I just got my natural gas line connected to my Egg

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

Kidding! I am a newly converted NG griller that lost my outdoor kitchen to a divorce. The best thing that ever happened to me...not the divorce, but the fact that my new home did not have the capability to have an outdoor kitchen! I have looked at the Egg for about 5 years, but never made the move.

My maiden voyage tonight consisted of crab-cakes, ribeyes and Seabass, and a great bottle of wine!

I bought a store-brand Rib-eye (toss a coin on tenderness) and a fish-market crab cake and Seabass. I overcooked the crabcake and it was still moist and tender, the steak was one of the juiciest I have ever had as was the Seabass.

I could only get the Egg up to 625. I wanted to sear the Ribeeye at a higher temp. Even though it was fabulous, I need to know your thoughts on heating the grill to reach that 700-800 range. Any suggestions?

I am happy to be converted...

Ripnem · July 2009

I would say get the "Rig" and "Spider" and then you can just put the steak to the heat. One of the next items on my list of things to get. You can get the Egg to 500 dome and then cook at a couple inches off the coals and sear until your hearts content. Temps get over 1000 down by the orange stuff

Fidel · July 2009

Welcome....sounds like a great first cook.

Did you remove the daist top completely? That is usually the difference between 650* and nuclear.

And one important thing I want to point out to all the critics. He cooked a steak on his first run out of the gates and didn't lose a gasket. Everyone take note. It doesn't happen to everyone who cooks a steak - so can we please stop the "you need to do 10 low temp cooks before a steak to cure your gasket" nonsense?

JB · July 2009

I get 700-750 with grate at regular position. Fill with lump all the way to bottom of fire ring and make sure the air holes are not blocked. Cast iron grate also helps with the sear.

Grandpas Grub · July 2009

Congratulations... on the egg, what size did you get and welcome to the forum.

Take it easy on getting the egg to these higher temperatures for a little while.

You can obtain a great sear by loading the lump to just below the the top of the fire box, removing the fire ring, placing a second grid on the fire box, then placing the fire ring on the top of the grate.

When your lump is at a good burn, put your steak over the lump on the lower fire ring over the orange looking lump. Get your sear and when done put the BGE grid on the fire ring (higher level in the egg) and finish the 'roast' to your desired doneness.

If the steak isn't too thick the initial sear of about 90 seconds per side will produce a nice rare or medium rare inside.

You dome doesn't need to go much above 400° - 450°. The orange, lava looking lump is at about 1,900° and you would probably be searing at the lower grid level at about 700° - 800° - plenty hot.

A long time ago I purchased and Adjustable Rig and Spider for my large, fantastic accessories. I use the spider to hold a low height grid for searing. Then I put the grid on the top level of the adjustable rig for the final cook.

You can find the Adjustable Rig by clicking on the previous link.

Make sure you calibrate your dome thermometer and if you really want your dome up into the 800° range you need to make sure you have a wide base of lump burning and the air holes in the fire grate and fire box clear.

The physics of heat are very simple, especially in the egg. Heat = fuel + air. Heat problems are 90% a result of poor air flow up through the lump.

GG

Grandpas Grub · July 2009

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:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Good point. And that is sure nice to hear once again. What is it, 8 or 9 months now for my....

GG

Grandpas Grub · July 2009

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One doesn't necesarilly need a lot of lump to reach high temperatures, just good air flow and a good fire base.

The following is all small used lump from previous cooks.

Just build the fire wide, light in several spots just under the surface of the lump level.

Notice how low the lump is in the fire box, just above the air vents in the fire box.

The flame began due to the dome being opened when trying to get a clear shot of the lump and fire box.

This was taken before opening the dome to take inside pictures. DFMT removed. Lower vent wide open screen completely closed.

GG

Bash · July 2009

To reach highest temps, I use fast burning lump like Cowboy (fresh bag) with a completely cleaned out egg prior to loading the lump. I just pour it in and light in a few spots with propane. Wide open bottom, and no DFMT. Tonight it got to 700 in about 30 minutes. By the end of the cook I was closing the bottom door to keep it at 700.

Richard

Ripnem · July 2009

Who was your favorite, Marian or Ginger?

Marian during the week and Ginger on the weekend?

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

All of your posts have been fabulous and helpful! What a cool forum!

I dod not know that you could blow the gaskets...kind of like getting a new car and breaking it in. I dont have a gearing system internally, I simply went for the heat to see if I could sear the steak. My old DCS could never reach that heat. I sort of feel bad that I threw 4K at the old grill plus 10K to have it installed into a monument to myself.

I look forward to learning from you and possibly teaching a couple of people based on future experiences.

Converted

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

I have not seen the rig and spider but will check with my local dealer. He did not mention it as a normal accessory. I got the diffuser plate and some other tools, but this counds interesting.

Thanks!

AZRP · July 2009

I cooked my steaks tonight at 450 dome on the small Egg with a cast iron grid. Don't know what the extra degrees would do for you. -RP

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

Great suggestion! Thanks! I will talk with the dealer tomorrow about what I should get to reach the coals.

I like heat for steaks and some fish...just the way I learned to cook with gas. I need to shift my mindset to the Egg methods and appreciate the quick response.

