Two Large Eggs - Side by Side or Opposite Ends?

HofstraJet

I'm having a custom table built for my two large eggs. Wondering if I should put them side by side on one end or put one on each end with the workspace in between. The reason for putting them side by side is so that I have a place to put a hot PS, woo, AR, grid, etc. when only using one egg. The tabletop will be granite so it can withstand hot items, but I'm afraid of marking up the surface by very hot items repeatedly being placed on it. 

Also, when I have both eggs going, seems easier to stay in one place and cook rather than go from end to end. Table will be about 10 ft overall.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

DMW

I'd probably go side by side in the middle and have prep room on each side of either one.

theyolksonyou

Ha! I was thinking the opposite. One on each end and common prep area in the middle. 

GregW

No matter what you do, there will be times the other way would work better.

Dobie

Split them, work space in between. 

SMITTYtheSMOKER

One of my first cooking set-ups in my backyard was two larges with a nice 7' stainless table in between them. I found it worked great getting full use of the work table with each Egg.

Found an old pic-

northGAcock

I have an 8.5 foot table and went prep / serving in middle  I have diffetent hardware than you......and here was my logic. I have my med on one side and have an opening for my MM on the other. The MM being portable, I can remove and replace with a chaffing rack or cooler. The flexibility was attractive to me. 

My table is made of wood with granit top, and I had a cover made for it. If only using one egg, I can pull the cover off of half the table and still have both prep and cook area. Just something to think about if open to the elements.

marran8

Fellow Jet Fan here... I think the space between would def work better without a doubt. This way in the event they are both going you wont have the challenge of need to reach over /past the inside egg, which you may eventual find as being kind of pain. Might also cause you to use the inside one more often than the outside when only one is going. But i could be over thinking it. Also I think visually its more impressive have each be its own totem on opposite ends, like towers on a BBQ castle. also if youre smoking different meats or woods youll be able smell the difference.. now im def overthinking it

Please post the results would love to see it.
Also, curious who is fabricating your grill table? what does something like that run?

johnkitchens

I was fighting this same battle this time last year. I had two larges and wanted them in one table. At first I wanted them close together and have space om either side of the eggs for pans etc. 

In the end I decided to put them at opposite ends of the table and have my work space in the middle. This was the best choice for me. A lot of time I am cooking on both eggs so I will have pans for both at the same time. I still have plenty of room, and the flow just works well for me. 

Here is a picture of before:


Here is a picture of after:

marran8

johnkitchens said:

I was fighting this same battle this time last year. I had two larges and wanted them in one table. At first I wanted them close together and have space om either side of the eggs for pans etc. 

In the end I decided to put them at opposite ends of the table and have my work space in the middle. This was the best choice for me. A lot of time I am cooking on both eggs so I will have pans for both at the same time. I still have plenty of room, and the flow just works well for me. 

Here is a picture of before:

Nice! - did you build yourself?

johnkitchens

Thanks! I had it built. I am not that handy.

pgprescott

johnkitchens said:

I was fighting this same battle this time last year. I had two larges and wanted them in one table. At first I wanted them close together and have space om either side of the eggs for pans etc. 

In the end I decided to put them at opposite ends of the table and have my work space in the middle. This was the best choice for me. A lot of time I am cooking on both eggs so I will have pans for both at the same time. I still have plenty of room, and the flow just works well for me. 

Here is a picture of before:


Here is a picture of after:

This is beautiful work. I'm not sure what method you use for ash clean out, but if you rotate the table nests so the legs are in the back and the sides, you will have better access to the draft door. Again, the setup is striking, first class!

johnkitchens

Thanks Pete! I love the new table. At the same time I had the table builder build a storage table for me with door and drawers. I have a place in the back that I can put a tv in so that it is completely concealed and out of the weather etc. 

Chubbs

johnkitchens said:

Thanks Pete! I love the new table. At the same time I had the table builder build a storage table for me with door and drawers. I have a place in the back that I can put a tv in so that it is completely concealed and out of the weather etc. 

