Big Green Egg & Other Ceramic Grills All Encompassing Thread

[Lurch 5950]

 

 

[Buzzrock 15136]

^^^ What DDD said about the empty beer can.

Yup, that’s what I do.

[Buzzrock 15136]

FUCK




ME







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Damn dude that sucks. Same thing happened to me years ago but the dome didn’t break, only the temp gauge.

[Tailgate 3076]

36 minutes ago, Buzzrock said:

Damn dude that sucks. Same thing happened to me years ago but the dome didn’t break, only the temp gauge.

Well, grass is a bit softer than concrete.

[Buzzrock 15136]

Well, grass is a bit softer than concrete.

Point is, the bands can heat up and expand in rare instances, just something to be aware of.

[Baboontyme 2883]

I made a pizza last night in the Primo. I don't prefer it honestly. I don't like the charcoal smoke taste. It looked good, though. 

[Buzzrock 15136]

You might need to let the fire burn a little longer. The smoke taste should be minimal with a clean burning fire.

[HouTex 1942]

On pizzas, my egg gets so hot that it starts to burn (way more than just a little char, which I like) the bottom of the crust before the top of the crust gets brown and bubbly.  Not sure how to fix it.

[chesthair 231]

On 2/2/2020 at 2:01 PM, Mac8111 said:

FUCK




ME







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Happened to me last year...FYI, contact your local place, they might replace it.  I got new dome, bands, etc fo' free.  

[Chewbacca 7830]

On pizzas, my egg gets so hot that it starts to burn (way more than just a little char, which I like) the bottom of the crust before the top of the crust gets brown and bubbly.  Not sure how to fix it.

Thinner crust, or turn the heat down a bit. I like to do my pizzas at 500 or so.

[Buzzrock 15136]

On pizzas, my egg gets so hot that it starts to burn (way more than just a little char, which I like) the bottom of the crust before the top of the crust gets brown and bubbly.  Not sure how to fix it.

Are you using a pizza stone or just throwing them on direct?

You can get an unglazed ceramic tile from the store for about a buck, makes a fine pizza stone.

[CooterBrown 18288]

On pizzas, my egg gets so hot that it starts to burn (way more than just a little char, which I like) the bottom of the crust before the top of the crust gets brown and bubbly.  Not sure how to fix it.

Use the plate setter and a pizza stone on top. If it’s still too hot, put the stone on the grill above the plate setter with a gap in between.

[CooterBrown 18288]

On pizzas, my egg gets so hot that it starts to burn (way more than just a little char, which I like) the bottom of the crust before the top of the crust gets brown and bubbly.  Not sure how to fix it.

Use the plate setter and a pizza stone on top. If it’s still too hot, put the stone on the grill above the plate setter with a gap in between.

[HouTex 1942]

I was only using the plate setter--which was advertised as a pizza stone as well.  I'll trying using a pizza stone on top of the plate setter.

[Chewbacca 7830]

19 minutes ago, HouTex said:

I was only using the plate setter--which was advertised as a pizza stone as well.  I'll trying using a pizza stone on top of the plate setter.

Definitely.  I assumed you were doing this.  Grill grate between the two gives you a little buffer as well.

[Jerry Callo 8960]

I've seen people use copper pipe fittings (T or elbow) as spacers between heat deflector and the pizza stone.  Otherwise the stone gets too hot and the crust gets done faster than the top.  Traditional brick ovens do not have the fire below the bricks.

[Sam Lin 3597]

See my comments earlier in thread about using multiple layers of heat deflectors/pizza stones with spacers in between, as a way to buffer the heat from below. Balancing the heat from below and the heat from above is the key to pizza in a kamado.

[pops 7142]

2 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

See my comments earlier in thread about using multiple layers of heat deflectors/pizza stones with spacers in between, as a way to buffer the heat from below. Balancing the heat from below and the heat from above is the key to pizza in a kamado.

Yep. I use a couple of bricks under the pizza stone on mine. Pizza stone right on the grate gets too hot. 

[Mac8111 2129]

When I was doing my Pizzas this last round (before I broke my lid), I started at 500-600 degrees and it was scorching the bottom way too quick. I hit my sweet spot around 400. That was with the pizza stone on the grate.


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[Lurch 5950]

An hour more to smoke then 30 mins rest in butcher paper before lunch

[Lurch 5950]

Ugly but taste great

[DDD Dad 14649]

Ugly but taste great

It’s beautiful to me.

[Lurch 5950]

Does anyone use their ceramic frequently for fast, hot cooks? I throw burgers on a propane grill next to my primo virtually every day. Problem with using the primo for that is lighting and heating up is a lot more time and effort, plus the expense of the fire starter. Is a propane torch the solution Im looking for, or is it still going to be too much effort for daily use? Do you think it would make the burgers notably better?

[Baboontyme 2883]

"better"? I don't know man that's up to your tastes. 

I do think cooking on the ceramic is more fun and I do often fire it up for grilling. I use a weedburner that I bought for my offset. It treats me well. I can get it up to 500 degrees just as fast if not faster than my 6 burner propane grill with the lid shut. 

https://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-19425-JT850-Self-Igniting-Outdoor/dp/B00008ZA0F

[BigDHornfan 6630]

22 minutes ago, Lurch said:

Does anyone use their ceramic frequently for fast, hot cooks? I throw burgers on a propane grill next to my primo virtually every day. Problem with using the primo for that is lighting and heating up is a lot more time and effort, plus the expense of the fire starter. Is a propane torch the solution Im looking for, or is it still going to be too much effort for daily use? Do you think it would make the burgers notably better?

