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Reflections after owning egg for 1 month

I've had my XL egg for a month.  Since then I've bought alot of accessories, including a place setter, Woo2, AR, full and half pizza stones, etc. 

I'm very happy with everything I've cooked low and slow.  I've cooked chicken (brined overnight, around 225, 8+ hours), spatchcocked chicken (no brining, 350-375, a little over an hour), pork and beef ribs.  Everything has turned out great, and by that, I mean better than on my Weber gas grill.

But short cooks have been a challenge, mostly steaks cooked either direct or indirect heat.  I've figured out how to avoid flare ups (based on help here -- just keep the dome closed, duh!).  Tonight I cooked filets and racks of lamb.  They were all good, but not better than what I can do on the Weber.  I wonder if the egg really has as much advantage over quick cooks, because you don't need the moisture advantages of the egg as much, you don't need the temperature control as much, and over a short period you can introduced probably as much smoke in a weber as you can in the egg. 

I'm very interested in comments, I hope people will tell me I'm wrong about the advantages of the egg for quick cooks.


Comments

  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Try raised direct for fast cooks to slow them down a bit.  Control the Egg temp to 350 - 450 using the bottom damper.  For steaks, look at the TREX method.  Best steaks I've ever done.  
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    Granted, I came from a gasser, very little experience cooking on charcoal before the Egg.  But that being said, I know my steaks taste better then anything I've ever had from a restaurant or any other grill that I've had steaks served to me.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
    edited July 2013

    My experience has been the opposite.  My low and slow cooks have been great as expected, but comparable to other high-end smokers I've cooked on in the past.  However the short cooks/direct grills have been far and away better than any that I've cooked on even the most expensive gassers or other charcoal cookers.  By far the best steaks, burgers and boneless/skinless chicken breasts we've ever cooked.

    I think my surprise was that the low and slow cooks were pretty simple and self-explanatory, whereas it took longer (at least for me) to get the faster cooks down to a method that worked for whatever it was that I was grilling. 

    I've had my Egg for about a year and this didn't happen overnight, but over some time of trial and error on the fast cooks.  And the one thing I disagree about is the moisture advantage of the Egg on faster cooks.....I think it makes all the difference.  I believe you will undoubtedly find that to be the case as well once you get the hang of it.  There's no way the burgers I cook could come off anything but something with the moisture retention of the Egg.  A $2000 gasser would pale in comparison, no doubt.

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

  • Skippy59
    Skippy59 Posts: 1
    First time trying to respond to someones questions? Have had an XL egg since fathers day and steaks have been out of this world. I read something on an guy who had this mastered and was willing to try. Buy the best cut you can afford, apply rub of your choice, and sear two minutes per side at 800 plus degrees. Take off, let rest for 20 to 30 minutes... Drink beer, wine finishbother dishes then put back on at approximately 550 - 600 degrees for approx. 6 min for well done, 4 min for med well. 3 min for medium, and 2 min for mid well. This is based on a steak that is 11/2" thick. Best steaks I have ever ate. I've used premium cuts and choice cuts and have not been disappointed. My rub of choice is Adams Steak rub,, Williams and Sonoma., kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. To die for. Steak house quality... Good steak house quality
  • SamFerrise
    SamFerrise Posts: 556
    You don't have it quite figured out yet.  Maybe one day you will get it.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    try experimenting with some steak methods, trex for thick steaks, water bath for thinner steaks. then theres tweaking methods, salt only for a trex sear adding pepper after the sear so as not to burn the pepper etc. your getting hotter temps with the egg verse the webber so some adjustments are necessary. did you get a thermapen yet, brings steak cooking up a few notches
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited July 2013
    Trex is good, depends on what you want/like. For 1-1/2" to 2" steaks, I found the reverse sear easier to get the hang of, because things happen very slowly. 
    Steaks on indirect at grid temp of 225º-250º, until internal is about 10º less than desired finish. Take off and hold steaks (foil), remove setter and crank the egg open. I put a CI grid under the setter so it is already very hot when the setter comes out. 
    Once egg is hot, +700º, dab the surface with a paper towel, put the steaks back on for <1 minute a side. Check internal. Serve.
    The low and slow allows some flavour of the rub and smoke to work on the meat, not for everyone. Dropping a well seasoned steak onto a super hot grid will burn everything but the salt off, IMO.  
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    You've had it one month... I've got sandwich bread older than that. You'll be fine. Enjoy the ride.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • flexfusion
    flexfusion Posts: 240
    n2wdw said:
    I've had my XL egg for a month.  Since then I've bought alot of accessories, including a place setter, Woo2, AR, full and half pizza stones, etc. 

    I'm very happy with everything I've cooked low and slow.  I've cooked chicken (brined overnight, around 225, 8+ hours), spatchcocked chicken (no brining, 350-375, a little over an hour), pork and beef ribs.  Everything has turned out great, and by that, I mean better than on my Weber gas grill.

    But short cooks have been a challenge, mostly steaks cooked either direct or indirect heat.  I've figured out how to avoid flare ups (based on help here -- just keep the dome closed, duh!).  Tonight I cooked filets and racks of lamb.  They were all good, but not better than what I can do on the Weber.  I wonder if the egg really has as much advantage over quick cooks, because you don't need the moisture advantages of the egg as much, you don't need the temperature control as much, and over a short period you can introduced probably as much smoke in a weber as you can in the egg. 

    I'm very interested in comments, I hope people will tell me I'm wrong about the advantages of the egg for quick cooks.



    Auburn, Alabama
  • flexfusion
    flexfusion Posts: 240
    I've given your post a lot of thought and I would agree with you.  I think you now have the best of both cooking worlds.  I know I wouldn't want to give up my Weber either.  Time to me is everything, and I think it takes much more planning to be a better cook on an BGE.  
    Auburn, Alabama
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    I've given your post a lot of thought and I would agree with you.  I think you now have the best of both cooking worlds.  I know I wouldn't want to give up my Weber either.  Time to me is everything, and I think it takes much more planning to be a better cook on an BGE.  
    If you don't master steaks on the BGE you are really doing yourself a disservice.  Read the various methods, buy a Thermapen and figure it out.  You will be extremely glad that you did.
  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
    I've given your post a lot of thought and I would agree with you.  I think you now have the best of both cooking worlds.  I know I wouldn't want to give up my Weber either.  Time to me is everything, and I think it takes much more planning to be a better cook on an BGE.  

    Curious as to what planning and time consumption goes into cooking steaks or burgers on the Egg that you wouldn't have with a gasser or WSM. 

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

  • Dredger
    Dredger Posts: 1,468
    I agree with Duganboy. Steaks are amazing on the egg. I get temp up to 600ish, throw in a few mesquite chips, rub 1 1/2 inch thick steaks down with Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt and Lawry's Garlic Powder. Sear 2 to 3 minutes each side with the lid closed and when they're crusted over, close the vents and let it smoke for about 5 minutes. Open the lid just once to flip after the first side is seared. Perfect medium rare every time. Just use a timer so you don't overcook. We've had our egg since 1998 and steaks were the first thing we mastered.
    Large BGE
    Greenville, SC