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XL or Large

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Want to buy an XL, but I've had some people tell me that they don't cook as well as the Large.....is there any truth to this? If so, does a guru improve its performance?

Comments

  • BBQ-ski,[p] The XL cooks every bit as well as the large. Most folks don't need the capacity of the XL. It is very functional to have a large and small (or medium) combination and that is what you'll mostly see for replies here.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    BBQ-ski,
    i dont own an xl, but i cant see there being a problem with one cooking better than the other. maybe more hot spots with an xl, but i think that would pass with time using and learning the cooker. most here have a large, and a second egg, either small or large. having 2 eggs is the prefered setup for cooking with multiple setups and temps and a large and small combo is close to the price of an xl. more experience overall on the forum with larges probably accounts for quicker learning on the large as well.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
    BBQ-ski, Unless you want to roast two, really, big turkeys, or cook for a large crowd, you should be able to get by with a Lg. An extender for the cooking surface can add another level of capacity so I would carefully check on what you want to cook and how many you will be feeding..[p]Rascal

  • I cook with an XL and BBQ Guru DigiQ II and can tell you from experience, there is no problem with the XL cooking and you don't have to worry about what size drip pan or roaster to use or what size turkey to cook. The XL will do all that a large will do and more of it. The BBQ Guru works great with the XL also, on Turkey day, the 325 held constant for 5 hours to cook my 22 lb. bird. As I have stated before on this forum, I have never been upset that I took too much Scotch to a party
  • Rollocks
    Rollocks Posts: 570
    BBQ-ski,[p]
    I have an XL and a small. The XL is great if you want to be able to cook 20+ flu slabs of ribs. The two negative things about the XL is that it weighs 250 lbs so it is hard to move. That is why I got a small. [p]The other negative thing is that it uses a lot of lump compared to the small. I've never used an XL so I can't speak avbout how much fuel it consumes. An XL takes about 5lbs of lump to fill. I would go through 20-30 lbs a month cooking 2-3 times a week. With a small egg in my arnsenal, which I use for quick cooks such as burgers and chicken breast, or small orders A 20 lb bag last 2-3 times as long.[p]Rollocks

  • Rollocks,
    I think you made a mistake in your statement. Correct me if I'm wrong.[p]As far as lump usage goes. My XL still uses less than the Weber Kettle I used to have. This is my XL loaded with 8.8 lbs of Cowboy lump. I have loaded it with 10lbs and cannot remember how long it cooked. I know it was longer than 30 hours at various temps. Kinda like a car, fill it up and go 30 MPH then 70 MPH. I am keeping notes on this bag. So far I got a 325 deg 5.5 hour burn for T-Day and then wife wanted chicken on Sat. So there was another hour at 500. I think I may do ribs this week. [p]EmptyEGG003.jpg[p]Mike[p]

  • Rascal,
    I have a large right now and absolutely love it. I want to be able to cook 2 briskets without adding a second elevated grid. The XL will fit two packers, won't it? Thanks for your help

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    BBQ-ski,
    I have both the large and XL and like them both.I really like the room on the XL for cooking ribs,turkeys and 3 or 4 things at one time.
    Larry
    XL Egg
    97a6.jpg
    16# buterflied turkey on the XL
    November07009.jpg
    Ribs on the large egg
    1a4f.jpg
    Smoked Cabbage on the large egg
    d0d7.jpg[p]

  • BBQ-ski,
    I'll chime in as a less-experienced egger - about 55 cooks so far on an XL I've had since May. I've been delighted with it in every way. I selected the XL because we do a lot of cookouts for 6 - 10 people, and typically will add veggies to pretty much cover the grill. I'm sure there's nothing I've done yet that couldn't be done as well on the large, but you might be fooling with extenders. My next purchase, incidentally, is a Medium - and I'll try to make do with only those two. [p]I'm sure there's some issue with charcoal usage with the XL vs. the L - more volume to heat up. I average something like 2-2.2 lbs. per cook - but only one of those was an overnighter, and 5 hour cooks maybe 5 times. [p]Good luck, and you should be happy either way.[p]Don B.

  • YB,[p]Is that TJV's rig on there? If so I'd like some.[p]Mike
  • YB,
    In that second picture, is that the normal plate setter for the XL? If not, does the regular one sold for the XL work good? Thanks for your help

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    Mike in Abita,
    Yes I got it from Tom for the XL.
    Larry

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    BBQ-ski,
    I have both for the XL and use them both.I like the platesetter for doing pizza and things like that and Tom's rig to use the big whole drip pan.
    Larry

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    YB,
    The 16# split turkey looks like a 6# chicken
    on the XL.[p]I'm like you, I love the XL grill space when needed.[p]I did cut the legs off my XL plate setter with a roto zip and tile bit. It works so much better with Tom's drop down.
    I keep meaning to take some photos. Very easy to drop in and out and the air flow is great.
    Take care,
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • BBQ-ski,
    No this is not the platesetter BGE sells for the XL. It is a pizza stone set on a rig, sold by a fellow egger called TJV.[p]Mike

  • YB,[p]Can you say something about the smoked cabbage. That would sell well here, I suspect. [p]Thanks,[p]Don B.
  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    Photo Egg,
    Hope you had a great Thanksgivig Darian and you of all people should be posting alot of pictures...hahaha
    Larry

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    electric don,
    This is how I cook it.[p]
    Smoked Stuffed Cabbage[p]l large head of cabbage
    1/2 apple, chopped
    1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
    3/4 lb of your favorite ground sausage
    4 oz sliced mushrooms, chopped
    1 tsp fresh Basil
    1 tsp fresh Rosemary
    salt & pepper to taste[p]Core cabbage, making a hole about the size of your fist. Brown sausage with other
    ingredients. Stuff cabbage with
    sausage mixture.
    Wrap cabbage in foil, leaving top open. Place on Egg - cook at 300 degrees for 1
    hour. Place 2 pats of butter on top
    of sausage stuffing and close foil, completely covering cabbage. Cook for another 2
    hours. Remove cabbage from
    foil, quarter & serve.[p]What a treat! Our sides included fried squash and baked red potatoes with cheese
    & garlic topping.[p]Larry[p]dae7.jpg[p]d0d7.jpg[p]8e84.jpg[p]d6ed.jpg[p]

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    YB,
    Had a great turkey day, hope you and your family did as well.
    You are correct about the photos.
    I'm thinking about changing my handle to "Lazy Photo Egg".
    I almost have to be forced to take photos at times in my free time.
    I shoot, post process, label and digitally file about 300 images a day. These are not fun vacation type photos as you know but our patients are great and I would not trade my job. The down side is never wanting to pick up a camera in my free time.
    I see all the great photos on this forum and feel guilty that I don't take the time to take more photos. I will be the first to admit I click on the posts with photos first.
    I even picked up a little Canon point and shoot at a pawn shop the other day.
    I will try and do better.
    We are heading to Indy next week for 10 days to visit Lora's family. Lora's dad will be starting his 3rd week of chemotherapy today. So far all is going well.
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • YB,
    Thanks, YB, that sounds like a keeper. [p]Don

  • Thanks for the information. This is definately one of the best forums on the web![p]So to summarize: The XL works just like the Large cooking, but some of you choose use the customized lowered plate setter to accomodate a drip pan?

  • BBQ-ski,
    Pretty much sums it up. There are a lot of extras for the large. I would say more for the large than the XL. See link.[p]The only drawback I have found in the XL is the platesetter. Use it between the firebox and the firering and you have an extremely large area to cook anything. Use it on top of the FR and you are limited in the depth of drip pan you use. By putting it in between the FB & FR you are moving two heavy pieces of ceramic. If they happen to be hot then the challenge goes up. Either size will out cook just about everything on the market. My reason in choosing the XL over the LGE was cooking area. I ran out of room on my kettle and needed more. As most of my cooking was direct I liked the larger grid size. Now my cooks are about equal, indirect vs. direct. [p]Good luck with your decision. Go either way and you won't be disappointed. [p]Mike[p]Mike

    [ul][li]http://www.eggaccessories.com/[/ul]
  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    electric don,
    Your welcome...Try it with different stuffings.
    Larry

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    Photo Egg,
    Have a safe trip and we will have Lora's dad in our prayers.
    Larry

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Mike in Abita,
    I agree with the XL plate setter. Pain in the butt.
    Tom made me a drop down holder and I cut the legs back on my XL plate setter and turned it into a large tri shaped pizza stone. I use the little "L" shape pieces I cut off as spacers or pan holders. I get better air flow and it's easy to lift the custom stone in and out of the Egg. No more moving hot fire ring and plate setter to add wood chunks.
    The plate setter cut very easy with tile bit in my roto zip.
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    BBQ-ski,
    I think a better summarization might be:
    Both are great but the XL will give you a much larger traditional single level grilling area. This works well for cooking lots of burgers and steaks all at the same time.
    The XL also works well for cooking mutiple items at the same time. YB's post below is a perfect example. By adding the custom drop down indirect cooking is improved upon. The shorter legs on the XL plate setter are not as functional as the large.
    You can cram a bunch of food into a large Egg but if you draw a 18" circle and a 24" circle and start filling the area with burger or steak size pieces it's east to see the large is no match for direct grilling against the XL. It's also nice to lay two full slabs of ribs flat on the XL grate.
    I think the only real draw back to the XL is the weight (if you need to move it) and it will use more lump than the large. (not enough to make a big diff unless you live in a place that lump is big bucks)
    Does not matter what Egg you buy first, your second Egg is the one you will loose sleep over,
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Photo Egg,[p]I talked with Tom on a newer style he has in the works. I'm looking for the final adjustments to be made and release. I like the idea of cutting down the platesetter. I almost cut my FR in half to see what that would give me. Chickened out and didn't do it.[p]Mike
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Mike in Abita,
    The cut down was a little scarry but went very easy.
    Belt sander and small palm sander to finish the edges.
    This will also work great as a pizza stone raised higher.
    Tom is a great person and he has put many, many hours into working out the details in the new stuff.
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • mb168
    mb168 Posts: 265
    photo Egg,[p]Let me correct you one one thing, the XL will cook THREE full slabs of ribs flat down. I HATE using that stupid rib rack. When you put your ribs in it, it rubs all of the rub off it, when you want to sauce, you either drip it on and hope for coverge or remove the ribs and then again, rub the sauce off as it drips all over your platesetter. As for using more coal, well duh, a semi uses more fuel than a Honda. But there isn't that much difference in the lump use, if you're cooking something small, build a smaller fire in the middle in a pile you don't always need a roaring blaze from edge to edge. Another cool thing, Sunday I was doing 2 slabs of baby backs when my wife decided to make a butternut squash chowder and was buying them at the grocery store. When she got home I sliced them in half, coated with evoo, and laid the 4 halves around the ribs, none of it touching.
    1stbabybacks.jpg</a>