Anyone familiar with the Big Green Egg?

[Hungry]

Big Green Egg

I've been grilling, roasting, smoking, baking on the Egg for 3 years or so at least twice a week.....I love the thing.
Look at it like long term investment cause it won't rust out

I haven't checked the price of these today. I bought one in Okinawa in 1964. If my memeory serves me I think it was $9.00.
It served me will until I gave it to my daughter when she got married. 1967.
Turned lazy in my old age now I just light the gas BBQ.

Charlie

 

[Zeasor]

My "egg" type grill is 30+ years old and did a Humpty Dumpty years ago. While it won't rust, it will crack. I fashioned a couple of metal bands to hold it together. It's now relegated low & slow grillin'.

 

[Renee Attili]

That's why i really endorse The Big Green Egg brand versus the "Knockoffs"
They stand behind their product with a lifetime guarantee. Whether or not it is our fault.

 

[foodstorm]

That's why i really endorse The Big Green Egg brand versus the "Knockoffs"
They stand behind their product with a lifetime guarantee. Whether or not it is our fault.

I kinda thought the BGE was the "knockoff", since it's modeled after the Japanese Kamado cookers, which have been around for centuries...

 

[Renee Attili]

I kinda thought the BGE was the "knockoff", since it's modeled after the Japanese Kamado cookers, which have been around for centuries...

I was meaning the oval "knock offs" not the concept. While the idea of the Egg is based on the ancient kamado cookers, the materials they use to make the Egg are totally different which is why the Big Green Egg company can offer a lifetime warranty. They are superior in quality.

 

[Jeekinz]

I kinda like AB's version. The $60 Flower Pot Smoker.

I plan on making on of these very soon.

 

[Cordel]

We just purchased a BGE, silly timing but the price was right, and now we are looking for recipes. I am particularly hoping to hear from someone that they had success making bread in it. How hard is it to learn to control temperature in it?

 

[BBQ'd Dude]

I have used horiz. offsets, gas verticals, and now a large BGE.

I really have come to love it. However you are limited on space. A nice fix for this is the dual grate rigs you can find on the web, I really need to get one. I find that not having to refuel every 1 1/2 hours is nice but I do miss tending the fire more. If you over shoot your desired temperature it will take a while to get back down to range as it really holds the heat well.

I did 10 blocks of cheese last night on mine for around an hour. Came out excellent per the people at work who ate around three blocks today.

It also creates, for what it is worth, a very nice smoke ring (I know it is ego on that one).

They have a pretty antiquated forum at:

The Big Green Egg Users Forum

Lots of good recipes, advise, links to external sites that have all sorts of help.

I'm going to pick up a few Boston butts tonight on the way home for the OSU/Michigan game this weekend. I have a few buddies coming over and they all requested pulled pork loudly .

Also look into T-Rex on the BGE forum, what a trip .

Take care,

Brian

 

[Cordel]

What type of cheese did you smoke, Brian? It sounds like you have learned to do quite a few things on your egg, already. I am going to follow your link, and see if it is the one I just got off.

 

[Gossie]

"The best smoker in the world" they told me. I just had to go check one out after reading this thread - and I WANT ONE! I would have bought it on the spot - but the large one goes for $899.00 USD here assembled and delivered! I really hope you get one though...

I figure Tattrat could get a good 3 for 1 deal and send you and me one. FREE!!! LoL

 

[Cordel]

I have a loaf of multi-grained bread in the Egg, and a pork roast waiting to go on. It is below freezing here, and lifting the lid really drops the temperature, but that bread sure smells good. I am making the bread in it today, for fun, but I am looking forward to being able to bake in the spring or summer without heating up the house.

[EDIT] Time has passed, and the bread has been sampled and pronounced good. Any changes will be in my choice of bread recipe. The pork was beyond that. A boneless loin roast, about three pounds, rubbed with herbs and a touch (just a touch) of Chinese five spice, we cooked it at about 275 and then finished at 300 for the last fifteen minutes. The interior temperature was perfect, and yet it was juicier than any pork roast I have ever tasted. The Egg is a success, and we haven't done anything on it that we would normally do on a barbeque.

