Big Green Egg

[TimmyBoston]

Are these grills really as good as some of the things I have read? My folks are in the market for a new grill and I thought this might be an option. What's a good price? Are there options or models that you guys recommend? The big question is, What makes a BGE better than other grills? Can they also function in a smoker capacity?

Thanks!

 

[marv0723]

they are quality. are they worth the money? maybe not. they are quite expensive. you will need the large or extra large size. they hold heat very well, but you can do everything equally as well with a weber.

 

[highball]

You could get the original, but it will cost you
http://www.kamado.com/

 

[SRock]

Are these grills really as good as some of the things I have read? My folks are in the market for a new grill and I thought this might be an option. What's a good price? Are there options or models that you guys recommend? The big question is, What makes a BGE better than other grills? Can they also function in a smoker capacity?

Thanks!

I've done a ton of reading on these guys and I'd love to have one, I just can't bring myself to part with the scratch necessary to own one.

I mean if it were a NOS Toggle, NOS Double Ring or the like it would be an easy choice!

 

[Obsessed]

You could get the original, but it will cost you
http://www.kamado.com/

Um, that's blue . . .

 

[BobS]

I think that they are worth every penny! I have a large BGE and an Extra Large, Primo Oval.

The big jump is to go to a ceramic cooker (several good brands).

A Webber is a great grill, but I respectfully disagree that it will do everything that a ceramic will do. I crank my ceramics up to 700 F and cook a pizza in 3 minutes and 15 seconds or I control the temp down at 250 or less and smoke a pork butt for 12-14 hours on one load of lump. I followed my last pork butt, with 4 racks of ribs, for 5 1/2 hours and never had to add any lump.

You can cook all the chicken wings that you can stack on the gill and never have a flair-up. You can butterfly a chicken and put it on the grill and never look or turn it over, before you pull it off and enjoy the best chicken you have ever eaten.

The Lg BGE, is 18" in diameter (will cook a lot of food) and you can add a three level grill if you wish.

The XL Primo, Oval is 25 X 19 and can cook on two levels.

I always do pizza on the BGE (just works better on the round grill with the ceramic plate setter and the pizza stone).

I do almost all my lo-n-slo cooks on the Primo, because I like the shape for the ribs and you can really load it up with pork butts or shoulders.

Take a look at the Primo Forum or the BGE Forum to get a feel for how people feel about these grill/smokers and see the range of things people cook.

http://primogrillforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=11

http://primogrillforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=11

The cost for the two brands is about the same on a $/square inch of grill basis. They are expensive, but worth it.

When you go to the BGE forum, you will see banners at the top for "Eggfests" and you can attend these and get a demo Egg for ca 20% off, depending on the fest.

Primo does something similar at the Jack Daniels, World Championship BBQ event. There may be some grills available.

If you are interested, I can give you some suggestions for other grill toys that you will need/want.

 

[Hanlon's Razor]

+1 on the above post. I've owned a BGE for nine years now, and it never disappoints. It's not cheap, but it will never rust or wear out. Seared steaks at 700 degrees or ribs at 225, it does it all.

This thing will make you a BBQ God!

 

[highball]

I think that they are worth every penny! I have a large BGE and an Extra Large, Primo Oval.

The big jump is to go to a ceramic cooker (several good brands).

A Webber is a great grill, but I respectfully disagree that it will do everything that a ceramic will do. I crank my ceramics up to 700 F and cook a pizza in 3 minutes and 15 seconds or I control the temp down at 250 or less and smoke a pork butt for 12-14 hours on one load of lump. I followed my last pork butt, with 4 racks of ribs, for 5 1/2 hours and never had to add any lump.

You can cook all the chicken wings that you can stack on the gill and never have a flair-up. You can butterfly a chicken and put it on the grill and never look or turn it over, before you pull it off and enjoy the best chicken you have ever eaten.

The Lg BGE, is 18" in diameter (will cook a lot of food) and you can add a three level grill if you wish.

The XL Primo, Oval is 25 X 19 and can cook on two levels.

I always do pizza on the BGE (just works better on the round grill with the ceramic plate setter and the pizza stone).

