Looking at buying a new grill, and the Green Egg grill caught my eye. I know one guy that uses his commercially to make bbq for his sandwich counter at his store and he loves it. Anyone here use one? Likes/dislikes...

Large BGE.................................................


mesquite smoked turkey

pork butt

buffalo tenderloin

prime rib

I have an XL and love it. Makes great food, and keeps my family excited about anything I cook on it.

Best brisket ever was from my BGE.

okay, I'll bite. What are the benefits?

&

Is the BGE a BBQ or a smoker?

Keith...you suppose you could fire that madre up come June..???

http://shop.hastybake.com/collections/charcoal-grills/products/hasty-bake-continental

Sure can!



Both. You can fire that thing up to 700� to T-Rex a steak or slow cook/smoke ribs, pork butt and brisket. You can run it overnite on a load of lump charcoal when doing a slow cook or smoke.

I am just a newb at this. There are others here who are far more experienced such as byc.

Best money I have ever spent tho IMHO.

I've heard of them.



You can easily sear steaks at 800*,



or do ribs and butts low and slow,





even home made pizza,



or a chili cheese dog fatty.



[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v661/mrbowhunr/IMG_1690.jpg[/img]

Mike

There's an unwritten law, that BGE pix can't be shown til after lunchtime.....jus' sayin.....



laffin...

George

How much are they?

600-800$

Bowhunr - Where did you get that searing grate?

Did you all use a local dealer or did you order one online?

Love mine....

The grate is the 13" cast iron from Big Green Egg. It is resting on the "Spider" from the Ceramic Grill Store.

Mike

I bought all of mine from a local dealer. In fact, like it or not, buying one off the internet voids all warranties. I guess that's BGE's way of supporting their distributor network.

From BGE's website:

"Warranties, whether written, oral, expressed or implied, are not extended to persons who obtain the product from any source other than the Big Green Egg or from an Authorized Big Green Egg Distributor or Dealer, or through an authorized BGE promotion. Purchasing and/or accepting delivery of any BGE product from unauthorized dealers or online resellers will void the Warranty associated with that product. The Big Green Egg is not sold at discount clubs, discount chain stores or online or e-commerce stores, and any product purchased from any such retailer is not covered under Warranty. Authorized Dealers can be found at the BigGreenEgg.com website."

Mike

Wow. I've been checking them out for months, in fact, I think that's how I found this forum. I guess I drive down the road and check out my local dealer, and see if I can't come up with one at a reasonable price. Most local retail establishments in my area are usually on the high side of pricing.

I've dabbled from time to time

Wild pork sausage and veggie....beer for the cook!


Brisket


Done Brisket


Ribs, early stages


Why not octopus?


Ham


Turkey
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...570169211_1074992384_30262200_7230_n.jpg[/img]

Wild pig tenderloin
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...654941_1074992384_30656208_6534110_n.jpg[/img]

Whole pig leg
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...6050_1074992384_32682684_440778853_n.jpg[/img]

While deer leg
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...8888_1074992384_32549189_779927805_n.jpg[/img]

Large BGE here. Just built a cedar table for mine. Drunk chicken last night. Super easy and the most tender chicken you have ever had.

I've used a BGE for several years. You can low & slow smoke or sear to 600+ F. There are lots of add ons you can get. Stoker makes a temp controller that allows you to monitor and adjust temps on long slow cooks with your computer on WIFI.

Ok theBig question.

Which size Egg?

XL - it's not even a question!

Easily one of the best purchases I ever made!!

Fixed it for you!

The BGE really shines on poultry. The ceramic holds the moisture in the bird where it belongs.

Spatchcock Chicken (My first cook on a BGE. Note the clean grates and lily white egg)



Mike

Ok, is the food that is cooked on the egg really that much better? Can it do as good a job as a regular smoker?

Thanks for info guys! I was already leaning towards the BGE, but all the pix you guys posted...I'm sold! Looks like its BGE for my patio this summer!

Congratulations! You won't be sorry!!

Mike

Hell of a BBQ just not too protable.

