Decision Large or XL Big Green Egg

SonVolt

Just get 2 XLs

TEXASBGE2018

SonVolt said:

You may be overestimating the real estate of the XL : I can only fit 1 large flat in my XL with barely enough room for anything else unless I'm double stacking grates. If I crammed a packer in there things would be really tight, with some of it draping over the convection channels.  I only cook for 2 adults and 2 small children, and I would be hurting if I lost some grill space.  

This probably all comes down to cooking style, but here's a few examples where I'd be less comfy downsizing. 

This is 1 steak, 4 ears of corn, some sausage and a little sizzler platter for reference.  If I needed to cook more steaks I'd be doing things in batches or adding a raised grid, which isn't ideal IMO..
Here's a 17" Lodge skillet. Too much smaller and I'd be worried the lid wouldn't shut.

Man you must cook some huge meals. When I went and looked at eggs and saw the XL I know I could fit 2-3 15lb Briskets on it easily. I could fit about 15 New York strips or about 12 Ribeyes on the main grate of the XL. Just the other day I cooked 4 ears of corn and 4 Ribeyes on my Large without any additional racks. It was somewhat tight because they were pretty large bone in ribeyes but if they would have been boneless and if I would have trimmed the corn down a bit I could have fit another ribeye and another ear of corn no problem. Or if I added my extension rack I could have put the corn up there and probably fit 8 Ribeyes on the bottom rack and 6-8 ears of corn on the extension. I just bought the 12" Lodge Skillet with the long handle so the overall length is close to 17" and it fits fine in my large. 99% of my cooks are for 4 people only so its usually 3 New York Strips and 1 ribeye. I have plenty of room.

KennyCJR

I’m pretty much sold on the XL, but need to see each one side by side to really make a decision. 

It’s just two of us, but we cook large meals and have lunch for the week.  I’ll do a brisket and sausage and we’ll have a two meat plate for lunch, then brisket tacos, bbq sandwich, etc. 

I was able to cram a 13 lb brisket in the medium, but had to cook the sausage and a few veggies in batches. 

I greatly appreciate everyone’s input and especially the pics of the grill with food on for perspective. 

SonVolt

It looked a lot bigger in the show room to me too than when I brought it home and loaded her up. Either way, it was only $100 more and didn't require auctioning my first born like the jump to the XXL.  When it comes to outdoor cookware I tend to follow the more-is-more philosophy of the great Yngwie Malmsteen. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHZ48AE3TOI

TEXASBGE2018

Today is a slow day at work so here is a few visuals I have for the large. 1st one is 8 big beef ribs I cooked. Scale is somewhat misleading. Those bones are each about 8” long. I could have fit another rack of 4 if I rearranged them slightly. Here is 2 full racks of baby backs side by side. I could easily fit 1 or 2 more if I cut them in half. Still plenty of room on the sides here for 4 or so ears of corn.

Here is the 12" Cast Iron Skillet (total 17" long) still some room on the sides if I wanted to utilize them. If I didn't have the handle I could have fit my smaller 6"skillet in there as well for say a big Chocolate chip cookie This is a 10lb Packer Brisket. I could easily have put 1 the same size next to it. Before even adding a 2nd Tier. If I added the 2nd tier I could have had a total of 2 10lb Briskets plus 4 8lb Pork butts.

The 1st day I got my egg I cooked 1/2lb burgers and I think if my memory serves me there was 14 on at 1 time. Again by all means if you cook for 10 people regularly spring for an XL. I still don't think its required, just makes it slightly easier. But if its for 4 people eating normal sized portions an XL is not required. I have very few situations where I need to cook 30lbs of Brisket and when I do I just add the 2nd Rack and I have almost doubled my cooking space. I have this discussion weekly at work with my buddy who I am trying to convince to get an egg. He has a huge extended family and they come over for every holiday. 40+ people. He cooks 2 15lb packers currently on his WSM and I've convinced him the XL isn't needed. I would rather save the $500 difference between the Large and XL and get a PSWoo with Extension Rack from Ceramic Grill Store, about 10 bags of Rockwood and several nice chunks of whatever Prime or Wagyu Beef I wanted from SRF.

cccoltsicehockey

I was trying to figure this out earlier this year and went with the XL in the end.  I love cooking complete meals at one time when I grill.  Yes I could get raised racks but then I have to deal with stuff on top of stuff.  I like having one surface to deal with most of the time.  I am only cooking for 2 people 95% of the time but the thing is I like to cook a lot for leftovers.  So I might make 12 chicken drum sticks and 4 baked potatoes along with 6 ears of corn on the cob like I did this weekend and had plenty of space.

