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First BGE ignition and maiden voyage...high expectations met!

tenorman
tenorman Posts: 23
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
I finally supplemented my Weber Genesis gas grill with a Large BGE on July 28 and roasted a chicken on July 29.  I wanted to do something at lower temperatures in the Egg, below 350F as the instructional video suggested to help the gaskets get set up right.  I also took extra time to make sure the bands were evenly placed on the dome and the bottom cooker before I did the chicken.  Now I've experienced what eggheads have been talking about...the juiciest chicken I've ever done on a grill and I didn't jump through hoops in the cooking process.  Some of my observations about firing up the Egg for the first time:

  • I shelled out the big bucks for the BGE charcoal, figured I'd give it a try.  A bit pricey but it sure is nice charcoal...I've only used supermarket briquettes in the past.  Next time I need to get charcoal, I'll probably get something like Cowboy since it's less expensive.  I was amazed how quickly the charcoal started with just the BGE starter chips.  I had my doubts before I tried it, but it lit fast!  in about 8 minutes, it was lit.
  • Subsequently, I closed the lid and the temperature shot of to about 400F in about 15 seconds...so I erred on the side of caution and slid the draft door to about 3/4" and the dual top to a small crescent which seemed to tame the flame beast down to around 325F in about 10 minutes.
  • Next, I put the plate setter in, a drip pan (with broth, some water and other ingredients) on the plate setter.  Then I put the grill grate on, and the chicken on the grate in a Weber ribs holder.
  • Opened up the dual top just slightly, and was amazed how quickly it shot up to 350F - 375F.  Wow, it really responds to small changes in the dual top!
  • Checked on the chicken after 45 minutes to see if I need to replenish the drip pan, VERY happy to see that I didn't have to add a thing!  In fact, it lasted the entire 3-hour time I roasted the chicken.  When I did ribs the previous weekend on my Weber using similar indirect method, I had to refill the drip pan a couple of times...even using indirect heat.
  • The three hours on the chicken was about half an hour to an hour too long;  I'll adjust next time.  But to my family's and my delight, it was MOIST!  Even the breast meat was moist.  My wife really liked the taste.  I can't talk her into smoked turkey at Thanksgiving because she tells me a smoked turkey "just tastes like ham".  So coming from her, this was a big step and maybe I can talk her into letting me do the turkey on the Egg this year.  
My BGE has just become my favored grill, wow.

-KC


Comments

  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Congrats. Try spatchcock chicken on a raised direct setup. Cook to breast 160 and thigh180. Best chicken you will ever have and takes an hour 10 minutes including prep time. Welcome aboard.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566
    Congrats. Try spatchcock chicken on a raised direct setup. Cook to breast 160 and thigh180. Best chicken you will ever have and takes an hour 10 minutes including prep time. Welcome aboard.
    Good advice. Learn to cook to temperature not time.
  • tenorman
    tenorman Posts: 23
    Congrats. Try spatchcock chicken on a raised direct setup. Cook to breast 160 and thigh180. Best chicken you will ever have and takes an hour 10 minutes including prep time. Welcome aboard.
    Good advice. Learn to cook to temperature not time.
    Will do, looks great...thanks.  
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    I'll +1 on the cook to temp and not to time. I can out cook most folks on the worst grills I can find by simply cooking to temp. It, in my opinion, is the most important aspect of cooking with fire. 

    Try Royal Oak in a red bag. It can normally be found at wally world for about $6.50 for an 8.8lb bag. It is the EXACT SAME LUMP THAT YOU GOT IN YOUR BGE BAG. I say again, THE EXACT SAME PRODUCT. 

    Congrats on a successful cook. Its an awesome feeling to get it right. 

    You get a pass this time but next time we expect pics. A wise man once told me, "pics or it didn't happen". 
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • bsgator
    bsgator Posts: 30
    +1 welcome to the cult. Agree with previous posters- the big adjustment for great food on the egg is temp not time and not fiddling with it while u cook. Get a remote thermometer, put your desired food on the grill and relax! That's the beauty of the Egg
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    @tenorman you will find that you really don't need any liquid in the drip pan in the BGE. You are ready for a low and slow pork butt or ribs next weekend.  

    Welcome aboard.
  • tenorman
    tenorman Posts: 23
    @tenorman you will find that you really don't need any liquid in the drip pan in the BGE. You are ready for a low and slow pork butt or ribs next weekend.  

