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When and how you discovered the big green egg?

1356

Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I'd spent about 20 years making mediocre ribs. I started reading as much as I could about 'Q. Along the way, I came across a web page about a guy who had stuck a digital thermometer thru the top of something called a kamado ceramic cooker, and used the output to control a fan blowing into a vent. Thought to myself, "Wow, that's crazy."

    Eventually I decided that I needed to get an offset. Some of the best ribs I'd ever had were made on homemade offsets. For many years, there were guys around town that would sell them out of their garages, but by the time I went looking, there were none to be had. I started looking at commercial offsets. Along the way, I kept running across references to the "Egg" thing. I found that the least expensive offsets were as expensive than an Egg. Spent about 18 months saving up cash, and when my ECB finally burnt thru the bottom, I decided that the Egg, reputed to be an all weather cooker, was the thing to get.

    Went to the local dealer. Still was having probs spending what seemed so much $$$. I was offered a medium, w. the nest and a bag of lump for free. That sold, and the rest is history. Shouldn't have waited 18 mo's.
  • nashbama
    nashbama Posts: 102
    I first heard of the BGE years ago when I first started cooking BBQ. I came across a few in stores and really didn't see anything that special about them. I thought they were just an overpriced gimmick.

    Last year, a close friend of mine bought one and swore it was well worth the money. My old smoker was falling apart and I was ready to buy a new one. After talking with him, researching online, checking these forums, and finally going to almost every dealership within driving distance, I bought my Big Green Egg.

    I'm pretty cheap, but buying my BGE has been a great investment. I cook on it at least twice a week. It's the last smoker I'll every buy.
  • _______________________________

    Brookhaven, GA

    2012 Large | Mid 90's Medium

  • NecessaryIndulg
    NecessaryIndulg Posts: 1,298
    edited October 2013
    When I was about 23 or 24, I went to a work party with a friend.  All of a sudden I was stuck inside with a bunch of girls I didn't know...  I looked out the window and saw all the guys huddled around something, so I snuck out the back door to check it out. The owner of the house was showing off his new BGE and I immediately wanted one (I was cooking on an old, rusty charcoal grill at the time). 

    I'm Kristi ~ Live in FL ~ BGE since 2003.
    I write about food & travel on Necessary Indulgences.  
    You can also find me on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter.
  • TUTTLE871
    TUTTLE871 Posts: 1,316
    When I moved back to Texas in 95 I was dating this girl whose parents had a nice spread out at Lake Texoma. Her dad had this odd green contraption in the back and smoke was pouring out of it at the time. He had know that I liked brisket and ribs and told me he was going to show me something amazing. I was blown away by how moist the meat was and said one day I will have one of those.

    Fast forward 2009 I'm with my parents and wife and I am at Jackson's here in Dallas and am about to drop the credit card on one and my dad says "hey you can have my homemade offset smoker". I don't buy the egg and get this monster of a offset my dad had made years ago, 

    Christmas 2011 my lovely wife hands me BGE salt and pepper shakers and says these will accommodate your present. First cook was chicken and my wife said she was not a believer until she ate the food off it.

    Now I have had 4 friends of mine buy them also.

    "Hold my beer and watch this S##T!"

    LARGE BGE DALLAS TX.

  • Grillmagic
    Grillmagic Posts: 1,600
    @Grillmagic  Just saw one of your videos.  Great stuff !!!!  Can you hypnotize people into thinking that I can cook tasty meals, or is there a limit to your capabilities?
    Hey VI I have a feeling you do better than hold your own in the tasty meals category... LOL!
    Charlotte, Michigan XL BGE
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    @ NecessaryIndulg... When I was about 23 or 24,

    You mean last year?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    Our gasser was done, so went on line and did some searching, saw a BGE on line and thought it would be interesting, so did some more research and then went to a demo at a dealer, eat some of the food and the rest is history.
    Large, small, and a mini
  • henapple said:
    @ NecessaryIndulg... When I was about 23 or 24, You mean last year?
    Quit hitting on the babes here, @henapple .  Kristi is married and has no interest in a Tennessee redneck.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    henapple said:
    @ NecessaryIndulg... When I was about 23 or 24, You mean last year?
    Quit hitting on the babes here, @henapple .  Kristi is married and has no interest in a Tennessee redneck.
    Jealous?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Yes.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • henapple said:
    @ NecessaryIndulg... When I was about 23 or 24, You mean last year?
    Hahahaha  =))

    I'm Kristi ~ Live in FL ~ BGE since 2003.
    I write about food & travel on Necessary Indulgences.  
    You can also find me on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter.
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980

    I went to a local inaugural BBQ competition. My brothers friend was competing. He has a couple Webers and a homemade rig. Local BGE store had a set up there and I looked at them because I saw a couple competitors using them. Saw the CANADIAN price tag and said no frickin way would I pay that for a **** BBQ. I thought it was one of those hoity toity things that were over priced that did the same as a cheaper brand. I had some competition samples from the friend and other competitors, it was quite good.

