Big Green Egg

[maunahaole]

We did some chops like that one time...but we wrapped them in bacon and dropped them into the deep fry pit. Damn, those were good. Dustin, those look choice as well.

[Ras72]

Okay, I've had my BGE for a bunch of years (12 to be exact). I've always left it out, in the weather, uncovered but kept it clean and in good working order. The other day I cranked it up for the first time in a month or so. Brought it up to a high temp and began to notice some moisture being pushed through the ceramic and exterior enamel coating. I've seen this before and didnt think too much about it, until i heard this loud POP. Then another.. This resulted in two quarter size spots of enamel coating popping off leaving behind a raw spot of ceramic. I'm not real happy about this...
Anyone else have this issue?

[Too Tall]

No sir. That is sad news. What does the Mfg say?.

[Ras72]

I plan to give them a shout very soon. I've read they have great customer service. I shall test this information and keep you posted.

[dgaddis]

Well...I've decided to retire my Egg. We got ours used, came with the house because the stand is built into the deck. I've already spent nearly $200 to replace the firebox (it was already cracked when we got it), the fire ring is broken, the band design is dumb and a total PITA to adjust once it goes out of adjustment, and a few weeks ago I found a crack in the base. Starts about halfway down one side, goes across the bottom, and about a foot up the other side. A replacment base will be $500+. Of course if I were the original owner it would be covered under warranty, but I'm not the original owner. So I thought about just buying a new one ($700 for a Large at the my local Ace currently), but that's a lot of cheddar for a grill that often gives people problems. Cracked bases aren't at all uncommon, and the bands require adjustment every year or so. I'll admit I even thought briefly about buying a new one, and in a few months submitting a warranty claim for the broken base, and then I'd have TWO eggs. But Karma is a bitch and one of them would probably break on an overnight cook and burn my house down.

So, I picked up a Weber Kettle this weekend, and this coming weekend I'm going to pick up a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. Less $$$ than the cost of a new Egg (or a replacement base), no ceramics to crack and fail, and they have a reputation for lasting for ages, and lots more cooking area too. Plus, with the skills I've learned with the Egg I know I can crank out some great food on the Webers.

[TMB]

Well...I've decided to retire my Egg. We got ours used, came with the house because the stand is built into the deck. I've already spent nearly $200 to replace the firebox (it was already cracked when we got it), the fire ring is broken, the band design is dumb and a total PITA to adjust once it goes out of adjustment, and a few weeks ago I found a crack in the base. Starts about halfway down one side, goes across the bottom, and about a foot up the other side. A replacment base will be $500+. Of course if I were the original owner it would be covered under warranty, but I'm not the original owner. So I thought about just buying a new one ($700 for a Large at the my local Ace currently), but that's a lot of cheddar for a grill that often gives people problems. Cracked bases aren't at all uncommon, and the bands require adjustment every year or so. I'll admit I even thought briefly about buying a new one, and in a few months submitting a warranty claim for the broken base, and then I'd have TWO eggs. But Karma is a bitch and one of them would probably break on an overnight cook and burn my house down.

So, I picked up a Weber Kettle this weekend, and this coming weekend I'm going to pick up a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. Less $$$ than the cost of a new Egg (or a replacement base), no ceramics to crack and fail, and they have a reputation for lasting for ages, and lots more cooking area too. Plus, with the skills I've learned with the Egg I know I can crank out some great food on the Webers.

My kettle is approx. 20 years old. I replaced the bottom vents last year for about a $60 bux, every so often I buy a new charcoal grate as it gets twisted from the heat. Other than that .......

[Cookietruck]

for grilling, i love a weber grille. I want to get one of those cute little ones, the smokey joe. My regular size weber is about done.

for smoking stuff, i welded up a medium sized offset smoker a few years ago.

[rwsaunders]

The Weber Original Kettle Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22" | Weber.com is my go to standard for the past 30 years and replacement parts and accessories are easily sourced. Not to mention to does a great job. It's outdoor cooking repartoire ranges from burgers to pizza to roasting to smoking, all based on technique and accessories. Make sure and get a weather cover and it'll last pretty long. Post food pictures for sure!

[dgaddis]

The Weber Original Kettle Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22" | Weber.com is my go to standard for the past 30 years and replacement parts and accessories are easily sourced. Not to mention to does a great job. It's outdoor cooking repartoire ranges from burgers to pizza to roasting to smoking, all based on technique and accessories. Make sure and get a weather cover and it'll last pretty long. Post food pictures for sure!

Yeah that's the Kettle I got, well, I got the 'premium' one with the built in ash catching bowl on the underside of the kettle, partly for ease of use, partly for safety, any hot embers that fall out of the bottom vent will be less likely to end up on my wooden deck. Here's the steaks from last night. Banked the coals on one side, started with a small fire, set the vents to hold about 250*F on the 'cool' side of the grill, put the steaks there until they reached an internal temp of 120, pulled them off, and then let the fire roar, and put them back on for a quick sear. I need some cast iron for searing, the standard weber rack just doesn't work as well. They were thin, so I had to be careful not to overcook them.

They turned out awesome though, just as good as if I'd done them on the Egg.

[Too Tall]

NICE :) Glad you figured it out.

[TMB]

Yeah that's the Kettle I got, well, I got the 'premium' one with the built in ash catching bowl on the underside of the kettle, partly for ease of use, partly for safety, any hot embers that fall out of the bottom vent will be less likely to end up on my wooden deck. Here's the steaks from last night. Banked the coals on one side, started with a small fire, set the vents to hold about 250*F on the 'cool' side of the grill, put the steaks there until they reached an internal temp of 120, pulled them off, and then let the fire roar, and put them back on for a quick sear. I need some cast iron for searing, the standard weber rack just doesn't work as well. They were thin, so I had to be careful not to overcook them.

They turned out awesome though, just as good as if I'd done them on the Egg.

As it turns out I have to get my back deck re-done this year (my wife has decided that at my now advanced age there is too great a chance of my falling off if I do it) so when I find a contractor who will return phone calls I plan to have a section of tile set into the cedar so that I have a more "secure" spot for the kettle to call home.

[rwsaunders]

My next purchase as my grate is nearing its end as well.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_0035.jpg

[TMB]

My next purchase as my grate is nearing its end as well.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_0035.jpg

Wow! Where did you find that? I bought one of the Weber ones with the removeable centre section that you can put a seat grate into, but this would be the bees knees.

[Too Tall]

Ditto. My grate is almost done.

[rwsaunders]

Aren't we such a bunch of grille ho's....

https://www.cast-iron-grate.com

[Too Tall]

If it walks like a duck...

Aren't we such a bunch of grille ho's....

https://www.cast-iron-grate.com

[TMB]

Aren't we such a bunch of grille ho's....

https://www.cast-iron-grate.com

Now I regret having bought the new grate that Weber puts out. I wonder if I could return it? It's only been used 7 or 19 times.

[Too Tall]

Never leave home without Vsalon in your wallet.

[nrs5000]

Aren't we such a bunch of grille ho's....

https://www.cast-iron-grate.com

Oh man I want one. After a rainy winter it is time for new grates for my Weber.

I have the Performer, BTW. Built-in gas lighting and a nice work surface. It's well used but if I ever need to replace the kettle I reckon I can just buy a base kettle and hack installing it into the performer chassis.

[teleguy57]

Aren't we such a bunch of grille ho's....

https://www.cast-iron-grate.com

What a bunch of enablers... just ordered for my grillmeister/smoker guru son's birthday; maybe he'll get the hint and return the favor.