Big Green Egg
- Thread starter GTAdawg
- Start date
I've had my BGE for about 3 years now. I absolutely love it. I've cooked all the standards like steak, burgers, pork chops, etc. Have also cooked things like spare ribs, pizzas, whole chicken, whole turkey, etc.
I cannot recommend this grill enough. It's almost impossible to screw up anything you cook. You can sear a steak at 700 degrees and then bring temp down to finish it off, or as said above, you can cook ribs for 6 hours at 250 degrees.
I got mine as a Christmas gift from my in-laws so I can't say exactly how much they paid, but I think the large size (which is what I have) goes for around $750-800 plus more if you get any extras.
Word of advice is don't buy every little gadget that comes with it or that people try to sell you. You can spend a good chunk of change if you aren't careful by buying all the little gadgets. I personally use the BGE lump coal, but from what I've been told by others, any type of lump coal should work just fine.
There are 2 places to get one in the Jackson metro area that I'm aware of. I would recommend Madison Fireplace and Patio, which is right by the main entrance into Madison Central. I'm good friends with the owners and they will shoot you straight.
I cannot recommend this grill enough. It's almost impossible to screw up anything you cook. You can sear a steak at 700 degrees and then bring temp down to finish it off, or as said above, you can cook ribs for 6 hours at 250 degrees.
I got mine as a Christmas gift from my in-laws so I can't say exactly how much they paid, but I think the large size (which is what I have) goes for around $750-800 plus more if you get any extras.
Word of advice is don't buy every little gadget that comes with it or that people try to sell you. You can spend a good chunk of change if you aren't careful by buying all the little gadgets. I personally use the BGE lump coal, but from what I've been told by others, any type of lump coal should work just fine.
There are 2 places to get one in the Jackson metro area that I'm aware of. I would recommend Madison Fireplace and Patio, which is right by the main entrance into Madison Central. I'm good friends with the owners and they will shoot you straight.
Get one. Had mine for almost a year. If u cook, grill, smoke at all
You will love it. It's damn near foolproof. Get the large unless you
Are cooking for very big groups. You will use less charcoal and can set the temp
And leave it alone. No work or babysitting. Get the place setter, pizza stone,
Rib rack, and the electric starter. I buy charcoal from a local pool place here. I've
Used what lowes has. It will work fine but the chunks are to big for me. And it smokes more.
You will love it. It's damn near foolproof. Get the large unless you
Are cooking for very big groups. You will use less charcoal and can set the temp
And leave it alone. No work or babysitting. Get the place setter, pizza stone,
Rib rack, and the electric starter. I buy charcoal from a local pool place here. I've
Used what lowes has. It will work fine but the chunks are to big for me. And it smokes more.
Definitely worth the money. Had mine for about a year now and I still get excited about an overnight slow cook or trying a new recipe. Got the "nan o q" temp controller for Christmas which has been worth every penny as I can actually sleep now not having to worry if the temp is going low or high.
I am going to sell my Weber LP E320 (Best LP grill ever) to utilize the natural gas line that is running right to it on my back patio.
My idea is to have someone build an outdoor Kitchen type set up with a small refrigerator (electric outlet is already there as well) with a natural gas grilling surface and a BGE dropped in with a little opening to access the coal.
The limitation to width is 9 feet though. Any advice from someone who has done this?
My idea is to have someone build an outdoor Kitchen type set up with a small refrigerator (electric outlet is already there as well) with a natural gas grilling surface and a BGE dropped in with a little opening to access the coal.
The limitation to width is 9 feet though. Any advice from someone who has done this?
Must haves are luftlighter, green egg charcoal, plate for indirect heat.
Nice things to have are green egg table. I like mine.
Things I've yet to purchase electric temp gauge and pizza stone.
Nice things to have are green egg table. I like mine.
Things I've yet to purchase electric temp gauge and pizza stone.
Go for the extra large BGE if you do any entertaining. The others are just a little too small, but with the extra large you can do just about anything you need. Everything from a whole bone in pork shoulder to a Turducken to a 15 lb standing rib roast and anything in between. It will set you back around $1,400 - $1,500 depending on the stand and eggcessories you add on. The plate setter, electric starter & cleaning tool are a must. Oh & the BGE lump charcoal is important. It comes in larger pieces than most lump charcoals. It burns hotter & more evenly also. I can set my egg at 220 around 6:00 am and not touch it (except to add a few hickory chunks) until I take the shoulder off around 10:00pm.
