New Egg owner am diving head first! Plus a couple questions.

ummgood · December 2014

First I want to say thanks for all the knowledge on this forum. A little back story: I have been grilling on weber genesis natural gas grills since I was a teen. My last grill just turned ten and we sold our house and bought a new one last year. The new house didn't have a natural gas stub so I left my grill with the previous owners. I went and bought a new genesis propane grill as a replacement a year ago and was really interested in smoking too. I have been in Texas for 10 years and since moving here the smoking thing has intrigued me. Well when I purchased the grill they showed me a bunch of different things for smoking. One was the egg. I was skeptical that it could work that good plus it seemed so small. Fast forward a year and a friend of mine and I were having breakfast and he asked if anyone needed a grill. See he sold his home and decided to live in an apartment for awhile. The apartment didn't like his grill on the patio even though he didn't use it. I asked what it was and he said a big green egg. Without skipping a heart beat I said I would take it. I didn't know anything about it. He brought it to me the next weekend and it was like brand new. Turns out he only used it three times. He even gave me the original bag of BGE charcoal he bought with it. It had maybe 15 pounds in it. When I got it home I started reading up on it. I went to the store and bought a plate setter and an ash tool. At that time I didn't even know what size it was. I took in my grate and I found out I have a large green egg. Then promptly the next week I was going to try it out. I ended up injuring my foot and needing surgery so I had it sitting taunting me for 2 months waiting for me to be able to walk without crutches. Then two months later I made my first batch of ribs. I was really nervous. My last time tripping charcoal was 20 years ago when I was 19. It was terrible and all I learned from that experience is I am a closet pyro and loved lighter fluid and seeing the flame roar. The food tasted terrible. Well this time I used a YouTube video to guide me on starting the egg. It went really well and 7 hours later we were eating the best ribs I have ever made. I was hooked. Then a couple weeks later I fired it up again and I made another batch of ribs for Christmas. Great again. The green egg is a miracle in my book. Now I want to tackle something difficult like brisket. I even spent my christmas money to buy a stoker. I am all in at this point and very excited and feel blessed to have gotten an egg for free. So for my questions... How long will a large egg go on a load of charcoal? 5 hours was no issue. How far do I fill it for brisket and should I use new or can I use the left overs from my ribs too? How often should I take everything out and clean the egg? I just used my ash tool to scrape everything out between my two cooks. Thanks! I will probably have way more questions.

ummgood · December 2014

Sorry I don't know where my new lines went. It combined my post all together. How do you create paragraphs?

theyolksonyou · December 2014

Welcome to the zoo. If you fill the egg up to the top of the fire RING, not bowl, you'll have plenty for the brisket. I've gone 15+ hrs on low and slow. Typically, I just try to get all the ash out of the fire bowl and vacuum out the bottom before a long cook. Stir the used around to get as much ash out as possible. The full clean out is a matter of personal preference, but if you notice issues holding temp, definitely pull the guts and clean out.

theyolksonyou · December 2014

For paragraphs on iOS I had to create a shortcut with the code as the result. I type r e t without spaces and the result is <> around br and <> around div. Sorry, but I can't type it as it actually is as it will add lines. "
" "

"

R2Egg2Q · December 2014

Congrats on the free Egg and welcome aboard!

The length of time your Egg will cook on a load is dependent on a number of factors but particularly on the temp the you're cooking at, the amount of lump you load, and the density of the lump. If you fill up the Large into the fire ring with the BGE lump and say you cook at 250 you should probably be able to go for 13-16 hours on that load. With a denser lump you could probably go 20+ hours but I've never cooked anything for that long. However I have seen some who have done low and slow cooks on LBGEs in excess of 24 hours.

Fresh lump will burn longer than partially used lump but you should be fine to either mix the used with the new or just dump it on top of the new.

You shouldn't really need to pull out everything to clean often. I do that maybe 2-4 times a year on my Large and XL but I'm sure there are folks who do that less often and other folks who do it more often. I do usually clean it out pretty well (without removing the fire box or fire ring) before any long cooks.

stemc33 · December 2014

@ummgood‌, Nice score and welcome to the forum

To make a paragraph, put the letters BR in the middle of <>. (BR) except use <>. It won't show up in the posted text, it'll just make a break. Sometimes I have to do it twice to have a space between paragraphs and sometimes when I enter it twice it'll make a double space. I just edit and take one out when it double spaces.

I setup a shortcut to make it easier than shifting to another keyboard.

I've only down one brisket, so I don't feel qualified to give you info on brisket. I will suggest however that you start with a pork butt because they're pretty hard to screw up. But then again, you have a stoker so a brisket might be right up your alley. For a low and slow cook, I've read where people have gone twenty hours. I think my longest has been 15 hours and ended because the cook was completed.

I don't get all excited about sucking every particle of ash out after every cook. Sometimes I go several cooks without even scraping the ash out from the bottom. On occasion I will pull the guts out to inspect the egg. Even when I pull the guts I purposely leave a bit of ash. It's crazy, but somehow I think by leaving the ash, I'm adding protection from dripping fat. Nonsense I know, but it's what I do.

Once again, welcome to the forum and enjoy your egg.

lousubcap · December 2014

@ummgood-Better to be lucky than good any day! Great score on the LBGE. Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.

As mentioned above, within reason you cannot load too much lump. Top of the fire ring will generally get you 20+ hours at around 250*F on the dome. More than enough time for a butt or brisket.

BTW-if you haven't done so, check the calibration of your dome thermo. Get some water boiling and insert the thermo-should be around 210*F-if not adjust out the off-set using the nut on the back then recheck.

