Large Egg for sale

Definitely a learning curve about temperatures, patience, VOC's and the need for a thermopen to cook to temp.  This forum will get you sitting pretty.  

I did my second turkey on it today and it was better then last years that was good and I thought I over cooked it.  It was very juicy especially the breast.   I brinened it for 17 hours and dried in the fridge for about 18 hours.   As everyone said, go by temp not time.  Put your probe in the breast meat and it gets to 155 or so start checking the bird all over. Last year mine was early too, but I monitored the temp.  This year I got my timing down too.  Started it low at 250, then raised it to 300 then finished in the last hour at 360 to crisp up the skin.  The only thing I messed up was cutting my finger carving it.  I also cured and smoked a fresh ham.  That was great too.  There are money post on here about turkey, just check them out or ask for help.  It will get better, don't give up yet.

I said all that to say this...SaintLo, keep at it and keep your own notes on your particular setup.  Hate this one sucked and hope the next one rewards you with greatness!

You said you're a weber kettle guy, so that tells me you enjoy outdoor cooking.  This forum is full of the most helpful folks you'll ever meet, and everyone will help out.  Glad you're mellowing out, and it sounds like you'll give it another go.  

Hang out, join the discussions, and make it a hobby.  Hope to see you around on here in the future.  Happy thanksgiving.

@SaintLo, do you own a dual temp gouge?  If not I highly recommend one.  I have a cheaper version of the Maverick and has a wireless monitor you can carry around and keep track of you cook while doing other things.  Like I said up above, when the turkey gets to the 150's, start checking it and keep an eye on your monitor and you will be fine.  I have had 15 pound briskets cooking at 250 get done hours earlier then I thought they would.  I would rather it be early then late late, you can always hold them over.  I was able to pull my turkey and let it set for over 30 minutes before I carved it.  It was very juicy.  Try cooking just a small turkey breast as a test cook and monitor the temp not the time and I bet it will come out great.   Good luck and hopefully we have gotten you to keep going and not give up.

You've gotten some good advice.

I haven't been on this forum very long, but I've been egging for over 5 years. One thing I do have to say, sometimes the forum gives too much advice to a noob; not because the advice is wrong, but because there are actually many paths to a successful result (just look at all the different ways to make great wings on a BGE)! Once you have it figured out, you can understand how the different recommendations lead to results, and you can decide which way works for you. The kamado, at its heart, is just an oven. It's a really cool oven, that does a whole lot of things your indoor oven doesn't do, but that's all it is.

Clear your head. Here is some advice I wish I'd gotten when I started. I had to copy and paste, this is from someone who calls himself CeramicChef:

"Open the lid of your BGE and fill the fire bowl full of lump. (Forget briquettes ... too much ash.) Always fill the fire bowl full before every cook. Don't try and guess how much lump a specific cook will require. You will be wrong! Just fill the fire bowl.

"You need to learn how your kamado responds to changes in vents settings. The best way to do this is by learning which vents setting yield which temps. You need to be able to hit common cooking temps, i.e. 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, and 500+. Make note of the setting that yield those temps. Generally speaking, vents settings will not change for your kamado. So take pics of vent setting, write them down, whatever it takes, just have notes somehow of what vent setting yield which temp. Also note that the bottom vent is for gross temperature adjustments and the top vent, the "daisy wheel" is used for fine temp adjustments. [Note: you can use either vent for either gross or fine adjustments, they are just venturis. One is an intake venturi and the other is an exhaust venturi. But the upper vent is easier to see, easier to reach, and easier to manipulate, so by default is it the better choice for fine adjustments.--Mosca] Also note that if you overshoot your temp, ceramics don't easily shed heat. Rather, ceramics absorb heat readily and it's take a long time, compared to your kettle, to get the temp back down. Forewarned is forearmed.

