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Big Green Egg Grill (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tat
- Start date
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
How do you guys cook chicken wings on the Egg?
Direct or indirect?
I think I have had better luck with indirect but still have not made up my mind after all these years.
Direct or indirect?
I think I have had better luck with indirect but still have not made up my mind after all these years.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Did my first cook with the new adjustable rig. I put the slide out shelf on the top shelf, and then did a spatchcock chicken at 375 direct. It was the perfect height.
On Friday I will be doing two slabs of spare ribs to test out the tiered approach for indirect.
On Friday I will be doing two slabs of spare ribs to test out the tiered approach for indirect.
culdeus
Footballguy
culdeus
Footballguy
Did a brisket over the weekend. Easily the best yet. I keep refining the technique and I've got it damn near ideal.
Aged 2 weeks in cryo bag at 35
Rinsed and rubbed with canola oil then rub which is a takeoff of amazingribs cow rub with about 50% more black pepper and add fresh rosemary. Injected with 1C beef broth.
Started at 225 at about 6pm. Wrapped at 1pm the next day and pulled at 4pm and fauxed it.
My only change for next time I think will to be to start it at 180 for 4 hours then push to 250. Didn't get much of a smoke ring but had excellent smoke flavor.
Problems: My PartyQ is acting up. I thought it was the probe, so I got another one, but it doesn't like the new probe either. When that thing works it is amazing. When it fails it is catastrophic. I keep my igrill probe in there at all times to detect if it's going off in the weeds.
Aged 2 weeks in cryo bag at 35
Rinsed and rubbed with canola oil then rub which is a takeoff of amazingribs cow rub with about 50% more black pepper and add fresh rosemary. Injected with 1C beef broth.
Started at 225 at about 6pm. Wrapped at 1pm the next day and pulled at 4pm and fauxed it.
My only change for next time I think will to be to start it at 180 for 4 hours then push to 250. Didn't get much of a smoke ring but had excellent smoke flavor.
Problems: My PartyQ is acting up. I thought it was the probe, so I got another one, but it doesn't like the new probe either. When that thing works it is amazing. When it fails it is catastrophic. I keep my igrill probe in there at all times to detect if it's going off in the weeds.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Good stuff! Holy hell, I has no idea brisket took 22 hours to cook. Questions;1) Did you have to add lump during the cook?2) What internal temp did it end at?3) What does "Fauxed It" mean?
culdeus
Footballguy
1) Nope. firebox has enough to last about 36 hours imo
2) 202. A little higher than I go with a flat. It was a whole packer.
3) Wrapped up and put in a cooler. I wrap in parchment paper, then foil then cover with a towel in a cooler. This step is absolutely essential.
I did firm it up for about 10 minutes before serving.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
How long should it remain in the cooler?
culdeus
Footballguy
Airtight cooler wrapped can keep a 200+ brisket above the danger zone for 3-4 hours easily. Just keep a temp probe in there and if it starts getting close to the edge pop it in a low oven.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I was not clear in my question.
You mentioned that the cooler step was essential to the process. I always thought the cooler was just to keep warm. If the cooler is essential, how long should you keep in there as a minimum.
Note: You might be saying the towel is essential, not the whole cooler process, but I just want to be sure I am not missing a step.
culdeus
Footballguy
towel isn't essential at all really. some people use a towel if they don't have a cooler handy.
I would think at least an hour in the cooler to rest.
From amazingribs. He actually quotes two times on the same page.
7) Rest the meat when it hits 200 or 205°F in the flat, hold it at that temp on your cooker or indoors, or wrap it with towels or a blanket and let it rest in a beer cooler for 2 to 3 hours. This helps tenderize but also gives you leeway before serving if the cooking takes longer than anticipated.
Holding. Then it comes off the cooker, it cools a bit at room temp in a pan so it stops cooking, and it gets wrapped in foil and sits in a faux cambro, an insulated box, for at least 1 or 2 hours. The foil captures natural jus for use in a sauce, and the resting helps tenderize the meat even more. This is a different phenomenon than resting meat that has just come off the grill for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Thanks Culdeus!
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I have one issue with the adjustable rig.
When I put the slide out shelf on the level where it is at the felt line, there is very little space between it and the shelf above (enough for maybe just babybacks but nothing with bulk).
Is this correct? I thought people had said there was plenty of room when the shelf was in this position so it made me feel like I am using it wrong.
Here is a pic for reference of the setup I am talking about
http://s11.postimg.org/71crdpt1f/rig.jpg
I can obviously just lower the slide out shelf below the felt line to get more space and then just lift the whole unit out to get the lower rack of food.
When I put the slide out shelf on the level where it is at the felt line, there is very little space between it and the shelf above (enough for maybe just babybacks but nothing with bulk).
Is this correct? I thought people had said there was plenty of room when the shelf was in this position so it made me feel like I am using it wrong.
