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Purchased a used egg!...

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TRPIV
TRPIV Posts: 278
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello Gang,

After a few years of wanting one, I finally broke down and purchased an Egg. I had been watching Craigslist for a while and a used Large BGE happened to pop up. Owner wanted $750.00, I picked it up for 600.00 with the pizza stone and plate setter. With how quickly he said 'yes' to 600.00, I almost feel like I should have said 500.00!

Anyway, the in good shape. It needed a new seal, so I replaced that with one of the Nomex units.

All said and told, $640.00 (including the seal). I think this is a fair price.

I've been pretty busy the last two weekends with other projects and haven't had time to use it. Any suggestions for a first meal?

I'm fortunate to have a near full suite wood shop in the garage, so I will be building a table next month.

I've been looking for a used Stoker or DigiQ. The only think I'm finding are used Q's on eBay. The guys at Rocks are just down the road. I may make a trip over there in the next week or so and just breakdown and buy a new Stoker.

Thanks for letting me share the new purchase,
Ted P.
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Comments

  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,029
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    Congrats and welcome! I would start with something easy until you get a little more familiar with the egg temps. Chicken, burgers, pork shoulder, etc. Have fun!
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    My first adventure was a small, pork butt (about 4#). Didn't have to deal with an extended temperature-control scenario, and the result was the best BBQ (pulled pork) I'd ever made! I highly recommend it!!
    Happy cookin' 8 - ),,
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  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
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    I have seen many suggest spatchcocked chicken. The hardest part being the prep to spatchcock the bird. Videos are available online to help with that. But chicken parts work well also and getting a uniform doneness might be easier for a beginner. Burgers as 'ordinary' as they seem are anything but on the egg. I was amazed also with plain old pork chops. I have fallen in love with what the egg does for pork. Rubs and smoke can not be beat for flavor. You world is about to be rocked.

    Welcome to the family of eggers.
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    The 4# pork shoulder/butt sounds right in my wheelhouse.

    So with the shoulder, Assuming the basics:
    - I've got my rub and all that going.


    Do I use the plate setter? if so - inverted with a drip pan? no plate setter? no pan?

    Do I fill the firebox up to the rim of the ring and try to hold temps at 225/250?

    What temp should I consider the pork 'done'? Some sites say 150, I think my thermometer says something else?

    Any advice you have, I'm all ears.

    Thanks!
    Ted
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  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
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    I'll jump in. Platesetter legs up. Drip pan under shoulder, no liquid necessary but suit yourself. Grid temp of 225° equates to 250° Dome temp. Meat temp between 195° and 205° should be good. A clean bone is a good indicator of done if your butt came with one. If not store the info for later. Cook to temp not time. Lump near or at the top of the fire box. For a 4# butt it shouldn't take all that long. Little hunks of meat can be trickier that large ones but you'll do fine. Start a thread when you start the cook and there should be plenty of help available to guide you step by step.

    That you get you thinkin' and down the road a ways
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Q-

    Thanks! I'll head to the butcher today and see if I can get something in the 4 to 5# range.

    I'll definitely cook to meat temp, and not time. However, when you said "It shouldn't take that long..." can you give an approximate time? (so I know when to put the meat on...)

    We typically eat dinner at 5 (my wife and I have two young kids...), so I'm guessing if I start at 10 or 11am, I should be fine.

    Thanks again guys.

    Much appreciated,
    Ted
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  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
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    Welcome to the family! Nice find on the used Egg. 1.5 to 2 hrs a pound, and then the great bbq pork you've ever made!
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    With a 4-5# butt, 9:00 would be a good start time.. Enjoy!!
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Hey Wok & Rascal - thanks for the rule of thumb. Much appreciated.

    I will be using 100% oak lump charcoal. My wife isn't crazy about the heavy smoke flavor, so I will not be adding any wood chips. I'll start a thread tomorrow morning once I get everything going. Should be a great day and an even better dinner. :)

    The back story on the used egg:
    I had been scanning Craigslist for a while. I was kind of lucky to have seen it. There were no used listings in my area, but the Craigslist auto feature of "other items near by..." showed this one for sale in Monterey, CA.

    I drove an hour or so to look at it. The seller is a USAF Helicopter Pilot who was about to ship out for a service tour in Indonesia. He didn't want to risk shipping the egg, so it had to go. That's where I came in. :woohoo:

    Some folks think that 600.00 for a two year old Large Egg is a bit high, but I used the Big Green Egg Green Book as my guide. If you tack on a few bucks because the seller serves our Country, I think it's a fair price. ;)

    Thanks again gang. Glad to have found this place.

    Ted
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  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
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    See-- I told you that you would get help. I stepped away and you still got your answer. That is kinda how it happens around here.
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  • Gullzway
    Gullzway Posts: 35
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    Congrats, I picked my Large up used off craigslist a few weeks ago. Paid $500, it's only the second egg I've seen listed in Ok in the last 2 years.

    My Brother in law wants one after eating what I've cooked on mine, he will probably buy a new one, no used ones around. He went to a dealer yesterday, over $1000 for the setup I have.

