Medium BGE limitations?

PhilOsh

What's the length of time that I can do a long slow cook on a medium?
Can I do buckboard bacon?
What about smoking fish and meat?
Is there enough capacity for coals in a medium for an overnight cook?

Thanks, Phil

Smokey

Yes, yes, yes, and yes!

The medium is a very versatile egg. It's main limitation is food capacity. How many do you cook for on a regular basis? I use my medium quite often (I have s large, medium and mini egg)!!

PhilOsh

I got the medium for xmas.

I cook for 2-4 people except during parties when theres more.

Did a pork roast yesterday that was just wonderful.

Phil

Gator Bait

Hi Phil

Smokey has it right, the medium BGE will do it all, just in slightly smaller quantities. I am single and have a medium and love it. I have done low and slows at 230* for 20 hours and still had plenty of lump left over. 10 bratwurst, no problem. A monster London broil, easy and I don't buy lump by the truck load either. It may not do a huge pizza but it will do anything else.

Gator

Gandolf

These guys have it right. I've had a Medium for about 9 years now and still love it. Added a large about 6 years ago and what a great combination. But the Medium will do it all. No problem with 20+ hours at 250. Just load well up into the fire ring. Enjoy!

Smokey

I find the medium is great for most cooks at our house (three of us), but when making wings, I wish I had more capacity!!

Bob V

I have had a medium for many years now, and still have to say I suffer from "large envy". Most of the time it is fine as others have noted. I've gone 20-24 hours on a lo & slow, not a problem.

The problem comes in with the exceptions: most pizza stones don't leave enough air flow around the edges in a medium for it to maintain the high temp you want for a good pizza. If you go with a smaller stone you're making a really tiny pizza. Then there is entertaining - when you want to cook for the masses, the medium just gets too small. Slabs of ribs have to be cut in half, more than 4-5 chicken breasts are a problem, items like wings and kebabs are a lot easier on the large.

BGE central in Atlanta used to have a bring-back guarantee (they may still have it). If you bought a small or medium, you could bring it back in the first 30 days and trade up to a large. They say that something like 85% of the folks who buy small or mediums are back in the shop trading up within 30 days.

Bob V

GrillDaddy

I have not done indirect w/ Medium, but would think to do indirect / plate setter and 9 inch drip pan you are down to a mini surface. Please share your approach to slow & low w/ Medium. - Thanks

Gator Bait

Medium plate setter will take a 12" round drip pan easy. I do plenty of large roast with no problem at all.

Gator

GrillDaddy

Thanks for the info, I will check it out

Bordello

Not sure how you're visualizing it but the med. has a 15 inch grid,so putting the plate setter on the fire ring,feet up,drip pan on the plate setter and the grid on next........you still have a 15 inch grid to cook on.

The plate setter does raise the grid up to about gasket level but I have always had plenty of room. A lot has to do with how you set it up.

Hope that helps,
Bordello

Gator Bait

Hefty makes a disposable 12" serving tray that I get at Publix in a package of 2 for about $2.68.



On the BGE:



Covered in foil one could last for quit a while and simplify clean up.

I also use a Turbo Grate in my medium and have to do something stupid before I have any draft problems. I did manage to up end a bag of lump into the grill the other day that had a large amount of dust and small bits in it that plugged half the vent holes in one side of the fire box. That is the only time I have had a air flow issue.
For anything that does not require frequent turning (I'm to lazy to reset the meat probe) I use a DigiQ II (10 cubic feet/minute blower set to 50%) that gives me great control and will also fit a large BGE. Low and slows are a breeze and with lump loaded to the top of the fire ring will burn for 24 hours or more.


Gator

MilitantSquatter

I agree with the others...

The medium can definitely handle a long cook. The only shortcomings are overall capacity not burn time.

Right now I have two mediums (and an XL coming in May from Waldorf Eggfest !!) and it works just fine for limited qty and width.

Mike in Abita

Click on this link. http://my.erinet.com/~pnsonr/biggreenegg/barbyqporn.htm I'd guess 95% of what you see here was cooked on a MED. Hopefully I'm wrong and the owner of the site will correct me. Damn I miss that fella.

I haven't used my MED for long smokes yet. I save those for the XL. I think you can get an over night on a MED and maybe Brock will see this and chime in. Look for Wicked Good "Weekend Warrior" charcoal, IMO it is the longest burning charcoal available at this time.

Pharmeggist

What happened to him?? I miss his photography too! I would all but lick the screen at some of the shots he was able to capture :P

usc1321

Yes and yes and yes again. The medium is a great cooker that you can cook just about anything you want. Just not quite as much space as the large.