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Intervention Request

While I realize I've only been a BGE owner for 6 weeks, I find myself in depression mode after the long time desire to own one and the unbounded joy the day I brought it home. I have cooked everything from ribs to hamburgers, standing rib roast to spatchcock chicken, pork loin to chicken quarters, and, yes, even pizza. Everything I cooked was at best mediocre. I admit that I'm a rookie with the vaunted BGE but I do have 30+ years of cooking and bbq experience under my belt (literally). I find the whole process cumbersome. I am ready to dispose of this equipment and go back to my WSM roots. If you live close to me, come pick it up and bring help. Its yours for what I have in it.  http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1177382/strike-one-more-item-from-the-bucket-list/p1                                            

Laurens,SC
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Comments

  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    WSM has cumbersome written all over it! What don't you like about the Big Green Egg?
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    WeberWho? said:
    WSM has cumbersome written all over it! What don't you like about the Big Green Egg?
    Maybe its all in my head, but I'm just not getting a better result off the BGE than I did off my WSM or a souped up CharGriller SuperPro.
    Laurens,SC
  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    John, I knew this would be the exception rather than the rule.

    Laurens,SC
  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
    Can you share any particulars about the mediocre results? Maybe we can offer some advice to fine tune. Lots of people here willing to help.
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
  • mlamb01
    mlamb01 Posts: 210
    After having had my egg for close to a year, here are some of my thoughts:

    1) The egg promotes cooking new things, or your old favorites in a new way.  It gets you out of a rut of cooking just a few things over and over again.  You will get into a new bigger rut after owning the egg for awhile.
    2) The forum here really encourages you to branch out in what you cook and how you cook, and forum members are very eager to support each other with tips and suggestions.
    3) Combine #2 above and a thermapen, and you now have food cooked and prepared optimally...  There is a big difference in taste/texture between overcooked chicken, and chicken cooked just right.
    4) The egg allows you to control the heat with a higher degree of accuracy than many other outdoor cookers, this creates very repeatable results, and allows you to fine tune things.

    All of the above came together and made the egg a good family investment IMO.  For me, the egg and other things that come along with it have allowed me to rapidly improve my cooking skills, while generating a interest in cooking better food.  Since you have 30+ years of experience, you already know how to use other equipment besides the egg to get excellent results.  The egg isn't the best at everything.  My egg got me cooking pizza from scratch at home, but after awhile I learned my oven can do it better(especially in the winter).

    If you live close by, I would be happy to pick up the table from you.
  • SwampBadger
    SwampBadger Posts: 38
    edited March 2015

    Wow.  I'm almost exactly the opposite.  I didn't believe the hype for 20+ years, then finally tasted something and was hooked, and pulled the trigger a month later after lurking here.  Everything I've cooked has been superior to almost all outdoor grilling, with the exception of some burgers that got dried out (it was totally my fault for letting them get away from me and stay on too long).   In fact, I'm chowing on some leftover honey-lime sriracha drumsticks for lunch right now.... 

    I went in understanding--after reading a million post on here before I purchased--that I should treat it more like an oven, that also happens to be a grill.  I find it much more carefree than my Weber Performer, and almost as easy as my set-it-and-forget-it cabinet smoker where I plug in time, temp, and thermometer. 

    Really, the only thing that has actually not blown me away were from my false expectation that an IQF boneless skinless solution injected chicken breast from the warehouse store might actually have some juice in it if I cooked it on the BGE. It was certainly better than any other method, but I'll submit that the way those are factory farmed and processed with the "solution," and without any skin and bone, there is really no chance with that product.

    And I was able to grill in 20 below zero, and in a pretty heavy snowstorm, both of which would have sucked the heat right out of my Weber.  Sure was nice to have some BBQ in the dead of February.

    While you're looking for a purchaser, and if you are so inclined, I would treat it like an outdoor oven for some roasting and see what you think (unless you've already done that). 

    In dog beers, I've only had one.

  • 1move
    1move Posts: 516
    :o Go take a cold shower!

    That is sad if this is the route you are planning on going.
    XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,944
    Where do live and how much?  Love the table and my XL and medium could use a companion.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,125
    Hate to hear that. Where do you live? 
  • Mross
    Mross Posts: 338
    I am close by. How much do you want for everything. I can pick up this weekend.
    Duncan, SC
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    Well hopefully these pros can talk you off the ledge.  I have not seen a report such as yours since ive been here.
    Phoenix 
  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    mlamb01, thanks. Just the intervention help I requested. To others that asked, I'm in the Upstate of South Carolina, just south of Greenville.
    Laurens,SC
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I am a SC guy myself-- Columbia. PM me any questions you have and I will help in any way possible. You appear to be quite the woodworker. I am sure that took some work and didn't happen overnight. The egg is similar to some. Patience and ask questions. The forum is as good if not better than the egg in my opinion. 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    Looking at a map, I could easily meet you in Oklahoma City!   =)
    Seriously, don't give up.  It took me awhile to master the curve; now I couldn't live without my Large BGE.
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    blasting said:
    Well hopefully these pros can talk you off the ledge.  I have not seen a report such as yours since ive been here.
    See OCD in my previous posts. ;)After 36 years of being married to an incredible woman, she says I'm impossible to please. Imagine that.
    Laurens,SC
  • MrWigan
    MrWigan Posts: 104

     This is the saddest thing I have ever read. 


