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Newbie

cheharri
cheharri Posts: 2
in EggHead Forum
I was able to acquire a large BGE for a very good price since the previous owner wanted a mini BGE. I don't have any experience with a BGE. I have watched youtube videos, however the first thing that I did was to join this forum. I just don't know what to cook first, or where to start. Any suggestions? I feel as though I have information overload. I have read several articles on this forum. Is there a newbie area?? LOL  Thanks in advance.
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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,535
    Welcome! Smart move coming here first. Ask away with any questions big or small. Always someone here to help out. Throw some lump in the egg and fire it up! Play around with the vents once lit and see how you can control different temperatures. You don't necessarily need to toss on food right away. Just take a little time and get familiar with it. Ask away with any questions!
    "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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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262

    Greetings and welcome aboard.  Cook everything.  Pork butt and meatloaf are two low cost practice items for low and slow.

    Have fun.
    Phoenix 
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  • EggSmokeVa
    EggSmokeVa Posts: 378
    The first thing I cooked on mine were spare ribs.. but it wouldn't hurt to load it up with a little lump and practice temp control... Pork shoulder is always a good option too.. welcome and enjoy! 
    Large BGE
    36" BlackStone
    Backwoods G2 Party
    Yard full of other stuff to cook on

    RVA -> Chesapeake Va
    Professional Drinker & Home Cook
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,839
    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Great move to jump right into the forum.  And since you are here-what follows is a reading assignment...just kidding but there is some good info in the below.  And within reason you cannot load too much lump.  Air-flow is the driver-please see below.

    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  Many suggest spatchcock chix as a good intro cook-you will find it in the above linked recipe section.

    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/

     After-market toys- With the BGE there are three basic styles of cooking;  “direct”-where the cooking grid is on top of the fire ring; “raised direct”-where the grid is elevated at least to the gasket-line (this setup requires after-market stuff-easiest is to get another grid and then use three fire bricks (or three empty aluminum beer cans) and place them on the grid at the fire ring and then put the second grid on top. The third is “indirect” where there is a heat deflector (platesetter or some other type stone) between the burning lump and the cooking grid.  This is the setup for low&slow long duration cooks.  I would get comfortable playing around with the BGE before any major after-market investments.  Will save you $$ in the long run.

     Some observations-make sure you calibrate your dome thermo-boil some water, then insert the thermo and check the temp.  If not around 210*F, then note the off-set and use the nut on the back to correct.  Then recheck.

    Temperature is a controlled by the volume of lump burning.  The volume is controlled by the air-flow thru the BGE.  In thru the bottom vent and out the top.  Make sure when you set it up that the fire box opening is aligned with the lower vent. 

    When adjusting the vent(s) to change temperature, the feedback loop can take some time.  Changes in air-flow are reflected in the dome thermo temp.  Don’t chase temperature; +/- 10-15*F is close enough.

    “Stable temperature” is a relative term.  Means you haven’t moved the vents and the temperature is steady for anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

    More than enough for tonight.

    Above all, have fun.


    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Welcome aboard.  Good advice above.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,461
    Yet another "welcome aboard" post! Personally I have read about people going out and spending say hundreds of dollars for steaks and inviting people over for their first cook only for it to be a MAJOR diaster! My advice is to tone down your enthusiasm and start with some cheaper meat such as chicken, burgers or such with just your family.The BGE is a forgiving cooker, but just the same you need to learn how it cooks differently from whatever grill you have been using all these years.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    What are you used to cooking? I'd do something you're already good at and see how the egg improves it!


    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    Damn @lousubcap that's an encyclopedia!  Cleaver looks good though, doesn't it.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,839
    edited April 2017
    @Legume -  Gotta admit that it was a work in progress for quite a while.  Now it's primarily a cut and paste job with adaptations as I go.  The one thing that got me on my first BGE cook was the dome to grid temperature off-set especially on L&S cooks.  I knew how long a rack of baby backs should take at a given temp from previous rigs.  Well I blew right thru that-then I was enlightened.  Perhaps I should add an appendix... ;)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • cheharri
    cheharri Posts: 2
    Thanks for all your suggestions. I have used a weber kettle for the last few years. I fired it up a couple times this week because mold started growing sinceI had the cover on it while I was building a table. I haven't tried calibrating the temp gauge yet, I guess that will do that next. Right now I just don't know what to ask. Thanks again.

