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"Must have" accessories

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm happy to say I am now the proud owner of a large BGE. I havn't purchased any accessories yet.[p]I your own opinion, what accessories couldn't you live without, and why?[p]
Thanks in advance for the help

Comments

  • JimE
    JimE Posts: 158
    originally posted by Smoke Diver on April 24, 2007 at 22:55:26:[p]Here's what I've accumulated. these are things I find myself using and wouldn't want to be without.
    1. Platesetter
    2. 14" cake pan for use as a drip pan atop inverted plate setter
    3. Pizza stone, used atop legs-down plate setter
    4. Half-inch copper elbows hammered a bit to flatten some, use to separate drip pan or pizza stone
    from plate setter so radiant heat doesn't get them so hot stuff burns
    5. 10" cake pan as smaller drip pan for small cooks
    6. 10" unglazed terracotta saucer (sold in Home Depot for sitting under terracotta pots) to shield
    10" drip pan from coals. Together with drip pan allows indirect cooking with less airflow
    restriction than plate setter.
    7. Elevated grid (built using 5" stainless steel carriage bolts, nuts, washers, and a 18" weber grill)
    8. BGE grid extender (the thing that clips on)
    9. Cast iron skillet with detachable handle (look in Meijers or Target). Detachable handle serves
    double-duty as grid lifter.
    10. Cast iron dutch oven.
    11. Not sure what to call this last one, but it is a circular stainless steel mesh, very very thin, that a
    pizza or bread dough can be placed on, and then the two placed on the pizza stone. Easier to use
    than a pizza peel, and still allows stone to nicely crisp the pizza or bread.
    Here are ways I use these internal parts.
    1. Steaks, burgers, anything where radiant heat is a crucial part of the cooking / grilling process:
    BGE grid directly on firering.
    2. Chicken parts, ABT's, anything where radiant heat is a part of the cooking process but you
    want less to avoid burning over longer cooking intervals - elevated grid atop firering.
    3. Whole chickens, beef roasts, anything where radiant heat is even less desired - BGE grid on
    firering, 10" terracotta saucer with copper elbows and 10" cake pan lined loosely with aluminum
    foil above, elevated grid over all that (legs still sitting on firering).
    4. The "low & slow" stuff - pork picnic roasts, pork butts, pork shoulders - platesetter legs up on
    firering, copper elbows on center of plate setter, 14" aluminum cake pan loosely lined with
    aluminum foil and resting on elbows, BGE grid on platesetter legs above all that, grid extender
    added if more meat than the main BGE grid can accomodate.
    5. Pizza and bread - plate setter legs down on firering, copper elbows on plate setter, pizza stone
    on elbows.
    Note - I mix and match for some stuff. When T-rexing steaks, I sear using "1" above, but finish
    using "2". Cast iron skillet can be used with "1" to sear steaks, or with "2" to cook chicken pieces
    and subsequently deglazed for sauce. Dutch oven can be used with "2" or "3" for pot roast, beans,
    chili...[p]

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    David Christ,
    i have 2 larges, one at the house and one at camp 100 miles away. only one set of accessories so they travel back and forth with me. i can cook most anything with a raised grill, a pizza stone, a 13.5 inch paella pan, some fire brick splits, a maverick et73 remote thermometer, a thermapen for instant temp reads,lawnranger grid lifter, and a #12 deep dutch oven. the splits and a second grill are my standard rasied grill, pizza stone for pizzas, breads, turnovers etc. paella pan for indirect cooks, drip pan, casseroles, deepdish pizza etc. et73 for overnights. i have other stuff that makes some cooks nice, but those are the things i need, for someone new to egging i would also suggest long welders gloves til you get an understanding of flashback and steam burns

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    David Christ,[p]The four accessories I use all the time in my mediums are, in order of use, a MAPP torch, the grill extender, the platesetter, and an old pie pan I use as a drip pan. [p]Then I have a bunch of others that I use frequently. Various gloves (old welders gloves, "'Ove" gloves, an Orca." Several thermometers, including a Maverick ET-47 that I've had less use for as I get better at estimating how the fire's doin'. A grill grabber, a pizza stone, 16" tongs, fire brick splits, some perforated ceramic blocks for a partial fire block, fish grill, Dutch oven, some basting mopps and brushes, a great big fish spatula that works well for all sorts of things, a vertical chicken roaster, several rib racks, etc. Lots of heavy duty aluminum foil, a cabinet full of spices and rubs. etc. On order, a soap stone gridle. [p]gdenby

