Cooking without a Fire Ring?

BigGreenCraigdotcom

I have heard of people removing their Egg's fire ring to lower the plate setter down right on top of the fire box in order to gain more cooking height. Has anyone ever tried this? The dome on the XL Egg has a large diameter, but the dome is pretty shallow. I have a large cook coming up and could use the extra room. 

Canugghead

There was a recent discussion on cooking without fire ring, try searching for it.

In your case though, given that the XL's firebox is quite shallow to begin with, without the fire ring you can't load too much charcoal and your large cook could run out of lump early/frequently; also, if you're cooking direct and load too much lump without the fire ring, your food will be very close to the lumps.

Little Steven

There is also a concern about the different co-efficients of expansion between the metal grid and the ceramic. If the grid fits loosely on the firebox you are ok, if it's tight you might break the egg. Never saw it but that has been mentioned.

Eggcelsior

There is also something like this:

I have one from when I had my medium. In my large, it sits right down in the coals.

Canugghead

Eggcelsior said:

There is also something like this:

I have one from when I had my medium. In my large, it sits right down in the coals.

problem is XL's dome is too shallow 

GATABITES

Isnt the newer dome height higher than the older dome? 

GATABITES

what do you have palnned to cook? 

bud812

You can but a one half height fire ring from BGE. I have one for my LBGE.

BigGreenCraigdotcom

bud812 said:

You can but a one half height fire ring from BGE. I have one for my LBGE.

I think they only make those for the Large.

BigGreenCraigdotcom

GATABITES said:

what do you have palnned to cook? 

I booked my first catering gig. For 120 people!!! I was thinking that I could fit about 8 butts on it if I got rid of that fire ring. I may be forced to do a test run!!

DMW

You can do it on an XL with the firering installed. This was 6 aprox 10 pounders, 3 below, 3 above. Additional vertical space wasn't needed. If you go slightly smaller on the butts I think you could fit 8.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1163451/60-pounds-of-butts/p1

BigGreenCraigdotcom

Little Steven said:

There is also a concern about the different co-efficients of expansion between the metal grid and the ceramic. If the grid fits loosely on the firebox you are ok, if it's tight you might break the egg. Never saw it but that has been mentioned.

My grid is really loose. I don't think that would be an issue. 

BigGreenCraigdotcom

Canugghead said:

There was a recent discussion on cooking without fire ring, try searching for it.

In your case though, given that the XL's firebox is quite shallow to begin with, without the fire ring you can't load too much charcoal and your large cook could run out of lump early/frequently; also, if you're cooking direct and load too much lump without the fire ring, your food will be very close to the lumps.

I only fill my lump up to the top of the fire bowl anyways. I was planning on putting the plate setter directly on top of the firw bowl, legs up with the grill grid on top of the legs. 

TexanOfTheNorth

Little Steven said:

There is also a concern about the different co-efficients of expansion between the metal grid and the ceramic. If the grid fits loosely on the firebox you are ok, if it's tight you might break the egg. Never saw it but that has been mentioned.

co-e whats?  :-/

DMW

Are you planning 3 cooking levels? With 2 levels you have enough vertical space.

BigGreenCraigdotcom

DMW said:

Are you planning 3 cooking levels? With 2 levels you have enough vertical space.

Probably just 2. My XL is the older version, so my height is tight. 

henapple

TexanOfTheNorth said:

Little Steven said:

There is also a concern about the different co-efficients of expansion between the metal grid and the ceramic. If the grid fits loosely on the firebox you are ok, if it's tight you might break the egg. Never saw it but that has been mentioned.

co-e whats?  :-/

He's trying to sound smart...but I'm day drinking so I understood. It's not too early for a beer if you started working last night at 8 and just finished.

BigGreenCraigdotcom

JENNYJ1953 clicked the "off topic" button on this thread. I think this is the perfect topic for the forum? No?

bud812

BigGreenCraigdotcom said:

JENNYJ1953 clicked the "off topic" button on this thread. I think this is the perfect topic for the forum? No?

I've never seen that name on here before.

Canugghead

TexanOfTheNorth said:

Little Steven said:

There is also a concern about the different co-efficients of expansion between the metal grid and the ceramic. If the grid fits loosely on the firebox you are ok, if it's tight you might break the egg. Never saw it but that has been mentioned.

co-e whats?  :-/

SmokeyPitt

Just to clarify- they changed the design of the XL a few years ago.  The original XL had a "squatty" dome shape.  Looking at the pics on your site it looks like you probably have the original design with the shallow dome.   So...it might be a little more challenging to go 2 levels.   I think removing the fire ring might work, but I haven't tried it.  I would definitely heed the warnings to make sure the metal grid isn't fitting in too tight. 

Are you using a plate setter?  Something else that has changed is the fire rings now how notches in them where the legs of the plate setter drop in, so this lowers the grid a bit below the felt line.  My large doesn't have these, but I have thought about getting an angle grinder or something and cutting them in.  Just some food for thought. 

The "off topic" flag is likely just a mistake.  If you are on an mobile device with a touch screen, it is really easy to accidentally click one of those flags when you are just scrolling the page.   

BigGreenCraigdotcom

SmokeyPitt said:

Just to clarify- they changed the design of the XL a few years ago.  The original XL had a "squatty" dome shape.  Looking at the pics on your site it looks like you probably have the original design with the shallow dome.   So...it might be a little more challenging to go 2 levels.   I think removing the fire ring might work, but I haven't tried it.  I would definitely heed the warnings to make sure the metal grid isn't fitting in too tight. 

Are you using a plate setter?  Something else that has changed is the fire rings now how notches in them where the legs of the plate setter drop in, so this lowers the grid a bit below the felt line.  My large doesn't have these, but I have thought about getting an angle grinder or something and cutting them in.  Just some food for thought. 

The "off topic" flag is likely just a mistake.  If you are on an mobile device with a touch screen, it is really easy to accidentally click one of those flags when you are just scrolling the page.   

What I am considering is placing the plate setter directly on top of the fire bowl. Plate setter legs up with the grate on top of the legs.