My current gas grill is needing nearly more $$$ in burners, "flavorizer" bars, and cooking grids than the thing cost me brand new. I've been contemplating getting a smoker so this is the motivation for it.

For something like a green egg, you can use it like a high temp grill right? I'm sure some of you have experience in this department, how long does it take to get up to those type of temperatures? The dude at Lowes caught me eyeing one of their models they've recently started carrying and told me the wood you use for the grilling/smoking will actually last quite awhile. Is this true?

I have no real experience in this crucial part of being a mans man. Learn me something tdub.

2/14/2012 8:36:17 PM

I got a vertical charcoal/water grill for Xmas. The charcoal sits in the base, and the vertical chamber sits on top with the two cook surfaces. However, it can also be used as a grill in that the cooking surface can be placed right over the charcoal and the entire chamber set aside. I know that horizontal smokers can still be used as grill if you place your heat source/fuel in the bottom as opposed to the offset box.

My owner's manual says the charcoal can last five to six hours, but the inaugural usage gave me just over two hours before the whole thing began to cool below ideal cooking temperatures.

2/14/2012 10:14:04 PM

^^ If you by any Chance have a charbroil commercial, it turns out that just about all of those parts are covered by a lifetime warranty.

A co-worker told me last fall, and i called, gave 'em the serial number off of mine, and got new burners, flavor bars, ignitor, and grates for free!

2/14/2012 11:10:55 PM

My BGE will kick up to about 700 in about 20 minutes, depending on how I light it.


However I always break this down for people contemplating the green egg. I paid almost 900 for my medium, to include nest and accessories. You can cook and smoke most things on a Weber Kettle for a fraction of the price, you just have to read up on how.

Additionally, you could buy a weber kettle for high temp, and a weber smokey mountain (I have one) for smoking and only be out 500 bones versus 900 for the green egg; however I love my green egg.

2/15/2012 9:40:02 AM

So what would someone be paying for with the green egg? Fad? I'm not opposed to spending money if the value is there.

^^ As it turns out, I do have a Commerical series. Though I never thought about a serial number. Is that stamped/printed on the grill somewhere?

[Edited on February 15, 2012 at 6:02 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2012 6:01:53 PM

Who sells these Charboil Commercial series grills? Whats the $ range?

2/15/2012 7:06:34 PM

Found the serial on the back of the grill...but in the users manual it says lifetime on the burner, 3 years on a couple things and 1 year on everything else including flavorizer bars and grids.

Did you check your manual bobby or just call em up and tell em all that stuff needed replacing?

I think many of your big box stores do. The "Commercial" in the name doesn't mean shit.

http://tinyurl.com/8x5cbqu

[Edited on February 15, 2012 at 7:36 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2012 7:36:00 PM

Quote :

"So what would someone be paying for with the green egg? Fad? I'm not opposed to spending money if the value is there."

Value. You get a lifetime warranty, on a grill that will sear, smoke, and bake. I cooked a pork shoulder on mine for 12 hours, on 1 load of charcoal. I have to refill my weber smoker several times for that. I can sear steaks at 700 degrees, because the ceramic allows it to superheat. I bake pizzas as well. It's very versatile. But you are in large part paying for the green egg name too. Check out Green Egg accessories, the freakin cookbook is 50 bucks, etc.

Though by default most ceramic kamado style cookers are price-pointed accordingly off the BGE.

They've tapped into the most lucrative market of all: The Jimmy Buffett market. Rich white folks who will pay too much for grills, Corona, and Buffett tickets. Still in all, money well spent if you are a serious griller or barbecue cook.

2/15/2012 8:23:05 PM

Quote :

"So what would someone be paying for with the green egg? Fad? I'm not opposed to spending money if the value is there."

There's a lot of advantages to ceramic cookers. I've got a Primo and liked it so much that we started carrying them in addition to Webers. There's nothing that you can do with a ceramic that you can't do with something else, it's just easier overall. They're really the most versatile outdoor cooking device out there. You can grill, smoke, bake EASILY with them. I can smoke for 20+ hours on one load of charcoal at 200-250* and the next day sear some steaks at 700 without changing anything. Due to the ceramic and the way they're sealed, you lose very little moisture (I often have to warn people to let a burger sit because it's juicy enough to spray you with hot juice when you first bite into it). Personally, I have no desire to ever use a gas grill again. They're just great devices overall (enough that people often own more than 1).

2/15/2012 8:28:04 PM

Heh, I think its neat how you both pointed out how long you can go on one load of charcoal.


