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

New Egg

Red Stick Egger
Red Stick Egger Posts: 53
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi Everyone..

I've been reading the forums for quite some time. What an amazing amount of information you guys have!!! Also, this has to be the most active bbq forum on the net. After much deliberation, I finally purchased my first Big Green Egg yesterday. After a lot of "soul searching" as my wife calls it, I decided on the XL. It is being delivered this morning. It will be replacing my Weber Performer and WSM. I'm sure they will find happy homes in my garage for the time being.

Anyway... I'm looking forward to chatting it up with you guys about all things related to the egg. I can't wait to start learning how to cook on it. I laid in bed for like an hour last night trying to figure out what I was going to throw on the egg for the inaugural cook. Do I do something simple like burgers or steaks? Or do I go all out and cook a pork butt or brisket? Hmm... I like having to make these hard decisions. I like the long cooks, b/c then I get to tell my wife "If the fire is goin, I need a beer to cool me off." Obviously she doesn't mind this in the afternoons... its when she wakes up and I'm drinking a beer for breakfast that she is concerned.

Ok... I'm rambling... guess I'm a bit excited. Now to go hang the streamers and party balloons for the egg's coming home party...

Comments

  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    Well you have been reading the forum as one of your lines is : "After much deliberation, I
    finally purchased my first Big Green Egg yesterday" with first being the key word LOL I am at 7 between Maine and FLorida :( what ever you decide as you already know if you need help this is the place to come :) Welcome! Julie
  • maXim
    maXim Posts: 468
    Congratulation and welcome. I'm a newbie myself and your absolutely correct this is an incredible forum which an amazing bunch of people.
  • Thanks for the welcome guys. My egg should be here in a couple of hours. Then its back to the store to pick up some egg-bling!!!!
  • luis70458
    luis70458 Posts: 48
    Red stick are you in Baton Rouge???
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Hey there Baton Rouge egger,

    Congrats and welcome to the EggNation! I've also recently purchased an XL, and have the new version, but with the old platesetter--lots of problems with that configuration. Please make sure that your platesetter is the new one, with legs longer than 1". You'll have airflow and cooking issues otherwise.

    On to the good stuff...I would recommend cooking something which you've done on the other cookers, like hamburgers, that way you can see how the BGE behaves when you fire it up. Perhaps a spatchcock chicken would be a nice cook if you're OK with the temperature management.

    Ribs are a good low-and-slow cook, too, and don't require an overnight cook.

    Most of all, have fun cooking, and post yer pics :) We love pics here on the forum.
  • Grand Oeuf Vert
    Grand Oeuf Vert Posts: 1,631
    Congratulations! You made a wise choice my friend.
    My I suggest you do a few low/slows first. You need to cure your Gasket and you do that by 4-5 cooks kept under 325*. Your gasket will last a lot longer that way.
    Consider it a break in period like a new car.
    As for the beer, I see nothing wrong with what you are doing. In fact, I just looked at the directions on a beer can. I says nothing about when it's suppose to be drank. :P 7 a.m. or p.m Who cares. Its all good! :woohoo:
  • I haven't actually purchased my platesetter yet. Thanks for making me aware of the different models though... I didn't realize there were different configurations.

    If my wife gets home from work in time, perhaps we will eat some burgers for lunch. If that goes well, maybe something a little more challenging will follow for dinner.

    Here's a silly question... and I'm sure your gonna laugh. When I did long cooks on my WSM... the way I managed the coal was through the "Minion Method". That is, fill the charcoal bowl up with unlit coal and then toss about a dozen or so lit coals on top of that. The fire would slowly burn down through the coals giving you a nice long burn without having to add more coal for most applications. How do you manage the coals for low and slow on the egg? I guess you are filling up to the fire ring... but are you lighting all the coal at once?
  • My father in law's motto... It's 5:00 somewhere....

