Egg owners living in apartments

bgeaddikt · March 2016

How many live in apartments and own an Egg? I live in a apartment currently and its difficult to cook since any grilling is restricted aside from using the rusty grills behind the complex near a small trail. Past 2 cooks i hauled my egg down by the trail and let it sit quietly and brought it back up when food was done. I have a large, maybe a smaller egg would be easier but i love my large haha. Any similar situations?

THEBuckeye · March 2016

Don't face that issue (yet) but my wife and I are looking to downsize and I will not buy or live in a place where "charcoal grills" are not permitted.

Some things are non-negotiable,

Foghorn · March 2016

I've wondered about this so I am interested in this thread. We have (very preliminarily) looked at beach condos on Florida for retirement - and apparently by Florida law there is no cooking on apartment balconies (with gas or coal - they do allow electric "grills"). Sometimes people on the ground floor move their grill onto the grass to cook (my plan "A" if we ever buy a condo).

I don't know the law in Texas, but I do know that I have seen numerous grills, including a BGE and some other kamados on apartment balconies on the Guadalupe River and on the beach.

Obviously, each complex can make it's own rules more strict. As can each municipality - so the law in Austin may be an issue for you as well.

I don't have any good advice for how to operationalize it with your egg. Sorry. Others may be along with that.

johnnyp · March 2016

My primary fear with apartment egging would be theft.

Every apartment I've ever lived in, I had issues with theft. Anything left on the patio would magically grow legs and walk away.

RRP · March 2016

I know a guy who is now a Junior in college who took a Mini with him his freshman year. His sophomore year he left the mini at home and took his parents small egg. He carries it using a PotLifter. Would that work for you? Seems like transporting a large would be a real PITA and potential for breakage.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · March 2016

@20stonestone got all the kids out and downsized for a bit to a grill-free condo but he snuck a mini max on to his balcony. His large is a mile away in a family member's backyard. He's looking for a house again.

Jeremiah · March 2016

I live in a trailer. Does that count?

xfire_ATX · March 2016

Pretty sure Austin doesn't allow Apt grilling w/ in 15' of apts. When I was younger I used to haul a Weber Smokey Joe up and down the steps to grill but I didn't have my own patio either. The Weber cooled down fairly quickly and I just dumped the spent ash in the dumpster. I would imagine the cool down time for an egg to bring back into an apt could be long and you would have to plan accordingly.

1move · March 2016

I lived in a condo and got onto the regulating condo board. They were against all charcoal grills at one meeting and I was for it. I held the next meeting at my place and cooked for all of them, and educated them a bit more about the egg and Kamados in general. Needless to say the board now approves Kamado grills, and it was written into the Condo bylaws.

kl8ton · March 2016

@1move
That is awesome

KiterTodd · March 2016

Seems like a little minimax would be ideal for this.

Your problem in any dense community, though, is going to be opinionated neighbors. Even if you dial it in, somebody could complain about smelling your brisket cooking all night and file a complaint. I suppose you have to make sure the HOA rules are clear that it is allowed if you don't want to risk it.

If I were in an apartment, I'd probably cook on my balcony with a minimax until informed otherwise. Ask for forgiveness...

If I was moving in to a condo/apartment complex I'd pick a unit that backs to green space instead of more buildings. The less obvious you are. That's also why I've liked living on the ground floor, but yeah, then you do have more of a security risk if that is a concern.

kl8ton · March 2016

Maybe run a big fat orange extension cord to the egg on your balcony. People may assume it is electric.

xfire_ATX · March 2016

Austin Code- I get the why, plenty of idiots that will dowse briquettes in gasoline.
“Residential barbecue pits and incinerators. No person may construct, erect, install, maintain or use any incinerator or barbecue pit or bum any combustible material to constitute a fire hazard by the use or burning or to endanger the life or property of any person. Residential barbecue pits, hibachis or other cooking appliances utilizing charcoal, wood or gas as a fuel may not be stored or used on any balconies of residential occupancies, on other combustible balconies, within five feet measured horizontally from any portion of a combustible building, or within fifteen feet measured along the shortest distance if the pit is located below any portion of a combustible building.”

20stone · March 2016

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

@20stonestone got all the kids out and downsized for a bit to a grill-free condo but he snuck a mini max on to his balcony. His large is a mile away in a family member's backyard. He's looking for a house again.

I have to say that my situation is functional, but not ideal.

We have had the MiniMax about a month, and have used it periodically, mostly for quick sears on steaks/chops after they have been in the Jacuzzi for awhile.

We are more clandestine than most, being on a top floor and having our balcony configured where there is a concealed area. However, we also had a 5 alarm fire in the building (probably an overreaction on a slow fire day with dudes that needed training) due to a microwave error. It would not be shocking to me if some dude with an axe whacks down my door before too long.