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    David Christ,
    keep it simple and only bother to buy something when you realize that you can't cook without it or that you are being held back for lack of it. worst thing you can do while learning to use the egg is to buy every thing under the sun. [p]i'd say the first things you acquire after learniing to grill and handle temps is something to fashion an indirect set-up. you can use a pizza stone with a raised grid (homemade or off-the-shelf). you can use a bunch of firebricks with the raised grid. heck, you can even use the raised grid with just a foil barrier/drip pan under it. nothing fancy. the platesetter offered by BGE is a one-stop solution, and favored by many for indirect. [p]you'll eventually want a remote thermometer for tracking meat temps without opening the lid (on roasts or bbq). a thermapen instant-read (like, three seconds) is ideal, but not necessary for steaks. it will likely make you a better cook in the long run though.[p]after that, it's all boys-and-toys. there are ribracks, MAAP torches, weedburners, auto-draft hook-ups, etc.[p]but you only REALLY need an egg and a spatula, maybe a raised grid and some indirect mass for going lo and slo.[p]cooked for two years without a platesetter, still have no table, and i light with a match. spend the money on FOOD!

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Jeeves
    Jeeves Posts: 461
    Where is everyone purchasing fire brick / splits from?[p]What is the difference between the ET 73 and the ET 74?[p]-Jeeves
  • I concur with my one-syllabled friend.[p]Keep it simple. go for the raised grid first which will enable you the option of grilling direct farther from the fire or going indirect.[p]I have found a thermapen to be indispensable.[p]A remote thermometer. You can get a cheap one for around $10 or $12 to tide you over until you decide you really need it. I have found I don't do many cooks where I need the remote, but I bought the $45 maverick anyway because by the time my cheapo one died, I could appreciate the better thermometer.[p]You will never run out of options of things to get, so take your time and pace yourself.[p]I've had my Egg for almost eggzactly one year and my next purchase will be a V-rack and pan. I will use it more as a rib rack to replace my inexpensive, hard-to-clean rack that is almost a year old too.
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 103
    David Christ,[p]I've head my Egg for about six months now and the only accessories I have purchased are six firebrick splits (~$2), three whole firebricks (~$2), and an 18-in. charcoal grate for a Weber grill (~$10). Since I was already a log burner before getting my Egg, I already had a Weber charcoal chimney (~$15), a dual-probe Polder (~$25), and assorted tongs/spatulas (~$20 total).[p]I have yet to want to cook something that I couldn't using these basic tools.[p]Matt
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 103
    Jeeves,[p]I got mine from a local brick distributer (Custom Brink, Inc.). Just a few dollars will buy you all you need. I use the bricks for cooking on a raised grid and also for indirect cooking. You'll also need a drip pan for indirect and an extra 18-in. grate for either setup.[p]Matt[p]
  • duckegg
    duckegg Posts: 267
    Flashback Bob,
    TONGS- That is the accessory I use most.

  • Matt, Thank you! I'm not a true "member" yet but I'm enjoying many of the ideas, tips & recipes for now. Later in the year I'll push the Weber "gasser" aside and become a regular "EGGER"! I really enjoy visiting this site every day while taking in all the expert tips and contributing what I can from my humble experience. As an ex jet-jock, my food appreciation didn't really kick in until I retired (although the seeds were sown much earlier)![p]Rascal on the Sun Coast[p]

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    duckegg,
    you dress however you want to

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • spbull472
    spbull472 Posts: 128
    stike,[p]You made me double check and yes, indeed he said TONGS and not THONGS. The last thing I need a visual of is anything related to most people on this forum wearing a thong while egging. ;) Better hope you aren't using a lump that sparks![p]Anyhoo...back to the matter at hand, I'm doing great with the following:[p]Platesetter
    Thermapen
    Maverick ET73 Remote Thermometer
    T O N G S ;)
    Aluminum drip pans
    Raised Grid
    Fireplace Gloves (great for when I need to quickly get to something in a hot area, but wouldn't hold on to anything for too long...YOUCH)
    Beer[p]Last, but not least...the meat, vegetable or fruit of your choice for placing on the grid! Accessories mean nothing without any of those.[p]STL Scott

  • spbull472,
    Please forgive my lack of grilling knowledge but what is a raised grid and where can I get one? I am taking notes on all of the must haves. I just want to have everything needed for him when he sees his grills for the 1st time..still pondering on the sizes though. Thanks for all the help!