Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Egg Setter

Options
Rib Fan
Rib Fan Posts: 305
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello, new to forum and waiting for my first BGE to arrive. Regarding the Egg Setter is it necessary if you want to cook ribs and/or brisket? I know it is for indirect heating but how was it done before the option came out? I believe the Egg Setter is a fairly recent option (could be wrong).
Is it just a given that you require the Egg Setter?
Thanks and hoping to contribute to the forum once I stumble through the learning process.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    Options
    I would say it is the most indispensable eggcessary their is. A pan could be hung from the grate but do to the extreme heat above the coals wouldn't last long. The price is reasonable and I use mine all the time. I would recommend departing with the greenbacks and getting one.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
    Options
    Welcome! I have done ribs direct (without the plate setter) many times and they come out fine. I've always done brisket indirect. If you don't want to get the plate setter right away, you can cook indirect with a few firebricks, a heavy pan or anything that will block the heat. You'll need another grid above the one holding the bricks, etc. for your food.
    Paul
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Options
    A platesetter is one of several ways to get indirect heat. It is not completely necessary for ribs, but it makes it very easy to avoid scorching the meat. I can't comment on brisket, as I'm a rookie at that. I use the platesetter most frequently for items I want to cook at roasting temperature, 350 and above.

    The platesetter is also the standard base for pizza stones, so is pretty much necessary for pizza and baking.

    The accessory I use most often is an elevated grill. Raising the food to the level of the rim makes it much easier to handle. Much easier to flip burgers, turn chicken pieces.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ThinkandDrive
    ThinkandDrive Posts: 84
    Options
    The plate setter is definitely a really important eggcessory in your arsenal. But if you want to hold off for a little while, you could do what I did.

    I made an extended/drop-grate by taking a smaller Weber replacement grate and putting three stainless steel carriage-bolt "legs" on it. I could set it on top of the main grate or secure it below the maingrate to act as a drop grate. There are photos around here on how to do that, I think. I'll look and see if there are any pics in my gallery of mine close up. IMPORTANT! Use only Stainless Steel hardware and NOT galvanized, which could poison ya.

    I then took an inexpensive unglazedterracotta flower pot saucer and put it between my food and the flame. It stood up to about three pork butts and two rib sessions. Eventually, it cracked down the middle. I just wrapped it in foil to hold it together and got another few cooks out of it.

    Eventually, I got the plate setter because I didn't want to take any chances with my Thanksgiving turkey.

    You can limp along without one though. . . . . for a little while. :whistle:

    (edits for corrected speeling.)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mahi-Mahi
    Mahi-Mahi Posts: 162
    Options
    I think you may increase the blackness of your meat on the outside with out a placesetter.
    Or you can go to eggaccessories and use a pizza stone with it and have a few more options.

    I mostly cook indirect for brisket, pull pork, ribs. I think it gives you a large safty margin of not ruining the food.

    Depending on the size of your egg it does even out the heat if all your charcoal is burning on side of the egg.
    You could have one side burnt and one done just right or you have to move your food around which does cause problems opening and closing the egg a lot.

    Study the options on eggaccessories for your egg. I think it has improved my cooking a lot.

    If you are going low and slow almost all smokers are set using indirect heat.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Options
    Heya Joel, I think that thing about the bolts poisoning you is urban legend, we don't get anywhere near the temps that would cause any off gassing. -RP
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaMike
    FlaMike Posts: 648
    Options
    Welcome to the wonderful world of egging!
    The Platesetter not only lets you cook with indirect heat, it also adds a lot of "Ceramic Mass" which gets hot, and stays hot, so your temps stay relatively steady even if you open the lid to adjust or flip or whatever. I don't use it all the time, but couldn't live without it. Good luck.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Options
    ...and technically, if it DID get that hot, stainless fumes would be worse for you than galvy. but "stainless steel" has a heroic reputation, and that galvy=death rumor won't ever die.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Salty Dog
    Salty Dog Posts: 89
    Options
    You are really going to enjoy the BGE, especially with the platesetter. The platesetter is just the right tool for indirect cooking. Anything else is a work-around. Get one!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories