Can't Cook!!!!

Unknown

We just bought the large Green Egg. I've tried twice now to cook something on it and failed miserably. Can't seem to get the temperature correct and the vent set correctly. I've burned everything to a wonderful black crust. I'm great with my standard grill... but this thing is a real challenge for me..... We are contemplating selling everything we bought... egg, table, cover, utensils, bags, and bags of chips, etc. We jumped in before we knew the finese it took to cook on this thing.... please help, before we give up on the egg!

PackerFan

Molly,[p]I am brand new to the egg as well. Actually I bought a Large 2 weeks ago and just finished building my stand. I fired up the egg for the first time last night and was simply amazed at the control over the temperature I had. I cooked burgers and when I was done cooking I played with the adjustments and had fun maintaining different temperatures on the egg. I have been reading the forums on this site and there is great help and valuable information available to you. I don't know how to attach a previous post but if you look down the forum aways you will see a post titled "RE: NEED TEMPERATURE CONTROL WISDOM" Open 2nd post by Kelly Keefe. Print this off and read it. This is great writing and easy to follow. I had my doubts that adjusting the lower vent in 1/4" increments would affect the temperature but it does just as Kelly writes on his 2 page explaination. Check it out and don't get rid of the egg. I can't wait to fire my egg up tonight for steaks and I'm going to smoke something on Sunday. [p]Kenny[p]P.S. I would like to pass thanks to Kelly Keefe for his temperature control explaination. I followed his advice and the egg does exactly what he says it will. Certainly will shorten the learning curve.

Unknown

Molly,[p]Just a few things to add to what PackerFan (and Spin) have already said.[p]Make sure that the opening at the bottom of your firebox lines up with your bottom vent - kinda obvious, but you never know. [p]Also try not to treat the BGE like a regular grill. Meaning don't cook with the dome open. Once you get the hang of the air flow thing you'll be amazed at how much control you'll have over temps with the dome closed. A BGE is to a Weber kettle what a good sports car is to a Taurus (or Camry). [p]

Chef Wil

Molly,
i sent you an email, gimme a call

Painter

Molly,
In case you didn't find the post from Kelly 0'keefe.
Don't give up, you'll master the thing in no time.
Bob
[ul][li]temp control[/ul]

Lawn Ranger

Molly,
I'm a dunce, but I eventually found my Egg niche. Don't try to do too much, too soon. Trust me; it will come. Whatever you do, don't give up. The guy who was the original owner of my large + redwood table, did. I bought his $750 unit for $200....he had used it twice. Absolutely the very best money I ever spent. It has changed my 30+ years of outdoor cooking in ways I never would have believed. I really love this thing.[p]Stay with it.
Mike.

Car Wash Mike

<p />Molly,
Don't give up. I can get the temp up and steady and leave for 5-7 hours and not worry. What did you try to cook and how? Maybe we should start there. Three slabs of babybacks on right now. Put on at 11, went back to the wash and came home at 3:30. Temp never budged.[p]CWM

mollyshark

Molly,[p]From one Molly to another...just offhand, are you terribly far from either of the upcoming Fests? The big one is April 10th in Maryland. A smaller one happening in Austin in May. If you can get to Maryland, do it. You will learn more at one Fest than through a year of trial and error, plus have better food than you would get anywhere.[p]mShark

Sundown

mollyshark,
My sweet, the date for Waldorf is May 8. get there on April 10 and you'll be a very lonely woman! Heaven knows we wouldn't want you to be lonely! Mini skirt and heels?!![p]

Hammer

Molly,
It's a learning curve, and one that you can master. It's not as difficult as it may seem. One of the greatest assets is this forum.
Where are you located. I can guarantee that there is an egger close by, and will be willing to help you. This forum and it's members want you to suceed. Don't give up!We'll help you both in presence and on the forum.
Hammer

Borders

Molly, Molly, Molly,
You have a Porsche sitting on your deck. Once you learn how to drive it, nothing else will do. I don't have a Porsche, but I do have a large BGE. Follow the advice on this forum, and this thread, and you'll be as amazed as me. Let us know when you turn the corner. Get it?[p]

[ul][li]Rack of Porsche[/ul]

ToyCollector

Molly,[p]I have been a gas grill person for years until about a year ago. Got an iron smoker and learned that the intake vent is key to controlling temp. The outlet one just fine tunes temp, and can also dictate how much smoke linger in the cooking chamber. The Egg is unbelieveably stable and easy to regulate if you follow the guidlines in that great post below for people just getting used to cooking on the Egg. Like others, I am now so comfortable with how to set this thing, I will leave for hours at a time, come back and the temp is right where it was where I left it. Hange in there.[p]Bottomline: Wish I bought my Eggs sooner.

Daddyo

Molly,
I'm willing to bet you have the bottom vent way too far open. You can maintain 300+ degrees with a pencil width opening. For 250, you can sometimes use a credit card width opening. It really doesn't take much.

mollyshark

Sundown,[p]HOWL HOWL HOWL. What in the WORLD is April 10th doing in my head? Honest to pete I have even been looking at airplane reservations for that date! Ya know...SOMETHING is gonna happen on April 10th, although it is right in the middle of Passover and, therefore, not likely! Too strange.[p]Actually kind of scary that I can't get that date out of my head. Hmm. [p]Fortunately when I made the hotel reservations, they knew what date it was for!!![p]I'm losing it, I swear![p]mShark

FatDog

Molly,
You are right in assuming that you will never learn to cook properly on the egg. The only suggestion that I can make is to pack up the darn thing in a good crate and send it to me for safe recycling. I am willing to absorb the grief of having to cook on the egg so that you don't have to suffer.[p]Doc

tn slagamater

Lawn Ranger, tut, tut, Lying is not allowed on this forum... not you, Mike, it was the guy who sold the EGG , he IS, WAS, and ALWAYS WILL BE... the DUNCE...