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Has anyone perfected open-dome grilling?

2

Comments

  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    blasting said:
    put a grid under the fire ring, briquettes on that grid, grid for cooking over the top of the ring.  you now have a kettle grill. ive done this many times when i am out of lump ;)

      I'm thinking an Argentinian grill is in my future.

    Mine too! You're a lot more connected to the fire when you can see it. My inner-Mallman is having trouble adjusting to the Egg. To be fair, I only purchased the BGE for smoking so not that big a deal.
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    If you have the bottom closed , and top open, you're still feeding oxygen, just in a different fashion.

    NOLA made a great point that the fire usually stays where the oxygen is coming from. 

    You'll want a raised grid though. 
    ------------------------------
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  • I cook open all the time. Shut the vent if things heat up too much. If it gets away from you a 1/4 cup of water will mellow the fire in seconds. Shutting the Vent works for me though 


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • good call on the raised grid Matt. I cook on an adjustable rig with the crossbars set up high. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,125
    I cook open all the time. Shut the vent if things heat up too much. If it gets away from you a 1/4 cup of water will mellow the fire in seconds. Shutting the Vent works for me though 


    Pouring liquids on the fire violates the warranty. The last thing you want is to be judged as a scoundrel by a midwestern grill and patio shop employee in the event that you have to file warranty claim. 
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    I cook open all the time. Shut the vent if things heat up too much. If it gets away from you a 1/4 cup of water will mellow the fire in seconds. Shutting the Vent works for me though 


    Pouring liquids on the fire violates the warranty. The last thing you want is to be judged as a scoundrel by a midwestern grill and patio shop employee in the event that you have to file warranty claim. 
    only if the liquid is lighter fluid ;)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,125
    I cook open all the time. Shut the vent if things heat up too much. If it gets away from you a 1/4 cup of water will mellow the fire in seconds. Shutting the Vent works for me though 


    Pouring liquids on the fire violates the warranty. The last thing you want is to be judged as a scoundrel by a midwestern grill and patio shop employee in the event that you have to file warranty claim. 
    only if the liquid is lighter fluid ;)

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    I cook open all the time. Shut the vent if things heat up too much. If it gets away from you a 1/4 cup of water will mellow the fire in seconds. Shutting the Vent works for me though 


    Pouring liquids on the fire violates the warranty. The last thing you want is to be judged as a scoundrel by a midwestern grill and patio shop employee in the event that you have to file warranty claim. 
    only if the liquid is lighter fluid ;)

    they used to test eggs with water with a 1200 degree fire and didnt get them to crack.

    they updated the warranty to this, why they changed it i dont know why, its just flammables now

    13. VOIDING THE WARRANTY: Any unauthorized modifications or alterations to an EGG will void the Warranty. This includes using any parts inside the EGG other than authentic BGE components; drilling holes or tampering with any of the parts; or using any internal components in any way other than as intended by the manufacturer. Modifying or substituting any internal components, including the fire grate and fire ring, will void the Warranty, and BGE expressly disclaims any liability for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damage which may result. The pouring of lighter fluids or any flammable mixture onto or into an EGG will void the Warranty. This practice is dangerous and may result in damage or injury. Please see Safety Tips at BigGreenEgg.com.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Well the good news is that when you have to claim a warranty you can just lie and say you didn't pour water into the egg. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    SonVolt said:
    Well the good news is that when you have to claim a warranty you can just lie and say you didn't pour water into the egg. 


    not trying to be a ****, but a free chunk of ceramic is not worth my integrity.

    Phoenix 
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    $1,099 is worth a small amount of integrity I think. No offense taken. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,041
    Ran the mini open dome this weekend with some kingsford for these skewers.  Worked well and didn’t lose any body hair. 
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    SonVolt said:
    Well the good news is that when you have to claim a warranty you can just lie and say you didn't pour water into the egg. 
    Don't let Pete Prescott or Focker hear you say this or they will damn you to the lowest depths of hell as scum equivalent to Hitler and Mussolini.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Last brisket I cooked gave up a gallon of liquid.

    My eggs are so modded out that I don't think 1/4 cup of water is going to be the end of my warranty. I have a kick ash basket, a Smokeware cap, adjustable rigs, spiders, etc. Pretty sure most of us are out of compliance in some way or another. 


    Fortunately I have never abused it and my dealer (who sold me half this stuff anyway) is a good one and has taken care of my legitimate claims no questions asked. I will go years with cracked rings and boxes etc so I'm not lined up for freebies every time something starts to go bad. I follow the spirit of the warranty and BGE has certainly done the same.  
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,125
    I’m just effing with you Cen Tex
  • I’m just effing with you Cen Tex
    I knew you were.  i was just kind of laughing when i read the "no aftermarket parts" section. Think we are all doomed on that one. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Yip, yip, yip.
    LOL

    Thou shall not steal
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    Yes.  Ive done so...by closing the dome...,
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Yes.  Ive done so...by closing the dome...,


    Then you're grill-roasting, which isn't always the best way to grill something. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    SonVolt said:
    Then you're grill-roasting, which isn't always the best way to grill something. 
    Theory.  Doctrine.  Dogma.   ;)

    In reality, in practice, I've grilled steaks, for example, "your" way for many years, and when I got my first Big Green Egg, I tried to learn how to do it in the Big Green Egg.  Even in restaurants, I've never had steaks as good as the ones I grill in my BGEs with the dome closed.  

