Pre-buy Question: starting fire, etc.

Unknown · January 2008

I submitted this in the Pre-Purchase Question also, but wanted to submit here too since all of you are long time owners and experienced.

We are LP grill users but are planning on converting to BGE owners. We BBQ 99+% of our meals and really depend on a good grill. We have recently had LP grill burner problems and it really put a damper on our cooking and in reallity never realized how much we depend on BBQ grill operation. We have been thinking about all the great thing we hear about the BGE and how food is so different when cooked on a BGE.

Starting the fire: I'm concerned with lighting the charcoal (best method) and time that the BGE is ready to cook chicken, steaks, etc. I've seen a couple posts that have what looks like a flame thrower device to start the fire which doesn't look convenient. I've seen things written that the BGE is ready to go in 10 minutes. What is the real truth? I don't want to invest in a BGE and be disappointed because we are turned off by the time it takes to start the fire and the time it is before we can start cooking. I can deal with 10-15 minutes since this is about the time it takes to get the LP grill ready after starting it, burnig off the grill and wiring the grill, then getting the temperature down to the cooking level.

Altitude/Cold/Windy Weather: We live in the mountains of San Diego, CA (yeah, I know what you are thinking) at about 4,200 feet and during the winter our temperatures get down to 20s, 30s, and low 40s with the occansional snow and plenty of winds to extremly high winds all throughout the year. How does the BGE handle these conditions?

I guess we are so progamed with the LP grill that it is scary to think of going to a charcoal grill. Our brother-in-law will not cook on anything other than a charcoal grill but he doesn't have (nor anyone we know) have a BGE and it takes soooooo long for him to have the coals ready and I am SOOOOO turned off by the starter fluid he uses to get his fire going. We eat organic and him using that fire starter fluid turns my stomach. Since I mentioned eating organic...the organic meats must be cooked at lower temperatures and they cook faster than non-organic so that is another concern of ours. Please help make the right decision as so we don't have a BGE sitting on our deck and not being used.

The Naked Whiz · January 2008

Re: the "cold" weather. You won't even notice it in the BGE for intents and purposes. The Egg will do just fine in 20 degree weather.

Re: starting. Well, you don't use starter fluid, thank god, and lump starts faster than briquettes. Usually briquettes are ready in 20 minutes. I think 10-15 minutes with lump is realistic. I use a MAPP torch (you can use a propane torch also) because it is so convenient and handy. I've found that if you put a pile of Cowboy lump on top of your regular lump, you can get that going relatively quickly then spread it around to ignite the rest.

My mom lives in Vista, so I fly into SD a couple of times a year. But the weather isn't like what you have, lol!

Mustard · January 2008

I use multiple methods of starting my lump. I have an electric starter which I use very little since it requires me to drag out an extension cord. I have a charcoal chimney which I use most of the time. I have used a propane torch, parrafin starters and last night I wadded up a paper towel, soaked it in canola oil and put it in a coffee filter as a starter. All work perfectly fine and it depends upon how much of a hurry I am in as to which I use. If I am in a big hurry or if I am going to grill (as opposed to BBQ), I use the chimney and I am usually cooking within 15 minutes. The chimney is easy and quick and has the advantage of getting a lot of charcoal burning in a hurry. If I am going to BBQ (low and slow) I usually use one of the other methods, since I do not want all the charcoal burning immediatly.

Lump is a zen thing. Some people dump it in and go, others pre-sort, sort, grade, collate, stack, etc. Either approach will produce better food than I have ever eaten off of a gas grill...

Greg

Michael B · January 2008

A MAP torch works well for a quick, clean start.

I generally light mine with a couple 1/4 sections of paper towel, twisted, with a little cooking oil on it.
After lighting, I close the dome, leave the daisy off and the lower damper wide open.
Next, I go inside and start preparing what ever it is I plan to cook in the Egg, keeping an eye on the dome temp while doing so.
When the dome temperature is getting close to what I want, I go back out and set the dampers.
The Egg has usually stabilized and the smoke cleared by the time I get the food prepped and ready to go on.

Michael B · January 2008

Do NOT use starter fluids!

Some of the people here smoke cheese at near ambient temps. You shouldn't have any problem with organic meats.

Digging a BGE out of the snow to cook dinner is a regular occurance for many on this list.

Jeffersonian · January 2008

Karen,

I use an electric starter, but that was a fall-back from the paraffin starters that I got tired of messing with. Since I've been here on the forum, I've discovered the paper towel/cooking oil method and it works very well (albeit with a bit of mess). Fifteen minutes to get the Egg going is a safe bet this way...MAPP torches will probably get you there in ten.

Cold weather doesn't affect the Egg much (I'm in St. Louis and smoked a large butt for 11 hours in cold weather last Monday), but I've had the Egg warm a bit, about 50 degF, if a strong wind managed to blow directly into the lower vent. This should be less of an issue on lower-temp cooks since your vents will be only open narrowly.

If you are reluctant to take the big-dollar plunge with the Large, why not get a Mini first and see how you like the BGE concept? You can get those for around $240 or so and they're really nice for searing a couple of steaks. A lot of us Eggers who have Larges also by the Mini anyway (I have one on my wish list), so you'll likely wind up owning both in the end if you like them.

lowercasebill · January 2008

i have to cook now and i am trying to hook up a new computer as well i will try to get back to your questions tonight. in the mean tiime you will not be dissapointed. i gassed for 20 years and did not buy the egg for the same reasons you expressed. kind of bummed that i mssed all those years of egging.
billl

lazy · January 2008

I recently bought an XL after years of cooking w/gas and I think it takes a little bit longer to get ready than the gas grill due to having to let the bad smoke burn off prior to putting the meat on. All in all it's probably only about 10-15 minutes longer than using a gas grill. Using one of the torches would make it faster but I use the olive oil and paper towel method to start it. The taste of the food is worth the wait - I can't believe the difference!

jeff

Fidel · January 2008

You could always use one of these to get it started:

It's called a weed burner. It is basically a propane torch and costs about $19. I get up to temps easily in 10-15 minutes.

You never use starter fluids regardless which method you choose to light the egg.

The altitude, winds, and temperature will have no effect on the egg. It will keep on cooking and the weather bothers you much more than it does the BGE.

Good luck on your decision.

Unknown · January 2008

TNW, Greg, Michael B, Jeffersonian, Bill, Jeff, and Fidel,

All thank you for your great information. This is a scary step going to charcoal when we are so programed with LP but from what I hear it is completely worth it once you taste the food cooked on a BGE.

Jeffersonian: A MINI for $240!!!! My local dealer had a Mini priced at $575 with a stand which I think the stand had rollers and I think it might of had the side "wings" on it too. That was another reason as to why this is such a tough decision when we see a Mini priced at $575! We thought a medium would be a good size but the dealer didn't have one at the time and the Large was priced at over $900 so I didn't have the courage to ask the price of a Medium. Is our local dealer doing some price gouging??? If the BGE can't be purchased online and you have to depend on your local grill dealer and they are asking prices like that compared to what Jeffersonian said...now I'm really scared. Yikes!

Again, thank you for your great responses.

Karen

lazy · January 2008

Sounds like they're prices are really high to me. I'm in Dallas and looked around at a few places and found the highest price for a large was $700 -- just the egg. I found it for $630 at American Backyard which had all the eggs for about $50 - $70 cheaper than the other stores and they put it together for free as well.

jeff

Pre-buy Question: starting fire, etc.

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