Fried My Gasket Cooking Pizzas - Operator Error

Papalikes

Looks like the "Idiot Proof" Big Green Egg has met its match with the likes of me!

I crispified my gasket last night, while cooking three pizzas at 550 degrees. When I called Customer Service, the rep. knew right away that I had used a plate setter, with the legs down. In this configuration, the heat has to navigate around the plate setter on its way to the top of the egg. Unfortulately, the gasket is right in the heat's path, which causes it to take a thermal beating.

I was very impressed with the customer service I received, but wanted to warn my fellow Pizza Makers, to make sure use the plate setter - legs up - with your BGE pizza stone resting on the cooking grate.

Gato

Funny, that is not the configuration it says to use in the BGE manual.

Lit

Are they sending you a Nomex gasket for free? If not call back it wasn't operator error the factory gaskets are garbage and fry no matter what you do with pizzas.

brimee

I was told that you don't have to replace the gasket if smoke is not escaping around the lid. The demo Egg I saw last week was very old and had very little to no gasket left and no smoke escaping around it.

Lit

I have an egg with very little gasket and lots of smoke escapes and I have never seen an egg with no gasket that no smoke escapes. The good news is you can usually hold temp fine still with air escaping from no gasket just be careful closing it. I use one of my larges for low and slow and the other for high heat cooks and keep a nomex gasket on my low and slow large. The gasket egg puts the lump out faster for sure when I shut it down.

Shawn

I would buy a Kamado Joe Gasket and put that on the BGE or use a rutland!

MisterCode

Mine burnt out on my first pizza too. I bought a Cotronics gasket to replace it. Best money I've spent. It will handle temps up to 1500 degrees. I've had it on my XL for over a year now and zero issues.We do pizzas all the time (legs down w/ 21" stone on top too). It's been great and I sort of refer to it as a "lifetime gasket" since it's ceramic and can withstand any temps I could ever hope to stoke up. http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/fc_tapes.htm The Ceramic Woven tape #397 1/8" X 50' is what I ordered. I researched this on the forum before I bought it. It is food safe. It was a comfort knowing several other EGGers have gone this route too. 

GrannyX4

How did you glue it on? Would the self adhesive one work?

Lit

Use 3M super 77 spray.

GrannyX4

Do you use the 3M 77 spray on all gaskets? Even the ones that have adhesive?

Gato

There is a video you can watch from Fred's music and bbq. He shows the process and uses the 3m spray also.

4Runner

Spray the Super 77 in a cup and apply with a brush for easier application.

Papalikes

Customer service is sending me the upgraded gasket for free and did recommend the 3M adhesive.

While on the phone, they did dispell some gasket related myths:

1.  the gasket does not make the egg air-tight

2.  technically it is not needed for smoking or grilling

3.  its primary function is to keep the lid from slamming down onto the body of the egg should the handle slip from ones`s hand, which could damage either the dome or body

4.  future models may not even have a gasket (which I found interesting).

Lit

The coltronics gasket with adhesive on it already isn't the one you want.

GrannyX4

I have only cooked pizza twice - once with legs up and perfect pizza. Second time legs down - burnt gasket. Thanks for all the info on gaskets. I think I'll wait until it becomes a problem or BGE decides we don't need a gasket.

Destroyr350

Got my XL Egg last week and the first fire I did pizza over 600 degrees. Same thing happened Fried my seal in the rear. I called BGE and they are sending me a new seal, no questions asked. They also said when firing pizza use the plate setter legs up with a stone on the grate or elevated off the plate setter. Position the plate setter with one of the legs in the center rear to shield high heat from burning the seal.

GrannyX4

Ouch. What kind of seal are they sending you? For sure I will only cook pizza with legs up but the little tip of the leg in the center rear sounds interesting. Hope it works in the future.

yumdinger

So why do all the instructional info I have watched and read indicate legs down?

paulheels

Because legs down create more of a barrier from the direct heat of the coals, which is supposed to be better for baking.

Papalikes

Just finished installing the new gasket. Will wait the 24 hours for the Super 77 to cure, but looking very forward to have my BGE back in business. May have to celebrate with a standing rib roast or something along those lines.

With respect to the task of replacing the gasket, by far, the most difficult part was cleaning the rim of the base and dome with the acetone. Mine was pretty gooped up, so I ended up removing the dome as some extra elbow grease was needed and I didn't want to be torquing on the dome while still banded to the base. The new gasket is in place and whoever recommended spraying the Super 77 in a cup then using a paint brush to apply it, deserves a Nobel Prize for awesomeness.

Destroyr350

Ouch. What kind of seal are they sending you? For sure I will only cook pizza with legs up but the little tip of the leg in the center rear sounds interesting. Hope it works in the future.

They sent me a high heat seal. I am not replacing it just yet but I did move the leg into this middle and will fire pizza today. Let you know how it works

slavonbrown

I have a medium BGE and used a 12" stone on plate setter legs down for my first pizza cook and fried my gasket as well. Not leaking smoke yet and holding temps fine. I think I will call the Mother Ship for a replacement and just hang on to it until I need it...thanks for all the good info.

Papalikes

I was worried about having the lid slip out of my hand and having it crash down, damaging the base. I did cook some steaks before installing the new gasket, but was uber-careful with the lid.

gammell3

My gasket is OK, but I burnt the pizza! I cooked one at 550 degrees with p/s legs up and BGE pizza stone. 8 minutes later all I had was charcoal. I have done them before at ~400 which came out great. My thermometer is calibrated, so I don't know how you guys are doing pizza at 600 or so.