What do you use a small or a mini for?

Still Smokin'

I have a large BGE. Even though they call it a large, to me its not a large grill to fire up. What would you use a small or mini for? I can't see where I would prefer to use a medium over the large unless I needed both grills at once. But a small, I guess you could use it for a single steak or a single cornish game hen. Maybe 3 or so burgers.

mollyshark

still smokin',[p]Well yes, it's a size thing. For 1-2 steaks, one chicken lying down, batch of wings for 2..that kind of stuff, a mini is lovely. A small can do that also plus a 3-4 lb roast and such. I have a mini and a large and just ordered a small. I don't want to heat up all the charcoal in a large just for a couple steaks or 3 hamburgers. The little ones use very little charcoal, heat up in a flash, and serve as a good 2nd grill for steak and lobster cooks or tossing on the veggies.[p]mShark

Still Smokin'

Mollyshark,[p]Does it cook like a large, easy to control the heat level and everything? I would not think you could cook for many hours without adding more lump.

RRP

still smokin',
well, I happen to have a wife who gave me a large then a small and then a medium - all for birthday presents. I happen to love my small just as much as the other two. The small is great for searing steaks, cooking burgers, brats. a couple Cornish hens on Willie's sitters, ka-bobs etc etc etc. I use my large for pizzas, ribs and other lo & slo cooks. For kicks I like to get two going at different temps at the same time for similatious cooks like steak and lobster, Or meat entree and veggies.
The medium is a great inbetween size and is a terrific unit. To each his own, but please don't knock the small guy!!!

Still Smokin'

RRP,
Not looking to knock the small ones, actually I want one. I am looking for a few reasons why it is necessary. I do not think the wife will understand the need for another grill. Anyone know where you can buy and small and get it shipped for a good price. The closest store to me sells large BGE for almost $800, ouch! I bought mine on a trip to NC when we stopped by a grill shop and saw they had theirs on a big sale. Only paid $460 a little over a year ago for the large. I noticed on the internet some shops are asking that much or more for a small, yikes.

RRP

still smokin', sorry, I mistook your question as a putdown. Seriously there is a great savings in time and lump when using a small vs a large. To get a large to the 750 searing temp I like for steaks you consume a goodly amount of lump - not so in a small. For a small my dealer asks between $295 and $325 depending on how hard you yell WHAT??? when told the price as they don't post that on the showroom pieces.

The Naked Whiz

still smokin',
I've seen someone cook two boston butts on a small, FWIW.[p]TNW

Cornbread Willy

Mollyshark,
... along those lines, would you have a recommendation for small vs. medium for Egg #2? I've got the large, love it, but like some others I feel like I might be wasting lump just for the sake of cooking a couple of burgers or 2 steaks or something. Saw a medium with nest for $450 here in Richmond - have been considering the small though. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

mollyshark

Cornbread Willy,[p]Small..definitely. You would want something that is a considerable size difference to really make it worthwhile...although having all sizes is worthwhile! :-D Most people find that a large/small or large/mini combo is the way to go.

mollyshark

still smokin',[p]It isn't meant for long, slow cooks for just that reason...it doesn't hold enough lump. But generally you aren't going to low and slow a tiny little roast! You'll use it for those less-than-an-hour cooks when you just don't want to take the time to stoke up the big guy. I've had my mini upwards of 1000 degrees (uh, not intentionally). Searing steaks, burgers, and such is no problem on the little ones and it takes like handfuls of charcoal![p]mShark

Unknown

still smokin',
I have a large and a mini. I got the mini mainly because we camp alot and it is perfect for toting camping. However, I use it every bit as much as my large when it is at home. Like others have said, burgers, steaks, etc.or any cooks with small amts. I have cooked a whole chicken on it and it was fine.

QBabe

still smokin',[p]You can use the small for most anything you can do on the large. We have a Primo Kamado (equivalent to a large BGE) and a Small BGE. We bought the small as an anniversary present to each other specifically to take camping, but we use it all the time at home. It'll do steaks, burgers, spatchcock chicken, roasts, seafood, side dishes to go with whatever is cooking on the large, most anything you can name. [p]Just this weekend, I did a 5.5 lb pork butt in the small...filled lump to the top of the firering, added wood, added indirect setup and butt, and slowly let 'er creep up to 250°. I put the meat on at 7:30 pm on Sat and by 8:30 am Sunday morning, I was eating pulled pork for breakfast...took around 13 hrs and I had lump left over...[p]The large/small is a wonderful combination. [p]QBabe
:~)[p]

YB

<p />still smokin',
Here is a picture of some of my eggs.The one to the far left is a small egg with a 9lb ham cooking.
Larry

YB

YB,
Here is the picture.
Larry
[ul][li]9lb ham on the small egg[/ul]

Unknown

still smokin',[p]I had a small for 5 years, and it was plenty big to cook pork shoulders and turkeys. No it won't cook a 20 lb. turkey, but a bird that big will be too tough anyway. I now have a medium, and can't do much more with it. Still not big enough to cook steaks for 6 or burgers for 12. If I was going to buy a second grill it would be a natural gas Weber, for the convienence. Yeah, I know it doesn't take long to light the egg, but it takes no time at all to push a button to light a gas grill, and some nights that's all the time I want to spend.

nikkig

Richard Hanson,
Why do you think that 20 pound turkeys would be too tough on the egg? I have done a couple of turkeys that size, and bigger, and they were not tough. Family all said they were the best turkeys yet.[p]~nikki

Unknown

Cornbread Willy,[p]Quote:[p]>>>>I've got the large, love it, but like some others I feel like I might be wasting lump just for the sake of cooking a couple of burgers or 2 steaks or something.<<<<[p]Couldn't you buy a heck of a lot of lump for the price of another egg?[p]

Still Smokin'

DarrenC,
I agree. You cannot economically justify the need for a small egg over a large based upon savings from using less lump. Where I think it will be great is the ability to take on a trip if desired(probably rare though) but also to have a second grill(good one I mean, I already have a few others). I dropped the hint last night to the wife that I think a small egg would be a great addition. I told her about the savings of charcoal, quicker lighting and convience during the week for short cooks. She looked at me like I had just grown three extra heads. I think it will take time. Personally, I think it will add a little additional fun to the cooking.

Unknown

still smokin',
well, it's like this...a small BGE is an investment for a life time of service and it never will get PMS! 8^)

Dave's Not Here

Richard Hanson,
A natural gas Weber? What heresy![p]Where's Darryl? It's time for a DUCK award! :-)

Still Smokin'

kat,
How true!