Can I get to cooking temp quicker? Can I cut down cooking time too?

Avalanche · October 2002

I've got a large BGE. I typically start the fire in my BGE via an electric starter. I leave the starter plugged in for approximately 12 minutes.[p]I understood that one of the features of the BGE was that I could supposedly be ready to cook within 10 minutes. But, if I'm not smoking (i.e. dome target temperature around 250*), and am doing something like pork chops or burgers it takes me more like 20 minutes or there abouts to get up to cooking temp.[p]My first question: Is there anything I can do to get up to a higher temperture sooner? I'd like to be able to get home from work at night and be grilling out within 10 minutes of when I start the fire.[p]Might a cast iron floor grate under the fire vs. the standard ceramic cause more oxygen flow and get me to the temp sooner?[p]Second question: I'd also thought I'd seen advertising saying I could cook a whole turkey in 3 hours. So, is it reasonable to assume (and how could I do so) that I could cook other foods like burgers, pork chops, etc. quite a bit faster in the BGE vs. the same piece of meat on a normal charcoal grille? e.g. I used to cook burgers approx. 1 inch thick for around 16 minutes or so on normal grille. Frankly, it's taking about the same time on the BGE. (My target desired doneness on burgers is just past pink BUT STILL JUICY)[p]HELP! (and thanks in advance all you BGE gurus for you answers)[p]

CR · October 2002

avalanche,
I start my LBGE with a Weber Starter Cube. I have found that I can get to about 400 degrees in about 10-12 minutes. It seems to get up to temp faster if you use more of the small lump to get a faster fire. I save the bigger lump for slo cooks. Also lighting from below the fire grate gets the lump going faster. In any event, I can get my BGE up to cooking temp just about as fast as it used take my gas grill to pre-heat. [p]Haven't done a turkey but burgers, chops, steaks, etc. cook much faster on the egg than my old gas grill. Since you can get a much higher temp on the egg you can sear the meat quickly then let it cook to your desired doneness faster.

Tim M · October 2002

avalanche,[p]Let's be honest here. It is going to take you 15-20 min to get to grillin' temps. Useing a steel grate and liting with a Webber cube will be the fastest way to get to 325+ temps. Period. No 10 min - someone lied to you if they said that it would take 10 min.[p]I only do turkey breasts since I don't like dark meat. I do mine in under 3 hrs.[p]A ceramic cooker is not a microwave. It won't cut cooking times but it will provide a great meal with more "charcoal" taste than a gas (no flavor) grill, but at a price - time.[p]Tim
[ul][li]Tim's world of ceramic[/ul]

WessB · October 2002

avalanche,
First things first...I have never been able to or heard of "being at cooking temps in 10 mins." 15 to 20 minutes is about the norm for me......on that note, I have used a propane torch and it increase temps noticably quicker, now many others are using mapp gas which is even hotter than propane, if one was to use mapp and light in 3 or 4 seperate places I would think 10 minutes may be possible but pushing it...
secondly a cast iron or BGE steel grate will definately improve air flow over the ceramic grate...thus faster temps..
I have only done a turkey once and honestly have no memory of how long it took or at what temps....[p]lastly I would like to suggest that you also periodically re-calibrate your dome thermometer...stick it in boiling water without it touching the bottom or sides of the pan and put a wrench on the small nut behind the dial and adjust it to 212°...
you should be able to do burgers easily in less than 10 minutes, shoot for around 450-500°....I hope this helps..[p]Wess[p]

MickeyT · October 2002

avalanche,
A 3-3-4 will get you that doneness at 450 or so. That means 3 minutes a side and a 4 minute dwell (close down egg completely) and of course burp it before you lift that lid after the dwell. I'm still the only guy in my hood with no frickin eyebrows. Youch!!!!!![p]Mick

LasVegasMac · October 2002

avalanche,[p]I'll add MHO to below posts. I know the ad on the site says, "in under 10 minutes.." That ad also says a 20 lb. bag of lump will last 4 - 6 months. Right. It usually takes me a good 20 minutes - or more - to get the fire up to what I want to cook. This does depend on what you want to cook. A 20 lb. bag of lump might last me a week - but I cook a lot. Lump use also depends on what your cooking - low / high temp required.[p]If you want to be cooking 10 minutes after you get home from work - do that gas grill thing.[p]Charcoal takes time and several things can influence the fire - humidity, out side temp, etc. I live in the desert - during the middle of summer it is toasty dry here. The lump starts faster.[p]Yes, the cast iron grate on my new large allows more air to the fire than the ceramic grate on my "old" large. The air holes in the fire box are also larger - more air. The new one is much quicker (more air flow - also burns more lump) at coming up to speed temp wise. I have seen it reach 400+ in about 15 - 20 minutes. On very hot days. In short, I have two large BGE's that have very different attitudes.[p]I've never heard of cooking a "whole" turkey in under 3 hours. Perhaps it is a very small turkey?[p]Yes, the BGE can and will cook steaks / burgers / chops, etc., fast. Very fast, in fact.[p]All this makes me wonder if you might be "from another site". Of course, it could my tin foil hat.[p]The BGE is a great cooker. Your expectations seem a bit out of line to me.[p]LVM

Unknown · October 2002

avalanche,[p]I suggest you use the MAPP lighter and light the lump in several places. Leave the lid open for the first 5 minutes. This will get your lump going very quickly. Close the lid but leave everything else wide open. You will get to a very high temp. in no time. [p]Use Mickey T's 3/3/4 method and you will get a great burger. You will find that you may have to vary the times, but the dwell does wonders at the end.[p]Good luck.[p]Mark

Basselope · October 2002

When I changed out my ceramic grate for the cast iron one from BGE my large gets to temp way faster (at least 20%, maybe more)
Secondly, I place a starter cube right on top of the metal grate and pile the lump around and over it. Not to tightly, you still need airflow, but close enough that the heat from the starter cube ligts several pieces of lump. Fresh lump lights faster it seems than left overs. I believe that this is due to the fact that fresh lump has larger pieces.
As far as time to temp, I haven't put a watch on it for sure, but 10 minutes sure seems to be in the relm of possibilty. I burn mesiquite lump and it does get hot and quick.
If you really want to know a time to temp, let me know and I will load up the large and start the stopwatch.

Wardster · October 2002

Basselope,
You say that you put a cube right on the grate. Do you use all of the lump in the egg for every cook? This has me confused, I have read others do something of the same. When I'm done cooking, I shut her down and usually have 3/4 of my firebox full of lump.
Do you 'dig' a hole to place the cube on? I'm just curious. Recently, I have been lighting from beneath the grate and am looking for some suggestions...
thanks

Unknown · October 2002

CR,I use a cordless blower called the power bellows. I split a starter cube in half and direct the flame to the coals I want lit. The fire's crankin in no time. My feeling was that it's got to be safer than MAP gas. I posted about it but I think some felt that $35 was a bit much. But it's awful convenient, and it gets me out cooking more often. I think that the MAP gas or the bellows is the only practical way to get a hot fire across all the coals in a short time for grilling a bunch of steaks.

sdbelt · October 2002

avalanche,[p]I too usually use an electric starter, because I don't like the notion of running out of cubes and then being stuck. I do have cubes, but they are more of a backup.[p]The electric start is significantly slower than cubes. Just think about it. You start with a cold electric thingy that needs to heat up to a very hot temp, before any lump will begin catching on fire. Compare that with using a starter cube, in which the cube is burning immediately, and thus is very effective at starting the lump on fire. [p]For the fastest cube results, use a couple cubes beneath the lump with a metal grate. It will be noticably faster than using the electic, but more costly, imho. The mapp gas solution seems really fast, though I've yet to try it personally.[p]As to cooking times, I do think my turkeys and chickens cook faster than if they were in an oven. 3 hrs for a medium sized turkey sounds about right. I've done full turkeys and breasts. I prefer breasts, since we throw away most of the dark meat, and they cook in something like 2 hrs.[p]As for grilling foods, like burgers and steaks, these should cook very fast, when searing the food followed by a dwell. The general technique is to sear at a very high temp (as high as 600-700) for a few minutes on each side, then place the green ceramic cap over the top and close the bottom vent. The fire will go out very quickly, and you'll be doing a "dwell". Vary the dwell length to achieve the doneness you want.[p]As shorthand, 3/3/4 means 3 minutes of searing on each side, followed by a 4 minute dwell. This technique works great for any food you would want to sear (burgers, chops, steaks, boneless chicken breasts, etc.), and achieves reasonably fast results, when compared with grilling in a gasser, though I have achieved similar results are possible in a gasser...just not quite as fast.[p]For food you'd more bake, like bone-on chicken and fish, I simply cook those at 325 or 425 respectively, until done. The chicken always gets a meat thermometer to determine done. In either case, I find that food is finished in less time than it would take in a gasser, from the time I put it on.[p]Enjoy your BGE![p]--sdb