The small and mini are easily transported and if you want to move the large without a trailer, just get one of these.



Mike

These buggers are friggin' expensive

He must have a small operation!

No, I don't use one and I don't recommend them. You've got an oven in the kitchen, don't you?

Of course, Easter is right around the corner, so sales may surge.

How do the Big Green Eggs compare to the Primo Grills? I can get a really good deal on a Primo Grill here where I live. It's more of an oval shape at the top rather than a circle like the BGE

Any feedback would be appreciated

Weber would be my first choice, in fact I have a new one sitting next to BubbaT.

The real advantage I see to the BGE is the ability to do pizza, steaks and prime rib at crazy temps.

The smoking and grilling can be done on any standard design.


Travis

the big difference with the BGE is the insulated properties of the unit its self. once up to temps it takes such a small amount of fuel to maintain that temp such that you can cook all night on one load and not have to open the sealed lid and let any of that moisture, heat and smoke exscape. i want one after seeing my buddies used a few times but it will be awhile before i have the cash.

I don't feel the BGE is unique in that regard, but it sounds badazz regardless.

Can I ask, do users ONLY use the Egg Charcoal or whatever it's called? What if you want to use standard charcoal or wood?


Travis

Bingo. While Weber's are good units and have produced tons of good food, you will never get one to run 22 hours on a single load of lump and maintain temp in a cold and windy environment.

Mike

Lifetime warranty on the egg itself and the ability to do long cooks on one load of lump charcoal...whats not to like. I would like another one, perhaps a small or medium. I still use a little Weber occasionally and even have a gas burner. That being said I use the BGE most of the time and consider it some of the best money I have ever spent. Everyone of us has wasted money on other things not nearly as useful.....but YMMV

I need to get one..maybe after I pay off my Buffler cannon!

They are not unique. There are other ceramic cookers out there such as Grill Dome, Kamado Joe, Kamodo Kamado, etc.

I'm not sure why you would want to use anything other than the lump charcoal they were designed for, but yes, you can use other fuels with no problems. The best thing about lump is that you can reuse the leftover. Simply stir to get the ash out and re-light. You can't do that with briquettes. You would also be amazed at the small amount of ash left after a 20 hour cook using lump.

Mike

I ask because the nearest dealer is 120 miles one way...

Thanks for the response.


Travis

hunts---In addition to several of the green 'uns I have just about one of everything else to include a Primo Oval. Works every bit as good as the BGE and to a certain extent provides better usage of cooking space. Some of the guys at Primo came from BGE. Ask for George in Atlanta, which btw is also where they are made. Bottom line is darn near any ceramic cooker gets the job done.

Travis you can buy lump charcoal at Menards, Sams Club, Walmart etc. You don't have to use BGE brand.

Ahhhhh! Ok, that's all it is? I buy tons of that schit anyway.

Thanks for clarifying.


Travis

deflave--In fact, it was always rumored that Royal Oak and BGE lump were one in the same with BGE possibly being slightly higher quality.

That makes sense. Honestly, how many fuggin' lump coal factories can we have in this country?

Is there any reason to not buy an Extra Large? Seriously...

And in the XL, how many charcoal chimney's would it take to get to 700?

Yes, I understand I'm hijacking the schit out of this thread.


Travis

Travis you don't need a chimney to start the charcoal...open the draft on the bottom and remove the daisy wheel from the top and the BGE acts like a chimney.

As far as size I was considering an XL but byc convinced me I didn't need one and he was correct. The large is plenty big enough.

LARGE

The Large EGG is the most popular size and a favorite to handle the cooking needs of most families and gatherings of friends. Accommodates all EGGcessories for baking, roasting or smoking � and it�s versatile enough for weekend cook-outs or pizza parties, large enough for eight steaks at once, and efficient enough for an impromptu meatloaf for two!

