Poential-Newbie Question

Unknown

I am currently on the quest for the holy grill, to lay to rest all of the 1-2-year-life-span junk I have mistakenly purchased in the past. On this quest, The Egg has risen to the top of the contender list for my next purchase and I need the push over the edge.[p]I am the primary outdoor cook and in the past have only done simple things. My mouth waters reading the recipes on the forum and my personality will cause me to dive in do more once I get my grill, but at first it will probably just be the basics.[p]My question is less about the “is it worth it,” – if I want or “need” it we’ll find a way to afford it -- but more a functional thing. The “competition” I am considering are all similar prices, 2 gas grills and one charcoal grill. I have not tasted food off of The Egg so taste evaluation will have to come from a test cook at the dealer within a week (maybe this will do it). I think all of these options can slow cook, sear, grill, etc. So maybe for some things they’re all equally good options (?? Maybe not and your comments are greatly appreciated)[p]My intuition and leaning is still toward The Egg through all of this, but also being skeptical / negative, I pose a “negative” question about any “down sides”:[p]If at first all I want to do is the basics (grill chicken, fish, or burgers), what will I sacrifice in convenience (cooking or start-up time or ease of use) by choosing the egg versus what I would gain? [p] [The gas gurus tout just turning the thing on and push a button, but your collective expertise and opinions are appreciated as a sanity / insanity check so I can stop analyzing, make my purchase, and start cooking][p]Please push me.[p]Future Egghead? Dave

Tim M

David Daniel,[p]I fought my wife for years about getting a charcoal grill. "I want the charcoal flavor" she would say. Old gassey had performed flawlessly for years with only yearly or biannually needing another $40-50 worth of new parts to maitain that bland - no flavor tatse we had grown use to. I had 3 propane tanks and one was always full - yea, that's a joke - all three were always empty just before a party.[p]Anyway, enough picking on gas grills, no one here will defend those things. I stumbled on to the BGE at a BBQ store where they were cooking the salesman's lunch that day >> ribs too! Once I opened the dome and that smell hit me - I got the checkbook out that day and brought one home. Never been sad about that!!! The link below goes to my website I play with. GFW also has a doozy and between the two - you should easily see that there is a whole lot more you can do with this little rascal than just do burgers. Pizza, breads, ribs, steaks, salmon, chicken, whole turkey, brisket, bananas, etc, etc, etc. [p]Now, if you are the type that wants food fast and you do burgers and hot dogs only, the BGE might be hard to justify. If your ready to experiment and learn new methods of cooking - then run with the Egg - you will love it. The best part of the Egg is getting this cooking school on the internet for free. The folks here will teach you new tricks, old tricks, and new methods to do old tasks. Ask all the questions you want - pleanty of folks here to help.[p]Tim
[ul][li]<a href="http://www.c21virginia.com/ebay/bbq.htm">---&gt; Tim's BGE Website & Cookbook <---</a>[/ul]

Mike Oelrich

David Daniel,[p] I, too, have owned several short-lived cookers in the past. All worked pretty well. However, none had the true flexibility of the BGE. Yes, you *can* get smoke flavor into food on a gas grill, but you can't really do it in a way that gives you the texture of true slow-cooked BBQ. Charcoal grills are better than gas for smoking, but are more difficult to control (water smokers are a particular type of charcoal grill and are pretty good at smoking, but can't be used for much else). The BGE is one of the few cookers that can do low-and-slow and still give you the very high temperatures needed for searing steaks and chops. I hate to go so far as to say that the BGE represents the best of all worlds, but I'll offer up the Eggfest as a representation of what's possible: I cooked pulled pork the night before (220F for 24 hours, though I will admit that the fire did go out after *only* 20 hours of cooking (I should have put more lump in there to begin with)), several people cooked wings, we had ribs done fairly slowly, ribs done fairly quickly, brisket (also slow-cooked the day before, but reheated at the 'Fest), pork loin and even bread, pizza, bananas and pineapple. I know I left some things out, but I can't remember it all this early in the morning. I guess the point is that you could have done many of these things on another cooker, but I doubt you could have done *all* of them, especially to the level they were done on the BGE.[p]A few quicker notes:
1. You can truly control the temperature on the BGE to within +/- 10F when you get good at it (though many would argue that's being a little too careful!).
2. The ceramic construction gives you more even heating, especially if you cook indirect.
3. The BGE seems to keep a lot more moisture inside while cooking so the meat stays tender.
4. On the minus side, it's heavy! A large BGE weighs in at about 140lbs.
5. Also on the minus side is that the large is only 21" in diameter (not tiny, but smaller than some of the gas grills). However, many on this forum have developed innovative ways to stack grids so that they have more cooking area. So, if you want to cook *lots* of food, you might need to be a bit creative.[p]Finally, to answer your "instant-on" question. Yes, it is nice to go outside and turn on a switch and get instant flames. However, I find that I can get the BGE up to just about any temperature within 15 minutes if I plan properly (the exception to this is when I use firebricks or other ceramic mass that takes a while to heat up). I consider it almost a zero sacrifice since it takes about 10 minutes to preheat the oven in my house anyway. What you gain in taste and tenderness far outweighs the small cost of waiting for the fire to get going.[p]MikeO

Eponda

David Daniel, One taste will be all you need to take the plunge.

