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Accessory Recommendations

bburd
bburd Posts: 27
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have a large BGE on order and am wondering what accessories I should purchase right away. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Comments

  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    bburd,[p]These four ought to do it: Platesetter, Pizza stone, Lawn Ranger tools, and MAPP torch.[p]Ken

  • bburd,
    beyond the stuff that should automatically come with your egg (daisy wheel, dome temp thermometer, nest), you absolutely want a plate setter (this is the ceramic piece that fits in your egg and is used to create an indirect heat atmosphere for everything from lo and slo smoking to roasting, to baking, etc. . .a real 'must' . . .i probably use mine for 60% of my cooks. . .

  • bburd
    bburd Posts: 27
    BlueSmoke,[p]Out of ignorance, what are lawn ranger tools and MAPP torch? Thanks.
  • bburd,[p]Get the ash rake. It does double duty as a grid lifter.
  • bburd, You must have a grid lifter, ash tool, plate setter, grid extender, and a mapp gas tourch. Mapp gas tourches are like portable propane tourches but they burn a little hotter. They are great for precise quick lighting of you lump.

  • bburd,
    Welders gloves - at a local industrial supply store.[p]I use them to stir the lump (even lit), transfer lump, lift the grid, move the plate setter and anything else thats hot.[p]Enjoy your egg.

  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    bburd,[p]A MAPP torch is like a propane torch on steroids - an excellent way to light your coals.[p]Lawn Ranger posts here: I'm sure you've seen his postings. He makes a line of tools with personalized, hand-crafted, handles.[p]Below is a link to his web site.[p]Ken
    [ul][li]Lawn Ranger[/ul]
  • StubbyQ
    StubbyQ Posts: 156
    A BBQ Guru. Then you can get down to some serious cooking.
    [ul][li]BBQ Guru[/ul]
  • Hamm
    Hamm Posts: 73
    StubbyQ,
    I second the Guru...I just got it and I love it.

  • bburd, probe that will alarm both when dome goes too high or too low and has 2nd probe for the meat, platesetter, and a Foodsaver (vacumm sealer).

  • bburd,
    MAPP is a gas that burns hotter than propane. It comes in a small cylinder that you attach to a torch head made for MAPP gas. It looks just like a propane torch that you can buy at the hardware store that you use to solder copper plumbing pipes or heat some metal to help bend it. Hope this helps.[p]Jim

  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    JFisher,
    There's an industry standard: propane comes in blue bottles, MAPP in yellow.[p]Incidentally, if you put a MAPP head on a propane bottle it works fine. Propane head on a MAPP bottle not so. I think it has to do with the detailed explanation of "swirlers", below, but that would only be about the 10th time I've been wrong today...[p]Ken

  • Charlie
    Charlie Posts: 29
    bburd,
    A thermopen - can't live without it!

  • Mark
    Mark Posts: 295
    What and how do you use the plate setter for. Do you cook directly on it?
  • Mark,
    for most indirect cooking/roasting, i put it in inverted (feet up) with the grid on top of it . . .depending on what i'm cooking i may put a drip pan on the plate setter to collect drippings. . .i do set up this way for lo and slo like pulled pork butt, for roasting things llike beer butt chickens and most anytime i am cooking something in a pot/casserols. . .picture below is when i did osso bucco in the egg. . [p]<img src=http://img73.photobucket.com/albums/v221/madmax521/DSCN0176.jpg>[p]some other times i'll put it in feet down to get extra ceramic mass and still be cooking basically indirect (pizza), and in the case below, when i did my escargot in the egg. ..
    <img src=http://img73.photobucket.com/albums/v221/madmax521/DSCN0300.jpg>[p]like i said, i use it an awful lot. . .about the only time i don't use it is when i do steaks, or fish direct. . .[p]

  • Smokin Bob
    Smokin Bob Posts: 239
    Anyone have a link to MAPP torches? Can't seem to track em down online... Thanks!
  • Mark
    Mark Posts: 295
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    Thanks for the quick response time, and the great pictures, about using the plate holder. I have had my Egg for about 2 months now and am slowly getting better with it, but never thought of using the plate setter as you have described. I bought a plate setter from my Egg dealer and he basically said that its main use was for pizza and not to cook anything directly on the plate setter. You have given me a lot of good ideas. Thanks again, Mark

  • Hillbilly
    Hillbilly Posts: 14
    BlueSmoke,[p]How well does a standard propane torch work to start the lump?

  • Pakak
    Pakak Posts: 523
    This is the "package" you can find at Home Depot or Lowes for about $40.
    [ul][li]Bernzomatic Mapp Torch[/ul]
  • Mark,
    glad to help. . .if you think in terms of using your egg like an oven, you will use your plate setter more often than you can imagine. ..i mostly use it feet up, so that there is a space for heat to swirl under the food. . .i usually on put it in feet down for things like pizza or strombolis, or in the case of my picture, the escargot . . .[p]good luck. . .any questions, remember , this is the place to ask. .

  • Hamm,[p]I have to third the Guru. Makes a novis like me look like a pro. Way to go guys.

  • GoodEgg
    GoodEgg Posts: 16
    BlueSmoke,[p]Thanks to your recommendation I bought myself a MAPP torch today ($34.99 at Home Depot) and had the ribs on the grill in record time. Thirty seconds in each of three spots did the trick and five minutes later I was cooking. I was just amazed.[p]I can't believe I won't have to mess around with starters or that green gel anymore. It used to take me at least 15 minutes to get the large up to cooking temp.[p]Many thanks to you and all who've recommended it!
  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    Hillbilly,[p]Propane works okay. My problem was, I think, with the tip. When I tried to use propane with the tip lower than the bottle, it flamed out. After I bought my MAPP torch, I put the tip on a propane bottle and, voila, no more flameout.[p]Ken
  • bburd
    bburd Posts: 27
    Thanks to all of you for your recommendations. I have ordered what I could, including the bbq guru (looks like that would be as much if not more helpful to someone new at this), and will pick up a mapp torch asap. I will post again after I have my BGE and have made something wonderful. In the meantime, I will keep an eye on everything posted!
  • GoodEgg,[p]So the MAPP only saves 10min in starting time?
    I think I'll stay with the 'cubes'