New to the Egg site

Unknown

I barbeque on a large log burner now,and I'm thinking about getting a patio type cooker. I've been using the other forum for information and heard Eggers mentioned several times. I found your site and it looks pretty good.
Could anyone tell me what would be the best size cooker to get and what I should expect to pay for it? Normlly I would be cooking for four people max.
Thanks,
Buddy

Unknown

Buddy,
Welcome to the forum, I cook for 2-4 people and I purchased a large egg, auto lock band, temp gauge, and dual function daisy wheel top vent. With tax the total came to just under 600 dollars.I then spent about 80 dollars building a wooden table to set it in. There are times I wished I had the medium, however if I could only have one, I would buy the large again. I have cooked 23 pound turkeys, 14 pound beef briskets, and it will handle a couple of 9 pound boston butts with out a worry.
I have been very happy with mine and this forum is a great place to help you get started using the cooker if you decide to buy one, or two, or...........
Thats my two coppers worth.
Good luck
Gary J[p]

tn slagamater

Buddy,Ceramic cooking on Mr. Egg is so much more versatile than other cookers. You can bake bread,cakes, pizza, etc. or you can grill or smoke or a combination of these.Foods retain much more moisture and take on a wonderful taste unlike other cooking appliances. You can use it in rain or cold temperatures and it is extremely efficient and easy to operate.I have never bought anything I was so pleased with-EVER.I paid $399 for a large with Temperature guage, daisey top, and spring assisted band included. Hang around this forum, you will want one, too!!

Unknown

Thanks , I'll be lurking and learning.
Buddy

Puj

tn slagamater,[p]$399 ... sweet deal.[p]It was a pleasure to cook next to you last Saturday at PDK, and enjoyed the chats throughout the day.[p]Puj

tn slagamater

Puj,You helped make our first Eggtoberfest an experience we want to repeat! Hope you can post your recipes, they were awesome, both the bread and the apple cake. By the way, what kind of wire did you use to hold your little " tube bricks" together?I want to try that

Puj

tn slagamater,[p]I've been traveling since Monday morning so posting the recipes have taken a back seat. I'll try to get that done soon.[p]As for the wires for the ceramic spacers ... just good ol' clothesline and cable ties. One end is knotted up to act as the "bumper" for the spacers.[p]Puj

BlueSmoke

Puj,
Ceramic spacers? You've got my curiosity piqued. What do you use them for? How do you use them? Please post or e-mail.[p]Ken

Puj

Ken,[p]Technically they are called kiln or shelf posts. I use these posts to act as "spacers" in the BGEs in different configurations for an indirect cook. The principal use is for separating a drip pan from the surface of a plate setter, kiln shelf, pizza stone. This separation provides airflow between the stone and the pan, and eliminates the drippings from charring during a long cook. Another use is to place the spacers on top of the grid, then sit a couple of kiln shelves on top of the posts for bread baking. This provides for better airflow up the inside wall of the Egg since I use 16" hexagon shaped shelves.[p]Here's a link to a picture from a commercial site of some kiln posts. I use the fluted square design and have three different sizes. If I get the time, I'll take a couple of pictures of the configurations that I use with the Eggs and will post them up here on the board.[p]Puj
[ul][li]Kiln or Shelf Posts[/ul]

BlueSmoke

Puj,
Thanks! I inherited an assortment of posts with my mom's hobbiest ceramic kiln. I'm using a shelf as a pizza stone - never thought about the advantages of an air gap between the plate setter and the drip pan.[p]Ken
(if you don't throw it away, eventually you'll find a use for it...)

Doug

tn slagamater,[p]Was that a key stroke error ? A large BGE with daisey wheel for $399 ??[p]
doug

tn slagamater

doug, no keystroke error. They generally seem to run from $450 to $800 in most areas and shipping costs can add somwhat to the total if you can't pick up. At any price, they are worth every dollar!!

Puj

Ken,[p]My father-in-law's salmon at Eggtoberfest utilized the small posts between a stone and the drip pan. He was very pleased with the improvement in even cooking throughout the salmon and the elimination of the charring of the marinade in the drip pan (that used to occur when the pan sat on the stone.[p]... and yep, it pays to be a pack rat - sometimes![p]Puj

Zeke

Doug, I paid $450.00 for my large BGE, daisy and temp probe. I bought mine at BBQs Galore. I think BBQG normally sells the large egg for $550 and I received an additional 20% off for the labor day sell.

KennyG

tn slagamater,[p]Great deal on the large Egg. $399 was also what I paid. Unfortunately, that was back in 1996.[p]K~G

tn slagamater

KennyG, I did not know Mr. Egg even existed until this Spring, got mine in April.Been doing a lot of cooking since!Anything under $500 is a good price on a large, but prices seem to vary considerably depending on how far you are from Atlanta.

KennyG

tn slagamater,[p]My large Egg might be a collectors item. It's made from the current hi-tech ceramic formulation but used the old casting method. The bottom is in 2 pieces and "seamed" together. The color is also more lime than forest green. I call it the Big Green avocado.[p]K~G