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Deciding to Buy?

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Unknown
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edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
We are trying to decide to buy the big green egg. we are used to cooking on a gas grill and are concerned this will be more time consuming and more hasssle with charcoal, clean up, etc. I hear it is worth it though, I am trying to convince my husband to bite the bullet on this purchase. We used to have a HUGE smoker which we seldom used because it was very labor intensive and time consuming, but we always enjoyed the fruits of our labor. And advice? To buy or not to buy? [p]
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  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
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    tonya,
    You won't be dissapointed. It is very easy to use and really doesn't take much more time than a gas grill if you truly allow the gas grill to heat up to the temp it should be to cook on.[p]The quality of the food will be light years beyond what your gasser is making. It won't take long to get the taste of that propane out of your mouth.[p]So for a tiny bit more work than turning on your gas grill you can produce food as good, if not better than you were making on your old smoker.
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  • Ronbo
    Ronbo Posts: 90
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    tonya,
    Personally I think it has been one of the best investments of my life. It is extremely easy once you have confidence. I say confidence because it is hard to make somthing that does not come out good and you just have to try things. Also, you should know that even if you purchased and for some reason didn't like it you could easily sell it for a slightly discounted price and it would be gone so fast you would barely have time to blink. Just my own personal opinions. Good luck with the decision. This forum is all part of being an egghead and has tons of tips, tricks and just all around help and advice
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    tonya,[p]I've had my egg for a year now. My gasser was given away, my New Braunfuls smoker was sold and my gas water smoker went to the trash. I don't know how I got along without my BGE for all these years.[p]Try it. You won't reget it. This forum can and will answer any questions you may have.[p]Good eggin'
    Paul
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  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
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    Bobby-Q,
    Maybe I should post a picture of Jim telling you to go light one...hehe
    Larry
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  • BBQBluesStringer
    BBQBluesStringer Posts: 398
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    tonya,[p]You won't regret it. I start my egg with a MAPP torch so it isn't much more trouble than starting the gas grill. Read the thread on Flemings Steak House. The food you'll cook in the egg will be unparalleled. I have a giant smoker (picture two refrigerators side by side) that I use for parties, but for family dinner and a few friends, I cook on the large BGE. Don't forget to order a pizza stone too. It makes the best pizza you've ever had, especially if you have a little hickory left over in the lump charcoal.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    tonya,
    Let me get this straight. You're having to convince your husband to pull the trigger on this ? Really ? Wow for many of us ( not all) we had to justify that $600-800 purchase to our wives by telling them we would do more cooking ( true ) with much better results than our previous grills ( very true). In all honesty it is going to be a little more work than your gasser but the quality of the food and the versatility of the BGE makes it all worthwhile.If you truly enjoy great grilled,smoked,barbequed,baked foods then by all means buy it !
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  • MCG DAWG
    MCG DAWG Posts: 59
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    tonya,[p]I've had mine about 8 months. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Haven't used my gas grill, new braunfels, or very large trailered smoker since. [p]Startup is a breeze, I use a half dollar size chunck of firestarter log, lite it and let burn for 60 seconds, then place charcoal around and over it and 15 minutes later I'm good to go. Very easy. Clean up is a snap with the ash tool you can buy when you get your egg. [p]Find someone near you with one and go check it out in action, have some food off of one, and you'll be rushing to the store to go get one.

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  • tomo
    tomo Posts: 78
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    tonya,
    I still have my gasser as I like the rotis on it. I also have another smoker(WSM) that I use when I need more volume, but I love my BGE. You can cook low and slow like the WSM, but then you can also go to high temps and really grill. I think you will love it. It is a little more time consuming than the gasser, but the results are worth it....tom
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  • Big Hoser
    Big Hoser Posts: 104
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    tonya,[p]2nd what BBQBluesStringer said. I light the Egg with a propane torch (easiest and quickest way), and it's ready to go in about 15 minutes usually. My Weber gas grill now basically just a holder for the propane tank and doubles as a cook's table. Easy to light, easy to use (just make sure you put in plenty of lump charcoal in) and turns out the BEST 'que you ever ate from ribs to steaks to pizza. Check out the Whiz's website for more great info on ceramic cooking:[p]
    [ul][li]Naked Whiz's Ceramic FAQs[/ul]
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  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
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    tonya, "we are used to cooking on a gas grill and are concerned this will be more time consuming and more hasssle with charcoal, clean up, etc. " - those words seem very familiar to me. In fact, those were my exact words some 6 1/2 years ago when my wife gave me my first BGE. I have used my gas grill exactly once in those years.