Unknown · October 2002

LasVegasMac,
let me assure you I'm not from another site. I've had my BGE for over a year now and love it. It's just that back when I bought the BGE and with some of the advertising I'd read/seen, we had certain expectations re: how quickly I'd be able to begin grilling during the week after long hours at work, how quickly I could get a meal ready, etc. and my wife didn't think we were achieving what we'd expected. So......I didn't know if it was something wrong I was doing or if we just had some invalid expecations as to how quickly I could be up to cooking temp. and how quickly I ought to be able to a charcoaled dinner to the table.

Unknown · October 2002

OK, I am not very smart on these things. Not knowing what a MAPP lighter was I went and purchased a standard cheap propane torch. After I got it I then found out it wont operate upside down and the manual states that. THerefore, I cannot light the lump in the cooker. Am I misssing something?

Zip · October 2002

avalanche,[p]
What I'm about to say may come across like I'm being a jackass, but I'm not. The many "claims" that are made about the BGE that you have outlined above are very subjective. That is the bottom line.[p]If you really want to be up and cooking with ten minutes, I'd say fill a chimney starter about half full with lump and place it on a propane fish cooker burner. Turn it on high and give about two minutes. You should have the entire chimney on fire, a raging fire and then dump into the egg. If you do this it would be a good idea to have a bed of unlit coals for the lit to be dumped on to avoid cracking the firebox. Thermal shock on the ceramics is the major downside to this procedure. You will be up to cooking temps in much less than the ten minute mark.[p]The metal grate in the bottom will allow the fire to breath better, so it would help with times as well.[p]As far as cooking a turkey in under three hours, it can be done. It is subjective as to the size of turkey that you cook. At 350 - 375 degrees grill level temp, I consider about fifteen - twenty minutes a pound. If you go up to 400 - 425 degrees, you can cut the cooking time down closer to fifteen minutes a pound. Considering the time that it takes you cook burgers, this seems a little long to me, but once again you have to consider many variables. Thickness, fat content, direct or indirect, ect. I generally cook individual serving grill items at a min of 475 - 500+ degrees. I'm a big fan of procedures like the three minutes then flip, then three minutes on the other side and dwell until done. The dwell times are variable considering the thickness of item, how hot the cooker is preheated, whether it's chicken, beef, pork, ect. The most effective dwells are accomplished when the dome / entire cooker is at the desired cooking temperature. Example: If you start the egg and obtain a dome temp of 500 degrees within say five minutes, it would be safe to assume the dome mass is not up to that temp. You could put a steak on in this situation and cook it but it would take a much longer dwell period than if the cooker were up to temp. Pizza is probably the best example of needing the cooker completly preheated.[p]Some of the other claims are pretty crazy, but I guess a bag of lump could last many months is you only cook a few times a month. I guess you could cook ribs in only 45 minutes, but what would I have to compare them to for them to be considered good. The point I'm trying to make is these claims to very, very subjective.[p]HTH!
Ashley

Aron · October 2002

Wouter,[p]I recently got a MAPP lighter, but the one I got will work with propane as well (I'm pretty sure anything that will handle MAPP can do propane). Instead of just having an igniting tip that screws onto the can, it has a 3 foot hose between the can and the tip. This way the can can be held upright, and you can feel free to put the hose at any angle you want. This would solve the problem. The only thing is that it doesn't have a self ignitor, so you actually have to light the torch itself (turn on the gas and use a match or cigarette lighter). I got my Bernzomatic Hose Torch Kit at home depot for $29. But if you're going to get something like this, you may as well just get a can of MAPP gas as well, since the refills aren't that much more expensive than propane, and it'll burn at a higher temperature.
--Aron

