Ceramic smoker decision

Lumplighter · October 2004

I have been considering a ceramic smoker for probably close to a year and a half. I have had financial priorities. I have had very little experience with this other than using a cheap grill and briquettes
a few times back in the 70s. While I like the taste of a few smoked meats that I have tried I do not have it very often. I realize that cooking with these will result in smoked flavor for everything all the time. I also don!t know if a long low and slow is something I would be doing[p]I am wondering if this type of cooker is right for me? What should I base my decision on? I do not know if I would like everything always having a smoked flavor to it. I would have to learn fire building skills along with learning how to maintain temperatures and also preparing and cooking food. I read about how people have trouble searing and have to try different things to be successful with it. I have read something quite some time ago that someone had trouble with chicken breasts coming out tender and juicy and having to try to develop a process to do that. It seems there is a process with ribs to do the same. While some people seem to have an easy time maintaining temperatures a lot of people by those Gurus and the other brand to maintain temps. [p]I wonder if I should just buy a Showtime Rotisserie as most people say the food comes out perfect all the time. I am not lazy, I am just trying to figure out if a ceramic cooker would be right for me. Without a BBQ background I don!t know.

The Other Dave · October 2004

Lumplighter, The smoke flavor is easy to avoid.

Smokey · October 2004

Lumplighter,[p]With the Egg and other ceramic grill/smokers, smoke flavor is your choice! At yesterday's Eggtoberfest I made gingerbread cookies. I think smoke flavor would ruin them. They turned out great![p]Smokey

Mac in NC · October 2004

Lumplighter,[p]If you can tie your shoe with two hands and the light on, you can learn how to grill on a ceramic cooker. Read some of the testimonials. Maybe that will help give you some confidence to make the plunge. Mac

Bobby-Q · October 2004

Lumplighter,
I imagine food in that TV Rotisserie thing comes out tasting all the same like the food at McDonald's comes out tasting all the same.[p]You should spend some time reading through the archives here, and checking out some of the links of the eggers.[p]The Big Green egg is an oven, or cooker, that can be used very well as a smoker, it is probably the World's best smoker, but it is much much more than that.[p]If you can light a Bic lighter, you can light the egg. (that's assuming you don't use an electric starter). Figuring out temperatures is almost as easy as figuring out how to get the right amount of heat on a gas cooktop. If you can slide an aluminum small door and turn a small cast iron wheel, you have all the tools to adjust the temperature on an egg.[p]Anything that you can cook in your home oven can be done on the Egg. Anything that you cook on your gas grill can be done better on the Egg. Anything that you want smoked can be done on the Egg. There really is not much, cooking wise, that the Big Green Egg can't handle.[p]Give it a try, you'll be hooked for life.

Prof Dan · October 2004

Lumplighter,[p]Remember, this isn't just a smoker or an oven. It's also a phenomenally excellent grill; it makes the best steaks I've ever had.[p]But it is slightly more work than, let's say, a propane grill. It's more versatile, and the food tastes a lot better, but it's not quite "pushbutton" convenient. So if you are a person who is tremendously pressed for time, every day of the week, maybe just go with a gas grill. (Or just get takeout.) For example, it takes about 10 minutes to get the Big Green Egg up to 500° for grilling, while a gas grill probably takes less than five minutes.[p]But if you really like the taste of grilled or barbecued or smoked food, and if you have one or two days a week in which you are not frantically rushing to get dinner on the table, then this is a superior option. It is easy to use, and it is not labor-intensive. And the flavor is astonishing. There is no comparison.

Sundown · October 2004

Lumplighter,[p]There are a lot of people that suffer the same anxieties you seem to suffering. I didn't have a CLUE what an Egg was all about. I was a devout gasser until I bought an Egg. I hadn't even heard of the forum when I bought mine! I discovered it after the fact and have been a regular participant for over 5 years.
The learning curve is a fairly easy one if you "can tie your shoes with both hands" and there are a room full of people here to help every step of the way. It's not like it hasn't been done before. So, relax, make the right decision for yourself and, if you choose to join us, I am sure you'll never look back.

Chrispy Bob · October 2004

Lumplighter, Here is a link to a great egg cookbook. heck out the variety of things that can be cooked on the egg.[p][p]http://www.dreamglass.org/wisecook.htm

[ul][li]Wise Ones cookbook[/ul]

badbruce · October 2004

Lumplighter,
Greetings,
Best cooking decision I ever made was buying the Egg.
We have a Showtime Rotisserie, it's in the garage on a shelf collecting dust.

HolySmokes · October 2004

badbruce,[p]missed a bet there; you could've sold
him that rotisserie %^)[p]hs

Bobby-Q · October 2004

Chrispy Bob,
Great collection of stuff. I would ignore those temp charts though, I don't think medium is at 160° for a steak, but that's just me.

ChefRD · October 2004

Lumplighter,
If you have been looking for over a year then, based on your question, I would have to say that , 'no' you probably should NOT buy an Egg.[p]You say you that you are not sure you want all your foods to taste 'smokey', like they are cooked over charcoal, and you are not sure you ever want to do 'low and slow' cooks. And if the learning curve of building and maintaining a charcoal fire is not something you wish to do then I think you would probably be better off with something else.
I have tasted food from a showtime grill from a friends and the food was perfectly acceptable.
So if you want 'set it and forget' totally, then I say you should just go for it.[p]I'm not trying to be a smart alec (or worse but if you aren't sure you want to spend all that money on something you may not like, then I say don't.[p]Wait until you know for sure, and then make the best decision.[p]HTH
ron.[p]

badbruce · October 2004

HolySmokes,
Thanks for the Mon. morning chuckle.
bruce

Ceramic smoker decision

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