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Is it THAT Good?

Marty
Marty Posts: 16
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am shopping for a smoker and all I hear about is the green Egg....is it really that good?

Comments

  • Marty, YES! [p]Nuff Said.[p]Hugh Jass
  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    wardeggs.jpg
    <p />Marty,
    I think they are the best cooker money can buy.
    Larry

  • BeerMike
    BeerMike Posts: 317
    Marty, After hearing about the food from my friend's BGE for 6 months, I purchased a large BGE site unseen about 1 year ago. [p]I purchased a small BGE this week to compliment the large. My father-in-law likes mine so much he also purchased a BGE this week.[p]Best purchase I have made in years![p]BeerMike
    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • Chuck
    Chuck Posts: 812
    ribsplus.jpg
    <p />Marty,[p]No doubt about it. Run, don't stop, get one now!!!!

  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    Marty,[p]I am sure that many responses will follow and that everyone has something different yet similar to say about using their egg. The common thread with them all is most likely the variety of uses. You asked if its really that good and I'll try to make a list of features that I find invaluable.[p]1. Controlling the internal temp for both smoking and grilling. Not only can you barbecue food at low and slow temps, but you can grill, too.[p]2. Use lump charcoal. Lump is different than briquette. Lump allows you to reach higher temps since it burns hotter and cleaner. It burns cleaner because you don't use lighter fluid to light the charcoal. A common way of lighting lump is with fire cubes or sticks.[p]3. Its economical. You simply reuse whatever lump is left over. I'll go through a 25 lb bag of lump in the summer time in 2-3 months using the egg 1-2 times per week on average.[p]4. Its self cleaning. When you achieve temps of 800-1000* anything inside gets cleaned instantly.[p]5. It lasts longer than a gas grill. There are people on this forum who have had an egg or other kamado style ceramic smoker/grill for at least 20 years.[p]6. Its a ceramic smoker/grill. Unlike older kamados that use to break at high temps the egg holds up well at high temps due to new age design. The outside of the egg has a bond so if a child were to touch the egg while playing they won't get burned when its lit. I live in snowy weather in the winter and I love to put my hands on the egg when cooking in the 200-300* range to keep my hands warm. I would never do that with a gas grill.[p]7. Speed at which I can grill. I can reach grilling temps in about 10 minutes.[p]8. The people here. There are a lot of wonderful people here who have helped me immensely. I don't post a lot. I mainly read a lot. Although I have been posting some pictures here and there since I recently got a digital camera. When I have posted questions the people here are the best at helping out however they can.[p]If anyone has anything to add please do. I am certaintly not an authority.[p]John
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • Trout Bum
    Trout Bum Posts: 343
    Marty, The BGE is hands down the best smoker/grill you can get for all the reasons that fiver29 said. They seem a little expensive when you first start looking at them but once you start cooking on them you realize that they are worth every penny and more. You will not be sorry !!!

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Marty,
    yes they are worth the money. In fact they are cheap when you think it through in that they are life time purchases. In the same time period you would have gone through umpteen gas grills. Besides they create an instant heirloom since just like your money - you aren't taking it with you! PS the only downside is that once in your blood you may join a staggering number of us who own more than one BGE.

    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Toy Man
    Toy Man Posts: 416
    Marty, Believe it.....[p]Like a number of others on this forum, I went thru a number of grills and cookers before I made the switch. [p]Ain't looking no more.

  • PapaQ
    PapaQ Posts: 170
    Marty,[p]This is my two week anniversary of owning a large egg. Fourteen fabulous, and unforgiving in a couple of instances, meals later I'm hooked. And, this forum and all the helpful people who post can't be beat. Three weeks ago, I was in your shoes - procrastination abounded. I finally took the leap and will never look back. I already have the urge for small egg.[p]Buy it. You'll like. [p]Paul
  • Prof Dan
    Prof Dan Posts: 339
    Marty,[p]Yes, it is. But I suspect that the other ceramic smoker/grills are roughly comparable [although naturally I am a bit Eggcentric]. [p]The real difference is ceramic vs. metal -- since ceramic holds in the heat, the food stays moist. In a metal barbecue, so much of the heat radiates out that you have to use a lot more heat, so the food gets dry. There is really no comparison -- the taste and texture are completely different.[p]Think about moist, tender, smokey chicken breasts, completeley done yet falling-apart tender. Think about steaks, seared on the outside yet nice and pink in the middle.[p]Gotta go -- lunchtime!!
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Marty,
    For me it was a life-changing purchase. I have six eggs now, and a new career.
    Cheers!
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Nature Boy,
    WOW, I didn't realize you had six, lets see, one wife,gorgeous twins and six eggs???? How about a dog and cat??? LOL[p]Hope things are well Chris,[p]Regards,
    Bordello

