# Big Green Egg



## Jon

Hey Guys,

So.. this weekend just gone, I ordered my very first Big Green Egg!

I attended a demo at a farm shop, where they showed us how it works, and the accuracy of the temps. I was so impressed, I walked out having ordered one!

To say I'm excited to get started is an understatement.

Any other Egg owners here?

I think having a perfectly trimmed lawn to admire, while you can sip a cold one and smell the bellowing smoke of a BBQ are some of life's greatest feelings!

So... if there any Egg (Or kamado) owners out there, what are your favourite recipes and/or things to cook?

I've done a lot of meat smoking on off-set smokers over the years, and I've always wanted to smoke a whole Brisket, but we can't really get them in the UK. The only place I've seen a whole brisket available to buy is an online butchers, but they charge £60 ($80) just for the meat. Seems excessive to me.

I'm looking forward to cooking some lamb shoulder, with thyme and garlic.... I think that's going to smell great while it cooks.


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## TN Hawkeye

Jon said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> So.. this weekend just gone, I ordered my very first Big Green Egg!
> 
> I attended a demo at a farm shop, where they showed us how it works, and the accuracy of the temps. I was so impressed, I walked out having ordered one!
> 
> To say I'm excited to get started is an understatement.
> 
> Any other Egg owners here?
> 
> I think having a perfectly trimmed lawn to admire, while you can sip a cold one and smell the bellowing smoke of a BBQ are some of life's greatest feelings!
> 
> So... if there any Egg (Or kamado) owners out there, what are your favourite recipes and/or things to cook?
> 
> I've done a lot of meat smoking on off-set smokers over the years, and I've always wanted to smoke a whole Brisket, but we can't really get them in the UK. The only place I've seen a whole brisket available to buy is an online butchers, but they charge £60 ($80) just for the meat. Seems excessive to me.
> 
> I'm looking forward to cooking some lamb shoulder, with thyme and garlic.... I think that's going to smell great while it cooks.


This guy I follow on YouTube has several videos about kamado joes and green eggs as well as some brisket videos.

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCB4iBA4ulKyw96mqvPWCB3g/videos


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## RayTL

Congrats on the purchase @Jon ! I agree a fresh cut lawn mowed reel low, a beer, and some blue smoke from the grill are a few of my favorite things too! You will love your egg!


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## SGrabs33

I love my egg!

Check out the "Smoking Meat" thread for some inspiration! I'm guessing the chatter on there will increase soon with the warmer temps.


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## Desing

Congrats on your purchase, you really cannot go wrong with a BGE!

If you don't have one yet, I would look at picking up a pizza stone for the egg. Some of the best pizza I've had has been on the egg, it's definitely one of the crowd favorites here.


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## jabopy

There's always one lurking in the masterchef kitchen on tv, so they must be useful.


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## RayTL

Hey @Jon as you are getting to know your grill, I thought this simple wing recipe might be something to try. I've had good success with this one. Learning temperature control is key to having fun with the Kamados. It takes some patience and practice.

http://necessaryindulgences.com/2010/08/wings/

You might also try spatchcocked chicken. I used the NakedWhiz's method and it works well.

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

When you are starting out with the egg you will be tempted to do the long cooks, but that can be frustrating. I recommend trying shorter cooks to learn the grill and then start doing the longer stuff - just my two cents

I hope you enjoy the grill!

Ray


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## Shindoman

$80 for a whole brisket is a good deal. You get a lot of meat.


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## Jon

Shindoman said:


> $80 for a whole brisket is a good deal. You get a lot of meat.


When I was in Texas, I remember seeing whole briskets for around $30. I assumed it was that kind of price everywhere (aside from here).

The other issue I have is that there's only two of us, so unless we're having a big get together (which doesn't happen too often) there will be too much meat left over.


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## Jon

RayTL said:


> Hey @Jon as you are getting to know your grill, I thought this simple wing recipe might be something to try. I've had good success with this one. Learning temperature control is key to having fun with the Kamados. It takes some patience and practice.
> 
> http://necessaryindulgences.com/2010/08/wings/
> 
> You might also try spatchcocked chicken. I used the NakedWhiz's method and it works well.
> 
> http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm
> 
> When you are starting out with the egg you will be tempted to do the long cooks, but that can be frustrating. I recommend trying shorter cooks to learn the grill and then start doing the longer stuff - just my two cents
> 
> I hope you enjoy the grill!
> 
> Ray


Hi Ray,

Thanks for these recipes, they look great. I'm a *BIG* wing fan. So I'll be sure to try both.

You're absolutely right, I was very tempted to try the long lamb cook as one of my first recipes. What did you find frustrating about the long cooks?

I went to a demo, and the lady who demo'd it really knew how to get the stable temps in no time at all... of course she's got loads of experience, but it didn't look too tricky.

Thanks
Jon


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## Jon

Desing said:


> Congrats on your purchase, you really cannot go wrong with a BGE!
> 
> If you don't have one yet, I would look at picking up a pizza stone for the egg. Some of the best pizza I've had has been on the egg, it's definitely one of the crowd favorites here.


We've got a pampered chef pizza stone already. Really excited for trying thin crust pizzas on it.


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## RayTL

Hi @Jon,

Awesome, I hope they work out!

I think my frustration came mainly from over-steering the vents. Once you cook on the egg several times, you'll start to just know about how much they need to be open and how much to adjust them to get to your target temp. I also think that, for me, trying to have something on, cooked, and ready by a certain time was/is sometimes frustrating, because the larger pieces of meat cook at varying times; meanwhile, the kids are hungry! Another thing that can be frustrating is the fire itself - If it isn't built right it won't burn well, which leads to problematic temp control.

I read an article, long after I bought my grill, that said you should just do some test fires without cooking anything. That way you aren't worried about ruining the food and can practice. I thought this was a good idea, but it was too late for me and perhaps a little overkill.

Once you get the hang of temp control, it's easy and you will love your grill.

I saw that you have a pampered chef pizza stone. There are varying reviews of that brand with regard to usage in an egg. Many eggers have posted that they will shatter. I've never used one, but I wanted to give you a heads up. If you google pampered chef and bge you will see the various posts on multiple forums.

Hope this info is helpful and happy grilling!

Cheers,

Ray


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## SGrabs33

I have shattered multiple baking stones on my BGE and have now switched to a baking steel. It has worked great and I also use it for my indirect set ups since I didn't buy the plate setter. Make sure to let the stone heat up in your egg with the fire. Don't throw it on cold. I think mine had a temp max of 500 and pizzas are best on my egg between 500-600.

Tip. Keep an eye out for when Kamodo Joe has their road show at your local Costco. Their huge bags of lump are just over 20 bucks there and that's super cheap for good lump!


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## TC2

For temperature control, try a fan controller like the Flameboss.


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## Trogdor

TC2 said:


> For temperature control, try a fan controller like the Flameboss.


+1

The way to go for longer cooks Is a controller. You may be surprised how long quality lump will last.

Family pleaser has been roasts on the BGE, we will cook a rib roast till internal is 100, pull it and pump open the air to let er rip then sear it like you would for steak. We like between 115-120 after resting.

I've got a set of grill grates that are super helpful when you go for stuff like juicy burgers that ooze and you don't want flare ups.

Do have a go for a few cold smokes in spring and fall with cheese, make jerky or lox, and smoke ice when it's cold enough(fun treat if you take a drink on the rocks). Just make sure you let your food mellow say two-inch weeks so the smoke isn't bitter/acrid.

My personal favourite, is to get charcoal as hot as you can, then spread it evenly and throw meat directly on the hot coals. Don't knock it till you try it.

Have fun with it, sorry kinda went on a rant.


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## FlowRider

Smoked whole turkey, and cedar plank smoked salmon fillets.

I use cedar shake shingles and hand sand them and wash them off with the hose before you plank the salmon fillet. Skin side down.

Even people who "don't like fish" love those fillets....


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## cosgrc

I love my BGE's. If you love steak (any cut), try reverse sear!

Just remember, two eggs are better than one.


*don't pay attention to the lawn - picture was taken when my Bermuda was coming out of dormancy last year


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## SGrabs33

cosgrc said:


> I love my BGE's. If you love steak (any cut), try reverse sear!
> 
> Just remember, two eggs are better than one.
> 
> 
> *don't pay attention to the lawn - picture was taken when my Bermuda was coming out of dormancy last year


Very nice set up! Two eggs :shock: I'm hoping to possibly add a black stone to my set up if I ever get around to getting a table. Your table looks great, where is it from?


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## cosgrc

SGrabs33 said:


> cosgrc said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love my BGE's. If you love steak (any cut), try reverse sear!
> 
> Just remember, two eggs are better than one.
> 
> 
> *don't pay attention to the lawn - picture was taken when my Bermuda was coming out of dormancy last year
> 
> 
> 
> Very nice set up! Two eggs :shock: I'm hoping to possibly add a black stone to my set up if I ever get around to getting a table. Your table looks great, where is it from?
Click to expand...

