Accessories for new user

Tom

In purchasing a large egg, what would you recommend as the top five accessories? Also the pro's and con's for a metal frame nest or the table?[p]Thank you.

mad max beyond eggdome

Tom,
assuming your egg already comes with daisy slide wheel and ash rake, here are my top five accesories (others may be different)[p]1. bge plate setter (for lo and slo cooks, roasting, and any other indirect cooking you contemplate), i'll bet i use mine over 60% of my cooks
2. mapp torch (for lighting your egg) complete kit runs about $39 at home depot
3. dizzy pig rubs (start out with a sample pack and go from there (www.dizzypigbbq.dom)
4. bluesmoke rubs and sauces (KenStone@4edisp.net). .ken doesn't have a web site, but email him and he will fill you in (btw, 3 and 4 are interchangeable here. . .i love both dizzy and bluesmoke stuff, use one or the other on probably 95% of my cooks)
5. an understanding wife. . .although, the more of your eggfood she eats, the more understanding she will be. . [p]nest vs. table. .. for me its simply a cost issue, as i'm not handy enough to build my own, and the pre-built ones aint cheap, so i do with the nest and my picnic table next to it. . .

Nature Boy

Tom,
Top 5?[p]Thermapen
BGE Platesetter/pizza stone combo
BGE Grid extender
Home made hanging drip pan rack
Lawn Ranger gridlifter combo tool[p]Does beer count?
Chris

Smoked Signals

Tom,
1.Daisy Wheel
2.BGE Platesetter/pizza stone combo
3.BGE Grid extender
4.Digital meat thermometer - with 2 probes
5.Log on to this forum everyday.... more info here then anywere.
6.Wicked Good Charcoal or something similar. Visit NakedWhiz website!

BluesnBBQ

Besides the more obvious ones (something to start the fire with - I use starter cubes, lump charcoal, wood chips or chunks, meat, vegetables, spices, rubs maridandes, etc):[p]1. Good pair of tongs (you don't want to pierce the meat when you're turning/lifting it)[p]2. Some kind of roasting rack to use for indirect cooking.[p]3. Second grid, for indirect cooking, raised grid cooking (which I still haven't tried) or to fit more on the Egg by making two levels of cooking surface.[p]4. Drip Pan. I sometime use water pan from my old smoker (the only part of it I kept), or disposable foil pans.[p]5. Meat thermometer or probe. I don't always use one, but they're great to have. The more I cook the better I become and judging when the food is ready by how it looks and feels. I check brisket/butt doneness by sticking a fork in it and seeing if I can turn it.

Nature Boy

BluesnBBQ,
I just emailed you and got bounced. Just wanted to tell you, and other local eggers, to come but my place on Sunday after the drbbq class and eggstravaganza. We should be finished up by 1:30 or 2, and will have gobs of hopefully award winning-quality bbq on hand.
Chris...in Fairfax VA

Nature Boy

BTW, beverages and side dishes are welcome! Need something to wash down all that meat.[p] Email me for directions.
Chris

BluesnBBQ

Nature Boy,[p]Did you use my hotmail account? It's [p]cypressgrove@hotmail.com[p]I might have a family get together that afternoon. If not, I'll try to make it. I'll call or email you to let you know.

BluesnBBQ

"BTW, beverages and side dishes are welcome!"[p]Maybe if the cicadas emerge by then I'll have unique appetizer. :-)

Gretl

Tom,
1. Extra grids (available for the Weber kettles at Lowe's) and the BGE Grid Extender's very handy to have around
2. Pizza stone/stones (be sure to get the BGE brand because it's thicker and more robust than cheaper models)
3. Firebrick "splits" for creating your own raised grid or for adding ceramic mass under your pizza stone or drip pan. I guess a Plate Setter does the same thing, but I just haven't gotten around to buying one yet...
4. Some kind of ash removal tools. I'm using the BGE ash tool and a metal dustpan. Lawn Ranger's working on some real must-have tools for scraping and removal.
5. Some kind of remote temp monitor; Redi Chek has a dual probe (one in the dome, one in the meat) that makes low and slow cooking pretty painless. Get an extra meat probe in case you burn one out, and remember to wrap the wire in a bit of foil to help make it last longer.[p]And you'll want a cool, personalized Lawn Ranger Grid Lifter, but a heavy duty pliers will work in a pinch; disposable aluminum pans for drip-catching, a starter system (Weber cubes work well, IMHO, and there are about a million other recommended ways of getting the coals lit). You've already heard how great Dizzy Pig and Ken Stone's products are; may as well get 'em all, because you'll love them.[p]While you're at it, you'll want an extra fridge and freezer, a bigger deck/patio, more money to spend on food, more time to cook, more friends to entertain, and a beer delivery service. Other than that, you're set.[p]Cheers,
Gretl[p]p.s. Plus, you'll never want to eat out. Can't get restaurant food as good as your own from now on.

Dave

Tom,[p]I have a Large Egg also, I really like the Nest because I roll mine in & out for every cook. I don't have to worry about moisture or the dome freezing shut in the winter. If you aren't setup to be able to roll yours back & forth between the garage & driveway you might consider a table. Naked Whiz's website has a great diagram on building one. I also like the Eggmates, (Shelves).

Dave

Nature Boy

BluesnBBQ,
I just saw the first ones. The DC area is in the epicenter. We are in for some fun. They are as big as hummingbirds already,
Chris

tach18k

Tom, a mapp gas torch with finger triger lighter

tn slagamater

Tom, are you planning to buy an egg? Certain things should come with it : Daisy top, temperature guage,cookbook,video. Extras: Plate setter, Mapp torch, extra grid, ash tool.... A table can be made for the cost of a nest and a table is a lot better. Put two wheels on it and it can move....If you need table measurements e-mail me or check www.nakedwhiz.com for a lot of BGE tables