How to start up the Big Green Egg

Unknown

Hi, I have a Big Green Egg for several years now, but still haven't gotten around to using it. The first year I was really anxious to use it, but my daughter was very sick, so I never got around to it.
The second year my daughter died, so again, I didn't get around to it.
Now I want to use it, but for some dumb reason, I am afraid to start it up. If I use an automatic fire starter, I'm not sure that is safe.
So please tell me a simple and safe way to start it. The Egg will be on my wooden deck, but it is on leg.
So time goes by, and we continue using our old beat up Weber. Can you please help me to get over this fear of starting the fire in the Egg.
Thank you.

BlueSmoke

Rebecca Goldstein,
Probably the easiest way to start your Egg is just to put lump charcoal in the firebox (about 1/2 to 2/3 full), and nestle a (paraffin & wood) firestarter cube in the top of the pile. Open the draft door completely, light the cube with a regular old kitchen match, close the dome and wait. You ought to have a nice bed of coals in 15 to 20 mins. Good luck!

Unknown

Rebecca Goldstein,
Fill the fire box half full of lump charcoal. I use starter sticks, whick look like huge matches. I put one in the middle of the lump and light it. Open the bottom vent wide open and remove the daisy wheel or cap . Close the lid and you will have a great fire going in about 10-15 min. Hope this helps.
Happy Cooking
Scott

Unknown

Sorry about your tragic loss. Cooking always helps me get my mind off things.[p]As to starting the egg, I put my lump charcoal in a chimney (you can get them at Lowes or K-Mart, etc). It consists of a metal cylinder with vents on the side and a wire mesh bottom with a handle on the side -- you've probably seen them before. Lowes and WalMart has them next to the grill accessories. Put a sheet of newspaper in the bottom, light, wait until all the coals are burning, and then dump the coals into the firebox, just like you would with a regular grill. I'm usually up and grilling within 15 minutes (I NEVER had any luck lighting the coals in the grill).[p]Hope this helps -- you're embarking on a hobby that will change the way you cook forever.[p]DSS

The Naked Whiz

Rebecca Goldstein,
It depends on what kind of cooking you are going to do. If you are going to do a low and slow cook, you want to light it from the top. So, you can either use a Weber starter cube on top of the pile, pushed down in a little, or put a small amount of lump in a chimney starter, get that going, and dump the lit coals on top.[p]If you want to do steaks at 800 degrees, you can put two or three Weber starter cubes buried a ways down in the lump, or put a couple of them under the grate (slide them in through the bottom vent) and let them start the fire from the bottom.[p]Don't be shy. Once you start cooking, you will want to try different things, and you will have more questions. This forum is a friendly place full of helpful people![p]TNW

Wise One

Rebecca Goldstein, when you say it in on your "wooden deck but on leg" I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you mean it is on the three little feet that were provided when you bought it, I would suggest you invest about $12 to get you about 6 square pavers. Make a concrete pad about 2'x3' on your deck and set the BGE on its little feet on these. Set it so that the bottom vent has about a foot of concrete in front of it. That way, if any little sparks shoot out, they'll hit the pavers first. Alternatively, you can buy a fireproof mat at Lowe's, Home Depot and even the BGE store which will protect your deck. Chances of anything happening to the deck are minimal but I prefer better than minimal. Either an electric starter, a charcoal chimney or the firestarters are excellent ways to get it started. I can tell you one thing. Once you get started, you not look back. You'll love it. Good luck and good Qing to you.

Big-R

Rebecca, God bless you in your grief. Gather the family around the egg and begin to build new memories......[p]I'm a low tech guy when it come to lighting the egg and have had good success except in rainy weather.[p]Crumple a couple of pieces of newspaper into medium tight balls. Place on top of the metal plate (with the holes). Arrange some lump arroun and on top of the paper, make sure to leave space for air movement up through the lump. Light the paper, open the bottom vent all the way, close the lid and open the top vent. About 10 minutes is all we need to get going.[p]I haven't bought or tried the cubes yet but Whiz likes them so they must work well.[p]Good luck and enjoy the journey.[p]Randy

RhumAndJerk

Rebecca Goldstein,
First of all, sorry to hear about your loss, it must be very difficult for you and your family.
Second, Welcome to the Forum. Stop by often since you have just found a large group of new friends.[p]Now that we have that we have our priorities straight, let us get your egg burning. The first and easiest thing to tell you is to light your egg the same way that light your Weber, if for no other reason than you know how to do that. Under no circumstances should you use lighter fluid.[p]The next question is what type of Charcoal are you using? If you have been burning briquettes in the Weber, then go get bag of natural lump charcoal. It will start with Weber fire starter cubes.[p]Starting the Egg is easy.[p]Enjoy,
RhumAndJerk[p]

Strmn2Smoke

Rebecca Goldstein,[p]After trying all the different methods of lighting the fire, I prefer my method: Select several uniform chunks of lump charcoal and place in a coffee can to fill about 3/4 full (one with the plastic lid), pour a bottle of Ultra-pure lamp oil, the 99% pure liquid wax paraffin over the charcoal and cover. In most instances I only use two chunks of the charcoal to start my fire in the BGEgg, placing them in the middle of the charcoal in the fire box. There is ABSOLUTELY no smoke or odor from the lamp oil. My Egg is ready in no more than fifteen minutes.
Have No Fear..Norm

dublin

Rebecca Goldstein,
I use an electric starter made for the BGE, cost about $24.
Just pour in some lump, pop in electric starter and give it 8 minutes and away you go.

Babyray

Rebecca Goldstein,
Welcome to this forum and please come back often for any info you need as to the BGE. There is a wealth of info on recipes for any type of cook you wish to do. I use a cheap electric starter ( I think about $10. from Sears) I place it in the middle of the lump coals near the top (just a few lumps on top of the hot element) and always have it going and pull the starter in about 8 min., being careful after I disconnect it to put the hot part where no one can get burned on it for a few minutes. (Real important if children are around).

Basselope

Since everyone else has been exchanging lighting methods, I will share mine.
I recently upgraded to the metal grate in the bottom of my large. I burrow down through the center of the lump and place 1 Weber starter cube next to one of the air holes. I pile lump around it and light with one match. I move some extra lump around and above the flame from the cube. Top off, lid closed, and bottom vent wide open.
Within 5 minutes I have to throttle back for a low and slow, and can be at turbo temps in 8 or nine minutes.

Unknown

Rebecca Goldstein,I use a dab of jelled alcohol in th emiddle of the lump with a few pieces of lump om top. If I am going for a "hot" cook I light two or three place. The jelled alcohol is cheap and a little goes a long ways. tstick