Tuscan Grill

[Mojoe]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Paper towel soaked in vegetable oil is one way to start charcoal.

[Jim Bob]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Michael,
Thanks for the tip. and I also like the idea of using charcoal in a pan in the entryway to cook meat on the Tuscan Grill. If i did that I would suggest using nothing but lump charcoal. It burns much hotter and a great deal cleaner, leaving only a small amount of dust residue in the pan. I have used those charcoal baskets to start the charcoal for years. However, with the addition of my brick oven have change to the hand held propane starter It does the trick on my starter wood piles and works great on lump charcoal. However, this charcoal method in the entryway is primarily for short hot cooks. If I was cooking larger pieces of meat, I would push the grill back in the oven and just use the wood coals for heat.
Jim Bob

[Michael Craig]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Jim,
Go to Wal-mart and look in lawn and garden and find a meat hook. It will have a half circle hook bent perpendicular to the shaft. Then go to a hardware store or a farm supply store and make a long handled version using high carbon steel. You can put a bend in the handle to make turning meat easier.

[Ken524]

Re: Tuscan Grill

This is the ONLY way to start charcoal. It works a treat!

Amazon.com: Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Check your local home and garden stores.

[james]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Hey Dick,

I can't think of a reason why you couldn't use the front of your oven to hold a pan of charcoal. You wouldn't want to "burn"charcoal to heat your oven, but using the landing to hold charcoal for direct heat under a grill makes sense.

Charcoal puts out a reasonable flame when it is starting, but I don't think that would cause a problem for your dome. How would you start it? A tunnel? Wax firelighters? Not lighter fluid -- which would leave a smell in your oven.

Can anyone jump in on this one?

I will get it a try.
James

[thebadger]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Question on the Tuscan Grill from FB.

Any issues with using a small pan 10x10 to hold charcoal brickets under the grill in the landing area. I would also add some wet wood chips as well.

Basically I want to know is it okay to use charcoal in a wfo? I was thinking I may not want to mess with a "wood" burn during the week and thought of using a small pan with the charcoal. Any issues??? Than pan would also help keep the front landing clean since it doesn't get as hot to burn off.

Let me know.

Thanks
Dick

[Ed_]

Re: Tuscan Grill

...some devious left handed person designed it.

<offtopic>
I am a devious left-handed person. Bwahahahaaaa!
</offtopic>

[Jim Bob]

Re: Tuscan Grill

cajun knight,
Yes, the 25" scissor clamps look just right for the job. The 20" may be too short. Always appreciate everyone responding to my inquiries with some great ideas.
Thanks,
Jim Bob
P.S. I was going to fire the oven up this afternoon but it was 104 degrees and in Memphis humidity, that is HOT!! Too hot to start another fire. Fall will be here shortly and I will be ready to cook!

[CajunKnight]

Re: Tuscan Grill

As far as flipping a steak inside a WFO why not try a clean pair of fireplace tongs. Seems like it would work and preserve the seared surface.

http://www.thelograck.com/images/bkt.gif

Some slight modification would make it more user friendly. I think I would prefer the scissor tongs and with a little work could be easily made longer.

Scissors Tongs - 20": SpitJack Fireplace Rotisseries and Hearth Cooking Grills

[Jim Bob]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Raoul,

Yes that is true, but I will hook the filet in the end or side of the steak to turn it, and if I cook it correctly, will only have to turn it that one time and it will be crusty on the outside and medium rare on the inside!! Pizza is one thing, and I do look forward to trying different recipes, but a good medium rare prime beef filet is the top of the charts for me. Getting hungry just talking about it.
Jim Bob

[Raoul Duke]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Problem with the hooks is that they break the surface of the meat and that's what searing is supposed to accomplish.

[Jim Bob]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Dave,
What's wierd is I have one of those hanging from Weber Performer grill and have never used it!! Great idea, just forgot I had it. But Wiley is correct, some devious left handed person designed it.
Jim Bob

[Wiley]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Dave,
I have used one of these at a friend's BBQ grill and the idea is great. I did find that the pigtail hooked the wrong direction by my reckoning. To me I want to hook the meat in a clockwise motion and flip the meat so that it rotates clockwise as well.

I suspect it was designed by a left handed person as some sort of secret revenge against having to deal with tools designed for right handed people.

Wiley

[asudavew]

Re: Tuscan Grill

If you could find a loooooooooong one of these or build one, it would probably be a great tool for flipping your steaks.

They are supposed to be really handy for the standard BBQ, although I have not tried one.

Dave

[Jim Bob]

Re: Tuscan Grill

Christo,
Thanks a lot. It does help. One reason I am interested in cooking steaks on the grill is that I can get the temps up real good to sear it well and leave it med rare inside. Ruth Chris's Steak House and Flemings Steak House(best steaks in Memphis) use a Salamander oven to cook their prime meats. These ovens can reach 1600 degrees and they create the finest seared filets that simply melt in your mouth. The only thing they use to baste them with is a mixture of real butter, fresh garlic, and Italian Parsley. It puts a great crust on it.
I want to try to simulate those steaks by cooking them at a temp as high as my oven will reach, probably 900, especially if I need to pull the grill towards the entry to use.
Thanks again and I will let you know how they turn out.
Jim Bob