As @The Cen-Tex Smoker said, we are house shopping for a reason, and that reason is green.

bgeaddikt · March 2016

I've had 2 long over night cooks, to be stealthy and discrete it was done at night, with no problems and I did attach a cord so people think it plugs in. I situated it behind my apartments away from the buildings near the dog park. Egg doesn't produce visible smoke on slow cooks. I have to tend to it often and am paranoid someone will spot it and haul it away mid cook. I plan on building a small portable nest that will cover most of the egg so its hard to tell what it is. Even thought about letting it sit by itself in the wooded part of the trails and just check on it when cook is done. I live on the first floor on a corner towards the back. I've seen on 1 occasion a neighbor wheeled out an offset smoker in the middle of the parking lot and I never saw him have any issues but im not the type to do that.

KiterTodd · March 2016

bgeaddikt said:

... and I did attach a cord so people think it plugs in...

Classic!

Nice work.

bgeaddikt · March 2016

Backside of apartments and dog park

lousubcap · March 2016

Very timely thread. SWMBO is talking of the proverbial downsizing. I have told her that there will be no deal unless the BGE's are good to go.
I did the clandestine thing for a couple of years (BC) in an apartment complex with a weber grill. Not even going to try that game again.

FLgrillinGirl · March 2016

The mini is small enough to "sneak" onto a balcony. I always bring it with me when traveling and you would be surprised where I have been able to fire it up.
(It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission!)

At home, I have a small and mini on the 2nd story balcony of my 3 story townhouse, and no one has ever said a word about it to me... now some of my neighbors have eggs on theirs, too. I guess it depends on where you live and how much the rules are enforced.

YukonRon · March 2016

Fortunately we have downsized already.
Our Neighborhood association had some very loosely written terms covering rules and regulations for charcoal burning grills. I explored the parameters starting with the old Weber, then the XL and the MM. Had them all three going at once. Only had one neighbor to complain, she actually came to my house with her copy of the neighborhood association bylaws. She came back to my grilling area, and started with her citing the rules. I gave her a chilled white burgundy, invited her to dinner with us. Long story short, or at least bearable, she now owns her own Kommado type cooker, occasionally borrows some of my smoking wood, from time to time, and is always around when we do major functions.
All of my neighbors, except one (and his time is coming) cooks with charcoal now.
We got it worked out.

Sweet100s · March 2016

YukonRon, are you in Sales?

Nicely done.

YukonRon · March 2016

Sweet100s said:

YukonRon, are you in Sales?
Nicely done.

No, I am a chemical engineer, project manager and field support tech. I have gotten pretty good over the years with the interpretation of rules and regulations and finding loopholes, where none thought they had previously existed.
Food and wine, historically, have altered the opinions of some of the most staunch antagonists. War is the other approach.

bgeaddikt · March 2016

Can u spot her? I plan on getting more artificial trees and camo

DoubleEgger · March 2016

One of my friends lost her sister in a condo fire a couple of weeks ago and it was no fault of hers. (Started in a different unit) I don't trust anybody with open flames. Things can get out of hand quickly hence the reason I could never live in an apartment/condo/townhouse.

BizGreenEgg · March 2016

My buddy just bought his first egg and is in an apartment. So it is currently stored in my garage - difficult restrictions. He and his lady move into their new house in about a month.

fishlessman · March 2016

been along time since living in an apartment. remember the girl down stairs banging on my door, angry, mad, out of control because my truck was parked in my spot

i live on two lakes and will not even join the lake associations, would rather all the angry people not know my name

FLgrillinGirl · March 2016

bgeaddikt said:

Can u spot her? I plan on getting more artificial trees and camo

Do you have to move that large in through your apartment to take it onto the grass? You need a handler, for sure. Great investment if you are moving it over bumpy areas. Better than that, though, for your situation, is a small, mini, or MiniMax...and you can bring it inside so no one will steal it, or leave it out and cover it with fake leaves/workout equipment.

Mikee · March 2016

All the apartments where I am at are single story units with uncovered, concrete patio's. Almost everyone has some sort of outdoor grill. I completely understand why many apartment complexes prohibit the use of gas/charcoal grills; all it takes is one fool to create a fire.

Zippylip · March 2016

under the circumstances as described it hardly seems worth the agg just to cook on ceramic, I'd go small & metal for quickness of cool down/ease of movement & wait until you're back on a property that works for ceramic to pull the egg out; but I'm a lazy ****

bgeaddikt · March 2016

But the taste of food on an egg...i cant let it go, i just cant

Jellyworm · March 2016

I live in a condo in Houston. The fire code here allows you to cook provided you have no other flammable material on the patio/balcony. So I am good to go as long as the furniture is iron. I will be putting my medium in as soon as the refurbishing is complete. Can't wait. For now, only cooking on my LBGE on weekends at our away home.

Egg owners living in apartments

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