    Words to live by my friend...
  • maXim
    maXim Posts: 468
    Tim I'm with you on that what. It's 7pm somewhere on the globe ;)
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Welcome, and congrats on the purchase. I spent about a year and a half "soul searching" before I bought my first Egg. Biggest waste of time ever.

    I'd suggest holding off on brisket, etc. until you get the hang of getting a stable temperature right where you want it. Its not too hard, and some people manage to do it right away. It took me a couple months. I fussed way to much, and so ended up chasing the temps up and down.

    A "spatch'd" chicken (butterflied) is a good way to start. It will turn out well with temps from 300 to 450. The Egg's moisture retention works wonders with the bird. Then, after the hour or so it takes ro cook the bird, you can experiment with backing the temperature down, and when you get to 250, put on some fatties and let them go for a few hours.
  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    Bienvenidos Red Stick Egger. Goodwood Hardware?

    BTW - Not sure if Goodwood carries it, but the patio place on Perkins (Between Highland and Seigen) carries Bad Byron's Butt Rub. Gottagetchusumofdat.
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Yes, fill it up to the fire ring. I use the DigiQ to manage my low-and-slow cooks, and I usually just light the lump at 12/3/6/9 o'clock and let the fire go for a bit before putting in the plate setter and letting the auto drafter take over. Keep in mind that you will want to put in some chunks of smoking wood in with the lump. THat is, put your first layer down, then sprinkle in some chips (or a chunk or two) of whatever smoking wood you're using (no need to soak, but that is another lively discussion on here...) and put a nice chunk on top of the coals after the lump/platesetter/grid have reached your smoking temp. Yes, it is a pain but the results are well worth it.

    Here's something you may want to suggest for Father's Day:

    BBQ Guru stuff here, including the DigiQ :)


    Here is my setup on the XL:
    IMG_0575.jpg

    I was using XL last weekend for some spare ribs. Note the distance between the grid and the platesetter...too close for me, and not enough "air" between the two levels:
    IMG_0577.jpg
  • I like the use of the clamp to secure the Digi II. I'm going to do that today..
  • Panhandle Smoker
    Panhandle Smoker Posts: 3,018
    Bean, I hate to see you bothered by that old plate setter. I will take it off your hands. :laugh:
  • Da' egg is in my backyard. Man... what a beautiful thing. So when you say you light the lump at 3, 6, 9, and 12, how do you go about doing that? Put a starter cube under each of those locations? Sorry about the newbie questions. I'm just used to handling a smaller smoker and things were obviously a little different.

    I've noticed a few people mention the different size legs on the placesetters for the XL BGE. How long should the legs be on the one I buy?
  • I didn't notice any Bad Byron's at Goodwood. I have heard good things about it before though... I'm a long time reader of another forum that highly suggests that product. I will certainly have to give it a try.
  • Raebo
    Raebo Posts: 47
    Congratulations.
    I got mine a month ago, you have made a sound choice.
    One great piece of information given me by a pro was to start out slow.
    Keep her 400 degrees or under for a while.
    This helps the gaskets to set.
    Don't just jump in and do a 700 degree steak sear.
    Think each cook job through before starting, your set up, and temp setting then stick to your game plan.
    Its like a pilots flight plan.
    The big green egg is a wonderful interactive cooking tool.
    You and the egg become a team, that brings forth glorious food for you, your friends and family.
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Sorry, I forgot to mention that I use a MAPP gas torch. It's like a super heavy-duty lighter, which can also be used to copper pipe plumbing--that's where you're likely to find the torch head and gas bottles. I use the TS 8000 from Bernzomatic, and (this morning) just picked up the 8250 torch. It has a long hose on it to go from the fuel to the torch head.

