Almost an EggHead!

GBZee

Waiting, saving and reading the forum for a couple of months. Santa was good (thanks Honey!) got enough cash for Christmas to finally get my Egg. Almost decided on my first cook (Spatchcock Chicken or Ragin River Salmon). Went to the local dealer the day after Christmas with many $100's waving in the air. As I drove up to the store, it was dreadfully calm and peaceful.....kinda dark inside. Oh No! A sign on the door....."We are closed for the holidays and will re-open Jan 4th. Happy Holidays" CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! No New Years BBQ! [p]Well, since I have to wait, I might as well learn some more, so....[p]1. What is "Dwell Time". Rest? In or out of the cooker?? I see it in a few recipues like "2 minutes dwell time"[p]2. When getting the Egg to temperature (say 225), do you let it stabilize ther for some time before opening and putting on the meat or do you slap it on right away? And I assume the temp goes way down cuz you opened the dome.[p]That'a enough for now. Thanks for your help.
Signed
"Sad and Eggless in Memphis"
GBZee

Unknown

GBZee,
Dwell time is when you shut down the vents (both) and let the residual heat from the ceramic do the cooking. As far as temps go, if I am doing a hot cook (steaks or burgers) I just throw the meat on when it it hot enough. If it is going to be a long cook, then I like to let things heat up for a bit.[p]Matt.

ravnhaus

GBZee,
Throw the meat on when you reach required temp (or even before, for that extra smoke!). The temp will not drop as the ceramic mass holds it steady.
Be careful not to let it get above required temp as it will drop the temperature verrrrryyyy slowwwwly.
[ul][li]Cooking on the Egg[/ul]

Nature Boy

GBZee,
Sorry to hear about the delay. Guess it'll just make it that much sweeter when you finally DO fire the thing up!! A store closing during the busiest shopping time of the year? What a bonehead thing for a retailer to do. [p]On your other questions:
1) Matt clued you in on dwelling. The theory is to tame your fire so that you can bring your seared meat up to the desired internal temp without oversearing. I usually close the bottom vent only when I want to "dwell". I don't like the idea of the meat cooking in a smothered fire environment. (just a personal pref)
2) For almost all cooks I like to give the fire time to get established, as I have found the smoke flavor from an unestablished fire to be stale and bitter. Again, a personal pref![p]Sounds like you will be well-researched by the time you start your first cook! Hang in there.
Happy new year.
Chris

GBZee

ravnhaus,
I've been looking for your site...thanks for the reply and the link.[p]Great site!
-gb

WessB

ravnhaus,
One bit of advise, to those who dont know, you want to insure the temp you are reading is not just the firestarter burning...if you use starter cubes you can see temps in excess of 300° while the starter is burning.....after it burns out the temp will drop as the lump starts burning...then begins to rise to your desired temp..HTH[p]Wess

GBZee

Nature Boy,
Thanks for your comments.....your points make a lot of sense. I don't know why, but the 'bonehead' comment struck me as very funny and got me LOL.....jerk or idiot wouldn't have had the same effect.....yeh, bonehead is perfect.[p]Are you the same Chris from Dizzy Pig fame or a different Chris?
-gb

Nature Boy

GBZee,
I always liked the term "bonehead". It makes an easy drawing too....just a stick figure with a bone shape instead of a head.[p]Yes, I am the Chris that hooked up with Mike (BBQfan1) and made a crazy decision to start this crazy business. Fame? Now that would be cool![p]hehe.
Beers
Chris

Sundown

Nature Boy,[p]Fame? Infamous would be more like it! ;>)
Hope the twins depleted your wallet so you have to actually go out and work. (Ugh! Work is a four letter word ending with "k" and Momma never let me use those kinds of words.)
Hope all is well. [p]

Nature Boy

Sundown,
I can't disagree. Infamous has a nice ring to it.[p]As far as the wallet, it is already depleted. Didn't need the twins for that! Hopefully 2004 will be different. Hasn't been easy. But still have my friends and family, and that is the most important.[p]Things well though, and finally kicking this freakin cold I have had. Hope things are well up in Tunnel-land Carey!! Now.....it is 5:30, and I still have not thought about dinner. Firing up the egg is the first step. Wonder what is in the fridge!! [p]Clink!
Chris

Memphis

GBZee, I assume you are talking about the Rashs. Bonehead is a good word. For the first cook the spatchcock would be alot more forgiving as you learn control. But that Ragin River Maple glazed salmon of Chris' IS DAMN AWSOME !!!!!! You just need to be very careful not to over cook it. No more than medium. You'll love the egg. I have four other grills sitting in my backyard covered up and not touched since I got the BGE. I wonder how many more eggers are in the Big M.

GBZee

Memphis,
I called a place in Forest City and he is out but will be getting some soon. Where did you get yours?

Memphis

GBZee, Ken Rash's on Summer Ave.[p]

Rib-Rob

Memphis,
I was down there in the Big M for two months going to school. Couldn't do without an Egg, so I checked out all the options. the best was an hour away in Jonesburo, AR. Got a new Small at a great price at Arkansas Pools and Spa. Terrific people! "Almost" wanted to make me move to AR, just for the dealer. Wasn't impressed with the Rashes in G'town. didn't even carry the corporate lump.

Chainsmoker

GBZee,
Since it was brought up, I would like to throw in my two cents about Rash's. I live in O.B. My mother gave me a medium for Christmas last year. She bought it in the Atlanta area(where I'm from). Well, this summer my fire ring and the fire box cracked. Every egghead knows about the lifetime warranty, so I called ol' Rash's and told them about it. They wouldn't replace the parts for me. That's fine with me! This weekend I went home for Christmas and went to the BGE headquarters in Atl. and bought a large. The price was lower and the people were a lot more willing to help. Not to mention, the junk lump they sell at Rash's. If you do buy the egg from them, buy your lump from The Charcoal Store. It is downtown and in the book. Stay away from Cowboy and get yourself some Nature-Glo. It's made by Royal Oak, the same one's who make the BGE lump. Had I been treated right, I would have bought the large from them.
Ryan

Unknown

I also avoided Rash and bought in Atlanta. The Charcoal Store on GE Patterson is great. $8.00 for a 20lb bag with tax.