Anyone Use a Big Green Egg Grill?

[Profreedomokie]

I've been told by every owner that they love them. How are they different to cook on or clean up? What is the good and the bad about them? If a pellet grill better? I'm doing the carnivore diet and grill more than I used to and use a small cheap grill.

 

[CHenry]

I've been told by every owner that they love them. How are they different to cook on or clean up? What is the good and the bad about them? If a pellet grill better? I'm doing the carnivore diet and grill more than I used to and use a small cheap grill.

I prefer my Green Mountain Pellet grill simply because it has a larger cooking surface. I'm sure Green Egg will live up to it's reputation, it just wasnt for me.

 

[ibanda]

I've had good food off of nearly every type of grill or smoker. Gas grills have their place and I want one for the ease of getting a hot grill on a weeknight cook. Pellet grills have their place as an easy to use smoker.

I've had a Big Green Egg for 15 years and it's still my favorite. There is some magic to the BGE. It is a very good grill AND smoker. Most devices will not do both very well. I use a weed burner to get the lump charcoal fire going quickly for weeknight grills.

I have done many 12 hour brisket cooks without reloading the charcoal. Kamado style grills/smokers are an amazing invention. I think the main reason for the cooking quality is that they are so well insulated. The fire can be smaller, more efficient, so less airflow and the meat doesn't dry out.

 

[Shadowrider]

Yes. I have a large BGE and a Ceramic Grill Store adjustable rig with extender, a Kick Ash Basket and a Kick Ash Can. I have also bought a Pit Boss pellet grill recently for quick spur of the moment cooks or when I'm just wanting to grill something fast.

There really isn't any way to compare them as they are totally different animals. The taste off of the BGE is better than any grill or smoker I've ever had. Period...Full stop...It's not even arguable. BGE is the clear winner and it's not even close. As for a pellet grill I consider it about like a propane gas grill except you can get some smoke flavor and a good smoke ring if that's important to you.

I've cooked brisket for almost 20 hours on my BGE and still had charcoal left over. Using lump there's basically no waste, you just let it go out and top it up the next time and keep going. You will need to clean the ash out about every 5 or 6 cooks, same as vacuuming out the pot on a pellet grill. Clean out is a lot easier on the BGE, especially if you have a Kick Ash basket and Kick Ash can.

The pellet grill does have more grill area and is a bit easier to cook large items on as far as space goes, but the BGE is far more consistent on temperature in the cooking area with a lot less cool vs hot spots. You also don't get a lot of smoke flavor, you get some, but you need to add a smoke tube if you like stuff smokey. As far as pellets I've found the Smokehouse brand at Sam's to be the clear winner price wise but I also like Jealous Devil pellets. You can order them from Walmart for $12.95 per 20lb box. I get the Sam's pellets for $14.95 for a 40lb bag. You can't beat that with a stick and they are pure hardwood hickory, cherry and maple.

The BGE is pretty pricey, but it comes with a lifetime warranty as long as you buy it from an authorized retailer and it doesn't have any electronics to fail unlike pellets grills which do regularly. I bought the Pit Boss grill instead of a propane grill because it's just about as fast and convenient and you can "open the grate" to sear. You are cooking with an actual fire, but it's a far more cleaner burn than charcoal so you don't get as strong of a charcoal or wood flavor on a pellet grill.

They both have their role. I won't be hot smoking any of my home cured bacon on the pellet grill, but I do use it when I'm too lazy or in too big of a hurry to setup the BGE. It ain't a big deal, but I can get the pellet grill to cooking faster. If it's a long cook or an expensive cut of meat, it's the BGE every time...

 

[1shott]

Been cooking a Large BGE for at least 10 years.

Its a beast.

Grills steaks, burgers, dogs, turns into a wood fired pizza oven that will rock 1000 degrees, smokes ribs, pork butts, brisket, roasts chickens and turkeys, bakes cookies even.

 

[Profreedomokie]

Yes. I have a large BGE and a Ceramic Grill Store adjustable rig with extender, a Kick Ash Basket and a Kick Ash Can. I have also bought a Pit Boss pellet grill recently for quick spur of the moment cooks or when I'm just wanting to grill something fast.

There really isn't any way to compare them as they are totally different animals. The taste off of the BGE is better than any grill or smoker I've ever had. Period...Full stop...It's not even arguable. BGE is the clear winner and it's not even close. As for a pellet grill I consider it about like a propane gas grill except you can get some smoke flavor and a good smoke ring if that's important to you.

