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how MUCH more lump used in an XL versus L?

kerns
kerns Posts: 22
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hey,

All the feedback regarding XL versus L has been great. I'm really torn!

I hope to use our incoming Egg as often as possible and perhaps nightly in the hotter months.

Barring price, deck real estate and accessories as considerations - these are very nice problems to have, which goodies to get - one point that's really stuck with me was that someone mentioned an XL would use more lump.

Anyone have some quantitative feedback on that point? How MUCH more lump would an XL go thru, cooking for a family of 4 to 8 on a regular basis, compared to a large?

Thanks!
Kern

Comments

  • Broc
    Broc Posts: 1,398
    Dunno -- But I cook often on my Medium [have a small, also], and serve 30+ people regularly.

    Why do you need an XL -- You got a private army you're supporting?

    ~ B

    B)
  • kerns
    kerns Posts: 22
    Nah, logistical or fire support for any small army would have to issue from my metal cabinet full of guns. Wrong forum.

    Seriously, I guess that despite the preponderance of folks saying "an L is plenty large" I'm influenced by the size of my current metal box. For cooking.

    I've been regularly using and sometimes double batching on all of the available space in a sheet metal BBQ with roughly 18" by 36" of grill, burning Mexican branch charcoal mostly.

    My parents-in-law like their meats. A LOT. Loadouts like Kalbi beef chunks next to rafts of sesame oil, teriyaki, garlic/sugar AND shoyu wings, next to a couple of sectioned marinated chickens being shuffled around the edges of a rank of T-bones and strips happen whenever family comes to town.

    Then I have to flip, temp gauge and pull whatever I can to make room for veggie kebabs and sausages & dogs for the kids.

    Hence my immediate "oh, gotta get an XL" reaction when the 'cue upgrade budget was socialized and approved.

    So. Is it simply that the Eggs are so much more efficient, and folks can turn a few grills full of various menu items per cook? Or is it stacked racks, eggcessories.com rigs and judicious use of space?

    How *do* you feed 30 off of a medium??

    -Kern
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    With practice and the right tools

    IMG_8030-020.jpg

    IMG_8055-033.jpg
  • Gunnar
    Gunnar Posts: 2,307
    I was in your same position coming off a good size gasser and wanting all the grid space I could get. I've had the large BGE just over 3 months and have gone thru 100 pounds of lump. I cook an average of 4 time week plus for 2 to 4 people and very little is cooked inside. I've only done a few long cooks, but can't see the XL would use too much charcoal. Sunday past I did just over 6 lbs of wings and used every square inch available. I'm good with my decision of the large and can't wait until I add another BGE. My two cents.
    LBGE      Katy (Houston) TX
  • kerns wrote:

    My parents-in-law like their meats. A LOT. Loadouts like Kalbi beef chunks next to rafts of sesame oil, teriyaki, garlic/sugar AND shoyu wings, next to a couple of sectioned marinated chickens being shuffled around the edges of a rank of T-bones and strips happen whenever family comes to town.

    Then I have to flip, temp gauge and pull whatever I can to make room for veggie kebabs and sausages & dogs for the kids.

    Hence my immediate "oh, gotta get an XL" reaction when the 'cue upgrade budget was socialized and approved.

    Sounds to me like you need acreage and flexibility to cook at two different temps. Geaux for two and geaux now - every day you put it off is another day lost to ordinary Q. :woohoo: A large and small will work for you. I have the XL and small.

    101_2902800x600-1.jpg

    Ribs on XL
    101_1853640x480.jpg

    Ribs on Small
    101_2703800x600.jpg
  • I don't understand why so many people in the forum jump at the chance to bad mouth the XL, is it size envy? I read all these alagations of poor performance, it burns alot more lump,the dome is to shallow to cook a 47lb turkey, the hinges don't work and last but not least the greatest put down, what are you going to do, feed an army? What gives, isn't the forum a place that we Eggers share ideas and recipes and techniques, not use here say and conjecture to dis a Big Green Egg product, if it's so useles and bad then BGE should pull it. The fact is the XL is a great product and fills a nitch just like the other fine BGE poducts. I have cooked on the Large and it is a great cooker and in having actually used the Large I'am qualified to comment on its performance. but like so many reports I've read in the past months 80% of the people bad mouthing the XL have never used one. Report on what you know.

    FireWalker
  • captjo
    captjo Posts: 93
    Kern,
    When the XL was introduced, the fire grate had holes that were around 3/4" diameter. BGE has just changed the fire grate on the XL to 1/2" holes, therefore it burns less charcoal than it did previously.

    I have both a large and an XL, and love them both.

    The change in the fire grate is very new. Your dealer may not be aware of it yet...and may have XL's in stock with the old fire grate. Bring a tape measure.

    Enjoy whichever Egg you decide on,
    Jo
    Bristow, VA
    1 Lrg & 1 XL