Newbie to BGE

NightwingXP

Hello all! New to the forum and have been enjoying every minute of it. Question for anyone that is willing to help. I just struck it rich and happened upon a Large BGE for a smokin deal of $125 with a rickity table and everything. It was only 3 years old and fairly well taken care of. Cooked on it tonight for the first time. Threw 2 NY Strips and about 6 burgers on it. Happy to say it was a RAGING success but I have a learning curve to get used to on my Egg. Temps spikes were nice and easy to control. Smoke flavor in the food was a little strong. I fired it up and let it get up to temp. Only let it warm up for about 10 - 15 min and then threw the grub on it. Should I have let it warm up and then cool down to the temp I wanted? Maybe some lump that smokes badly? Frontier is the brand from the neighborhood Pamida store. Seemed ok but had some big chunks ( even a small tree limb in it approx 2 1/2" in diameter and 7" long ) in it. Not sure what my procedure should be for getting ready to cook. Also it hasn't been used in a year so maybe burn it out to clean it? Any imput is appreciated. Thanks!

Mdharding

First off the best temp for steak is as hot as you can go. I getine up to 750 iin about 15 minutes. I start the fire leave the dome open for about 5 minutes till the starters are all gone then close the lid leave the top off and bottom damper wide open. Steaks should be about 2 minutes per side then flip oneida time and shut the dampers for about 2 minutes or so. Center temp should be about 140 for nice pink middle.

Burgers are best about 450 or so for 2 minutes a side.

Flamethrower

May sound funny,But wait for the smoke to be clean and clear. My lump usually starts to clear up between 200-300 depending on the lump.

NightwingXP

So will it stop smoking after a while? Mine seemed like it wanted to just keep on smoking until doomsday. It seemed like all the lump would keep smoking until it had all burned "Minion" method style. From the inside out, so I just went ahead and cooked. Just a little learning curve here

Little Steven

Could have been the grease from the burgers. You may want to cook steaks and burgers separately or use a drip pan under the burgers. As others said the smoke should clear after a while

Mike8it

$125 egg!!!! Deal of the century. Congratulations and I am sure you will love this grill/smoker for many years to come.

JerkChicken

What an outstanding deal, I paid 750 for mine plus a few eggsessories. Don't worry, you'll drop another $400 in eggsesories too lol

You have to wait until your lump stops emitting the smoke before throwing your food on there. Also, I've noticed, the more powdery lump tends to smoke a lot more and a lot longer than the big lump peices. Burn off all that cryosute or whatever first. You can also tell by the smell. It goes from toxic choking smell to nice outdoor bbq smell.

hogaholic

I'm all in for another large for 125. In fact, I will take any size for 125.

Go here for all u need to know: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm

Mickey

Advice: Get to an EggFest ASAP...... You will learn more in a few hours than a year on your own (except the forum).... You have the forum, now do an EggFest..

gdenby

If there is a fair amount of grunge on the inside of the Egg, that has lots of embedded smoke. About 1/4 full fire box of lump will burn hot enough to reduce most everything to soot that can be removed by rubbing crumpled foil over the surface. Don't put too much lump in. Long cooks at maximum temperatures will burn thru the gasket. Even a small leak at 1000F will burn the felt. Not hard to replace, but it can be a pain opening the Egg back up if the gasket melts and fuses.

NightwingXP

Outstanding everybody! I am going through the learning curve for the BGE and loving every minute of it. I have a Char Griller barrel smoker with a side firebox that I have used for 2 years now and I absolutely love that thing! However after making burgers once and firing it up just to play with the dampers and a little burn off I have dreams of meatloaf, pizza and many other ideas to follow through with. Everybody is right. This thing is changing my life! It dominates my thought and free time! Thanks for the advice and I will be posting more to glean off of all the knowledge of this forum!

NightwingXP

Here's my $125 setup. Still can't believe I got this lucky! Building a new table this spring. Gonna rearrange the patio for it. Can't wait!

NightwingXP

Here's my first prepared Spatchcock chicken. Stuffed garlic butter under the skin and rubbed with KC Masterpiece BBQ seasoning. Bought a KJ heat deflector that is too big so gonna use paver bricks to raise my grill grate. Absorbed lots of info here! Thanks people!! Will post final picks later!

Gato

Great deal on that setup. I would suggest you put something under the egg to keep from burning the wood

bigguy136

$125 egg!!!! Deal of the century. Congratulations and I am sure you will love this grill/smoker for many years to come.

Egg was used two times and then given to me for free with 1/2 bag of BGE lump. Came with nest. (My dad gave it to me) Now he gets all the food he wants without doing any of the work. Works for me. 

NightwingXP

Hard to turn those deals down huh!! I bet you wouldn't have it any other way either! Great trade off !

NightwingXP

Here's the final Spatch. This is too good!! Love this thing!!

NightwingXP

Sorry Flubbed it up

cortguitarman

Great deal on that setup. I would suggest you put something under the egg to keep from burning the wood

+1 on the paver stone under the egg.

NightwingXP

Oh I plan on it. This was just the way the guy I got it from had it and he used it for 3 years. I plan on building a new table this spring and when I do it will be decked out with feet AND a paver just for extra caution. Thanks for the heads up !

NightwingXP

May sound funny,But wait for the smoke to be clean and clear. My lump usually starts to clear up between 200-300 depending on the lump.

Thanks Flamethrower! Let it burn a llittle longer this time and it cleared right up! Great tip!

Flamethrower

Glad to help