Oh boy, here I go!

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I'd like to blame Norm for this but it's my own fault.
I Can't wait to get it going  8) 8) 8)



 

[Raider Bill]

Chain it down mine walked away >:( :(

Life in the city.......

[Norm]

Congratulations Jon!

One of the best sources for cooking on it besides me is the BBQ Brethren

There's a couple of websites devoted to just cooking on the egg but they get their pantaloons in a wad if you talk about any other cooker. 

[LOGDOG]

I've been wanting to ask this question to the guys who have or have had Big Green Eggs. If I had two identical Ribeyes, I grill one on say a Weber charcoal grill and the other one I grill on a Big Green Egg ... how much better will the one grilled on the Big Green Egg taste? Anyone ever do a comparison like that? What differences would a person notice in the two steaks?

[pigman]

I would like to answer that question LOGDOG. You cook the two rib-eyes, one on each named grill. Invite me down to try each steak. I will then tell you which is best. ;D
digin1

[LOGDOG]

Well Pigman ...if you can talk these guys into bringing "their" grills down, I'll buy the ribeyes. I've been too tight to buy a Big Green Egg ... though I've pondered it heavily.  ;) I just wonder if there's a huge difference?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Assembled it last night. It took about 3 hours. It was pretty straight forward. I'm going to fire it as soon as I get home and then later tonight I am going to try and grill steaks with baked potatoes and  asparagus. Wish me luck. ... or wish Diane luck.  :D

Jon

[Norm]

Logdog I cook on my big weber as much as I do my eggs. I like my weber for doing steaks and burgers and to be honest can't tell much difference in how it cooks versus the BGE. The egg really shines for low and slow cooking, like pork butts, brisket, ribs and such. Of course it does fine with chicken and everything else but as you can tell I'm fond of my webers too.

[LOGDOG]

Good luck with the first run Weekend_Sawyer ...

Thanks Norm. It's a question I've honestly wondered. You know how it is .... you grill a steak at home and it's just awesome, usually better than what you'd get if you went out to eat at most places. But you wonder, "Can it get better"? .... I can see where they'd be real nice for low and slow with the ability to seal that heat in and regulate it so well.

[Raider Bill]

Another good thing about the BGE is you can get the heat extremely high for searing.
I do like Webers though. Got a new one last month for my birthday!
Not to hijack Jon post but take a look at this all done on the Weber!



  

  

 

Hungry yet? :D :D :D :D

[okmulch]

Bill, do you use a special pizza pan for grilling?

[Raider Bill]

I start with a pizza stone to bake the crust a bit with EVOO brushed on the top. This "sets" the dough so it's easier to peel. I then add the toppings and finish right on the grate. I'll generally use some lump charcoal with a piece or 2 of hickory, maple, or apple for flavor. This depends on my toppings and taste at the time.

[LOGDOG]

Wow ...that looks great. You gotta love good food.

[okmulch]

Thanks! I guess I need to get a pizza stone.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

durn hihjacker, got me droolin all over my keyboard!   ;D

[WDH]

Jon,

It is still your fault.  You started this mess  :D.  (headed to the refrigerator looking for grilled meat  ).

[Weekend_Sawyer]

The steaks came out very good. Tender and flavorful. I had the grill at 500 degrees, seared the steaks (ribeyes) on both sides then shut the grill down and cooked them till they were almost medium. I moved them to the side and dropped my asparagus on, turned them twice and they were nicely done. For baked potatoes I rubbed red potatoes with butter (beleive it or not I was out of bacon grease!) wrapped them in foil and had them on the grill for an hour.

Would it have come out just as well on a Weber?, probably.  ;D
Jon

[LOGDOG]

Sounds like good eatin'!

[Dan_Shade]

Jon, i'm close enough by to stop in for a bite ;-)

[Weekend_Sawyer]

oh, sorry Dan, we packed up and headed for the hills! 

[Burlkraft]

Congrats Jon and welcome to the club  8) 8)

Yer gonna love it!