    Welcome aboard.
    I was really surprised that I didn't have to refill the drip pan so I'll try without liquid next time.  The ribs were fine when I did them in the Weber Genesis the weekend before, but I really had to keep an eye on the drip pan to make sure there was enough liquid that the pan didn't scorch and produce an acrid smoke.  There wasn't even a hint of scorching in the drip pan I used in the BGE.
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    Welcome to the our world, now yours. Picture are required
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • brianwdmn
    brianwdmn Posts: 371
    Welcome and congrats on the egg. A wise egghead once told me to wrap the platesetter so you don't get drippings that later turn to acrid smoke. Also, as you learned, no need for liquid in the drip pan. Another drip pan tip, a spacer between the platesetter and the pan. Can be a ring of crumpled aluminum foil, or 3-4 stacks of pennies, or the feet (if you got them) so your drippings don't burn. Enjoy the journey.
    Marietta, East Cobb, GA
  • tactical_66
    tactical_66 Posts: 207
    No pictures? Then it did not happen. Welcome aboard. I try to use my egg every day now. I am addicted to the egg and we have not had one bad meal. This forum is awesome and the support from other Eggers is second to none.
  • Welcome and glad it was a great cook. We all learn as we go.
  • tenorman
    tenorman Posts: 23
    REVISITED

    Second cook on the LBGE on Saturday, August 4.  Did the chicken at 250F for an hour and a half this time...made use of the extra space with some kielbasa.  Since my veracity was previously challenged because of no picture, here is the proof!  :-)


  • REVISITED

    Second cook on the LBGE on Saturday, August 4.  Did the chicken at 250F for an hour and a half this time...made use of the extra space with some kielbasa.  Since my veracity was previously challenged because of no picture, here is the proof!  :-)


    Look at that white dome! Holy cow, I forgot they were that color
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • tenorman
    tenorman Posts: 23
    REVISITED

    Second cook on the LBGE on Saturday, August 4.  Did the chicken at 250F for an hour and a half this time...made use of the extra space with some kielbasa.  Since my veracity was previously challenged because of no picture, here is the proof!  :-)


    Look at that white dome! Holy cow, I forgot they were that color
    Yeah, I'm behaving myself for the first few cookings to break in the gasket like the recommendation in the BGE video.  But if you look carefully, I HAVE gotten some drippings on the plate setter.  Next cook, I'll generate some smoke, that'll darken up the dome a little!

  • Welcome, and good job learning to post pics. You could have forgotten about the pan, just put the chicken right on a raised grid
  • Good job on the chicken.  Nothing like getting off to a good start and giving the family some good food the first time out.  I did my first spatchcock turkey last Thanksgiving. I can honestly say it was very good and juicy as could be.  I will not fry another turkey or cook one in the oven after having spatchcock turkey. 

    You will figure out quickly that there are many lumps out there just as good as BGE but cheaper, Wicked Good, Royal Oak, Cowboy to name a few. 

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm

    As far as BGE starter cubes.  If you want to use cubes, Ace Hardware, if you have that store in your area, carries Rutland Fire Starter.  $14.00 for 144 starter cubes.  No smell, no after taste, and no BGE inflated price.  Or as a lot do, couple of tablespoons of oil on a paper towel and light it.

    But you are correct, the BGE does produce some amazing food.  Enjoy yourself, read, ask questions and have fun with your new egg.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • calracefan
    calracefan Posts: 606
    You may also check with Ace Hardware for lump, if you have one locally, they often have it in stock or you can ask them to order it. Also order on line and have it delivered to store for free, but I'd give the local store the opportunity to order it for you so they get the sale,instead of corporate office. They may even start keeping it in stock for you !
    Ova B.
    Fulton MO
  • Wylecyot
    Wylecyot Posts: 203
    Noob here as well.  Been lurking since I fired up my egg for the first time a few weeks ago, but thought I'd chime in here...

    I started with the Cowboy lump, as it's readily available here in the Los Angeles area.  I just couldn't shell out the $$$ for the BGE lump.  I tried the Royal Oak brand (in the Red bag) since it is the same as the BGE brand.  What a difference!  As posted above, it only costs around $6.50 per bag and I found it at Wal-Mart. 

    Who knew there would be such a difference in lump charcoal!  Thanks to the Naked Whiz site and the others here who educated me!
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Kamado Joe Jr, 36" Blackstone Griddle Blackstone Tailgater and Roccbox owner/operator from Los Angeles
  • tenorman
    tenorman Posts: 23
    Thanks again everyone, appreciate the encouragement and feedback!