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OT: Big Green Egg

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Dawgbyte

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Sep 22, 2011
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Looks like I am about to join the BGE club. Wanted to get thoughts on what size BGE any of you have. Trying to decide between the large and xlarge. Some people have told me the xlarge is too big and not as easy to find accessories.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated!
 
LexSCDOG

LexSCDOG

Sophomore
Aug 5, 2014
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I have had mine for about a month... the large is plenty big. The cast iron grate is so larger for the XL that they sale it in halves due to the weight. I had mine built in to a outdoor kitchen. Love it, allot of fun to try and hold the temps. Cooking steaks at 600 ish is the best. I got the invertor plate(did a butt 2 weeks ago), bought an electric starter, and I bought the cleaning rack. That is it so far.
 
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Dawgzilla

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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EGGcessories. I think the XL is way too big, unless you regularly cook for a dozen people or so. But then, I only have a medium, which has definite limitations. I can only smoke about a 15 lb turkey, and only 3 racks of ribs.
 
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STATEgrad04

Senior
Mar 3, 2008
730
707
93
I have the Large and it is plenty big for anything I want to cook (whole turkey, fits two large boston butts, whole brisket, 12+ hamburgers, etc.). Never had experience with the XL, but have heard the same as you on it. I also cant imagine needing the XL...
 
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diggidydog

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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I have the XL and love it but I have to have enough to feed 6 just for my family. If you like to grill and entertain the large can get tight if you are cooking vegetables on the egg too or want to do several types of meats. I have actually run out of room on my XL before but that is rare occasion. I would rather have too much room than not enough if possible.
 
57stratdawg

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
148,506
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You can probably cook for 4 without much issue on a Large. If you're going to be up towards 6 or 8, you might need the XL.
 
Dawgbite

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
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I have a med and an XL Egg, The Med will cook 4-6 rib eyes and 10-12 burgers plus any turkey or Boston Butt you can buy. The XL will cook for a large group but uses too much charcoal just to cook for 2-4 people. They make a charcoal partition to keep the charcoal to one side and that helps but it still take quite a bit to get the temp up for steaks. The large would be my suggestion and if you need more space they make an elevated rack that gives you more room. The first Eggcessories you need to buy is the ash tool and a plate setter. Welcome to the best grill you will ever own. If you like to smoke, look into a BBQ Guru temp controller.
 
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DuNing

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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The XL uses way more charcoal than the Large.

Because the pit is so much bigger, the XL uses way more lump than the Large does for otherwise similar cooks. I agree with others that the Large is fine for pretty much anything you might cook for about 4 people. I'd say you'd need to be regularly cooking for more than 6 to really needs the space of the XL.

As for accessories, I highly recommend Grill Grates for all grills. The platesetter is pretty much required for smoking or any other direct cooking. As for other gear, I highly recommend the thermapen, a good remote thermometer (like the Maverick), and once you've got the hang of smoking it the old fashioned way, the BBQ Guru.

Got the Large myself a few years ago. Finally sold my Weber kettle recently. The kettle was great, but it barely used it once I got the BGE. I love that thing.
 
aTotal360

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
22,194
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Go with the Large. Everything people are saying is dead nuts. Accessories cost more and are hard to find, and it uses more coal. The L is the sweet spot.
 
LexSCDOG

LexSCDOG

Sophomore
Aug 5, 2014
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So do you need the cast iron grill plate if you have the grill grates, I checked them out initially looked like a good idea off the cuff.

DuNing said:
Because the pit is so much bigger, the XL uses way more lump than the Large does for otherwise similar cooks. I agree with others that the Large is fine for pretty much anything you might cook for about 4 people. I'd say you'd need to be regularly cooking for more than 6 to really needs the space of the XL.

As for accessories, I highly recommend Grill Grates for all grills. The platesetter is pretty much required for smoking or any other direct cooking. As for other gear, I highly recommend the thermapen, a good remote thermometer (like the Maverick), and once you've got the hang of smoking it the old fashioned way, the BBQ Guru.

Got the Large myself a few years ago. Finally sold my Weber kettle recently. The kettle was great, but it barely used it once I got the BGE. I love that thing.
Click to expand...
 
karlchilders.sixpack

karlchilders.sixpack

All-Conference
Jun 5, 2008
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Plus 1!