    I'm not a pyromaniac, I just needed a quicker method to light the lump charcoal. Be careful with sparking if you choose to go this route. Sometimes, there's still some moisture in the lump, and it's snap/crackle/pop back at you while you're torching it.
  • Hmm... I may have to bring the porcelain coated cooking grate back. I just noticed there is a small spot of porcelain missing on one of the slats. Are they stainless underneath? If so, it really won't affect cooking at all... I would just be concerned that the grid would fail prematurely if it isn't stainless underneath the porcelain.
  • Alright... 11:00 my time. Cooked dinner for my wife and my parents. My daughter was with my inlaws so I could experiment a little more with what I was cooking. I was all set to take pictures till I realized the card in my camera was corrupt. I will definitely have to get some pics next time I cook.

    So on the menu tonight... I made some vietnamese style meatballs for an appetizer. Was a recipe that I got from some other grill manufacturer that I will no longer name. They were quite delicious with the peanut dipping sauce that I made. Maybe a little too crispy on the outside, but everyone really liked them.

    For the main course, I decided to roast up some corn and cook a few steaks. The local grocer had a good deal on some deboned top sirloins. I usually prefer ribeyes, but I've had really good luck with larger top sirloins in the past so I thought I would give it a whirl. Boy was I happy that I went this route. I cooked them at about 600 degrees. Nice cross hash marks... perhaps a little more charred than I would like, but they came out medium rare to medium. Once they were sliced up, there was a nice selection of doneness for everyone to enjoy. I also roasted some corn... 600 was a little hotter than I would have normally cooked corn, but I figured I would give it a try. I was sort of scared b/c the outside of the husks was completely black. However, the inside was absolutely delicious with only a few blackened kernels here and there. All in all, it was a good first experience with my new toy. I can't believe how much heat that bad boy can generate though. After all my piddling around, I think I managed to maintain a 600 degree fire for close to 2 hours.

    I did go buy a platesetter so that I could practice maintaining a low and slow fire. I figured if I was gonna be burning the lump, I might as well be cookin' da' butt. So right now I have a 9 lb pork butt smoking away at about 240 or so degrees. It's a little hotter than I was aiming for, but it is giving me some good experience on the egg. "Practice dinner" is gonna be mighty yummy tomorrow night!!!
  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    that was funny :)

    i like your thinking :ohmy:


    the egg is an addiction!! and soon after you get the hang of it the family will actually love it also.. at least that is what happened here ;) hope for the same for you.. my wife talked me into the second egg.... i have it in the works for the third and fourth :)

    welcome to the forum

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • Hmm... I seem to have let the temp get away from me a bit. Maybe I let too much lump get lit at the start. After 3 hours the temp is topping 290. I have the top damper opened maybe half way and the bottom damper open about 1 inch now. Hopefully it will be enough to get the temp back down into the 225 to 250 range. OMG... the backyard smells soooooo good though. I want to open the hood and take a peek, but I know better than that. The temp probe is in the meat so I don't plan to open it until it hits 200. Hopefully the temp gets under control soon. I guess time will also tell if I put enough lump in the egg for the entire cook. If not, it won't be the first time I've finished a piece of meat in the oven. I hope it doesn't come to that, but we will find out in a few hours.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Red Stick Egger,

    Sorry if this has been asked but I only read down as far as Frank's post. I have been to the Breaux Bridge festival and I know what le baton rouge means. I love Louisiana.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    Red Stick Egger:

    i did not read the rest of the posts... but the egg will have a kind of mind of it's own.. at times.. you will get the hang of it.. plus your egg will also teach you a lesson or two (if you still have hair on your knuckles don't get used to it)


    sometimes you will have to just learn to live with what the egg wants to run at.. but it is not a big adjustment once you learn a couple of tricks!!

    #1 a warm cooler is handy.(just get a clean cooler and put some boiling water in it..pour water out and throw warm meat in) it will hold temps for hours


    #2 if you start to chase tempratures you will never stop!! the egg works on the duh factor.. (i.e. duh why did i not think of that) if the egg is too hot = too much air.... if it is too cold = not enough coal or not enough air..

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb