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My Wife gave a LBGE for Christmas

Canyon
Canyon Posts: 7
in EggHead Forum

I have only seen and heard about the BGE, I'm not sure what I need to do the very first time?  Does it need to be seasoned?  Any help from the seasoned users would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg


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  • CTMike
    CTMike Posts: 3,684
    edited December 2014
    Welcome to the addiction, your wife is awesome. Get a couple of Jimmy Dean sausage logs and season that bad boy by cooking up a couple of naked fatties. Also be sure and only use lump charcoal, never briquettes.
    MMBGE / Large BGE / XL BGE (Craigslist Find) / SF30x80 cabinet trailer - "Ol' Mortimer" / Outdoor kitchen in progress.  

    RECOVERING BUBBLEHEAD
    Southeastern CT. 
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  • 1move
    1move Posts: 516
    Yeah make sure you use organic charcoal and the first few times cook at a low temperature not exceed 350-400 degrees
    XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    First congradulations on the new egg. And no sir, it doesn't require any seasoning. The only thing required is a couple of low temp runs to set and cure the gasket. Short of this you are good to go.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    Welcome to the forum. Lots of folks just light a fire and play with the temps a little. Some recommend keeping it below 450 ish the first time you fire her up. Caution, it gets real hot real fast if you leave the vents open. Caution number 2 remember to burp the egg. If you decide to cook something the first fire(I would) just catch the temp on the way up its easier.

    finally, pics or it didn't happen.
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  • Canyon
    Canyon Posts: 7

    Thank you CTMike,

         I'm a real newbee, she got the charcoal that BGE sells, and I don't know what lump charcoal is or where to get it.  By the way, when cooking the sausage logs where will the grease go? I don't want to mess this beauty up!

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  • Sammi
    Sammi Posts: 598
    First off, pour your wife a nice glass of wine, and thank her. After that with your drink of choice in hand, sit back and spend a few hours here exploring the potential of your new egg.
    You'll be heading for your local butcher shop in the morning.

    Welcome and enjoy.
    Sudbury, Ontario
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    Dude, take a good look at that clean white cause it's going away. Take a pic and save it.

    if you cook indirect, wrap your plate setter in heavy duty aluminum foil. If you use a drip pan, set it on the platesetter on some foil balls or something else to create an air gap so your drippings don't scorch and stink up your meat.

    BGE is the same as royal oak lump. Lump is a touchy subject here as there are lots of opinions. The main thing is after you light, stick let the smoke turn clear or blue. If in doubt, stick your hand in the smoke from the top and smell it, if your hand stinks your food will too. If it smells like good smoke, you're good.
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  • Canyon
    Canyon Posts: 7
    you guys are awesome, thank you so much.  I will take pics.  My wife is awesome on this one, she got the Cypress table! it's a beautiful thing.  She even enlisted our friends to help get it on the deck without me knowing it. ( Even pushed the Weber in the corner, no-one pushes baby in the corner). lol.  This will be a whole new cooking experience.
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  • Handcyclist
    Handcyclist Posts: 77
    Don't EVER use lighter fluid to start the fire!  Instead use a paper towel dipped in cooking oil, the Weber wax cubes, the BGE fire starter cubes, or a Looflighter, one of two kinds of electric fire starters.  If you use lighter fluid it will get into the ceramics and you'll have a hard time getting the smell and flavor out of the egg.  Congratulations!!
    Knox, PA, Medium, Mini Max, Mini, Large KJ, grandma, handcyclist, eagle watcher, always in search of good chocolate.  
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    Your wife is awesome. Keep asking questions here and you will get more answers than you can stand. They may be different, but they'll all be right! You pick how you want to do it.

    don't push that weber too far away, they make great accessory cabinets for BGEs! :D
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  • cook861
    cook861 Posts: 872
    Welcome lucky guy  do spack chicken its easy for your first cook 
    Trenton ON 1 mbge for now
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  • Canyon
    Canyon Posts: 7

    Thanks everyone,  I WILL ask a lot of questions.  They say the BGE is a following; I'm believing it at the get go. You all have responded faster than I could have imagined, and I really am grateful for that.

    I hope all of you had a great Christmas, I know I did, and please have a safe and prosperous New Year.

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  • CincyTiki
    CincyTiki Posts: 346
    @Canyon‌ ask plenty of questions, LOTS of great people here with loads of experience.

    Also, I would highly recommend this book
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Kamado-Smoker-Grill-Cookbook/dp/1612433634/

    To me it is the owners manual that should come with the Egg. The author has a great website and also posts here from time to time.

    Welcome and good Egging
    Enjoying life in Cincinnati, Ohio - Large BGE & MiniMax BGE
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Welcome. First you must christen your new vessel. The "seasoning" will happen all by itself. Don't ever use lighter fluid. Take pics of your cooks and post them (we love our food Pr0n). Most importantly have fun with it and shower your family with delicious food. Enjoy.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    Welcome to the forum @Canyon‌ . You're about to take your taste buds to a whole new level. If your able to use the forum's full site vs mobile, you can search topics to help you get going. If you don't want to search through a bunch of posts to find what you're looking for, just ask and someone will get you pointed in the right direction. You'll be amazed at the support. The site slows down at night, but there's usually somebody hanging around to help out. Also, check out YouTube, you might find some good BGE stuff there too.