I've cooked brisket for almost 20 hours on my BGE and still had charcoal left over. Using lump there's basically no waste, you just let it go out and top it up the next time and keep going. You will need to clean the ash out about every 5 or 6 cooks, same as vacuuming out the pot on a pellet grill. Clean out is a lot easier on the BGE, especially if you have a Kick Ash basket and Kick Ash can.

The pellet grill does have more grill area and is a bit easier to cook large items on as far as space goes, but the BGE is far more consistent on temperature in the cooking area with a lot less cool vs hot spots. You also don't get a lot of smoke flavor, you get some, but you need to add a smoke tube if you like stuff smokey. As far as pellets I've found the Smokehouse brand at Sam's to be the clear winner price wise but I also like Jealous Devil pellets. You can order them from Walmart for $12.95 per 20lb box. I get the Sam's pellets for $14.95 for a 40lb bag. You can't beat that with a stick and they are pure hardwood hickory, cherry and maple.

The BGE is pretty pricey, but it comes with a lifetime warranty as long as you buy it from an authorized retailer and it doesn't have any electronics to fail unlike pellets grills which do regularly. I bought the Pit Boss grill instead of a propane grill because it's just about as fast and convenient and you can "open the grate" to sear. You are cooking with an actual fire, but it's a far more cleaner burn than charcoal so you don't get as strong of a charcoal or wood flavor on a pellet grill.

They both have their roll. I won't be hot smoking any of by home cured bacon on the pellet grill, but I do use it when I'm too lazy or in too big of a hurry to setup the BGE. It ain't a big deal, but I can get the pellet grill to cooking faster. If it's a long cook or an expensive cut of meat, it's the BGE every time...

How much set up does the BGE require? What accessories do you need with a BGE?

 

[snubinmypocket]

Kamado Joe are as good as Big Green Eggs and come with several accessories you need to buy extra for a BGE. A ceramic grill is slower to use but very versatile for low and slow or about 600 degrees for searing.

 

[Shadowrider]

How much set up does the BGE require? What accessories do you need with a BGE?

Not that much if you aren't doing a lot of different cooks. It's just lift out the grill, get your charcoal situated and lit, and then set your rack back in. With the below items you just lift the whole rig out and set it up as you want.

I have these below only I have their one piece "oval stone" for indirect low and slow smokes instead of these half stones. I've had it for over 10 years and I'm pretty sure they will last 50 years or longer. They are made out of stainless steel and it's pretty heavy gage. It's very high quality stuff.

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/products/large-egg-rig-expander-half-moon-deflectors-multi-grids

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/products/large-rig-extender-grid-bundle

The BGE is the most versatile ceramic grill out there, probably because they've been around the longest and there are a ton of accessories and gizmos for them. I did look hard a Kamado Joe and went with BGE. Glad I did because I've done a ton of different foods on it, that I wouldn't attempt on other grills.

I would strongly suggest you get a large or XL due to there being so much more rack systems available for them. The large probably has the most.

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

I bought a kamado Joe “big Joe” (same size as XL green egg) a few months back and I love it! It was on sale for a great price so I nabbed it up

Kamado Joe has 3 different lines: series 1, 2, and 3. Mine is the cheaper series 1. Same unit overall but with simpler accessories (no air lift lid hinge, simpler chimney cap/vent, not as good of lid gasket, less extras, etc).. Although for the most part you upgrade those things later if needed

Kamados grill and smoke wonderfully! Very temp stable. Very stable in windy conditions. They make excellent pizza ovens as well. Mine has the “divide and conquer” which allows me to set up different heat zones for sides and meats etc

I will say though, they are a bit finicky and you’ll need to tinker around to find methods that work. Way easier than an offset stick burner, but you’ll still need to learn to master your fire.

I have a family I’m cooking for so I went with the big one 100%. Depending how much space you need the mid-size one might suit you. But if you can drop the coin, go big

 

[1shott]

How much set up does the BGE require? What accessories do you need with a BGE?

Look for a gold star dealer, you can should be able to purchase a kit, so to speak. Mine came as a kit, the egg, stand, plate setter, ash removal tool, bag of charcoal and starters.

There are a ton of options for eggs as well.