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I did it!

EggcitedinNJ
EggcitedinNJ Posts: 91
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
After spending most of the summer reading this forum and trying to get a handle on what I was getting myself into I took the plunge today and bought a Large BGE. I'll have it on Tuesday so I have some time to ponder what my first cook will be.

To this point my only backyard experience has been with gas grills, lately a Weber Genesis Gold and I've never used a smoker before so I know that there's a learning curve I have to climb. Honestly, I'm both excited and nervous, yet confident that with the repostitory of information and helpful folks here I'll soon be producing meals that I can be proud of.
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    EggcitedinNJ,

    Welcome. A lot of people seem to over complicate the egg. It is pretty straightforward and you will get good advice here when you need it.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Cpt'n Cook
    Cpt'n Cook Posts: 1,917
    Welcome aboard and good luck with your new grill.
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    You'll never regret your decision for a moment
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Welcome to the Cult, recommend you keep your first few cooks simple as you get to learn your Egg. So long as you know about the flashback and do your best to avoid it you should be fine.

    Great people here so feel free to ask away.

    Regards,
    Bordello
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  • EggcitedinNJ
    EggcitedinNJ Posts: 91
    Thanks for the warm welcome.

    Knowing that I have this forum to support me was instrumental in me reaching a decision make the purchase.
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  • EggcitedinNJ
    EggcitedinNJ Posts: 91
    Bordello, I've spent a lot of time reading the forums and am aware of generous people here are with their knowledge and time. As a newbie, that's very comforting.
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  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    congrats! The one thing to know is you have to respect the egg for what it is and it will give hours of fun and good food don't let the fear of doing something wrong take the fun out of it
    just turn to the forum for good advice
    GO FOR IT !!!!
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    Welcome! and Congrats on the new family member LOL Like Steven said keep it simple. And the egg really is easy once you get going. take your time, use the search feature and even keep notes if you are that type of person :) and there are 100's here to help with any issues! Julie
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  • EggcitedinNJ
    EggcitedinNJ Posts: 91
    The party starts Tuesday. Delivery is supposed to be in the morning and I'm planning on taking the balance of the day off from work to play around and put myself in a position to have my first cook that evening.
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  • tnels
    tnels Posts: 75
    I smoked St. Louis-style ribs at 275ish as my first cook. Low risk for flashback and losing the fire while allowing me to play with the airflow settings.

    Enjoy!
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  • Weekend Warrior
    Weekend Warrior Posts: 1,702
    Congratulations and welcome. Keep the credit card and checkbook handy for next few months. You'll be using them. :whistle: :woohoo: LOL!
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    then just go get a good sized chicken, cut the backbone out and press flat. wash well and season with your fav seasoning. We are Dizzy pig fans in our house. 400 or so direct for about an hour. amazing. this is an easy cook as the temps can be from 300 - 500 and you really can't screw it up :) main thing is to let the smoke clear after you light it. it is not ready in 10 minutes like they say, you want to give it a half hour to be good and safe that the smoke will not taint the bird. this is one of our fav cooks and do it about once a week
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  • Pilcher Man
    Pilcher Man Posts: 87
    Welcome. You've made the right choice with BGE. The more you cook on it the better you'll get. The forum has bailed me out of many situations and answered a lot of uncertain questions I had. Use the forum and you'll encounter a lot of good people from all walks of life. Good egging.
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  • BurntRaw
    BurntRaw Posts: 565
    Congrats. Okay, you have until Tuesday and everybody here is talking about what to cook and whatever but lets talk about the important stuff while you still have a few days:

    1. Camera
    2. Photobucket (or similar) account
    3. Knowledge on how to post photos to this forum

    You just can't describe your first cook - you need to show us.

    Looking forward to seeing the results.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Congratulations!

    I cooked for 30 years with charcoal, and I was still "eggcited" and nervous with my first cooks.

    The biggest thing I learned, and it took 6 months, was to not fuss to much with temperature control. Just because the Egg can often hold a specific temperature, don't knock yourself out trying to be spot on all the time. Really, +/- 10 F either way is no big deal. Eventually you will learn to nudge the temp right in where you want it.

