Big Green Egg

[DCP]

We are thinking of replacing our Weber WSM with a Big Green Egg
I have 30 to 40 bags of Kingsford Original 20lb bags (yes they were on sale cheap)


Read were you should use lump or stick charcoal not Kingsford.
We like the taste of Kingsford by the way


Ok flame on! Thanks for any replies

[DougGuy]

For the cost, you could get a Traeger pellet fired grill. MaryB and myself use them, they are awesome but they don't burn cowboy charcoal.

The Traeger has the best of all worlds advantage. It will cook in the wind without temps running away and burning up like charcoal, it will cook the ends and the middle to the same amount of doneness which afaik no form of direct heat (electric, gas, charcoal) will do. It will also smoke and slow cook. Basically you plug it in, turn it on, and forget it until it's time to tend to the meat for sauce or basting, you don't even have to turn the meat over. It cooks with hot smoky air circulating around the food like a convection oven.

Couple of short videos:


http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/BBQ/video-2012-05-28-18-04-49_zps1d0719d3.mp4.html


http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/BBQ/video-2012-05-28-18-22-47_zps4fe78659.mp4.html

[Beagle333]

Kingsford works fine. The lump is better because you can shut off the air and kill it and it will relight easy with a chimney type starter the next time you want to use the smoker. The Kingsford doesn't want to relight for me. Also, if you let the heat get too low, the Kingsford doesn't want to heat back up when your open the air back up, and the lump will regain temp and keep cooking.

Just don't use any charcoal starter in the Egg. That ceramic will soak it up and you'll taste kerosene on your BBQ for 6 months.
I love my BGE though.... having used nearly every kind of smoker that there is, I know it's a good one. It's not a fast "steak cooker", no matter what the video shows... it's a 4-5 hour (minimum) commitment to cooking on it, but that's what makes it the best. It's a true smoker and not a grill, and if you want a nice smoker, it can't be beat. :grin:

I have tried most of the other wood smokers and a couple of electrics, so I am pretty experienced with smokers. I was the Friday BBQ chef for a construction company and so I lit my Egg early on Friday morning and several other guys would bring their smokers and leave them that morning and then go off to work and I'd tend to a row of 5-6 smokers all day and they'd come back to a feast. So I've used many different types.

[altheating]

Pellet fired grill here. I will never cook on a propane grill again. Talk about the old "set it and forget it". Put whatever meat in the grill come back when it's done. No turning, no flare ups, and perfect every time. We have done everything from burgers, to prime rim, meatloaf to full racks of ribs. Every meal was the best we have ever made on a BBQ.

[MaryB]

Put the Kingsford on Craigslist for $2 a bag over what you paid and go pellet. I am tossing on a slab of baby backs this weekend if it isn't storming. For hot smoking I cook all kinds of stuff, say a meatloaf at 350 then I toss potatoes on to bake first for 30 minutes them on goes the 2 pound meatloaf. Smoke baked potatoes are awesome. I have baked pies, breads, biscuits, smoked corn on the cob... if it can go in the oven it can go on the Traeger. Want a treat instead of pulled pork get a 3-4 inch thick chuck roast and smoke it. Pulls just like pork butt and is my favorite.

[smokeywolf]

Didn't know that about chuck roast. I use an offset. My next project on the smoker. Thanks for that Mary.

[MaryB]

Pulled chuck used to outsell pulled pork when I was catering. That brisket flavor but shredded on a bun and easier to eat.

[smokeywolf]

Went to get a chuck roast today. Bone-in chuck was $4.99/lb., tri-tip $3.99/lb. Tri-tip went on the smoker tonight.

I'll have to watch for the chuck to go on a sale.

smokeywolf

[MaryB]

I do sirloin type roasts a lot, thin slice after smoking for french dip sandwiches.

[attrapereves]

A buddy has a big green egg. He really likes it but said it probably wasn't worth the cost.