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First...few cook recommendations?

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in EggHead Forum
Got a new Large BGE. Will start it up this weekend. I've heard the newer GBE's have gaskets that may not take to high heat, at least without some "seasoning" with a few cooks of lower temps. With this forum's vast experience, is that so? Should I wait to sear my first ribeye (I'm really looking forward to that)? Any recommendations as to a first-cook or first few cooks? If there is a weakness in the factory installed gasket, is there some recommendations as to a replacement gasket for high temp cooking? I want to break it in right if there is some break-in criteria.
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Comments

  • Michael BMichael B Posts: 986
    Some people have had the gasket come loose by getting the Egg really hot before the glue was completely cured.

    Be sure to do the dollar bill test before you fire it up the first time. Hot air passing through the gaskets will burn them up any tome.

    As for cooks, make something you are familiar with. Anything you can cook in your kitchen can be done in the BGE and come out better.

    After you light your fire, get your temp stabilized and wait for the smoke to turn blue or clear before you put your food in. If in doubt about the smoke, smell what is coming out of the top of the Egg. If it doesn't smell good, you aren't ready to cook.
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  • CrashCrash Posts: 32
    I had no problems with my first run on my new egg. Like any new cooking tool you should crank it to operation temp for thirty minutes before you add food. This removes anything in it or on it that came from the shipping or handling.
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  • EggtuckyEggtucky Posts: 2,746
    personally..I did not do a 500+ cook for quite a while after I got my first egg...and it is still a rare occurence for me...my new small is only a couple of weeks old and I havent taken it above 400 yet...you can make absolutely outstanding steaks, pizzas, chicken, chops, everything using 500d and below temps and not have near the gasket risk, flashback risk, burn risk, etc that you do at 600+...at 600+ things happen fast and I suggest being well familiar with your egg and how it functions before doing cooks at these temps..this is just my opinion..many on this forum do the high temp cooks all the time..I'm just not a big fan of having a large ceramic container of lava boiling away...I recommend first for first cooks anything you wanna do at 500 and below..just my 2 cents..
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    My neighbor had his Egg before I got mine. I've replaced the gasket twice and his still looks pretty good. In the 2 years of Egging, I don't think he's ever taken it over 500.


    I think the advice to keep it at 500 or under for awhile is good. When I fried my first gasket the Egg was about 4 days old, maybe 5. Almost every day I had the temp up in the 700's and it was fine. The problem happened when I walked away from it, got distracted and left it too long. The top and bottom gasket began to fuse together and partially tore off when I opened the dome.

    Give yourself a week of cooks and then when you do crank it, don't leave it unattended for long when the temp is 600+. Running into the house to ferry cooking stuff back and forth is ok, meeting with a contractor to discuss your new stone wall is not ok.
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  • gdenbygdenby Posts: 3,604
    Actually, there was word here that the gaskets have been improved in the last year. The issue appears to be two fold. The glue is may still be somewhat volatile on a new gasket, and the gasket itself might be kind of fluffy. Like Flashback Bob, on my first cook I was drawn away from the Egg longer than I intended, and when I came back, it was at 750, and I could smell something burning. I opened the lid, and half the top gasket remained stuck to the bottom. I kept the replacement below 450 for about a week, and it remained perfect for at least 6 months. Its a little crisp now, but still holding the seal pretty well.

    As for first cooks, something you can do fairly quickly at a medium temperature would be a good start. "Spatchcocked" (butterflied) chicken on a raised grate is really good. Likewise pork steaks work well. Come out juicier and less greasy than from an ordinary grill.
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  • BeliBeli Posts: 10,751
    I´ve done about 15 cooks on my LGE my first was a 14-15 hr. brisket...and from there on probably 8 cooks have been using the TRex method which I really like.....but the most I´ve taken the temp up is 650° and then for a few minutes as the method suggests. One thing I do is being closeby checking the gauge most of the time, so it doesnt climb up too high. Good Luck
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