Doing things like that makes me realize I would have been annoyed dealing with a raised rack.  That said I still might get one for even the XL for the times I do cook for large groups just so I don't have to touch my gasser ever again.

It also has gotten so addicting I am already considering getting a MM next summer to compliment my XL.

Eoin

cccoltsicehockey said:

I was trying to figure this out earlier this year and went with the XL in the end.  I love cooking complete meals at one time when I grill.  Yes I could get raised racks but then I have to deal with stuff on top of stuff.  I like having one surface to deal with most of the time.  I am only cooking for 2 people 95% of the time but the thing is I like to cook a lot for leftovers.  So I might make 12 chicken drum sticks and 4 baked potatoes along with 6 ears of corn on the cob like I did this weekend and had plenty of space.

Doing things like that makes me realize I would have been annoyed dealing with a raised rack.  That said I still might get one for even the XL for the times I do cook for large groups just so I don't have to touch my gasser ever again.

It also has gotten so addicting I am already considering getting a MM next summer to compliment my XL.

XL + MMX, ideal.

DoubleEgger

No replacement for displacement 

YukonRon

XL
Worth it.
That is all.

TEXASBGE2018

Eoin said:

cccoltsicehockey said:

I was trying to figure this out earlier this year and went with the XL in the end.  I love cooking complete meals at one time when I grill.  Yes I could get raised racks but then I have to deal with stuff on top of stuff.  I like having one surface to deal with most of the time.  I am only cooking for 2 people 95% of the time but the thing is I like to cook a lot for leftovers.  So I might make 12 chicken drum sticks and 4 baked potatoes along with 6 ears of corn on the cob like I did this weekend and had plenty of space.

Doing things like that makes me realize I would have been annoyed dealing with a raised rack.  That said I still might get one for even the XL for the times I do cook for large groups just so I don't have to touch my gasser ever again.

It also has gotten so addicting I am already considering getting a MM next summer to compliment my XL.

XL + MMX, ideal.

I like this idea. Or even L(with racks) + MMX 

Matt86m

Question for indirect / with plate setter.

Don't you want the meat above the PS and not hanging over where the 3 gaps are (where the majority of the heat rises) ?

Or does it not effect a brisket if part of it is over the gaps?

If it does then would that be part of the decision in the LG vs XL?

TEXASBGE2018

Matt86m said:

Question for indirect / with plate setter.

Don't you want the meat above the PS and not hanging over where the 3 gaps are (where the majority of the heat rises) ?

Or does it not effect a brisket if part of it is over the gaps?

If it does then would that be part of the decision in the LG vs XL?

Some argue that but the easy way to resolve this issue is put either a larger drip pan underneath or foil underneath until it shrinks to roughly the footprint of the platesetter. In my picture above of the brisket I didn't do this because it was the weekend I bought the egg and I didn't know any better. Now I do.

Eoin

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Eoin said:

cccoltsicehockey said:

I was trying to figure this out earlier this year and went with the XL in the end.  I love cooking complete meals at one time when I grill.  Yes I could get raised racks but then I have to deal with stuff on top of stuff.  I like having one surface to deal with most of the time.  I am only cooking for 2 people 95% of the time but the thing is I like to cook a lot for leftovers.  So I might make 12 chicken drum sticks and 4 baked potatoes along with 6 ears of corn on the cob like I did this weekend and had plenty of space.

Doing things like that makes me realize I would have been annoyed dealing with a raised rack.  That said I still might get one for even the XL for the times I do cook for large groups just so I don't have to touch my gasser ever again.

It also has gotten so addicting I am already considering getting a MM next summer to compliment my XL.

XL + MMX, ideal.

I like this idea. Or even L(with racks) + MMX 

MMX does most midweek cooks - sausages, burgers, koftas, pork tenderloin, single spatch chicken etc. Uses hardly any lump and heats up fast. Much better direct, not a lot of indirect grid area. XL when space is needed up to 30 lb turkey done on ours. Also got a half stone so I can do half direct / half indirect on the XL.

Cornholio

Matt86m said:

Question for indirect / with plate setter.

