New EggHead please help!!!

b0younce · March 2

I have been looking to buy a new grille for the past few months ( buried in snow in Michigan so no grilling for a couple more weeks ) and I think, I mean I know I have decided on a xl green egg. I have been on this forum for the past 60 days every night reading post, looking at photos and counting the days down until I buy my green egg. But one thing I am still confused on is what accessories to buy? Do I need all of them, what are the most important ones I need and what are the names / brands I buy? If you guys could help I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking to spend 500-700 on accessories and maybe another 500 on a table to sit my egg in? Again looking for help or suggestions on that. I WILL be a regular on this forum with many photos but need somewhere to start. Thanks. P.S. also would like rub / seasonings recommendations. Can't wait to read your replies

BENTE · March 2

i think the most important is a platesetter! that should be the first thing. everything after that is just a "needed toy". but the first toy is a thermapen which is made by thermoworks. you can buy them direct or you can buy them through a retailer. i bought mine through king aurther (they were having a sale). but those are my opinion, and there will be a couple people who disagree. but if i had it to do over again those would be my first two egg purchases. the platesetter should be sold by your local egg dealer. it is made by BGE and made out of the same material as your egg and makes it so yyour egg is a smoker. until you can have indirect heat you only have a grill!

ps for the rubs go here http://www.dizzypigbbq.com/ i use some diffrent ones also but i own all of the dizzy pig products

TN_Egger · March 2

Before buying a platesetter, consider an adjustable rig that includes a ceramic stone for indirect cooking.

Charlie tuna · March 2

I have the large egg, but the MAIN items i would buy for "MY"basic cooking is the plate setter, cast iron grill, i'm assuming it comes with one regular grill. and you should be able to build a grill for direct cooking at gasket level. I have a three tiered adjustible grill that i use quite a bit to get my chicken crisp(high in the dome), but there are other options to do the same thing thru other manufacturers. If you have been reading this forum for sixty days, you know there are many ways to get the same results, keep that in mind when buying accessories!!

Agree with others that the theropen is a necessary tool to be able to cook to temperature and KNOW what is happening on the inside of your meats.

b0younce · March 2

Thanks that is exactly what I am looking for. I love to cook pizza on the grille so I am also going to buy the pizza stone. I say I only want to spend 500 on accessories I guarantee I walk out of the store with at least 1000 worth of accessories. Pizza stone , cast iron grate, thermapen, platesetter and some other items. I will have to check out dizzy pig BBQ. Can I ask why them? Have you tried other companies or is dizzy pig associated with BGE? Just curious

Skiddymarker · March 2

Dizzy Pig makes great products and they are always at Eggfests. There are lots of other rubs and rub brands, you just use what you like. Part of the fun is trying different rubs and sauces, including making your own.

The adjustable rig is expensive vs a platesetter, but it gives you almost infinite set-ups, good investment. I have a setter, came with my egg for next to nothing.

Welcome, and good luck - buy a Thermapen now, before your egg you can use it for all cooking, not just egging. I also like the Maverick 732 because I am too lazy to go out and see how the egg is doing.

lousubcap · March 2

As said above -the "must have" is something to allow you to do the indirect cooks. You can buy the platesetter or after-market gear or just get a second grate and a couple of fire bricks and use an aluminum pan for the initial heat deflector. But the ability to go "indirect" is a must. Beyond that I would look at how to go "raised direct". As you are likely aware that means getting the cooking grid at or above the gasket level over the fire. Again there are several options from after-market to a couple of bricks and another grate. Thermopen is great for the "hot and fast" cooks-for low&slow you need a thermo to monitor the cook external to the BGE. Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.

jlsm · March 2

+1 on the Maverick 732 and Thermapen. Also a cast iron grate. With the original grate and the cast iron plus a few bricks I haven't really needed an adjustable rig; the plate setter has done fine. Add a pizza stone and you are still below $500.

six_egg · March 2

There are different rubs out there. In fact some are better according to who you ask. Rubs are judged by personal taste. I myself us Dizzy Pig. It is not cheap however. I look up the rubs on the web and buy the cheapest DP I can find. I also buy in bulk. Find what you and your family like. My wife does not like DP but does eat food with it on it. My kids do like it.

Solson005 · March 2

Welcome it seems you are already egg-cited and thats great it will only get worse as your start to cook :D This forum is the best place to learn all about the interesting and amazing food you can create on a egg.