    Large BGE, Mini Max

    Wigan, UK

  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    Chubbs said:
    I am a SC guy myself-- Columbia. PM me any questions you have and I will help in any way possible. You appear to be quite the woodworker. I am sure that took some work and didn't happen overnight. The egg is similar to some. Patience and ask questions. The forum is as good if not better than the egg in my opinion. 
    The fact that it DIDN'T happen overnight is what is so disappointing. That table literally has my blood, sweat, and tears in it. That said, its why I'm turning to seasoned veterans for an intervention.
    Laurens,SC
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited March 2015
    A couple of thoughts to throw out...

    Are you giving your egg enough time to stabilize (bad smoke clear?).  I think that is the most common mistake, and one I made on many of my early cooks.  This is especially important depending on the type of lump.  If you put the food on too early, it will get an off taste.  

    Another thought is maybe your expectations were just too high.  If you have been cooking on your other cookers for 30+ years then  I'm sure you  have them figured out.  I wouldn't necessarily expect meat off the egg to be better than meat off a weber if both were cooked right.  I personally found that with the egg it is easier to get consistent results and it is less work than other types of cookers.  

    I remember this post a few years ago where someone did a head to head challenge:
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1091088/bge-vs-wsm-pork-butt

    The result: couldn't tell much difference in the final product, but had to mess with the WSM all night while the egg just did it's thing. 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • FanOfFanboys
    FanOfFanboys Posts: 2,615
    Chubbs said:
    I am a SC guy myself-- Columbia. PM me any questions you have and I will help in any way possible. You appear to be quite the woodworker. I am sure that took some work and didn't happen overnight. The egg is similar to some. Patience and ask questions. The forum is as good if not better than the egg in my opinion. 
    Also in Columbia. Provide some beer and I can ride up one Saturday and cook with ya' :-) 

    Scotch or bourbon also works
    Boom
  • RiverDoc
    RiverDoc Posts: 572
    Good luck! Hopefully some of these seasoned guys can help you out. I hope you give it some time and are able to enjoy the experience
    -Todd
    Franklin N.C. LBGE and a SBGE
  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    Man, I hate this thread. If you have specific things you feel you're failing at let's work thru those. Maybe try something you didn't cook well on the wsm?  Maybe it IS you're expectations are too high. There's so much knowledge here to help. 

    Also, nothing wrong with owning both. Don't give up yet. 
  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
    If you've been at it for 30+ years, you obviously are quite accomplished in bbq and have your method dialed in for the WSM. Are you not getting the smoke flavor you're looking for? Could be something as simple as changing brands of lump or how your putting in your smoke wood. Are you using a water pan? (most find it unnecessary in the egg)

    I'm just throwing out some ideas here. I would hate to see you part with that spectacular table and your egg. In the end, its just really heat and meat. 
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
  • mick7607
    mick7607 Posts: 85
    Tried BGE lump, RO, and Cowboy. Tried water pan, no water pan, all depending on the type of meat. Have used some cherry chunks. Pecan seemed to work better.
    Laurens,SC
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    How are you setting it up? For both Direct and indirect. Do you have a platesetter? When cooking direct, are you raising the grid to gasket level or leaving it in the lower "normal" position?

    For pizza and bread, are you using spacers between your indirect piece and the baking stone? Are you using a separate baking stone? Are you raising the stone high I'm the dome?

    Lots of variables to consider. Most folks here love the way an egg cooks, but there can be a bit of a learning curve. Perhaps if you gave us an example of one unsatisfactory cook and told us how you set up the egg as well as what you didn't like about the food result we could offer suggestions. 

    Beautiful table! Be a shame to get rid of it. Plenty of folks here willing to help, maybe even some near you for for a hands on demo if that would help. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    mick7607 said:
    Tried BGE lump, RO, and Cowboy. Tried water pan, no water pan, all depending on the type of meat. Have used some cherry chunks. Pecan seemed to work better.
    Okay not to start a lump debate, but BGE and Royal Oak are essentially the same thing. BGE lump is Royal Oak lump in a green bag with the BGE name on it. I have never used Cowboy, but I have heard it was awful. (I heard that on this forum).

    Before I got rid of my egg I would try a different lump. I and many others here like Rockwood. It is a neutral lump so you have more control over your smoke profile than you do with some other lumps. 

    Now I know from remembering your original post here that you really worked very hard on that table. It was a labor of love. I think you need to give it a little more time. 

    I would hate to see you part with your egg this early into it. 

    Maybe trying different lump and different smoke profiles will help you enjoy it more. 

    You are 125 miles away from me one way. I wish you were closer so we could cook and have a face to face intervention. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    Mross said:
    I have a pallet of Rockwood here in Greer if you want to try a bag of it. Just let me know.
    Eggheads take care of other Eggheads. Very nice gesture @Mross

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    @mick7607
    SNAP THE F OUT OF IT!

    If you need help, post a dirty fork. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    It's a lot cheaper than golf! 
    New Albany, Ohio