XL BGE Geometry

Lab Rat

I have only seen one XL BGE in person and have several questions regarding its geometry and its cooking abilities. It is certainly much "squatter" than the large egg and does not have the same air space between the cooking grid and the inside of the lid. The cooking grid is also much closer to the fire.[p]Has anyone had problems trying to cook a turkey in an XL? Can you cook in the vertical position? Does the closeness to the fire impact its ability to slow cook without burning? Can you place a drip pan on the plate setter - or is there not enough room?

Squeeze

Lab Rat,
I have not done a turkey on the XL yet but for ribs it is a machine and it worked great on chicken skewers. I really like it and there really was not much of a learning curve with it.[p]-Kevin

Grillicious

I was at Barbeques Galore yesterday picking up a little gasser they are donating to my son's school fund raiser and checked out the XL again while there. I noticed it had the new hinge without springs. So I grabbed the handle to see how it worked and without the springs the lid practically dropped. I almost pulled a muscle. Damn that thing is heavy! And that's one vast cavern for a whole lot of lump. As I was standing there looking amazed my wife said "You can't get one" before I could say anything. Oh well, I'm happy with my large.

Wahooegger

Grillicious,
I saw one of those too and noticed the "heft". I was impressed, though, by the second screen door on the bottom vent. I asked if they could get me one of those for my large and they looked at me like I was speaking Greek.

FrankG

Wahooegger,
I saw the new screen door on a large at the dealer in St L MO

BurntRaw

Frank G,
The screen door is a dame good idea which came to light during my last urex (that's right urex - one step hotter then trex). My dog and my feet were quickly made aware of the really neat shower of glowing red stuff spitting out the bottom vent.[p]Good thing I drink, or I might of been more upset. Instead I enjoyed the show (the neat smoke coming off the top of my foot - the dog, although not amused is okay).

Haggis

BurntRaw,[p]Lucky you didn't get down close to investigate the burning shoe and accidentally breathe on it . . .[p] . . . it was your shoe, wasn't it?

Wahooegger

Frank G,
That's good to know.

trackman

To date I have cooked at least 5 turkeys on my XL and have not had any issues with them. The first one that I did I was vertical and it came out fine. After that one I spatchcocked a chicken a few weeks later and decided that with the size of the grate I can spatchcock a turkey so I haven't tried vertical again.

As far as a drip pan is concerned I have in the past taken out the top fire ring and inserted a smaller grill on which I place one of my many cracked pizza stones (don't have a platesetter and this works just as good) and then a large pan with my beverage of choice on that. I'll then drop in the BGE grate over the large pan and then put the item on top of that. The longest cook I've done on this was a beef brisket at 200 for around 21 hours and I still had enough lump to fire up a small chicken a few days later.

Newbs

Wahooegger,[p]My parents just bought a large and it had the double door with the screen. It seems that their salesman was fluent in Greek. [p]Cheers,[p]Newbs

Rollocks

I have done a couple of turkeys and one turducken. There was nothing remarkable about any of these cooks. The largest turkey I've done was 25 pounds and I had plenty of room to spare. I wish I knew where i could get an ostrich or an emu.

Sizewise, I bet you could easily fit three 15-16 pound turkeys on an X or two 20 pounders.

newegglander

Lab Rat,
Last weekend I did 4 10 lb pork butts for pulled pork, tacos, etc. I cooked for 19 1/2 hours at a very steady 208 degrees on one load of lump. I did not use a place setter or any accessories (except for the thermometer). The meat came out great!!![p]Last night, we cooked a whole chicken and a pizza (first time for that, it was great), without adding any lump.[p]I love this Egg!!