Ceramic smokers (BGE, Viking C4, etc.) are the best way to cook food period. I use mine at least twice a week & with very little maintenance. It cost more up front, but you wont be replacing every year or so either. Best grill you can buy short of building something custom.
Ceramic smokers (BGE, Viking C4, etc.) are the best way to cook food period. I use mine at least twice a week & with very little maintenance. It cost more up front, but you wont be replacing every year or so either. Best grill you can buy short of building something custom.
You should be able to replace the orifices on your Weber grill if you want to convert from propane to natural. I am not familiar with that grill, but you probably can build a masonry (or insulated wooden) enclosure for it as well. The only difference in a natural gas grill & propane grill is the size of the openings in the orifices & these are typically easy to change out.
Green eggs are easy to build in as well. Just make sure you leave enough of an opening around the firebox access to clean out the ashes. I have designed many outdoor kitchens & I am currently building something similar for a client. PM me if you have specific questions or would like to see photos of something similar.
Green eggs are easy to build in as well. Just make sure you leave enough of an opening around the firebox access to clean out the ashes. I have designed many outdoor kitchens & I am currently building something similar for a client. PM me if you have specific questions or would like to see photos of something similar.
vetdawg said:
I agree with your points other than the charcoal. Do not buy the lump charcoal at SAMS or any other discount charcoal. The BGE lump coal burns hotter with less smoke. I've had my BGE (large) for a few years now. As a gift my Dad built a table for me that encloses the BGE and makes cooking practical as hell.
I've cooked whole pork roasts using the indirect plate, and steaks can be done at 700 or 800 degrees. Hell, I have even rednecked it by using a blow dryer
to get the heat pegged out on the thermo. I guess the biggest downside is cleaning up the ashes and small charcoal bits that eventually clog the air holes
after a few cookings. Hint: If you are in the market for a BGE, get the biggest size you can afford.
I went with the large. I just have a family of four. For us the extra large would waste a lot of charcoal. I can easily cook 24lbs of butt on mine or 7 racks of ribs. I use mine for damn near everything especially when it is hot like it is now. Our gas stove will run you out of the house. We cook anything from meatloaf to jambalaya on ours. You can let it run at 250 for 36hrs on around $5 worth of lump. Do not let everyone fool you. You do not have to pay the premium for the BGE lump. It is made my Royal Oak and you can buy it for about have the price at Wal Mart in the red bag or in Kroger as their private label. Do not buy the nest that they sell or one of their tables. I made mine for $60 out of 5/4 decking, 4x4's and 2x4's. The bestaccessory that I have purchased is a thermapen. It will read the temperature of your food in 3 seconds or less. It is worth every penny. I would also reccommend going with the BGE vs the rest of the field. I always like to go with the industry leader. They offer a lifetime warranty on all of their ceramics. You also have a better dealer network.
I absolutely love mine. Very comparable to the BGE but better design, more cooking space.There's plenty of information out there to help you make your decision but you can't go wrong with the Primo or BGE. The Bayou Classic is another story IMO...</p>
I absolutely love it and it's a great grill! I haven't heard anything negative about the Big Green Egg, so I think it would be a good buy.
worth every penny. I bought a new regulator for it a year or two ago but other than that its been perfect. You can use a 1lb propane cylinder or buy the adapter and run it off a 20lb tank.
Never compared the grillsside by side. But you can go to the Bayou Classic factory outlet near the industrial parkat the downtown Brandon exit, and by a blem. It might be scratched, or have a run in the paint, but you will save about 60% off retail price.It's the only place to buy crawfish pots, they're dented or scratched, but so are all of my crawfish pots.
You guys will need skirts as well, but here ya go...... http://www.nakedwhiz.com/...reviews/nanoq/nanoq1.htmGTAdawg said:
Has a thermometer that clips on to the dome and a little blower that fits in the lower vent that modulates the temp by puffing in air. And yes, I know it is cheating and the "Low and Slow" author says I am worthless and weak, but without it, I cant not sleep on an overnight cook (especially if it is cold or wet out as I worry about the temp dropping too much).
You can get the digital ones, but I went with the basic (5 degree increments) and the small blower to save some cash. (about $200) It works great at higher temps (less than 400) for a turkey etc and really does seem to use less charcoal on the longer cooks.
