so why do eggs crack??

smokesniffer

getting ready to do an overnight pork butt, while I was getting the egg up to temp, I had my hands on the dome, (guess I was fondling it  Got thinking about the process, and then started wondering why, if in the manufacturing process the company claims they fire the ceramics to some high heat ( can't remember the exact temp) why does the bases crack?? (I have had one crack and it was warrantied promptly) Inquiring minds whats to know. Anybody shed some light??

Scottborasjr

Pretty sure it's just the nature of the beast. High heat, with who knows what kind of humidity, and temperature changes. Ceramic, no matter how thick isn't a end all be all godsend. 

YukonRon

Punishment from the BGE gods for cooking tofu, or vegetarian burgers and hot dogs, and nothing with bacon.
it seems to be time related with bacon. Every two weeks or so, an offering of any cook using bacon is mandatory.

sctdg

I'm still a believer in starting your fire ,especially when it is cold out gently .By that I mean no torch ,no heat gun and no dumping a chimney full of hot coals into an ice cold egg .I know most guy's out there including Big Green Egg themselves will say it is built to withstand all that but to me it is too much of a shock . I've seen good cast iron stoves crack from not being handled correctly when it comes to firing them and I think that ceramic is way more susceptible to damage by not being somewhat gentle with it . If it is cold ,paper towel and oil .Less is better . 

Eggcelsior

Mine cracked when I dropped it, so there is that reason.

Otherwise, I believe it is due to the variables mentioned above with moisture getting into the ceramic and expanding during heating. 

Ozzie_Isaac

They also crack when runover by a truck.

northGAcock

Pottey by nature can have hairline cracks that are not visibal.....at least that' what spouse says.....and she is a potter. 

GregW

Mine cracked due to a run away fire. The crack developed at a manufacturing defect in the casting.
The run away fire was in excess of 1500 degrees.

smokesniffer

YukonRon said:

Punishment from the BGE gods for cooking tofu, or vegetarian burgers and hot dogs, and nothing with bacon.
it seems to be time related with bacon. Every two weeks or so, an offering of any cook using bacon is mandatory.

This I will adhere to more, might even bump it up from two weeks

smokesniffer

@Eggcelsior  Mine cracked when I dropped it, so there is that reason. LOL it's been a few years since I've picked up my large and walked around with it.  

smokesniffer

@GregW  I have never had any of my eggs above 800 or so. That must have been one "runaway fire" brother 

smokesniffer

northGAcock said:

Pottey by nature can have hairline cracks that are not visibal.....at least that' what spouse says.....and she is a potter. 

Thank goodness for warranty!

GregW

smokesniffer said:

@GregW  I have never had any of my eggs above 800 or so. That must have been one "runaway fire" brother 

It was hot.....so hot in fact that the wood table under the egg base caught fire.

SGH

@smokesniffer
Brother sniffer, you will probably never figure out what caused a particular crack in your BGE. However there are many things that ultimately contribute to cracking. 
First, ceramic it's self is brittle by nature. Second, there are usually voids (weak points due to absence of material) in the material. Third, existing stress risers from kiln firing. Fourth, material fatigue due to repeated heating and cooling (expanding and contracting). 
At the end of the day, as great as BGE's are, due to the fragile nature of the material, constant heating and cooling, expanding and contracting, and existing imperfections, cracking is just about unavoidable. It just is what it is my friend. 

smokesniffer

@SGH so that is where the saying "it is what it is" comes from huh . 

NPHuskerFL

Why?  

https://youtu.be/p212jHJ-qb4

Biggreenpharmacist

Ozzie_Isaac said:

They also crack when runover by a truck.

They dont seem to do too well being drug around by a dog on a leash either. The result is devastating. 

hapster

On my second base now... After first one cracked, I rarely took it above 500° and never was it over 600°. 

Figure its just the nature of the beast... 

johnnyp

Eggcelsior said:

Mine cracked when I dropped it, so there is that reason.

Otherwise, I believe it is due to the variables mentioned above with moisture getting into the ceramic and expanding during heating. 

I agree. Also, the expansion from freezing is bound to play a role as well