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Yesterday afternoon I cooked 3 racks of ribs with a dry rub, 8 baked potatoes and 14 ears of corn. I didn't have as much time as I would have liked so I kept the grill at 300 for the ribs for 3 hours, and they came out tender and juicy with Danjonit's BBQ sauce on the side.  ;D

Jon

[WDH]

Sounds like a party  ;D.

[pigman]

 Jon, after you ate all that , what did you have for dessert? ;)

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Ice cream, pound cake and a nice 10 hour nap  8)

[sandhills]

Dang!  Some people just know how to live!

[Kansas]

I have to be missing something about this big green egg. A friend of mine bought one that grills a lot, and only used it one or two times, before selling it to his brother in law. I looked at it and the first thing I noticed was that there was no way to adjust the grill height from the charcoal. If I can't do that, I don't know how I could grill. Obviously the way you guys like them, there is something I don't understand. Not saying I'm going to buy one, but if the right opportunity comes along...

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I'm real new to them, of course, but you adjust the airflow top and bottom, You cook with the lid closed which helps w[prevent flairups. If you open it wide open it will go over 700 degrees. Choke it down and it will maintain 250 for hours. And you can put in the ceramic insert called the platesetter that turns it into an indirect heat source so you don't char your long cook items. They say it makes it a convection oven.  I used it last weekend with the ribs and after 3 hours with only a dry rub on them they were tender and moist.

Jon

[Burlkraft]

No need to move the grill as you can control the temp. so well.

I've cooked apple pies with mine on the plate setter. Works just like an oven,  start @ 450° and cut back to 350°

They turn out great  digin_2

[LOGDOG]

How much does the big BGE go for these days?

[Norm]

Seems like I paid $800 for the large without the stand. Craigslist is a good place to look for one, many folks buy one and don't use them so they go for sale at a discount.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

yup I paid a little over a grand for the XL but as I have a lot of hangarounds right about dinner time I needed it.

Last night I picked up a whole port loin, cut it into 2 pieces for later grilling and cut 3  1 1/2" steaks off of it, set them up with a little marinade and made up a tinfoil pouch of squash to go on the side.  Mmmman it was good. I'm really itching to get it going on a long smoke.

Jon

[Norm]

I wondered what size you got Jon, I have an XL and a large myself. I had bought the large for my youngest son but he told me to keep it until he was ready for it. Well after 3 years I'm guessing it's mine! I use it for doing pizza and baking, the XL gets used for everything else.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Next week I'm going to try pizza, I'll make enough ingredients to make 2 so if I mess up the first one I can adjust or If I nail it I'll have leftovers... maybe.  I'm thinkin this egg may not be good for my wasteline.  :

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Dinner and a movie at my Dearest Cousin Angie's tonight will be spineless chicken.
Cut the spine out and flatten chicken, apply rub, drop in Egg and I have no Idea how it will turn out. Pretty much everything I do on it is an experiment.



 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

ohhhh man, I really meant to deliver 2 whole chickens tonight but, as I was taking them off the grill a leg and thigh just fell off! these chickens are so tender the bones are falling out, I must have blacked out because when I came to the leg and thigh were gone and I seem to have some greasy residue around my mouth. 

   ;D Jon

[WDH]

Those chicken fumes will do that to you.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Norm,

What kind of paper is that under your pizza, do you put it under
the paper so it will slide onto the grill.

I tried to do pizza this weekend and couldn't get the dough to slide off, I didn't have a pizza peel and just made it on the back side of a pizza pan and forgot to flower it. Wound up cooking it in the oven and it came out ok.

[Norm]

That's parchment paper Jon. I let it cook a couple of minutes and then slide it out from underneath the pizza. If I'm not doing a wet dough I'll just put a little extra flour on my  peel and not bother with the parchment paper.

I also use one of these some times when the dough is real wet. Pizza Pan With Holes

[Dodgy Loner]

Weekend Sawyer, I dust the baking sheet/stone with cornmeal or fine breadcrumbs before putting the dough on it.  Never have problems with sticking.

[Raider Bill]

Weekend Sawyer, I dust the baking sheet/stone with cornmeal or fine breadcrumbs before putting the dough on it.  Never have problems with sticking.