I do almost all my lo-n-slo cooks on the Primo, because I like the shape for the ribs and you can really load it up with pork butts or shoulders.

Take a look at the Primo Forum or the BGE Forum to get a feel for how people feel about these grill/smokers and see the range of things people cook.

http://primogrillforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=11

http://primogrillforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=11

The cost for the two brands is about the same on a $/square inch of grill basis. They are expensive, but worth it.

When you go to the BGE forum, you will see banners at the top for "Eggfests" and you can attend these and get a demo Egg for ca 20% off, depending on the fest.

Primo does something similar at the Jack Daniels, World Championship BBQ event. There may be some grills available.

If you are interested, I can give you some suggestions for other grill toys that you will need/want.

That sure looks good

 

[Muirtach]

I keep walking/riding by my local ACE and seeing a bag which says BGE on it. I had assumed it was a lawn thing until now. Learning is fun.

 

[Muirtach]

a whole lotta tasty lookin things

I commend and rant at you. Here I was ready to head home and sleep of a couple gallons of beer and you went and made me start to salivate like an irish potato famine survivor

 

[TimmyBoston]

+1 on the above post. I've owned a BGE for nine years now, and it never disappoints. It's not cheap, but it will never rust or wear out. Seared steaks at 700 degrees or ribs at 225, it does it all.
!

I don't mean to question you but this intrigued me, I understand how it won't rust being ceramic, but how will it never wear out?

 

[Fnord5]

I don't mean to question you but this intrigued me, I understand how it won't rust being ceramic, but how will it never wear out?

Steel, when heated and cooled repeatedly, will eventually degrade.
Maybe not the grilling surface itself, but the thinner stamped metal of the kettle, will eventually burn through.
The BGE is so thick, it would take a small nuke to burn through it.

 

[TimmyBoston]

Steel, when heated and cooled repeatedly, will eventually degrade.
Maybe not the grilling surface itself, but the thinner stamped metal of the kettle, will eventually burn through.
The BGE is so thick, it would take a small nuke to burn through it.

Thanks for the info, Fnord. That's good to know. My dad is one of those people very impressed by longevity, so that's a big plus.

 

[Jatte]

my only concern would be,
dont spray water of any sort on it, cause rapid cooling would proabbly crack that puppy in half,

and if its a charcoal grill? i dunno,

dont use charcoal briquettes, use the real lump stuff,

the charcoal briquettes have glue and stuff inthem that melts and clings to the clay,

i know that if it gets enough and they cool differently it can crack like a pipe would crack if the cake is too thick,

edit, scratch that

lifetime warranty on ceramic parts,

but i was right about the lump charcoal
http://www.biggreenegg.ca/canada/benefits.php

 

[nikkuchan]

Is there a big green ham to go with it?

 

[highball]

I don't mean to question you but this intrigued me, I understand how it won't rust being ceramic, but how will it never wear out?

Here is my 1978 Kamado. This one is made from clay, The new ceramic ones will last forever. This one has a cracked fire box, its a easy fix or you can use it as is

 

[BobS]

my only concern would be,
dont spray water of any sort on it, cause rapid cooling would proabbly crack that puppy in half,

and if its a charcoal grill? i dunno,

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You really never have to spray these things with water, to kill the flair up, because there is no flair up. You cook everyting with the lid closed and there is not enough extra oxygen to allow for a genuine flame.

I went for 20 years cooking on gassers and never cooked chicken with the skin on, because it was too much trouble, but chicken is simple on a ceramic -- like this grill full of legs.

You are correct about the lifetime guarantee (original owner & cannot purchase on the internet).

 

[Obsessed]

When I was researching grills I got the impression that the BGE is worth the money if you're really going to make use of its versatility, i.e., grilling, smoking, making pizza, etc., but not if you plan to use it only for straight up grilling.

 

[nikkuchan]

I don't understand. The company that makes it is Kamado, which is more than likely a Japanese company (since Kamado is Japanese for hearth), but I'm not finding this product from any actual Japanese retailers. Hmmm...

 

[Dennis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_green_egg

US soldiers used to bring kamodo cookers back to the US on empty transport planes. A local company sprung up to make the cookers.