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Hello/Advice Request

Kenny 13
Kenny 13 Posts: 321
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello everyone. Just signed up and wanted to introduce myself & ask for a little advice. I'm from South Louisiana, just south of New Orleans, and I'm not at all new to BBQ/grilling of all sorts but I am getting ready to purchase my first egg as an upgrade to my offset, kettle, and UDS. I've actually been lurking here since this past summer when I decided I was going to get an egg, and finally decided to sign up as the time was getting near. Lurking for that long, I do feel as if I already know many of you and I have already learned a lot in the process. A few of you I already know from other forums.

Anyway, I did decide early on that I would purchase a large. I'm a single parent with a 15 year-old son at home, but my daughter, son-in-law, and 2 very young granddaughters live in the same apartment building as us just 2 doors down so the large wouldn't always be necessary, but wouldn't be overkill either. Also, there are the occasional times where I would be cooking for larger crowds.

I would like to ask for a little advice on my purchase. I'm looking at the possibility of buying one if the demo eggs from the upcoming Gulf Coast Eggfest. My problem is, I have some reservations about transporting a fully assembled egg approximately 90 miles in the bed of a pickup truck. Especially taking into consideration the terrible roads as I would be coming through New Orleans. Any suggestions on transporting/securing, or would I just be better off passing on this and purchasing a new egg from a local dealer and assembling it myself? Any advice from you eggsperienced members would be appreciated!

The drawback to purchasing the demo is that I'd have to wait longer to get it. The advantages are that I'd get to see them in use at the eggfest, and the great price would leave me with more money leftover to buy eggcessories :)

Comments

  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Just tie it down real good, drive slow, and take it easy. It should be fine.
    Welcome aboard!
  • Hey Kenny--I'm just a couple parishes over from you. Before you spend too much time figuring out how to transport a demo egg, check out the prices at Contractors Discount on Albany Street in Kenner. They're super-nice, and they beat everyone's price by a mile. Their great price included set-up and delivery to my house, which is more than 15 miles from their business. Ask for Nick, he'll hook you up. They threw in an ash tool, firestarters, and bag of charcoal, too. Other local dealers wanted more for the egg, with no available delivery options and certainly no free extras.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,668
    its simple enough to take apart and reassemble and lay flat on the gaskets on blankets or carboard in the front of the bed
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Geo
    Geo Posts: 53
    The best way would be to disassemble the Egg by removing one (1) bolt. The Egg can then be taken down to the four main components, the base, dome, fire box and fire ring all of which can easily be moved by one person. Assembly would be the reverse. We move Eggs using this method all the time.
    George
    Original Message
  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
    Welcome! Glad you're here! The advice is solid, and I've got nothing to add except to say make sure you ask for the white spacers before you take the bands off.
  • bobbyb
    bobbyb Posts: 1,349
    Kenny,
    Welcome to the forum. If you decide to buy a demo egg at the Gulf Coast Eggfest, we will help you break it down. You will have no problem transporting it back to Belle Chasse.
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Thanks for the welcomes and advice everyone.
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Hungry Celeste wrote:
    Hey Kenny--I'm just a couple parishes over from you. Before you spend too much time figuring out how to transport a demo egg, check out the prices at Contractors Discount on Albany Street in Kenner. They're super-nice, and they beat everyone's price by a mile. Their great price included set-up and delivery to my house, which is more than 15 miles from their business. Ask for Nick, he'll hook you up. They threw in an ash tool, firestarters, and bag of charcoal, too. Other local dealers wanted more for the egg, with no available delivery options and certainly no free extras.

    That's good to know. I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the info!
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Welcome to the forum.

    IMO the large would be a good choice, especially with your other bbq/smoking experience.

    Looking forward to reading about some of your cooks.

    GG
  • large is the right choice. it has the most eggcessiores. but i would talk to retail stores. i dont think you save as much money for buying the demo, as you think.look around
  • Welcome! Sounds like you are on the road to heaven, getting a Lge egg.
    The only problem I see is keeping the dust off your other smokers once you cook on your egg!. :woohoo: :):lol:
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Thanks GG. Just for a little more background, I've always enjoyed all kinds of cooking and I've gotten big into BBQ about the last 8 years or so. From ribs, brisket, & butts low & slow to yellowfin tuna steaks hot & fast, I've tried a lot of different things. That being said, I find that I learn something new just about every cook and that makes things really interesting.

    I've turned out lots of good food, as well as some that has left me disappointed, on the grills that I already have, but the versatility and low fuel consumption of the BGE's are really appealing to me as the logical next step for me.
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Serial Griller wrote:
    Welcome! Sounds like you are on the road to heaven, getting a Lge egg.
    The only problem I see is keeping the dust off your other smokers once you cook on your egg!. :woohoo: :):lol:

    Actually, I don't see a problem with that at all. Once I get the egg, one of those cookers will hit the trash and another will do the same when I'm able to add a second egg to the collection :laugh:

    I do, however, plan on keeping my 22.5" kettle and converting it into a portable rig for times where I wouldn't be able to take an egg with me. Mardi Gras comes to mind. Still don't see it getting much use once the egg arrives though.
  • Kenny..Just kidding! I have two other smokers and a gasser besides my egg.I've only used one smoker since my egg purchase.
    The egg is addictive.
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Jon, I know what you mean. Right now I use my kettle for the majority of my cooks. My offset has only been used maybe 3 times since I got the kettle 2 years ago and built my UDS about a month later, and it is really deteriorating due to exposure to the weather. My UDS is great for low & slow cooks, but I find that it leaves somewhat of a "metallic" taste to the food and that concerns me.