I was talking to a guy at work today who does a lot of smoking with some weber side box type thing. I asked him how long it takes him to get the temperature set to where he wants it and how constant will it stay. So I'm asking you guys as well. If I'm targeting 200, how long after I drop the coals in before I can get it to that point and can I pretty much set it and forget it?

2/15/2012 9:09:14 PM

Hopefully he isn't using the side box that they make for the gas grills. They're just not made for smoking and I've never seen GOOD results with them.

As for the temp, I can get to 200 stable in about 10 minutes now though I generally let it sit for 20-30 minutes to get the "good" smoke and make sure everything is good. There's a learning curve but once you've done it a few times, keeping your temp is pretty easy. There's a few accessories out there that make it much easier for longer cooks too (BBQ Guru for example). Without those though it's pretty easy to get it where you want it and the ceramics tend to be extremely stable.

2/15/2012 9:37:10 PM

I have a Large Green Egg and I love it. Not sure I would have shelled out the coin for it as it was a gift, but now that I have it I wouldn't want to go back to a Weber.

As earlier posters have said, 20 minutes, and 1/5th of a bag of lump charcoal and that thing is humming @ 700 degrees. Its amazing for searing steaks, but some of my most successful meals have been with chicken. Shrimp aren't bad either. You get a nice char/smoke taste, but the meat retains a ton of moisture in my opinion (this is a very unscientific opinion).

I have done a few beer can chickens that actually haven't worked all that well, but the wings we made for the Super Bowl were incredible! I have also tried a pizza or two on the pizza stone, and we have considered but never gotten around to slow cooking a pork shoulder and making beef jerky. I will get to these some day!

2/16/2012 10:44:36 AM

http://www.oldsmokey.com/

Electric Smoker: $123.95



18# Charcoal Grill: $50.90 (with long legs)
22# Charcoal Grill: $71.90 (with long legs)

2/20/2012 3:27:10 PM

Quote :

"Did you check your manual bobby or just call em up and tell em all that stuff needed replacing? "

i called to order some replacement parts, and the customer service rep told me.. he was prompting me ... do you need a new back brace? how about new grates?

I was pretty impressed.

2/20/2012 9:03:16 PM

^^ Problem is that isn't a replacement for a Primo, BGE, etc. You'd need one of those, a Weber kettle, an standard oven, and something like a brick oven. Personally, I have a massive deck but I don't want to deal with all of those things. If you JUST want to smoke, a stand alone smoker is easier & better. If you JUST want to grill, a plain kettle is almost as easy and almost as good. If you JUST want to bake pizzas, the brick oven is going to be easier. Then of course your oven can take care of the baking/roasting that the ceramics are good at as well.

They are really expensive but they're the most versatile choice by far. Multiple cooking choices, one type of fuel, one unit taking up space, and virtually no maintenance compared to the rest. The BGE is slightly over priced for what it is but they have the name and they've earned it. Primo is the same type of stuff and made in the US so labor is a lot higher so their price is about the same. Some of the others are using stainless steel and stuff that raises the price (though some like Bubba Keg are just plain too high imo). The place where they really screw you is the accessories. Tables are just insane (You're looking at $600+ for a Primo table that's absolutely nothing special) and a lot of the other stuff is just as bad. I added most of my accessories after we picked Primo up at work. Otherwise I would have skipped most of it and made my own or bought generic similar stuff.

2/20/2012 9:21:53 PM

To keep it simple and to the point: The BGE is an investment that is 100% worth the cost.

I can't really think of anything that people haven't already touched on, but I can recommend going on to Youtube and checking out some BGE videos.

Here's a few that are pretty good at showing the versatility:

Steak, Pizza, and Chicken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zwXiisPW5E

Ribs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LvluzGFbRA

14 lb Turkey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCWbrsc7xJM


I think you'll be happy with it, as I haven't heard of a single person that has owned one that isn't blown away by it.

2/20/2012 10:10:59 PM

what about Orion cookers?

2/21/2012 12:10:32 PM

Honestly, I don't like it at all. First, they've been making it since 2004 and I don't recall ever seeing them at a Hearth, Patio, & BBQ Assoc. Expo. A grill/smoker manufacturer that isn't there that has a revolutionary device is just... unbelievable. Secondly, it seems like the shamwow guy is getting ready to pop out at any time in that video. It's so great and revolutionary and they don't show it actually DOING anything at all? Third, the main benefit I get from the site & video is that it smokes faster than a smoker. Well a grill can do the same thing. Part of the benefit of smokers is the low temp & long cook times. It keeps the meat moister & more tender. You CAN cook it quicker but it's just not going to taste the same. Finally, I had a big problem with the whole "no need to worry about the temperature" thing. It seems their whole cooking model is based on time (and a lot of posts in their forum seem to agree with that). Cooking based on time with no regard for temp is a good way to make someone sick or serve some really chewy ribs.

