Fire, animal, almost chit my pants

[oldgfbbq]

With a hankering for a charcoal grill, decided to buy a 36" grate to go over a fire pit. Decided to do last year's frozen "emergency turkey" like chicken. After cutting and 4 hour wet brine, it was time to build a fire. There was no grey hair in my head the last time I did direct live fire grilling. So I decided to use a bit of charcoal to serve as a "binder" for the pieces of mesquite I had in the garage. It was dark by the time the fire was ready and meat went on the grill.

A Right-of-Way runs along the back 20' of our yard, which abuts a large wooded lot. I have photos of foxes, coyotes, bears, deer, rabbits, etc that move from the wooded lot, through our yard to the wooded open space in the middle of our neighborhood.

With all but the breast done, I heard a large animal running down the Right-of-Way, slidding to a halt, then depart just as quickly. So, I decided to finish the cooking the breast inside the house. Didn't get a shot of it after the oven, but here are the photos of my return to live fire cooking. I'm a bit out of practice, but decided it was edible and will not be fed to the dogs.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Maylar]

Did you get a glimpse of what was watching you?

 

[oldgfbbq]

No! In all likelihood it was a fox/coyote chasing a rabbit or chipmunk. What was odd is that I didn't hear an animal squeal. It sounded like it chased something into a hydrangea that 10' away from me. But it was gone by the time I turned around. I figured the fire would keep them away. Sounded like a 40-50 lb animal.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

How did you like your return to live fire cooking. Glad that animal was not interested in you

 

[WilliamKY]

Looks awesome and inspires me to get out the fire pit soon. My guess on the running critter would have been a small deer that got spooked by something.

 

[oldgfbbq]

How did you like your return to live fire cooking. Glad that animal was not interested in you

Are you conducting psychological research? :-D To be honest, I liked it very much but do not know why. My best guess is that it's for the same reason our dogs like to chase a toy and then shake it to death. It's in our DNA, but neither of us could actually survive in the wild.

From a culinary point of view, I think fire management is a learned skill that requires practice. It would be useful if you went on a camping trip but forgot the fuel for some sort of stove or possibly charcoal. Could you cook using what is around you. I suppose an additional question might be, can you make your live fire cook taste as good as a cook using all of the modern conveniences? I don't think modern conveniences (charcoal, grills, propane grills, etc ) can possibly replicate using wood, burned to coals, then cooking on a spit of some sort. Or visa versa, they are two different worlds.

 

[oldgfbbq]

Looks awesome and inspires me to get out the fire pit soon. My guess on the running critter would have been a small deer that got spooked by something.

very reasonable speculation. The cooking was really neat, something I've not done in years.

 

[cayenne]

Sounds like you're a bit rural....?

If so, are you away from neighbors enough for a rifle and night scope....sounds like with large animals that close to you in the dark...that might be a necessity?

 

[ModelMaker]

I'm a bit concerned about the amount of red meat in your last pic. Since you're not actually smoking when it's not uncommon to see a little red around the bone but live cooking over direct heat, my guess would be way undercooked. You can determine this by using a napkin, if it comes back with any red, cook longer.
Undercooked chicken ....bad.
Ed

 

[Bury Me In Smoke]

I'm a bit concerned about the amount of red meat in your last pic. Since you're not actually smoking when it's not uncommon to see a little red around the bone but live cooking over direct heat, my guess would be way undercooked. You can determine this by using a napkin, if it comes back with any red, cook longer.
Undercooked chicken ....bad.
Ed

Same. I would not eat that

 

[PitRow]

... I heard a large animal running down the Right-of-Way, slidding to a halt, then depart just as quickly....

Was it bigfoot? :shocked:

 

[oldgfbbq]

I'm a bit concerned about the amount of red meat in your last pic. Since you're not actually smoking when it's not uncommon to see a little red around the bone but live cooking over direct heat, my guess would be way undercooked. You can determine this by using a napkin, if it comes back with any red, cook longer.
Undercooked chicken ....bad.
Ed

Thanks for your concern, but no worries, I always cook with a thermometer. But you are correct, the thigh and leg do look a little red in that photo. They looked better in person.

 

[oldgfbbq]

Was it bigfoot? :shocked:

It sounded like it had big feet! But no tracks or skid marks through the leaves on the ground the next morning. If it were in the woods behind our lot, that would only be 15-20' away and would have sounded very similar.

 

[SmokinAussie]

Thanks for your concern, but no worries, I always cook with a thermometer. But you are correct, the thigh and leg do look a little red in that photo. They looked better in person.

Yes, I'd smash that. I come from another school of thought where it's OK to have a bit of red in chicken and certainly turkey. I realise if I served my chicken in the US, it would be sent right back, but in Asia it's fine and it does not kill you. There is better flavour and moisture.

Nice work on the grilling a turkey like that. I'd not like to try that on the fly. Well done!

Cheers!

Bill

 

[SmokeOCD]

New accessories needed when you cook like that.... Trail Cam & Shotgun.

 

[Dweverett]

Looks like a fun cook! And I agree, the last shot looks like it might be under cooked but I know that you can still have pink next to the bone and ultimately the thermometer is the way to really know.

I live in a fairly rural area in CT and during the pandemic when I was working from home I got sick of being stuck in the house and started going for a walk partway through the day. It’s about 2 miles if I go out and loop around a couple roads near me. Something big burst from cover and went deeper into the woods on the first day (bear or deer). Day two a decent size branch crashed to the ground on the other side of the street about 20 feet after I passed the spot. And day three I came around a corner just as a bobcat came out of a bunch of trees in someone’s front yard kitty-corner to me. We both stopped and stared at each other before it turned and bolted. After that I pretty much just stayed home and day-drank.

 

[Maylar]

After that I pretty much just stayed home and day-drank.

If you lived in Barkhamsted that might not be good enough.
News clip of a bear in the kitchen:
https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/litchfield/video-bear-breaks-into-barkhamsted-home-raids-fridge-for-lasagna/

 

[oldgfbbq]

saw that story but didn't read and see it was in Barkhamsted. saw bears twice in past 12 months headed to the Farmington river. they were the first two bears I've seen in over 15 years of fishing there.

 

[Charny]

With all but the breast done, I heard a large animal running down the Right-of-Way, slidding to a halt, then depart just as quickly. So, I decided to finish the cooking the breast inside the house.

Might have been a two legged creature trying to scare you off so he could claim your vittles.

 

[Dweverett]

If you lived in Barkhamsted that might not be good enough.
News clip of a bear in the kitchen:
https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/litchfield/video-bear-breaks-into-barkhamsted-home-raids-fridge-for-lasagna/

A town over and slightly north of there — North Granby. We’ve had quite a number visit over the years but thankfully none made it farther than the garage. Though my daughter was still unhappy with that outcome one time as she happen to be it as well.