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

Stupid Article

Comments

  • DrZaius
    DrZaius Posts: 1,481
    I am not sure what to think. I like hardwood lump and their data seems odd by my accounts. Remember that publications are paid advertising money that can skew results. But Cooks Illustrated is highly regarded by myself and is a fantastic pub. Again, I am not sure what to think.
    This is the greatest signature EVAR!
  • JB
    JB Posts: 510
    Apparently they were not cooking on an Egg...
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    We all know that lump burns much hotter than briquettes. What's missing here is the "magic" of the ceramic smoker. I have no problem maintaining a 240-250* dome temp for up to 20 hours using very small amounts of lump.

    I like Cook's Illustrated and subscribe to their magazines. i have adapted several or their recipes for the Egg. It's a shame they don't have a third section for ceramic cookers (they have one each for gassers and charcoal grills).
  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    I agree since they are doing the test in a totally open grill like a weber or something. Won't happen with and egg.
  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    I sent them a quick message about the little mix up. :laugh:
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    DrZaius wrote:
    I am not sure what to think.

    :woohoo: :woohoo:

    Really!!!

    :) GG
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    First that article was publish in 2005. Second they probably tested the lump on a regular style grill. On a weber kettle lump will burn hot and fast. Briquettes will do better.

    In a cooker were air flow can be controlled Lump rules PERIOD.
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    They still act like they never heard of anything but a gasser or a Weber though.
  • RJH10
    RJH10 Posts: 10
    They should of have listed what brand of hardwood lump they use.. I would say they use some cheap lump and a good charcoal briquettes,, if there is such a thing... I also agree they did not use the MIGHTY GREEN EGG !!!!!
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Tell them that!!! We know better.. Preaching to the choir doesn't change the congregations mind.
  • Is anyone up for splitting a pallet of briquettes? :woohoo:
  • 407BGE
    407BGE Posts: 187
    Cooks Illustrated is a very good magazine / television show. I have tried many of their recipes and they are very tasty.

    I think that when it comes to grilling the egg is so unique that some of the advise is frankly wrong. On the flip side it would not be productive for a popular magazine to publish recipes that only work in a ceramic cooker. Most people who use charcoal use a Weber or Weber type grill and even more most people that grill use gas.

    Need to address what most people have.
  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
    I still have 150 lbs of that stuff that Home Depot had on sale three years ago for 2.99 for a twenty pound bag.
    Have to send Cooks Illustrated some email.
  • DryFly
    DryFly Posts: 351
    Anyone who is familiar with Cook's Ill. approach comes away with the notion that they take a very comprehensive scientific approach to every aspect of cooking. They are extremely thorough. Anyone with even a basic understanding of how lump burns would have to agree with their findings under the conditions under which it was tested. All you have to do is look in your Egg when it is fully lit and supplied with plenty of oxygen and you'll see a mass of intense flame. Just look at some of the photos that people submit of a sear. Briquet just sit there and smolder because of the large % of fillers in it. They did not test in an Egg but in a Weber kettle with a maximum supply of oxygen. Their findings under those conditions are spot on. I don't think we should rush off, sending emails to them filled with righteous indignation just yet.
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    But we can ask that they start including ceramic cookers in their recipes in addition to their gasser and charcoal methods. It would make a difference.

    I use a lot of their recipes and believe their research is good, but have to make adaptions to work in my Egg.
  • DryFly
    DryFly Posts: 351
    I think they geared to use by the masses, and that is open charcoal grills and or hibachis. I agree with you, Clark, that they might have mentioned that life and intensity of lump can vary depending on what kind of vessel you use, citing ceramic cookers as an example.
  • chrisBBQ
    chrisBBQ Posts: 8
    I know I'm a little late on this one, but you'll notice they also didn't test how the food tastes!

    With lump, you don't get the artificial taste that comes from all the fillers in the briquettes.