My First Egg, When can I 'Turn up the Heat?'

timmpete · May 2012

My Beloved got me a L-BGE for my birthday. How long do I have to cook at lower heat in order to seat the gasket?

Also, what would be the first eggcessory that you would recommend? I was thinking the place setter, but I'd love to hear your opinions.

Thanks!

Rich_ie · May 2012

Congrats I use my setter all the time.

Village Idiot · May 2012

You are going to fry your gasket on your first pizza, anyway. Crank it up.

First accessories: Spider and wok.

damnedhooligan · May 2012

I did about 4 cooks at 350 degrees before I did my first high heat cook at 700 degrees. The inner edge of the gasket is crispy/little bit burnt all around but it's holding up just fine for now after 9 cooks.

Mickey · May 2012

Just cook on it. You will fry the gasket anyway so enjoy it from day one.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

All off the above.

jjmills · May 2012

Is your beloved looking for another better half. I would love to get a t-shirt much less and egg

Sgt93 · May 2012

After much research and care (burns 280 or less) I am going to use it and stop worrying! BGE will fix the bad gasket. Congrats on your Large BGE!

tazcrash · May 2012

For indirect you will want either the plate setter or like said above a spider and stone combo to do indirect cooks.
Personally I wish I foind this forum and had gotten the latter.
As far as other accessories IMHO...you should have a good instant read thermometer like the Thermopen.

cortguitarman · May 2012

After much research and care (burns 280 or less) I am going to use it and stop worrying! BGE will fix the bad gasket. Congrats on your Large BGE!

That's the spirit!

MrCookingNurse · May 2012

I did about ten cooks under 400, I've done about 4 pizzas now and gasket is fine. Do my pizza at about 550-600

gdenby · May 2012

Here's my take on it. Even once the adhesive is well set (which seems to take 3 -4 cooks under 400) the felt gaskets are never quite air-tight. But, with repeated cooks, enough soot and grease is absorbed at the edge that there is a very good seal. People who have gone without a gasket report having a good seal from the build-up. While that layer of soot/grease/felt will burn away, it will be slow if the dome is otherwise well seated. Both mine are at 18 months, and only about half eaten away.

The standard pizza set-up (plate-setter legs down, pizza stone on spacers, dome at 600 - 800) seem to really stress the gasket by pushing hot gasses right at it. Higher temp sears for steaks, or lower temp baking sessions with the same 'setter arrangement haven't caused me problems.

I found a wire raised grill to be the most often used accessory (home-made, grill extender, woo ring etc.)
After that, a thermopen, which I would recommend to anyone doing a lot of cooking.

Kristinnn · May 2012

soo.. if this oem gasket is so crappy why dont they just install the good one to begin with? I want to make pizza this weekend but i dont wanna fry my gasket

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

You don't need to wait to make pizza. Your gasket will fry anyway. The 3-4 cook rule is a myth (one the I have propagated in the past).

As for why they don't put the better gasket on as stock equip........this forum would lose half its members if they did :))

gdenby · May 2012

The 3-4 cook rule is a myth (one the I have propagated in the past).

Unfortunately :( for me, the myth was a reality 3 times. One of which was a pizza, the other 2, taking the temp over 600. Also had another "catastrophic" failure in the first week. Otherwise, they have just eroded away, except for once when the dome seating messed up, and left an 1/8th inch gap at the back.

zosobao5150 · May 2012

Just an fyi...BGE recommends the first several cooks be done below 350 degrees. Its about a quarter of the way down on this page.
http://www.biggreenegg.com/getting-started/first-timer-tips/

fishlessman · May 2012

Just an fyi...BGE recommends the first several cooks be done below 350 degrees. Its about a quarter of the way down on this page.
http://www.biggreenegg.com/getting-started/first-timer-tips/

looks like ive been breaking alot of rules,only use bge lump, dome closed only, break in gasket, soak wood chips for more intense flavor..... the gasket is hit or miss in my opinion, those other points well...

BYS1981 · May 2012

Just an fyi...BGE recommends the first several cooks be done below 350 degrees. Its about a quarter of the way down on this page.
http://www.biggreenegg.com/getting-started/first-timer-tips/

That is what they recommend, but general consensus on this forum is that doesn't matter. Most of us expect the gasket to burn up, no matter what.

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My First Egg, When can I 'Turn up the Heat?'

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