Cornmeal here too.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Thanks guys, I'm learnin!  8)

[Norm]

If you do low temp pizza cooks corn meal is fine but if you get the egg up to 600°'s and above you'll burn the corn meal and for that matter regular flour. Most places that are doing these high heat pizza cooks are using 00 flour.

[Raider Bill]

Never even heard of 00 flour :P We all be learning!

[Norm]

Here's the kind I buy Caputo 00 Flour

You may want to buy a smaller size to try out.  :D

[Local4Fitter]

I built a wood fired pizza oven a few years ago. Takes a couple hours to get up to temp (750 f). I throw a handful of cornmeal in to season the firebricks before the first pizza goes in. The cornmeal flashes to flames instantly and leaves a nice nonstick coating on the bricks. Without cornmeal the pizza won't slide off the peel and it sticks to the hot bricks. Every October I have a pizza party,we average 60 pizzas during the course of the day. At 750-800 degrees they cook in 3 minutes. People are amazed at how fast. Sorry I rambled.

[Mooseherder]

Any suggestions on where to buy firebrick for the oven Local4fitter?

[Local4Fitter]

Any masonry supplier will sell them.

[Mooseherder]

Thanks, I'll have to take a better look around.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Re: Pizza.
I was going for 550 deg. for 6-7 minutes. Is ghere any advantage to going for a higher temp?

[Norm]

Some styles of pizza use high heat but for most of us 550° is a very good temp to shot for.

[Norm]

I built a wood fired pizza oven a few years ago. Takes a couple hours to get up to temp (750 f). I throw a handful of cornmeal in to season the firebricks before the first pizza goes in. The cornmeal flashes to flames instantly and leaves a nice nonstick coating on the bricks. Without cornmeal the pizza won't slide off the peel and it sticks to the hot bricks. Every October I have a pizza party,we average 60 pizzas during the course of the day. At 750-800 degrees they cook in 3 minutes. People are amazed at how fast. Sorry I rambled.

No rambling there just some great info! I'd love to hear more about your WFO and see some pics if you'd be so kind. 

[Burlkraft]

I like a real thin crust and I cook them at about 550 for about 8 minutes. I also like minimal toppings. Thin coating of sauce, buffalo motz, dried plum tomato slices and 1 type of meat. Some basil and oregano. Toss some cornmeal on a hot plate setter and yer all set . Jon get a pizza peel, they are a great accessory.
Stay full my friends.....

[Weekend_Sawyer]

None of my local stores carry a peel so i ordered one online.
Ill get a bag of cornmeal too.
I sure am having fun with this egg.

Jon

[WDH]

Jon,

This is still all your fault and I blame you repeatedly for my many trips to the refrigerator.

[Local4Fitter]

Here are a couple pics.

Note from Admin:  Pics must be in Forestry Forum Photo Gallery

[Norm]

Local4Fitter you'll need to put them on the FF to get them to post. If you need some help try this link and if still having problems just let us know and we'll walk you through how to do so.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,56957.0.html

I'd love to try making my own WFO but to be honest just a tad bit intimidated to do so.

[Norm]

I moved Local4Fitters WFO info to a new topic, I thought it deserved it's own thread! Hope nobody minds. 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Good idea Norm.

Tonight I made southwest chicken corn chowder, WOW is it good.
To a corn chowder recipe I added the leftover spineless chicken which had a nice smokey flavor, roasted peppers, about a tablespoon of cumin and fresh cilantro.

BTW the corn was roasted on the grill too.
Fun, fun, fun!
Jon

[WDH]

It is still your fault  .

[Norm]

Wow Jon chicken corn chowder sounds tasty! I'll have to give that one a try next time I have some leftovers. 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Pizza, nailed it!  8)
A peel and cornmeal on the peel and stone and it came out really good.
7 minutes at 550deg. Notice how dark the stone turned. It had been used for
oven pizzas for years and really looked good, kind of like saddle leather. It didn't s
seem to hurt it tho.


 

[Norm]

You sure did nail it! We had pizza on the egg last night ourselves, one regular and one taco pizza.