This week I will be cooking pork ribs and purchased the diffuser plate for indirect. Normally I would roast at 250 in foil on my gas grill. How do you make your ribs on the Egg. Do you foil them and let them stew or do you throw them on the grill at low temps?

Ripnem · July 2009

http://ceramicgrillstore.com/shop-script_premium/index.php?productID=176&picture_id=107

Check it out

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

I actually thought I was a little low on lump so I did not block anything off. I will crank it up and make sure the holes are not plugged.

Thanks!

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

Thanks Adam! I like the look of that! It seems too simple to be true!

Timm

Grandpas Grub · July 2009

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You will find using the egg much easier than using the gas grill and your food will taste better.

I had a gas water smoker and after a few things cooked on the egg I couldn't believe how different the food tasted with cooked over propane.

I am going to post some links that should be of help to you below. If you find them interesting book mark them or copy the url(s) and email it to yourself for future reference.

I don't think your dealer will have the Adjustable Rig or Spider. Contact Tom (tjv) at the web site I put a link to above.

Or pick up another grate, BGE or not, just the same diameter as your existing grate. You really have everything you need right now.

The diffuser you are referring to is called a Plate Setter.

Before I go on get yourself a Thermapen Thermometer, no substitutes. Cook to food temperature not to time. You cooking will have a significant improvement.

Ribs, both beef and pork. I don't use foil other than to diffuse the heat reaching the food if needed.

I use the adjustable and sider (inverted with a drip pan) which you can see in the beef rib pictures. The plate setter and drip pan will work just as well.

The links below will have many links to instructions.

However, with ribs, I very seldom turn, I don't use foil, rotate, sauce, inject, baste, sauce, use the 3-1-1 method or anything else. I do cook on a raised grid with a drip pan on top of the spider.

One of the resident rib hero's is Car Wash Mike. His method can be found here http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html
There are many other ways folks use with great success.

Beef about 5 hours, 250° (calibrated dome) indirect.

Pork, about 5 hours, 250° 5 or 6 hours.

Love blackened fish. Cast Iron skillet, 450° dome, cooked until flakey. S&P, butter and some lemon juice.

Here are some helpful information.

This page will give you some invaluable information provided by many forum members.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=112&func=view&catid=1&id=685521#685521

Some basic vent settings
http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=670088&catid=1

Results of flashback featuring our own Beloved Ross In Ventura
http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=605463&catid=1

That's enough for this post.

GG

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

Grandpa! Thanks for the very detsiled information. I will give your program a try! I have the diffuser plate and plan to use it on my first try with ribs. The pictures are worth a thousand words! Thanks!

Grandpas Grub · July 2009

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Are you calling the Plate Setter a diffuser plate or am I missing something?

Ribs especially beef ribs have a lot of rendering, cover the plate setter with aluminum foil to keep it clean.

Use some kind of spacer, foil balls or copper "L's" then a drip pan on top of the spacer. That way the drippings won't scorch.

GG

Pork Butt Mike · July 2009

There is no reason to get your egg that high to sear steak, or anything eles. I can't understand why people need to waste lumb and take a chance burning them selfs to sear anything, like Randy said 450 is fine.

mukl · July 2009

You scared me...I live in Bellevue and when I read the topic of your post, I was sure you were going to give us NW people a bad name.

Jokes on me...I must need more sleep.

I would agree with PBM. My egg almost never goes over 500 degrees.

What I've found is I'd rather buy a 1-1.5 inch steak, get the egg to 450 or so, cook it for 5-8 minutes a side and be done. Rather than take a 2+ inch steak, sear it for 90 seconds a side, then wait 20 for it to cool to roasting temp. I'm not that patient and I haven't experienced it making that much of a difference.

Just buying good, fresh meat, is almost as important as the egg temp. Of course, the most important is using the egg.

stike · July 2009

welcome...

keep in mind that when your dome says 600 and you are searing, you are cooking far beyond 600 degrees. the 600 refers to the air temp, not the radiant heat. going direct, if the dome says 600 you can bet the lump is at 1200 or better (heck, even when the dome says 250, the lump is at 1000 or better, there's just very little of it burning). put a platesetter in, and your meat is roasting at 600. but without an indirect barrier, your meat is cooking on the sear side at 1200+/-. only the "shade" side (away from the lump) is at 600.

if you open the lid, you can restrict cooking to only the sear side, and the other side will be much cooler and won't continue to cook from the dome heat. but, you risk flare ups, especially with fatty cuts like the rib eye or burgers. sometimes i do NY strips dome-open if i want to maximize sear and minimize roasting.

Jersey Doug · July 2009

AZRP wrote:

I cooked my steaks tonight at 450 dome on the small Egg with a cast iron grid. Don't know what the extra degrees would do for you. -RP

Agreed. I haven't had any of my Eggs (Large, Small and Mini) above 450º in months. It's all about the distance of the food from the fire.

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

Grandpa--Yes, I have the diffuser plate.

Regards,

Timm

Converted in Seattle · July 2009

I got a number of posts related to heating the grill to a high temp and now I understand. This is so different from gas...I appreciate all the education from everyone...what a great site!

Converted!

I just got my natural gas line connected to my Egg

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