Big Green Egg Grill (3 Viewers)

[17seconds]

what's the charcoal cost?

with your typical cheap charcoal grill and normal briquettes it's like $5 every time you want to grill a steak

charcoal burns forever so it's great for big cookouts but a waste of $$$ when you just want to put a couple things on the grill for 10mins.

the main reason I switched to gas

 

[TheFanatic]

what's the charcoal cost?with your typical cheap charcoal grill and normal briquettes it's like $5 every time you want to grill a steakcharcoal burns forever so it's great for big cookouts but a waste of $$$ when you just want to put a couple things on the grill for 10mins.the main reason I switched to gas

I buy a bag of charcoal for $6. If I do a quick grill of a steak it's maybe a 6th of the bag. But for argument's sake let's say I use 1/4 of a bag. That's $1.50. When I am done on my weber if I close the vents that fire is out quick and I can re use all of the larger chunks of charcoal that are left. The cost of the fuel type should be the last thing considered when purchasing a grill

 

[andy_b]

Let's say you're a casual griller, grilling for 1-2 people mostly, but up to 8 or so at times. You're mostly a steaks and chicken guy, open to expanding your grilling know-how - but probably never going to be anywhere near some of the big guys (Fanatic, JB, [icon], etc.) in the grilling threads.Would a medium or large suffice?

you sound very similar to me. I went through this same thought process and was happy with the large. IMO, you might struggle to feed 8 on a medium, of course all dependent on what you cook.If you have the means, I would recommend the large.

 

[andy_b]

what's the charcoal cost?with your typical cheap charcoal grill and normal briquettes it's like $5 every time you want to grill a steakcharcoal burns forever so it's great for big cookouts but a waste of $$$ when you just want to put a couple things on the grill for 10mins.the main reason I switched to gas

1) Remember that you don't use briquettes in the egg. You use lump charcoal2) After you use lump charcoal, you don't throw it out. You simply reuse it the next time you cook3) A bag of lump costs about $6 where I live.4) A full load into a large BGE can last for well over 20 hours when cooking at 250. Obviously the higher the heat the faster the coal burns5) I can get about 1.5 full loads of a large from one $6 bag of lump charcoalhope that helps

 

[ditka85]

EGGfest in Springfield MO on September 26th. 4 hours away. Is it worth the drive for a shot at getting a used one on the cheap?

At Ozark Mountain EGGfest 2009 all of the cooking will be done on brand new eggs.These eggs will be sold at tremendous savings prior to the event…..These Big Green Eggs come fully outfitted as follows:X Large, Large, Medium, or Small Big Green Egg with, Temp Gauge, Dual Function Metal Top, Ceramic Damper Top, Cookbook, DVD, and Egg Nest Stand.You must pre-purchase the EGG in order to receive the EGGfest discount.  You must pick up the EGG at the Ozark Mountain EGGfest 2009 between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm the day of the event. The eggs will still be warm so precautions need to be made.															 Regular Price		  EGGfest EGG PriceX Large EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand		  $1238.35			  $920.00Large EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand			 $918.49				$685.00Medium EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand		  $692.19			   $505.00Small EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand			 $556.39			   $390.00

 

[TheFanatic]

EGGfest in Springfield MO on September 26th. 4 hours away. Is it worth the drive for a shot at getting a used one on the cheap?

At Ozark Mountain EGGfest 2009 all of the cooking will be done on brand new eggs.These eggs will be sold at tremendous savings prior to the event…..These Big Green Eggs come fully outfitted as follows:X Large, Large, Medium, or Small Big Green Egg with, Temp Gauge, Dual Function Metal Top, Ceramic Damper Top, Cookbook, DVD, and Egg Nest Stand.You must pre-purchase the EGG in order to receive the EGGfest discount.  You must pick up the EGG at the Ozark Mountain EGGfest 2009 between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm the day of the event. The eggs will still be warm so precautions need to be made.															 Regular Price		  EGGfest EGG PriceX Large EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand		  $1238.35			  $920.00Large EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand			 $918.49				$685.00Medium EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand		  $692.19			   $505.00Small EGGfest EGG w/EGG Nest Stand			 $556.39			   $390.00

I totally missed this. But that's not all that great in terms of price. I can get the XL with stand for a little over $1K and the L for around $750 new. I was hoping for something like the XL being the price of the large.

 

[orcinus]

EGGfest in Springfield MO on September 26th. 4 hours away. Is it worth the drive for a shot at getting a used one on the cheap?

Only if you're willing to subject yourself to whatever crap I end up pulling off the grate that day.

 

[orcinus]

Not to add any further confusion to your decision, Fanatic, but I'd invest some more research time in before you pull the trigger on the XL. I was all set to buy one last year; however, the more people I spoke with, the more I became convinced that a large was a much better smoking option based on the difference in designs.

BGE is also re-designing the XL version due to these issues, as the short/fat design doesn't quite work as well as the other models. I think this just pertains to the fire ring, fire box and platesetter widths (in order to get a larger gap to the grate), but I'm not certain.

While I'd love to have the additional grate space, the dealer rep and forum folks convinced me there was enough vertical space in the large to take care of my initial needs up to the point where a medium or small would be added to the family. That's pretty much where I am at this point, too. We're planning on adding a small after Eggfest to do side dishes and quicker cooks during the large's marathon smokes. It's also going to go camping with us this fall.

That said, I can certainly see why you're jonesing for the XL. Haven't heard anyone say it's a bad egg, so to speak ... just that the former design didn't work as efficiently and effectively as the other models. With any luck, the redesign will fix all this.

If nothing else, though, let me know if you end up making the trek.

 

[JerseyToughGuys]

Not to add any further confusion to your decision, Fanatic, but I'd invest some more research time in before you pull the trigger on the XL. I was all set to buy one last year; however, the more people I spoke with, the more I became convinced that a large was a much better smoking option based on the difference in designs.BGE is also re-designing the XL version due to these issues, as the short/fat design doesn't quite work as well as the other models. I think this just pertains to the fire ring, fire box and platesetter widths (in order to get a larger gap to the grate), but I'm not certain.While I'd love to have the additional grate space, the dealer rep and forum folks convinced me there was enough vertical space in the large to take care of my initial needs up to the point where a medium or small would be added to the family. That's pretty much where I am at this point, too. We're planning on adding a small after Eggfest to do side dishes and quicker cooks during the large's marathon smokes. It's also going to go camping with us this fall.That said, I can certainly see why you're jonesing for the XL. Haven't heard anyone say it's a bad egg, so to speak ... just that the former design didn't work as efficiently and effectively as the other models. With any luck, the redesign will fix all this.If nothing else, though, let me know if you end up making the trek.

Orc>Hi!I have limited experience, but I own a Large and I agree. I would rather put that extra money towards a second Small.

 

[TheFanatic]

Not to add any further confusion to your decision, Fanatic, but I'd invest some more research time in before you pull the trigger on the XL. I was all set to buy one last year; however, the more people I spoke with, the more I became convinced that a large was a much better smoking option based on the difference in designs.BGE is also re-designing the XL version due to these issues, as the short/fat design doesn't quite work as well as the other models. I think this just pertains to the fire ring, fire box and platesetter widths (in order to get a larger gap to the grate), but I'm not certain.While I'd love to have the additional grate space, the dealer rep and forum folks convinced me there was enough vertical space in the large to take care of my initial needs up to the point where a medium or small would be added to the family. That's pretty much where I am at this point, too. We're planning on adding a small after Eggfest to do side dishes and quicker cooks during the large's marathon smokes. It's also going to go camping with us this fall.That said, I can certainly see why you're jonesing for the XL. Haven't heard anyone say it's a bad egg, so to speak ... just that the former design didn't work as efficiently and effectively as the other models. With any luck, the redesign will fix all this.If nothing else, though, let me know if you end up making the trek.

