Cooking on a Big Green Egg

[curls]

My husband and I are considering getting a BGE and took a class today at Dizzy Pig Seasonings. It was a four hour course covering chili & comfort foods. They used a few large eggs and on XL egg.

The menu:

• chili with brisket cubes, tomatoes, and beans
• mac & cheese
• smoked brisket (cooked in  a drum smoker using the extra brisket from the chili)
• stuffed baked potatoes
• pineapple upside down cakes

 

The bacon for the stuffed baked potatoes was cooked on upside down grill grates. Unsurprisingly, each recipe included at least one Dizzy Pig seasoning blend.

 

Edited February 11, 2018 by curls (log)

[rustwood]

@curls I am a big fan of Dizzy Pig.  I try many BBQ rubs and seasonings, but Dizzy Pig products are the ones I consistently re-buy and use for regular meals at home.  I especially like their Bombay Curry-ish seasoning.  It makes it easy to throw together a quick and delicious meal. 

 

As for cookers,  I don't think you can go wrong with a BGE, but there are other cookers available that are also quite good.  If I were going to buy one now, I would be very tempted to get a Kamado Joe.  They include some nice options and are a good value.   As for size,  you can cook a lot of food on the standard (large) kamado.  Unless you routinely cook for a crowd, you might be happier with a large.  It will heat up faster and use less charcoal.  Many opt to add a medium or mini to their arsenal instead of stepping up to an XL.  Of course if you want to cook a 20 lb turkey (without spatchcocking it), or more than 3 racks of ribs, then you need an XL.

 

[chromedome]

The XL has a larger cooking surface but isn't as deep as the large, so you might find it a bit problematic for long cooks. 

[curls]

@rustwood thank you for your comments, you got me to look at the Kamado Joe again. I did not realize that they made so many changes/upgrades in 2017. I just might get the large Kamado Joe instead of the large Big Green Egg!  I like the fact that the Kamado Joe is setup with a split grate, has a pull out ash drawer, and has a lid lift assist.

 

Already figured out that we were going with the large -- talking to other class participants and actually cooking on two sizes of eggs made us realize that most of the time all we would need is a large.

[Captain]

I love my Kamado bbq.  If you make the purchase you wont regret it.

[Smokeydoke]

A kamado will be my next big purchase, I'm thinking of getting a Vision. Any input is welcome.

[rustwood]

12 minutes ago, Smokeydoke said:

A kamado will be my next big purchase, I'm thinking of getting a Vision. Any input is welcome.

 

I have had a Vision Classic for about 5 years and have no complaints.  I picked it up on clearance at Costco so it was a no brainer at less than half the cost of a BGE.  I like their 2 level cooking grate, although more often than not I just use the main grate to hold my drip pan and put the meat on the top grate.   Overall it has held up quite well.  I am even still on the original cover - even though it is out in the sun and rain all year long.  I have replaced the gaskets twice, but both times it was due to user error (first trying to cook pizza at silly-high temps and  later getting called away for far too long after lighting it).

 

I do think that the KJ and BGE are in a different class in terms of quality, fit and finish.  What that generally translates into is easier temperature control.  Once you get over the learning curve, you can largely set the vents and forget  it with the KJ and BGE.   That is still difficult with my Vision - especially at lower temps.  I ultimately bought a temperature controller (Party-Q) - which, regardless of the cooker, allows me to sleep easier during overnight cooks.  To be fair, I have heard from other owners who say they have no problem getting a steady low and slow temps on their Vision.

 

If you are a Costco member keep an eye out for a Kamado Joe Roadshow event.  You can get a great price at them, plus a lot of free extras. 

 

[Smokeydoke]

@rustwood I'll be at the Kamado Joe Roadshow in California this weekend. I can't wait. I've been waiting sooo long for a kamado.

 

I'm still undecided between a KJ and a Vision.

[rustwood]

8 hours ago, Smokeydoke said:

@rustwood I'll be at the Kamado Joe Roadshow in California this weekend. I can't wait. I've been waiting sooo long for a kamado.

 

I'm still undecided between a KJ and a Vision.

 

How much of a price difference is there?  If it is less than $200, I would definitely go for the KJ - you aren't going to replace it any time soon and accessories that come with it are well worth that premium.  I don't know what they are now, but in the summer of 2016 the large KJ was $780 at the roadshow.

 

Pro-tip  - you can get a smoking deal on the units they have unboxed for display.  Around here people are lined up at the opening to try to get the display models.  The down side is that you have to pay for it, then come back in the last hour of the event to pick it up.  It isn't boxed up so you really have to pack it carefully.  Bring 2X the padding that you think you will need, a large vehicle and at least one strong friend. 

 

We were there in the last hour and the person who had bought the large display model got talked into upgrading to an XL in the box.  My buddy was right there to snap up the large.  I know they they threw in a wok rig, cast iron grates and some other stuff, but I  don't recall if that was in addition to a price break.

 

Edited February 12, 2018 by rustwood
typo (log)

[Smokeydoke]

@rustwood Thank you, I'll look into since I will be there the first day. And I'll report back with prices. $780 sounds low, I was expecting at least 1K for a KJ, 1.2K is probably more realistic. $780 might just be the cooker but if I'm getting the KJ, I must get the divide-and-conquer, as it's one of the reasons why I'm getting the KJ in the first place.

[rustwood]

Unless something has changed, the divide and conquer rig is included with all KJ's - that's the main reason I think they are worth a premium.   For a while after the divide and conquer rig first came out you would see old stock that didn't include it, but I haven't seen one of them in a long time. 

 

Prices do seem to have gone up.  I just did some searching and saw someone say that it was $969 at roadshow in December.  Here is a pic I have from  a roadshow in July of 2016:

 

Edited February 12, 2018 by rustwood (log)

[Okanagancook]

Here is where you can buy all kinds of accessories for the BGE including 1/2 moon ceramic baking plates, wok holders and double racks.  https://ceramicgrillstore.com/collections/big-green-egg-medium-accessories-by-ceramic-grill-store

[Smokeydoke]

Just got back from my trip, I am so glad to be home!

 

I went to the Kamado Joe Fontana, CA roadshow and it's not what I expected. I thought he'd be outside doing demos. Nope, he only had a few 13.5" grills out,  charcoal bags and cast iron cookware. He said he might be getting some 18" later this week, but I needed to check with him. $969.99 and it included the divide and conquer and a bag. If I were to get a demo grill (where was the demo?) I'd get cast iron flat top, a bag of charcoal and a CI dutch oven, same price.

 

It's 20% less than at Home Depot. He'll be in Fontana till the 25th.

 

I'm still debating... I wish he had some today, it's a long drive for me. I might wait and get it at Home Depot instead of driving to Fontana again. Or if Costco sells the Pit Boss again this year I may get that and wait till next year for the KJ. I wish they were still $779. What a deal! I wonder why they went up so much? Hope it wasn't me.

 

 

[rustwood]

Sorry the road show was such a bust.  I have never heard of them doing demos, but I've also never heard of them not starting with so little stock.  I imagine that was some kind of screw up.  I've been wondering about the price increase as well.  My guess is that with the divide and conquer rig included and their growing following, they don't need to to compete with the BGE on price as much as they have in the past.

 

As for the Pit Boss, I am sure it would be fine.  Although they say it is a 24" grill, the inner diameter is more like 22".  That may be a plus not minus though.  Around here they start getting marked down for clearance by July 1.  I think last year they were marked down from $599 to $399.  I do not need another cooker, but at that price I was tempted.  I have seen a post from someone who has already bought one there this year so it appears they will be stocking them again.   It also appears the Visions are back at Sam''s Club again this year ($549 online).  I like the KJ, but the Visions are looking good for almost half the cost.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by rustwood (log)

[kayb]

10 hours ago, Smokeydoke said:

Just got back from my trip, I am so glad to be home!

 

I went to the Kamado Joe Fontana, CA roadshow and it's not what I expected. I thought he'd be outside doing demos. Nope, he only had a few 13.5" grills out,  charcoal bags and cast iron cookware. He said he might be getting some 18" later this week, but I needed to check with him. $969.99 and it included the divide and conquer and a bag. If I were to get a demo grill (where was the demo?) I'd get cast iron flat top, a bag of charcoal and a CI dutch oven, same price.

