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Appetizers, pizza, & a lesson about fire mgmt.

I knew this morning I was going to make pizza tonight so I THOUGHT I would work smart today. I knew I wanted to make some meatballs and cook some chicken for the pizza tonight. I cranked up the egg about 12:00 noon and let the temp settle in at about 375. I cooked the meatballs and chicken indirect @ 375 for about 25 minutes. Then I shut the dampers to just a crack open and let the temperature drop off. 


The egg was just idling until about halftime during the Aggie game. I tried baking some empanadas using puff pastry dough. I cranked it back up to 400 degrees and cooked the empanadas for 20 minutes. Then I pinched off the dampers to lower the temperature again. 



Ok, this is where the train came off the tracks...

While the Aggies were screwing up during the fourth quarter, I went out and opened the dampers on the egg. I was going to let the temp come up to 525 for the pizza. Problem was, the temp wouldn't go past 350 or so. I had lump, but I guess not enough or the ash had clogged things up a bit. I ended up pulling the platesetter and pizza stone (thanks to the woo from CGS that wasn't hard). I started some lump in the chimney starter and then added that on top of the lump in the egg. After about 30 - 40 minutes I got the temp up to about 525.

We made pizza and it was good but it was about an hour later then I planned - no big deal on a Saturday night. I guess the lesson is that it takes more lump than I thought to reach good baking temps after burning for 6 hours already. Oh well, experience is a good teacher. Maybe I need two eggs???

The Greek salad was tasty .


Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                      YukonRon

Comments

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    That pizza looks crazy good!!

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    +1 for adding another egg. The food looks great.

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Adapt and Overcome. Nice work!  Everything looks great...killed the pizza :clap: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    That pizza looks crazy good!!
    Thanks! It was grilled chicken tenders seasoned with DP rub, mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella, and pizza sauce. I used 00 flour - I'm now a fan for thin crust. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • TTC
    TTC Posts: 1,035
    Love an all day, multiple item cook. Long low and slows are fun, but more than anything I enjoy having the egg going all day doing lunch+snack+dinner. Looks great sir
    XL BGE, Blackstone, Roccbox, Weber Gasser, Brown Water, Cigars --  Gallatin, TN

    2001 Mastercraft Maristar 230 VRS

    Ikon pass 

    Colorado in the winter and the Lake in the Summer
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @TTC I enjoyed having the egg ready for the various things I cooked. It would have worked fine if I had not needed the high temps toward the end. And thanks for the kind words.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Tbent
    Tbent Posts: 225
    Nice cook day! It all looks great. I definitely see additional eggs in your future. 
    L, S, MM, Mini
    Washington, IL
  • @sciaggie killer empanadas and the pizza looks amazing. Great looking meals!
    Fort Worth, TX      
    LG Big Green Egg, Weber Genesis Gasser, 36” Blackstone Griddle, Weber Jumbo Joe

    Flame Boss 300, Orange Thermapen (because Orange is the fastest)
  • mahenryak
    mahenryak Posts: 1,324
    edited October 2015
    Very nice, indeed!  Great looking entrees.
    LG BGE, KJ Jr, Smokin Bros. Premier 36 and Pizza Party Bollore



  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I always fill up to firering. Takes the issue out of equation. Size egg?

    food look great. Nice work 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • JMJ
    JMJ Posts: 52
    Love it, especially the pizza. And meatballs - great idea! How did you season them?
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Chubbs said:
    I always fill up to firering. Takes the issue out of equation. Size egg?

    It's a large. I cleaned the egg and filled to the top of the fire ring before I started today. I did have a large amount of small pieces. I think as the day wore on they kind of fell together with a little ash and restricted the airflow enough I couldn't reach high temps. But I could be wrong...
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited October 2015
    JMJ said:
    Love it, especially the pizza. And meatballs - great idea! How did you season them?
    They were the bourbon moxie meatballs from Smoke It Like a Pro - minus the Moxie. I really enjoy them.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Tinyfish
    Tinyfish Posts: 1,755
    Everything turned out great.