That's very interesting. I thought it was more about the material used to make the grill and not as much the shape. Seems shape is a big deal. My goal is to buy a new BGE next year or get one on the cheap this year. If they are redesigning the XL, maybe I should hold out. I am really looking for a one stop shop for my grilling. I have six grills in my backyard right now. Two are not mine, 1 is one of those tiny little webers that stand a foot off the ground. Two are Kettles and 1 is an offset. I use the kettle and the offset. I want to be able to do it all on one. Grill a steak, smoke 5 slabs of ribs, or cook burgers and brats for 25 on the same grill (not at the same time). I would love to make it down for the event, but I just don't know if I can pull it off if I'm not going to get a grill....

 

[orcinus]

That's very interesting. I thought it was more about the material used to make the grill and not as much the shape. Seems shape is a big deal. My goal is to buy a new BGE next year or get one on the cheap this year. If they are redesigning the XL, maybe I should hold out. I am really looking for a one stop shop for my grilling. I have six grills in my backyard right now. Two are not mine, 1 is one of those tiny little webers that stand a foot off the ground. Two are Kettles and 1 is an offset. I use the kettle and the offset. I want to be able to do it all on one. Grill a steak, smoke 5 slabs of ribs, or cook burgers and brats for 25 on the same grill (not at the same time). I would love to make it down for the event, but I just don't know if I can pull it off if I'm not going to get a grill....

Again ... I haven't researched any of this since buying mine a year ago, but I do know there was talk of a redesign to improve (not correct) some of the design issues with the XL. Since a LOT can change within a year, I wouldn't let that scare you away from an XL. I just know that for my situation, the large version made better sense at the time.As a grill, I wouldn't think there would be any difference in efficiency between the two. If they've made modifications to increase the gap between the grate and firebox when the platesetter is in use, I would assume the XL would then perform much in the same way the large would.Either one, though, will be able to handle the load you described with a few vertically-based accessory additions.

 

[TheFanatic]

That's very interesting. I thought it was more about the material used to make the grill and not as much the shape. Seems shape is a big deal. My goal is to buy a new BGE next year or get one on the cheap this year. If they are redesigning the XL, maybe I should hold out. I am really looking for a one stop shop for my grilling. I have six grills in my backyard right now. Two are not mine, 1 is one of those tiny little webers that stand a foot off the ground. Two are Kettles and 1 is an offset. I use the kettle and the offset. I want to be able to do it all on one. Grill a steak, smoke 5 slabs of ribs, or cook burgers and brats for 25 on the same grill (not at the same time). I would love to make it down for the event, but I just don't know if I can pull it off if I'm not going to get a grill....

Again ... I haven't researched any of this since buying mine a year ago, but I do know there was talk of a redesign to improve (not correct) some of the design issues with the XL. Since a LOT can change within a year, I wouldn't let that scare you away from an XL. I just know that for my situation, the large version made better sense at the time.As a grill, I wouldn't think there would be any difference in efficiency between the two. If they've made modifications to increase the gap between the grate and firebox when the platesetter is in use, I would assume the XL would then perform much in the same way the large would.Either one, though, will be able to handle the load you described with a few vertically-based accessory additions.

I'll definitely do the due diligence before I buy something that expensive. Thanks for the heads up on this. I really appreciate it. I had two things I wanted to buy in this price range. SLR and the XL BGE. Dropped my dig cam on the 4th weekend. So the SLR was pushed to the front of the list. That may have been a blessing in disguise. I can wait to see if the XL does what I need it to do with the new modifications or just save the $300 and get the L. My cousin has one and he absolutely loves it but the vast majority of cooking he does on it is for two. About half of what I do is for two. Lots more for 4, 8, and on...

 

[CletiusMaximus]

EGGfest in Springfield MO on September 26th. 4 hours away. Is it worth the drive for a shot at getting a used one on the cheap?

do you get the warranty? And if so, how do you make a warranty claim? Its not a huge issue, but worth considering. The glaze on the dome of mine chipped away - a chip about the size of a quarter. It doesn't affect the performance of the grill at all, but I checked with the dealer where my wife bought it. They asked me to email a picture and a day later ordered a new dome for me at no cost.

 

[orcinus]

Yes ... these are all new grills that will have one cook on them and a full warranty. As far as grill space, my biggest load so far on the large has been two 12 pound butts on top of a raised grid and a 10 pound flat on the main grid. Best 25 hours I've had with the thing so far, too, and I had room for at least another butt and a smaller flat.