    Take lots of pics of the new egg and post your cooks. I've just been eggin' a little over a year and have learned so much. It's fun to look back and see how much I've learned.

    Once again, welcome to the forum. Have fun with your new adventure.
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    edited December 2014

    Butts are your future. See your future. Be your future. 

    Welcome to the Dark Side, never to return.

    Keep your wife, she's a keeper! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 7,369
    Welcome...What I did when I got my Egg. I got plenty of adult beverages and filled the egg with lump and spent the whole day messing around learning temp control with the daisy wheel and the bottom vent.. Once again welcome..The folks on this forum are the best... :-c
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
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  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
    Welcome to the addiction! Your wife is awesome! Make sure you thank her and start cooking for her, which after your first cook on the egg won't be hard because you will be hooked! Just follow tips from above, be patient and enjoy it.
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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  • Nick311
    Nick311 Posts: 45
    First off welcome to the egg nation. I'm new to the egg style of cooking myself. Everybody in the forum has been very helpful so if you don't know ask. Happy cooking
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  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,957
    Welcome from one new egg owner to another.
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

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  • Matt6060
    Matt6060 Posts: 5
    Try a simple recipe first! The easiest thing for me to cook is a small center cut pork loin. Dry rub. Hot (375-400) and fast direct turning once until inside temp is 145. Never once did it not come out spectacular. Good luck.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,900
    That's a SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) that's a real keeper.  Congrats and welcome aboard.  
    What follows is a collection of info that you may find useful as you experiment with the BGE:
    Here’s a link to all things ceramic-chances are if you have a question the answer is within this site somewhere.  Check out the recipe section for some great ideas. http://www.nakedwhiz.com/nwindex.htm

    For additional links to cooking/recipe sites; here are two very good ones, depending what you are cooking:  This site contains a wealth of the science behind Q cooking along with info on about every type of meat cook you would attempt: http://amazingribs.com/

    Here’s the second one:  http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/

    After-market toys- With the BGE there are three basic styles of cooking;  “direct”-where the cooking grid is on top of the fire ring; “raised direct”-where the grid is elevated at least to the gasket-line (this setup requires after-market stuff-easiest is to get another grid and then use three fire bricks (or three empty aluminum beer cans) and place them on the grid at the fire ring and then put the second grid on top. The third is “indirect” where there is a heat deflector (platesetter or some other type stone) between the burning lump and the cooking grid.  This is the setup for low&slow long duration cooks.  I would get comfortable playing around with the BGE before any major after-market investments.  Will save you $$ in the long run.

    Some observations-make sure you calibrate your dome thermo-boil some water, then insert the thermo and check the temp.  If not around 210*F, then note the off-set and use the nut on the back to correct.  Then recheck.

    Temperature is a controlled by the volume of lump burning.  The volume is controlled by the air-flow thru the BGE.  In thru the bottom vent and out the top.  Make sure when you set it up that the fire box opening is aligned with the lower vent. 

    When adjusting the vent(s) to change temperature, the feedback loop can take some time.  Changes in air-flow are reflected in the dome thermo temp.  Don’t chase temperature; +/- 10-15*F is close enough.

    “Stable temperature” is a relative term.  Means you haven’t moved the vents and the temperature is steady for anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

    That's more than enough.  And as you will learn, almost any road will get you there with the BGE.  Enjoy!

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    I like the fatties idea for a first cook. Simple to do and damn good too.

    What eggcessorie did she get with the egg?
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
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  • Canyon
    Canyon Posts: 7
    lousubcap,  Thank you so much for all the great info,  and to all thank you again for the encouragement and replies. 
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    @Canyon have you cooked anything yet? 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    Man just cook! You won't hace a gasket long angways


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    First... Welcome and congrats. That's a hell of nice wife you have there. Second; she got off cheap, you hang around here long enough there's no limit to the $$$ you can be convinced to part with. Third, take many and post many pics, we like food porn.

    But most of all, remember to have fun and that even your screw ups will be better than 90% of any takeout food.
    MSV Chill Spot
    Chester County, PA

    http://egginwithedward.blogspot.com/

    http://edwardhardingphotography.zenfolio.com/
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  • anzyegg
    anzyegg Posts: 1,104
    Wow, what a great gift from an awesome wife... Welcome to the forum and plenty already mentioned so have fun!!
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  • Canyon
    Canyon Posts: 7
    johnkitchens said:
    @Canyon have you cooked anything yet? 
    No I haven't, she also ordered the plate setter but not here yet.  I'm thinking of trying some steaks but need to figure out the temps for bottom air slider and top vent and how to cook indirect as not to burn the begeebies out of the meat??  This will be a year of education..
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    @Canyon you will be fine! Don't overthink it. If you are worried about temp control go ahead and light the egg and play with it with nothing on it. It is very easy to figure out, and you will have it down in no time. 

    I didn't use my plate setter for the first year! 

    On Christmas day I lit both eggs at 2:30. Family was coming over for Christmas, and I knew I would be tied up for over an hour before I could cook. At 3:00 I had both eggs dialed in at 400. Two hours later when I went back out they were still at 400! Just like I knew they would be. 

    I put my steaks on and had a great ribeye Christmas dinner. 

    Ask questions and post pics. We are a friendly bunch, and we have all been where you are. By the way where are you located? 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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