 

[BBQ'd Dude]

What type of cheese did you smoke, Brian?[\quote]

I did a round of cheddar being mild, sharp and extra sharp. I went cheap as my local Kroger's had a 10 for $10 sale .

Did two Boston butts starting at 9>:00 Friday night. One was small, one was large. Wish they would pack similar sized cuts together. Guess I can't be picky as it was the last two pack they had in the bin.

My fire "stalled' at some point over night. When I got up Saturday morning it had gone down to 185 degrees. The large but ended up at 19 1/2 hours to reach 195 degrees. I threw on two fatties i the morning for breakfast. Halve of one was saved for...ABTs. I made around twenty of them for the game Saturday. I used Pablano peppers that I grew instead of Japs. In the cream cheese mix I added some of the sausage broken up. They were pretty darn good.

I brought in a huge bag of pulled pork, some homemade NC vinegar based sauce, some buns, and a crock pot to heat it up in. People are already asking when will it be ready , it feels good.

Take care,

Brian

 

[Cordel]

Your dinner sounds wonderful. Did people leave asking when they could come back? I have never done pulled pork, but we will try it, probably when spring comes. The North Carolina vinegar sauce sounds interesting.

That sounds great. We have not yet attempted any smoking. Last night we had our son, wife and three grandchildren here for dinner. We made and precooked small pizza skins, and let each person load their own, and then cooked them, three at at time. It was a whole lot of fun, and those were the best pizzas I think I have ever tasted. We will do it again.

Today it is really cold and windy, and I have to leave for my Taoist Tai Chi class at five, so we are eating leftover roast pork. Tomorrow, cold, snow, or rain, we are cooking a chicken on one of those upright can up the butt holders. I can almost taste it now!

 

[Cordel]

Well, we cooked the chicken, and while it was crispy, and very moist and juicy, I did not like it as well as I expected. I think we cooked it at too low a temperature, and that cooking it on the stand lifted it too close to the chimney, so for me, the spice was not strong enough for me to taste, and the smoke flavour was too strong for the chicken. I am thinking we will take out the plate thing that delivers indirect heat, and just cook over a drip pan, much lower in the Egg, so it is not bathed in smoke throughout the cooking time. Any comments from those who are using the Egg for bbquing, not smoking?

 

[Renee Attili]

For Beer Can Chicken, I do not use the plate setter, just a drip pan. Cook at 350-375 for about an hour- hour and a half. I kick up the heat to about 375-400 for the last 10 minutes to crisp the skin. As for smoking, I think most people over smoke their meat. I only put a handful of wood chips in my BGE and I do not use hickory or mesquite for poultry. The lump charcoal also adds its own light smoke flavor in my opinion.

 

[Cordel]

Thanks for the suggestion, Renee. So far we have not used any wood chips, just the charcoal flavour. I really liked it in the pork, but not in the chicken. Next try at the chicken, we will just use the chip pan, and cook it for a shorter time at a hotter temperature.

Today, we are cooking two loaves of French bread, and later, some moose steak for supper. I have it marinating, but haven't decided exactly how to cook it, yet. Any suggestions?

 

[BBQ'd Dude]

I'm with Renee, I do chicken around 350. I however do use one wood chunk. However when the egg is getting stable is when I add that chunk. So a good portion gets used prior to the chicken even going on. I find it gives me a nice smoke flavor balance. For chicken I like pecan or oak as they are more subtle smole flavors, IMHO.

Take care,

Brian

 

[Cordel]

Well, the Egg has proved wonderful. It is -20C today (about -11F) and we are smoking ribs. I have baked several loaves of bread, including two baguettes, whole wheat, white, and quinoa, and all have been wonderful, with just a tiny touch of a smoky flavour. Nice if you like it, mild enough to be covered by any filling you use on your bread. Bob has the ribs on at 250, with some local maple chips. Next year, we will cut up some cherry chunks from a couple of pincherry trees that need to come down.

Anyone doing anything exciting on the barbecue this weekend.

 

[BBQ'd Dude]

Some ribs and ABTs tomorrow since I am doing OT today at work . Might smoke some chex mix just to see how it comes out.

Take care,

Brian

 

[Cordel]

Have you a recipe for the chex mix? We do something like that on the stove top, but smoked sounds really cool.