There's also an accessory out there that gives you three layers of grid space, with two full sized 18s and 16 up top, so you're only really limited by your imagination.

Doing a pizza right now, in fact.

If I ever fall into the misfortune of needing my own Friday FFA thread of woe over my wife, I will marry this grill the very second my papers are signed.

If it's research you're after though, there's not a better spot to do it than an EggFest.

 

[Klimtology]

Would someone please explain to me what the attraction/utility of the 'Big Green Egg Grill' is?

Is it a smoker? BBQ?

What?

 

[JerseyToughGuys]

Would someone please explain to me what the attraction/utility of the 'Big Green Egg Grill' is?Is it a smoker? BBQ?What?

yes

 

[TheFanatic]

Would someone please explain to me what the attraction/utility of the 'Big Green Egg Grill' is?Is it a smoker? BBQ?What?

It's the way it can hold temps. One batch of charcoal can keep a constant temp for hours. Some say up to 20 hours. So it's got low and slow down to a science. Then it can get up to 700 degrees if you want it to if you want to properly sear a steak. So it's got high and fast down pat. It's got both ends of the spectrum and everything in between covered better than any other grill and thus they charge an arm and a leg.

 

[TheFanatic]

Yes ... these are all new grills that will have one cook on them and a full warranty. As far as grill space, my biggest load so far on the large has been two 12 pound butts on top of a raised grid and a 10 pound flat on the main grid. Best 25 hours I've had with the thing so far, too, and I had room for at least another butt and a smaller flat.There's also an accessory out there that gives you three layers of grid space, with two full sized 18s and 16 up top, so you're only really limited by your imagination.Doing a pizza right now, in fact.If I ever fall into the misfortune of needing my own Friday FFA thread of woe over my wife, I will marry this grill the very second my papers are signed.If it's research you're after though, there's not a better spot to do it than an EggFest.

I just can't picture that being possible. I've seen my cousins and just don't see how there is that much room but he says the same thing you do that he can get all kinds of meat in the thing on his tiered rack.

 

[dnurk]

Yes ... these are all new grills that will have one cook on them and a full warranty. As far as grill space, my biggest load so far on the large has been two 12 pound butts on top of a raised grid and a 10 pound flat on the main grid. Best 25 hours I've had with the thing so far, too, and I had room for at least another butt and a smaller flat.

There's also an accessory out there that gives you three layers of grid space, with two full sized 18s and 16 up top, so you're only really limited by your imagination.

Doing a pizza right now, in fact.

If I ever fall into the misfortune of needing my own Friday FFA thread of woe over my wife, I will marry this grill the very second my papers are signed.

If it's research you're after though, there's not a better spot to do it than an EggFest.

I just can't picture that being possible. I've seen my cousins and just don't see how there is that much room but he says the same thing you do that he can get all kinds of meat in the thing on his tiered rack.

You can get a TON of meat on these with the adjustable rigs. Butts

 

[Klimtology]

Would someone please explain to me what the attraction/utility of the 'Big Green Egg Grill' is?Is it a smoker? BBQ?What?

It's the way it can hold temps. One batch of charcoal can keep a constant temp for hours. Some say up to 20 hours. So it's got low and slow down to a science. Then it can get up to 700 degrees if you want it to if you want to properly sear a steak. So it's got high and fast down pat. It's got both ends of the spectrum and everything in between covered better than any other grill and thus they charge an arm and a leg.

Thanks for responding.How much do they cost? A weber smoker is around $400 if I remember correctly.

 

[andy_b]

Would someone please explain to me what the attraction/utility of the 'Big Green Egg Grill' is?Is it a smoker? BBQ?What?

The attraction for me was the versatility.The ability to hold a low temperature on a single load of coal for over 20 hours is ideal for long smoking.The ability to quickly get to a temperature of >650 makes searing steaks a pleasure.The overall design of the unit makes it ideal for cooking pizzas, breads and calzones.

 

[andy_b]

How much do they cost? A weber smoker is around $400 if I remember correctly.