And here's a great ceramic cooker info site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm Chances are any ceramic questions you may have are answered in there somewhere. And the recipe section is quite good.

boochsr71 · December 2014

Congrats on the free egg, that was a great score!!! best way to learn is to read and learn from the people on this forum, and to just get out and do it!!

Enjoy!

ummgood · December 2014

Thanks everyone! I have been filling it up so far to the seem between the lower bowl and the fire ring. So I guess it is ok to fill all the way up to the plate setter?

For the comments about the new lines how do you create a shortcut for the '<' BR '>'?

ummgood · December 2014

Ooops I guess the new lines work on my mac. haha I am confused.

theyolksonyou · December 2014

Yep. MacBook works, iPad not so much. I created a shortcut on iPad and iPhone.

ummgood · December 2014

Ok I think I figured out the shortcuts.
Thanks!

theyolksonyou · December 2014

Sorry, I misread your post. If you don't get it let me know ill screen shot mine. Day drinking....

ummgood · January 2015

Thanks I did figure it out. I was thinking the shortcuts were in the forum somewhere but they are in the iOS settings.

jhl192 · January 2015

First of all a free large BGE is Awesome! Second, the BGE is awesome! There is a learning curve but once you reach it the sky is the limit. Take a look at www.ceramicgrillstore.com for an Adjustable Rig and some other Eggcessories to raise your grid while cooking direct and increase the surface area. Also some good videos. Really opens up the possibilities on the large. Depending on the lump charcoal you use, you could get 20 to 24 hours on a single load. I tend to max out about 16-20. Be sure to search on Spatchcocking a chicken. My favorite thing to do on the Egg. Welcome and post pictures!

bluebird66 · January 2015

Welcome to the forum!

UrbanForestTurnings · January 2015

Welcome. And people say crack is addictive. Happy egging and New Year

DGarner211 · January 2015

Welcome! I did a 19 hour smoke on a pork butt this past weekend on my large. Wr filled it up to about halfway up the fire ring.

You may have to interrupt the cook to stir the coals and get the accumulated ash out of the fire grate holes. I'm thinking of getting a stainless fire grate for this reason.

cook861 · January 2015

Welcome dont forget to take pictures

piney · January 2015

Welcome my friend

ummgood · January 2015

Thanks again everyone. I calibrated my thermometer. I plan on cooking some more ribs tomorrow. I also want to do some chickens soon. I need to get something to brine them in I don't have a big enough pot. My poor Weber is feeling left out

.

Oh on a side note I own an igrill too that my wife bought me and I thought I would calibrate it too but turns out you can't. That is lame.

I wonder how long it will take for them to ship my stoker. I am giving a bit of grace since it is the holidays but I want it BAD

theyolksonyou · January 2015

Just curious, have you cooked a chicken without brine on the egg? Are you doing it for flavor or moisture? If moisture I would encourage you to give spatchcock a try without brine. Or any method for that matter.

logchief · January 2015

Hey @ummgood welcome to the circus. Lots of great info and knowledgeable folks really willing to help. Sure have helped me out a lot.

If you want to do chickens do a search here for "spatchcock" its the best way to do chicken and brining isn't necessary.

Here's another good website "amazingribs.com

anton · January 2015

Welcome, great score on a free large BGE. I like the gadgets too, but may I suggest you get to know your egg on a manual level first, then start using the controllers later.I believe you should be "one" with the egg first. Therms and probes are fine, overnight low and slow cooks can be done with no electronics, and still get sleep, trust me. Don't worry about brining chickens either, your not on a weber anymore , things don't dry out on the egg.

ummgood · January 2015

theyolksonyou said:

Just curious, have you cooked a chicken without brine on the egg? Are you doing it for flavor or moisture? If moisture I would encourage you to give spatchcock a try without brine. Or any method for that matter.

Thanks I will have to try that. I wanted to brine and low and slow cook it because I saw another person had done that on you tube and it looked good.

I also want some apple chunks where do people buy their wood chunks? I got the pecan I a, using now from BBQ outfitters here in Austin. I need to check out my local HEB. BBQ outfitters is where I bought my weber and my plate setter but the are a trek for me.

theyolksonyou · January 2015

Honestly, I buy the bagged stuff. We have it in lowes/Home Depot some groceries and academy sports. Chinks and chips.

Jeepster47 · January 2015

ummgood said:

... I wanted to brine and low and slow cook it because I saw another person had done that on you tube and it looked good. ...

You might try a 2-1/2 gallon ziplock bag. Easily holds a chicken. Put the "package" in the lower drawer of your refrigerator ... just in case it leaks.

Do two ... bought from the same store and cooked at the same time. One brined and one not. Bet you'll be wondering why you took the time to brine the one.

SeahawksEGGHead · January 2015

You want to do a chicken? Spatchcock. Search it, know it, love it. I get my smoking woods local, but I hear a lot of folks go to Fruitawoods for theirs. Fresher is better.

CTMike · January 2015

Congrats on the free BGE, nice score.

I agree with others above, get used to controlling the temp on your egg manually before using a crutch like a controller.

ummgood · January 2015

On the spatchcock can I fit two chickens on the BGE when they are spread out like that?

Also I think I have the hang of the temp management. I can keep it between 225 and 250 pretty easy. I did learn my lesson on using too many starters on my last low and slow cook. I am cooking ribs right now and will do chicken tomorrow. I'll start a thread on the ribs.

theyolksonyou · January 2015

I've cooked 3 small chickens 5# each at once on the large.

New Egg owner am diving head first! Plus a couple questions.

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