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Cleaning out the Egg

zen_cooker
zen_cooker Posts: 4
edited September 2012 in EggHead Forum
I find that the Egg is the best appliance for cooking and the WORST for cleaning.  I have tried various methods throughout the years and haven't found one better than using a combination of the L-shaped Egg tool and my hands.  It's a messy and time-consuming process.  Does anybody have a method for cleaning their Egg that is better than that: quick and easy?

Comments

  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
    Do mine the same way but even pulling the fire ring and box it only takes about ten minutes 
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    You're supposed to clean it?  I vacuum out the ashes about every 20 pounds of lump and use a leaf blower to clean the outside....
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • bigphil said:
    Do mine the same way but even pulling the fire ring and box it only takes about ten minutes 
    What he said.  Pulled the fire ring and box out today and pushed out the ash out with my gook gloves.  15 minutes tops, maybe less.  I've heard of a guy that has a tube for his shop vac to reach around the back so no need to pull the ring and box but I hate cleaning my shop vac of ashes worse so I'll pass on that one.  Just remember, cleaning is simple and total sobriety is not required.  That makes it easier.
    My actuary says I'm dead.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I use a shop vac for the ash.  Leaf blower to clean the filter.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • My brother has had his Egg for 6 years and only takes out the firebox and ring once a year. He never had any problems or major buildup. I think people over think this. The thing cleans itself and one in a while I will scrap out the ashes into a metal bucket. Takes 2 minutes.
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Other than taking out the ash in the bottom, why would you clean it?  I've had an egg for 15 years and I've never done anything but clean out the ashes and about twice a year take out the firebox to get the areas in behind the holes.
  • I think it depends on the size of your egg.  I have a large I use the ash tool to clean every 2-3 cooks.  I'll pull the fire ring & box every 2-3 low & slows. 

    I clean the small very frequently.  There's a big distance between the fire box & the outside of the Egg so lots of ash gets in there.  I take the small tailgating and cooking away from home so the last thing I need is air flow problems.  I dump the hot coals & ash to facilitate cooling so we can get moving and of course that cleans it out too.

     

     

    Flint, Michigan
  • I have an XL.  Only thing I clean out is the ash. I remove the charcoal grate and use a mini shovel and scoop out the majority of the ash -- maybe twice a year.  It might take me one minute.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Cowdogs
    Cowdogs Posts: 491
    edited September 2012
    I have an XL.  Only thing I clean out is the ash. I remove the charcoal grate and use a mini shovel and scoop out the majority of the ash -- maybe twice a year.  It might take me one minute.
    x2. I would say the XL has an ash pit 6x larger than a large.   

    As for the large ... I think people get too worried about cleaning all the ash out.  You only need to get enough ash out to enable good airflow.  Even if the ash pit is 1/2 full ... airflow is not impeded.  2-3 swipes with the ash tool into a bucket and you're good to go.
  • Wow. Face in palm of hand just laughing.
  • DonWW
    DonWW Posts: 424
    If I could create the Beavis and Butthead laugh, it would go right here....
    XL and Medium.  Dallas, Texas.
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    An empty bleach container works great at flexing to the shape of the egg and removing the ash when the internals are removed. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Reminds me of cleaning out the (blechk) cat litter.....great idea on the scoop
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • double
    double Posts: 1,214
    I shop vac it then chuck it in the yard.
    Lynnwood WA
  • I have an XL and a large, soon a medium. Only way I do it is every couple cooks or so, I get the shop vac and suck it all out. No need to do much more if you take care of it and keep it covered and vented.



    "Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity, and are able to turn both to their advantage."

  • Rzeancak
    Rzeancak Posts: 193
    L-shaped Egg tool daily and on Sunday night i remove the firebox use the L-shape tool along with a bannister brush to sweep the inside.  Half a  glass of Scotch and a 1/2 a Cigar is all the time it takes.
    A child can ask questions a wise man can't answer!!!
    Canada
    Large @ Small BGE 

  • I take out the guts and use an old paint brush and the BGE ash bin. I can clean it down to the ceramic and put it back together in well under 5 minutes. Super easy


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • I've read somwhere about using a drywall bag on the shop vac to save the filter.  Haven't tried it yet, but I've got the bags on my Lowe's shopping list.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • I've read somwhere about using a drywall bag on the shop vac to save the filter.  Haven't tried it yet, but I've got the bags on my Lowe's shopping list.
    Mine has a dust filter option that I use when cleaning, however I have actually all in all removed the filter and been fine. No ashed shooting out of the exhaust at all.



    "Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity, and are able to turn both to their advantage."

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    When we vac dust at work we run no filter with some water in the vac...dump and rinse.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • I use a shop vac for the ash.  Leaf blower to clean the filter.
    +1 The leaf blower also works to get everything out from behind the fire bowl and ring but I've been thinking about getting one of these:
    http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-203023753/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=ash+vac&storeId=10051#.UGsyA67Z2So
    XL BGE, Medium BGE, 36" Blackstone, UDS, Red Weber Kettle & LSG Large IVS
    Keller, TX
  • Shop Vac with a dry wall bag. Works great, replace the bag about every 7 or 8 cleanings. No mess, no dirty filter, just drop the bag in the trash and put a new one in the vac.
  • I use a shop vac for the ash.  Leaf blower to clean the filter.
    +1 The leaf blower also works to get everything out from behind the fire bowl and ring but I've been thinking about getting one of these:
    http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-203023753/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=ash+vac&storeId=10051#.UGsyA67Z2So

    Smokin Good, I have that ash vacuum and it works great, you won't be sorry. $80 + - at Menards
  • bodski
    bodski Posts: 463
    On a side note, wood ash is good in asparagus beds, unless you already have alkiline soil. I'm guessing that the egg ash (eggscrement ) would be great since it's pure lump and wood. Does anybody have any thoughts or experience here?

    Cincinnati

    LBGE, Weber Kettle

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Asparagus growers used to use salt to weed the beds.  It handles extremely saline soil.  The downside is you can't grow anything else in that soil.  It would take a lot of "eggscrement" to make it too salty for other plants, the alkalinity issue - guess it depends on what you plant, but ash is loaded with minerals.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • bodski
    bodski Posts: 463
    Thanks, nolaegghead. I was thinking more about fortifying the soil than weeding, although i'll have to look into the salt. The weeds are a pain.

    Cincinnati

    LBGE, Weber Kettle

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    You can always adjust the pH - make it more acidic with peat moss, phosphoric acid, sawdust, etc.   I think dumping the ash as fertilizer in soil is a good idea - it's been done for centuries.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    I've learned that I get best results if I completely clean out the mini every time I use it. Of course, because it's so small, it just takes a few minutes. I do a full clean on my large once every 20-lb bag, usually before a brisket or butt cook. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • I made a small scoop with a 5 inch radius on the front edge.  It fits right down into the ash pit and I can clean right to the edges.  Then I fire up the shop vac and finish the job.  I also made an ash chute for easy dumping into my trash bucket.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!