I have a buddy that has one.

I have cooked quite a few slabs of ribs on his.
Plus 1 to them.


Save yourself a few dollars, get the Primo.
Primo's owner start Green Egg.
 
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Allday.sixpack

Sophomore
Aug 24, 2012
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I've had my large green egg for 6 years and love it. Get the triple stacked racks and you can cook 20 lbs of wings better than any restaurant. Ribs, brisket, butts, pizza, turkey, chicken, steak are all better in the egg.
 
Maroonbulldog

Maroonbulldog

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Mar 3, 2008
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I have the XL and have had it for 2+ years now. For the little extra money ( relatively speaking of course) I thought it was worth it. I am VERY glad I got the XL. I can also use the same charcoal 2+ times. BGE charcoal is a lot better grade and will last longer than lump charcoal you get at Walmart. I didn't think it would be that big of a difference but I was wrong.



As far AS a starter- the Weber white starter cubes from Walmart and a chimney can get you going in 10-15 minutes. No need for the high dollar starters IMO. ( I bought one but the cubes are much easier )
 
Dawgbite

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
9,406
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FWIW. Royal Oak makes BGE charcoal and I can't tell the difference other than the price. The Cowboy Lump that Lowes sells is not as good as Royal Oak but I will use it in a tight. As somebody said earlier, the Large is the sweet spot. What I have noticed is that the bigger the bag of charcoal, the bigger the chunks, the small bags seem to have a lot of small pieces and dust compared to the big bags.
 
57stratdawg

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
148,506
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Damn. I always run out of smoke on my large when smoking. Guess I need to add more wood?
 
P

Prediction? Pain.

Redshirt
Jun 2, 2013
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I've had a large BGE for about a year now, and I've never lacked for space. My most recent smoke on it included both a 7 lb pork shoulder and a 2.5 lb cut of brisket. I had room to spare. So unless you're regularly cooking for big groups of people, the large should be able to handle your needs.

For what it's worth, my experience with the BGE has been good but not as extraordinary as I'd hoped. Before I got mine, I smoked for years on a plain 22" Weber kettle grill using a simple $60 Smokenator insert. And I've got to say, right now, if someone asked me to make the best smoked brisket I could, I'd use my old Weber 10 times out of 10 over my BGE. The temp control is a bit easier on the BGE, but so far, that's the only advantage I've found when smoking on it instead of the Weber. I find it far easier to change the levels of smoke and moisture during my smokes on the Weber than on the BGE, which are to me far more important than the BGE's temperature control advantage.

Now, I'll also admit that I haven't used my BGE for other things, like as a brick oven for pizza or bread. So if you're planning on doing stuff with your BGE other than smoking, my assessment's relevancy is pretty limited.

Also, though I have no experience with Primos or other ceramic cookers, apparently some of them have advantages over BGE's. Here's an overview if haven't already considered the competition:

http://amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/smokers/egg_kamado_and_ceramic_grills_and_smokers.html

Good luck with the purchase.
 
B

BiscuitEater

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Aug 29, 2009
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pmdawg said:
Give this a look. Got one about a year ago and grills better than the green eggs imho

http://www.pitbarrelcooker.com
Click to expand...

If someone wanted to go the 'pit barrel drum' cooker route .. might as well go out and build your own 'Ugly Drum cooker / smoker' for just a couple of bucks. Have a friend that built one and he swears it cooks better than a BGE and he built it for under $50.

Instructions are on web at several places .. Building an Ugly Drum Smoker | Fix.com .. https://www.fix.com/blog/building-an-ugly-drum-smoker/
 
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birdawg

Sophomore
Aug 13, 2009
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The Large is probably the way to go. I've been happy with it (6 years). The only negative to me is you cant cook a full slab of ribs without cutting in half. Technically a whole slab will fit on the rack, but the edges will hang over the ends of the plate setter, exposing it to direct heat.

The vertical cooking racks are ok, but the rub scrapes off when sliding them in.
 
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DuNing

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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Not sure what you mean by "cast iron grill plate." I use the Grill Grates on top of the steel grill that came with the egg. I rarely cook on the factory grate only anymore (sometimes I take the GG off when I smoke stuff, but that's unnecessary). I know some folks buy the cast iron replacements for the factory grate. I'm not sure what advantage they have over the factory steel one, though. Don't see any reason the Grill Grates wouldn't work over cast iron just as well, though.

