Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

New to the egg

Options
Eggheadnewby
Eggheadnewby Posts: 3
in EggHead Forum
I just bought a large and have never cooked on a bge. Any tips on getting started? Maybe some easy cooks for first timers. Probably will start with some chicken breast.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Im fairly new myself, less than a year, I started with smoking chicken thighs since they are cheap and cook fast. Very delicious. 
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    Options
    Welcome to the zoo. Chicken is an easy first cook. I would say build a fire and play with the temps a little to get an idea on set up. It gets VERY HOT, VERY FAST so don't walk away with vents wide open for more than a few minutes until you get the hang of it. You surely don't want to fry the gasket right away.

    rule 1. Don't forget to burp the egg (you will forget once at some point)

    rule 1a. Pics or it didn't happen.

    relax and enjoy, cooking just got a lot more fun!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • abpgwolf
    abpgwolf Posts: 559
    Options
    Congratulations on the new egg! There is an answer for almost every question on this forum, if you can't find what you're looking for, just ask. The people here are top notch, and always willing to lend a hand. My #1 reccomendations is to get a good instant read thermometer (thermapen, thermopop) and cook to temperature rather than time or feel. Don't hesitate to try new techniques & recipes, and have fun.

    Lititz, PA – XL BGE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,337
    Options

    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  I put the following together for a friend who bought a BGE around 6 months ago.  You may find some useful info:

    Here’s a link to all things ceramic-chances are if you have a question the answer is within this site somewhere.  Check out the recipe section for some great ideas.http://www.nakedwhiz.com/nwindex.htm

    For additional links to cooking/recipe sites; here are two very good ones, depending what you are cooking:  This site contains a wealth of the science behind Q cooking along with info on about every type of meat cook you would attempt: http://amazingribs.com/

    Here’s the second one:  http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/

    After-market toys- With the BGE there are three basic styles of cooking;  “direct”-where the cooking grid is on top of the fire ring; “raised direct”-where the grid is elevated at least to the gasket-line (this setup requires after-market stuff-easiest is to get another grid and then use three fire bricks (or three empty aluminum beer cans) and place them on the grid at the fire ring and then put the second grid on top. The third is “indirect” where there is a heat deflector (platesetter or some other type stone) between the burning lump and the cooking grid.  This is the setup for low&slow long duration cooks.  I would get comfortable playing around with the BGE before any major after-market investments.  Will save you $$ in the long run.

    Some observations-make sure you calibrate your dome thermo-boil some water, then insert the thermo and check the temp.  If not around 210*F, then note the off-set and use the nut on the back to correct.  Then recheck.

    Temperature is a controlled by the volume of lump burning.  The volume is controlled by the air-flow thru the BGE.  In thru the bottom vent and out the top.  Make sure when you set it up that the fire box opening is aligned with the lower vent. 

    When adjusting the vent(s) to change temperature, the feedback loop can take some time.  Changes in air-flow are reflected in the dome thermo temp.  Don’t chase temperature; +/- 10-15*F is close enough.

    “Stable temperature” is a relative term.  Means you haven’t moved the vents and the temperature is steady for anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

    That's more than enough for now.

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Options
    check out the BGE website @ getting started also. I am not sure what your experience level would be, but the website can help with lighting right on through the cooking. Once you learn to light the fire properly and  stabilize and regulate the fire, the rest is all gravy.Limitless possibilities.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Options
    TN_Sister_State said:

    Im fairly new myself, less than a year, I started with smoking chicken thighs since they are cheap and cook fast. Very delicious. 

    Are you in Tennessee?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eggheadnewby
    Eggheadnewby Posts: 3
    Options
    Soon as i knock off, its on!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eggheadnewby
    Eggheadnewby Posts: 3
    Options
    Charleston, SC
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ShadowNick
    ShadowNick Posts: 533
    Options

    Eggheadnewby said:
    I just bought a large and have never cooked on a bge. Any tips on getting started? Maybe some easy cooks for first timers. Probably will start with some chicken breast.
    Here ya go, wrote this about a year ago for this very reason:
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1161232/bge-newbie-quickstart-guide

    Pentwater, MI
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
    Options

    Learn to Burp.

    Make it a habit.
    New Albany, Ohio 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    Options
    Welcome!
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
    Options

    But this book. The author is an Egger and it provides ammunition and confidence to take on anything. 

    New Albany, Ohio 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GAinGA
    GAinGA Posts: 3
    Options
    I'm a BGE newbie as well (just a few weeks!), and I found that just jumping in worked jus fine.  I did review the BGE YouTube videos, etc. before getting started.  However, I figured that learning by application was the way to go!  The first time around, I just cooked a few chkn leg qtrs....helped me to understand and appreciate the importance of staying close to get temp regulated.  The maiden voyage was pretty good.  This past weekend, had a bunch of friends over so I decided to expand the experiment - with much success!!  It seems hard to go wrong when cooking on the Egg....and it's lots more fun!!  
    Metro Atlanta, GA
    LBGE
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
    Options
    henapple said:
    Im fairly new myself, less than a year, I started with smoking chicken thighs since they are cheap and cook fast. Very delicious. 
    Are you in Tennessee?
    I am, in Franklin but lived in the boro for a while too.
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,415
    Options
    Hey Welcome, like most have said chicken is a good way to start and the book and websites referenced above have been a huge help for me having not cooked on anything but a gasser for over 30 years until last Oct when I got my Egg.  

    But most of all this place has given me the best info and encouragement.  Also playing around with the fire will be a big help, I wish I had done that first.
    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,727
    Options
    Welcome!
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,647
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Welcome... 

    On the rule about burping... I have had temps north of 700 and rising and opened without singing (sin-jjjjjjjing) any body parts...  (I have an XL) 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    Options
    onedbguru said:
    Welcome... 

    On the rule about burping... I have had temps north of 700 and rising and opened without singing (sin-jjjjjjjing) any body parts...  (I have an XL) 

    So far....
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tcracing
    tcracing Posts: 378
    Options
    Welcome and have fun.
    George Foreman? Who? 
    Tim C. Panama City, Fl. 
    Large, Minimax-soon
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PNWFoodie
    PNWFoodie Posts: 1,046
    Options
    Welcome! Enjoy!
    XL, JR, and more accessories than anyone would ever need near Olympia, WA
    Sandy
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • anton
    anton Posts: 1,813
    Options
    Welcome, yeah burn a couple of chickens to start, cheap and easy, then do a pork butt, very forgiving.You will have the hang of it in no time with the help of this forum as well.
    :-bd
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jcaspary
    jcaspary Posts: 1,479
    Options
    Welcome to all the newbies listed above. Enjoy!!!!!
    XL BGE, LG BGE, and a hunger to grill everything in sight!!!
    Joe- Strongsville, OH
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MeTed
    MeTed Posts: 800
    Options
    Welcome. Big Green Egg is a great lifestyle!
    Belleville, Michigan

    Just burnin lump in Sumpter
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Probably the hardest thing in the begging is getting the egg up to temp without an overshoot. When you light up the egg, pay close attention to how fast the temp comes up and react accordingly or it'll be out of control faster than a two-year-old in a toy store.  It's much easier to tweak the temp up than it is to lower it. 

    In fact, you might consider firing up the egg with nothing in it and level the temp off at 250 degrees for 20 minutes ... then 300 ... then 350 ... etc.  Note the bottom draft door openings for each temp ... note how little the bottom vent is open to achieve those temps.  My large will hold 500 degrees with a one inch opening.  They'll change slightly from day to day, but your first calibration run will be close enough to prevent disaster in the future.

    Oh, and welcome the the mad house ...

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories