Big Green Eggheads

[cwoav8r]

what I would do with gallons of leftover peanut oil

I pour it back in the container (strained) after it cools and put in in the garage refrigerator. I have recycled oil as many as three times without noticing any difference... the wife and her highly calibrated nose tells me when it is time to throw it out.

 

[4x15mph]

x2 on the oil. You want to use peanut oil which costs about $30-40 to fill the fryer to the right height. In the winter, you can easily use it a number of times. Give it a shot and you will not look back.

 

[Rigger]

So what size BGE's does everyone have? A large one is on my christmas list. I'm just trying to make sure Santa doesn't spend to much. I usually cook for 2 - 4 people but I get the occasional 8 -10.

 

[txav8r]

@Rigger , the large is good enough for most cooks. And if you need more room, the ceramic grill store has custom grids that diinle the cooking surface. I have done 4 full sized slabs of baby backs at once using an AR Rig and Grid extender. The XL is huge, and I sure couldn't use that much space but we do pretty simple cooks. A thanksgiving turkey, a couple of pork butts, a brisket, steaks, potatoes, corn on the cob, grilled shrimp, pizza, chili, pot roast, a ham, burgers, salmon, chicken both while and breasts. I use the plate setter on some cooks and the AR Rig with the indirect stone for others. The egg is a great conversation place and provides years of fun cooks. It does have a bit of a learning curve to gain good control of the temp, but it is quickly attainable. There are accessory temp probes and thermometers to assist in perfection too. Good luck with the Xmas gift! Bon Appetit!

 

[SColby7]

I would agree that the large is good for most anything you are going to do. I could have purchased the XL when I bought my large and there isn't a time that I wish I had. I think you would be surprised by how much you can get on the large if you want.

 

[Rigger]

@txav8r @SColby7 - thanks for candid info! It'll be nice to join the egghead club.

 

[eastcoaster]

I have the medium size which is perfect for 2 to 6. you can cook most anything with this size except maybe a large turkey. This size will not work for a larger crowd,so when we have more people over I revert to the gas grill

 

[txav8r]

http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com
Tom is the owner, and I am lucky he is basically in my backyard. Their retail store has only been open a year or a little more, and he has a big following on the egghead forum. He is a Primo and Kamado Joe dealer as well as accessories for all of them including the egg. He has tons of experience cooking on the egg and is willing to share his experiences with you as well as tips! He isn't an egg dealer because he says that BGE isn't workable on pricing as well. When I bought my egg, it was about 2 weeks before I met him, and too late to switch gears. When he heard the price I had found a brand new egg for, he said he couldn't have done any better. Some of the other brands have pluses and minuses from the egg. But they are all great ceramic cookers. He started making accessories for the egg and branched to all of them. I can give him an A+ for both design quality and customer service. I buy my lump and sauce, as well as most all of my accessories. Shop his store before you buy. You might decide that you can get more benefit from one of his grid setups or temp controllers than BGE stuff. I already mentioned the plate setter, I might not have spent the $$$ for it had I known about the other options up front. I got such a good deal on my egg and bge accessories, I am glad I have both. Just remember, the egg is the centerpiece, but your going to need cooking space, a way to move it around if it isn't fixed in one place, tools, lighters, some cookware, and of course the accessories to the egg to make your cooks work like you want them to. So looking at those first is almost a better way to find out what size egg you want. The large will do so much and isn't massive, so it can fit almost anyone that isn't just wanting a show piece. I don't know for sure, but controlling the temp in the XL has been reported to be harder due to size, with more hot/cold spots and of course taking more lump to heat a larger area. All ceramic cookers are an oven, and when you let the temp get away from you...and you will, getting it back under control is the big challenge, the larger mass you have, the longer it will take IMO. Another good thing with the ceramic grill store accessories, Tom has techniques using his rigs to handle those swings easily. No matter what egg or other brand you buy, your going to want to know Tom. Here is the R&B Combo and indirect oval I have, along with the grid extender for a big cook!

I thought too, I would show you my setup. I added a second shelf to my cheap Sam's Club Stainless table so now I have a prep surface and two shelves that can all handle full heat from anything I take off the egg. With the umbrella, the egg nest and mates (folding shelves), I have a better way than I could with any of the egg tables. I was going to build my own table and wanted temporary capability as I planned for it. Another great tip by Tom...cook first, build what you know will work second. I like what I have so well, it kept me from spending $1000 on a nice custom table with granite top. Isn't as pretty, but is WAY more functional.

 

[txav8r]

Sorry @Rigger , I thought I had loaded the pic of my setup. Here it is...

 

[Rigger]

NICE!! Thanks Mel!

 

[Woodchuck]

View attachment 126 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!

What did you do for the pizza? We tried a Papa Murphys on it and burned the crap out of the bottom. They told us to just do it on the grate. I think I need to use the plate setter and maybe a pizza stone.

 

[txav8r]

Either set your pizza stone on the grate above the plate setter, or use a spacer of some sort directly on the platesetter. Some guys use three cooper tee fittings layed on their side on top to the setter and the stone on top of that. The direct heat under the setter can burn the bottom of anything cooked diirectly on it I hear. I put the stone in the grate myself. Also, you want to use some cornmeal on your stone under the crust to protect it.

 

[Woodchuck]

If you ask at Papa Murphys they will put the pizza in a metal pan for cooking on a grill.

 

[JetPowered]

That is good to know. The last papa Murphys pizza was done with my plate setter with pizza stone on top of it. Kept the cardboard 'pan' in place as I would have destroyed the pizza getting it out. Did both a thick and thin crust pizza both perfectly done.

 

[Bruce]

I am a new egg head actually one of these http://www.visiongrills.com/kamado-grill-models/professional-c-series/ .

I have four filet mignon to cook. How would you recommend that I do so?

 

[txav8r]

Cook to temp at 400-450F and leave room for the temp climb. I pretty much don't worry about the sear anymore. I rest the meat FTC (foil/towel/cooler) while I finish the veggies and get the plates ready...at least 30 minutes.

Good luck on the cook and congrats on the new ceramic cooker!

 

[eastcoaster]

I get it up to max temp, around 750. Sear about 1 min on each side, rotating the steak after 30 sec to get nice grill marks at which point I close all vents (put the ceramic cap on top) and leave it to cook for about 3 min for med rare, remove from egg and let rest for 5 to 10 min tented with foil. Be very careful opening the lid at this point as you can get a flash back as unburnt gasses ignite. I remove the cap and burp it, opening it an inch or two a few times before fully opening the lid.

 

[cane.mba]

I haven't had hair on my right hand or arm since I got my egg!

 

[Bruce]

Filet Mignon on the egg was a success!

I seared the steaks on our Webber gas grill then placed them on the egg which was around 450F and had been cooking potatoes for around 40 minutes. The family voiced that they were more tender and juicy than normal.

 

[JetPowered]

Searing on the Egg is so much better but happy to hear it was a success!