Their are a ton of different sizes all at different price points. If you search back in the thread you will see some prices.I am not sure I would compare it to other smokers when doing price comparisons because the BGE is so much more than a smoker.

 

[orcinus]

I just can't picture that being possible. I've seen my cousins and just don't see how there is that much room but he says the same thing you do that he can get all kinds of meat in the thing on his tiered rack.

Here's the smoke I described above, and I'm just using two tiers here, in addition to the indirect plate-setter. To add the third tier, you simply need to replace the standard fire ring with a thinner, 2" model.http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3427/377600..._83a1e43f13.jpg

A third butt at that size to the top tier would have likely required a couple skewers to balance on the grid, but as you can see, there's still plenty of room on the main grate for another flat. Didn't change the actual cooking procedure a bit, either.

For wings, I usually do a 10 lb Tyson package from Sam's, which fits snug on the top grate. By using all three tiers, I'm guessing I could get 35-40 lbs of wings on both 18s and the raised attachment.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/377602..._6534e00c72.jpg

 

[orcinus]

You can get a TON of meat on these with the adjustable rigs. Butts

Awesome ... 60# of butt?

 

[TheFanatic]

at work blocking all photosharing sites. I'll try to check these when I get home. Thanks for posting the pics...

 

[jb1020]

any egg owners here use one of those digiq II things? ive contemplated getting one, but then i would kinda feel like a cheater.

 

[orcinus]

I'll probably get a Stoker before winter hits this year, but it will honestly be 90% for the aspect of controlling everything from my phone and 10% for the "how can I be even lazier at this" portion.

 

[TheFanatic]

I'll probably get a Stoker before winter hits this year, but it will honestly be 90% for the aspect of controlling everything from my phone and 10% for the "how can I be even lazier at this" portion.

What, wha?!?

 

[orcinus]

http://www.rocksbarbque.com/index.html

 

[TheFanatic]

Holy #### is that cool!!! Totally factor going ballistic right now.

One of the things my cousin said about his BGE is he sorta misses screwing with the grill. He misses tweaking and adjusting and such. This takes the tweaking away even further. Still friggin cool!!!

 

[dnurk]

You can get a TON of meat on these with the adjustable rigs. Butts

Awesome ... 60# of butt?

Yep

Takes a little bit more attention to vent control with that much mass in the egg because airflow is a bit restricted, but not a big deal. It's funny that this thread just turned to conversation about the electronic vent controls. The only time I ever really want one is when I load the Egg up to maximum capacity. For any other cook I'm not sure I would even bother hooking it up. Having said all that, I will likely snag one at some point just to have around. I've heard really good feedback on this one: CyberQ II

 

[YSR]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large.

I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

 

[Klimtology]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large. I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

How much for the large?

 

[YSR]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large. I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

How much for the large?

$699 + tax for the grill alone, which is all I bought. Had a friend buy the other accessories, which included the nest, rack for ribs, the add-on tray tables for the sides of the grill, bag of charcoal, a lighter, and... I think that's it. The nest and the add-on tray tables alone came to about $260 extra, so he paid about $300 total for all the accessories he bought.Opted against the pizza stone yesterday, but pretty sure that's the next purchase.

 

[JerseyToughGuys]

after seeing some of Orc's pictures, I realized I nuked the felt gasket/seal already. Hopefully the dealer, nice and ma and pa shop, will hook me up with some new ones. I don't remember if it was on vacation or at home, but I do recall pulling on the lid one time and it not budging. sealed together. I think I might have done it when I was cooking pizzas. Something with the platesetter and pizza stone bringing the hot air too close to the seal.

Still works like normal, no smoke or heat seems to be escaping. Still need to get it fixed though.

