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Virgin Egger

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slovelad
slovelad Posts: 1,742
in EggHead Forum
Hello all,

I recently purchased a Large BGE, and I am pumped to use to. I have always been a grill guy, i have a Blackstone grill that i use all the time. And i knew the next step was a BGE. I chose the BGE over the Green Mountain and other electric smokers for many obvious reasons. 

But now i need some advice...

How does a virgin egger pop its (green) cherry? I am a steak guy... but thats only because i haven't ever owned a real smoker. 

So... if you could post some suggestions for meat, and tips for what temp, how long, and how to prepare it would be greatly appreciated.


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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,337
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    What follows are a couple of sites that should get you well on your way:

    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/

    BTW-welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,026
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    I'd recommend starting out with something super simple. Get to know the grill without worrying too much about the food at first. Chicken is a great first cook.  It will take a little time to get the hang of the temperature of the egg. Keep plugging away and cooking and the temperature thing will become 2nd nature.

    Here's a great read/recipe for steak:

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/trexsteak.htm

    Welcome!
    "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
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  • Texansurf
    Texansurf Posts: 507
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    I would try anything that I have always wanted to do or is on sale. Just check the forum for advice, watch some videos and don't worry about life is a learning process. If you are afraid of failure, don't try anything new.
    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    First rule is to cook things you like to eat.  If chicken is something you like, it is a good thing to cook when new to the egg. It cooks fairly quickly and you use the mid-range of the temps your egg is capable of. If you do mess it up, the economic loss from a chicken is not too great (its not a great feeling to have a $75 piece of beef brisket turn into a piece of shoe leather).  Pork butt/pork shoulder is another often recommended cook.  It will take longer. It has a lot of leeway on how it is cooked so it is a good item to learn on. It is also one of the least expensive meats you can get and yet one of the best!
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • ksmyrl
    ksmyrl Posts: 1,050
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    +1 on the pork butt. The margin of error for cooking a pork butt is several hours (3.5hrs to over 12hrs depending on temp) and over 100 degrees cooking temp (between 250 and 400). Almost always turns out great. Welcome aboard.
    Fish, Hunt, Cook....anything else?

    1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA
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  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
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    Try a dry run first until you learn how to control the temp.  Just be patient and take a few notes.  After that, it all becomes second nature.  Spatchcock chicken is easy, forgiving and delicious for a first cook.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
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  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,540
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    Welcome....  Butt or chicken are great to learn with.....and taste great....  Just enjoy and cook what you like
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
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  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,727
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    Welcome!
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    Welcome to the Eggdiction.  My dealer told me for the first 2 cooks keep the egg 400 and under.  As others mentioned chicken is a good one, pork butt and my favorite meatloaf.  Just take you favorite meatloaf recipe and put it on the egg at about 350 to 400.  The cook time should be about the same as in your oven for the amount of meat you use.  You could add a few wood chips like cherry for some flavor or not.  I like cooking mine indirect, but it can be done direct, but I suggest if you do go with a raised grid.  After a few cooks and you feel comfortable with it the field is wide open with it.  Check out Youtube, they have a lot of videos on how to cook things on the Egg.  I like the one where you cook a steak in 8 minutes or less, depending on how you like it.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    Welcome aboard!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • slovelad
    slovelad Posts: 1,742
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    Thanks everyone for the advice! Really looking forward to getting started !
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  • RAC
    RAC Posts: 1,688
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    Welcome and enjoy!

    Ricky

    Boerne, TX

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  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
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    It's getting to be fall up here in the north.  Smoked chili is on my list of easy first cooks.  Any regular chili recipe smoked with cherry wood for an hour or two at about 225 degrees.  Stir every 15 to 20 minutes.  You will never go back to "stove" chili again.

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    edited October 2015
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    @slovelad+1 on chicken, I like to do boneless skinless thighs, sprinkles some bbq rub and then Sauce at the end, everyone loves them. More of a quick cook than starting out with a pork butt.

    how do you intend to light the egg and what charcoal did you pick up?
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
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    This is how I popped my cherry only a month ago. 7.5lb Boston Butt. Super easy and delicious plus it fed my family for a week. 


    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
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    Search on Spatchcock chicken.  I make a couple a week.  Hard to beat taste wise and hard to screw up.  Two choices:  Direct at 350 raised grid or Indirect at 450 over platestter.  Welcome! 
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    My first cook on my first egg was a standing rib roast low and slow indirect. I did everything wrong you could possibly imagine on the cook, and it came out killer.
    find what you like, keep cooking to you perfect it.
    I will warn you though, the cost to get in, is much less expensive than the cost to stay in. 
    As you are aware, this site has a lot of very smart individuals that are experts with the egg, and everything remotely associated. Good people that are very helpful.
    Welcome, you will love the lifestyle.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • mshump
    mshump Posts: 212
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    Welcome and enjoy.
    Danville, Il
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  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,415
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    First off Welcome. I agree with the dry run, I should have done it.  Pork Butts are very forgiving for a first low and slow.  amazingribs and whiz are great websites with tons of info
    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
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  • slovelad
    slovelad Posts: 1,742
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    @Tier1Terrier that looks delicious! I would love to do that for a first cook. Would you mind giving me some instruction on how you prepared and cooked it?
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Welcome. I read virgin and thought I was on the site I hide from my wife.  :o
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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