New here but not to smoking

[TX Smoker]

First, thanks for setting up Amazing Ribs. I've used this site so much I felt it only fair that I pay something for it.
I used to own a big assed Tejas Smoker stick burner until my wife decided we needed to get a new patio and a Big Green Egg would look better. Well, turns out I really like it. And, they have soooo many accessories and I own them all. My favorite gadget is the Digiq. Set the temp and forget it. Last weekend I smoked the best ribs I've ever made. The Egg stayed at 225 for hours. Just wish I could zone cook.

[DWCowles]

Welcome to the Pit TX

[Steve Vojtek]

Welcome TX

[Jon Solberg]

TEACH ME SENSEI! Im ready to learn! Welcome

[Breadhead]

TX Smoker Welcome to the Pit! It's always a pleasure to have another Egghead to share idea's with. You said... "Just wish I could zone cook" You can my friend. You just have to think outside the box. Non-ceramic people think the ONLY form of 2-zone cooking is Left and Right. Load your coal on one side and cook low and slow on the other side, away from the direct heat. I don't blame them, that's all they know. All they are doing is creating an oven effect, turning their BBQ, grill into an oven and adding some wood to create flavor, if they're smoking. Those same people will tell you... Ceramics are the best ovens in the BBQ industry. They say they are great for bread and pizza. Their contention is ceramic's are not very good for grilling. They say you have to make to many equipment/accessory changes to do the reverse sear on a ceramic grill. For some crazy reason they feel I must have my plate setter in to shield my steaks from the direct heat of the best oven in the BBQ business when there is NO direct flames, none, zero, zilch! At 250° in a ceramic oven with the lid down there are NO flames!!! There is NO direct heat - it's an oven! Now... Let me explain 2-zone cooking in a ceramic oven, grill, smoker for you. Forget left and right! Think up and down and temperature control. Let's you and I cook a steak on our BGE's. The setup... The direct/indirect grate by Grill Dome, no plate setter, no other grate! Load the firebox so the lump is 2" below the top of the firebox. Set your direct/indirect grate, legs down so your cooking surface is above the felt line. Get your cooking temp to 250°, put your steaks on, insert your temp thermometer probe, close the dome. Cook to 115°... Open dome, open bottom vent wide open - remove steaks to a plate, blot with a paper towel, baste with beef love. Turn direct/indirect grate upside down and sear away. That my friend is Up and Down 2-zone ceramic cooking. Here's what steaks look like when grilled on a ceramic grill... a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/food_pictures/15988903846" title="Untitled by Brian Foreman, on Flickr">

[TX Smoker]

Thank you sir. I have the pieces and parts to do this, just never thought to turn it upside down to sear. I do know you can get the Egg hot enough to melt a Grill Grate section. The middle section of mine looks like a rocking chair.

Thanks to all for the kind words.

[Breadhead]

@TX Smoker

Have fun trying it. I've been doing it that way for a couple of years.

Until I figured out how to get my steaks close to the red hot lump to do the sear at the end my BGE was not a good grill for steaks. But now I can grill steaks and chicken just as good or better than any grill out there.

[TX Smoker]

Great photos. Thanks. Just ordered a cast iron grate to fit my large BGE with the attachment. If you haven't yet, look at Fogo lump charcoal. I get it from Amazon Prime in 35# bags. The pieces are huge compared to BGE charcoal and last a lot longer.