Big Green Eggheads

[txav8r]

Since I sold my boat, I bought a big green egg and have enjoyed some of the outdoor favorites. But it has taught me so much about temperature control, that I have even ventured into the kitchen to cook some stuff! I hope you guys share your experiences here with your eggstravaganza! And we will get a recipe thread going soon too!

 

[leeatmg]

Mel - the greatest thing I took away from the two years that I lived in Texas was a love for and the skills to cook proper barbecue. Don't have an "egg" but have learned how to make the most of a gas grill and a smoker tray...

 

[txav8r]

Lee, if I had only known to use temp probes and a handheld thermapen! I could have saved getting an egg. But the egg is fabulous in its own right too. I can just do more even in the kitchen than I used to. I will be sharing some of my latest recipes as we get going here. But for now, flying and just keeping up with the new posts has me backlogged!

 

[Julian]

Don't have an egg, but did just get a brand new Weber SS Genesis Natural Gas grill. Love how even its temp is, along with its sear burner. Had swordfish on it this evening....Yum!

So edumacate me....whats the advantage of an egg....and what are the thermal sensors you speak of?

 

[txav8r]

Well, for "low and slow", meaning
Very low temp200/225 for long hours, cooking a pork butt, brisket, ribs, etc...you really have to know the grid temp (not the some or big temp gauge), time and internal meat temp is important. For example, a brisket is cooked to 195 degrees in the point.

But an egg excels at this, and not something a gas grill does very well. Te benefit of an egg is ceramic and pretty air right except for the flue effect, so it maintains temp well for long cooks and also holds moisture in the food.

 

[Suchawittygal]

I need a BBQ'ing 101 class. I have a tendency to cook everything way too fast on way too high of a temp.

 

[Julian]

@Suchawittygal does your grill have a temp gauge on it? That was the biggest help for me as I used to do the same thing! On my new weber with 2 burners going I have to have them at just under 1/4 power to keep it at 400! I used to grill all the time on 3/4 or higher on my first grill....no idea what temp that was, but probably a blast furnace! LOL

 

[txav8r]

On an egg...you can do most anything! You wouldn't believe the pizza...cooked like a wood fired oven at 800 degrees! Takes about 4 minutes!

 

[Glassman]

Holy Smokes! I just Googled Big Green Egg. I never heard of those before. At first I thought it was a reference to one of my favorite Theodor Geisel poems.

Man, it's heavy, huh? Must really hold in the heat. I'll have to look at those when my current one gives up the ghost.

 

[txav8r]

Yeah, they are heavy! You don't just throw it on the pickup! They are very thick ceramic and retain heat and moisture very well. That equates to holding the fire at low temps for very long cooks too. But...it cooks a mean steak too! I cook our filets or chicken breasts to perfect temp now and they squeeze natural juices when you cut them! I bake our potatoes, grill asparagus or other veggies, have cooked a pot roast, chili, beans on the egg in a cast dutch oven, wood fired pizza, brisket, baby backs, spatchcock whole chicken, did our thanksgiving turkey (18 pounder!), ...I am forgetting all the things I have cooked to perfection. I was a good griller, but never reached perfection on a gas grill. This is a whole new process and fun to boot. I need to upload some pics from the phone!

 

[txav8r]

Here are a few...

 

[txav8r]

I have no idea why it is duplicating the pics...I have tried to edit them out. @Julian any ideas?

 

[leeatmg]

Mouth...watering...

 

[Suchawittygal]

Great...now I'm hungry. LOL That looks DELISH!

 

[4x15mph]

@txav8r have you tried frying a turkey? I like the low and slow for all other BBQ, etc but give the fryer a try if you get a chance. It can be dangerous if you don't follow the 101' of frying but that is true of anything. The best part of frying the turkey on Thanksgiving is making the Stuffing Balls - (ground sausage, pork, break made up as a snow ball). You drop them in after the turkey and you have something that is hurtful

 

[Suchawittygal]

mmmm...those balls sound dangerous.

 

[txav8r]

No, haven't fried a turkey, but I have eaten some. Pretty dang good, but the "fried food" thing kind of keeps me at bay. I have a fryer/boiler but I have stayed away from using oil. Sitting around the egg, having a cigar and a good glass of vino, that is a similar ritual as hovering around the crawfish boil...or fryer I guess too!

 

[leeatmg]

I did a smoked turkey one year for Thanksgiving. It was spectacular, but everyone was very hungry by 9pm when it was finally done. I started it at 6am. I still catch a load of crap every holiday over that one, and it's been ten years.

 

[txav8r]

I was slow to get the turkey on this year...doing the egg cook. But had it all done and on the egg by 8AM and it was done by around noon as I recall. We let it set for almost an hour before I sliced it. I removed both breasts completely, not something I had ever been able to do before without it falling apart. Then removed all dark meat, and froze the carcass for stock later. I was able to easily carve it in 1/8" slices without it falling apart! Also something I never was able to do. This was probably the first turkey I ever cooked that wasn't overcooked! But I used my Mavrick ET-732 dual probe chef monitor and double checked it with my Thermapen. I had perfect breast temp! I did not ice the legs, but I did foil them about 2.5hrs into the cook, and they were more done, but not overdone I don't think. Best turkey I ever did!

 

[4x15mph]

Turkey fryer is 3 1/2 minutes per pound so you can wrap up the cooking in about an hour. Its not a bad way to go.