BGE worth it?

[mass_burner]

I have a cheapo offset smoker that I modified to be rather efficient, I cook 5+ hours on this. But I'm looking to replace my charcoal grill that was hit by a tree limb. My charcoal grilling times are usually between 2-4 hours.

What will the BGE do for me that a nice webercannot?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

i straight up LOVE LOVE LOVE my BGE! i can do everything from searing steaks to low and slow smoking with it. its a great unit

 

[begreen]

At the HPB expo I caught sight of the Caliber grilles. They are like a BGE, but built out of stainless with a thick insulation layer. One advantage I liked was the built-in rotisserie.

http://www.caliberappliances.com/

 

[yooperdave]

Don't have any personal experience with the egg, but they sure are well like by their owners. Maybe that will be my 5th grill?......hmmm.

 

[mass_burner]

i bought a STOK last year at HD at 70% off. The manager told me alot of folks returned them cause they couldn't figure out how to use them. Its still in the box, its gas, my wife wants to use it.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

You should be more careful when cutting your trees down.

My friend in Mass, cracked his BGE two years ago getting it too hot too quickly when it was too cold out. This doesn't happen with a charcoal grill. Don't recall the warranty outcome but can find out if you're interested.

They are cool, as BG pointed out, there's some pretty cool competition on the market now too.

I'll follow this thread cause I too am in search of a decent charcoal grill and I really miss my smoker, and I cook outside 5 nights a week all summer and eat leftovers the other two. Love my gas charbroil infrared (5th year coming up) but miss the charcoal flavor.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

At the HPB expo I caught sight of the Caliber grilles. They are like a BGE, but built out of stainless with a thick insulation layer. One advantage I liked was the built-in rotisserie.

http://www.caliberappliances.com/

Ugh! Uh, wow, holy cow $1600-1800, that's twice the cost of the comparable sized BGE. If mass burner is wondering if a $750 investment is worth it, it'll be hard to justify more than twice that!

http://www.biggreeneggic.com/big-green-egg-prices/

http://www.popularmechanics.com/_mo...5-grills-and-gadgets-for-a-better-bbq#slide-1

 

[begreen]

You need one of these. Smoker, oven, grille and a pizza oven.Don't ask the price.



(broken link removed to http://www.hephaestusbbq.com/)

 

[jeff_t]

The Char-Griller Akorn has become pretty popular. It can be had for less than $300, and made to perform decently with some mods. That's my understanding, anyway.

The BGE is out of my financial reach, but I plan on getting an Akorn in the near future.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

You need one of these. Smoker, oven, grille and a pizza oven.Don't ask the price.

View attachment 130757

(broken link removed to http://www.hephaestusbbq.com/)

I could almost, almost , justify this one. Pizza oven AND fire pit.... Although we are now at 4X BGE cost.....

 

[BEConklin]

The appeal of theBGE and other kamado style cookers is that they're so versatile. You can do a 30 hour low and slow with one load of charcoal or you can cook a 3 minute NY style pizza at 700+ degrees....or cook some steaks....or bake a loaf of bread...smoke some ribs....roast a suckling pig..chickens....all with the same device..and with total control of the cooking temp throughout the process. Pretty much anything you can do with a kitchen oven, a grill, a smoker and a pizza oven youn can do with a kamado cooker

Then when you're done cooking, close the vents, the fire snuffs right out and you save all the charcoal for the next time you use it.

I've got a medium BGE and a Primo Oval XL ceramic grill. I think the Primo, being oval, is more versatile because you can easily do a true indirect heat cooking. But I think the Big Green Egg is better-made.

I love them both but admit that for quick grilling, steaks, burgers etc. I generally use my barrel grills or my Lodge hibachi. I only use natural lump charcoal in all of them so it's just a matter of choosing which grill to use.

 

[BEConklin]

I failed to mention the food that comes out of them. There's no comparison between the chicken that comes out of my kamados and that which comes out of my barrel grills. It's beyond juicy...I don't know how it works but the meat keeps a lot more moisture in them...good stuff!

 

[JoeyD]

I have two BGE's and want a third. They are versatile cookers that will hold a temperature for 225 to 700+ in any temperature all year long. 30+ hours cooking a low and slow @ 250 on about 8lbs of charcoal. They can be set up for indirect cooks, so anything you cook in your oven can be cooked in the egg.

One of the big benefits is the way they retain moisture in the food you cook. Chicken is juicy, never dry. The same goes for everything you cook.

BEConklin pretty much hit the nail on the head.

 

[begreen]

How long does it take a BGE to come up to pizza baking temp?

 

[JoeyD]

It sounds more complicated then it is and in some ways it's not as simple as it sounds. Just like learning to burn with a wood stove. If that makes sense.

I can get up to 700 in a little more then 30 minutes on the dome thermometer. But the dough I make does good when my stone is right around 625-650 so I use my infrared thermometer as a guide. That can take longer, (to get the stones up to temp) I would have to guess that takes at least 45 minutes depending. Staring with a fresh load of lump 45 is doable but if I just top off what is left from another cook it can take an hour. A lot of dough recipe's call for 450 since that is what most peoples oven come to and I used to use a 500-550 stone temp when I made dough form common bread flour. Now I use a "00" flour which does better at the higher temps.

When I first got my egg I was doing great until I found the BGE forum, now there are two forums. I started picking up techniques from other cooks, mixed that with what works for me and do most things fairly well now. If you like BBQ and the taste of food from wood fired ovens you'll wonder why you waited so long to buy one. If you enjoy a good steak you will never order another one when you go out to dinner. And the pizza I make is the best pizza I ever ate, anywhere, though I hear you can't beat the pies in Italy. Lucky for me I will be in Italy this coming fall and can fill you in on that when I get back.

 

[begreen]

I found that southern Italy is where the good pizza and sauces come from. The stuff I had in northern Italy was bland by comparison.

 

[mithesaint]

The Char-Griller Akorn has become pretty popular. It can be had for less than $300, and made to perform decently with some mods. That's my understanding, anyway.

The BGE is out of my financial reach, but I plan on getting an Akorn in the near future.

I was looking at one of those, and was ready to pull the trigger on one, but then the wifey surprised me with a Weber Smokey Mountain for my birthday. Not a bad consolation prize.

 

[BEConklin]

I typically cook 700°+ Margherita pizza in the Primo Oval XL just because the medium BGE doesn't have as much radiated heat coming down from above the pizza - simply because of its size.

It takes 40-45 minutes to come up to temp. I fire the Primo up, and when it hits 500° - 600° I assemble the pizza on a wooden peel. By the time I'm done with that it's usually at 700°+ - then I swab the stone with a damp cotton rag - just a little to bleed of some of the heat or the crust scorches. Peel the pizza onto the stone. 3 minutes and two turns on the stone - it's done.
And - like Joey says, it's the best damn pizza I've ever had. Cooking the pie at that heat makes this wonderfully crisp thin crust that's so tender on the inside. This is because the dough doesn't have time to lose its moisture. I've found that you can't pile too much on top, however, and cook them this way because the crust will be done before the toppings.

But that's the way I like it best anyhow...some fresh mozzarella, some fine Italian tomatoes in a puree, some EVOO, a pinch of sea salt and bit of fresh basil.

Here's before and after shots of one of my 3 minute Primo Margherita pizzas

(broken image removed)

(broken image removed)

 

[begreen]

Yum!

 

[mass_burner]

You should be more careful when cutting your trees down

didn't cut it down, storm did. I made a wooden Rollin cart with a table and cut out where the weber kettle grill fit into. Even had a place for condiment storage and I attached a removable plastic bin i got from ikea to hold extra charcoal. Limb scored a direct hit. Thinking of making a new one out of ipe.