buying bge / size ?

Unknown

got the plans (and cedar) to build bge table (modification of a couple
from the forum).......thanks for the info by the way to all who answered my request for plans a couple of months ago
anyway, we were at a dealer yesterday, ready to buy a large bge and
the girl said, "oh most people buy it as a hobby....don't get rid of your other bbq."
didn't plan on making this a hobby. i want to get rid of my gas bbq. is she nuts ?........should i go to the other dealer in town ?
and.........at at 18.5 inches diameter (270 or so sqare inches) is this large enough when you invite a few people over for steaks or chops or even more adventurous fare. i really don't wanna cook in shifts
thanks in advance.........from the two of us
lessensoo [p][p][p]

Tim M

lessensoo,[p]Some people don't know how to sell anything, or she is wanting to sell you some of those over priced gassers later. Most folks around these forums never use the gas grill again. Others use the the gas grill to store tools used in the ceramic cookers. I wouldn't blame you if you turned on the gasser to do a couple hot dogs or some burgers - but that will be all you use it for once you get into the ceramic cookers. They are fun, but they are far behond what you can do on a gasser.[p]Tim

The Naked Whiz

lessensoo,
We shall be charitable and just suggest that the sales person is ignorant in suggesting that most people who buy BGE's use them a few times and then go back to their gas grills. Unless you just think it is intolerable to have to fiddle with a fire, you will enjoy the flavor of cooking over charcoal far more than a gas grill (unless you just don't like smoke). Playing with the fire and controlling the cook is fun for most of us.[p]As for size, what you see is what you get. Figure out how many steaks you can fit on it and go with that. You can probably do 5 whole chickens (just my guess) if you stand them up on beer cans or chicken sitters. That's chicken for 20 in my book. Maybe more if they are wimps! :-) You can do a couple of butts and a brisket easily. [p]FWIW, when I bought my Egg, my wife had to convince me. I wanted a big-ass gas grill that would serve as a surrogate for my manhood and proclaim my testosterone levels to the entire neighborhood. You know, the kind that can single-handedly punch a new hole in the ozone layer? You know, commercial aircraft would have to fly around my house when I'm cooking due to severe thermals? To make my wife happy, I let her buy me the egg, figuring well, we could always get a gas grill in a year or two if this didn't work out. Well, here we are, 2 years later and I have 2 eggs now.[p]If you are at all interested in charcoal cooking, go for it. You'll be glad you did.[p]TNW

Toe 49

lessensoo,
Well, if it ends up you need to cook in shifts, it must mean you have a lot of folks over and are loving to cook on the Egg....once you cook in shifts it just means you need another large BGE (or another size).....as for the gas grill, don't get rid of it.....you might need it for friends to light their smokes...[p]Last...sounds like you know what's going on as you already have the lumber to build your table....and don't go to another dealer.....just bring the lady down a few samples of food....have her sample "your hobby"....

Unknown

lessensoo,
I would suggest getting the large and purchase it from the store that will give you the best price. While I agree with everyone that the BGE cooks with better results than a gasser, I still use my old propane cooker every now and then. The large should suit you fine when it comes to cooking out for several people. Good luck with your table project.[p]Gary J

Shelby

The Naked Whiz,
But if you'd gone with the gas grill, you wouldn't have had the fun of putting together your "cart" or the required viewing "flashback". I wonder though, do folks who use gas grills have a forum like this?

Shelby

lessensoo,
Depends on what you mean by a "few people". You should be able to cook for a small crowd. You can always add a raised grill and cook on two levels. Or, as others have suggested, if you see you need additional space, add a second egg later.
As for where to buy...if you have two dealers, I'd shop them both. See which you think will provide you with better service and/or best price. I've got a dealer less than a mile from my house and just bought my second egg (small) from the dealer 70 miles away because of service/attitude.
Welcome!

Steve-O

lessensoo,
Once you use your egg a few times I can't imagine that you would ever want to go back to your old gas grill. I've had my three eggs for less than a year, and my old Char-Broil gas grill has been collecting dust since then. Even for simple cooks like hot dogs and hamburgers I prefer to use one of my eggs. Welcome to the forum and to egging!

stike

lessensoo,
you won't be disappointed in the large.
I bought a second 18.5" diameter wire grill and with a few 6" lag bolts and washers made myself a grill 'extender', which sits 6" above the lower grill surface. I can easily do 3 slabs of ribs (3 entire sides), on both surfaces.[p]The number of steaks/burgers you can do would be limited to the surface area of the single 'main' grill surface, but 8 to 12 at a time should be manageable. Flipping them quickly would be the tricky part, since you're searing at almost 800 degrees.[p]Take a look around the forum, there are guys (and gals) here who've done 10 pounds of pulled pork on an extender with a few racks of ribs under them to boot. [p]You can satisy 20 people handily with the large and very little experience.[p]Welcome to the cult.[p]O. as for the gasser, swear to god, i use it every time i cook. I keep my wirebrush for the egg in it, and my ash tool. That is, til i build the table.[p]...though the wife thinks she might want me to keep the gasser in case SHE ever wants to grill. HA.

The Naked Whiz

Shelby,
And don't forget the bracing!!![p]TNW

Mr. Hyde

lessensoo,
She's an idiot. If you have a dealer that will give you a similar price, buy elsewhere. I would prefer to buy from a dealer who cares, and knows the product. [p]The large will feed several people.[p]The only time that I use the gasser is sometimes to braze the meat before a low & slow cook. You can still do this with the egg, but then you have to wait a little while for the cooker to return to a low temp.
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Unknown

The Naked Whiz is dead on. [p]I can barely stand the smell of my old gas grill getting hot (I only heat it up to keep my backside warm during winter Egging...)[p]Justin[p]

StumpBaby

Justin Straus,[p]I don't think I'd like the smell of mine getting hot either if'n I used it to warm my backside all the time. Golly...some things are best left alone.[p]StumpBaby

BBQBluesStringer

lessensoo,[p]It's a blast! If you're inclined to long, slow cooking processes that dissolve the callogen sheathes holding muscle fiber bundles together, making meat pot-roast tender, you've found your cooker. If you enjoy the flavor imparted by long exposure to smoke from various woods, you've found your cooker. If you want to do a brisket or a large butt overnight, but don't want to stay up overnight with it, this is your cooker. If you want to sear meat at temperatures impossible to reach in a gas grill, you know the rest...[p]You can't do this with a gas grill. Period. Keep the gasser to burn dogs and burgers for the kids, or for grilling when you don't have the time to stoke up your egg. I have a griddle plate for my gasser that makes great pancakes and bacon, and I use it for a sauce warmer. [p]Who knows what your salesperson's motives might be for suggesting that the egg is just a hobby. Buy from someone you're comfortable with.[p]BBS-