Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Large or Medium ?

Options
EggSimon
EggSimon Posts: 422
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello to all,

I´m currently thinkin´of adding a new member to my green family :)

I love searing steak, tri tips, picanha...
The medium has the Large size bottom vent, but has a smaller diameter. So, I suppose the air draft in the medium egg must be the best in the entire Eggfamily.
Anybody agrees ?
So, that´s the best assumption to buit a searing lava fire.

How is the air draft in the medium compared with the large ?

One of the importenest points for the decision is the air draft, and I suppose the medium is here the winner.
On the other hand is the large with the adjus rig... much more versatile, when it comes to a "not searing" cook...

If the large has the same air draft like the medium I will go in the large direction, if the medium is here much better than the large, it will go to the large...

Any idea or help ?

Thanks a lot

Simon
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • milesofsmiles
    milesofsmiles Posts: 1,377
    Options
    I have both, lg. & med. also lots of Egging toys. There are more Eggin toys avaliable for the Lg. If you have the funds go large. Then visit ceramicgrillstore.com and shop for a spider rig, maybe an adjustable rig. As for my med. I bought a woo ll. Mostly meat is cooked on the Lg. and I use the Med. for bread. Hey just get them both. :):):)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bulldog Mom
    Bulldog Mom Posts: 242
    Options
    i also have a large and a medium. I find i use both equally. But I just ordered the adjustable rig (christmas combo ) from the ceramic grill store, so we shall see :P
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,194
    Options
    I have all the eggs but the XL. My medium is by far my hottest and fastest egg. I believe it is because of the larger draft door, and a snug firebox fit. On my other three eggs, I made expanded metal fire grates to get higher airflow, and they still don't hit lava temps as fast. Others might have different experiences, this is just mine.

    My recommendation is to get the large or XL first, then work on the others. Speed to temp is secondary to the capacity that you need.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Spin
    Spin Posts: 1,375
    Options
    Having the family grow is always a good thing. I have owned both eggs for over 12 years and cannot yet say one is better than the other. Both can easily reach and hold 800-1000 degrees. The large takes a bit longer to heat up and uses a bit more coal in a cook, but can cook for quite a bit longer on a load of lump and has about 40% more cooking area (including height). The large has it all over a medium for overnight cooks.

    My choice for a searing machine is the mini. The meat is closest to the fire for the best and fastest sear. Also, once searing is completed, you can close the dome and bottom vent and finish the cook using the remaining heat of the mini. Closing the egg up limits the moisture loss from the meat. A well done, beautifully seared, dripping moist steak is a very nice thing.

    Spin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,194
    Options
    Spin wrote:
    A well done, beautifully seared, dripping moist steak is a very nice thing.

    Spin

    Well done ?!?
    B)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PattyO
    PattyO Posts: 883
    Options
    Medium plus Mini. More versatile having two. Light them both up and do direct and indirect, or two different temps, or low and slow plus hot grilling or with wok or Dutch oven. Many forum members have at least two eggs. It won't be long before you'll look for a second. These guys don't like to live alone.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,740
    Options
    was some problems with firebox fit on the medium, i assume they fixed it, the airflow was bypassing the lump and running up the side of the egg. my large tops out around 1200, i kinda think with lump to get hotter than that in either egg a fan would be needed. for searing you just need to get the grate down close to the lump anyways, its not always about dome temps, red lump is HOT
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,740
    Options
    for air flow there are atleast four things to consider if cooking direct, lower vent size, top vent size, ash build up, restriction at the lump grate. i made my lump grate bigger with more holes to breath, others lift the lump grate a quarter inch creating more airflow around the circumference of the grate. i would pick the large over the medium
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    Options
    I have a medium now for 5yrs and like it alot. If I were to buy another it would be a lge just for the fact of the larger diameter I don't do that many larger cooks but for example a packer brisket is difficult to do on the medium
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EggSimon
    EggSimon Posts: 422
    Options
    fishlessman wrote:i made my lump grate bigger with more holes to breath[/quote]

    Did ya drill more holes in the grate, or did ya drill up the existing holes ?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    Options
    First egg I would go with a large. The large will get as hot as the medium and probably just as fast. I have always thought there are too many variables to consider when timing how long it takes to get both eggs to, say 500. I have them both and my medium probably gets used more than my large these days, but I can still get my large just as hot as my medium in probably the same time. Just my thoughts.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
    Options
    the one question no one has answered for you is the vent is the same size on the large and medium. BTW I have 4 eggs and prefer the combo of my large and small and have kept my medium free of grease from the beginning and use it strictly for baking.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,740
    Options
    i made a new grte, bigger and more holes
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bjvanm
    Bjvanm Posts: 25
    Options
    I have a medium and love it. However, I wish I had a large just for the extra capacity.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Spin
    Spin Posts: 1,375
    Options
    The misses does not like any pink in her steak. I don't understand it, but it is the way it is for her.

    Spin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories