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What does adding a Minimax do for me if I already have a Large and Medium?
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Love my Jr it’s perfect for quick weeknight cooks or for preparing sidesgarthb4903 said:
How do you like your Kamado Jr?ColtsFan said:I'd go the opposite way and grab an XL. You may not think you need one, but you do~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
@badinfluence said “Hold My Beer!”Mattman3969 said:The one with the most eggs wins per @caliking
RIP -
Ok, decided I needed more data, so I experimented with a weeknight chicken thighs/vegetables cook on the medium, chicken first, then veggies. Total time from start of firing up egg to finish cooking vegetables: 1 hour. I didn't realize it took me that long in the past, that pretty much seals the deal for me on a MM/Kjr for weeknight cooks!
@ColtsFan @SciAggie @bgebrent @cookingdude555
How long does it take you generally to do weeknight cooks start to finish on the MM?
L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
I light with a JJ George torch and use recycled smaller lump out of the large(s)and XL. I'm cooking in 10 minutes on the Jr.. Depending on the cook, well under 45 minutes in most casesgarthb4903 said:Ok, decided I needed more data, so I experimented with a weeknight chicken thighs/vegetables cook on the medium, chicken first, then veggies. Total time from start of firing up egg to finish cooking vegetables: 1 hour. I didn't realize it took me that long in the past, that pretty much seals the deal for me on a MM/Kjr for weeknight cooks!
@ColtsFan @SciAggie @bgebrent @cookingdude555
How long does it take you generally to do weeknight cooks start to finish on the MM?~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
“How long” to cook a week night meal is an interesting question because of my workflow and my family status. By family status I mean my children are grown - I’m not bustling to soccer or softball practice - that sort of thing. It’s just me and my wife and when I finally get home I have no further time obligations.
So here’s my work flow. I seldom prep ahead. So I get home and have to prep and peel vegetables, cut up protein and make a marinade (if that’s involved) - that sort of thing. This usually takes me 30 minutes or so on a broad average.
So I manage my eggs by starting them as soon as I get ready to begin the meal process. One thing I do prep ahead are the eggs - I always try to clean them and add fresh lump well ahead. By lighting the eggs as soon as I start the cooking process they are coming up to temp as I’m prepping the meal. They are always ready by the time I need them. In the rare instances they aren’t up to temp I just have an adult beverage...
All in all I usually allow an hour from the time I light the egg and open the refrigerator until we sit down to eat.
I actually manage my wood oven the same way. It takes about three hours to come up to temp. Some days I’m home from work by 3:30 or so. I’ll build a fire in the oven - and go for my run. When I get back I’ll add some wood - go shower and change. I’ll check the fire - and do some chores around the house (laundry, empty the dishwasher, whatever). I’ll add wood - then go prep supper. The oven will be ready when I need it.
Remember this too - it took me a long time to realize this: your egg is very fuel efficient. There is nothing wrong with lighting your egg an hour or more ahead of ever needing it. Just let it sit and “idle” until you need it. Even if I’m going to do a high temp cook like a stir fry I might light the egg and let is idle at 275 degrees until I need it. If It’s there - you can open the vents and have it up to melt your eyebrows temp very quickly.
As you can tell I’m not in the “I can get my egg hot and cook a meal in 20 minutes” camp. If others can do that, great. I’m just never in that big a rush. (Remember my kids are gone and I don’t deal with long time consuming commutes)
Edit: one pro tip - it sounds like @ColtsFan and I do something similar. I always take the small pieces of lump left in my large egg when I clean it - and add them to my MM. The small pieces are more space efficient and get hot faster. Then I have large pieces of lump in the large egg. This works for me.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 -
I don’t think the MMX speeds up my cook over the medium. When I cook, I always clean up the last egg I used and get the lump ready for the next cook. Then a hit from the weed burner has every egg ready pretty quickly.
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Mm is a small extra capacity unit that you may use more than you think...i use a lodge 5 qt double dutch to make french fries on my minimax...get the cgs woo amd you are golden
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The only reason to add a MM on top your Large and Medium is if you can't fit what you need to cook on the 2 Eggs you have now or want a smaller Egg to travel with.
The issues you point out such as not getting enough char or time it takes to get Eggs up to cooking temp is just technique.
Don't use the forum to "justify" spending money. If you just want it, go buy it.
With a propane starter torch I can quickly light my XL in 4 places and be grilling in 15 minutes. Large is even faster.
Getting a good char...Keep your top vent fully open and control your temp with lower vent. Or close the bottom vent and grill with the dome open. This keeps less moisture in the Egg. Fill your Egg with lump closer to the top of the fire ring and don't use your Woo. This will get your food closer to the heat and flames.
The photo above with your chicken, fire/coals don't look very hot and chicken is very high above the heat. Get the heat closer by using one of the tips above.Thank you,DarianGalveston Texas -
agree with @Photo Egg. I keep my cast iron grid in my medium on the fire ring all of the time, and when I want to raise from that, I put the woo in. Allows me to get a good char that I am after, then roast on the woo afterwards.
In the end, the MM will not get you anything more than your medium, only less. I can do more on my medium, its my favorite size by a long shot. I doubt I would be able to measure charcoal savings using my MM over the Medium.