Specifications:

Grid Diameter 18.25 in / 46 cm
Cooking Area: 262 sq in / 1688 sq cm

The Large EGG can cook:

20-pound turkey
12 burgers
6 chickens vertically
8 steaks
7 racks of ribs vertically

XLARGE

The Biggest Green Egg of them all provides a cooking area that can easily accommodate meals for large families and cookouts with all your friends � and you can efficiently prepare several meals over the coals at once. Ready to serve up fourteen racks of ribs, twenty-four burgers or a couple of holiday turkeys with all the trimmings? No problem!

Specifications:

Grid Diameter: 24 in / 61 cm
Cooking Area: 452 sq in / 2919 sq cm

The XLarge EGG can cook:

2 20-pound turkeys
24 burgers
11 whole chickens
12 steaks
14 racks of ribs vertically

http://www.biggreenegg.com

Yeah, but that stupid list doesn't show brisket. WTF BBQ's a bunch of chickens?

And I really want one for prime rib and what not. So I was wondering if the size causes a big differnece in the amount of lump coal needed to get that bitch cranking...


Travis

Don't have an XL but based on size /volume alone it would seem take more lump to run IMHO. byc can answer that for ya though.

10 lb prime rib

Now I'm hungry...

Thanks.


Travis

An XL certainly takes more lump to run it, but I love smoking whole legs. I get large (about the size of your fist) chunks of pecan, apple, mesquite and cherry to smoke with in addition to lump. It all makes it burn a bit faster, but the end result is so worth it.

What's the hottest temp you've ran that thing?


Travis

I've thought of installing one in the bottom of my camp outhouse....

If I lay a good bed of charcoal across the bottom I can get it to 650.

I had a butcher cut me 3" think porterhouses and I grilled them on each side for 3 minutes, removed, then covered and let sit for 20 min. Internal temp came up to 130 and they were delicious.

I don't cook that way too often tough as it will surely nuke your charcoal supply in a hurry.

I have a 200-1000 degree Tel-Tru thermometer on my large and can bury it without much effort. A full load of lump, wide open vents and you'll be making lava in no time.

Mike

I have the large, relatively new user and while there is a learning curve to them, I have still made some of the best grilled stuff I have personally ever made and I had been using a Weber gas grill for years.

Easy to hit 800-1000 degrees.

Ribeye from the BGE

How low will it hold temp?

Will it stay 200-225 for a long (3-4+hr) period. Do you have to baby sit it?

It takes some finessing, but I can hold 200-225 for 6 hours, a big part of this is making sure the ceramic has heated throughout, and understanding your airflow and charcoal to maintain a slow/steady burn rate.

I've run mine for 9 hrs doing a pork butt. I want to get a GURU or similar product though for longer burns.

What temp are you cooking those primals at?

Once they've become accustomed to what you want them do (I know that sounds crazy) they'll maintain the desired temps until the lump runs out. I've run a large using about a 3rd or more bag of lump for up to 20 hours and then some. The yield is obviously less using the XL.

Takes about 2 beers to get mine to 700 degrees for searing. I use a mapp torch to start the fire.

Packer briskets weighing up to 15 pounds are no problem on the large.

Game on Mark HugAJackass!!!!

Thanks for all the temp and size information guys.


Travis

In my best Homer Simpson......mmmmmmm Ribeye!!

Mike

I use the MAPP torch to light as well. Can usually be to 700 degrees in about 20 min for a steak cook

So does anyone have any experience with the BGE BBQ Guru? I'm been looking at the large BGE at the local dealer the last couple of days, and I saw the stuff for the Guru. Is it a good addition or just a waste of money?

Someone was supposed to send me one

I am going to order one for long cooks.

Lots of good info on here from folks who have more experience than me. We got one last May or so, and Dear Wife and I agree it is some of the best money we ever spent. We have enjoyed ribs, pork shoulders, rib roasts, chickens, brisket, hamburgers, pizzas, cobblers, steaks, and a bunch of other things. Yes, they are a bit spendy, but if you really enjoy food, like to cook, have a bit of time to enjoy doing so, and have a bit of financial flexibility, they are well worth the expense. Unless you have a very large family, or regularly cook for big crowds, the large is a good size. I use Royal Oak lump charcoal that I get at Walmart for a fraction of the price of the Big Green Egg labeled stuff. Can't tell any difference. Here's a pic of mine when it was new in the cedar table I built for it.