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,839
    Don't ask, just jump into the deep end of the pool and have at it.   
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    I think what @rrp was trying to say was order a SRF brisket and fire up that egg. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    Oh, and welcome aboard. 

    I'm absolutely shocked we haven't heard "spatchcock chicken" yet. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,461
    Biggreenpharmacist said:
    I think what @rrp was trying to say was order a SRF brisket and fire up that egg. 
    I did? Must be these adult drinks that I decided to trash my kidneys with tonight making me talk like an old conservative dude.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    I'm just teasing. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Biggreenpharmacist said:
    I'm just teasing. 
    You're such a tease.  Just try and help the plebe!  Geez. B)
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    lousubcap said:
    Perhaps I should add an appendix... ;)
    Nobody eats that, not even @SGH
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Legume said:
    lousubcap said:
    Perhaps I should add an appendix... ;)
    Nobody eats that, not even @SGH
    It's pretty close to the anus...
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    Legume said:
    lousubcap said:
    Perhaps I should add an appendix... ;)
    Nobody eats that, not even @SGH
    Scottie will eat anything. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    Chicken is really easy, quick and comes out great. Spatchcock whole, quarters, thighs, legs etc. Anything, basically. Good luck.
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  • Cmyachtie
    Cmyachtie Posts: 101
    RRP said:
    Yet another "welcome aboard" post! Personally I have read about people going out and spending say hundreds of dollars for steaks and inviting people over for their first cook only for it to be a MAJOR diaster! My advice is to tone down your enthusiasm and start with some cheaper meat such as chicken, burgers or such with just your family.The BGE is a forgiving cooker, but just the same you need to learn how it cooks differently from whatever grill you have been using all these years.
    +1 on the above, been cooking on BGE just 4 months and just try it with one of your favs that you've bbq'd before and are good at and once you get the temp. Control mastered move on to whatever you fancy trying.
    found it to be. A bit of a learning curve for me despite having used lump before 40 yrs ago and cooked extensively with gas for the last 30 or so.
    don't forget to try veggies as they are the best on a BGE and no loss if you ruin any.

    welcome to the forum, you will be reading forever ...LOL
    MMx, my not so large BGE
    Genesis E330 gasser 
    WiFi ANOVA SV
    Halifax, Canada
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  • lbbf
    lbbf Posts: 33
    Spatchcock chicken would be hard to beat for a first time cook. Easy, especially if you get at temp probe, and delicious.
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  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    there's a ton to learn, take your time & enjoy it all; there's no real end-game to this endeavor except fun, if you stick with it you'll still be learning & experimenting 10 years from now.  You'll make a lotta mistakes but they're mostly still edible & almost always better than the garbage served at most restaurants
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    Friday. Newbie. Talk of anus already...

    Gonna be a good day. 

    Spatchcock chicken and pork butts are cheap and forgiving pieces of meat.  Practice, practice, practice. 

    And welcome. 

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • SmyrnaGA
    SmyrnaGA Posts: 438
    Baby back ribs...

    Large BGE, Small BGE, KJ Jr, and a Cracked Vision Kub.

    in Smyrna GA.


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  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,112
    Welcome. Just keep it simple and focus on the execution. Pre plan for a bit. Once your up to speed or more confident start experimenting. 

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    six_egg said:
    Welcome. Just keep it simple and focus on the execution. Pre plan for a bit. Once your up to speed or more confident start experimenting. 
    Sound advice. Have your cooks planned out and all the prep done before the cook. Start with simple cooks and work your way up to the artful masterpieces. 

    Above all - have fun!  :)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,953
    Welcome aboard!!
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    Didn't @BigGreenCraig write a coffee table book about this? 

    "My First Cook - The Photographs" 

     B) 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    THEBuckeye said:
    Didn't @BigGreenCraig write a coffee table book about this? 

    "My First Cook - The Photographs" 

     B) 

    Little Rock, AR

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