 

[orcinus]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large. I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

Congrats!Probably repeating one of the earlier links, but eggheadforum.com has a slew of great recipes and some of the most helpful people on the planet. My only advice would be to experiment with smaller cuts of meat on your first attempts at longer smokes and to force yourself to take the time to get your temps set before putting on the meat. If you allow for 30 minutes to an hour for the temps to stabilize, you really won't have to mess with things too much after that save for minute adjustments here and there.Another great noob piece of advice I received is a general starting point for the dampers.225 should be about 1/3 of the way open on the top wheel and about |--| much open on the the lower vent. If you're using the plate setter, your temp will come up slowly ... let it. My biggest mistake early on was trying to force the temps too early, thinking I could back them down just as quickly.Uh ... no. Once you get north of your ideal temp range, it's no easy task to back the thing down, and it requires even more patience than bringing the temp up properly in the first place.350, on the other hand, is completely open on the wheel petal vents and somewhere around this |--------------------------| for the lower area. Again ... these are all estimates which can vary according to your lump profile, weather and wind, but it really helps to have a starting point. As my GB Jersey mentioned, be careful the first few times you use the grill in the higher range of temps >500 with the baking stone, as it's pretty easy to thrash a newer gasket.Good luck, though! You're going to love your new toy.EDIT ... You'll need the plate-setter in order to properly use the pizza stone, and it's a must-have accessory on its own merits. If you didn't get this at purchase, this should be your next target.

 

[orcinus]

Takes a little bit more attention to vent control with that much mass in the egg because airflow is a bit restricted, but not a big deal. It's funny that this thread just turned to conversation about the electronic vent controls. The only time I ever really want one is when I load the Egg up to maximum capacity. For any other cook I'm not sure I would even bother hooking it up. Having said all that, I will likely snag one at some point just to have around. I've heard really good feedback on this one: CyberQ II

Agreed. I'm just drawn to the factor and would only use it on the really long cooks when friends are over ... lol.With that much meat on the grill, though, what did it do to your overall cook time? Assuming those are all in the 10# range, what did the extra mass add to your general smoke time?

 

[ditka85]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large. I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

Congrats!Probably repeating one of the earlier links, but eggheadforum.com has a slew of great recipes and some of the most helpful people on the planet. My only advice would be to experiment with smaller cuts of meat on your first attempts at longer smokes and to force yourself to take the time to get your temps set before putting on the meat. If you allow for 30 minutes to an hour for the temps to stabilize, you really won't have to mess with things too much after that save for minute adjustments here and there.Another great noob piece of advice I received is a general starting point for the dampers.225 should be about 1/3 of the way open on the top wheel and about | | much open on the the lower vent. If you're using the plate setter, your temp will come up slowly ... let it. My biggest mistake early on was trying to force the temps too early, thinking I could back them down just as quickly.Uh ... no. Once you get north of your ideal temp range, it's no easy task to back the thing down, and it requires even more patience than bringing the temp up properly in the first place.350, on the other hand, is completely open on the wheel petal vents and somewhere around this | | for the lower area. Again ... these are all estimates which can vary according to your lump profile, weather and wind, but it really helps to have a starting point. As my GB Jersey mentioned, be careful the first few times you use the grill in the higher range of temps >500 with the baking stone, as it's pretty easy to thrash a newer gasket.Good luck, though! You're going to love your new toy.EDIT ... You'll need the plate-setter in order to properly use the pizza stone, and it's a must-have accessory on its own merits. If you didn't get this at purchase, this should be your next target.

Do you need to buy a stone designed for the egg? Can I use the one I have?

 

[JerseyToughGuys]

Orc>Hi!

any idea how much the gaskets cost if I gotta buy em?

 

[orcinus]

Do you need to buy a stone designed for the egg? Can I use the one I have?

No; however, the large takes a specific size that fits directly on top of the plate-setter (I believe it's a 14" version). Also, there are reports of some models consistently cracking in the BGE ... Pampered Chef comes to mind. That said, any and all baking stones will crack if they're not used properly. While most of my pizzas are cooked around 450 degrees and would likely be fine on many stones that were sized to fit the egg, I know there are lots of folks that enjoy Neopolitan style pies that cruise in around 900 degrees. Jersey, my BGE dealer carries replacement gaskets for around $20 or so. I think you can buy these online, also, in the event your dealer isn't nearby.

 

[andy_b]

any idea how much the gaskets cost if I gotta buy em?

if you call BGE when you get the unit, they will ship you a new gasket with almost no questions asked. I think they know there were enough issues with the glue they used on some batches.My gasket is still ok after a year of constant cooking but I do have the backup if and when it does fail (just need to buy the glue).

 

[andy_b]

$699 + tax for the grill alone, which is all I bought. Had a friend buy the other accessories, which included the nest, rack for ribs, the add-on tray tables for the sides of the grill, bag of charcoal, a lighter, and... I think that's it. The nest and the add-on tray tables alone came to about $260 extra, so he paid about $300 total for all the accessories he bought.

awesome and congrats! You are going to have a blast.I was looking at your accessories and you did not list what I consider to be the most important one, which is the plate setter. You need the plate setter to properly cook indirect.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Pulled the trigger yesterday, bought the large. I saw the links posted earlier to the two sites/forums for tips and recipes, but feel free to add any other thoughts to help me become a true egghead.

Congrats!Probably repeating one of the earlier links, but eggheadforum.com has a slew of great recipes and some of the most helpful people on the planet. My only advice would be to experiment with smaller cuts of meat on your first attempts at longer smokes and to force yourself to take the time to get your temps set before putting on the meat. If you allow for 30 minutes to an hour for the temps to stabilize, you really won't have to mess with things too much after that save for minute adjustments here and there.Another great noob piece of advice I received is a general starting point for the dampers.225 should be about 1/3 of the way open on the top wheel and about |--| much open on the the lower vent. If you're using the plate setter, your temp will come up slowly ... let it. My biggest mistake early on was trying to force the temps too early, thinking I could back them down just as quickly.Uh ... no. Once you get north of your ideal temp range, it's no easy task to back the thing down, and it requires even more patience than bringing the temp up properly in the first place.350, on the other hand, is completely open on the wheel petal vents and somewhere around this |--------------------------| for the lower area. Again ... these are all estimates which can vary according to your lump profile, weather and wind, but it really helps to have a starting point. As my GB Jersey mentioned, be careful the first few times you use the grill in the higher range of temps >500 with the baking stone, as it's pretty easy to thrash a newer gasket.Good luck, though! You're going to love your new toy.EDIT ... You'll need the plate-setter in order to properly use the pizza stone, and it's a must-have accessory on its own merits. If you didn't get this at purchase, this should be your next target.

I was reviewing the egghead forums recently and was surprised to see that it appears many of the experts do not use the daisy wheel at all for temperature control. Several said they leave it completely off in most cases, and just use the bottom vent to adjust temps.

 

[andy_b]

I was reviewing the egghead forums recently and was surprised to see that it appears many of the experts do not use the daisy wheel at all for temperature control. Several said they leave it completely off in most cases, and just use the bottom vent to adjust temps.

at higher temps you can do this but at lower temps you need to adjust both the fly wheel and the bottom vent.

 

[TheFanatic]

I gotta stop coming into this thread.... Making me way too jealous...

 

[orcinus]

I gotta stop coming into this thread.... Making me way too jealous...

Here's a link you might find interesting on the XL redesign ...http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/533.htm

 

[andy_b]

I gotta stop coming into this thread.... Making me way too jealous...

Here's a link you might find interesting on the XL redesign ...http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/533.htm

Thank you. That was a very informative video. Skip to the 2:40 mark to skip the schtick and get to the good info.

 

[dnurk]

For my fellow BGE owners who like to make pizza, may I make a suggestion: you have GOT to get one of these Super Peel

I've never liked the taste of corn meal when making NY style pizza at high temp on the Egg but there really has been no other option. My wife bought me one of these for Father's Day and I've used it 3 times since. I like making my dough very moist and on the granite countertop it definitely is sticky. The super peel has no problems picking it up and delivering to a HOT pizza stone. Definitely in my top 3 MUST HAVE items for cooking on the Egg.

 

[andy_b]

For my fellow BGE owners who like to make pizza, may I make a suggestion: you have GOT to get one of these Super Peel

I have something similar. They are also great for getting breads and calzones in and out of the Egg.

 

[OC Zed]

Anyone have any tricked out stands or tables for the Egg?