Dedicated BGE for baking?

RandyC

i have just finished building my BGE table and have not yet used my BGE. If you use your BGE for baking do you need a dedicated BGE. If not, does the aroma from cooking meat infuse into the baked goods?

thanks

DoubleEgger

Not required at all but it's nice. Cooking a loaf right after a brisket would give off a smell though 

DoubleEgger

Welcome to the forum by the way. 

fishlessman

if you know you are going to bake bread after a greasy cook, let it burn hotter and longer til the smoke smells clean.

MeTed

I cook bread ina Dutch oven twice a week on my egg and have never noticed a smoke flavor. I can not tell the difference between the Egg and the oven.

HeavyG

If I remember correctly at least one person here has an Egg dedicated to baking - was it @RRP?

WeberWho

Lump quality also plays a big factor into baking

RRP

HeavyG said:

If I remember correctly at least one person here has an Egg dedicated to baking - was it @RRP?

yes, my medium - and despite being 16 years old then having never had meat in it nor wood it is still light tan inside and the OE felt gasket is intact. 

cookingdude555

I don't think a "never had meat in it" virgin egg that ron is saving for the special day is required.  If you burn off the gunk you can replicate it.  There seems to be an allure to baking bread in the egg.  Although the egg is ceramic, that is the only characteristic it shares with pizza ovens.  A pizza ovens heat does not come from below the item that is being cooked.

RRP

cookingdude555 said:

I don't think a "never had meat in it" virgin egg that ron is saving for the special day is required.  If you burn off the gunk you can replicate it.  There seems to be an allure to baking bread in the egg.  Although the egg is ceramic, that is the only characteristic it shares with pizza ovens.  A pizza ovens heat does not come from below the item that is being cooked.

Oh I agree!!! @HeavyG brought up my name so I replied.

I'm a big advocate of always wrapping my PS in my large egg for instance so I don't have issues from burnt on crud when I bake pizzas in it. I'm sure if I baked bread in my large I wouldn't have issues for that very reason!

HeavyG

cookingdude555 said:

I don't think a "never had meat in it" virgin egg that ron is saving for the special day is required.  If you burn off the gunk you can replicate it.  There seems to be an allure to baking bread in the egg.  Although the egg is ceramic, that is the only characteristic it shares with pizza ovens.  A pizza ovens heat does not come from below the item that is being cooked.

Actually, a wood fired pizza oven does provide heat from below the pizza.

Proper wood fired pizza oven operation requires that the deck also be hot/heated prior to dropping in a pie.

Even a gas fired pizza oven like the Blackstone is setup to also heat the rotating pizza stone from underneath. In some cases one needs to take steps to prevent the stone from getting too hot from underneath as the bottom can get scorched before the pie is really finished topside.

NPHuskerFL

No. I occasionally bake in both the LG & MM. That said I'd tell you if you L&S a brisket or butt and then the next time you bake you'll need to run the existing lump a bit longer to burn off any fat drippings that may have slipped by into the lump or ceramics. Egg on. 

cookingdude555

HeavyG said:

cookingdude555 said:

I don't think a "never had meat in it" virgin egg that ron is saving for the special day is required.  If you burn off the gunk you can replicate it.  There seems to be an allure to baking bread in the egg.  Although the egg is ceramic, that is the only characteristic it shares with pizza ovens.  A pizza ovens heat does not come from below the item that is being cooked.

Actually, a wood fired pizza oven does provide heat from below the pizza.

Proper wood fired pizza oven operation requires that the deck also be hot/heated prior to dropping in a pie.

Even a gas fired pizza oven like the Blackstone is setup to also heat the rotating pizza stone from underneath. In some cases one needs to take steps to prevent the stone from getting too hot from underneath as the bottom can get scorched before the pie is really finished topside.

Thanks @HeavyG for catching that, I meant that the fire is not coming from below.  It does heat the surface below the pizza, but the fire source is not the same as the egg.  When I cook with my blackstone, the reason it is so much better than cooking pizza on the eggs is that the stone above the pizza is hotter than the stone below.  This is never the case on the egg.  A wood fired oven has this same characteristic.   

cookingdude555

RRP said:

cookingdude555 said:

I don't think a "never had meat in it" virgin egg that ron is saving for the special day is required.  If you burn off the gunk you can replicate it.  There seems to be an allure to baking bread in the egg.  Although the egg is ceramic, that is the only characteristic it shares with pizza ovens.  A pizza ovens heat does not come from below the item that is being cooked.

