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Woo3 ring vs. Grill Extender

Greenman72
Greenman72 Posts: 20
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So a few weeks ago, I bought a grill extender. I wanted to be able to cook on multiple levels (brisket and ribs, for example).

I could have bought the 3-level thing, but I decided against that, as it has a pole right in the middle of it. That seems to render it unusable for big cuts of meat.

So I got the Grill Extender instead. However, it doesn't work too well, as it sags when there is a lot of weight on it.

I recently found out about the Spider and the Adjustable Rig. Now, I'll admit to being pretty ignorant (only had my egg for 3 months), it seems like $150 is a lot to pay for the adjustable rig. It seems like it doesn't do a whole lot that a platesetter and a GOOD grill extender-type thing would do. It also seems that having the heat-deflector stone set so low in the firebox would prevent you from using a lot of charcoal. (I guess I also don't want to pay another $150 on top of the $75 that I already paid for the platesetter, if it will make my platesetter obsolete.)

Ergo, I wonder--what's the best way to get the raised level of a Grill Extender, so I can cook on multiple levels? I want to be able to cook a brisket (or two), babyback ribs, and potatoes/corn all at the same time.

Comments

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    The adjustable rig and stone are a great deal and one of my most used toys. I also have the woo 3 but the rig is my go to for direct and indirect cooking. I have a lot of things from The Ceramic Grill store and don't regret buying any of them, all very well built and should outlast me.
  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    what Pat says! :)
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    The adj rig is worth the money.
    If you need a real long cook you can use a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the adj rig and fill with lump to almost the top of the fire ring.
    All the stuff from the ceramic grill store is very well made. Stainless is very cool.
    Give Tom a call at ceramic grill store.
    Another great plus of the rig is the ability to lift the whole unit out of the Egg at any time to make adjustments.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Greenman, Welcome to the forum. I have the spider and baking stone and a big green egg (BGE) cast iron (CI) food grid. I can flip the spider legs up with the CI grid and sear steaks at 400F dome temp because the meat is down low you get 900F plus degrees sear. Or you can put the baking stone on legs up or down with the Adjustable Rig (AR) and bake on multiple levels.

    Now you can also take the spider and buy a Wok from the Ceramic Grill Store (CGS) and Wok some meals...

    Tonight I stabilized the egg at 400F dome and I baked a couple potato's on a broken Pampered Chef baking stone on the top level of the AR. After the potato's got done I pulled the AR with welder gloves and set it on a couple fire bricks on my table. The spider and CI grid was already in there so I slapped the steaks on the grid and seared them perfect. They were thin steaks so after the sear I pulled them for the rest. Needless to say we ate good tonight.

    You can also get a rig extender to go on top of the AR and put the oval grid on it and grill chicken at 400F dome. This is my favorite setup. ;)

    I have used the spider and AR rig extender and smoked 6 slabs of Baby Back ribs at one time...

    I can't say enough about the AR and the CGS.
  • So it seems that nobody really uses the idea that I had (before I heard of the Spider/AR/Woo3), which is to put brisket on bottom, put the Grill Extender on top, then use the V-rack to cook ribs? That is originally what I had in mind.

    Do you lay your ribs flat or use a V-rack? (Or something similar?)
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    I have two large eggs. I have the plate setter and grill extender and rib rack as well the stuff from the CGS. I have endless ways to egg food but, I prefer laying my ribs flat. I don't smoke as many briskets as I would like. :)
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    You use what you have or can make and it will work fine but as for purchase Toms stuff is hard to beat.

    plenty of room for more here

    100_1834.jpg

    rack works fine
    101_2099.jpg
    101_2328.jpg

    but I prefer to go flat

    100_2599.jpg
  • I can't imagine cooking w/o my Adjustable rig. Got the spider combo for both of my eggs and it was +100% worth it. Got the grid extender too:

    20101106_Rib_Night-5.jpg
  • MusicMan78
    MusicMan78 Posts: 182
    For about 20 bucks you can wrap some bricks in foil and use a grill pan :laugh:

    DSC00430.jpg

    Think I used the smaller fire ring to lower bottom grid height though.

    DSC00432.jpg
  • davehemp
    davehemp Posts: 109
    I looked at the 3-tier grid last weekend and thought the same as you - the middle rod kind of messes things up. I wanted to look at the grill extender but they couldn't find it... :blink: I'm glad you passed along your description - I won't consider that anymore...
    Sooooo...are most of you who own other pieces(while acknowledging that probably most everything is helpful in some situation, i.e.: Spider to sear down low)in general agreement that the CGS A.R. is the best to buy for raised grid cooking and multiple grid cooking? Not necessarily for indirect cooking - I'll keep that seperate, because I think Greeenman and myself also, feel happy with the Platesetter for that purpose... You can use the A.R. on top of the Platesetter can't you? (instead of putting the baking stone in the A.R.)
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    The best part is Tom will talk with you just by calling The Ceramic Grill Store.
    He will not try to oversell you and you will do this only once (well only once per size of egg :laugh: ).
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.