Ok this can get really expensive in a hurry so I will talk about some essentials and then some other options. First you need a way of doing indirect cooks the platesetter that is made by Big green egg is one option thats what I use on my large and lots of guys use a stone and a device from the Ceramic Grill Store as @TN_Egger mentioned. I use a Woo for my small egg to do indirect cooking. You will also see raised direct talked about often and the Woo helps raise the grate away from the fire to do things like Spatchcock chicken with out worrying about burning it.You can also use bolts or bricks to do a cheap version of a raised grid, I use fire brick cut in half on my large.

Since you going the the XL extra room isn't a big issue like with some of the smaller eggs. I have a large and a small egg, For multi-level cooks I use a Ceramic Grill Works Two-tier Swing Rack it is made from carbon steel so sears like cast iron and moves quickly out of the way to get to the lower level, it also works with the platesetter.

The BGE pizza stone is a must have and one of my favorite things to cook on the egg. The XL stone is huge and i've seen people make four little pizzas on it at the same time.

Now you need a way to start your fire, I use a looftlighter and a propane torch when I travel there are many other ways but I just use those two.

A good instant read thermometer is essential since everything is cooked to temp not time. Just about everyone uses a thermapen here and I have two of them. I also you it to make tea and check oil temp when frying.

Dizzy pig as mentioned has unique spices that most eggers have they have a dealer locator page that I have used in Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma just since November. They are also Eggheads and are active on this forum.

billyray · March 2

b0younce said:

Thanks that is exactly what I am looking for. I love to cook pizza on the grille so I am also going to buy the pizza stone. I say I only want to spend 500 on accessories I guarantee I walk out of the store with at least 1000 worth of accessories. Pizza stone , cast iron grate, thermapen, platesetter and some other items. I will have to check out dizzy pig BBQ. Can I ask why them? Have you tried other companies or is dizzy pig associated with BGE? Just curious

If you are going to be doing a lot of pizzas, an infra red thermometer is really nice for taking the temp. of the stone before putting the pizza on. You want the stone to be at least 500 degrees.

Dave in Florida · March 2

Many good things listed. A must have is a Thermapen and a remote thermometer also.

micheggin · March 2

welcome! you'll love this cult. i've got the large and my brother has the xl. really recommend the large unless you're cooking for a big family or planning on frequent large cooks. less fuel and quicker heat up with the lbge. i'd like to add a medium or small for the occasional need for more (or less) cooking space and for the ability to take an egg along on vacation or even across town to a cookout.

tools/toys: plate setter, starter/torch(http://www.lowes.com/pd_97993-13877-331532_0__?productId=3734573&Ntt=bernzomatic+torch&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=bernzomatic+torch&facetInfo=), pizza stone, wok or a frying pan without handles, a pair of channel locks for handling the hot pans, shop vac for cleaning ashes out between cooks, i don't have a table yet but will hopefully design/build one this summer.

living in west michigan and eggin' about 3 times a week year round...

b0younce · March 2

Awesome!!! The forum is so friendly and so helpful. I should clarify I " would like " to keep the accessories under 500 but if I have to spend 2000 on accessories to have all off the essential tools to make the best food in the world I will. Like I tell my wife, the is an investment not a spur of the moment purchase. This egg will last me the next 50 years my goal right now is to make the best possible food on it and will spend whatever it takes. Thanks, my shopping list is getting big. Thanks for the dizzy pig locator there's a dealer 5 min from my house.

RLeeper · March 2

Adjustable rig combo, Thermapen, welder's gloves, cast iron grill grate, I love my Looftlighter but there are many ways to light, pizza stone, extra lump......oh and more lump, I have a Maverick ET732 and digiq. Just a list of my most used items.

Solson005 · March 2

Sure, happy to help. Since you can get dizzy pig so close, I would suggest getting the sampler pack. I did and have replaced most of the kinds with full size bottles along the way. It's a great way to try all the flavors without the cost of buying them all up front.

bvanma28 · March 2

Start learning to make ur own rubs and sauces. I have an xl and the only thing I use on the regular is my plate setter and cast iron grill.

Aviator · March 3

Will throw my 0.02$ in as well. Everything that needs to be mentioned has already been said above.

However, you would want to wait until you actually get the egg and start on it before you go shopping for accessories.

Little Steven · March 3

As Aviator says, get the egg, maybe make up a raised grid with some carriage bolts and ge some split firebricks to give yourself raised grid and indirect capability. Get to know the egg a bit before you decide what's right for you. Main thing is to stay on the forum and ask questions.

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