Big green egg in lieu of Weber kettle for burgers, steaks, chicken?

[berettafan]

Getting a new timber tech deck installed and will be doing a modest grill center on it. Current plan includes a gas grill made to look built in and some granite counters on either side. Not wild about cooking with my kettle on a plastic deck nor am I thinking it would work in a wood enclosure. The egg being insulated would of course be fine in a wood framed setup.

So is the egg any more effort or time than a kettle for charcoal cooking? Similar temps? Not interested in smoking on it as I have two other smokers already.

Thanks!

[gtc]

In my limited experience with an egg, it was slower to heat up but more stable than my Weber kettle. You can also get them crazy hot if desired. The ability to build your own bench around them is also pretty cool.
That said, I just bought one of the newer Weber master touch 22" kettles, and the new style vent and ash collector don't let any ash or coals fall to the ground. Hard to beat the speed and simplicity, and it's $1000 cheaper than an XL egg.

[rfuerst911sc]

I have a Bubba Keg which is a metal version of the BGE . It is insulated which makes it similar to a BGE . I was in Home Depot last week and they sell a Cajun branded ceramic for a lot less than the BGE . If I were buying today I would buy the one at HD . I would NEVER spend 1K on a grill ........... ANY grill !

[billybek]

I love my bge.
I bought it lightly used from an ad on Kijiji.
I have a keg too. Egg is used way more.

[RWebb]

you might be able to lay some big tile squares to make the Weber safe

[911boost]

I have Azek by TimberTech and use my kettle all the time and have for the past few years since I installed the deck.

I do have ceramic tiles under my chiminea but not the Weber.

Plus it’s A LOT less expensive like has been mentioned.

[berettafan]

do you use a chimney starter for the egg or is there some other method used?

[911boost]

On another note, based on your name knew you could appreciate that I just picked as an A400 for my son.

[berettafan]

oh those are nice. my local guy has a used Xcel model with the kickoff. tempted by it!

[911boost]

They had those there but he liked the Xplor action more. It doesn’t have the fancy recoil stock, but he’s 14, and it’s already a semi so I’m good with the recoil, what little it has will be good for him. I am interested in seeing how quick it cycles because it’s supposed to be pretty fast....

[red-beard]

Home Depot sells Vision. I have a similar Vision from Samsclub. Same thing for a lot less.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/vision?NCNI-5

[red-beard]

I have stopped using briquettes. I use only lump charcoal.

Make a Pile of charcoal in the back of the grill. Using MAPP Gas, I hit several spots with the torch for about 2 minutes. Pull out leaf blower (small one battery powered) and pump air into the pile. Watch it catch fire and glow. All the fire to spread. I then mix the burning charcoal around the grill and hit it with more air. I can have the fire ready for searing steaks in about 5-7 minutes.

For smoking, fill grill with charcoal. Dig out a small area in the back and hit it with MAPP gas for about 1 minute. Cover it up with coal and then let the kamado warm up to smoking temp. Add your fresh wood for smoke and go to town.

[billybek]

Looftlighter.
https://looftlighter.com/
mine has a cord.

[fanaudical]

I have a Black Olive Grill - Similar to a BGE but with some reasonable improvements:

#1 - The grill deck is 1" thick cast iron and can be set in two positions (down low for searing or higher for regular grilling).

#2 - I has a hot-air electric start system for lump charcoal. Pile on the charcoal and turn it on for 10 minutes; shut it off and wait another 10 and ready to go!

#3 - If you get tired of lump charcoal (I'm not - it works great for both smoking and grilling), you can convert the thing to be a pellet-fed grill.

[craigster59]

I have a Weber Genesis, a Weber kettle and a Visions Kamado (BGE).

For smoking pork butt, ribs and brisket I use the Kamado.

If I'm doing steaks, chops, burgers, dogs, chicken and fish I use the Genesis or the Kettle. I also do chicken and chops on the Kamado but more often on the grill.

[red-beard]

Food just tastes better on charcoal

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Food just tastes better on charcoal

I agree. I like this stuff.....

[RKDinOKC]

Have a Charbroil SRG, Smoker Roaster Grill. Comes in propane and electric. Has a chip smoker box. You get the convenience and warmup speed of electric or propane with the smoking of charcol or wood chips. Check out Charbroil's web site.

Rubbed a Turkey with peanut oil and you would swear it was deep fried. And no messing with the hot oil. Do steaks and burgers with some charcoal in the smoker box and you would swear they were cooked on charcoal. Loin and brisket smoked in the roaster, tender and juicy, you would swear it spent all day in a smoker.

After I started using this thing I sold my smoker, gas grill, and charcoal cookers. Lots of reviews by hard core smokers and they love it, especially that it warms up and cooks faster without having to monitor it all the time.

[red-beard]

This



100% Mesquite, except for an occasional rock

[jrj3rd]

Never look back

Clean burn, excellent lump.