But you should go get the MM. These is no justification for it, but it is fun to have the additional egg. I have like 10 eggs or some crazy number. I would say I need the XL, the rest are toys. -
Thank you, that is actually very helpful. What I'm doing "wrong": not lighting in multiple places with my torch, cooking grid too high, and no practice grilling on the large (only used for low and slow). So, I'm sure I can grill on the large and get everything cooked at the same time.Photo Egg said:
The issues you point out such as not getting enough char or time it takes to get Eggs up to cooking temp is just technique.
Don't use the forum to "justify" spending money. If you just want it, go buy it.
Yes, I'd love a MM, but I don't feel good about spending $500 to compensate for my bad technique...L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
Sounds like I need a cast iron grid!cookingdude555 said:agree with @Photo Egg. I keep my cast iron grid in my medium on the fire ring all of the time, and when I want to raise from that, I put the woo in. Allows me to get a good char that I am after, then roast on the woo afterwards.L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
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That will give you pretty grill marks.garthb4903 said:
Sounds like I need a cast iron grid!cookingdude555 said:agree with @Photo Egg. I keep my cast iron grid in my medium on the fire ring all of the time, and when I want to raise from that, I put the woo in. Allows me to get a good char that I am after, then roast on the woo afterwards.Thank you,DarianGalveston Texas -
Cooking on an Egg, stick burner, Weber Kettle or stove top are all different. It will start to click and just be automatic for you as time goes on and you gain experience.garthb4903 said:
Thank you, that is actually very helpful. What I'm doing "wrong": not lighting in multiple places with my torch, cooking grid too high, and no practice grilling on the large (only used for low and slow). So, I'm sure I can grill on the large and get everything cooked at the same time.Photo Egg said:
The issues you point out such as not getting enough char or time it takes to get Eggs up to cooking temp is just technique.
Don't use the forum to "justify" spending money. If you just want it, go buy it.
Yes, I'd love a MM, but I don't feel good about spending $500 to compensate for my bad technique...
The goal, for me, when I first started cooking on grills was to solve one issue at a time. If I'm not getting the result I want, how do I adjust my cook next time to get closer to a win? If you want to get up to grilling temp faster, for a fast cook like chicken thighs, I would light the large in at least 3 places. I normally do 10-2-6 o'clock and nothing in the dead middle. If I want a hotter fire, 4-5 spots hit with torch for 30-45 seconds. Bottom vent wide open, dome closed with top vent all open or completely off. Start closing bottom vent when temps get closer to target. I normally still use my Woo but fill with lump so it domes the top of the fire ring. Easier to watch and flip meat at Woo level.
If you prefer using less lump than skip the Woo and put grid on fire ring. If we can get the Large to 800-900 degrees to cook pizza in a couple minutes you can also char some chicken.
Now I'm hungry for Chicken!Thank you,DarianGalveston Texas -
Better crust development on a steak with a more open ss grid.garthb4903 said:
Sounds like I need a cast iron grid!cookingdude555 said:agree with @Photo Egg. I keep my cast iron grid in my medium on the fire ring all of the time, and when I want to raise from that, I put the woo in. Allows me to get a good char that I am after, then roast on the woo afterwards.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. -
Welcome this little big guy to his forever home...
L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
You’ll love it. Between my 3 eggs and BS, the MM pulls the most weight for the two of us.garthb4903 said:Welcome this little big guy to his forever home...
To answer the original question, 45-60’.
Leaving the lower screen open while coming up to temp (if on a safe surface) is a great tip I learned from @YukonRon. Enjoy your new cooker.Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga -
I typically leave both the lower screen and the top wide open when coming to temp, is that what you mean?Leaving the lower screen open while coming up to temp (if on a safe surface) is a great tip I learned from @YukonRon. Enjoy your new cooker.
And thanks!L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
Exactly.garthb4903 said:Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga -
Congrats! Enjoy it.garthb4903 said:Welcome this little big guy to his forever home... -
all the comments helped, got me to figure out what I really wanted, which is: ability to cook at different temps at the same time, while not use the large for weekday cooks to (hopefully) save a little time, and- to have another toy. Thanks for the new tips @Photo Egg @cookingdude555 @bgebrent @ColtsFan
@SciAggie @jtcBoynton @westernbbq !!!
L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
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You're gonna love it! Congrats!LBGE, MM, & Mini. Weber Smokey Joe for a knockabout.
"Honestly, Honey! Just one more Egg, and one more gun, and I'll be done!" -
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Now I get to change my signature to add the MM! I'm such a sucker!bgebrent said:Have fun!L, M, MM "These pretzels are making me thirsty" -
I got mine Saturday, did 2 small cooks to initiate it. I LOVE it. enjoy it. I am done finding excuses for getting toys. My answer is " Because I can "
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Took my MM to my son's all day soccer tournament on Saturday and cooked up hot dogs, sausages and chicken wings for the kids and family members. I use the MM at home primarily to sear or for short grill sessions - but love the travel functionality. I've got a mini as well but the MM gets a lot more action. I just lift it into a yard wagon and tote it around that way. The new stand works great for on location cooking as well.Formerly of Houston, TX - Now Located in Bastrop, TX
I work in the 'que business now (since 2017)
6 Eggs: (1) XL, (2) Large, (1) Small, (1) Minimax & (1) Mini - Egging since 2007
Also recently gained: (1) Gas Thing (came with the house), (1) 36" Blackstone Griddle & (1) Pitts & Spitts Pellet Smoker
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