 

It's 20% less than at Home Depot. He'll be in Fontana till the 25th.

 

I'm still debating... I wish he had some today, it's a long drive for me. I might wait and get it at Home Depot instead of driving to Fontana again. Or if Costco sells the Pit Boss again this year I may get that and wait till next year for the KJ. I wish they were still $779. What a deal! I wonder why they went up so much? Hope it wasn't me.

 

 

 

I guess I'm a Philistine; I just can't see a grand for a grill/smoker. Of course, my charcoal/hardwood smoker is a 24 x 36 galvanized sheet metal box, with no bottom but with a removable top (with a thermostat in it; one puts one's coals in through a door in one end, directly onto the ground) that my father, who was a welder, built 50 years or more ago. It will hold four pork shoulders or about a dozen racks of ribs, or a dozen chickens cut in half. It has an expanded metal grate with another one to lay on top of the meat, so two people can grab the extensions on each end and flip the entire rack at once; very handy when cooking in mass quantities. 

 

It has cooked for a family reunion or two over the years, not to mention many church dinners, Fourth of July and Memorial Day festivities, and so on. I would not part with it for anything in the world.

 

Shoulders would have been put on the coals about 6 p.m. last night to serve for midday meal today. Which meant someone, or two someones, would stay up all night and drink coffee and tell stories while they tended to the meat, which needed to be mopped with a thin, vinegar-based sauce and flipped hourly, the temperature monitored to keep it in a precise range. Those two would go to bed about 5 or 6 a.m., when the second shift took over.

 

Good times.

 

[Smokeydoke]

Maybe rustwood or Kerry Beal can chime in, I'm new to the Kamado game. But from my understanding,  the biggest incentive is you don't have to watch the smoker, it insulates heat so well that it'll maintain 200F for an overnight cook.

 

The other incentive is it's also a grill, it can easily reach 500F to cook steaks and pizzas, and the BGE can hit 700F. I live in Las Vegas, I do not want a 500F oven in my kitchen in the summertime. And I do cook pizzas a lot.

 

I agree it's a luxury, but a lot of things are. I read on the kamado forum that the cheapest way to save money is to go to the nearest BBQ place and buy cooked meat. The kamado will never be cost-effective, it's just about what I'm willing to spend to be happy. I'm happier spending money on a new kamado then buying a new car.

[rotuts]

@Smokeydoke 

 

  ""  it's a luxury, but a lot of things are ""

 

if this is your ' calling ' and you can afford it 

 

and are willing to care for it and use it properly .

 

its a bargain in the long run for the pleasure of use and satisfaction it give you

 

take your time .   pic the correct one.   try to get a good price , service etc

 

and enjoy.

[Smokeydoke]

Agree! And I'm trying to get a good price, I just have to be patient.

[rotuts]

make sure you get the correct version

 

even is it costs a bit more

 

over the ' egg's ' life time thats very little money

 

don't buy cheap.  buy well.

[rustwood]

I agree that it is hard to justify spending $1k on kamado on a purely economic basis.  You can buy a cheap offset smoker for $200, but in my climate it will rust out in 3 years.  It is also going to burn a lot more fuel and it won't be easy to get it to hold a steady temperature.  The same goes for cheap charcoal grills - at least in terms of rusting out.  On the other hand, you can buy a 18.5" WSM for $300 and it will last a lifetime (with reasonable care).  For another $150 you can get basic Weber Kettle that will also last, but if you go for a kettle with a shelf, that is another $100 and now you are at the same price as the Vision.

 

I think it is true that you can get longer and steadier cooks on a Kamado with minimal care and feeding.  It you want rock solid steady temperatures, then a cabinet smoker is the way to go.  They need to be refueled every 8 hours or so, but it is easy to add fuel.  Plus they will continue to stay relatively hot even if they run out of fuel (much like a kamado).  They are overkill for almost any backyard cook though.  The less expensive kamado's seem like a reasonable compromise if you are interested in investing in something that will hold steady over a long cook and last a long time.