Personally, if the price of that is appealing, I'd spend just a bit more and find a Weber Smokey Mountain or something. It'll do the job better and you can still use it to actually grill food if you want (which the Orion can't).

2/21/2012 7:24:07 PM

Cheap smoker.

2/21/2012 8:03:58 PM

I am moving my post from the grill recommendation thread to this thread, those pansies want to use an outdoor George Foreman or something.



The egg is not like a charcoal grill. It takes like 10 minutes to get it going and up to temp. You run hardwood lump charcoal in it. The way it is set up to draft the fire heats up in no time flat.

Last week I cooked dinner on it pretty much every night, some nights that included the veggies and starches along with the meat. Charcoal gives the food a lot more flavor, and also the way this grill is designed you can throw wood chunks right on the fire to smoke the meat some. It will not flame up when the lid is closed. There is no way I would want to cooking on regular charcoal every night after using this thing and getting the hang of it. You can cook a mean ass pizza on it too.


This is the kind of charcoal. It heats up way faster than regular briquettes.


Get one of these and you can be grilling in no time.
http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-start-propane-torch-91061.html


I use this one, but only because I did not see the smaller one first, and I have a big gas bottle.
http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-with-push-button-igniter-91037.html

This explains why the hardwood lump charcoal works better. It burns faster and hotter, but responds better to air flow adjustments which are easy to control on the egg grill. I can hold mine between 250-300 if I want with it packed slam full of coal, and bring it up easy by opening the vents up more.
http://www.biggreenegg.com/eggcessories/lump-charcoal-wood-chips-fire-starters-planks/natural-lump-charcoal/

4/17/2013 10:57:11 PM

I, too, watch Good Eats

4/18/2013 5:28:52 AM

I am trying to decide if there would be any advantage to getting a real Green Egg over the Char Griller Kamado Akorn. The Akorn was $299 and is ALWAYS out of stock at Lowes. The ceramic ones are $650 and up, cant figure out if there are really any advantages with the ceramic one over the Akorn.

4/18/2013 9:00:16 AM

If I get done working on time today I am gonna make some chicken wings on my Kamado grill that make you want to kick the dog.

4/21/2013 10:15:57 AM

I would also like to know how the grill you hype up compares to a higher end kamado. Right now I think I could reasonably spend the $300 and not fret over it. I'd go straight for the big green egg if I had my own house and was settled in. I think I'd want to wait to do a full blow grill station setup when I buy something high end.

How long have you had your cheaper kamado?

[Edited on April 28, 2013 at 8:01 PM. Reason : .]

4/28/2013 8:00:36 PM

there is always option Z
Build a double barrell smoker out of drums.

This time of year the drum kits are cheap at agri supply and the like as its not really cold out any more.

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27797

I have a set of drums in my barn waiting to turn into a setup identical to this.

4/28/2013 8:05:47 PM

I use a simple cheap Weber kettle grill (think it ran me $79 on sale) in combination with natural chunk charcoal (from Walmart believe it or not, its like $9 for a big bag). Light the charcoal in a chimney starter (mine was $12 from a hardware store) with a piece of newspaper or a couple paper towels dunked in a bit of grease.

Hot and ready to grill in 10-15min, cheap and easy to clean and maintain and damned near indestructible. I've cooked everything from steaks to potatoes to whole chickens and pork shoulders . . . . you don't need hundreds of dollars worth of grill to get great results.

4/29/2013 2:45:00 AM

I'm agreeing with fregac here on the kettle grill
I've got a 22.5" Weber kettle I just set up and I remember why I love this grill

I will be attempting pizza on this grill soon and will report back

5/1/2013 1:43:49 AM

grill pizza is counter intuitive to me but can turn out so damn good.

5/1/2013 6:58:07 AM

I have made some kickass pizzas on my egg grill.

5/1/2013 7:57:02 AM

^^reheating left over pizza on a gas grill is awesome. The underside gets crispy. Its my preferred way to reheat it, over an oven or something.

5/1/2013 4:50:49 PM

i'm picking up a Chargriller Akorn this week

5/29/2013 8:19:06 AM

10% off coupon came, so i picked it up tonight, actually

what brand of lump charcoal are y'all using and where do you buy it? all lowe's had was stubb's and cowboy. i've read that cowboy sucks. a buddy of mine likes the kamado joe from ace hardware, so i may start with that.

