Beginner questions about flavor and charcoal type

Dave · January 2007

Hello - I'm new to all this, so please go easy on me. I used to use a Smokey Joe with Kingsford; I know better now, but I did have plenty of successful meals that were unforgetable. Last month I decided to step up and buy a gas Weber Q 300, on the advice of a friend. It is a well thought out grill, and very convenient, however the taste is - well - it makes me wonder why I don't just fry it in the kitchen. I cannot get that flavor that made my mouth water, even when using a smoker box, etc. Both my wife and I agree this is unacceptable.[p]I have just ordered a medium BGE. I read many reviews on lump charcoal (nakedwhiz) how some "give off no flavor of their own" and others have a strong smokey smell. So if I throw on a couple steaks using Kamoda Extruded Coconut, for instance, am I going to be left with a steak that has the same smokeless flavor as the gas grill? I want my first BGE experience to make me forget I wasted all that money on the Weber.[p]Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sandbagger · January 2007

Dave , howdy and welcome. First off, I have a medium and large egg. I suggest, if you can afford a large egg, step up and modify your order to a large egg. I think in the long run you will be much happier. [p]Now as for smoke flavor, don't worry. If you enjoy a smoke, slight to moderate, flavor on food, this forum will work with you to get it right...[p]Other than that, if you decide to keep the medium, that is cool. If you are the bbq/grilling type, then my guess is, at some point down the road, you will anti up for the large! Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything....[p]Again welcome and oh ya, you got a camera too!

RRP · January 2007

Dave,
I welcome you to the board also, but unless you are Dave Matthews from Canada then you'll need to come up with a new board name. Click on Dave on your post and see his profile. No offense meant!

Unknown · January 2007

Dave ,
i have a medium and i love it![p]the only types of lump i've used are royal oak lump, big green egg lump, and cowboy lump. any of those will make you convert your other grill into egg accessory storage, so it wasn't a total loss :
get some wood chips like cherry, apple, hickory, maple, jack daniels, etc...[p]here's what i've done on my medium:
[ul][li]martha[/ul]

Unknown · January 2007

RRP,[p]Oops, sorry about that. I am NOT Dave Matthews from Canada, so I changed my name to "OrangeDave".

SouthOfI10 · January 2007

Dave ,
Several years ago, I too had quite an investment in a Weber Genesis 1000, Charbroil water smoker, rotisserie, etc. And I made a lot of great meals on them. However, there is no comparison to those and the Egg. Disregard the smoke flavor for now, that's just a side benefit of the Egg. If you do some research, you'll read things like "the heavy ceramic holds in heat and moisture making foods tender and juicy..". Believe it. With the Egg, you don't need 30,000btu to cook a Cornish hen. A handful of charcoal will do it. This means that you don't make shoe leather out of your pork chops because the heat is lost in the thin metal walls, especially this time of year. Go with the Large. You won't regret it. If you do, someone here will buy it from you.[p]Try this on your Weber...
[p]Best of luck, [p]Scott

The Naked Whiz · January 2007

Dave ,
Well, specifically addressing the Kamado Extruded Coconut, I found it has a fairly strong (but pleasing) flavor as confirmed in a blind taste test by my wife. If you really want to try to minimize the smoke flavor, make sure you don't have any drippings from previous cooks on the charcoal, make sure you let your fire get well established before putting the food on the fire, and you might try Cowboy Lump which many people say has less smokiness to it. Good luck![p]TNW

Sigmore · January 2007

Sandbagger, This seems to be a good combination. Large and medium. I bought the large first. When I finally got to the grasshopper stage I saw that when doing low-n-slows how the heck was I gonna do some wings or steaks. Mama was convinced, we needed one more Egg. The small is just around the corner. If I'm doin a low-n-slow, cooking wings, where the heck can I put the burgers!!

Beginner questions about flavor and charcoal type

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