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Is egging making you a better cook?

I have always thought I was a decent backyard griller but since owning an egg, and knowing what it can do, I have felt confident and obligated to go out of my cooking comfort zone to experiment and try new cooks. And myself and my family are noticing all these great meals that I have been cooking. I am not sure how many professional cooks are on the forum, so I am wondering does anyone else feel that the egg has changed their cooking knowledge?

Comments

  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
    It is making me a better cook.  For one thing, I'm having fun cooking again so I'm cooking a lot more. I've also been learning a lot on this and other forums, like AmazingRibs.com, etc.  The end result is I'm becoming a better cook.  And eating better too!
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    Nope, just another skill set. 

    Maybe the question should be does it make you a more motivated cook, or perhaps does it help folks who were never interested to aspire to better cooking.  Positive results always motivates.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,081
    Short answer no-but the BGE does make what I cook taste so much better and it has expanded my horizons as mentioned above.  That's my story and I'm stickin to it!
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • I would say hell yes, only because after getting the egg, I wanted to try cooking different things,  bread,  pizza,  slow cooking,  man so much more.  It's been a fun journey,  and I hope to get to do much more,  and with the help of all the people hear,  there are so many more ideas to try and cook,  so I hope to be getting better.  Thank you that is all.
  • tech284
    tech284 Posts: 34
    I am cooking food I never would have tried without the egg
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    I've taken it to a new level since getting the Egg.  The forum is a big part of it as well.  Prior to the Egg and the forum, I never even thought about taking a picture of something I cooked.  
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • egger ave
    egger ave Posts: 721
    It's the ability to set and maintain steady temps on BGE that help us be better cooks IMHO. Recipes work better and it's there is more time to cook when you are not fighting the grill. This forum, the eggfest, friends, recipes and grilling ideas posted have encouraged me to try some new ideas that resulted in some great meals at our house.
    1 Large BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Minimax BGE, Original wife and 3 dogs living in the heart of BBQ country in Round Rock Texas. 

    "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

    Albert Einstein
  • ddegger
    ddegger Posts: 244
    Agree with all of the above - the egg and this forum have made me both a better and more motivated cook. There's just something about cooking outside over the flames that makes this more fun and interesting. And all the good advice I've gotten here has given me great success with all my first cooks - that definitely helps keep me motivated.
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,013
    Absolutely! I've always been an outdoorsman and lover of fine wine and dining. The Egg has been the bestestest purchase I've ever made. Period. I feel almost like its a part of my life. haha. Can't stop thinking about it and I often dream about it. :\">
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    I am an EX Weber cooker weekend warrior, and had a pretty good reputation for producing some very good BBQ! And even some EXCELLENT rated cooks every once in a while! Now that I am cooking more, and have the ability to cook at constant temperatures, and by the use of the information found on the forum, these cooks are much better. For this reason, I would say , yes!
  • SmokinDAWG82
    SmokinDAWG82 Posts: 1,705
    I used to grill burgers or chicken but now I'm cooking all kinds of things. Seeing stuff on this forum pushes me and even challenges me to think about plating and presentation. So yeah I think I'm a better cook
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    I have been cooking (and eating) since I was a teenager... And the family knows I could always turn out some good eats; but nothing like I have been doing in the past year with the egg. I never made lasagna before making it on the egg, octopus, corn on the cob, and a few other things like brisket were never in the rotation before having the egg...

    I agree that the ideas and info on the forum is a big influence as well. Without the forum, I really don't think egging would be half as fun as it is... And I agree with @Tjcoley... Other than food being in the pictures of family and friends, I've never taken food images to show off the food before LOL... Now it seems that's all I'm taking pictures of :))
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    NOTHING could make me a better cook !  (interpret that either way you want).   :))
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    edited April 2013
    Yes, in the sense that the Egg is a great enabler. I can easily cook a wide variety of things, and get pleasurable results. Along the way, I've learned a lot, so I am much more proficient than pre-Egg.

    But when I see the creativity of a lot of the forums' cooks, and their finesse (plating, what is plating?), I'd have to say I'm not a better cook. I'm a gooderr cook.
  • Heck Yeah!!  I've always loved to cook (and eat), The egg and this forum have just added some eggcelent tools to my arsenal.  Lots of thanks to all you on the forum because y'all have motivated me to cook things out of my comfort zone and I'm loving every minute of it.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    I say yes I was always an excellent griller as was my Dad but the Egg has me looking for new things to cook and new ways to do things, I never would have tried a brisket among other things on the weber gasser.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,624
    i think once you get the egg and start cooking different foods your approach to cooking changes and improves, you start thinking and preparing for the cook better
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,777
    @gdenby has a point. The egg and this forum have made some of you better chefs. I've become a gooder cook.

    VI apparently just uses his egg to boil water and make toast.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • Fouker187
    Fouker187 Posts: 48
    My wife thinks so.  I think the flavor of the lump changes a lot of cooks I do.  Chicken and fish just seem so much better to me.
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I definitely think it has made me a better cook.  If nothing else, it got me excited about cooking, learning new techniques, and learning a little about the art and science behind cooking.  Just a simple example, but "pre-egg" days I couldn't rattle off the cooking temps of all the meats.  Pre-egg days I didn't watch youtube videos on how to chop an onion!   

    I certainly don't think you have to have an egg to be a good cook, but for me it was definitely a jumping off point.  I find I'm a better cook even inside.  Pre-egg days, it would have taken me twice as long to cut up that onion for the salad and I would have served you a dry-arse pork chop cooked to 170 degrees IT because the recipe said 350 for 40 minutes! 

    I think the forum is definitely a big part of it.  I purchased my egg to cook butts and ribs.  After joining the forum and seeing all the cool things people were cooking it made me want to try new things.   


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Definitely.  The egg is so versatile and fun that I have moved beyond cooking just meat.  I have made Bread, Pizza and even Mayonaise (without the egg), things I would never have considered prior to the egg. But I think the biggest influence on me is this forum.  There are a lot of great cooks with imagination here, great information.  Inspiring.

    Im becoming a gooder cook, with more hits than misses these day. 

      
    Simi Valley, California
    LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot
  • MikeP624
    MikeP624 Posts: 292
    I would say it has not made me a better cook, but opens up many more types of cooking.  Now i can smoke, grill, high temp sear, cold smoke,and bake pizza.  Before i was limited to a stove and oven.
  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    It has made me a better cook, and it has made me want to learn how to cook things I would have never cooked before. 

    It is making me fatter. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
    This is a great question, one I never thought about.

    I agree with someone earlier who said that a combination of the BGE and this forum has made me a better cook. I have a couple of BBQ cookbooks and even though some of the things I have done are in there, I only really tried them as other people took the step first and I saw the results of their cooks.

    The BGE has taken me places bbqing/grilling where I never would have gone on a gasser. For example: smoked cheese, bacon, ham, ribs, etc.

    Again, great question.
  • Absolutely and to get outside more for health benefits.