Here is a pic for reference of the setup I am talking about
http://s11.postimg.org/71crdpt1f/rig.jpg
I can obviously just lower the slide out shelf below the felt line to get more space and then just lift the whole unit out to get the lower rack of food.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Briskets are pretty flat right? That would fit nicely there.Once wrapped I put the brisket on the bottom shelf and had it set up like yours to smoke veg and sausage. No issues.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Is the image I posted upside down for you guys? It looks correct when I click on it from my desktop, but then upside down when clicking on it from my ipad.
⚡DEADHEAD⚡
Footballguy
Babyback ribs. Yellow mustard coat, dry rub on top on both sides. Refrigerated in Reynolds wrap for two hours.
Total three racks for four hours on an XL at 260ish dome temperature, bone-side down. Crept to 300 but got it back down. Did not open the Egg once for four hours. Then took them off, light sauce, back on for 30 minutes. Perfect. And super easy.
Total three racks for four hours on an XL at 260ish dome temperature, bone-side down. Crept to 300 but got it back down. Did not open the Egg once for four hours. Then took them off, light sauce, back on for 30 minutes. Perfect. And super easy.
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jwb
Footballguy
Yea, you are using it right - the room you have totally depends on what you are cooking. You won't get three racks of bulky stuff, and you will have to do a lift out for two. Fortunately, it's very easy (and stable) to lift out.NewlyRetired said:
I use the spider for indirect, and the rig on top of that, although I cracked a cheaper (thinner) pizza stone this weekend doing chicken at 350.
jamny
Footballguy
My wife had commented (complained) that some of the things I grill taste too smoky. Not so much the meats but stuff like vegetables and potatoes. I realize I've probably been putting it on too soon and not letting the charcoal settle. Big difference now that I wait a little longer.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
my wife is also not partial to too much smoke so I tend to just use much smaller pieces now. I love it either way so I am just as happy with the flavor the lump itself gives to the meat.
What type of wood have you been using? Some types are significantly stronger smokey flavors than others. I use plum now (from a tree in my yard that came down in a storm) and it is even lighter than apple.
Mesquite and hickory are pretty strong for me.
jamny
Footballguy
Yeah, I'm not talking about when I smoke. Just regular grilling without wood. Never a complaint with like a steak or chicken but if I have some skewers of peppers and onions and mushrooms, the lump was giving it too much of a smokey taste for her. Letting the grill heat up longer, to allow the smoke to clear, has made a big difference. I think I was putting food on before the grill settled into a steady temp and was still building.
jamny
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I have never tried this. Does the lower vent provide enough granularity for temp control if used alone?I typically use the bottom vent for large control and the daisy wheel for fine adjustments.
culdeus
Footballguy
yeah, it's not that hard to keep stuff in the 300-400 range. Never done anything in the 200s that way. That's how I do chicken.
⚡DEADHEAD⚡
Footballguy
I don't think you'll keep temps in the 200s without really thin openings in the lower vent and the daisy wheel. Half centimeter on the lower and one-third open holes on the top vent (main part closed) keeps things around 250.
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I used the new adjustable rig on Friday night to cook 4 slabs of baby backs.
I loved the oval shaped stone, it really makes a nice difference when laying out long slabs of meat that never quite fit right with the round plate setter.
I was not able to use the lower shelf as I had hoped (to keep it at the felt line). If I put the lower shelf at the felt line and then put baby backs on that shelf, I could not put the normal round grid on top, as the tops of the baby backs were too high.
I moved the lower shelf down one level and then had plenty of room. To access the lower shelf was not quite as a easy as I hoped since I could no longer slide the tray out but it still was manageable.
All in all, I really liked the adjustable rig. I can see a ton of uses for it going forward.
I loved the oval shaped stone, it really makes a nice difference when laying out long slabs of meat that never quite fit right with the round plate setter.
I was not able to use the lower shelf as I had hoped (to keep it at the felt line). If I put the lower shelf at the felt line and then put baby backs on that shelf, I could not put the normal round grid on top, as the tops of the baby backs were too high.
I moved the lower shelf down one level and then had plenty of room. To access the lower shelf was not quite as a easy as I hoped since I could no longer slide the tray out but it still was manageable.
All in all, I really liked the adjustable rig. I can see a ton of uses for it going forward.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Reminder that this is a good time of the year to calibrate your dome thermometer.
Just get some water boiling, stick the thermometer in.
If it does not read exactly 212, there is a little hex nut that you can twist with a wrench to align the thermometer to 212.
Just get some water boiling, stick the thermometer in.
If it does not read exactly 212, there is a little hex nut that you can twist with a wrench to align the thermometer to 212.
AcerFC
Footballguy
I was a little disappointed in my cook the other day. I cleaned the entire egg out for Spring so there was nothing blocking airflow.
I then lit three fires to start like Culdeus suggested. At some point, my temps started dipping. I went to check and two of the fires died. Not sure why
I was able to keep temps where I wanted it for most of my 6 hour cook but I dont know why two of the fires died.
I then lit three fires to start like Culdeus suggested. At some point, my temps started dipping. I went to check and two of the fires died. Not sure why
I was able to keep temps where I wanted it for most of my 6 hour cook but I dont know why two of the fires died.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I have never lit more than one fire. I just make sure I bury the electric starter pretty deep in the coals and let it rock for about 15 minutes.
