green egg vs. offset firebox smokers......

Unknown

All,[p] I've been wanting to get into smoking. I was dead set on getting the very popular cast steel types with the offset firebox. You know the ones, they look kind of tubular and the firebox is usually a little low and to the right. Well I came across the BIG GREEN EGG during my search and was just wanting opinions. If someone out there has used BOTH the green egg AND the steel type w/offset firebox I would appreciate the pros/cons of both. Also, how much food can the large model hold? Most of the time I will be cooking for just the SO and I but I also like to entertain. Is it big enough to pile on say at least 8-10 whole chickens? As I mentioned I'm more interested in smoking(already have a charcoal grill). Does the Green Egg smoke foods pretty evenly? A true smoker usually has the offset firebox so there is NO direct grilling. Having the food high above the heat source will be fine but if you want to smoke 4-5 whole salmon filets will this be possible with the Egg? Thank you all for any information.........

JSlot

I'm sure you are going to get lots of responses, Ron. I'm going to take the easy route and tell you that the BGE will do just about anything you want it to do with only one limitation- size. As for chickens, see the link below. I believe Wil has 10 on there. If you are going to spend $1000-$1500 on a large offset, you would be just as well served to get 2 large Eggs. If you buy one, you will end up with another later, anyway! LOL! If you have specific questions, drop me an e-mail and we'll chat![p]Frosty Ones,
Jim
[ul][li]Wil's Chickens[/ul]

BobinFla

JSlot,
Another advantage to what Jim has said about multiple cookers, is that you can cook at different temperatures at the same time. Think of those possibilities, even when you don't have a house full of people.[p]BOB

BlueSmoke

Ron,[p]I had a steel offset when I bought my first Egg. When I hadn't used it once my first "Egg-year" I sold it. Granted, it was less expensive than the large Egg, at least initially. To get an 18 hour burn, I was using 10 to 15 pounds of lump charcoal, more depending on the weather. Same burn from the large Egg takes 4 to 5 pounds. And with the offset I couldn't shut down tight enough to extinguish, and so reuse, the lump - with the Egg I just shut down and next time knock the ash off before firing up again.[p]To regulate temperatures during an overnight burn, I was getting up every hour in Winter, every 2 hours in Summer. I know it sounds like Ronco, but with the Egg once I've stabilized temperature it's "set it and forget it".[p]In a situation similar to yours, I frankly felt a little silly firing up the offset to do one shoulder, or a couple racks of ribs - it had more capacity than I was using. It take some creativity, but I've done 36 pounds of shoulders, and 10 pounds of wings (not at the same time!) in the Egg.[p]I enjoyed my offset, but nothing like I enjoy my Egg.[p]Ken

tach18k

Ron,
Having used both with great results. The Egg had better "wife reviews" the foods are way more moist with the egg than with an offset. The retaing heat in the Egg is way better than with an offset. Paying 3 times the cost of a backyard offset is hard to swallow at first. But down the road, it pays off. Some where here there is a picture of 20 racks of ribs on one large Egg.

Buck Shot

Ron,[p]I used to live in New Orleans, where my neighbor, Don had an Oklahoma Joe (the orginal offset smoker made out of rot iron). It was a great smoker, better than the cheap imitations you get at Home Depot or Lowes. When I moved to Atlanta I needed a smoker of my own since Don would let me use his any time I wanted. My brother introduced me to the egg and I must say there is no comparison in temperature control, heat and moisture retention. I have gotten turkeys, 4 pork loins, 5 chickens, 8 slabs of ribs and in each instance had tons of room to spare.[p]It's worth it. And by the way Don in New Orleans now has an egg.

Unknown

Ron,[p]I also had an offset for a few years. I was pretty satisfied with the performance and the price even though I paid almost twice the amount that they go for today.[p]I had to put it out on the curb for “big trash day” because it was just taking up space after I got my egg. The food off the egg has always been measurably moister (albeit subjectively) and the ease of use does not compare. I think that there is a valid argument that goes with “tending” a bbq pit; it is fun to drink beer and yak with friends into the night. I simply don’t have that much time lately, but if I did I could still party around the egg.[p]You mention that you already have a charcoal grill. [p]If you buy an egg, you will quit using your charcoal grill for grilling. I would have questioned that statement a few years ago, but it is true. [p]Yes you can sear steak at 1200 degrees - ludicrous? Not really, try it and judge for yourself. Will you usually sear at 800-900 degrees on the egg, probably. Can you even get to 800-900 on your charcoal grill? Probably not. BTW – it takes about 10 minutes to get to those temperatures from dead cold.[p]It is a lot of money, but you will not regret the purchase of an egg. I would sooner give up ever using my Kitchen Aid Mixer before relinquishing my egg (pretty bold statement) – luckily I do not have to make that kind of decision.

Unknown

Ron,
I have all of the above, a custom made bbq pit / smoker
that has the box on the side, I also have a beautiful stainless steel gas thingy, since the purchase of my egg, I use the pit and stainless thingy to keep the covers I bought for them off the ground, but the egg stays very busy. BTW........I am the original Wil of the controversial 20 racks of ribs and 10 chickens cooker...LOL
BGE is the best investment other than the wedding band I bought for the boss 25 yrs ago.

The Naked Whiz

BobinFla,
Yep, I use my small and large in tandem when I want to do veggies at one temp and meat at another. Or just to get more cooking space. [p]TNW

tn slagamater

Ron,I have done many stupid things and A FEW WISE things. Buying a Big Green EGG HAS to be the BEST thing I EVER DID! Greatest invention since the airplane or maybe the telephone...nahaa, maybe better than electricity becoming useful. This thing is totally AWESOME! Best food, most versatile...the food is incredible, a smoker, an oven, a grill; the best is how helpful your fellow BGE "cult" users will be to assist your efforts...

Unknown

Ok all, tell me how you really feel about the egg! I can see that you all love the thing. Soon as I can convince myself to fork over the cash for one I will have one....Thanks for all your input and when I do get one you will definately be seeing more of me......!!![p]Thanks again,[p]Ron[p]

BobinFla

The Naked Whiz,
Or, when I'm cooking a low-and-slow, I can make steaks or something else for dinner that night. With 3 ceramics, the options become even better. Never use the indoor oven again.[p]BOB

GrillMeister

<p />ron,[p]I bought my first egg with the refund I got from returning a stainless "steal" monstrosity from Costco. The beautiful SS Costco grill wasted propane and could not do anything without creating a conflagration. This was back at the end of August this year. [p]Now I'm a full convert of Eggism and a new committed polyeggimst. [grin] I've never had so much fun cooking or had such great results.[p]Go with the BGE and you'll never reget it.[p]GrillMeister
Austin, TX[p]

Chef Wil

GrillMeister,
please enlighten me.....Conflagration ????
is that a congregation of eggers?
maybe eye needa call on stump babee for an XplainAshun.

GrillMeister

Chef Wil,[p]Ah, some old vocabulary came back from when I was a volunteer firefighter for 5 years in another life. [p]Conflagration is a term used for a very intense and uncontrolled fire which is eggsactly what that big stainless steel grill had every time I cooked brats, chicken or ribeyes.[p]Seemed like an appropriate term for that $800 piece of stainless from China.[p]StumpBaby...... How bout a XplainAshun.

Unknown

GrillMeister,[p]id est: Inferno[p]MM