    I can do some of the things you can do with an egg in each of my 3 current cookers, but from all the research I've done I've concluded that the egg can do what all 3 of them can do and some things none of them can (especially the super high heat searing).
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    I have to smile... I had been, I guess the best way to epxress it is 'trying' to bbq and smoke for well ages.

    Until I got the egg I didn't know the difference between smoking, grilling or bbqing. But I did attempt to do all of those things with some success.

    Ages ago, for me, Kingsford Briquettes were great. I used to miss the starting fluid being dumped over the bricuettes and the aroma. It wasn't until last spring at one of the grand kids (pee-wee) foot ball games that I smelled that old aroma and thought wow, why did that seem so great.

    After briquettes I went to gasses. Grills and smokers. I have 9 5gal, 1 2gal, and a couple of 2.5gal propane bottles in the garage all from rusted out grills/smokers. Until 4 years ago I didn't even know there was such a thing as a green egg or lump. Once I heard there was a BGE it was 11 hours before I had one burning in the back yard and haven't looked back since. There is just my wife and along with the large I have the medium, small and mini.

    With a lot of help from the forum members I can out cook any of the people I associate with (all 3 of them) and 'think' I can hold my own with a lot more people. I'm not sure if I could hold a candle to a lot of the forum members cooking but that is what inspires me to keep trying. And I am looking forward to reading and learning from your experience.

    Doing it all over with just the wife and I and once a month 22 other family members I would still start out with the large egg.

    If you have the money, I would also purchase the following at the same time as you get your large.

    If you don't already have them:
    . Thermapen
    . tjv's Adjustable Rig & Spider along with some extra grids and drip pan.
    . thirdeye's ThirdHand for a grid lift, if he is offering them I would buy 6 of his plugs.
    . Maverick ET-73 dual probe thermometer with alarms.
    . At some point in time, not mandatory but sure is a nice accessory a Powered Vent System, DigiQII or the Stoker.

    Many will say get a plate setter, if you don't buy an adjustable rig & spider I would get the plate setter, otherwise wait to see what else you want to invest in.

    My 2¢

    GG
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Nice picture.

    "Harley Davidson" :)

    Kent
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    We BBQ unleaded fuel with our Harley! :woohoo:
  • Ah, but the Mini is oh-so-portable, and the small is technically portable (by someone much stronger than I).
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    GG, I know what you mean about the smell of lighter fluid. A few days ago, my son & I were outside throwing a football and someone nearby was apparently grilling as the smell of lighter fluid and smoke was in the air. We just looked at each other and laughed. I guess I'm one of the few in the New Orleans area who uses a chimney starter :)

    As far as the accessories go, I do already have the splashproof thremapen and an ET-73 that is nearly 3 years old and still working on the original batteries. At one time I had planned on getting the platesetter, but the versatility of the adjustable rig & spider has changed my mind so I think that's the direction I'm going to take. I'm sure at some point I'll end up migrating to one of the powered vent systems too, but I definitely like to get myself adept at manual temperature control first, as you never know when a problem with the autopilot will force you back to doing things the "hard way".
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    You know the difference between a Hoover and a Harley don't you.

    Depends where they placed the dirt bag.

    Just kidding with ya, my friend. It is the non harley owner in me just being jealous.

    Cindy will probably get a kick out of that, unless it is her bike.

    Kent
  • FrankC
    FrankC Posts: 416
    Hi Kenny, and welcome to the club. I know from SR's forum that you've been wanting to pull the trigger on an egg for a while now. You won't be disappointed! Looking forward to seeing your cooks!

    fc :)
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    Thanks Frank. Yeah, I've been wanting to pull the trigger for awhile, and that income tax refund will be here next week :)

    Just might have to hold off a little while because my home computer is down right now. I'm hoping I don't have to buy a new one because that will cut into my egg fund. Don't think that's gonna happen though.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    There ya go, with those things you already have you are almost there, just need the egg.

    Use the ET-73 with the egg so you will be notified should the fire go out (vertical burn). The egg is more than capable of handling long cook burns (or short burns) with out any need for a PVS.

    I have not problem with temperature using or not using a PVS. What I have had some problems with is holding 140° to 180°. That problem was my method of lighting the lump.

    Going from gas water smoker and gas grills to the egg for me was a vast improvement was the flavor in the food and the moisture content.

    GG
  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    I'd imagine holding 140° to 180° around here may be difficult anyway, as the ambient temperature often feels that warm without a fire burning lol.

    Seriously, I did manage to pull off my first cold smoked cheese using something similar to the technique on the naked whiz site. I did it in my Weber kettle and just lit 2 briquettes and put an apple wood chip on top of each, then replaced as necessary. Worked out rather well, but I should have smoked for longer than 1.5 hours.
  • Welcome to the cult Kenny, a week after I got my Egg I tossed the rest in the trash you well love low and slow on the Egg. I am looking forward to your posts

    Ross
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Hey Ross,

    Did Jackie get back? You haven't posted a cook in days :evil: What's going on young fella? B)

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    The briquettes and smoking wood method for cheese work great. I do want to try the soldering iron and soup can method. I am thinking that would be a good option.

    Love the smoked cheese...

    GG
  • Yes Jackie and Sadie are back Steve I'll post tonight or in the morning

    Ross