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Is it worth it to do chili on the BGE?

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Riley
Riley Posts: 51
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm entering a charity chili cookoff, and I have my recipe. I've never done chili on the Egg, but I was wondering if it would add much to do it this way.

For those who have done it both ways, is it that much different on the Egg? I don't want tooo much smoke flavor, but a little might be good. Maybe I could start it on the Egg, and finish on the stove?

If I do it on the Egg, how do I make sure I don't get too much smoke?

Thanks!
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Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,758
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    if you want to limit the smoke, you can use the cover that came with the dutch oven, some smoke will still get in but it wont get as smokey
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    I've never egged chili, but have the opinion it wont be worth the extra effort. Maybe cook the meats in a C.I. skillet on the egg?
    I'm a crock pot guy when it comes to sauces, etc.
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    Absolutely worth it.

    You can put the lid on your pot if you are concerned about too much smoke.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    I cook chili, red beans & rice and soups in crockpots, BGE's and thestove. I like them all better on the BGE. I cook them in CIDO indirect on my Lg BGE whenever I can. Sometimes I will brown the meat on the stove but overall the major cooking time is on the BGE. I think it makes a big difference in the taste.

    I let the smoke clear and get a good steady temp (usually 300-350) before I start cooking. I also preheat the CIDO...

    just my 2 cents...
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  • Riley
    Riley Posts: 51
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    I have hickory chunks, Jack Daniels oak chips, apple chips, and maple chips. Which should I use? Should I just use wood at the beginning, or at the end?

    Thanks all.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Riley,

    It adds a whole dimension of flavour. Chili was first cooked over fire if I'm not mistaken.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    Sundown thinks soo... :whistle:
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  • DryFly
    DryFly Posts: 351
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    Positively worth it! Instead of just browning you meat you can smoke it. I use a combination of chuck and sweet Italian sausage with pre smoked rib tail meat and smoke in a CI Lodge 7 qt DO for about an hour, then load in the rest of whatever you like for 2 hrs. Great flavor. Hell man, don't debate it, just do it. You won't regret it.
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  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,170
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    Definitely better on the egg. I use hickory chunks (2 or 3 good size chunks) when I'm browning the meat. It takes a lot of smoke to pick up that flavor when cooking in a D.O. so don't worry about getting too much smoke. I'll sometimes add even more when I'm doing the veggies in the recipe. See the post below several threads down for my recipe and method for "Cow Lickin' Chili".
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    I'm with you on this one. Outside of lighting the egg it's no more trouble then doing it on the stove.

    Now, having said that I don't consider lighting the egg as much trouble.

    Regards,
    Bordello

    Love using my D.O. in the Egg :laugh:
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    If you have enough time why not do a small batch and try it to see if you like it???

    Most of us are saying yes to using the Egg but only your taste buds will satisfy you.

    Best of luck to ya in the cook off. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

    Bordello
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  • FrankC
    FrankC Posts: 416
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    I just did my first batch on the egg, and I don't think I would do any other way in the future. Like others said, you can control the smoke with the DO lid...and hey, who doensn't like to play with fire, right??

    The "thing" in the middle is a bloated ancho chili...
    BuffaloPorterhouse002-1.jpg
    fc
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    If you don't like smoke, don't use smoking wood. The lump will give off just enough hint of smoke to enhance the flavor of the chili without it tasting smokey.

    Here's some I cooked on Shirley Small (one of my girls) a few months back.

    Chili2-5-06.jpg

    Tastes better the second day.

    Spring "Chili Flavored Chili" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    Welcome to the club of D.O. egg lovers. :) :laugh: :silly: :ohmy:

    Cheers,
    Bordello
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    Damn Chicken Man that looks good. Morning and nights are getting cool here so I may have to start making things to keep me warm. Hmmmmmmm, Old Bordello is talking about food. :) :laugh: :cheer: :evil:

    Cheers Leroy,
    Bordello
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  • MakoBBQ
    MakoBBQ Posts: 230
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    Egret, just searched and read your post on the Cow Lickin chili. Question, what size dutch oven did you use? 5 quart 7 quart?

    Thanks.
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    OK, I am convinced. But I thought it was bad to use tomato in cast iron?
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  • Craig
    Craig Posts: 72
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    I did chili on the EGG this past weekend and it came out great! Just before I added the last of the ingredients and it was about to simmer for an hour or so, I added some hickory chips. The smoke flavor was very subtle, but definitely there. I adds another dimension to chili, that you can't get on the stove.

    I say go for it!
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  • FrankC
    FrankC Posts: 416
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    Bacchus,

    Sundown was very generous, and shared his Real Man Chili recipe with me...as he said in his email to me:

    "Final Note: Please don’t go messing with this by putting tomatoes or tomato products of any kind in it. If you prefer beans in your chili add them to the bowl when you serve your guests. I think beans alter the flavor if they are added to the chili during the cook. Enjoy."

    So, no tomatoes!

    fc
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    followed egret's advice. Mighty good.

    chili2.jpg

    GG
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  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,170
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    I used to use a 5 qt. before I got the 7 qt. version and it got pretty full! 7 qt. is what you want for this recipe.....
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  • Riley
    Riley Posts: 51
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    One more question while I have experts.

    Should I do the chili the evening before, and let it roll in the crock pot overnight after Egging it?

    Refrigerate it after Egging, and then Crock Pot it before serving?

    Which is better?

    Thanks!!!!!!!
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    I personally just let mine simmer on the egg for 5-6 hours. Leftovers are either warmed in the crock pot or microwave.
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    Sorry Frank, It still looks like a frog doing the side stroke to me :whistle:
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    If it's well seasoned then no problem. If it's lightly seasoned then you might lose it. Just a good excuse for another fire if you do. :whistle:
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  • FrankC
    FrankC Posts: 416
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    Mainegg wrote:
    Sorry Frank, It still looks like a frog doing the side stroke to me :whistle:

    I swear...it's an Ancho!

    fc
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  • eatbbq
    eatbbq Posts: 81
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    Anything you can do on the egg will be better, if I could and if it didn't take so long, I would make my coffee in the morning on the egg.
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