Big Green Egg

Cold Smoke · April 02, 2005, 06:11:19 AM

Does anyone have one of these babies? I think my grill's EKG is going to flatline soon (12 yrs old) and I'm thinking of getting something that will last a bloody long time and is somewhat easy to use and not need a whole day's notice to get the burn a happening. Something that wll outlast Emeril. Please weigh in your opinions and preferences; I know some like a BGE, some like a Webber and some have other favorites. I've also looked at Vermont Castings- they look nice. I realy like the Egg but sometimes I don't have 2 hrs to prepare for a juicy rib eye...

Cheers!

Cold Smoke

nsxbill · April 02, 2005, 12:26:13 PM

I know 4 people that have the Green Egg or oval. All swear by it! Warranty excellent and does a great job on everything you put in it. Add a BBQguru, and you have complete control of the temp too. They have a fan setup specifically for that type of smoker. They really have some fancy ones too. Viking Range has a stainless exterior egg that really looks sharp, but bet the price matches the look. Green Egg folks also have a website like this one for the cooking afficionados!

Check out this one too:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

Habanero Smoker · April 02, 2005, 12:49:47 PM

When BigSmoker sees this, he can give all the details on the Big Green Egg, he sell ceramic grils http://www.bbqshopping.com/catalog/

MallardWacker · April 02, 2005, 02:26:36 PM

CS,

I belong to the Arizona BBQ Association, alot of those folks have them. If I was to buy another grill/snoker, it would be one them. They talk about extruded charcoal in flavors such as coconut. These guys have it down. By the sounds of things they are nothing like an offset or condom cooker.

Here is their forum.http://www.azbbqa.com/forum/phpbb2/

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

oguard · April 02, 2005, 04:47:55 PM

C.S. I have a Napolean grill.It really works well for me and my family.The grill can be run off of propane or you have the option of using charcoal[:)].The burners are heavy wall stainless tubing and They clean up well with a set of tip cleaners.IMHO it is the best grill I've used.

KEEP ON SMOKIN OR GRILLIN[:D]
Mike

BigSmoker · April 02, 2005, 10:05:39 PM

BGE is a great cooker. Besides my Bradley I have a large BGE a Primo Oval(I sell these) and a small Grill Dome. All are made from ceramic and cook equally well. The egg and primo are glazed and the GD is painted. I not sure where the 2 hours for a steak comes from? I regularly cook my steaks in 30 minutes or so. The preferred method on a ceramic grill is to start a blazing fire. I do mine at about 550f. Some folks go to 750+. Anyway I rub mine with a little grape seed oil(won't burn at high temps) and my favorite rub. Let them sit while the cooker gets good and hot. Sear steaks for 90 seconds per side then remove from heat. Close vents on cooker and let steaks sit in a cold oven for 20 minutes. Cooker will settle in about 375-400f during this time. Put steaks back on for 2-5 minutes per side depending on how you like yours. Serve and enjoy. I will lots of time cold smoke mine the day before for a great smokey flavor. As far as the charcoal goes the extruded coconut lump has little to no odor. Burns hot and long but hard to get started. Ceramics also bake the best pizza and bread I've ever eaten. If you have a ceramic grill along with your Bradley you don't need anything else for sure.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

JJC · April 03, 2005, 03:31:48 AM

Hi ColdSmoke,

I don't claim to be a grilling expert, but if you're looking for an easy-to-use propane/LNG grill (as opposed to charcoal or electric), the you might want to look at a Pheonix. I currently have a Webber Silver A, which I like a lot, but if I want to cook something with indirect heat I really need to use the rotisserie option, which is about $100 and a bit inconvenient to set up just to do a chicken or two . . . I also have a Phoenix "basic black" grill at our summer home in Maine, and I absolutely love that grill!

The Pheonix basic model is about $500 (same as the Webber + rotisserie, but it uses a neat drip pan to provide all-indirect heat while directing any drippings into a collection bucket. I have done chickens, turkeys, vegetables, shish-kebabs, and legs-o-lamb without a rotisserie and they are fantastic--no burning of the outside and really juicy. I bought one of the early units several years ago, and the only complaint I have is that the burners are a bit weak (30,000 BTU) if you want to really sear a steak. However, I understand they have increased the burner capacity to correct this problem.

The Phoenix is not a highly refined product--the company started making grills from leftover sheet metal they had around from their custom car parts business in North Carolina--but I really love the indirect heat concept.

