For your very first cook on your new Kettle, you should pick something that you are relatively sure is going to turn out great. A newbie Kettle owner posted on one of the Facebook groups I monitor, and they asked the group what they should cook for their very first cook on their grill. Some of the comments included a Tomahawk, brisket, ribs, etc. I am not sure where you live, but here a decent Tomahawk is going to set me back right around $100. Cooking a brisket is going to take anywhere from 45 to 75 minutes a pound depending on the temperature. These are not cooks for the faint of heart. After over 30 years of grilling, I feel confident in saying that you will have failures, I guarantee it.

My suggestion is that you pick something that uses direct heat. You will not have to worry too much about temperature control. If your grill is too hot, you can spread out your coal more, you can use multiple temperature zones spreading the coals out over half the grill versus the entire area.

The selected protein should be something relatively sturdy and can withstand high temperatures. I suggest something straightforward – burgers, chicken breasts, or a flank steak. My brother-in-law introduced us to Flank Steak a couple of years back. It is not an expensive cut of beef, it can be a little on the tough side, but when done right it can be really good.