Extra Large Egg

Unknown · May 2005

I was just about to buy the large BGE when I learned of the Extra Large. I can't find out much about it but I know there are many experts out there. Does anyone own one? Are they even available? Do you find the large to be adequate for most of your needs? Special occasions are just that but do you often wish you had a little more room?[p]Any comments would be much appreciated.

Wise One · May 2005

Waylon Needham, yes they are out there and they are now available. The grill is a true 24" in diameter and holds a LOT of anything. As I occasionally do cooking for my church where I am cooking for 100-200 people, I find that the ability to load the grill up with 80 pounds of butt makes it easier than the 50 I could get on the large. Basically the XL is larger and give you some capabilities in cooking that you can't get even with a large. For competition cooking, I think the XL is ideal. However, for cooking around the house I have found the large to be quite capable of cooking enough for any group I was willing to have in my house at one time. I have cooked New Year's dinner for an entire college basketball team for three years now with no problems. I guess the answer is much as the answer bewteen the large and the medium. If money is no object, go with the XL you will not regret it. I cook now primarily with my mini and XL. If it's too large for the mini, it's not too small for the XL.

Sigmore · May 2005

Wise One, How do you arrange #50 of butts on a large? Not doubting, wanting to try. The biggest butts I've found were around #91/2. I can see stacking 4. Do you just play pile on the butt? That'll probably get a Stump Story.

Wise One · May 2005

sigmore, The butts I get are all 9-11 pounds. I take five of them. Thre on the bottom and two stacked on top. No grill extender, just stacked. Have done it this way three different times with good results each time. However, be sure your thermometer is not clipped on the inside. The first time I did this I was using four eggs and one egg would not get above 120 degrees. Then I figured out I had stuck the thermometer into one of the butts. Opened it up, pulled the clip off and then put the dome down and reinserted the thermometer GENTLY until it touched something. In minutes it was reading 300 and then I had to get the temp back down to cook. After that all was ok and they all turned out fine. Also, don't be too skittish about some black soot on the side of your butt. The dome may touch in a spot or two.

Sigmore · May 2005

Wise One, That's about what I was thinking on how you could do it. Never clip my thermo cause I have two and I like to compare the two when I'm doing a low and slow. Plus it keeps the goo buildup down if you swappum every now an again.

Unknown · May 2005

Waylon Needham,
Personally, I would rather keep my large instead of XL. Unless you are cooking for a lot of people most of the time, I don't see the need. Just my opinion. [p]Jerry

katman · May 2005

Waylon Needham,
I had my first look at the XL on Wednesday. I have a large, small, and an old kamado/egg. the old egg grill is about 22 1/2 inches, so it is right between the Large and XL. However, the XL is big enough to swallow the old kamado. For your first egg, I'd suggest the large. I think the XL will need more lump and take longer to stabilize, which isn't a big deal if you plan to routinely cook huge amounts. However, my large has no problem handling a 22 lb turkey. Last weekend I had two 7 lb butts and a brisket flat going on the large and a chicken on the small. Large and small is a great, flexible combo.

Mark Backer · May 2005

katman,[p]great call, katman. And the mini and chiminea are nice additions also. Love the small for it's flexibility and I too have done two butts and a brisket together, and all werer great. 21 pound turkey's my biggest, but others have done larger.[p]Start with a large, then buy a small in the fall and he'll be good to go...

Extra Large Egg

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