questions from a new Egg user

Butch M

Hello Folks.
I am new user to the Big Green Egg and this is proving to be a fullfilling (play on words) and wonderful experience for my wife and I. However, I am a little confused by some of the description that is frequently used. As an example, what is a plate setter, and how is it used? Is there a site that I can use to learn about terms that I do not know?[p] I have a large #12 cast iron Dutch oven that is VERY heavy, that I would like to use on my egg. I am concerned that too much weight might cause harm to my Egg. With pan, meat and liquids, it could be well over 20 pounds. Can anyone provide me with insight?
Thank you for you help.
Butch M

Vegas Slim

Butch M, plate setter is fantastic! here is just 1 of the great sites that ceramic cooker members have it will explain alot!
http://www.tm52.com/bge/

Butch M

vegas slim,
Thank you so much for that site. I have bookmarked so I can learn. What is the purpose of the plate setter, and where could I find one. Would fire bricks do the same thing

Vegas Slim

Butch M, yes except when doing pizza platesetter can be used for indirect cooks and also as i said pizza (yet to try)

Vegas Slim

Butch M,
as a ps i did a 16 lb turkey with no rpoblems at all i doubt 4 lbs extra would do anything but then i have only been a egger since summer!

Shelby

Butch M,
Hey and Welcome! Glad you and your wife are enjoying your new egg.
If you go to the forum's home page, click where it says "See What's New...click here" you'll see plate setters. TimM's site will show them to you in use. Yes, you can use firebricks and many people here do. I prefer the plate setter because it's one piece and easy to use; perfect fit!
Just curious...what have you been cooking so far?

Butch M

Shelby,
Our first cook was a turkey and it was wonderful. We have cooked a beef roast, that wasn't the greatest, a chicken, hanburgers, sausages, ribs all with outsatnding results and a picnik roast that didn't live up to expectations. We are exploring as we go along. Making mistakes but having a great time. We even "got" to cook in the snow. I say "got" to because snow is something we do not see very much in the sunny south.
Butch M

sdbelt

Butch M,[p]Sounds like a request for an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). I'm going to start making a list of questions, and maybe one day, we'll have an FAQ. By then you'll be an expert, of course, but it might help someone years from now.[p]--sdb

Puj

Butch M,[p]The large Egg, under normal use, supports the weight of the dutch oven plus food plus liquid just fine.[p]Puj

Gandolf

sdbelt,
FAQ is a great idea. Some of us are still "shopping" for our first Egg. Actually, my wife wants to buy a couch first. I told her if we get a new couch, it'll only burn long enough for one slow cook, if we get the egg instead, we can cook for a lifetime! :-)