Don't you want the meat above the PS and not hanging over where the 3 gaps are (where the majority of the heat rises) ?

Or does it not effect a brisket if part of it is over the gaps?

If it does then would that be part of the decision in the LG vs XL?

I try to minimize how much meat is hanging over those parts with my drip pan and how I organize the meat on there.  Some of the end ribs get cooked more if hanging over but really not all that bad and my wife likes those.  Biggest thing for me when using the egg is to not over think things and make it too complicated.  Part of the fun is messing with small variables to see different results but no need to make it stressful!

Yno

My guess is that you will love whatever you buy (but more if it is the XL!). I went through the decision process and although there are normally only two of us, I do entertain sometimes, and I like to cook extra for leftovers. I don't actually remember the price difference at the time - it just didn't seem important after a month or so. I bought the XL and have no misgivings. 

You can always put small amounts in a big container, but you can't put ten pounds of $h!t in a five pound bag. I really like having the extra real estate. I don't have to crowd things together and I have room to rearrange if I need to. I did make a raised rack, and use it when I am doing lots of different things on the Egg at one time. I can fit a big paella pan on the grid and my biggest Dutch oven fits fine. 

If the price isn't a deal breaker, and if you have the room (and don't have to move it all the time), I would go with the extra large. That was my opinion and decision, and I haven't lost any sleep over it.

SonVolt

The difference between the L and XL was only $100 where I got mine. 

onedbguru

As I have said many times to this question: Go XL or go home.

td66snrf

Who resurrected this post from 2016.

KennyCJR

Stopped by a local Ace BGE dealer today and checked out an XL.  It looks huge!  They didn’t have a L to compare against visually though. Even though it looked so dang big, that’s the model I’ll be getting.  I’ll be able to accommodate any gatherings we have or cook several meats for the next weeks lunches. I could easily see how a half stone for direct and indirect cooking at the same will be a game changer for us. 

The price they wanted for either model was the highest I’ve been quoted yet...for just the egg.  I’ve heard cheaper prices including a nest and some accessories.  Their price on Rockwood was pretty good, so I picked up a couple of bags to try.  

SonVolt

KennyCJR said:

Stopped by a local Ace BGE dealer today and checked out an XL.  It looks huge!  They didn’t have a L to compare against visually though. Even though it looked so dang big, that’s the model I’ll be getting.  I’ll be able to accommodate any gatherings we have or cook several meats for the next weeks lunches. I could easily see how a half stone for direct and indirect cooking at the same will be a game changer for us. 

The price they wanted for either model was the highest I’ve been quoted yet...for just the egg.  I’ve heard cheaper prices including a nest and some accessories.  Their price on Rockwood was pretty good, so I picked up a couple of bags to try.  

What were they quoting for the XL? I got mine ~2 months ago for ~$900-950 from an authorized dealer. 

KennyCJR

Pm sent, @SonVolt

YEMTrey

XL and Mini Max is the perfect setup.

smokeybreeze

I've got a Large BGE and I've made countless baby back rib cooks with 6 full racks of baby backs on it (that's all I've ever needed to cook at once, so far).

On my LBGE, I've also done 18+# briskets and multiple (up to 4) 6-8# pork shoulders, so I have yet to see the need for an XLBGE. YMMV and I appreciate that.

DoubleEgger

YEMTrey said:

XL and Medium is the perfect setup.

FTFY 

DMW

DoubleEgger said:

YEMTrey said:

XL, Small, XXL, other stuff is the perfect setup.

FTFY 

SonVolt

XL and a Kettle is the perfect setup.

TEXASBGE2018

SonVolt said:

XL and a Kettle is the perfect setup.

Large Egg, Blackstone, Woodfired Oven, Offset Smoker, and High $$$ Gas grill is the perfect set up

cookingdude555

Two minis is perfect. That might even be overkill tho. 

westernbbq

Get a vortex to concentrate heat amd conserve fuel in your xl

SonVolt

TEXASBGE2018 said:

SonVolt said:

XL and a Kettle is the perfect setup.

Large Egg, Blackstone, Woodfired Oven, Offset Smoker, and High $$$ Gas grill is the perfect set up

@TEXASBGE2018

You left out an Argentine-style grill!  And forget about the crappy Lowe's-quality Blackstone, I'm going full on 1" thick plate steel on my griddle from a restaurant supply store in my dream outdoor kitchen.