.

Jack

Thanks !!



As an unrepentant Kettlehead, when I see these threads, I'm filled with a confusing conflict of emotions. Awe, joy, gladness for you, sadness for me, and deep envy bordering on sinful covetousness. I'll try to be happy for you, though. Great cook! :mrgreen:

Hahahaha, thanks !!!



What a beast!!!

Yep, that it is !!

Demosthenes9
04-04-2016, 09:13 PM
Awesome cook! :clap: I love my Ranch!

Thanks Ron. I can certainly understand why !!


Beautiful pit and food!

Thanks !!!


I sooooo want a Ranch. Great cook, and thanks for admitting the learning curve.

Matt

Thanks and you are welcome. probably wasn't the brightest idea to do a cook of this size on the maiden voyage. But, Carpe Diem !!


I don't know enough people to make that Ranch Kettle a necessity. Then again, maybe I don't know enough people because I don't have a Ranch Kettle?

I've got a feeling that a RK will definitely introduce you to other people. I had lots of people coming up and watching while I was grilling.

Demosthenes9
04-04-2016, 09:15 PM
Those things are ridiculously HUGE!!!!

I want one!!!

Nice cook!

hahah, yes, they are. Thanks !!



That thing is a cooking machine, to bad they're so darn expensive.

Search Craigslist !!

I would love to buy that beast but it will have to wait alongside the rest of my wants; it is high on the list though.

Again, search Craigslist. I had been looking for one for close to 2 years or so. This one popped up about 2 hrs south of me. Was NIB and I snagged it for $375.

steelarz47
04-04-2016, 09:20 PM
$375 u stole that, nice score:eusa_clap

cowgirl
04-04-2016, 09:26 PM
Nice!!

VoodoChild
04-05-2016, 03:05 AM
Dont forget they are great smokers as well I just show this for fun but 16lb brisket, snake method... Now i just use a bed of lump and add small splits to one side of cooker.
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk105/teampwr2/20150811_131930_zpswrizlnsv.jpg (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/teampwr2/media/20150811_131930_zpswrizlnsv.jpg.html)

BDAABAT
04-05-2016, 06:28 AM
Excellent cook! Thanks for posting pictures while the cook was in progress. I've never seen a Ranch in person, so seeing the amazing amount of cooking real estate was eye opening. Dang that's some cooking surface area!

Scuze me whilst I start searching CL. :wink:

Bruce

fuzzy1626
04-05-2016, 06:39 AM
That's a huge kettle.

Norm
04-05-2016, 09:47 AM
I'd love to have one of those. Looks like you can really load it up too.

Thanks for sharing, everything looks awesome!

Deltaboy
04-05-2016, 10:41 AM
I saw one in person last year they are huge right at 45 inchs around.

Texmex01
04-05-2016, 03:35 PM
Those things are ridiculously HUGE!!!!

I want one!!!

Nice cook!

^What he said^ :clap:

Smoking Piney
04-05-2016, 04:20 PM
That's a big honkin' kettle!

And a great looking cook!

JimmyDAL
04-05-2016, 06:47 PM
As a owner of (3) Ranches let's not downplay the HUGE Backdraft issue associated. We have and it needs to be mentioned here especially with those Brethren that have never used one.

LMAJ
04-05-2016, 06:50 PM
Dang - that is a cooker!!!

mchar69
04-05-2016, 06:55 PM
As a owner of (3) Ranches let's not downplay the HUGE Backdraft issue associated. We have and it needs to be mentioned here especially with those Brethren that have never used one.

Please tell us of the backdraft issue -.....

and OP - you rocked that cook!!!