Not going to get in a pissing match about it but have had an egg for 8 years. Have 3 different buddies that went the route you are suggesting and are very unhappy. Two of them threw away the Bayou Classic and bought a BGE. I have cook on the Bayou Classic probably a dozen times and it is no where in the same ballpark at the BGE or Primos.
Believe me, don't believe me, I don't really care but that is my honest opinion. I have tried debating this on here with several people who went the Bayou Classic route and there is no winning or losing this argument. Everyone likes what they have.
I can just say that after 8 years of owning an egg and then cooking on the Bayou Classic multiple times, they are no where near the same.
I would suggest that you talk with multiple people that own a Bayou Classic and have had it for over a year. I would suggest that these people have cooked on it a good bit, not just a few times, and that they have cooked everything from burger to pizzas, then attempted long smokes on it. I think you will have your answer.
Believe me, don't believe me, I don't really care but that is my honest opinion. I have tried debating this on here with several people who went the Bayou Classic route and there is no winning or losing this argument. Everyone likes what they have.
I can just say that after 8 years of owning an egg and then cooking on the Bayou Classic multiple times, they are no where near the same.
I would suggest that you talk with multiple people that own a Bayou Classic and have had it for over a year. I would suggest that these people have cooked on it a good bit, not just a few times, and that they have cooked everything from burger to pizzas, then attempted long smokes on it. I think you will have your answer.
A medium and a XL. Unless you are cooking for ALOT of people , the XL is really too big and uses too much charcoal. Figure a med will cook 6 big ribeyes, a lg 8, and a XL 12 +. A plate setter is a must for indirect cooking. The new BBQ Guru Party Q is about $120 and battery powered so it is the most convienient temp controller and ALOT cheaper than the full size Guru. I also have a Big Steel Keg that I carry tailgating because it has a receiver hitch attachment but it doesn't cook as well as tha BGE, just weighs ALOT less and since it is double walled stainless steel with no worries of breakage. The great thing about the BGE is that every part is replaceable, it's the last grill you will have to buy until you go for the second one!
I don't have the space for something that nice. I basically have 9 feet wide, but could possibly do what your father in law did with with making a L shape out of it.
Having the sink there really would be good too but no water hook up or sewage there.
Having the sink there really would be good too but no water hook up or sewage there.
I have cooked everything except a pizza on it...from whole turkeys, boston butts, briskets, deer front shoulders, all the way down to the basics of burgers and steaks. When cooking the timely items I have never had a problem with the "set it and forget it" process. I get my grill up to the temp that I will be cooking at and shut it down and let it go...I've cooked briskets for ten hours and never had to adjust the grill. I will say that I have never cooked on BGE but I will say for my Bayou Classic, best grill I have ever had. Again I have no way of comparing the BGE to my BC but I have never had a complaint about mine and it was a hell of a lot cheaper.
I will just add that this was my Father's Day present, and I absolutely love it. I love smoking meat, and this thing will do it all. Was goign to go the Big Green Egg route, but after tons of research, I decided to give this a shot and see how it goes. To say that I have been impressed would be an understatement.
http://www.grillsdirect.c...rgrillerkamadokooker.cfm
It will hold temps like a champion, whether it be 225 for low and slow or high heat for searing. Having switched from a non air-tight smoker, I was amazed at how slowly I now go through lump charcoal. I mean, I've cooked a butt one day, a whole chicken the next, and a brisket later that week on one load of coals.
Also, here is a forum for this style of cooking, whether it be on a BGE, Kamado, Weber, whatever....
http://kamadoguru.com/
http://www.grillsdirect.c...rgrillerkamadokooker.cfm
It will hold temps like a champion, whether it be 225 for low and slow or high heat for searing. Having switched from a non air-tight smoker, I was amazed at how slowly I now go through lump charcoal. I mean, I've cooked a butt one day, a whole chicken the next, and a brisket later that week on one load of coals.
Also, here is a forum for this style of cooking, whether it be on a BGE, Kamado, Weber, whatever....
http://kamadoguru.com/
http://stumpssmokers.com/
I'll save the sales pitch, but it's incredible, and you can get them in a nice Maroon color if you like. The Baby is plenty big enough
I'll save the sales pitch, but it's incredible, and you can get them in a nice Maroon color if you like. The Baby is plenty big enough