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  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
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    tonya,
    If you enjoyed the fruits of your labor on that gasser, you will be thrilled with the resulst on the Egg.Cooks as good or BETTER than your oven.No more dried out whatever you were cooking on that metal thing.Hope you enjoy the benefits of
    creating great meals on the Egg. You wont be sorry on the choice.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    tonya,
    <font size="7">buy it</font>[p]do you daydream about what you are going to cook on your gasser next?
    i rest my case.
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  • onelegchef
    onelegchef Posts: 119
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    tonya,
    I'am 62 years old, have been cooking since I was 18. Gas charcoal, smokers, etc, The BGE is by far the best cooker I have found. It's a learning experience at first, however with a little experiance with the egg and help from this forum you will find that this is the best investment that you have ever made. Best food you ever had, bar none.
    Bobby
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    tonya,[p] Been there, done that, bought three.. I am going to buy at least 2 more..[p] By far the best cooker I ever owned...[p]
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  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,170
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    tonya,
    Do you like bread???
    BreadontheRidge.jpg
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    egret,
    i was gonna say that!
    but i rested my case.[p]i've been meaning to ask you about that super yeast you've got going on there!
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    tonya,
    This is my collection, so far. Last Sunday I had all three running. -RP
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    eggs.jpg
    <p />AZRP,
    Forgot the pic. -RP
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  • An Egg Downunder
    An Egg Downunder Posts: 152
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    tonya,[p]You will never regret buying an egg Tonya. Nothing else is as versatile and does as good a job from searing steak through baking a pizza to long and slow smoking. [p]While it makes most big slow-smoking rigs look like a waste of metal and fuel, I wouldn't throw the gasser away. I find my gas bbq (a Weber Q) and the egg complement each other.[p]I use gas when I want instant heat and really fast cooking. And, living in a sub-tropical environment, it's sometimes just too hot to stoke up the BGE. [p]But when I want some charcoal or smoke taste and tenderness, there's simply no choice - it's the egg all the way.[p]
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  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,170
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    Rick's Tropical Delight,
    Just store bought stuff from Costco's.......
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  • bbqdiva
    bbqdiva Posts: 192
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    heya tonya,[p]Yes, more time consuming. Do you want to smell like smoke and bbq? Do you like campfires? No more clean-up really than gas.[p]Bottom line...do you want good food or GREAT food? If you want GREAT food, it's worth the investment and investment it is. Oh, and there's the thing about fighting off the neighbors once you get one :P[p]Regards,[p]thediva

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  • Pharmeggist
    Pharmeggist Posts: 1,191
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    tonya,
    I had a hard time geting my wife to buy a Green Egg.... you see I begged for a Weber Gas Grill and got one 2 years before I knew about a Big Green Egg. My Dad got one for Father's day this past year a Medium one... then my Brother bought a medium one... then my sister and her husband bought a large... I could hardly stand it My wife told me I would have to wait to get one that was UNTIL she had burgers off my brother's egg!!! Know that we have a Big Green Egg I am doing cooks 4-5 nights a week once I get home from work. She loves the food and doesn't do the cooking now :=) DO yourself a favor (or be selfish) and get your husband the egg. Funny thing is we seldom grill burgers anymore... we have Vertical roasted chicken, Pork chops, boston butt, pizza, steak.... not to mention we have baked cookies on the stone along with bread and cakes (all of which I have made) I cooked my First turkey this THanksgiving. I could go on and on wih my cooks ribs etc. but I think you get the point. Just don't use the cooking manaul supplied with the egg that's my best advice! [p]Best regards, Pharmeggist
    P.S. check out the website below that is your first homework assignment since you are deciding to buy. It will give you tons of information about cooking on the Big Green Egg
    [ul][li]http://www.nakedwhiz.com/[/ul]
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    tonya,
    Don't do it! Do NOT buy a BGE!
    You'll never forgive yourself for waiting and your stomach will kill you for forcing gassed foods on it for so long.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,898
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    IMG_0602.jpg
    <p />tonya,
    or if you are at all squeamish when it comes to kicking a gasser's sorry butt to the curb then maybe you need to stay with the folks who think gas grills are "so cool and easy" or the dudes who think petro fired brickette cooked steaks swimming in A-1 sauce is what grilling is all about!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Flashback Bob
    Flashback Bob Posts: 519
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    tonya,
    I converted from Gas to Egg last August.
    There is definitely more to it than the gasser, it does take longer to get it going, but it is a completely different animal. I usually can't cook on it during the week due to tight schedules, but I typically cook out 2 to 4 times each weekend.[p]I'm cooking stuff on the Egg I hadn't even cooked in the OVEN let alone on the grill![p]If either of you enjoy cooking outdoors, the Egg provides limitless opportunities for cooking outdoors. If you'd like to cook more things outdoors, again the Egg will take you places you ain't been.
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  • eggaholic
    eggaholic Posts: 309
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    RRP,
    easy Ron the neighbors could be watching. only place at curb in the cover of darkness.
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  • bwallass
    bwallass Posts: 12
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    tonya,
    I had the same concerns, but they have been alleviated quickly.
    The added start time is negligible
    The cleanup is fairly infrequent
    and the results are amazing.
    I know it may be hard to take the vague advice of complete strangers when pulling the trigger on a significant purchase but do it.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,776
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    tonya,
    the food that comes from the egg is top notch. the hassle isnt going to be in lighting and cooking in the egg, its going to come from all the food prep because you will be always trying to out do your last cook on the egg. after a while this gets difficult, but the dishes start coming off like things you would see in the finest restaurants. the egg is for someone that truly likes good food. this forum will greatly shorten the learning curve for you and is one of the best sources for recipes out there.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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