COBB Help me cook my spuds
Submitted: Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 10:14
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Wayne
Just read
John T's thread re roasts in the Cobb and thought it's time to draw on the forumites knowledge of all things Cobb. :-)
I CAN'T get the spuds to
cook!!!
I have persevered with my Cobb for a year now ( carted it 14,000 ks on our last trip) and can't get vegies to
cook with a roast. I've cut them down in size to 40/50mm chunks and they still come out sorta crunchy rawish, you know that tase of uncooked spud?
I use top notch heat beads, leave them in for 3 hours, dont lift the lid, keep it out of the wind etc etc. I've spoken to the Distributor in SA and he tells me that it must be me as no-one else has this trouble. I want this thing to work but the raw vegies are driving me mad!
So, tell me, how do you
cook a roast? Size, time, number of beads, size of spuds etc etc.
Cheers, Wayne
Reply By: Hairy - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:06
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:06
It can only be two things mate, leave them in longer or give it more heat.
Cheers
AnswerID:
224027
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:30
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:30
Thanks Hairy, I have tried up to 10 heat beads for 3 hours so that's why I'm asking. Do you
cook yours in the moat or on the plate?
Cheers, wayne
FollowupID:
484880
Follow Up By: Hairy - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:46
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:46
Try this
www.cobbglobal.com/
Cheers
FollowupID:
484887
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 12:03
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 12:03
Ta Mate,
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484895
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:09
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:09
Wayne,
3 hours!.....whatchadoin mate?
Cut the spuds in half (if smaller size) or quartered (if larger). Basically, a size that allows them to fit in the moat.
Carrots can be left whole, cut in half, or cut length ways.
Coat the raw spuds in a little margarine and wrap in foil. Carrots don't need to be coated but still wrap in foil.
Place in moat at the same time as the roast you are cooking and everything will be cooked in about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
This method I use is why I never bother with liquid in the moat, apart from the fat collected from the meat as its cooking. The foil will stop the veggies from burning and becoming soggy and speeds up the cooking process.
The only way the meat will "dry out" is if its over cooked.
Number of beads 7-8 (Heat Beads® brand)
I use the Easystart type. because they are easier to start when fresh. If they become dried out with "age", use a little metho to assist the ignition process.
Go for it!!!
AnswerID:
224029
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:58
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:58
Thanks Sandman,
3 Hours, Yep have tried leaving them that long to see if they'd
cook.
but this is like the recipe book that came with it shows, on the plate next to the roast. I had a dismal fail after numerous attempts at this. Putting them in the moat as you do is better and I have tried not putting water in there too. I've been worried a bit about this as the manual says NEVER use without liquid in the moat.
I haven't tried the instant type heatbeads but did trip over an interesting idea somewhere (might have been on here?) of putting the heatbeads in the basket on the gasring. This gets them going in about 5 mins.
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484892
Reply By: ed. - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:21
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:21
Have you individually wrapped the spuds in foil?
That might just be your problem :)
AnswerID:
224033
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:32
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:32
Thanks ed. I have done that and if I place them level with the heatbeads on the moat they
cook with a turn at halfway. Do you put yours in foil and
cook them in the moat or on the plate next to the roast?
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484881
Follow Up By: ed. - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:01
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:01
Hi Wayne,
I put them in the moat same time as I put the roast in.
I don't count how many heatbeads I put in but I make sure the whole grill that supports them is covered with heat beads. I don't stack them up either.
I let the roast sit for 30mins, then open once and turn it.
Depending on meat and weight it can be 1hr to 3hr later before I open the cobb again.
I've done it a few times in the middle of winter with no problems.
Are you opening the lid too often? hehe
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: ed. - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:02
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:02
Sorry I forgot to mention I use the older plastic style cobb.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:12
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:12
Hi ed, We also have the plastic style Cobb and i am used to leaving the lid on from having a weber so don't think it's that.
FollowupID:
484903
Reply By: Member -Dodger - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:27
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:27
Do what we did,
Get rid of the
dam thing and go back to the good old
camp oven and use the heat beads under and on the lid. They do work this way quite ok but you use a few more beads and get far superior results.
AnswerID:
224037
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:10
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:10
Thanks Dodger, Don't worry, I've come bloody close to chucking it out! When I use the campoven for bread etc I quite often use the heatbeads on top. I've had a lot of success cooking that way but now I want to master the Cobb.
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484902
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:35
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:35
Dodger,
I use both the Cobb and a
Camp Oven at various times, sometimes both together if I'm cooking for a few people.
I can't state one is superior than the other. Meat from either come out similar in tenderness and taste.
But the Cobb is more compact. Seven Heat Beads is all that is required, eight if I really "pack" them in.
If I use Heat Beads for the
Camp Oven (and I more than often do) I need 24 of them.
10 underneath and 14 on top.
Both methods are good and there is no doubt the
Camp Oven is superior for baking bread, but I love the Cobb all the same and wouldn't be without it.
FollowupID:
484908
Reply By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:03
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:03
We cut them small and
cook them next to the roast. Pumpkin or carrots in the moat with liquid and some herbs, get 9 beads going on the gas ring first and it all takes about 2 hours from getting the Cobb out to sitting down to eat:
!MPG:3!
CHeers
Pete
AnswerID:
224051
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:15
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:15
Hi Pete, Now that looks like what I'm trying to achieve with the spuds! Yumm. So tell all..................... how long, do you turn them etc. Come on mate share :-)
Must ahve been you that posted about lighting the beads on the gas ring? Bloody Brilliant!
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484905
Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:37
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:37
Spuds sprayed with oil, put on with the meat, turned twice at 30 minute intervals. Cooking time about 1 1/2 hours all up. We found that the size above works
well, and there are more brown crunch bits to enjoy.
(Remember the 4 main food groups, starch, fat, alcohol and brown fried crunchy bits)
Cheers
Pete
FollowupID:
484909
Reply By: Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:17
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:17
Par-boil them for 10 mins before putting on the Cobb. Easy!
Peter
AnswerID:
224054
Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:50
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 13:50
Thanks Peter, I was hoping to work out how to just stick them on the Cobb, but it is an option.
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
484910
Reply By: furph - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 20:11
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 20:11
Happened to mention on a previous post "
CAMP OVEN"!!
Geeez, if you have to light the heat beads on a gas ring, par boil the spuds before you put them in, cut them into micro bite size bits blah blah...
Yeah, I know I will get shot down in flames, but chuck it out and get a decent sized
CAMP OVEN.
Oh. Forget to say, you have to learn how to use em too.
furph
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Wayne - Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 23:31
Monday, Feb 26, 2007 at 23:31
Thanks for the help Furph. I already have 2
camp ovens and know how to
cook with them, had one of them for near on 30 years now. Call it stubborn but I want to learn how to use the Cobb. :-)
Cheers, Wayne
FollowupID:
485073