AbqEgg'r

David Daniel,
Go to the home page and read the comments under the link "Eggcited Big Green Egg owners say it best". That should give you all the motivation you need to head down to the closest BGE dealer.[p]TR

sprinter

David Daniel,[p]You're not going to find a better cooker or a better group of people anywhere. Make the plunge if you want to enter a new world of cooking, you wont look back. As you mention, if you want to simply cook burgers and chicken etc. and are not interested in all of the options that the egg gives you, it may not be worth it to you to invest in the egg. These options are nearly limitless. From slow cooking a 20 hour Boston Butt to searing a steak at 900 degrees, the egg does it to perfection. It will honestly be the last cooker you ever need. I've never heard of anything that cant be cooked on the egg, from steaks to burgers and chicken to bread, pizza, calzones, ribs, you name it, its probably been tried.[p]You really need to evaluate what you want out of a grill/cooker. If its the basics and your not interested in trying new ways of cooking, your options increase a bit. If you want to learn about real good Q and open the possibilities of cooking to a year round deal, then the egg is for you. Theres nothing like going out in an ice or snow storm, firing up the egg and putting on an overnight brisket or butt. Your neighbors will think youre crazy until they taste the results.[p]Good luck with the decision. I would highly recommend the egg. I made the decision (actually Santa made it for me) and have NEVER looked back.[p]Troy[p]Troy

bdavidson

David Daniel,
I used to be a hamburger/hot dog/chicken breast cook myself, but since owning the Egg my culinary horizens have broadened to include: pizza, briskets, boston butt, pizza, turkey, whole chicken, pizza, 10 minute steaks, london broil, pizza, the juciest pork chops you've ever had, salmon, and last but not least, PIZZA!
As stated previously, preparation time is increased slightly. I can get the egg up and cooking in about 10-15 minutes easily. Additionally, depending on its availability in your area, lump charcoal can be scarce. It is comparitively more eggspensive, but lasts a lifetime. Lastly, deep green color of the egg may not go with all decorating motifs.
All said, I have a spare propane tank that I won't be needing if you decide to get a gas grill....

Nature Boy

<p />David Daniel,
The egg's efficiency and moisture retention create a cooking environment that is superior to nearly every other product. A friend of mine bought an $900 gas grill, and cannot even achieve grilling results as good as the eggs. Let alone the numerous other possibilities like lo/slo, and baking. All year long. Take the plunge and don't look back. After a month, you will feel like it has paid for itself.[p]MikeO's post below really does a nice job of spelling out some good facts.[p]Welcome to the Potential BGE Family
NB

Char-Woody

David Daniel, Not reading the prior postings, (and I should do that) my uninfluenced response would be to taste check your purchase first. Once you do that, then you will know where to tell the guys that tout "turn on and push button" where to cook. With me, its open dome and light a cube! [p]Honestly, yes, you will have a bit more muss and fuss with the BGE in startup, fuel storage, and odds and ends toys and grills and drip pans, and look at all the fun your going to have. And the crowning glory will be when you sink your teeth into your first meal off the BGE..All doubts and investment worries will disappear.[p]Cheers and good luck..your almost home!
C~W[p]

Unknown

David Daniel, I am a relative newby to the BGE and quite frankly, I had given up on grilling prior to purchasing my EGG. I am now back grilling every weekend and multiple times during the week and one of the reasons is the convenience. This thing starts up so quickly and has such a wide range of capabilities from low and slow to 1000* searing. In 7-8 mins. you are ready to roll. The bigger reason for owning my EGG, however, is the fantastic results I get cooking anything including pork butt (unbelievable), chicken, pizza, burgers, alder wood salmon (to die for). The assistance you get from this forum is priceless, as well. Go for it!

Spin

David Daniel,[p]The Egg is a four season cooker. If you are willing venture out in bad weather to use it, it is able to perform. Compare the warranties of the products.[p]How many gas users were former Egg users?[p]Good luck with your choice.[p]Spin