I've read some on the Big Green Egg's from Russ and Jon.


I'm seriously considering one now.

I have a huge smoker that I use on rare occasions and when I do it is mainly for the large grill surface. I have a Vermont Castings 5 burner stainless steel cooker that I use for day to day stuff. A couple of times a year I have both going at the same time.

I rarely smoke meats. Most of my grilling is steaks and such. I want my grill HOT.

My chore today was to tear apart the gasser and clean the burners, clean the soot and clean up the ceramic grates. Basically a routine deep clean.

One of the burners is cracked, one is broke and the infrared burner no longer works.


I am concerned about the space on the BGE....even the biggest. They seem small in comparison to my five burner stainless grill. From what I figure I will lose about 200" of cooking space.


Also, tell me about flare up's and how the BGE does with them. If I decided to cook five pounds of smoked sausage on the BGE, will I be battling a big fire?

How easy and fast is getting the BGE up to temp for cooking steaks?

How easy is it to find the lump coal necessary for cooking?
What sort of maintenance is there?
How does the BGE do if exposed to the elements 24/7?

Jon....


get off yer ass and talk to me

Drunk Chicken, Cheryl's first.jpg

For strictly smoking, look at these. I have the Danial Boone. It is 25X16 (400 sq. in.) The Jim Bowie has 37.5” X 16” porcelain grate (600 sq. in.), and 13.5” inside clearance.

"I rarely smoke meats. Most of my grilling is steaks and such. I want my grill HOT."

This being said, the Big Green Egg gets hotter, and from what a person at work says about his, will do steaks better than the Greem Mtn. There will be no flare up's with the BGE. I think he said his gets to 700 degrees. You will not have to wory about the BGE cracking unless ya drop it out of your pickup bed. They will last a long time, maintaince free, IMO.

"I will lose about 200" of cooking space." True. You can't have it all. Thats what I didn't like about the BGE. I think Danny told me it will take about 15 min. to get his to cooking temp. I may not have that right. Mine takes about the same. You use charcoal from BGE, but it looks like tree bark. Not what you think. Go to a BGE dealer and see for yourself what it looks like.

"Maintenance", on it is very minimal. Like any expensive item, I would keep it covered. Jon and a BGE dealer would know more. Danny keeps his covered and has made an outside wood holder for his. He is a hand with a saw.

I keep ours in our Morton building. I even cook with it inside, because it is an electric pellet smoker. There isn't any harmful gasses that can build up in that large an area. You almost have to have several type of smokers and grills to have it all. Not practical for us poor boys. Look into a trailer smoker for what you would want.

Two more shots.

You know what.......I reckon I deserved that


I read your message one night and meant to check my schedule and get back with you. This is the first time I've thought about it since......oops.

A shame, I would have enjoyed seein' ya.

Hizz don't buy one. The BGE is a waste of money.
Randy

Kook do you feel my pain with the BGE? We are better off telling everyone not to get one and then they will and come to know what us BGE owners have been hooting about.
Randy