Also, if you do get the Grill Grates, I think they come with a spatula, but I'd recommend getting the tongs as well for a few more $$. I use tongs on the grill way, way more than I ever use a spatula.
 
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DuNing

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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You don't need more than a few hours worth of smoke at most. After that, the meat isn't going to absorb any more than it already has anyway. Adding more wood is just overkill.
 
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DuNing

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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I've been ordering this stuff from Amazon for a while now. I like it a lot. Great quality in terms of burn/size.

https://www.amazon.com/Fogo-FHWC35L...476370190&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=fojo+charcoal

Here's a great website for comparing brands of lump charcoal: click here

Also, for all things grill-related, this website is pretty much the Bible. http://amazingribs.com/ The articles are pretty dense, so it's kind of like drinking from a firehose at first, but if you read them you will learn a ton and get amazing results.
 
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DocHolliday.sixpack

DocHolliday.sixpack

Senior
Aug 22, 2012
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Large hands down.U can accomodate a large group if needed once you get use to it

I have the large and to me it is just right. The rib racks will easily hold a sizeable amount of ribs. You can arrange Boston Butts accordingly. Drunk chickens. Turkey etc etc. Just DO NOT use regular charcoal briquettes, especially MatchLight or lighter fluid.Be sure to use hardwood lump charcoal (doesn't have to be BGE brand) and some sort of fire starter blocks.
 
J

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
14,858
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Dawgbite said:
I have a med and an XL Egg, The Med will cook 4-6 rib eyes and 10-12 burgers plus any turkey or Boston Butt you can buy. The XL will cook for a large group but uses too much charcoal just to cook for 2-4 people. They make a charcoal partition to keep the charcoal to one side and that helps but it still take quite a bit to get the temp up for steaks. The large would be my suggestion and if you need more space they make an elevated rack that gives you more room. The first Eggcessories you need to buy is the ash tool and a plate setter. Welcome to the best grill you will ever own. If you like to smoke, look into a BBQ Guru temp controller.
Click to expand...

I would love to know how you fit 10-12 burgers on a medium. Five good size burgers are all that really fit for me.
 
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diggidydog

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
267
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0
I buy the Kroger brand lump and it works just fine. Start each fire with the left over charcoal and a fire starter stick broken into four pieces (also from Kroger). I don't go through much charcoal at all unles I forget to shut it off once I'm done cooking. XL is the way to go.
 
PBRME

PBRME

All-American
Feb 12, 2004
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Ken Rash in Memphis is having a BGE sale. My wife heard the commercial and of course had no details.
 
K

KingBarkus

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May 1, 2006
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Dawgbite said:
FWIW. Royal Oak makes BGE charcoal and I can't tell the difference other than the price. The Cowboy Lump that Lowes sells is not as good as Royal Oak but I will use it in a tight. As somebody said earlier, the Large is the sweet spot. What I have noticed is that the bigger the bag of charcoal, the bigger the chunks, the small bags seem to have a lot of small pieces and dust compared to the big bags.
Click to expand...
Agree on the charcoal. I used to buy the BGE lump, but Royal Oak makes it too, so I just buy the stuff at Walmart. Burns the same, imo. I've had a large for about 10 years. I use the Weber white starter cubes also. My BGE is showing some age, but everything works fine.

Edited to say my BGE cover rotted away, but I picked up a nice generic XL cover at Big Lots. I have my BGE inside a wood structure.
 
Dawg1976

Dawg1976

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Aug 22, 2012
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You have to be a serious bbq'er to spend several hundred on one of these. Think I will stick to my Weber. ;)
 
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MagicCityDawg

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Aug 22, 2012
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I bought a heat gun from Northern Tool for $14...

Maroonbulldog said:
As far AS a starter- the Weber white starter cubes from Walmart and a chimney can get you going in 10-15 minutes. No need for the high dollar starters IMO. ( I bought one but the cubes are much easier )
Click to expand...

It's lasted about a year, but I fully expect to go buy another one sometime. If you are interested in using an electric starter, I'd recommend this to try.
 
hatfieldms

hatfieldms

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Feb 20, 2008
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I just use a smaller blow torch

Hold it over the charcoal for about 15 seconds and you are up and running in no time
 
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