Cobb BBQ advice sought

[pragmatist]

Well HWMBO seems to have got the bbqing on the Cobb off pretty well - and its marvellous to have a BBQ on the boat rather than on the pontoon, leaping on and off with utensils, sauces etc. However I have 2 queries - hope someone can help :

1) How do you get nice rare steak ? Because you don't have the option to turn it up high to sear the meat, our steaks have been a bit overdone for our taste.

2) How do you clean the grill surface ? So far it has been through 2 dishwasher cycles and is still coated - and we don't have a dishwasher on the boat so if this is what it takes to clean it then it makes it rather less useful as a boat bbq. Can you use Brillo pads or similar or will that damage the surface ? The holes get really clogged (maybe his honey/mustard sauce but I'll never get him to give that up).

Penny

 

[moodycruiser]

We bought one a couple of weeks ago and it's bloody brill !! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Don't use scouring pads on the grill though as it'll damage the non-stick (not sure why yours has turned into just-stick).
If you go to Cobbs site here they have extra bits that you can buy including a searing grill, or a wire grill, which may suit your needs.
We've done two roast dinners in ours and at only 7 or 8 briquettes it's a lot cheaper than using the gas, and funny enough, we're having one tonight - gonna bake the rolls first, as well /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[duncan]

1. heat the thing up with the lid on; oil the steaks lightly and put them on the (now really hot) griddle. If you add a couple of pieces of charcol to the brickettes this will bring the temp up even more. The issue as you realise is that the griddle is so thin it doesn't hold the heat, and it's existance prevents the direct heat of the coals coming into play.............I admit I am seriously looking into use of a more open SS wire approach for steaks.
Do not forget that this was developed in SA and if you brai (BBQ) there you air to avoid colouring the food at all when cooking it! They are not into the view that steak needs to take colour to gain flavour!
2. Assuming you have the non teflon griddle (as I have) then I use a Makro BBQ/oven cleaner and then coarse wire wool. I haven't managed to mark mine yet. I would avoid Brillo pads as they are the most abrasive things I have ever met but just about everything else seems to leave it unmarked.

Having used mine to hot smoke/cook a 3.5lb gammon for new years dinner i remain a convert but am begining to conclude it's a better oven than grill!

 

[pragmatist]

Thanks to both of your for your replies. HWMBO who bought the Cobb now tells me that we got it much cheaper for having the stick not non-stick version ! But he doesn't have to clean it. I think once I have got it really clean I might try treating it like a frying pan - i.e. season it with olive oil and hope that I can seal it. If not, then he'll just have to stop being a cheap skate /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif and maybe buy either the searing rack or the non-stick version - but they are very expensive, aren't they ?! I will try the bbq cleaner and maybe we'll go for the raw SA steaks ! Thanks again.

 

[duncan]

not raw simply not coloured!

I and many others here have the cheaper one - it does stand serious scrubbing!

Someone was looking into a bulk supply of teflon griddle plates some time back - boatone I think.........I will pm him.

I got a 'smoke pot' for Christmas and, with the flavour pellets, it turns the Cobb into a great hot smoker (fine for any lidded BBQ).

One test I haven't yet done is to light it up in St PP where they do not permit BBQs in the actual marina .............one for August me thinks!

 

[gjgm]

well, not specific to this bbq, but steaks: either with very thick steaks, cook both sides normally ie rare, then slice hoizonally,bbq VERY briefly, and leave to stand for a few minutes.. or dont try such thick steaks,still cook rare-the trick is to undercook them and then leave them to stand. Its amazing how they continue to cook, by the time your opened another bottle, got the bread ready or whatever.If its still a tad too rare, 15-30 seconds more might do it.
You can try this. Touch your thumb and first finger and feel how fleshy the base of the thumb/palm is.. thats how rare beef should feel. Touch little finger and thumb.. thats well done. And accordingly with the other fingers for in between.
So, best go for what looks a bit too rare, but you must let it stand, and then it will only be a quick extra if needed. once overcooked.. well...! What time am i expected?!

 

[duncan]

what a brilliant tip!

ty

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Good one gjgm... look forward to impressing SWMBO with that piece of wisdom.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ruthhobson]

Hi

I have a Mk 1 Cobb with is not non-stick, after cooking I pop the part used heat beads into a pan of water, then wait until things have cooled a little and spray all the dirty bits with Fairy Powerspray then forget it for a couple of hours or even the next day. If I can't wait then I use wire scourer. BTW take the part used heat beads out of the water and you can reuse these at the next BBQ

They have just brought out a non-stick griddle - this might solve the steak problem??

HTH

Ruth

 

[robbieg]

Where do you get heat beads from-I'm having trouble locating any locally.

 

[rickp]

I got some from here. They are better than standard charcoal briquettes I found.

Rick

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I like my steak really blue. Break its horns off, wipe its backside and walk it through a warm room. Sorry all you veggies, but it needs to drip. BTW kangaroo works well that way too.

 

[duncan]

you clearly need something a bit bigger than a Cobb.............

 

[Falcon71]

At least yours cooked the food. Ours nearly cooked the boat. Total melt down, and only the 2nd time we'd used it. They could find no reason why this should have happened, but please, please make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case.

 

[Anonymous]

Fillet steak on the Cobb with jacket potatoes: - Based on ordinary charcoal, not briquettes or heat beads. 30 mins after lighting, put potatoes on Cobb on wire rack. Turn after 30 mins and leave up to another 30 mins remove when done. Take a whole piece of Chateaubriand, oil and season or lard with smoked streaky bacon, oil and season and place on Cobb, on wire rack. Turn after 10 to 20 mins, turn cook a further 10 to 20 mins. The outside caramelises just like beef should be and you either cut it into steaks or carve into thick slices. Last time we did it (a couple of days ago) we served it with a simple red-wine reinforced gravy.

Cleaning: Mrs L's domain, I will ask her. She doesn't make a fuss about it and she always cleans it squeaky-clean. Does use a lot of water but we have a water maker so that isn't such a big problem.