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ATP: Big Green Egg

Henry Chinaski

Henry Chinaski

Steve Lepore
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Can someone explain to me why i need one? Seems kinda dooshy to me (aren't gas grills fine for 90% of one's BBQ-ing needs?) but maybe i'm missing something. Also what's the price point these days? Enlighten me - denizens of the Pit...
 
They are pretty cool, and very expensive. Considering money and flavor, cheap charcoal grill is the best investment.
 
I just bought one recently. Price was something like $900 for the large. Pretty awesome getting that thing up to 650-700 degrees like it's nothing and searing a steak. Also awesome how well it holds the heat, allowing me to smoke some pork for around 9 hours and the temp staying a perfect 225 the whole time without tinkering.

I know the kamado Joe's are comparable at a lower price and maybe I am just a douche, but it's pretty damn awesome.
 
Yeah, Hal lays out the biggest advantages: can get a lot hotter than a regular charcoal grill, easier to manipulate temperature, and temperature doesn't fluctuate. They're also pretty heavy. Not worth it unless you grill a lot. Also, they can explode.
 
HalIncandenza said:
I just bought one recently. Price was something like $900 for the large. Pretty awesome getting that thing up to 650-700 degrees like it's nothing and searing a steak. Also awesome how well it holds the heat, allowing me to smoke some pork for around 9 hours and the temp staying a perfect 225 the whole time without tinkering.

I know the kamado Joe's are comparable at a lower price and maybe I am just a douche, but it's pretty damn awesome.
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Bingo. Close friends have one and absolutely love it. They use it all the time. Crazy hot searing, indirect cooking, they smoke stuff, make pizza... They only have a small porch and that's all that fits, so the fact that it can do pretty much everything is huge for them.

I don't see it as a douche item. If you're really into grilling and smoking it's a lot like someone who's really into cooking getting a Vitamix.
 
Fair enough - so sounds like a cool toy for grilling gurus, but perhaps unnecessary for rank and file amateurs cooking dogs and burgers.

Mrs Chinaski is on me about grilling with charcoal (she thinks it will give her, the kids and probably the entire Triangle cancer) - i'm not up on the issue. is there a "there there"?
 
not if you don't use match light. use real hardwood charcoal.
 
HalIncandenza said:
I just bought one recently. Price was something like $900 for the large. Pretty awesome getting that thing up to 650-700 degrees like it's nothing and searing a steak. Also awesome how well it holds the heat, allowing me to smoke some pork for around 9 hours and the temp staying a perfect 225 the whole time without tinkering.

I know the kamado Joe's are comparable at a lower price and maybe I am just a douche, but it's pretty damn awesome.
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the thing is, seems like a lot of effort to go to for a steak.
 
DeacDiggler said:
the thing is, seems like a lot of effort to go to for a steak.
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What do you consider too much effort? I pour a little charcoal in, light one of the starter stick thingies with a lighter, shut the lid, and drink a beer while it heats up.

And yeah, if you are just doing dogs and burgers, no smoking, nothing too frequent, just get a nice Weber for relatively cheap. I used one that I got for free for ten years and it was and still is great for everyday use. Just messier and needs a little more hand-holding, but more than enough for most people.
 
Henry Chinaski said:
Fair enough - so sounds like a cool toy for grilling gurus, but perhaps unnecessary for rank and file amateurs cooking dogs and burgers.

Mrs Chinaski is on me about grilling with charcoal (she thinks it will give her, the kids and probably the entire Triangle cancer) - i'm not up on the issue. is there a "there there"?
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Charcoal is just wood. Ask her if she thinks wood smoke is better or worse for her than the smoke from burning propane, which is a petroleum product made from dead dinosaurs.

Actually burning meat or other food does produce carcinogens in the burned meat (although the degree of actual danger is debatable), but it's because it's not cooked right not because of the charcoal smoke.
 
You can get them for a lot less than $900 if you look around and find a sale. Also, they last forever. You will not find a better grill/smoker in that size.
 
Lots of alternatives to a BGE. I bought a $300 Akorn Kamado Kooker at Lowes a couple of years ago to try the egg cooking concept without sinking a grand or more into one. I use it for all of my smoking and grilling and am now sold on kamado's. I figure the Akorn will last 5 years or more. When it dies, I'll probably spring for a Primo Oval or maybe a Vision Kamado ($600 at Sam's).

Akorn:
akorn-2-butts-5-23-13-temp.jpg


Primo:
xl_teak1.gif


Vision:
302242d1360519771-vision-grills-classic-kamado-visiongrill2.jpg
 
The white thing on the right is a Maverick ET-732 thermometer. It reads the temp in the dome and in the meat. The other gizmo might be a DigiQ temperature controller.
 
I have that exact same Maverick for my smoker. Works great.
 
Henry Chinaski said:
Fair enough - so sounds like a cool toy for grilling gurus, but perhaps unnecessary for rank and file amateurs cooking dogs and burgers.

Mrs Chinaski is on me about grilling with charcoal (she thinks it will give her, the kids and probably the entire Triangle cancer) - i'm not up on the issue. is there a "there there"?
Click to expand...

Not sure you are quite understanding grilling vs smoking. A BGE is not really worth the time expense and and effort if you are just going to use it as a charcoal grill. The area where it shines is smoking. You aren't going to find another charcoal/wood smoker that size that can hold temp that well for that long.

Unless you want to learn how to smoke ribs, brisket, pork shoulder (all 6+ hour cooks), then probably not worth it.
 
TheTwinAndreBen said:
Not sure you are quite understanding grilling vs smoking. A BGE is not really worth the time expense and and effort if you are just going to use it as a charcoal grill. The area where it shines is smoking. You aren't going to find another charcoal/wood smoker that size that can hold temp that well for that long.

Unless you want to learn how to smoke ribs, brisket, pork shoulder (all 6+ hour cooks), then probably not worth it.
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This guy knows what's up.
 
TheTwinAndreBen said:
Not sure you are quite understanding grilling vs smoking. A BGE is not really worth the time expense and and effort if you are just going to use it as a charcoal grill. The area where it shines is smoking. You aren't going to find another charcoal/wood smoker that size that can hold temp that well for that long.

Unless you want to learn how to smoke ribs, brisket, pork shoulder (all 6+ hour cooks), then probably not worth it.
Click to expand...

This.

Love my Weber Genesis for a quick meal on the grill during the week.

Love my Egg for smoking on a weekend or holiday.
 
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