Just a thought to make things even more confusing . . .

John
Newton MA

Oldman · April 03, 2005, 04:09:56 PM

I have the largest Big Green Egg. I've enjoyed using it. However, I soon will be giving it away to a friend. With owning the Bradley the egg has been reduced to just grilling. And there are better items out there for this.

Olds

http://rminor.com

BigSmoker · April 03, 2005, 08:10:36 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oldman
 I have the largest Big Green Egg. I've enjoyed using it. However, I soon will be giving it away to a friend. With owning the Bradley the egg has been reduced to just grilling. And there are better items out there for this.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Nice gift[:D]

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Chez Bubba · April 03, 2005, 11:48:25 PM

Jeff,

If you read back through all the boards, Olds is very generous to his friends, especially to those not as fortunate as him.[admire face-thingy][8D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

fstubbsjr · April 04, 2005, 07:31:48 AM

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I have been reading your board for one month now, trying to decide between the Bradley and the cookshack[:(!] I think I will go with the Bradley as soon as I get back from sea(I'm in the NAVY). Anyway to stay on topic, I have a Large Big green Egg. I am very pleased with the simplicity and temp control of this unit. I have cooked everyhting from Deer, ribs, butts and chickens on it. It can grill and low and slow cook. I brought a guru, not for temp control, but because it can stop coal going out when I need to cook 16-24 hours! Yes, this grill/smoker cooks that long off of less than a full load of charcoal. My only complaint is price versus capacity. I NEED MORE SPACE.
I just have one question. I hear a lot of complaints about the cookshack not being able to crisp chicken skin. Is this the case with the Bradley. This is important to me, because now and then I like to do some small catering.

Frank Stubbs

Habanero Smoker · April 04, 2005, 07:56:42 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fstubbsjr
 I just have one question. I hear a lot of complaints about the cookshack not being able to crisp chicken skin. Is this the case with the Bradley. This is important to me, because now and then I like to do some small catering.

Frank Stubbs
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I do know that a lot of caterers and restaurants use the BS (Bradley Smoker). As for your question about chicken, I have not been able to get a crisp skin if I fully cook chicken in the BS. It comes out better then Cookshack's, and the skin is tender enough to eat. Placing the chicken in a hot oven, shortly before serving will crisp it up a little, but it will loose it's crispness again, within 20 - 30 minutes. You could cold smoke them for 2 - 3 hours, then roast them in an oven.

Oldman · April 04, 2005, 01:26:44 PM

Click to Enlarge Image

This was done in the Bradley using the T-shirt method. The skin was paper like to some degree.

I have smoked chickens 2-3 hours and then place them into a rotisserie that gave me IMO a better skin texture. Something closer to that of being grilled.

Hope this helps.

Olds

http://rminor.com

MallardWacker · April 04, 2005, 01:41:39 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fstubbsjr
 ..... I have been reading your board for one month now, trying to decide between the Bradley and the cookshack[:(!] ........
I just have one question. I hear a lot of complaints about the cookshack not being able to crisp chicken skin. Is this the case with the Bradley. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'm sorry for being lazy and not looking it up for you but do a search on [}:)]<s>CookShack</s>[}:)]. I have well document stuff from there forum folks complain about. Mainly the rubbery chicken syndrome and black goo that drips down on there product. Mainly there problems come from venting on there smaller smokers. However I will recomend their catering section, it has alot of great info on that subject. If I were to get into big time catering I would probably look into their larger smokers, but you betta have ya second mortage ready. PLus you won't get the consistancy of the flavor in a [}:)]<s>cookshack</s>[}:)] as you would in a BS.

As far as the chicken skin, it won't get like what you might do in the oven at higher temps but you don't have to put up with the rubbery skin either. Basicly towards the end of the cook you turn up the heat and open the vent up to have crispier skin.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

nsxbill · April 04, 2005, 04:15:22 PM

I agree with olds on the post rotisserie for the chicken. When I do whole chickens or turkeys, Stuffing either with an onion and about a whole blossom of garlic, salting and peppering of the bird, and then in front of the radiant propane fixture in the barbeque. As it rotates, marinating with garlic butter ad lib until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Cooked strictly in the smoker, I discard the skin...just doesn't make the magic happen for me! I think if I were just smoking, I would remove the skin and bard with bacon for flavor!

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.