Can we see TV compartment?

johnkitchens

Chubbs said:

johnkitchens said:

Thanks Pete! I love the new table. At the same time I had the table builder build a storage table for me with door and drawers. I have a place in the back that I can put a tv in so that it is completely concealed and out of the weather etc. 

Can we see TV compartment?  

I will have to take a picture of it. It is hard to see from the picture, but if you look closely on top right of the table you will see a black hinge. The section of wood in front of the hinge flips up, and I place the tv in the compartment and then flip the ledge back down. 

It works for me. 

Captainjimpark

That is a first class setup! 

johnkitchens

Captainjimpark said:

That is a first class setup! 

Thanks!

HofstraJet

DMW said:

I'd probably go side by side in the middle and have prep room on each side of either one.

I like that thought. Best of both worlds. Workspace near each egg and yet the eggs are close to each other. Great idea!

I am having the table built by Brian Alan Tables.

Begger

If you don't want to worry about 'marking up' your new table top, consider SOAPSTONE.    Impervious to most anything you can do to it, though it IS a softer material than granite.  
Soapstone is, or WAS used as table surface of Chem Labs and such.  This means high chemical resistance.   
Oil it every 6 months or so with MINERAL OIL.  

HofstraJet

Here's a drawing of the proposed table. 10 ft wide.  Will post the rest of the specs when I get back to a computer. Thoughts and comments are welcome. Thanks!  

Tspud1

HofstraJet said:

Here's a drawing of the proposed table. 10 ft wide.  Will post the rest of the specs when I get back to a computer. Thoughts and comments are welcome. Thanks!  

Put in a center leg at bottom and you can add some drawer glides that for 2 drawers under bottom shelf

HofstraJet

Forgot to post the specs.

Table overall height is 26". The lower shelf that the eggs sit on is at 11". This is so I can easily access from a wheelchair.  Table is 36" deep and instead of eggs being centered, they are pushed forward to be 5.5" from the front edge, also for easy access from a wheelchair.

Table is ordered and is 1-2 months away.

blasting

That is going to be one big bad table @HofstraJet

DGarner211

I'd rather have the prep space in between them.  It just seems to me I would have an easier time transitioning between two eggs if the food was close to each of them than, say, if I had chicken on one side and beef on the other and I had to run back and forth to deal with the food.

I've never actually used a 2 egg setup, though, so I may be out to lunch on that.  I intend to get a 2nd large one day, and I'll do the "1 at each end" setup.

Doc_Eggerton

theyolksonyou said:

Ha! I was thinking the opposite. One on each end and common prep area in the middle. 

My vote also.  Here is my cook area.  I would love to build up an outdoor kitchen.

PS Edit:  Having gone on and read all the posts.  If you want the Eggs together I would go for both at one end.  Why would you break up your large prep area into two small prep areas.

DeltaNu1142

Doc_Eggerton said:

If you want the Eggs together I would go for both at one end.  Why would you break up your large prep area into two small prep areas.

Came to say this.

With Eggs in the center, you'll be constantly going back & forth between prep areas to get knives, cookware, moving cutting boards, swapping things around... it's your build and you'll be using it, so no one can question your call, but if I were using it I would want Eggs at each end.

SmokeyPitt

I suppose one argument for having them together is if you ever wanted to get both eggs going and you were doing something active like grilling direct.  For example you had one egg loaded up with burgers and the other egg loaded up with brats both direct.   

Generally I like the idea of an egg at each end with one big prep area as opposed to two small prep areas.  However your table design looks like you have two big prep areas.   If you put them at each egg end that is a long way to travel between eggs if they are both grilling.   For low and slow/indirect cooks I don't think it would really matter.  

However you do it there will be times you wish you went the other way .  

thetrim

Looks great.  I would look at adding more drawer space or even some cabinets under there if they'll fit!  Good luck!

DeltaNu1142

SmokeyPitt said:

However you do it there will be times you wish you went the other way .  

My belief is that those times will occur far more frequently if they're side-by-side! But to each, etc... good luck with the build.

HofstraJet

Here's the thread on the finished product. http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1195938/two-large-egg-table