LooftLighter or heat gun FTW.
I use the egg all the time for fast cooks.  I can get mine up to temp in about 10 minutes.  

[Sam Lin 3597]

Cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol, you can make hundreds of fire starters for a dollar.

[CooterBrown 18288]

21 hours ago, BigDHornfan said:

LooftLighter  

Yep. Got one for Christmas a few years back and it's been great. Lights charcoal in about 1 minute.  $80 on Amazon. There are knockoff brands for $50. They're so similar, I'm gonna guess it's the Chinese manufacturing plant selling the exact same thing under their own label.

https://www.amazon.com/Looftlighter-Original-Electric-Starter-Charcoal/dp/B000WYY65Y/

 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

21 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Yep. Got one for Christmas a few years back and it's been great. Lights charcoal in about 1 minute.  $80 on Amazon. There are knockoff brands for $50. They're so similar, I'm gonna guess it's the Chinese manufacturing plant selling the exact same thing under their own label.

https://www.amazon.com/Looftlighter-Original-Electric-Starter-Charcoal/dp/B000WYY65Y/

 

A heat gun from Harbor Freight for $18 is what I use.  Saw a video of a guy testing looflighter v heat gun.  And heat gun was better.  

[pops 7142]

I use a map gas torch. Hit the coals for maybe 20 seconds in a couple spots. Go in and do prep on whatever I'm going to cook and grill is up to temp. 

[Buzzrock 15136]

I had only my BGE for many years. No gas grill. Once you get used to lighting the egg before you do any prep it’s fine.

People love the Looftilighter but I’m partial the cheap plug-in electric coil.

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Most important thing I learned about using the kamado for slow and low cooking was not to rush the fire.  Now I use one tumbleweed lighter and give myself and hour to get the fire steady at my cooking temp. 

 

[TankedBevo 2502]

It may be coincidence, but I used to light the coals in my Vision Grill with the vents wide open as per the Youtube instructional videos commanded. The coals would then get so hot the temps would need to be brought way down which took forever and burned up a good portion of coals before I could even throw the meat on. 

I started lighting them with the vents set to the temp range I was planning on cooking at (I.E. top and bottom vents 1/8" open for low and slow 220-250 range) and have had a much easier time getting the temps where it should be right away. Again, I'm not sure if there is any correlation but it seems to work way better. 

[Lurch 5950]

What’s your brisket probe-like-butter process? Mine is to keep probing different spots until I find a tough one, then leave the probe there for 20 mins and try again. I’m on my third spot and I’m a bit concerned about all of those good spots I hit the first time an hour ago. Am I risking overcooking one spot just to get the very last spot perfect?

[Lurch 5950]

I used the cotton ball start this time and it was perfect. I stacked a few pieces of lump in the bottom left corner near vent and dropped two balls I had just briefly soaked w 70* rubbing alcohol between them. The lit immediately and put out a pure blue flame for at least ten minutes. Since I was going low and slow, I didn’t put any more lump around them and just let that come up to temp. I then placed some wood chunks around and on the fire then buried them all w more lump. Seemed to work quite well

[Lurch 5950]

Hell of a ring! Achievement unlocked

[Lurch 5950]

Big changes this time around we’re the quality post oak wood chunk placements and large water pan between shields and grates.

Wrapped in butcher paper around 5 hours in. Took another 9 to reach temp. Wrapped towel around same paper, placed on pan and set in oven for two hour rest.

All went well except for wife preheating oven for sides without checking inside first. Lost a towel but brisket survived unscathed.

[Buzzrock 15136]

[Buzzrock 15136]

Pics posted backwards but you get the point

[Chewbacca 7830]

Just one rack? Does not compute.

[Buzzrock 15136]

Midweek, knocking off the rust. Got three more in the freezer. They turned out fantastic.

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Beef plate ribs on at 9:00 ‐ first check and spritz will be and 2:00.

[The Original CaliHorn 83]

5 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

Beef plate ribs on at 9:00 ‐ first check and spritz will be and 2:00.

What brand of ceramic is this?
 

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Vision.

[Buzzrock 15136]

Well?

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Well?

Just took them off. Resting for a little while. I'll try to remember to take a shot upon slicing.

[Sabalo 1008]

On 1/30/2020 at 4:52 PM, Wasting Billables said:

Love this thread. Been monitoring it for a few months; finally pulled the trigger and bought myself a vision hd from home depot. I know next to nothing about grilling on charcoal so its been/going to be a learning experience. Got the kick ash basket after using the grill a couple of times without, and I think it makes a big difference. What is yalls go to lump charcoal? My first bag has been royal oak. Anything better out there or are they all about the same? 

B&B competition logs. You can find them at Academy.

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Final product. To be paired with collard greens and mac and cheese.

[DDD Dad 14649]

Birthday dinner for the youngest.

[Mac8111 2129]

Update. The replacement BGE Large lid arrived. $220 plus I had to pay for shipping ($100) since the local outdoor place wasn’t placing an order anytime soon.


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[DDD Dad 14649]

2 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

Update. The replacement BGE Large lid arrived. $220 plus I had to pay for shipping ($100) since the local outdoor place wasn’t placing an order anytime soon.


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