    I came home and googled it because I could not believe how these stupid things could be selling. I stumbled on this forum and read for a couple of weeks, while doing some digging on other sites. I contacted the dealer in  Grand Forks and asked the price and compared it to the CANADIAN prices. I had saved up some money from my side business and it was burning a hole in my pocket, so we took a trip to the US and bought one.

  • SO was in the mood for grilled hot dogs and the gasser had rusted up. We hardly ever used it because I was never satisfied with what came off it. We went to buy a new BBQ and there was the egg, all I knew was it didn't use propane, thank goodness. We bought a medium, next week we added a large, an adjustable rack, a woo2, a thermapen and it goes on and on. Most expensive hot dogs ever. We use them 2 -3 times a week. My friends volunteer to be new recipe tasters whenever they can.

        

    Large, Medium & Mini-Max - Seattle & a Puget Sound Island


  • Searat
    Searat Posts: 80

    Hadn't heard of BGE until Father's day this year. I'd been battling my grill and my wife thought it was time to replace the grill being it was Father's Day. (This is the 3rd and probably last grill she'll buy as a Father's Day gift). It's been a blast and it makes my think of watching my dad smoke and grill as a boy. He'd tell me how easy if makes the process. Now I've ruined the college kid with proper smoked meats, breads and pizzas and how it's done. My guess is reserve an egg for a few years down the line for him.

    Thanks to all the members who share their knowledge, ideas, and inspire us to try new things with our BGE.

  • Wife and I were at BBQ and Bluegrass Fest in Sevierville, TN.  Walking and looking at all the competition smokers and started noticing at most competition cook's tents most had a BGE in their camp.  I started asking a few of them about this.  The reply was just about the same.  They pointed to the big competition cookers and said " that is for cooking my food for competitions" Then pointed to the BGE and said "that is for cooking my food."

    Got me to thinking and researching the BGE when I got home.  Bought my large about 3 years ago.  Got a small last year.  I'm now debating buying an XL or buying a Komodo Joe.  The main reason I am thinking of  going to another brand is the customer service.  My dealer went out of business and my fire ring has cracked.  Mothership sent me an email that it is covered under the warranty. Said I could pay $30.00 shipping or have my local dealer order it and save me the shipping cost.  If BGE truly stood behind the warranty and customer they would have shipped it for free.  A new dealer (pinch-a-penny) opened 3 miles from me and I took the letter in to them and asked if they would order it for me when they do an order?  Guy said sure, no problem.  That was March 2013.  Left my name and phone and I have yet to hear from them.  Call to check on it and same reply, it hasn't come in yet. So if your dealer goes out of business the free warranty is free, but you are going to pay for things that are covered.  Which in my opinion doesn't make it free anymore. 

    But everyone who has had my food from the egg has loved it. 

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

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    I had seen Eggs on the BBQ competition that used to be on Outdoor Life Network before Pitmasters was ever a show (think John Markus produced that one too?). 

    I was ready to buy a Lang 48 offset smoker when I happened onto the Egg forum.  Got to reading threads by these crazy Eggheads and was sold. 
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Did anyone notice that this thread is flagged with "Announcement".  This appears to be like a "sticky". 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • 3sheets
    3sheets Posts: 81
    I clicked on the edit button and clicked dismiss so it is not a sticky in my view but the announcement flag is still there.

    Location 33.537588, -83.969298 (33.5 miles and 41 minutes SE of the Mothership)

  • I was homeless and drunk on a street corner in Las Vegas.  An elderly man came by with a gorgeous young woman, dressed in short shorts, high heel shoes, and cheap jewelry hanging all over her.  He tossed a thin dime into my now empty tin cup of warm Mogan David Wine.

    I crawled to the nearest casino and tossed the dime onto the roulette table.  To my surprise, it won.  I thought I could buy another bottle of MD wine, but I couldn't get up to claim my winnings, so I let it ride.  I kept winning until I had amassed a sum of $865,000 dollars.  The hotel staff took me to a room where I slept it off.