  • f88ebe60.jpg
    <p />Marty,[p]Yes a million times YES! This is my second weekend of cooking on it, this chicken was sooooo good.
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    New Bob,
    Things well here. Hope the same for you.[p]Cat....naw.
    I want a dog. The missuz doesn't. The twins want one, but they are still a ways from showing enough responsibility. A few more years, and it could happen. We will have gang up on my wife and convince her that the benefits would outweigh the responsibilities. Ya never know. Ball is in the twins court now. LOL. They have a ways to go.[p]Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • FlaGAl, hey, what's going on here????? That chickens got a beer can up its butt!! [p](ain't it good!!)[p]Hugh Jass
  • Joder
    Joder Posts: 57
    Marty,[p]Yes, its that good. I've had mine a week. Below is a copy of a post I made last night:[p]First 21 hr. Butt a success, thanks to Forum[p]It’s 10:30 pm. I am basking in the glory of a successful low and slow Boston Butt cook. It was my first. People who tried it weren’t expecting much, but after one taste, they snapped to attention and said things like, “that’s good…that’s really good…that’s really, really good.” and they started grabbing more chunks.[p]My thanks go out to all who have contributed to the Forum. It is a wealth of knowledge.[p]I got my large Egg exactly one week ago. It was it’s fifth use. It’s gone like this: [p]1st day: Chicken (great texture, but hickory too heavy)
    2nd day: Ribs (awesome – 5 hrs at 275, hickory from leftover chips from chicken)
    3rd day: Burgers (a bit well done, but good 650 F: 3-3-close vents-3)
    4th day: Steak (perfect in 8 mins. 650 F: 2-2-close vents-2-2)
    5th day: Egg idle
    6th day: Start Butt at 9:00 pm
    7th day: Eat Butt at 6:00 pm[p]I had my concerns about achieving a low temp. On my first use, I was amazed that the Egg shot up to 600 F in about 20 mins after lighting the starter cubes. I had planned to sear the chicken and then slow cook it. I couldn’t get the temp below 300. I had the vents credit card thin and killed the fire, but the chicken was good nevertheless. [p]I did a forum search on “lo temp” and researched it heavily. I read of folks cooking at 200-225. How did they do it? After much research I determined that you had to sneak up on the temperature; start shutting down at 50 F below target. [p]Following the consensus of countless forum posters, I built the fire according to the Elder Ward Method: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/elder.htm.I started the fire with a single starter cube in the center with top raised, ran inside, took Butt out of refrigerator, rubbed it, placed in on rack over drip pan, inserted remote thermometer, brought it outside. I stuck a fist sized piece of dry hickory in the center, a la Elder Ward, placed pan with rack on pizza stone on grill, closed the top. All vents were wide open. I got a cold beer and settled down to watch the dome thermometer. My target was 200-225. At 175, I shut down bottom vent to one thumb width, top vent daisies fully open, hoping to sneak up on it. It climbed and climbed to 260. Maybe I shut down too late. It was a windy night, so I put a cooler in front of the bottom vent to block the wind. I went to the computer and found a link to Tim M’s website,http://www.tm52.com/bge/ . Tim has made a science of Egg cookery. He suggested top vents almost closed and bottom vents ¼” to ½”. That’s the kind of solid advice I needed. I did as he suggested with ¼” bottom vent opening and went to bed, smelling strongly of hickory. I wasn’t too worried, having read in a post that 250 F with work fine for butts.[p]I got up once in the middle of the night and checked dome temp. It was about 230 F. In the morning, when I woke it was about 230 F. The butt was 147 F. Things were working as they were supposed to! I noticed at mid morning the temp had dropped to 200. Afraid the fire was dying, I opened the bottom vent to about 3/8”. It responded and got back to around 225. At 3:30 the meat was 185 and I decided to “throw caution to the wind” (Elder Ward) and open the vents. I opened the top daisies full and the bottom about 2” wide. It went up to 310, but no more, which is good, I didn’t want to burn it. At 5:17 the 200 F alarm went off. I brought it inside and let it sit while I set the table. I pulled the chunks apart with 2 forks and filled a pyrex brownie dish. I gave the fat, drippings, and shoulder blade to our dog, who thought she had died and gone to heaven. [p]The pork was heavenly.[p]By the way, I had used up all my rub one ribs and was caught short handed. I used Tony Cachere’s Original Seasoning “great on everything”. It is not sold as a barbeque rub, but let me tell you, it was damn good. I had always liked it for cooking and had a big can of it. I rubbed it on very heavily. It seems to just make everything taste good and with a hint of hotness.[p]

  • Shelby
    Shelby Posts: 803
    Marty,
    Yeah, it is.