Oh I agree!!! @HeavyG brought up my name so I replied.

I'm a big advocate of always wrapping my PS in my large egg for instance so I don't have issues from burnt on crud when I bake pizzas in it. I'm sure if I baked bread in my large I wouldn't have issues for that very reason!

Good tips Ron.  Your comments have made me consider turning a large recently gifted me into a "clean" egg.  It just makes it easier since you dont have to make it clean before attempting to bake bread, or pizza, or otherwise.  Its always ready.

bigegger

I've never noticed cooked meat aromas infused with the cakes and brownies I've baked but the times that I have baked them is after I've either baked a pizza or grilled steaks.
Reason being is since pizza and steak require high temps to cook my usual routine to bake is to prep the cake/brownies/cobbler right after we finish eating our pizza/steak and by the time I finish prepping the dessert the BGE has cooled down to the desired temperature to bake-which is almost 1 1/2 -  2 hrs after I pull my steaks or pizza out of the BGE.
But if and when I bake anything let's say after I grill fish or smoke some ribs and I noticed infused flavors, I'll let everyone know

northGAcock

I would have to think that a dedicated baking egg would be simply a luxury purchase. Do it if you can afford it, and you believe you will get enough use out of it. Just my 2 cents worth. 

Wolfie51sb

northGAcock said:

I would have to think that a dedicated baking egg would be simply a luxury purchase. Do it if you can afford it and you believe you will get enough use out of it. Just my 2 cents worth. 

Lol

NPHuskerFL

Well used eggs bake just as well. I assure you the flavor on breads be it sourdough, yeast rolls, pizza, pretzels etc or even cookies or cheesecake don't end up tasting like ribs. 

RRP

NPHuskerFL said:

Well used eggs bake just as well. I assure you the flavor on breads be it sourdough, yeast rolls, pizza, pretzels etc or even cookies or cheesecake don't end up tasting like ribs. 

I agree! But that like brand new PS is not what some egger's PS look like! That was my whole point about wrapping a PS to keep it from becoming a "stink tank" of burnt grease etc. 

NPHuskerFL

@RRP When I know the juices will be flowing I always wrap that rascal
And that PS is original to my MM. 

Stormbringer

NPHuskerFL said:

Well used eggs bake just as well. I assure you the flavor on breads be it sourdough, yeast rolls, pizza, pretzels etc or even cookies or cheesecake don't end up tasting like ribs. 

Is that your setup for baking bread, no air gap between the PS and the baking tray? Also, what is that baking tray, it looks perfect.

NPHuskerFL

@Stormbringer The above setup was an experiment. PS was preheated and then CI placed (not preheated) directly on top of PS then add steam for first 15-20 minutes and no steam last 15-20. This setup worked but, my current setup works better for both CI ware or baking stone and I felt it yielded better oven spring. Jammed up with work but, I'll do my best to document in a thread for those that are interested. It's taken me many failed and so-so loaves to dial it in on the MM & LG alike. The CI is manufactured by Camp Chef and labeled as a 13" pie pan. 

Stormbringer

NPHuskerFL said:

@Stormbringer The above setup was an experiment. PS was preheated and then CI placed (not preheated) directly on top of PS then add steam for first 15-20 minutes and no steam last 15-20. This setup worked but, my current setup works better for both CI ware or baking stone and I felt it yielded better oven spring. Jammed up with work but, I'll do my best to document in a thread for those that are interested. It's taken me many failed and so-so loaves to dial it in on the MM & LG alike. The CI is manufactured by Camp Chef and labeled as a 13" pie pan. 

Cheers, looking forward to it. Whilst not a nemesis as such, as I've had good results with bread in the Egg, it doesn't come close to the consistency or quality from the kitchen oven. To be fair, the oven is a top-end Neff oven with bread baking settings, and the smell of freshly baked bread in the house first thing in the morning is wonderful. Nevertheless, it would be great to try to equal this on the Egg.