    Am I positive that they wouldn't have been just as good if I'd done it with the dome open?  Nope.  They probably would have been fine.  All I know for sure is that you keep claiming that something you, yourself, haven't tried to learn or perfect, yet, isn't as good as the only way you've learned how to do it.  You can't know that.  If you just enjoy looking at the fire with the dome open, do whatever you like!  It's your Egg.  Enjoy it however you like.

    Maybe I'm like you in that I'm resisting using sous vide for steaks just because I like the idea of grilling over live fire more than I like the idea of cooking a steak in a plastic bag in a pan of water.  Unlike you, though, I understand that I can't say that the sous vide approach isn't as good as my own preferred method, because I haven't tried and perfected the sous vide approach, yet, so I really can't compare them.  I'd just rather cook a nice, thick steak with a low-and-slow cook over a fire at about 250° or so, and then take it out of the Egg, crank it up to 600° or 650° and sear it for a minute a side (with the dome closed).  I LOVE those steaks!  If it's only in there for a minute a side, is it really making any difference whether the dome is open or closed?  Probably not.  So is it really "grill-roasting?"  Yeah, maybe you care about the answer.  I'm not sure I do.  Bottom line is what matters to me:


  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited June 2018
    Theory.  Doctrine.  Dogma.    

    First off, I wasn't really talking about steak in the general sense here.... but thinner quicker cooking cuts like flap meat and skirt steak.  I also think you're assuming something about me that isn't totally accurate.  I'm not saying there's any one perfect way to cook something, I said sometimes lid-down grilling isn't the optimal way to grill a specific food. Case in point, thin cuts of meat like chicken yakitori, where with the dome down, the top-side would cook through before you ever had a chance to flip it. In addition, frequent brushing/glazing is also much easier when you're not dealing with a heavy ceramic top and battling rising temps. 


    In reality, in practice, I've grilled steaks, for example, "your" way for many years

    I have many ways of cooking a steak and I'm sure the BGE will be one of them.  My go-to method in recent years for searing a steak is on a 750F baking steel set over a gasser. No pointless grill marks, no flair ups, no bitter charry black spots, just even searing across the entire surface of the steak, in a matter of seconds. How I bring the steak up to temp varies, sometimes in the oven, sometimes charcoal, sometimes over lump. Sometimes in a zip-lock bag inside a pot of water. 



    Sometimes broiled and seared simultaneously in the oven.




    Either way, they all come out different but great. 





    All I know for sure is that you keep claiming that something you, yourself, haven't tried to learn or perfect, yet, isn't as good as the only way you've learned how to do it. 

    I never said that. I said grill-roasting isn't always the best method to choose in certain cases (see thin cut meats comment above). 

    Again, I'm really enjoying the egg. I bought it specifically for its versatility.  Part of that versatility is learning what it can and can't do.  Sometimes I like to grill with the lid open and that's the reason I made this post. To see if anyone has perfected that specific technique... not to argue whether a steak is or isn't better with the lid down. 

    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    SonVolt said:
    Well the good news is that when you have to claim a warranty you can just lie and say you didn't pour water into the egg. 
    Don't let Pete Prescott or Focker hear you say this or they will damn you to the lowest depths of hell as scum equivalent to Hitler and Mussolini.
    Not quite. LOL.
     
    Just a liar and a thief. People choose to lie all the time about warranty stuff I’m sure. Just don’t ask me to do it for you. Oh, IMO, it’s really unseemly to brag about it posthumously. 

    Guys like carey just love it though. I guess. It’s the best! Awesome! You know. 
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Guys, it was a joke. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    SonVolt said:
    Guys, it was a joke. 
    I picked up on that. 
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    SonVolt said:
    Well the good news is that when you have to claim a warranty you can just lie and say you didn't pour water into the egg. 
    Don't let Pete Prescott or Focker hear you say this or they will damn you to the lowest depths of hell as scum equivalent to Hitler and Mussolini.
    Not quite. LOL.
     
    Just a liar and a thief. People choose to lie all the time about warranty stuff I’m sure. Just don’t ask me to do it for you. Oh, IMO, it’s really unseemly to brag about it posthumously. 

    Guys like carey just love it though. I guess. It’s the best! Awesome! You know. 
    Birds of a feather...
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited June 2018
    Or is it huahuas of the same prickle... 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Those in glass houses...
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • TEXASBGE2018
    TEXASBGE2018 Posts: 3,831
    So did an open lid cook tonight. Chicken breast. Grate temp was maintained at 500. Bottom vent fully closed. Made sure my lump was low in the firebox. No popping or flare ups. 


    Rockwall, Tx    LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.