    Determined to find my benefactor, I hired a private detective.  He found that the elderly man was a Toyota salesman from Salado Texas and was in Las Vegas at a convention.  I contacted him and told him that I was going to write a thank you letter to him and his wife at their home.  He begged me not to do that, and offered to buy me a Big Green Egg if I would forget it.  

    I have not been disappointed.
    So, I presume the young woman wasn't his wife?  :D

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • bbqlearner
    bbqlearner Posts: 760
    edited October 2013
    I wanted to learn how to BBQ right last year. Researched a bunch of smokers and showed it to SWMBO and it took her a while to get used to the idea of me having this "new" hobby of BBQ. So, when she finally said she liked the "green ceramic" thingies and that it looks cuter than the rest of them, I had to jump on my chance before it closed up and she changed her mind.

    Best decision I ever made and then, I made some more "best decisions" to make it a family of green thingies :D

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Maybe BGE has noticed my great threat and are going to announce I win a free BGE every year for life =))

    JAMIE.
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • So, I presume the young woman wasn't his wife?  :D

    Wow.  That never dawned on me !
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • :P Nice

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • Have used kettle cookers since 1960's.  In 2004 went looking for a smoker for overnight pulled pork cooks. Found it on-line as BBQ by BGE, that would also do pizzas, way kewl. Started saving and in summer of 2005 bought my Large.
    Billy
    Wilson, NC
    Large BGE - WiFi Stoker - Thermapen - 250 Cookbooks

  • Chef Charles
    Chef Charles Posts: 871
    edited October 2013

    Around 2004, my sister-in-law passed along a newspaper article that described the BGE as the best bbq on the market.  While it piqued my interest, I was generally satisfied with the cheap gasser I was using at the time.  Fast forward to March of 2008, we had just had a winter storm that dumped 60 cm of snow bringing our total snowfall for the season to over 400 cm and I was becoming sick and tired of old man winter.  The following weekend we went to a fireplace store to pick up a new accessory and while at the store I caught my first glimpse of a BGE.  I went home and started doing some research and I needed to do something to help bring me out of my winter funk.  Two weeks later, I went to a different local dealer and in no time purchased a large.  Later that week, I shoveled off the foot or so of snow that was still on the deck to allow the delivery of my new toy.  I was so impressed I added a second egg in the summer of 2010.

    Tom

    Tom

    Charles is a mischevious feline who always has something cooking

    Twin lbge's .. grew up in the sun parlor of Canada but now egging in the nation's capital

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    @RRP, Pachinko - the national sport of Japan - is what Dad always called it, He had a very colourful one that looked hand painted, he brought back from Japan in 1953. 
    Dad had it mounted on a wall in the rec room, my teenage buddies always had a great time playing with it. Over the years it seemed to disappear, wonder where it ended up. Thanks for the memory. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,668
    never heard or read about one, walked into a fireplace shop that sold grills and saw one in pieces. coming from a kettle grill it intrigued me. store owner said not to waste my money and showed me a gasser, i was sold that day but no way was i going to buy from that guy
    :)) had one within the week, bge mothership set me up with an online distributor
    :D yes, an online distributor, the good old days
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    @RRP, Pachinko - the national sport of Japan - is what Dad always called it, He had a very colourful one that looked hand painted, he brought back from Japan in 1953. 
    Dad had it mounted on a wall in the rec room, my teenage buddies always had a great time playing with it. Over the years it seemed to disappear, wonder where it ended up. Thanks for the memory. 
    I agree - mine has electric lights and switches galore. When the balls are really flying the bells and lights flashing makes quite the animated wall unit! I'll never forget when I bought mine it came with 3 dozen balls. Some had specs of rust so I soaked them overnight in Naval Jelly. Next morning all the chrome was gone and they really did start rusting immediately!!! I was able to buy replacement balls!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    I started an interest in "real" BBQ since moving to the South from up North in Cincinnati, Ohio.  My only exposure to BBQ in Cincy was from eating ribs at the Montgomery Inn Restaurant.  Seeking out good BBQ became an obsession, but I wanted to begin making my own.  Looked around the BBQ Brethren forum, and in web searches about BBQ, came across the Green Eggers site.  I joined in February of 2009, and began asking questions.  Of course everyone sold me on getting an Egg, but I had told myself it was too expensive.  My lovely wife decided to buy it for me on Father's Day, 2009.  What a woman!  And my wife is great too.
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009