 

Of course the ultimate kamodo is the Komodo Kamodo.  When you see one in person, you know it wasn't cheap.  I had heard all about them, but when I first saw one in person, I was still surprised at just how impressive it was - down to the last detail.  Some day I'd like to have a house with a great outdoor entertaining layout.  If that ever happens, I could see myself taking the plunge on a Komodo as the centerpiece for it.  It would be a lot less expensive than splurging on a "show" car or or a boat.

 

 

[rotuts]

you can also get a 

 

Fed Back  air generator where

 

you put a probe in the '' egg ''

 

and based on this temp the air enters the  ' egg '

 

to keep this tenp and no more

 

and that will help you wi long slow and low cooks

 

for any '' Egg "

 

https://biggreenegg.com/product/big-green-egg-bbq-guru/

 

don't thing that Greren is Best ;

 

https://www.smokedbbqsource.com/best-bbq-temperature-controllers/

 

temp controllers of komodo and others

[Captain]

These are fantastic and have benefits than more expensive cookers.

You wont have to worry about breaking ceramics and they are maneuverable.  Like all Komodo cookers they are efficient for low & slow or 350c or more for pizza's etc.

They come with everything.  Grill, Deflector top extension shelf that can sit left or right and it swings out of the way .  It even comes with a cover.

my 2cents..

[kayb]

6 hours ago, Smokeydoke said:

Maybe rustwood or Kerry Beal can chime in, I'm new to the Kamado game. But from my understanding,  the biggest incentive is you don't have to watch the smoker, it insulates heat so well that it'll maintain 200F for an overnight cook.

 

The other incentive is it's also a grill, it can easily reach 500F to cook steaks and pizzas, and the BGE can hit 700F. I live in Las Vegas, I do not want a 500F oven in my kitchen in the summertime. And I do cook pizzas a lot.

 

I agree it's a luxury, but a lot of things are. I read on the kamado forum that the cheapest way to save money is to go to the nearest BBQ place and buy cooked meat. The kamado will never be cost-effective, it's just about what I'm willing to spend to be happy. I'm happier spending money on a new kamado then buying a new car.

 

And that's a fine thing. I agree, we all have our luxury items on which we're willing to spend. I have a friend who is horrified I'll freely spend $6 a pound for Rancho Gordo beans. Yet she doesn't flinch at driving a $30,000 pickup truck and pulling a $20,000 horse trailer/camper. 

[scubadoo97]

On February 11, 2018 at 6:09 AM, rustwood said:

@curls I am a big fan of Dizzy Pig.  I try many BBQ rubs and seasonings, but Dizzy Pig products are the ones I consistently re-buy and use for regular meals at home.  I especially like their Bombay Curry-ish seasoning.  It makes it easy to throw together a quick and delicious meal. 

 

As for cookers,  I don't think you can go wrong with a BGE, but there are other cookers available that are also quite good.  If I were going to buy one now, I would be very tempted to get a Kamado Joe.  They include some nice options and are a good value.   As for size,  you can cook a lot of food on the standard (large) kamado.  Unless you routinely cook for a crowd, you might be happier with a large.  It will heat up faster and use less charcoal.  Many opt to add a medium or mini to their arsenal instead of stepping up to an XL.  Of course if you want to cook a 20 lb turkey (without spatchcocking it), or more than 3 racks of ribs, then you need an XL.

 

Also a fan of the Dizzy Pig products.  They are a stable in my cabinet.  Spent an afternoon with Chris and the Dizzy Pig folk under their tent during a BBQ contest in Lakeland a few years back.   We have a mutual friend.  The BGEs were stoked 

[curls]

Is it ok to include Kamado Joe items in this topic or should I create a Kamado cooking topic? Moderators, please feel free to move this post to a better location if you like.

 

So, went ahead and purchased a Kamado Joe at the Costco Kamado Joe event! Thanks to everyone for your advice and comments.  I've cooked a few steaks, chicken thighs, and chicken kabobs and they have all turned out great.  :-)  Cooked some steaks for dinner tonight and decided to make use of the additional cooking time available to make a batch of skillet cornbread. So, my first bake in the Kamado!

 

Have only used one half of the diffuser plate for cooks (until the cornbread) thus the odd used/unused look of the thing.