Big green egg owners?

[atgcpaul]

I think there are few BGE owners here, right? I got a medium sized one off
CL tonight for $50! It's in really good shape so I feel pretty lucky. It came
with a mobile, metal nest, too.

There was no manual but I found an online FAQ that says you use the same
amount of charcoal for medium to high heat fires. Seems like a waste but
the FAQ also said you can shake off the unused lumps and reuse them. Have
found that you need to use the same amount of charcoal regardless if it's
going to be a medium or hot fire? Have you been able to reuse unused
lumps?

[jwd12]

Nice score. Son has a big green egg and it is undoubtedly the best grill going. He is really into cooking on the egg, all kinds of meat, vegetables, and fish. The temperature is very controllable. When the cooking is complete, the egg is sealed air tight and the charcoal is re used. The last time I checked the egg was north of $500.

[LCHIEN]

Brings back memories - I made this for sister and BIL's BGE.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...=big+green+egg

THey're separated but the BGE and cart go on...
He kept it because it took room she didn't have but he did cook good steaks on it.

[leehljp]

THAT is a BIG score. Congratulations! I was at a BGEgg place in Memphis recently and talked with the owner. He told me that the US company did copy or buy the rights from the Japanese company for US production in the Atlanta area. They were easy to find 25 to 30 years ago but after I moved out of Tokyo in '91, I couldn't find any. Mine was damaged in our move from Tokyo to Osaka. Even going back to the original place in Tokyo, I could not find any or, even describe to anyone or store what they were.

The Japanese versions were orange.

AS to charcoal, the heat was easy to regulate and I did not have to add more charcoal for more heat. Pretty much the same amount each time.

I miss my egg and the US versions are too expensive!

[DaveSur]

You will get to love your BGE. I have had a large one for about 8 years and do mostly pulled pork on it. One of the best add-ons you can get for it it a BBQ Guru temperature controller. It will hold the temperature in the BGE to within 1 - 2 degrees of what you set it to. Great for long smoking over a low heat. Don't use regular charcoal with the BGE. Use only lump charcoal and I have found that the BGE brand seems much better than others that I have tried.
I usually do two pork butts at a time. Mostly because I get them from Sam's and they come two to a package. I have a small cast iron container that I fill with smoking pellets and put on top of the charcoal. I set the pit temperature on the BBQ Guru to 240 and the meat temperature to 200. Usually it takes anywhwre from 16 to 20 hours to get done. With a BBQ Guru you can let it go overnight if you need to. After they're cooked and cooled enough you pull the meat from the bone and what's left of the fat. Good eating.

[atgcpaul]

I've been reading through the NakedWhiz FAQ which has been helpful. My
first attempt at pizza last night was a big bust. My fault, I'm sure. I only
used about 1/3 of the chimney starter of lump so it never got hot enough.
Just seemed a waste to use all that lump for one trial pizza. I won't skimp
next time.

I'll look into the Guru gizmo. I've read there are no online sources for their
accessories. Do you usually buy from a local dealer or through the BGE
website?

[capncarl]

Egg reply

I have a owned a large & small bge for a number of years and wondered why I ever bothered with a gas grill. First let me say that it is not rocket science, it is just a grill with few wrong ways of doing it. The lump coal (LUMP ONLY) requires little effort, just stirr the leftover coal a bit to make the ashes fall through the bottom, don't bother with picking it out and playing with it, just top it up with some new and light it off. Let it get up to temp, usually about 30 minutes. If you do not have a plate setter all you have is a BGE grill that is good for direct heat cooking like steaks and hamburgers. IMO a plate setter is a must have. The plate setter converts it into a smoker/oven/pizza oven. I use the plate setter for 75% of my cooking as do most egg owners. Pizzas are easy after you get the hang of it, but without a plate setter may be next to impossible to cook. The eggs normal cooking is with the bottom air cracked open about 1/4-1/2 inch and the top opened about hte same. You will find its sweet spot and it will hang there all day without any assistance. I only use the Digi-q controler for a long cook like butts or hams, it is not necessary for normal cooking. I have cooked for 35 hours on one loading of coal, (20 hours on a butt, several hours for breakfast, then put on a turkey and ham) so it is really frugal. FYI the BGE eggfest is this weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. There will probably be 100+ BGE's cooking at one time with all kind of new ideas and recipes, and thousands of eggheads.
The egg gives me the time to use my woodworking equip.
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

I'm glad I got this thing for the price I paid. This looks like a new kind of
vortex I am going to get sucked into.