Table is made by Challenger Designs


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## mtroo

With my BGE, I bought an aftermarket top hat for the top vent which was a huge improvement on the daisy wheel. I also purchased aftermarket grates (called the "woo" I believe) that lent quite a bit of versatility to the cooker. I used a wok ring and cooked Chinese food regularly which was awesome. I generally do not use my BBQ Guru (flame boss like) device very often. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to control the temps without to much difficulty including the dead of winter. 
It is near impossible to screw up a Boston Butt (pork shoulder roast with bone in place). Put your favorite rub on it, place in the cooker at 225-275 degrees, depending on how much time you have. Cook it to an internal temp of 205F.

The absolutely indispensable piece of equipment is an accurate thermometer. ThermoWorks makes great devices. The Thermopen is great for all sorts of cooking duties and the Signals unit is awesome for the BGE. Do not trust the thermometer on the BGE, it generally garbage. This is true for almost all BBQ's/grills/kamados. You will have a blast with the Egg.


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## Topcat

I bought an Egg Genius a couple of weeks ago for mine. It works great to keep the temps rock steady at the settings I set. It is WIFI controlled, so I can see what's going on with the Egg while inside, in the front, or even away from the house. Last week I did a Texas styled Brisket, and it came out great.


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## smurg

If anyone is hesitant about the price of a big green egg or kamado joe, I bought my 22" Pit Boss from Costco on sale for $650 before tax. It doesn't look like they have them in stock currently, but I know Sam's Club carries a different brand at similiar pricing (Vision Grills).


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## sjones1011

If you really want to learn the how & why of smoking meat, you need to consider investing in a weekend to learn from the Master. It is absolutely one of the most fun things I've ever done.

https://www.jacksoldsouth.com/bbq-cooking-school


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## quadmasta

I ended up scoring a sweet deal on a Large BGE this past weekend. $100 and it's got a ton of accessories; rolling nest, side tables, kick ash basket, half moon plate. It's got an underbite, the gaskets are shot, and it's missing the springs on the hinge. I've already ordered new gasketing, a Smokeware chimney, a BBQGuru DIGIQ, and a plate lifter.

Does anybody know where I can find just the springs for the hinge assembly? So far I've only been able to find the entire assembly including the ring and the hinge.

What are some other "must haves"?


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## The_iHenry

quadmasta said:


> I ended up scoring a sweet deal on a Large BGE this past weekend. $100 and it's got a ton of accessories; rolling nest, side tables, kick ash basket, half moon plate. It's got an underbite, the gaskets are shot, and it's missing the springs on the hinge. I've already ordered new gasketing, a Smokeware chimney, a BBQGuru DIGIQ, and a plate lifter.
> 
> Does anybody know where I can find just the springs for the hinge assembly? So far I've only been able to find the entire assembly including the ring and the hinge.
> 
> What are some other "must haves"?


Major deal there buddy.


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## quadmasta

The_iHenry said:


> Major deal there buddy.


I forgot it's also got a conveggtor  The guy's wife "didn't like it" so he essentially gave it away. Any suggestions for stuff I should get that may not be obvious?


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## SGrabs33

quadmasta said:


> The_iHenry said:
> 
> 
> 
> Major deal there buddy.
> 
> 
> 
> I forgot it's also got a conveggtor  The guy's wife "didn't like it" so he essentially gave it away. Any suggestions for stuff I should get that may not be obvious?
Click to expand...

Nice score. I wouldn't jump into buying anything. Use it for a while and see what you think would be helpful. The egg is another rabbit hole, like grass, that you can spend a lot of money really quick if your not careful :thumbup:


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## The_iHenry

quadmasta said:


> The_iHenry said:
> 
> 
> 
> Major deal there buddy.
> 
> 
> 
> I forgot it's also got a conveggtor  The guy's wife "didn't like it" so he essentially gave it away. Any suggestions for stuff I should get that may not be obvious?
Click to expand...

I have no idea? My brother in law bought the small one and just used it to make tri tip


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## mtroo

quadmasta said:


> What are some other "must haves"?


A thermopen or other high quality thermometer. And, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the top hat to replace the daisy wheel.


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## quadmasta

mtroo said:


> quadmasta said:
> 
> 
> 
> What are some other "must haves"?
> 
> 
> 
> A thermopen or other high quality thermometer. And, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the top hat to replace the daisy wheel.
Click to expand...

I already got a Smokeware chimney cap and the DIGIQ has a temp probe for the meat and I've got a Maverick knockoff as well. Do you mean strictly for an instant-read?


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## mtroo

I use both. I use the instant read in the kitchen all of the time but for low and slow cooks, the DigiQ will work great,.


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## FATC1TY

Buy the new hinge assembly. It's better than the original and it will also fix your under bite.


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## quadmasta

FATC1TY said:


> Buy the new hinge assembly. It's better than the original and it will also fix your under bite.


I fixed my underbite with the old hinge  Still need springs though.


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## FATC1TY

quadmasta said:


> FATC1TY said:
> 
> 
> 
> Buy the new hinge assembly. It's better than the original and it will also fix your under bite.
> 
> 
> 
> I fixed my underbite with the old hinge  Still need springs though.
Click to expand...

Good luck with the springs, not sold separately, and once you add springs you'll be adjusting whatever you did to fix the underbite as it will change.

Might get BGE to warranty/discount the hinge even, contact them.

The old hinge is garbage compared to the new one without a doubt. I have 3 eggs and buying a new one for my older egg this week. Been cooking ok them for over 13-14 years and they've slowly worked some of the kinks out and copied some of the upgrades from 3rd parties.


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## FATC1TY

Infact, if I get my new hinge in, you are welcome to the springs if you so choose for shipping. They are located in W NC currently, but will trash most of them cause they warp over time.


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## quadmasta

I think BGE is closed. I called their customer service today and it went to voicemail after it rang forever. My brother posted in a BGE Facebook group and someone had recently replaced their hinge and is sending me the springs off of their old style. Once I have the springs, I can probably find similar ones at McMaster or Grainger.


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## FATC1TY

quadmasta said:


> I think BGE is closed. I called their customer service today and it went to voicemail after it rang forever. My brother posted in a BGE Facebook group and someone had recently replaced their hinge and is sending me the springs off of their old style. Once I have the springs, I can probably find similar ones at McMaster or Grainger.


Their customer service usually just rings. Email is the best. Get on the BGE forum and you are sure to find the hook up.

Best of luck! I've got 3 BGEs and have been using them for over 15 years.


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## RayTL

quadmasta said:


> The_iHenry said:
> 
> 
> 
> Major deal there buddy.
> 
> 
> 
> I forgot it's also got a conveggtor  The guy's wife "didn't like it" so he essentially gave it away. Any suggestions for stuff I should get that may not be obvious?
Click to expand...

Congrats on the egg!

This isn't necessarily egg-specific, but I love my Grill Grates. They are great for burgers. I like to flip mine and use them like a griddle. https://www.grillgrate.com/

And plus 1 on the Thermapen, they often do sales.


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## Jdecapua23

I am a Kamado Joe owner, I have converted everyone of my friends who own eggs to convert to kamado joe, just some food for thought.


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## Jdecapua23

Desing said:


> Congrats on your purchase, you really cannot go wrong with a BGE!
> 
> If you don't have one yet, I would look at picking up a pizza stone for the egg. Some of the best pizza I've had has been on the egg, it's definitely one of the crowd favorites here.


Look into the book flour water salt yeast, you will make the best pizza you'll ever had from that book


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## Jdecapua23

cosgrc said:


> I love my BGE's. If you love steak (any cut), try reverse sear!
> 
> Just remember, two eggs are better than one.
> 
> 
> *don't pay attention to the lawn - picture was taken when my Bermuda was coming out of dormancy last year


Reverse sear is by far the best method of cooking steak but remember, any Kamado joe is better than any amount of eggs lol


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## smurg

At least for my 24" pit boss, a "spider" is required for direct heat cooks. The normal grate sits too high to see the not much direct heat/flame unless you really pole on the charcoal I guess. This sits in the ceramic lip to lower the cooking surface and I bought a 3rd party stainless grate to sit on top.

Spider is from the link below. Great quality and reasonable prices.

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/


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## BobLovesGrass

I own a Primo, comparable to an Egg but Made in USA and oval which I feel makes for better 2 Zone cooking.
Really don't think you can go wrong with Egg, Komado Joe, or Primo. Knew someone who bought a Vision and got rid of it in a month or two.

Last night I did a basic Tri-tip family loved it, think I used Raising the steaks from Dizzy Pig as seasoning a few hours ahead of time.

As others have said Thermapen is awesome they are pricey but once you have one you won't know how you did without. We have the sleeve with magnets and it stays on the range hood when not out at the grill. Bet it is used 5 days a week, eggs might be the only protein we don't use it on.

If buying today I would consider thermoworks grill controller, priced competitively and the probe options will make it flexible, could use it to babysit sous vide or deep frying.

We use a lot of cast iron. You want a hard sear on some peppers and onions, get a piece of cast screaming hot over charcoal.

Another great dish is to take a chuck roast season it and grill over direct low heat to 165f, then transfer to a cast iron Dutch oven to braise. Use flavors you like, beer, Better than Bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Thai sweet chili, options are endless. Then later toss in peppers, onions, maybe mushrooms. Braise till the meat shreds readily. Think the wife has requested this 3 weekends in a row.


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## Bas_sob

Here my egg, love smoking wings and anything beef is the best on it


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