AcerFC
Footballguy
Think I need to just get the electric starter. Thanks.
But you bring up a good point. Maybe I am not burying my cubes deep enough. I usually form a little pocket but leave them up top. Need to try to bury them a bit more if I dont buy the starter before then
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I highly recommend the starter if you have access to electricity. I have tried almost every method imaginable to start the fires and have found the electric is the easiest and most consistent. The first one I had lasted about 5 years before breaking.
Premier
Footballguy
After 6 months of using the same one, I just went through 3 in 2 weeks. Kept breaking inside the grill.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
yikes! What type did you get?
I got the BGE brand for my first one and it was great. The second one I bought off of Amazon is most certainly cheaper made and won't last nearly as long (but it was much less expensive than the BGE one so I will have to balance price vs longevity.).
jamny
Footballguy
I use one of the brown BGE cubes and break them in half length-wise. Bury them deep with just a corner sticking out.
When did you know it's time to change the gasket. I bought my egg last year and have had about 60 cooks so far. Yesterday I noticed the temps didn't drop all the way down after shutting it down. It was still a little over 200 after a couple of hours. I did notice some gunk on the lip in the back that I shaved down and it seats better. Just got me thinking about hearing about having to change the gasket. Is it time?
Thanks for the thermometer tip NewlyRetired. Will check that out too.
When did you know it's time to change the gasket. I bought my egg last year and have had about 60 cooks so far. Yesterday I noticed the temps didn't drop all the way down after shutting it down. It was still a little over 200 after a couple of hours. I did notice some gunk on the lip in the back that I shaved down and it seats better. Just got me thinking about hearing about having to change the gasket. Is it time?
Thanks for the thermometer tip NewlyRetired. Will check that out too.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
the gasket itself has almost nothing to do with temp control. People have posted on the egghead forum full control of their egg with almost no gasket left.
I would not replace the gasket until you have to. Eventually parts of it may come unglued and that will be your signal.
My first gasket was old kind and died after less than a year(this was a common problem on the older Eggs). I am on year 7 now of the second gasket (nomex kind which is much improved over old material).
jamny
Footballguy
Thx
I'll wait until it's clearly in need of changing. I think it's one of the old kind so I remember people saying it lasts about a year or so.
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
here is a suggestion even if it is not ready to be changed.
Call BGE directly now and tell them your gasket is starting to peel(even if it isn't). They may send you out a new nomex one with no issues (they did for me many years ago). That way you will have it always ready for when it does eventually fail and you don't have to wait to replace it.
jamny
Footballguy
jwb
Footballguy
my gasket is "cracking" from the inner portion-outward (started last year). Just on one side - maybe I ran it too hot in the beginning... I dunno. I thought I would have to replace it right away, but so far, no issues at all. I'll roll with it until the egg's performance tells me it needs changing.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
They seem too small to me at first blush but people make due some how even cooking whole chickens on the mini. Here is a thread with various cooks people have performed on the mini. It might give you some ideas. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=941464&catid=1
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Don't mean to hijack but I am going to get a new grill in July. Torn between an Egg and Kamado Joe but leaning towards the Joe. Anyone else have a Kamado Joe that can share their experiences?
⚡DEADHEAD⚡
Footballguy
If you do high-temp cooks, you'll lost your old-style gasket after a few cooks. I do pizzas at 700+ and my gasket is just about gone.
I disagree that losing a gasket does not affect temperature control. Again, mine is just about gone and just last weekend, I had a hard time keeping the Egg at 400. I could see lots of smoke coming out of the gap, which means air can get in and make temp control difficult. That said, I think I could make an adjustment to the rigging so that the gap is smaller (I think I've lost some fidelity here over time and probarly need to readjust the entire thing).
I called the mother ship earlier this week and requested a new gasket. They put one in the mail, free of charge even though I'm about a year out of warranty (one year). Talk to Bruce.
I disagree that losing a gasket does not affect temperature control. Again, mine is just about gone and just last weekend, I had a hard time keeping the Egg at 400. I could see lots of smoke coming out of the gap, which means air can get in and make temp control difficult. That said, I think I could make an adjustment to the rigging so that the gap is smaller (I think I've lost some fidelity here over time and probarly need to readjust the entire thing).
I called the mother ship earlier this week and requested a new gasket. They put one in the mail, free of charge even though I'm about a year out of warranty (one year). Talk to Bruce.
⚡DEADHEAD⚡
Footballguy
I don't but I'll say this. The lifetime warranty alone is worth it on the Egg. Again, I cook often at high temps and I've cracked the firebox and firering. I don't know if I got a bad batch but those parts are good for life. I've had them both replaced, no charge whatsoever (I pick up the components where I bought it).
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I have been doing high temp cooks for 6 years on my current gasket with no issues. It is not black and white. There is a significant variable factor in the glue alone that allows some to fail faster and some to last much longer.
⚡DEADHEAD⚡
Footballguy
Good call.
By the way, I use a chimney to start. A little messier than other options but probably the fastest.