    That's a small pork shoulder, I've got a 9 lb. one on right now, it's at 185 degrees, been on since 11 last night. I'll pull it at 195. My last 8 lb. one took around 16 hours, and Man it was good!

    I followed the Naked whiz North Carolina Style Pulled Pork — Elder Ward recipe pretty much to a T. Including hand stacking the Lump. The Royal Oak brand from walmart has been the best Lump I've used so far. The Ozark Brand went out on me in the middle of the night during my Brisket cook.
    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/elder.htm

    Happy Egging!
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  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
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    Heck I woke up one April morning to find my 2 butts sitting on my Egg, the fan from my DigiQ fan had frozen shut so my fire was choked off.I did an inventory of the situation and got on the forum to ask if it was going to be OK. Got an answer at 6:30 in the morning.
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  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
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    I think you got a good price too and were able to help out a person who probably deserves it. Plus, eggs don't show up on craig's list all that often so who knows when another would have come around.
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Just got back from the store. Butcher was closed. (!?!)

    The meat cutter at Safeway only had a 4 or 7lb butt. I went with the 7.

    225-250 for 1.5 - 2 hrs per lb.

    10.5 - 14 hours. Yikes. Start the egg at 4am or 5am?
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  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
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    How imperative is it that it be done at a certain hour? If not important, then start around then. Otherwise, put it on late tonight and then hold it over when it's done. I've had the big ones take all night and all day. Sometimes the plateau phase can go on f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    It's not super critical that it finish at 5. I could start it tonight. I don't have a Stoker yet, so it would be a huge leap of faith to let it go all night. :blink:

    Could be fun. :)

    I'll have to think about it. We are off to a friends place for dinner tonight. I already have the meat washed, dried, and all seasoned up. If I decide to put it on tonight, I can just start it when we get home.

    Or

    I could set up the egg tonight, and just get up early and fire it up, put the meat on and go back to bed...

    Decisions. Decisions.

    I should have went with the smaller butt!

    Thanks again,
    Ted
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  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
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    Put it on at 10 or 11 tonight. Once its done you can double wrap it in foil and hold it in a warmed cooler for up to 3 hours. Should give you the flexibility to make dinner time. Good luck!
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  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
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    Yeah, start it when you get home tonight. I don't have a stoker either. I just set my alarm clock for periodic intervals and go out and check it every so often.

    Have fun!
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Okay. Here we go.

    Egg is filled up and fired up. Let's see if we can get it up to temp and we'll put this lump of porky goodness on the grate.
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Man,I hate to hear you had trouble with the Ozark.It is ALL I use.I just dump and light,never had a problem.I don't use gadgets either.
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Now THAT is a GREAT ATTITUDE! ;)
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    8.75 hours later...

    Egg is still going strong. Lost some temp around 5:30. Meat dropped from 167 down to 165. I went out and stoked it back up to 250.
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Status:
    - The egg has stabilized back up at 250.
    - The meat is back up to 170 and rising.

    Thanks again for all of the advice. I'm really glad I listened to those who told me to start my cook last night at 11pm. The neighbors might think I'm crazier than usual, but they'll get over it. :)

    I haven't opened the lid yet, but I did peer down the daisy wheel with a flashlight. Looks really good.

    New question:
    When cooking pork butts, I've read "remove the fat cap". I didn't read this until after my cook had started. I imagine this is an age old debate, with two opposed views. I'm going to ask it anyway: With Pork, remove the fat cap or not?

    Thanks again!
    Ted
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  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
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    I leave the fat cap on. I also attempt to ccok the butt at 235 (dome temp). And I prefer boneless, altho I've done with bone a number of times. I don't like the way the meat looks grey around the bone, though, so that's why I prefer boneless.

    You'll find a million different ways to do a butt, and most will result in a delicious meal!

    Bet you don't wait til 5 to eat tonight. ;)
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    I imagine there are 1000's of different approaches. So far I'm extremely happy with the way this has been going.

    About 11.5 hours in and the meet is sitting at 184.

    Temps were a little hot in the beginning as I tried to find the exact vent positions which would yield 250 (dome temp).

    At this rate, it'll be done in 30 mins or so.

    12 hours start to finish for 7lbs. Not too bad. I'll pull it off and wrap it up and put it in a cooler for a few hours.

    Not too much longer and my inaugural cook will be behind me!
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    Ahhh yes. I think we have success.

    Just about to open the lid, for the first time in 12.5 hours:
    IMG_6288.jpg

    Ohh la la! (I won't use a 50% mixture apple juice and water in the drip pan again...)
    IMG_6289.jpg

    About ready to wrap 'er up...
    IMG_6290.jpg

    IMG_6291.jpg


    12.5 hours @ 250

    It's now resting in two layers of foil, wrapped in two beach towels and sitting in a cooler.

    Can't wait for dinner.

    Thanks again!
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  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
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    I need to build a table for my Egg. Poor thing looks so sad sitting on the patio like that. :lol:
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