[Burlkraft]

Looks great Jon  8) 8) 8)

Mine's black too. No gittin' around that.

Now I'm cravin' pizza.....If ya woulda' seen what I at fishin' up north 

[Magicman]

Happy Birthday Weekend_Sawyer.   

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Thanks MM, I have so much food in the fridge from cooking on my BGE, it looks like I'm having leftovers for my birthday dinner. I see that as a positive problem!

Jon

[Norm]

Happy Birthday Jon!

[Weekend_Sawyer]

We had a pizza party Friday night. Diane and I made up 6 dough crusts and people added whatever toppings they wanted. I pre-grilled onions, peppers and jalapenos. We also had chicken, bacon, Italian sausage and smoked sausage.
I manned the BGE at 550 and they kept feeding me pizzas, about 7 minutes a pizza, and what incredible flavor they had!
I just had leftover pizza for lunch, Mmmmm good.

BTW Freshmans pizza yest has a very easy to use recipe and very tasty.

Jon

[WDH]

Strap that thing on the back of your bike when you come to the Pig Roast  ;D.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Looks like I will not be making it this year, again. Boss says he needs me and I'm sure that's a good thing.  :'(

[WDH]

DanG!!!!!!!!

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Smoking some meatballs, Italian sausages, a Jimmy Dean sausage and a piece of kielbasa. I'm making chilli and I like it meaty! I am also using some tomatoes I froze that were left over from making salsa, kidney and pinto beans, a package of corn we put up earlier this year, and lots of veggies. I'm sampling it now, sampling heavily!


 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

oh yea, there is some seriously heavy sampling going on.
It came out with a nice smoky flavor.  8)

[Mooseherder]

The art of BBQ is deep in your soul. ;)

[WDH]

That is a very nice combo!

[Burlkraft]

I would guess it's prolly all gone now

[isawlogs]

I need make some smoke. Thanks Jon,  8) 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

There's still some left but I expect it to be gone by this evening.

I really enjoy cooking on this BGE, Yesterday evening I set it up for indirect heat and put a large cast iron pan of cornbread, on this batch was made with peppers and onions and I was tasty, tasty, tasty! Then we pulled the diffuser and set it up as a grill and grilled Venison kabobs wrapped them in foil to keep them warm and I dropped my discada on and stir fried some veggies. I must say it was a good meal all the way around.  ;D

I just had some cornbread for breakfast, ooooh yeaaa!

Jon 

[Norm]

I'll tell you what for someone who just got an egg you are really cooking on it like a pro!

[WDH]

Yes, shameful  :D.  Jon, you are one BBQing dude.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Thanks guys. I really do like to cook.  8) 8) 8)

[drobertson]

Man, you just are trying to get everyone to cook like you!  just kidding,lol, a buddy has one, nice cooker for sure.  I have three webers, three sizes, cook for hours on each of them,  grilled, smoked(indirect), and now for the descada, have fun and enjoy, this should not be to difficult of a task.   david

[Burlkraft]

You go Jon!!

[WDH]

I screwed up big time.  When Jon came to visit me, I did not make him cook.  Big mistake  :D.

[sandhills]

Doesn't it stink that hindsights always 20/20, well next time you'll know better  ;).

[Raider Bill]

Well Danny to even things up next time you come up to visit me I'll let you cook! ;D

[isawlogs]

 Oh Boy , you are setting yourself up for them Gr..ts.....  : :-\ ;D

[Dan_Shade]

nobody has ever asked me to cook for them, and that makes the world a better place..... :-)

[WDH]

Marcell,

Raider has a grits free place.  He made that clear upfront.

Raider,

After that breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, and that supper with the awesome ribeyes, you can forget about me cooking when I visit you.  "Mother Gue did not raise no fool."  (Quote from Del Gue on Jeremiah Johnson.  Maybe not exact, but close enough for rough lumber  ).

[Raider Bill]

Nothing but the best for you my friend! ;D ;D

Except for grits ;)

[Weekend_Sawyer]

" Close enough for rough lumber"
Danny tharts a good one!