The plate setter offers stability and the ability to use the provided grill grate.
However, wouldn't placing the grill grate at its original, low height with some
fire bricks on top of that and then another grill grate on top of that achieve
the same thing? I suppose the setter also shields the food from the direct
heat, too.

I'm going to find my local dealer and see how much these accessories are
going to set me back. Maybe once I see the price, I won't try to cheap out.

I did see how much the BBQ Guru was. Ouch. I'll try it old school first before
I step up to that.

[Woodshark]

Go ahead and dump a good bucket of lump charcoal in the next time you use it. It cooks better that way and you can reuse what was not burned. Once your done, just close it up. The charcoal will go out and you can use it again the next time.

[justaguy]

I'm glad I got this thing for the price I paid. This looks like a new kind of
vortex I am going to get sucked into...

If you need to avoid the vortex.. I'll be passing thru Maryland on Thursday and can take that money pit off of your hands Heck I would event let you turn a tidy profit.

I do my cooking on a Bubba Keg because I'm too frugal to pay list price for a BGE.

[DaveSur]

Sorry, I forgot to mention the plate setter. Thanks Capncarl. For me, after the temp controller it is the next most important accessory. It keeps the melted fat from dripping into the coals and is almost a necessity for smoking pork butts for pulled pork. I cover mine with aluminum foil and catch the drips with cheap aluminum steam tray covers from Sam's.
Cooking with a BGE is completely different than a charcoal grill. The BGE will burn only the amount of charcoal that is needed to maintain the temperature you want. That's why you can cook for long times at low temperatures. You can fill it to the top level and still maintain a low cooking temp for a long time. When you are through cooking, just close the air intake and outlet and the coals extinguish.
Forgot to mention that some accessories, including plate setters, can be found at www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/

[atgcpaul]

In for a penny, in for a pound, right?

On my lunch break, I went to the local BGE dealer and bought the plate setter. Cost me a bit more than the Egg itself. My Egg is older and doesn't have the new style top damper or the stainless steel bottom damper. I think both were ~$50. I'm going to restrain myself and work on getting good results as is and if I'm feeling like I'm doing some awesome cooking, then I'll do some more shopping....kinda' like my philosophy with WWing tools.

[DaveSur]

One thing that I forgot to mention earlier. Your BGE is capable of temperatures well over 700 degrees. One of my earlier uses of the BGE, I started it up with the vent and chimney wide open to get a good heat started. I got sidetracked with something else and when I got back to the fire, the temperature had passed the 700 degree mark and was at the 100 degree mark going around again. It was like a blacksmith's forge. Very scary. If it ever happens to you, DO NOT open the lid. Just close the bottom vent and the chimney until the temp drops below about 400 deg. If you open the lid when it is super hot you will possibly lose eye brows and some hair. It has happened to me and also my wife. To this day she refuses to have anything to do with it. I would imagine Capncarl has probably experienced that also. But you only do it once!

[atgcpaul]

Thanks for reinforcing the warnings Ive read. The pyro in me kinda wants to see it happen, though

[Woodshark]

I would love to get a plate setter but I think they are too expensive for what they are. You see the original style plate setters for kilns for much less. They just don't have the bent tabs/stand-offs to fit inside the BGE.

Until someone comes out with a cheaper knock-off, I'll just continue to use a cheap aluminum pan or a pizza stone with a couple of fire bricks.

Yes, I'm that cheap.