Took the plunge! BGE shows up tomorrow

mikev · August 2009

Finally pulled the trigger. Large BGE, table, and they're throwing in a bag of lump coal, some starters, and an ash scraper thingy. Delivering and assembling for me, too. (Hey, it gets me drinking beer sooner!)

So, the big question:

WHAT SHOULD I COOK FIRST TOMORROW?

I did a few searches, and have found that chicken seems to be the "easiest" thing to do, but I've always heard that a big old porterhouse or something to that effect is a better way to season a new grill?

If it's chicken, that's fine too, but I just thought I'd put the question out there.

Oh, and hi. I'll be here awhile, I'm sure. Working in the IT field means I get a lot of idle computer time.

Jupiter Jim · August 2009

OK you asked for it!! :laugh:
Food would be a good start :laugh:
Welcome to the Egg world.
Start with something that you are good at cooking already and you will be successful. The Egg is just a great cooking machine and will just complement your cooking skills so start with something that you are already good at cooking.
Jupiter Jim

jpEGG · August 2009

While you can never go wrong with the porterhouse, try the chicken right outta the gate. You will be amazed at its moisture level. :woohoo:

mikev · August 2009

Spatchcock or somethin else? I was thinkin of getting a few of the little stands and doing 2 or 3 vertical chickens.

jpEGG · August 2009

Spatchcock with all it's variations has been very good to us. Search the forum for some great ideas. Very simple. Welcome!

NoVA Bill · August 2009

Welcome to the forum. Spatcock chicken is a pretty safe and easy cook. You'll get some time getting used to the vents and temp control before putting a nice T bone at risk (I turned a $60 prime rib into a hockey puck on my first burn) :laugh:

OttawaEgg · August 2009

I did ribs my first time - since its a huge family favourite.

Welcome to the land of egg-ness !

BayouMark · August 2009

I agree with the other eggheads. Go for chicken 1st. Look at Naked Whiz for advice and set up. You will probably cook at 400 dome and that will help set your gasket for the nuclear temps that steak demands. Have fun and welcome to the fray.

:woohoo:

Eublet · August 2009

Definitely a spatchcock chicken first, for a few reasons. It's just easy. Split it, rub on a little olive oil, salt and some lemon pepper. Throw it on at 350 and take it off in about 45 minutes to an hour, or when internal thigh temp measure around 180. I usually do mine skin side down for about 10 minutes, then flip it over for the remainder of the cook. It comes off being incredibly juicy with a natural smokey flavor. Don't ADD smoke to it though as the chicken will absorb too much. Just let the charcoal add some smoke flavor. I do mine direct, and the drippings from the chicken smoke things up plenty. This is one of our favorites on the Egg, regardless of how easy it is. I'd put three times the effort into it if I had to.

Make sure you read up about temperature control at www.nakedwhiz.com. That's the trickiest part about the egg. Come up to your temp from the bottom. Around 50 degrees away, start shutting down the air vents. On my XL, 350 means about an inch or less opened at the bottom, and the daisy wheel open full at the top with the slider around half an inch open.

Good luck on your first cook!

Boilermaker Ben · August 2009

Congrats!!! Exciting, isn't it?

I have HEARD that you should stay away from high-temp cooks for the first few times you cook on the egg, because there's a risk the gasket could give out. However, I (ignorantly) cooked a pizza, 500 degrees, platesetter legs down (particularly gasket-unfriendly) for my first cook, and aside from giving the gasket a little char, didn't have any bad effects.

But if you're cautious, I'd stay away from the steaks and pizzas for a week or so. Spatchcock or ribs are a good first cook and will definitely make you fall in love with your egg.

One very important tip, which I learned the hard way. Once you light your lump, let it burn for a bit until the nasty smelling (and tasting) blue smoke clears. The crust on that first pizza was outstanding, but the pizza tasted like I'd thrown an old tire on the fire. How long you've got to let it burn off will depend on what kind of lump you get, different brands have different qualities.

Happy egging, and welcome to the addiction.

Rolling Egg · August 2009

My opinion is save your money on those vertical chicken stands. Or give me your address and I will send you mine. They are not worth the money. Your chicken will be the best you've ever had by just spatchcocking it or splitting it. I always half mine. I just like moving halves around better than spatchcock. It seems I can get more on my egg that way as well. The advice given so far has been good. I would hold the temp at 350 if your running right out of the box with the grate setting on the fire ring. It will probably take longer than 45 minutes. Feel free to throw you some wood chunks on there if you got em. Hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, it dont matter. You will learn to adjust how much wood to use to get the flavor you like. Good luck.

Rib Fan · August 2009

"Don't ADD smoke to it though as the chicken will absorb too much. Just let the charcoal add some smoke flavor." Eubler

Hey everyone has their preferences. I enjoy throwing a chunk or two of black cherry on the coals. Wait for smoke to settle down to sweet blue, stablize temp, then throw on said bird. I concur with spatchcock chicken cook.

Wayne

mikev · August 2009

Spatchcock it is, then.

Will report back later, provided the BGE shows up today as promised.

mikev · August 2009

Well, crap.

The Egg is there, ready for me. But there's a problem.

The BGE Table that it was supposed to come with is backordered, AND they also don't have any nests in stock.

I guess I could just go pick it up and leave it on the back porch for a couple days until they can UPS a nest to me, but I'm a little miffed that I paid in full yesterday and was promised delivery today.

mikev · August 2009

Now I'm livid.

I talked to the place I bought the BGE from. The long table wasn't in, and their driver had a death in the family and would be gone the rest of the week, so the soonest that I would get my BGE would be TUESDAY, after the driver went out and got the table Monday.

Decided "screw it" I would just take the "lesser" package, which included the BGE, nest, wings, and a bag of lump + fire starters. A good amount cheaper than going with the table, and after looking at the tables here on the forum I figure I can build a nicer one that fits my needs better anyway.

So, then it turns out that they don't have a nest in stock either. WTF. Fine, just give me the friggin BGE so I can go home and cook! He said over the phone that they would UPS a nest out here and I'd have it Friday. Fine.

I left work early so that I could get there before they closed, talked to the sales guy that was there, and he went to go and get the Egg, wings, lump, and starters. As I pulled my truck around to the back, he said that they actually DID have nests in stock. Great, gimme the box too and I'll go home and assemble it (keep in mind, part of the "purchase" was free delivery and assembly, but I'm getting what i paid for apparently).

Finally get home and I allow myself to get excited again because I will get to cook a chicken tonight. I go to unpack everything, open up the box for the nest...

...and only ONE of the FOUR casters is in the box.

Oh. My. God.

At this point, I'm ready to lose it. It's now 20 minutes past closing for the place, which means I can't get anything until tomorrow. Adding onto that, they forgot to put the wings into my truck.

I called and left a not-very-kind voicemail about keeping their word, not doing assembly OR delivery, not knowing what they had in stock, and telling me things just to get a sale without following through. I also left my number, again, and told them they open at 9am and I expect a call no later than 9:30am AND they will make this right, else I will just take it back, get a refund, and go buy it from the distributor in the next town.

I need a beer.

Boilermaker Ben · August 2009

Ouch.

Hold them accountable. For what you paid for the egg, you deserve to have it all right.

But on the bright side, you'll probably have your egg for the rest of your life, so a few more days of waiting will fade off into the past, eventually. While you're "negotiating" with them, have them install the nomex gasket instead of the standard felt one. It should be the least they could do.

Took the plunge! BGE shows up tomorrow

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