grill shopping

yarddawg308 · March 2011

i have been shopping for a charcoal grill for 2 years and i really like the green eggs but im afraid of dropping 1000 bucks for a grill that i might not like or have trouble controlling the temp. how easy are the eggs at controlling and setting the desired temp. i cook a lot on charcoal grills but never spent this kind or money on one. any advice would be appreciated.

FlaPoolman · March 2011

So easy a poolman can do it :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

stike · March 2011

I'm an idiot, and came from a 120 dollar gasser, but dont regret the purchase for a minute

Tomorrow, folks will post a bunch of pics, and you'll spend all day at work reading the forum. After that, you'll either sell one to yourself, or there's nothing anyone of us could say to you to sell one to you

fishlessman · March 2011

only those coming from gas grills have difficulty, and they usually figure it out within a half dozen cooks, if your currently using a grill like a kettle or a charcoal smoker you will figure it out really fast, ceramic grills are easier to control than steel grills

stike · March 2011

Just maybe not "well"
:laugh:
(just kiddin', Pat!)

Carolina Q · March 2011

everyone here loves the egg. there is a bit of a learning curve for controlling temps, but it's not bad. Once you get the hang of it, you'll kick yourself for waiting two years (TWO years?! Really?). Plenty of help here too.

Look at it this way... it comes with a lifetime warranty. It will be the last grill you will ever buy (until you buy a second or third - or 7th!!! - egg). That said, I have owned a Weber kettle for 20-30 years and it still works. At least I think it does - haven't used it since I bought my first egg.

'Course, if you get fed up with messing with charcoal......

stevesails · March 2011

the green egg is by far the best thing I have ever bought myself.

the food that you make will be fantastic and you even wonder sometime how can I put one of these in my kitchen.

srq2625 · March 2011

The BGE is like no other grill I have ever used. It's like a cross between a smoker crossed with a grill crossed with a wood fired oven. Hmmm if you get the hint that it's very versicle then I guess I've made my point.

As to temperature control - not hard at all. That's not to say there's not a learning curve, but it's not that steep. There's a post around here that gives a visual clue for a starting point for a number of different target temperatures.

There are at least two things to keep in mind when bringing the BGE up to temp:

1. Take your time with adjustments. There's a lot of thermal mass there and mass has inertia. So, make an adjustment and wait. It will take ten or more minutes for the temperature to stabilize at the new settings.

2. It's a lot easier to raise the temperature to your target than it is to lower to your target. So, take you time and try not to over-shoot your mark.

It's not hard to get the Egg to a desired temperature, but it's not a turn a dial and your there - it does take a bit of experience .... experience I'm in the process of acquiring (I've had my egg only since Sep 2010).

Anyway, you'll often read that getting an Egg will change your whole outdoor-cooking experience and it's true. Getting mine has changed my whole outlook on grilling/smoking.

FlaPoolman · March 2011

Well they did put the daisy a little high but I have the lower vent mastered B)

Eggcellent · March 2011

I must have thought about my egg purchase for 4 years before I finally pulled the trigger. That was about a year ago now and I have no regrets. In fact I just told my wife this morning that the egg was one purchase I don't regret. I can't say that about many other things I've bought a year later.

firefighter14 · March 2011

Love the egg... No comparison

yarddawg308 · March 2011

well, i guess ill give one a shot a soon as i can scratch up about one grand. Im from nc and i want to cook pork shoulders and butts and this looks like the grill for me. How long can an egg hold a temp of around 225 to 250? Thanks for all the advice!

FlaPoolman · March 2011

I've gone over 35 hours on 1 load and that included bumping it to 350 for a few hours

field hand · March 2011

Get the egg, you won't be sorry. I had a "good" gasser for twelve years and finally had a burn through in the fire box. At my age, I wanted to get some thing that would be my last grill and be fun to use. Friends suggested the BGE and after some research, I broke down and bought the XL. Best grill I ever bought. It turns out great food and is fun to learn about and use. Plus being a part of this forum is another big plus. Can't find a question (about grilling) that some one on here can't answer. Go for it!

