Accessory help...

jcaspary

I could use some help from all of you out there. I have seen comments on the Woo, AR, the Spider and whatever other homemade devise that is out there. I'm really interested in the pros and cons and what works best. I have a Lg Big Green Egg. Other accessories include the plate setter and a lg. cast iron grate. I cook a lot of different proteins different ways, vegetables, and pizza. I keep seeing comments like raised direct and high in the dome and can't do anything about it other than to use fire bricks. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

yzzi

The AR will essentially replace your platesetter. It will allow you to cook multiple levels, especially with the grid extender on top. You can remove the stone to do raised direct, or you can put the stone in for indirect. It's very versatile and you'll love it. To my knowledge the woo is meant to work with a platesetter but won't give you the multiple cooking levels. I have not used this so rely on others comments. Swing grates imo are a bit annoying but they do the job. Some guys use 3 empty beer cans to prop the grid up, others will use nuts and long bolts to prop it. Hope that helps.

blind99

@jcaspary Hope you don't mind me jumping into your thread but I've got a related question: what situations work better with raised direct, instead of regular direct or indirect with the plate setter? Chicken wings and spatchcock chicken seem to come up - but would indirect work too?

grege345

I know I'm in the minority and would never have anything bad to say about AR but I use swing grate from ceramic grill works. I already had platesetter is why I went this direction. It works great for raised direct. Raised indirect. Pizza. If you wanted to put a full packer on it you definitely couldn't. For ribs. Same thing. I use a woo with stock grate and plate setter for those things. Pswoo will be probably do must what ou need. It just won't get you high in the dome. Confused?

GoVols

AR with the Oval stone

Biggreenpharmacist

I bought the woo CI because I already had platesetter and wasn't over concerned about multiple layers or spending 200 bucks. I couldnt be happier. I may break down and get an AR eventually but I have a small egg too and the PS woo cast iron was awesome. I went ahead and got spider too for searing close to coals.

jhl192

I have the AR Ribs and Brisket combo for my large. I also have the grid extender. It provides great great flexibility and significantly more capacity. I think the AR is a home run for the large. With the AR combo you can sell the platesetter. also, there is no need for a Woo since the AR sits on the fire ring.

THEBuckeye

I have a Large too

Pizza Stone

Spider w/ 13" Cast Iron Grate for searing/reverse sear

PSWoo2 - for Raised direct (replaced 3 bricks)

I have not yet graduated to a grid extender, etc. 

Been Egging since May. 

itsmce

Sorry to jump in the middle of this thread...but...

@grege345 - I just received the swing rack for my birthday on the weekend.  I'm curious, why will packers or ribs not work on the rig?  I'm hoping I don't find out that I should have asked for an AR for my BD instead of the swing rack.  Already had the platesetter.

jcaspary

@THEBuckeye‌ @jhl192‌ @Biggreenpharmacist‌ @GoVols‌ @grege345‌ and @yzzi thanks for the input.  It is looking like I am leaning towards the AR for the versatility but still looking for any information that I can get.  Is the grill extender part of the AR?

Biggreenpharmacist

You need to just call and talk to Tom. He'll fix you up.

jcaspary

@biggreenpharmacist Tom???

Biggreenpharmacist

http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/contact-us.html

Just call and talk to them. Tom posts here some. He's "the man". He'll talk you through what will work for you based on what and how you cook.

minniemoh

@greg345 - you have a lot of nice looking cooks there. 

I see that your table has virtually no air gap around the egg. Have you thought about enlarging the hole so you get better air flow around the egg and reduce the risk of a table fire? I have 1/2" and mine makes me nervous - I may enlarge mine to at least an inch as my table gets quite hot on long higher temp cooks. Just would hate to see a thread about another fire.

Biggreenpharmacist

Do you have room to place another paver under your egg? It will lift it a few inches and increase the gap.

CGW1

@itsmce, a packer will fit with no problems. You can also do 2 racks of ribs on the bottom and a rack on top. You can also use a V rack on the bottom and fit 6 racks of ribs and a rack on top. You can do a full packer on the bottom and a butt on top. Rest assured you can fit a lot on the swing rack.

grege345

@itsmce @CGW1‌ yes a packer will fit but a big boy packer will not fit on the top rack. I have done 3 racks of ribs top and bottom as well. I have no regrets on the ceramic grill works swing grate. I use it 75% of the time. Any questions give me a shout. Be glad to help.

grege345

@minniemoh‌ your probably right. I always check it out and monitor temps around the egg. Won't be much longer and it will have a new home. Done right