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Large vs. Small Egg

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Eggmoramus
Eggmoramus Posts: 84
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have a large egg that I have had for about a month. I love it. I have noticed that a lot of you have both a large and a small. Tonight I was cooking 2 chicken breast and it took from the time I raised the lid to start the fire to the time I was eating almost 50 minutes. I stabilized my temp at 400 degrees F. The question that I have is how long does it take to stabilize a small Egg at 400 compared to a the large? 75% of the time I will be cooking for just me and my better half, 2 breast, 2 steaks etc. Any advice will be considered. Thanks.
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Comments

  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    I also have a large and a small. Went 3 years with only a large and missed many steak, chicken breast meals. last night did 2 1 inch thick ribeyes light eggt to 500F to table 27 minutes.
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  • GrillDaddy
    GrillDaddy Posts: 295
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    I have 3 different sizes and really do not think there is much of a different in start up time. If you want a faster startup you will want to add more oxygen to the fire.
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    We have a large, a small and a mini. Each is great. We got the small because we thought we might be taking it with us from time to time. Even made a portable carrier/cooking center for it. Used it that way once. Don't intend to take it anywhere in the future. Too old and I'm getting too lazy.

    If I had it to do over I think I would have bought two large Eggs and the mini. My reasoning is simple, I have a lot of accessories for the large and only a few for the small. I could use the accessories interchangably between two large Eggs as needed. Plus, they would be easier to store.

    I'm not likely to trade in my small for a large unless someone wanted to swap even-steven but I took the liberty to make the slot in the Chicken Coop large enough for a large should I ever win one or run across one in a garage sale.

    Hope this helps.

    Spring "Surrounded By Eggs And None Of Them Lit" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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  • SGT BBQ
    SGT BBQ Posts: 190
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    How much lump do you save cooking on a small compared to a large, if your only cooking a couple steaks or a couple chicken breast?
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  • Gunnar
    Gunnar Posts: 2,307
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    I've had a large almost a year. Think past the main dish. There are too many sides you can cook in front of, concurrently or after to make it worth while. Don’t get me wrong I want more eggs, probably a Mini next and then another Large. Occasionally I can get all three components on the grid including grilled romaine.
    LBGE      Katy (Houston) TX
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  • Eggmoramus
    Eggmoramus Posts: 84
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    I really don't care about how much lump I save, I'm more interested in saving the (most of the time).
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  • Eggmoramus
    Eggmoramus Posts: 84
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    That's a good point. Maybe I need to start utilizing the rest of the space instead of cooking the sides indoors.
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  • "Sparky"
    "Sparky" Posts: 6,024
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    I have four eggs(add enjoy them all),but sometimes I cook stuff together,like)
    Corn on the cobb,with chicken wings

    025-3.jpg

    Corn and chicken again :whistle:

    009-23.jpg

    Burgers,fries,and romaine

    021-2.jpg

    But most times,I want to do the sides at different temp/or smoke flavor.For me,multiple eggs is the only way to go :woohoo: BTW,the small heats up pretty quick.I don't have a large :blush: ,but my small heats-up faster than my medium or XL :)
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  • Eggmoramus
    Eggmoramus Posts: 84
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    I think that is the point I'm missing. I seem to be too concerned with the one thing instead of cooking the entire meal on it. Thanks
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    Typically I can get my small to a stable 425 in 20 minutes time. I use one Weber cube and close the dome, but with no daisy and the vent wide open. I set a timer for 12 minutes to check the progress if not up to 250 or so by the 12 min I give the dome a quick jerk up which seems to stimulate the flame by the sudden rush of air - and no I've never had a flash back at that point from that procedure. BTW I love my small and use it 55 to 60% of all my cooks and I do have 4 eggs.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    I have a large and small. Takes about 20 mins for the small to stabilize at 400 or so. I do have a battery operated fan too which I use to help at times. This works perfect holding it or putting it at the bottom vent.
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    A lot less lump, that's for sure. Maybe 1/4 the amount or less for the small.
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    All right, I give up. How do you keep the French fries from falling through the grate?? :unsure:
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  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
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    50 minutes for breasts? Somethings up. If I had to I know it could be done in half the time.
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  • Florida Grillin Girl
    Florida Grillin Girl Posts: 4,972
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    I have a large and a mini. If I am cooking just 2 chicken breasts or 2 steaks, it's the mini. It gets to temp in just a few minutes, it can be at 650 degrees in 15 minutes! I only use my large now for low and slow cooks and for cooks for 6+ people. Hope this helps.

    Faith
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    GASP! :ohmy: you still cook indoors :lol: I hardly cook inside at all. there are a few things the egg can't do but not many. as you get used to is and figure out temps and times you will have more things on there cooking.
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  • Charleston Dave
    Charleston Dave Posts: 571
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    You express two concerns, the consumption of charcoal and the rapidity of getting to temp and cooking. Let me address the second concern, as others have talked upthread about the first one.

    If your concern is getting your Egg to temperature ASAP, you can get the fastest startup using a torch combined with powered draft.

    I use a weedburner plus my DigiQ with the probe initially outside the dome so that the fan runs constantly. After a few minutes the fire is well established, so I move the probe inside the dome so that the DigiQ will regulate Egg temperature.

    Your fire will always start faster and burn smoother with better airflow, so if you're in a hurry for heat make sure that the ashes from previous cooks are removed and the fire grate isn't clogged. Takes a minute or two and offers a worthwhile return on time investment.
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