Barry
Marthasville, MO

Mickey · March 2011

We can save you a few hundred right of the bat by going to an egg fest and getting a one day old demo....

Kuuipo3108 · March 2011

I'm a newbie and love my BGE - just wish I'd gotten it sooner. Sure, price was a big factor and I was worried about the learning curve to control the temperature.

I've had my grill about a month and use it mostly on the weekends. Haven't really had any trouble at all getting it to the temperature I want and maintaining that temp. Took the advice of the experts here and slowly get it to the temp but don't overshoot and try to bring it back down.

So far, I've cooked chicken, ribs, burgers, steaks and have lots of pics of my cooks yet to post. I have cooked on gas and charcoal grills before but nothing compares to the BGE.

I have the medium and am very happy with it - it's perfect for me.

Go for it!

Hoss · March 2011

There is a learning curve.Since you have found this forum,there are numerous eggsperts on here that will walk you through it and it will be painless.

Start out with chicken then work your way up as you get comfortable with the egg.BUY A THERMAPEN!

(digital instant read thermometer)

Hoss · March 2011

30 plus hours @ 250 dome using good quality lump and filling it FULL.

davehemp · March 2011

I have drawn breath upon this earth for a wee bit more than 50 years...I have eaten food exposed to flame for nearly the entire time... I cook better food on this "grill" than any other before - and I think I'm unlikely to even try another kind again - why would I? I highly recommend.
(I wouldn't mind a second egg, though)

(or a third) :laugh:

srq2625 · March 2011

I've had a cook burn at 225°F (at the grid, that's 250°F at the dome thermometer) for 19 hours and, when I shut it down and came back to clean, found there was at least another 5 to 8 hours of charcoal left in the firebox.

As for cooking pork butts for pulled pork - oh yea!

NC Bill · March 2011

We got ours last week. Have cooked everything from wings to ribs to biscuits to bread. Have cooked 2 meals a day on the weekends. I can't believe we waited over a year to buy one. Best $$ you can spend.

So much easier than a charcoal or gasser.

Bill

chilehead19 · March 2011

The only thing you will find after you have your egg is that you will wish you had done it sooner. If you are a grill person you will be using it to make things you never thought of all year long. Best purchase I ever made. Since may 2010.

Jolly Bill Barker · March 2011

If you go to this link and read Grandpas Grub pictorial you will be set for sure. When I first started this was a great guide for me. Your learning curve will be next to nothing.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=746823&catid=1

Egg Juju · March 2011

I have cooked on a lot of different grills and cookers-- hibachis, kettles, drums, barrels, bullets, gassers, and fire pits. Nothing is as easy and versatile as the egg. I debated, like many, for a year or two. I am so happy I bought the BGE! There is nothing else that compares and it is worth every penny. Hands down... The ultimate Cooking Experience.

WokOnMedium · March 2011

I first saw the Egg at the Home Show in 1996. I was a poor college student and there was no way. I went through a few cheap gassers and then 2 years ago I won an award at work. I decided that I was going to do something for myself with that money and purchased my first Egg. I love it, use it 3-4 times a week. Now I have 3, and can't imagine life without them.

The community here is fantastic, they taught me everything I know, and some have become good friends...you won't find that anywhere else.

yarddawg308 · March 2011

thanks everyone for the great advice. im going to look at some tonight, i even got the wife's blessing so i think im gonna go for it. once again thanks again for all the info. and im sure i'll be asking more questions. its nice to have such a large number of people to ask for advice.

PattyO · March 2011

Where are you located? Maybe you can attend a fest or a demo in your area. I saw the BGE featured on the Today show many years ago. Last summer when I was ready to replace my gas grill I went to the medium BGE. In two weeks I added the mini. They are addictive. Just look how busy this forum is, and how many eggs many of us have. The BGE is more than a grill. I bake bread at the fests. I've also done baklava. Anything you can do in your oven or broiler you can do on the BGE, and more, like smoke. I smoke eggs. Yes, smoked hard boiled eggs. Amazing. And I smoke cheese and nuts too. Both out of this world.

Howdy, Stranger!

Forums

grill shopping

Comments