1 month review

Thanks for you input. You might save someone with similar tastes some money. I doubt that you'll be the end of eggdom as we know it.

The egg is a great all-round grill/smoker if you are going to have only one. But - like most special purpose forums - we tend to drink our own kool-aid. They are also a very expensive purchase compared to a Weber kettle.

I came to the ceramic cooker (Kamado first, but I have a large egg)as I was looking for a replacement for a Weber kettle and I already had a couple of "big iron" cookers for doing quantity cooks.

While the egg has several good qualities such as ease of use, fuel economy and flexibility - I wouldn't say that it produces a different taste from a similar cooker used in a similar fashion. For instance, I think you would end up with similar flavor from any number of drip pan/oxygen restricted cookers including the Weber Smokey Mountain or even the kettle used skillfully.

To reinforce a couple of suggestions - try to build a very clean fire using only the charcoal you need to achieve temperature. Taken to an extreme - you could achieve a fuel restricted fire in an excess oxygen environment. Second, use the intake as the primary draft restriction allowing the exhaust to flow freely. This reduces the time the "smoke" is in contact with the meat. It sounds as though you are using a drip pan. Try using a heat deflector (pizza stone) under it with several copper pipe elbows in between to avoid burning the drippings. Also add some water to the pan.

Regarding chicken, it can be griiled hot or smoked slow. I like both, but there is a difference.

If grilling, try cooking hotter so there is less time in the smoke. Or, try cooking with the lid up.

While it is a bummer to spend a lot of money and not have something meet your expectations, we've all been there at one point or another. I would put the word out that you have a Green Egg for sale and be patient - the distance from a dealer may be to your advantage.

In the meantime, keep working on your technique. A month isn't a long time to develop your skill - keep experimenting and you may surprise yourself.

Again, thanks for sharing and I hope thing work out for you.

Rick,
Is California closer than Ohio??? :evil: :woohoo: :woohoo:
If folks would do some research that involved some actual hands on experience with an Egg I think the beginner in the grill world would have a better appreciation for the BGE or any komada pot grill. This is not a "I have a thousand dollars in my pocket and need an egg to make me a better chef" item. You need to go out and learn how to cook on it from experienced individuals that know the ropes. She will not learn how to use this in a month especially if she is a gasser with little coal experience.
The best steak houses use fire pits with wood to sear the best steaks known to man and the best pizzas come out of a wood burning oven. The egg is as close as you can get if not better.
If she wants to keep the egg then she needs to learn how to use it and not frustrate herself by trying by trial & error.
Hell, if she's hot, a couple of the Bretheren & I will come down to offer private lessons! :evil: :evil: :evil: