I have a BGE story for you

Unknown

Growing up, my father loved to barbeque, still does in fact. We had a thing called a Kamodo, I think. I'm not really sure how to spell it, but it was essentially the Big Green Egg only it wasn't as good. It was a Japanese grill, and my dad originally got it from his father via inheriting it in the 1960s, or that's how I remember it. What I remember about it is this: It was a lot denser ceramic-wise, so it didn't insulate nearly as well. When it got hot, tar dripped out of the seals between the dome and the base, and it also turned from green like the BGE to a brown. If it got brown, you knew the thing was REALLY REALLY HOT. If it was that color you had to just choke it off and walk away for a good while. It was a lot harder to control the temperature than it is with the BGE, and it didn't have a thermometer option like this one does. it also didn't have a slotted flue cover that you could adjust.[p]But it sure was still a whole lot better way to make ribs than anything else on the planet (as far as we knew) and we had them a lot. Everybody who ever came over thought my dad's ribs were the best in the whole world. In fact, one friend of mine was dating a girl who's father invented a type of rotessierie spit for pig roasts and sold pig roasters (and leased them). He had been to the national rib cookoff and he said dad's were as good, or better, than the ones he'd had there. Dad is and always has been REALLY good at it, but as all the rest of you know, the BGE is the secret weapon nobody else has... and back then that was doubly true, 15 years ago at least.[p]Then, one year, tragedy struck. Water got into the Kamodo during the winter, froze, and split it, completely destroying it. For my dad, this is about as big a tragedy as could have happened, because for one it was his dad's, and for two it was, as far as we knew, irreplacable. We had no idea where someone could find another one of them. Grandpa had bought his perhaps 35 or 40 years before that, in South Dakota, and we lived in Michigan. So dad just resigned himself to trying to find cruddy smokers at regular stores that worked. None of them did. They all sucked, it wasn't even worth trying to make it taste like stuff in the Kamodo because it just wasn't happening.[p]Then, in about 1997, I was over at my parents house (at that time I was in my late 20's) and we were talking about how the kamodo got ruined, and a thought occured to me. "Hey, dad. You know, I realize you'd probably pay just about any price to get another one of those things. I will bet you anything you could find a way to get one on the Internet." My dad literally stood up that second and went upstairs to dial into the internet and find something. I talked to him the next day, and he'd ordered a large BGE with all the accessories. We were amazed by what a quality product it is, really light years ahead of anything else, and well worth the price. Plus, dad bought a bag of that "real" charcoal, which I have never seen for sale in a store. As you guys probably all know it is a whole different animal and way better.[p]So, dad had his Kamado/BGE back and has been making barbeque both with ribs and 100 other things he never tried in the Kamado, because the moisture is held in a lot better in the BGE.[p]One Christmas 3 years ago, Dad bought me a BGE. I just made a couple of chickens in it yesterday. In fact, lately, I've been using it more than once a week and I never get sick of it. My dad and I don't have tons of different things in common but grilling and barbeque is one thing that definitely got passed from father to son, and it's probably the biggest and best family tradition I've inherited from him-- and if he hadn't found the BGE, it would have died when the Kamado died.[p]Kudos to a great product, guys. It's worth every cent.

mollyshark

GK,[p]Sniff. That is so sweet. Seriously, you gave me a smile. I don't have any family stories like that. I remember my dad got really mad and threw a baked potato at the screen door where it french fried through the screen and we all watched in amazement. But I think maybe the gestalt of yours is a little different.[p]mShark

Unknown

MollyShark,[p]I'm glad you liked it. Seems weird that something like this could be a big deal but in my family it was.[p]I've never made french fries that way but it sounds so fun I sort of want to try it.

Mike in MN

GK,
I loved your story.[p]My dad was a real cook. Grilling was wonderful (always a gasser) Grew up in the restaurant business. Made his living in restaurants. He loved cooking for groups. 50-100 people, no problem. Beef roasts were his specialty. He made a lot of people smile.....[p]My dad would really appreciate the BGE, too bad we can't do this together.[p]But, my 16 year old loves cooking on it and helping me! It's good to have that common ground.[p]Mike in MN

Unknown

GK,
A very nice tribute to your dad.
I'd like to know how he does his ribs and some of his other favorite things he's cooked in all those years with the kamado.
Thanks.