So I am absolutely delighted to say I won a large big green egg in a charity raffle last night! Anyone got any tips where to start with it? I’m so excited what should be my first cook??
-
-
I just acquired a new kamado recently. For the initial cook, I did a simple roast chicken. Its cooking temp is forgiving, and will help you dial in your settings to obtain the temp profile that works for you. You could also use pork ribs, as they too are pretty forgiving of temps, for the most part. Your worst efforts will usually taste better than most folks best efforts; if you follow the basic guidelines that are exhaustively detailed at our site. In other words, just cook, then react. You'll be fine. We're not saving lives here, just cooking food. Trust Uncle Tom....lol -
Wow great win. A dozen cookies then a dirty yard birdComment
-
If you’re looking for any accessories I have a nest side tables and a cast iron grate. PM me if you’re interested.Comment
-
Congratulations! Nice win! You can start by looking at Meatheads book on kamado cookers. There is also some good info on the BGE web page. Its all about air control. I leave the bottom vent all the way open and control the temp with the daisy wheel. It takes a little getting used to but once you get it its great. If you're going for 225, for example, light the lump (wax starters are what I use. You can get them cheaper on line) and when it gets going pretty good, close the lid with the daisy wheel off or wide open. When the temp gets to about 200 close the daisy wheel down to about 1/4" open. Its easier to control the temp going up than trying to bring it down. Temp reacts slowly so be patient. The only accessory I recommend is the Kick Ash basket. Makes cleaning out the ash a lot easier. Make sure you clean out the holes in the firebox also. There are many brands of lump available. Read the reviews on the naked whiz website. I use Royal Oak regularly and splurge on FOGO from time to time. Just do some burgers or something simple first so you can play with temp control. Enjoy!Comment
-
Rule #1 - get in the habit of always "burping" the egg by lifting the lid 1/2" or so to let air in slowly before you open it. Then close the lid and open as you would with a normal cooker. Otherwise you might singe your arm hair, eyebrows and the front of your hair, like many another unsuspecting egger.
If you don't mind some reading, this book will introduce you to the many techniques for making the most out of a ceramic Kamado: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I read it after owning one for 15 years, and still learned some new tricks!Comment
-
Meat P EdF is giving you a great caution for keeping your eyebrows.
-
-
Nice win! I light my Primo with either a simple gas torch or a harbor freight heat gun. Works fine. I have a thermostatic controller (check smobot, lots of people like that system and it is simple because no fan), but they aren’t necessary. Just peace of mind for longer cooks.
About temp control. Your ceramic cooker is an excellent heat resovior. But it takes at least an hour to become stable. The ceramic soaks up heat slowly, but once it reaches a stable temperature it tends to stay that way.
As for a first cook, If you have all day and want to play with temp control, pulled pork. Try for 225 and if you overshoot no big deal, just cooks faster. Don’t have all day but have a few hours, ribs. Same deal. Only have a couple hours, chicken at 325. A favorite of mine is strip steak "carne Asada" style. For that I use the lid thermometer to read 400 with vents wide open, put the steak on over blazing hot coals (no deflector), then choke the airflow down so flareups can’t happen. Just remember to burp the lid for high temp low airflow operation (VERY IMPORTANT).
There is a sticky here in the kamado sub forum, it has excellent information. So does the BGE site. Primo has a series of videos on you tube (all Kamados work the same regardless of brand, it’s about controlling airflow and quirks that are common to all brands).
Oh yea, if you don’t have any already go out to a hardware/home improvement store and buy welding gloves. They are a good thing to have when opening the lid.Comment
-
Attjack insane deal. right now it's $ 11.00.
It's the same apron - the second one includes gloves, if you don't have them yet. I guess you could use the rods holder for tongs...
-
Trust me.....you'll hate it. It's heavy, hard to control the temps, you can get severely burned if you're not careful. PM me and I'll make arrangements to take it off your hands.
I've had a LBGE for several years and I use it a lot. Practice with it, don't be in a hurry and you'll dial in your own style in no time. It's a great cooker................Congratulations!Comment
-
thanks the great tips, always good to get others advice! i cant wait for it to be delivered and get started cooking!Comment
-
A tip I learned from Dizzy Pig's Chris Capell -- don't put the bolt (or whatever it is) on the back of the dome thermometer, leaving the thermometer loose. Rotate the thermometer to put the target temp straight up at 12 o'clock. Then you can see from a much greater distance (e.g., out the kitchen window) where you are relative to your target temp. Been of great use allowing me to keep an eye on things and prep during that hour-ish pre-heating period.
My go-to accessory is the Smokeware cap. I bought it mainly because of all the rain we've been having this year, but I also don't accidentally knock my settings off when opening the Egg.Comment
-
First cook should be supermarket sized ribeyes, 3/4" thick. Get the BGE to about 600*, then 2-2-2: two minutes each side, then shut the vents and give it two minutes dwell. Then burp the BGE, and eat the steaks.Comment
-
Congratulations! You are going to love the BGE. A spatchcock chicken or pork shoulder are great first cooks.
Also, get a cheap pack or two of biscuits (the kind that come in a tube) and place them evenly across the cooker and cook according to directions. This is the best way to figure out where the hot and cool spots are. Then use those spots to you advantage (move more done food to the cool spots and less done food to the hot spots or put the chicken thighs and legs toward the hot spot and the breast toward the cool spot so they will get done at the same time).
Have fun and enjoy the egg.
Comment
-
Congrats! Welcome to the wonderful world of kamado cooking! Make sure to check out these two threads on everything Kamado! These threads will go a long way to help you.
Taming the Savage Kamado
Accessories for The KamadoComment
-
I don't think anyone has mentioned pizza. Sometime get a pizza stone or cast iron pizza version and get the BGE 400-500*. It is great for pizza! If you get a ceramic pizza stone be sure to get one thick enough to take the heat. I broke my Wife's thinner stone made for an indoor oven. Have fun!Comment
-
Congrats!! Nothing cooks chicken better than a BGE. Get a raised grate adapter (Ceramic Grill Store) and cook spatchcock/pieces raised-direct at about 350F. Crisp skin and juicy! Also, the easiest smoker to control temp for your long cooks. Have fun!!Comment
Comment