    So, before a first cook, maybe just light a fire, and play with the vents.
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  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    BurntRaw wrote:
    Congrats. Okay, you have until Tuesday and everybody here is talking about what to cook and whatever but lets talk about the important stuff while you still have a few days:

    1. Camera
    2. Photobucket (or similar) account
    3. Knowledge on how to post photos to this forum

    You just can't describe your first cook - you need to show us.

    Looking forward to seeing the results.

    ditto!

    and rock n roll brotha... or sista if the egg is a rockin...I got nuthin. :unsure:

    welcome aboard.
    context is important :)
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  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    Congradulation. Welcome to the forum
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    Bordello are you saying we should avoid flashback? :ohmy:

    Boy will egging be some much easier on my arms and face now :S
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    Good for you. You can get all the help you can ask for right here on the forum.
    Welcome to our world....
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • EggcitedinNJ
    EggcitedinNJ Posts: 91
    Thanks everyone for the extememly warm welcome and nuggets of advice. My credit card got a workout this morning and I can see that I'll be pulling it out many more times, so I'll be keeping it close.

    Between now and Tuesday I hope to open up a photo sharing account so I can upload pictures.
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  • beerguy
    beerguy Posts: 116
    Congratulation! You made the right call and will never look back. I punted my gas grill 2 months ago and have been having fun and making great food on my BGE since then. My first night I made burgers and they were way better than any burger I ever made on the gas grill. Since then it's been pork loins, ribs, steaks, whole tenderloins, stuffed peppers, chicken, etc.

    Check out the recipe section here and do lots of searches. There is a wealth of information on this site and the members of the forum are collectively the most helpful bunch of people I've ever run into.

    Now if I can just figure out how to shed the pounds I've put on since I bought this thing....

    Enjoy.
    Craig in MN
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    :laugh:

    Yes, unless you're having some very nice past thoughts. :evil:

    Regards,
    Bordello
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  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
    Lump in the Egg..air in...air out. Simple!! :laugh: Meat temp is THE key to me. If a recipe says cook at 300 degrees and my pit is 275 or 325 for a while who cares. The world will not end. I think people get to caught up in exact temps and thus stress about nothing. You'll do great. Just get a remote meat thermometer and cook to the meat temp. Congrat!!
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  • KMagnus
    KMagnus Posts: 114
    It's so hard to describe the elation felt the first time you taste food you've cooked on a BGE.

    There are tons of options for your 'first'. But, if you want something that should help your comfort level and really surprise you and your family, do burgers and dogs. I couldn't believe how much better both were when compared to those I've cooked in a Weber kettle and a Weber gas burner and other methods.

    Whatever you do, take plenty of pics and post 'em so we can see.

    Good Luck!
    Ken
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  • Dreggs
    Dreggs Posts: 147
    Gas grills are eggcellent - for storing eggcessories.
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  • smoky b
    smoky b Posts: 648
    welcome! you are going to love cooking on the egg. in fact, don't get so loaded up on that credit card that you can't afford another large in a year or so.

    make sure you don't go nuclear on your first couple of cooks, though, to let the gasket settle in. seems like a lot of folks start with a steak sear and the gasket comes off.
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  • Groundhog66
    Groundhog66 Posts: 99
    That is perfect.... :laugh:
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  • EGGRPh
    EGGRPh Posts: 180
    Welcome and congrats! I agree with everyone, I kept my first few cooks simple. I have done pork shoulders for pulled pork. Best I have had and my friends told me the same on the 4th of July. Next I want to try a brisket. Think I'll shoot for that next week after my black belt exam for Tae Kwon Do. Enjoy your egg!!

    Stef in Brunswick, Ohio
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  • Egghead-Sooner
    Egghead-Sooner Posts: 134
    im a huge buffalo wing fan and have found they are amazing on the egg. I heavily sprinkle the wings with a rub (John Henry Hot Wing Rub) I got at my dealer. Add some mesquite wood chunks to the egg, get temp up to 400 degrees and smoke with the plate-setter legs pointing up with grid on top for 40-50 minutes. The wingettes come out with the crispiest skin and so juicy on the inside. Make your favorite wing sauce (or serve naked, the season makes the wings taste terrific.)
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  • FF/Medic Egghead
    FF/Medic Egghead Posts: 131
    Jump in with some baby backs
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