"Now light your lump in a single spot. Just a single spot. Leave the lid open for about 7-10 minutes to make certain the fire is well established. Then when your fire is well established, close the lid and fully open the top and bottom vents. Watch the temp gauge. When the temp hits about 100°, shut the top and bottom vents by half. Then when the temps hits 150°, shut the vents by half again. When your temp hits 200°, shut the vents by half again. Notice how fast/slow temp changes with changes in vent settings. You want to hit 225 so creep up on it slowly at first. Fine tune temps with the top vent, the daisy wheel. Again, the bottom vent is for gross temp ranges. Once you have settled in at something close to 225°, sit down, pop the top on your carbonated beverage, and let your BGE dwell there for about 30 minutes or so.

"Next you need to hit 250 or so. Open your daisy wheel a bit (leave the bottom vent alone) and watch how your BGE responds to increased draw. Temps will climb. Try not to overshoot 250° so sneak up on it slowly. Remember your top vent is for fine tuning temps. Hit 250, let your BGE dwell there for 30 minutes or so, chill with some good music, and rehydrate! Repeat the drill for 275° and 300°. Within a given range, leave that bottom vent alone! O ly adjust the top vent to increase temp.

"For temps between 325° and 400° open the bottom vent a bit more, maybe close down a little on the top vent, and watch how temps climb. Stabilize at 325° for 30 minutes, stay hydrated, and listen to some tunes. Note those vent settings. To get to 350°, open the top vent a little and watch what happens. Repeat for 375° and 400°.

"To hit 425° open the bottom vent a bit more and maybe close down a little on the top vent. You know the drill from here. Note vent settings, stay hydrated, top vent fine control to 500°. Once you get to 500° for 30 minutes, open up the BGE vents and sear some steaks for you and the family!

"I know this sounds like a lot of work, but once you figure out what vent settings yield which temps, kamado cooking is the simplest thing on the planet. You won't have to adjust vent settings for temp changes between seasons. There's no muss, no fuss."

One of the most important things is to watch the political Friday night threads....

About the recipe book. I received that as a gift. I saw the recipe for the smoked chili and sounded good. I followed the recipe but instead of ground beef I bought a chuck roast and did a course grind, I like that texture. It wasn't good, it was freaking amazing!!! That one recipe is well worth the price of the whole book! I've taken it to chili parties and mine gets gone while the other pots are near full. Shared it with neighbors and family, same thing, get thanks for the best chili they ever had. This is the only thing I have ever made from that book so maybe the rest is crap, I don't know, but before burning the book, rip out that page! (Page 286 I think). Just be warned, it makes a pretty big batch. I use a camp Dutch oven 6qt and it fills it to the brim. 

as far as the OP, im sure it's frustration that posted a pretty useless comment. What happened? Why was it ruined? No question and no explanation. What's the point? I come from decades of using a Webber kettle, loved it! Got used several times a week. After using my egg for a couple months, I gave the old tried and true Webber away to my neighbor. I still have my Webber gasser but I think I cooked some corn on the cob on it last year. I'm scared to open it now, can't imangine what living in it now... 

It it seems if you have $1800 invested, you would take the time to learn and ask a few questions if your having issues. There was t really much of a learning curve for me outside of temp control. Picked that up after a dry run on the first load of charcoal and a couple of cooks. But you know, I found a lady who bought a small with all the accessories and never used it. Sat in the nest all summer unused. I picked up the whole package for $400. Even the small bag of bge charcoal unopened. She was intimidated I think. When I pulled out the grate, plate setter and fire ring and fire box to lighten it up before lifting it out of the nest to haul it off, she said,"you obviously know what your doing". I guess some people consider that complicated. I guess it is over a kettle but whatever. When I got home and set up the small next to my large, I fired it up and put a couple marinated chicken breasts on. I texted her a picture of it in its new home and thanked her again. She texted back that it defintly belonged with me...

My point is, the egg is the best grill, smoker, brick oven and bbq ever made but it may not be for everybody. So where you at and how much you want for it?..

Also, calibrate your dome thermometer. Boil some water, stick the probe into it, and turn the nut on the back until it reads around 210-212. You could adjust for your altitude, but that is an unnecessary amount of precision, +/- 5* is fine.