Was very skeptical of them b/c there was no way they could cook as good as my smoker. Got laid off and went to work at a grill store. At the store they cooked lunch almost everyday with a BGE. Now, unless I am cooking 30 or more pounds of rib/brisket I use my BGE and I would use a BGE all of the time if they made one big enough. I prefer charcoal/wood over gas but in the past when time was of the essence I would grill steaks and burgers on my gas grill. When it came time to replace my gas grill I bought another BGE. From the time you light until it is ready to cook on is ten minutes on a BGE, longer on a XL though. One thing, the BGE lump charcoal is pricier than other brands but does not last any longer. The generic lump charcoal is just as good.

I looked at both the BGE and Primo - either one is a fine choice. I ended up with the Primo because I think the oval shape is a little easier to cook on and because it's made in the US. Other than that,I would have been just as happy with a BGE though.

As far as charcoal goes - Walmart doesn't carry the Royal Oak lump here for some reason and the Cowboy brand that Lowes/Home Depot have throws a ton of sparks. I found that I can buy Royal Oak from my local Do It Best Hardware stores. I go online, order it shipped to the nearest store and go pick it up. Shipping is free when done that way.

Here's the web site for the charcoal. http://www.doitbest.com/Charcoal+an...odel-195-228-017-doitbest-sku-809233.dib

Very nice! I wish I had the time, tools and skills to build one like that!

Guys another brand of lump charcoal out there that does really well for me is Cherokee Charcoal. it is distributed out of St. Louis and i don't know how far out the supply goes but google it and if it's in your area you may want to give it a try. good stuff!

I have two of the Guru Digi-Q Dx's and a battery operated Party Q and love them. They are a great addition if you plan on doing long or over night cooks. The last time I did butts they went 16 hours on a single load of lump in my large and the Guru kept a steady 250* dome throughout.

After the cook I still had enough lump left to remove the Guru, open the vents and grill some brats while the butts were resting in a cooler. I would look into buying one direct from BBQ Guru as I'm guessing the BGE brand is going to cost a little more $$.

Mike

Mike,

Where did you order your Guru Digi-Q Dx's and how is it configured?

jryoung, if you come back to this thread and see this, I would love to hear details on how you prepped this deer leg, cooking temp, time, etc.

Many thanks!

I've never heard of one. Have never even see one. Learn something new every day.

Tim you need to get out more

Have the XL BGE. Love it.

Eh, I'd go hunting with you just to eat your cooking !

George we need to talk Rob P into coming out here and cooking for a hunt....

Keith,

I ordered them direct from BBQ Guru. I just went with the standard length pit and temp probes but I did upgrade to the 10 cfm fans on the advice of byc and duxndogs. They are a great tool and I can't tell you how much better I sleep on long over night cooks.

I bought myself a PartyQ for Christmas to use on tailgates and camping trips. It runs on four AA's and guys on the BGE forum are reporting 24+ hours on a set of batteries.

Mike

Cooked a beer butt chicken tonight on the BGE....soaked the bird overnight in a ziploc bag with a bottle of Ken's Asian Sesame salad dressing. Cooked the bird indirect over plain lump at 325F dome temp for 1 hr 15 min. Dang good!

Thanks Mike that is what I needed to know! Any adapter needed for the BGE?

Always open to suggestions

After reading his posts in the cooking forum I am about ready to buy him a bus ticket!

Sorry Keith,

Yes you do need an adapter for the Large BGE. That's weird though as I don't see it on the drop down list. You might have to give them a call and ask whats up. Really nice people to deal with. On a sad note, Shotgun Fred the owner and inventor of BBQ Guru passed away last week.

Mike

Probably truth to that.

I've been to Home Depot, Walmart, local stores but I've never seen the Green Egg. I haven't been to Lowe's yet so many they carry them.

So is the Green Egg a gas grill or charcoal?

He's kidding, Right?

Alright I am planning on cooking baby back ribs on my Vision Grill. What temps do ya'll like to maintain on your eggs.

225