5/29/2013 10:05:02 PM

^ congrats!!

Get some hickory chunks to throw in with your lump coal. You can throw them right on the fire and they will burn slow.

5/30/2013 10:09:49 AM

Does the BGE ever go on sale? My wife is thinking about getting me one for Father's Day but I don't think I want her spending 850 bucks on the large.

5/30/2013 11:36:32 AM

yeah, i've already got some hickory chunks for smoking. i've called around a lot and there aren't many options for lump charcoal near wilmington. i'm gonna try royal oak from walmart if they have it. the interwebs tells me that big green egg's brand of lump is made by royal oak. we'll see.

5/30/2013 3:21:50 PM

I made some mean chicken wings and burgers tonight.

Made a pork tenderloin too but the sauce was ~.

5/31/2013 12:40:22 AM

pizza turned out awesome

definitely going to do it again - will get pics next time

going to experiment with making my own dough too

5/31/2013 1:17:35 AM

followed the instructions in the book and washed the cast iron grate and rubbed it down with crisco. lit some charcoal using a couple cotton balls soaked in isopropyl alcohol. ran it up to 400 deg and parked it there for over an hour to burn off the packing grease and stuff.

i've got 4 chicken halves, some red potatoes, and corn on the cob for tomorrow.

but i got a maverick et-732 thermometer and the receiver/transmitter won't sync. kinda pissed. chinese-made piece of shit, but it's the best option i can find for a dual probe wireless thermometer.

[Edited on June 2, 2013 at 1:24 AM. Reason : adf]

6/2/2013 1:17:38 AM

6/2/2013 7:13:29 PM

first run on the Akorn was a big success. injected the chicken with melted butter/onion powder/garlic powder mix. wiped it with vegetable oil and put on some Weber beer can chicken seasoning. 375 deg until i got 180 deg in the thigh (just under an hour) and it was the juiciest chicken i've ever had off a grill. skin was browned and wasn't chewy or anything. couple chunks of hickory gave the chicken some smoke flavor. cut up the taters and tossed them with olive oil/salt/pepper/rosemary and cooked them in foil on the warming rack. roasted the corn while the chicken rested. toasted some bbq bread at the end too. excellent meal.

used the indirect method with a charcoal grate from a 22.5" weber kettle and a terracotta flower pot saucer as a diffuser.

[Edited on June 2, 2013 at 7:23 PM. Reason : fds]

6/2/2013 7:19:24 PM

i should have taken some pics of the corn i made on the akorn last night


OH MAN

6/2/2013 11:32:59 PM

Building an outdoor kitchen with a BGE at the center. Some places will run a deal where they come with a starter kit (charcoal, grate lifter, starter blocks, glove). Also, if your willing to wait you can buy them at an eggfest for a discount normally at the end of the weekend. However, that requires you to deliver yourself and they are heavy.

I am looking around as I am buying the XL in the next week or 2 and will let u know what i find.

6/6/2013 9:26:20 AM

i'm putting on a boston butt about midnight tonight

6/8/2013 10:14:12 PM

I got an Akorn recently also and love it. I am impressed at how efficient it is with fuel, and its actually easier to use than my Weber Smokey Mountain for smoking.

I've done two successful smokes on the Akorn which went well (avg 270 degrees). Haven't figured out how to get it up to high heat quickly yet though.

6/9/2013 12:26:37 PM

My butt turned out pretty awesome. Had a good smoke flavor and the bark was excellent. I'm doing 2 or 3 of them for a party next weekend, so this was just a test run. I did learn that I need to clip my grill temp probe in a better spot because at one point the only burning coals were right below the probe and my reading wasn't what the meat was actually seeing. I think I'll put in the warming rack and clip to it right over the meat.

6/10/2013 8:03:26 AM

^ I got a weber grate that goes above the fire, and have been putting a pan of water on it for doing smokes. you might want to try that for better indirect heat

6/10/2013 10:52:17 AM

i used the weber grate with a big terra cotta saucer like you put under flower pots. i didn't put any water in there. the problem was the butt was so big that i couldn't put the temp probe in the area above the saucer and had to put it out toward the edge. the setup worked well until my fire moved around and got directly below the probe.

6/10/2013 3:01:52 PM

put 2 butts on about an hour ago

6/14/2013 11:56:32 PM

got a lot of compliments on the smoked butts

picked up a pizza stone and a peel today. gonna try some pizza this week. also starting to think about some spare ribs.

6/16/2013 4:31:03 PM

epic chicken wings and burgers tonight

6/16/2013 9:25:28 PM