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just got a BGE - any advice for a newbie?

PORTIA013
PORTIA013 Posts: 11
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum
I got a BGE for a gift and i am so excited - but reading over the posts, i'm now getting nervous about my first attempt.  I don't know if i should do ribs or smoke a boston butt - how long does it really take - i've seen up to 18 hours - is that correct?  Tomorrow i go to buy a stand, the charcoil and fire starter and some kind of meat - any advise would be appreciated!!!

Comments

  • rbm4017
    rbm4017 Posts: 25
    You can make a beer can chicken assuming you have a plate setter with your egg.  It will be ready in a couple of hours and is less expensive if you mess up.
  • umm - don't have a plate setter - basically no accessories - yet - buying the stand tomorrow - have to space out the accessories for now - do i have to use a plate setter?
  • I would do ribs 1st. 5-6 hour slow cook and break it in nice and slow. I did a high temp. sear on my 5th cook and the gasket is still golden.

     

    LET'S EAT
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    You can do a beer can chicken without a platesetter. Better yet just do a spatchcocked chicken.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    if your last grill was a kettle grill or a water smoker i might do the ribs or butt, buy a webber grid at homedepot and get some fire bicks to build an indirect setup, red bricks will work but fire brick splits are better (its an easy inexpensive way to build an inderect setup without a platesetter. if your coming off a gas grill, start with a spatchcock chicken, you need to know how to regulate low temps, learn that first, just cooking some baked potatoes and drinking some beer will help with holding temps.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • our last grill was just a plain ol gas grill - my husband is dying for ribs but i'm nervous for the first time- i think chicken may be the way to go - i really feel i have no idea what i am doing! i need to go to a class on how to cook on the BGE!
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    If you don't have a platesetter yet, perhaps a spider and pizza stone might be best - this is what people have been stating.  I have both and spider and pizza stone would work well.  I would cook a pulled pork for my first, start the night before and it will be a gem for dinner the next day.
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    It's not that hard, don't sweat it and you'll do fine. Just have fun with it.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    Give burgers a try, Umami Burgers. Did them for the 1st time tonight, very nice. Good luck with the egg, It does take some getting used to, but the food really does taste better. There is a lot of help here from this formum, should you run into a question or two. Welcome.
    2 lbs Ground Beef (85/15)

    1 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

    1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

    2 cloves Garlic, crushed

    1/2 teaspoon Sugar

    1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper

    1 Tbsp steak spice (I like swamp venom too)

    1/2 tsp onion powder


    Blast really hot (550F)  for 1-1.5 mins per side


    Raise grid and throw Adjustable rig below and finish on raised grid.  Here add cheese and warm the buns.


    Large, small, and a mini
  • Make certain that you clean out old ash and the airways are free of charcoal particles. Every so often clean out with a shop vac.Experiment and have fun!

     

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    Best advice I would offer is play with it. Learn temp control. Spend some time with this forum - there is a lot of knowledge here that has helped me. I feel like I got a years worth of knowledge in a month.
    Cookin in Texas
  • AD18
    AD18 Posts: 209
    If you're going to buy the Egg stand purchase a platesetter too.  Then ribs. 
    Large BGE, Weber 22.5 kettle, Weber Genesis
    Cobourg, Ontario
  • Good luck with the egg.  It is my favorte thing that I have bought in the last few years.  We are using it about 2-3 times a week.  I haven't made one bad thing yet. 
  • play with it fill it up with lump hold a 250 done Temp for an hour Bump it to350 . Hold it there for 30 minutes. Take it to 400 hold it there for 30. Note you vent openings. And smoke generated. Set vent for350 and see how long it takes to get there. I never use Daisy vent over 300.
    After you settle back at 350 put on a spatch **** chicken.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • If you are going to Smoke something it will be low heat (275-290 degrees) and use chunks of hardwood not chips.  Place the chunks around the middle of the egg.  There are lots of tips on the DVD that comes with the Egg.  It covers all ranges of cooking from slow and low to flaming steaks. Good Luck and as others have said play with the temp settings on the first pit full of charcoal.
    Steve
  • Just start cooking! Anything that you have cooked, or roasted can be done on the egg.  When I got my egg I used chicken to learn temp control and once that was mastered I transferred all my stovetop and oven recipes to the egg.  
    Last summer everyday topped over the 100 degree mark and I only cooked one meal in my kitchen that entire time. Everything went on the egg...It was already hot outside...didn't need to warm up the house.
    I was 107 the day this picture was taken..
    image
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • Thanks for all the ideas and support!!  I ended up doing ribs and a beer in the butt chicken - the chicken was amazing - so juicy!!  The ribs were good too, but i prob could have taken them off a little bit before the chicken was done...they were a little crispy - but still tender inside.  What a feeling of accomplishment - really monitored the temp and how small/large i needed to have the vent thing open!  I'll be doing a boston butt this weekend for the Super Bowl - i ordered the 'big green egg' huge cookbook on ebay for 23.00 - can't wait for that to come - this forum is great - thanks guys!!
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,428
    I ordered the 'big green egg' huge cookbook on ebay for 23.00 - can't wait for that to come - this forum is great - thanks guys!!
    Congrats, that's a good deal and the cookbook IS worth $23.  Enjoy the Egg, and please POST PICS of the Super Bowl Butt!  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • Lots of great advise, but the best is, "learn temperature control."  To that I would add, "Be patient."  

    You may want to try planking fish or chicken.  It is easy to do, doesn't require a long cook, and the food is great!  Just remember to soak your planks for at least an hour before using.
  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379

    Before you buy a plate setter, take a look at an adjustable rig.  http://ceramicgrillstore.com/big-green-egg-large-adjustable-rig.html  It won't make a lot of sense to you until you understand how this whole indirect thing works, which you will after you have cooked on it for a while, but you can do everyting with the AR that you can with the plate setter, plus you get the ablity to cook higher in the dome which is really good for cooking chicked and other meats direct without burning. 

     

    George

    George
  • +1 on adjustable rig and spider from CGS.
  • chogg
    chogg Posts: 30

    I am new to the forum but have been Qing and grillin for years...maybe its old school but I always like to flavor my cooker, whatever it is with good old burgers cooked over dirct heat..this seasons all the cooking surfaces...Thats just my 2 cents..

    Good Luck and the main thing is too have FUN !!!!!

    IF YOUR LOOKING YOUR NOT COOKING ..My Dog Likes it !!! C.Hogg....Shack Rag...GA.