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Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: blindluck on July 07, 2015, 04:13:55 PM

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Title: Big green Egg
Post by: blindluck on July 07, 2015, 04:13:55 PM

Im really interested in a Kamato style smoker/grill, can anyone give some advice on their thoughts. Best prices brands and best size to buy. I want to be able to set it and forget it. thanks in advance.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Mxracer532 on July 07, 2015, 04:16:37 PM

Green Mountain Grills.
My brother and a good freind were HUGE Treager guys till I got my Green Mountain. Buddy sold his Treager and bought a Green Mountain. Brother is looking to do the same.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Tbob on July 07, 2015, 04:38:59 PM

Still use my Traeger regularly and still really like it.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: blindluck on July 07, 2015, 04:44:58 PM

Im not looking for a pellet/electric smoker, just a ceramic kamato  type like a big green egg style.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: NW-GSP on July 07, 2015, 04:53:48 PM

I have the steel version and like it. Its not as good as the porcelain ones but does the job for now.
You can get a temp controller for them even though they run on charcoal. 

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Curly on July 08, 2015, 09:08:45 PM

I got a kamado grill from costco a few years ago and it's the best grill I've ever used. I  wish I would have gotten one 25 years ago. It is the vision brand and real similar to the big green egg at a cheaper  price. I don't know if costco still sells them. I cook our thanksgiving turkey on it and it's the juiciest turkey ever.

You might look into a cookbook by Chris grove named "The Kamado Smoker and Grill". I just got it last Christmas but wish I would have had it when I first got the grill.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: quadrafire on July 08, 2015, 09:24:06 PM

I have the large BGE. Been running it for about 5 years. It is not a set and forget grill. There is a learning curve to running it on low and slow. It does have some great sear ability for awesome steaks. Overall I am very happy with it but my wife doesn't appreciate the intense smoke flavor of some of the foods. Gotta play with some of the hardwood chunks to find one you like. I do pizza and calzones in it and they are awesome.
If you get one contact me for some tips and techniques. Also check with NRAforlife he is the egg master ;)

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Curly on July 08, 2015, 09:40:52 PM

Looks like home Depot carries the grill that costco used to carry. The list it at $700. http://m.homedepot.com/p/Vision-Grills-Kamado-Pro-Ceramic-Charcoal-Grill-S-4C1D1/202926563/

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Curly on July 08, 2015, 10:15:50 PM

For set and forget operation you would likely want a controller like this:  https://www.flameboss.com/FB100-Kamado_smoker_controller

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: blindluck on July 09, 2015, 12:54:33 PM

Thanks for the tips, I've heard smoked food Is better on these versus pellet and other electric smokers. I love smoking meat and these seem like a great method

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: quadrafire on July 09, 2015, 02:08:44 PM

I like  smoked food better in my electric smoker as I can control the flavor profile by chips. The Egg burns hardwood charcoal and you don't always know what woods you are getting. Depends on brands etc. Some are very harsh. You can get mesquite and some other woods that are labeled as such, but some I have had leave a downright bad taste.

So for fast, hot, sears on steaks it is da bomb. Pretty good for pizza. excellent for pork chops and chicken. I have done low and slow for pulled pork but like my electric better for that.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 10, 2015, 04:22:44 PM

BGE here.  I love it.  Searing steaks at 800 degrees is something to behold.  Quad is right though, it takes some getting used to.  The big lump hardwood charcoal is way different than briquets.  For slow stuff, I get them going slowly to where they are not smoking anymore and shut it down, then put your meat on.  Slow roasted chickens like that are unbelievable.  And pizza, simply the best on the plate setter.  Have you ever cooked a pizza in 2 minutes?  Just like the wood fired places. 

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: blindluck on July 10, 2015, 06:15:21 PM

Quote from: quadrafire on July 09, 2015, 02:08:44 PM

I like  smoked food better in my electric smoker as I can control the flavor profile by chips. The Egg burns hardwood charcoal and you don't always know what woods you are getting. Depends on brands etc. Some are very harsh. You can get mesquite and some other woods that are labeled as such, but some I have had leave a downright bad taste.

So for fast, hot, sears on steaks it is da bomb. Pretty good for pizza. excellent for pork chops and chicken. I have done low and slow for pulled pork but like my electric better for that.

how long will it hold a steady 225 once diad in? does adding wood chunks give a nice smoke throughout the whole cook?

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: Netminder01 on July 10, 2015, 06:26:28 PM

I have a Traeger and love it.  But it's not a Komodo style so I'd BGE as well. I have a pretty large group of friends each who have different smokers from competition to BGE's to everything in between.

Choose the style of smoker that best suits:

• The time you want to put towards learning to smoke
• Grill size - When I entertain or smoke large volumes of ribs, smoked salmon or jerky, I run out of room fast. For me this is a hit against BGE and more for a grill style smoker
• Smoker management - BGE requires some work getting it dialed in and it changes from day to day slightly depending on outside air temp, wind and other factors.

Title: Re: Big green Egg
Post by: quadrafire on July 11, 2015, 04:27:13 PM

Quote from: blindluck on July 10, 2015, 06:15:21 PM

Quote from: quadrafire on July 09, 2015, 02:08:44 PM

I like  smoked food better in my electric smoker as I can control the flavor profile by chips. The Egg burns hardwood charcoal and you don't always know what woods you are getting. Depends on brands etc. Some are very harsh. You can get mesquite and some other woods that are labeled as such, but some I have had leave a downright bad taste.

So for fast, hot, sears on steaks it is da bomb. Pretty good for pizza. excellent for pork chops and chicken. I have done low and slow for pulled pork but like my electric better for that.

how long will it hold a steady 225 once diad in? does adding wood chunks give a nice smoke throughout the whole cook?

If you start with a well placed bed of hardwood lump charcoal you can get 12 hrs or so but it would not be easy to add fuel as you would have to lift the lid remove the meat to get more chunks on the coals. BGE has a web forum with all manners of tips and techniques.