My birthday present - delivery this Saturday

Dan in Stamford

Taking into consideration the 26 posts to my original question (Large or Extra Large Egg) my wife got me the Large Egg with a long table, plate setter, Pizza stone, cover, and lump - this all will be delivered on Saturday.

I have two questions, both based on comments written in previous topics here.

1. I need a thermometer, should I get a thermaprobe? Their site is helpful, would you suggest getting the basic probe or the plug in probe set. The plug in set allows you to attach different probes to the probe base depending on what you want to measure - one probe for internal air temp near the cooking surface - a diff probe for the meat etc. Is there a better probe system out there?

2. I read a lot about burning up gaskets. Someone suggested breaking the gasket in at low temps before the first cook. Lighting up the Egg and bringing it to 750 on the first cook (to sear steaks) is a bad thing? Is this kind of like breaking in a new BMW or Porsche? Not supposed to bring the car above 3,000 RPM's for the first thousand miles. I drive an 11 year old explorer so I hope the car analogy is correct...

Firetruck

So far I've found that the more information about what your food is doing and it's environment, the better the end product.

The Egg has a dome thermometer to keep up with the dome temp. This as I understand will be slightly less than the grate temp.

I bought a meat thermometer from Wal-mart for $13 which has a remote probe and an alarm to let you know when your meat is at temp. It has been one of the best purchases I've made.

JoJo

[Deleted User]

1- Thermapen-I use on every cook! Maverick remote thermometer I use only on overnights and brisket.

2- Keep it at 500 or below for the first week or so. If and when you choose to go up to 750, stay with the Egg, cook on it and then turn it down. Don't leave the Egg unattended when you're going that hot. That's how I fried my first gasket on day 4 or 5. I had it up to 750 several times before that, but it was when I just let it go and walked away from it that I melted that sucker.

BENTE

for number one you might be thinking thermopen Here is the link to where i got mine you can also ping mollyshark she posts on this board regularly.

as to number two i never broke in my first gasket and it lasted a long time but here lately the majority of people say to break it in by keeping the egg under 450 for the first 8-10 cooks. BGE has a new gasket availible from BGE in atlanta that is made of nomex which is what they make racing firesuits out of.. i have one on my egg and have not burned it up yet and i have tried!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


congrats on the new egg... you will love it i hope you have room for another you will proabably do the same as most of us and get another... there are some on here that have 4 or more... my wife wants to get another good woman

Dan in Stamford

Sorry Flashback, I meant thermapen, not thermaprobe. I will check out the maverick remote website as well

Spaceman Spiff

It is NOT necessary to keep the temps down at the beginning.

I do recommend you grill with the top closed and not exposed to flames.

Spacey

Grandpas Grub

I am not convinced it is a 'break in' issue, rather, that a proper seal of the gasket material. I feel the problem depends on the individual egg and how it was set up.

I lost my gasket on my first cook from high temp - my fault I thought it would be fun to do a high temp sear and got some serious flashback. Gasked burned as well as adhesive gave way.

The second time my gasked failed was after 35 or so low temp cooks all under 400°. I had the dome at 575° seasoning a very large dutch oven. One edge of the cast iron was about 1" away from the gasket level. I think the heat in the DO were so hot and way too close to the edge of the egg that it put too much stress on the gasket, the adjesive gave way.

I have now cooked so much on the large that the gasked is worn to almost nothing. I have the new Nomex gasket and will install that when it gets a bit warmer.

GG

Grandpas Grub

Here is a link to get a Maverick ET-73

http://www.thegadgetsource.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=tgs&Product_Code=011502013733


Thermopen as stated above check with Molly Shark here on the forum and also a couple of other options.

Thermopen direct - ask for a referbished (about 50% discount)
http://www.thermoworks.com/

Here for free shipping and what looks like a good price.
http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/131.htm

GG

Fossil Frank

The dome temperature will be higher than the temperature at the grid. But the longer the cook goes the closer the two temps will come to reading the same.
Frank

usc1321

Man what a great birthday present :woohoo:
Good luck with the new egg.