FlaBQ · October 2002

sdbelt,
Don't know why, but my mileage varies from yours on this one. I find that, for the first ten minutes of startup, the 'lectric starter IS much slower than the cube, however, it seems to catch up real quick and surpass the cube over the next 7-10 minutes. For me, the trick seems to be leaving the 'lectric starter in the lump as long as possible before taking it out. When I take it out at the 15-17 minute mark (usually very gingerly in the midst of leaping flames), I can register a dome temp. of 250-300* (w/ calibrated therm.) and rapidly rising. I can't seem to get that type of reaction from a starter cube only. Again, this is just from my own personal experience, and is compared to using only one starter cube-- using multiple cubes would beat the 'lectric starter hands down.
To avalanche re: quick startup times on worknights, I have found a very workable, albeit non-technical, solution: I call my wife as I'm leaving work and ask her to fire up the Egg. Works every time.

MAC · October 2002

avalanche,
I am an A personality and want a fast fire too. I use map gas to light the fire and then pull out the electric hair dryer and fan the flames. I am ready to Rock-N Roll in a few minutes. Never counted the minutes though.

Unknown · October 2002

MAC,
Type A...gotcha, but why not speed it up more and bypass the BGE. Just MAPP the meat! Or better yet, eliminate all the effort and just flush the meat down the toilet thus eliminating all that other stuff! ^oo^~

Nature Boy · October 2002

MAC,
I have been trying to email. Can you email me please. Would be nice if you held up your end of the deal and at least contacted me about the work you asked me to do.
Regards
Chris

Basselope · October 2002

Wardster,
Yep, I don't use up all the lump every time either.
What I do is I stir up the old lump to get the ash to fall through the holes. Then I dig a hole maybe 1" diameter in the center. 1 Weber starter cube laying on the metal grate next to a hole (if I remember to place it there). Light the cube and either add more fresh lump or old lump if there is a lot left from the prior cook. As I said before I don't pile the lump too tightly over the starter cube, I want the flame to be there, but I want the surounding lump to get hot enough to light. Open the draft door, and make sure the top is off, close the lid and wait.
If anybody is curious I can time my method to temp and post the results.

Basselope · October 2002

Zip,
Not sure where you got those numbers for cooking a turkey. My first Weber book (from which I have cooked over 50 turkeys very sucessfully) calls for 9-11 minutes / lb. The book that came with my last Weber calls for 11-13 / lb. The Kingsford Charcoal book calls for 9-13 minutes / lb. (all numbers are for a thawed unstuffed bird)
I usually found that with my Weber (yeah I know this is the BGE froum, but I got my egg after last Christmas and have not done a turkey yet.) that the 11 minute number was about right.
Just for giggles lets go with 12 minutes/lb. A 12lb. bird would be done in 144 minutes or 2H. 24 minutes, well under the three hours quoted in the OP.

Zip · October 2002

Basselope,[p]The figures I have provided are pretty much my experience on the egg and various other cookers I have, even the oven. What I have found to be true is at about 350 it will take about 15 minutes a pound. At 300 it will take about 20 minutes a pound. These are ballpark figures and your mileage will vary as does mine from cook to cook. Sometimes a 12 pound bird will take two and a half hours, sometimes it will take three and a half.[p]Just curious about the times you have listed above, what temps are you cooking at? I've done my fair share in a Weber kettle and WSM, even done quite a few in the restaurant in the Cookshack and oven. The temps I use are between 300 and 400 degrees. At the 400 degree mark, it seems like about 11 - 12 minutes a pound, but I'm not sure as I don't have my cooking diary anymore. [p]It's been a while since I followed the forums regularly, but these times used to be pretty consistent with what others experienced. Considering cooking in general, it is so subjective to many variables there is no absolutes.[p]Ashley

Can I get to cooking temp quicker? Can I cut down cooking time too?

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