Confessions of a single egg owner

Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic · July 2015

I currently only have one XL BGE. I will acquire a second (or more) someday so I can set them up differently at the same time but but for now big green is a bachelor.

The biggest challenge I face is quickly moving from direct to indirect or vice versa, and loading wood or fuel on indirect cooks.
Inserting the PS after a direct cook is easy enough, but it takes a while to recover temps.

i have all the normal accessories to pull out and store a hot plate setter but it is no fun to do.

in some of the videos I watch, many with weber kettles seem to stack the fuel on one side and use the other as indirect...I've seen the lump dividers...I'm wondering if any others have tried this method? Any other setups to consider?

johnnyp · July 2015

http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/anglebrackets.html

SGH · July 2015

On the larger eggs, the half moon stones will give you two different zones. If you are cooking small amounts, they work great. I used one in my large a lot until I got my mini. Now I mostly use the mini for all searing. With that said, I was very happy with the half moon stone set up for small cooks. I still use it from time to time when the mini just isn't quite enough direct space.

Lit · July 2015

Go buy a kettle on year of end clearance for $50.

Boileregger · July 2015

I have a Woo which makes moving the platesetter pretty easy.
http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/large-woo-big-green-egg.html

abpgwolf · July 2015

I have an XL BGE and I use a woo and a pizze stone as my indirect setup. With a good pair of welding gloves and a Third Hand from Third Eye, it's easy to go from indirect to direct.

Carolina Q · July 2015

I have owned my large for 6 years, my mini for 5. I have never had them both going at the same time. Not even once. I have also never had to add lump or smoke wood. Never gone from indirect to direct or vice versa in mid cook either. Don't see why you would do that.

Focker · July 2015

Why not buy a kettle to compliment your egg? You can get a one touch gold kettle for around $150. The all-or-nothing setup configurations are a weakness of the egg. Owning and operating two different grills will make you a better cook, better at fire management. Once in awhile I throw a rack of spares to Q low and slow on the kettle for the shear fun/challenge of it.

Currently own 2 larges, a small, and a one touch gold kettle. When I down-size, it will be to one large and the kettle. There are certain cooks where each shine over the other. The Cajun Bandit rotisserie for the kettle is one of the best grilling/smoking accessories out there when paired with Weber's Charcoal Baskets.

An XL may be the only egg you could split the firebox.

The ceramic heat retention properties act differently than a thinner kettle, with radiation playing a significant role.

Ladeback69 · July 2015

For doing steaks on my XL for revurse sear, I use my CI skillet on the main grid and cook indirect on my raised grid. I can then raise the heat and sear in the skillet or on the main grid. I have used some Weber charcoal trays on one side to to have 2 zones.

DMW · July 2015

The pros of a ceramic grill are also the cons. True two-zone cooking with a split fire zone isn't really possible. Yes, on an XL you can use angle brackets to create the illusion of a two zone cooking environment, but the thermal mass of the ceramics kind of defeats that.

This is a big reason why reverse-sear is so popular with ceramic grills. Low and slow indirect until almost finished, then pull the heat deflector and fire it up to sear and finish.

Lit · July 2015

Also forgot check out the KJ divide and conquer pretty sure the big joe will fit the XL.

Focker · July 2015

DMW said:

This is a big reason why reverse-sear is so popular with ceramic grills. Low and slow indirect until almost finished, then pull the heat deflector and fire it up to sear and finish.

And the T-Rex

Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic · July 2015

Thanks everybody...lots to consider

Confessions of a single egg owner

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