Coytee Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 My sister has a Green Egg. I've read about them and it seems that those who have them, absolutely love them. I've been thinking about getting one of the smaller ones. Not the smallest, but the 13". When you use these (for me would be simple like hotdogs, burgers, pork chops, NY strip or bbq chicken type of fixings), do they take much time to warm up or is it light the coals, wait 10/15 minutes and have at it? Can you shut it down (suffocate) it well enough that you can then preserve some of the unused fuel? Looks like these are a couple hundred dollars verses getting a little Webber and traditional charcoal.... trying to get some justification since I don't do any of the rump roasts or anything slow cooked like that. Also... if any true chef's here... a "Pittsburgh Style" finished steak has as I understand it, a heavy sear on at least one side of the steak (I prefer NY strips). I love that charred exterior. How would you, or could you, put this sear on a NY strip while using a Green Egg? Given that I do not (and probably never will) do an all day slow cooked type of item, would something like this warrant the higher cost over a simple charcoal grill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Based on how you described your intended use I think you will be wasting your money. Kamado style cookers are extremely versatile and can do everything from extreme high heat grilling to low controlled smoking and slow cooking. Due to the fact that you can precisely control the temperature and draft you can use the fuel source and then choke it out when your done and use it for multiple burns but to do simple grilling tasks IMPO you would be better of with a simple gas grill that you light up grill your stuff for a few minutes and shut it down and learn to use a wood chip smoker box if you want to add that flavor from time to time. I say all this being a die hard griller and smoker and I don't use gas, but that's based on my doing a great deal of smoking and slow cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tragusa3 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Pete, I've been following behind you lately... I think it's fair to equate the Green Egg owners to those that spent too much on speakers. Of course they're going to give it a good review! I use a Weber kettle, a Weber gas and a home made stainless "Ugly Drum Smoker". I love all three for there purpose. If I'm just doing two servings of something during the week, I always use gas. If on a weekend I will use the kettle. I tend to only use the UDS for times we have company and I'm cooking quantity. Or, times where the whole meal will be smoked (meat, potatoes, veggies, appetizer). If I only had one of the three, I'd pick the Kettle. It's the most versatile. I have no problem keeping any temp I'd like with it. So I don't see what the Egg would do for me? By the way, if you go coal burning, there are two big sales a year (labor day and 4th of July) where prices drop by more than half. I have about 50 bags stocked in my basement. It takes the edge of off the expense, which can be a factor if you don't buy wisely. Check out the BBQ Brethren forum. It's one of the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Pete, I've been following behind you lately... Stalker [] I lived in Greenville for a couple years, great part of the state. The biggest advantage in the "Green Egg" cookers is how efficiently they burn fuel and retain heat. I've had great success with the Weber's over the years but if you can bite the bullet on the expense and more importantly going to use it, this can be a good investment. I'm wanting to construct a custom outdoor cooker that will be a combination of natural gas, wood (charcoal) cooker and smoker and a wood fired brick oven because one size doesn't fit all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 IMPO you would be better of with a simple gas grill that you light up grill your stuff for a few minutes and shut it down I specifically want to stay away from a LP grill. I have no problem getting a little hibachi (sp?) or a little Webber.... those are what I'm accustomed to using. I have no problem getting an Egg however, if it's primary goal is to slow cook roasts or things along those lines instead of some burgers & chops.... then it might be the wrong tool for me. I'm intrigued with them but my inexperience with them has me pausing because of their price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 IMPO you would be better of with a simple gas grill that you light up grill your stuff for a few minutes and shut it down I specifically want to stay away from a LP grill. I have no problem getting a little hibachi (sp?) or a little Webber.... those are what I'm accustomed to using. I have no problem getting an Egg however, if it's primary goal is to slow cook roasts or things along those lines instead of some burgers & chops.... then it might be the wrong tool for me. I'm intrigued with them but my inexperience with them has me pausing because of their price. They are great cookers and if you don't have a problem with the price and just want to use it for basic grilling it will do a wonderful job and you wont go through much charcoal at all but for what you're telling me will be its primary function any of the other less costly options will do just as well and just use more fuel. It's one of those choices based on the $$$ but on the other hand, maybe if you got one you would start using it for other things beyond what you think, based on the great ability of the cooker. I'm not helping you am I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Have you ever considered a Hasty Bake, Coytee? Their Portable 369 model might be right up your alley too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Never heard of the Hasty. Have also found out that there are other style dome cookers other than the green egg. Shows how ignorant I am with this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Coytee.... Bender here... I've been a professional chef (exec in the NY ritz carlton among other top restaurants ) my whole adult life.... I have a battery of smokers hot and cold, induction, infrared, japanese konru with binchotan oak coals, blah blah blah and what I use at home is the little weber with good old kingsford charcoal. great for steaks and you can get it very hot especially if you use wood coals for a great sear.... very easy to control the temp, great for dogs, burgers fish, anything...... The Green egg is a wonderful device and I would say that it can be used for just about anything, but slow radiant cooking with its thick walls are what it looks to me is its speciality..... saying that, I've only seen them and never tried one. Trick for "Black and blue" or "Pittsburgh"........ Trim your steaks and leave uncovered in the refer at least overnight ( i like 48-72 hours), a few hours prior to cooking season your strips with herbs or pepper only.....(no salt prior to cooking, salt causes hyper-osmosis and you'll have a puddle of juice that should be in your steak ) and leave them out at room temp for 2-3 hours to get the interior from 35 degrees to 70 or so...... then just before grilling add your salt..... cook over very hot coals a 2-3 min each side depending on thickness.... and dont let the flames lick up or you will have burn and not caramelization . that will give you rare interior....cool not cold, blue starting to turn red...... I like to keep one side of the grill with little to no coals and then move them there to finnish if more temp is required.... more art than science....every grill, coal, steak combo is different.... just got to burn a few before you hit the right combo... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Shows how ignorant I am with this stuff. Heck, I'm not but I had never heard or seen those units either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks Bender. I knew you were one of a couple chefs. Regarding the Pittsburgh style, thanks for the pointers. I've always taken them from the fridge straight to the grill, never room temp. That said, I also don't care for medium/rare.... I can eat it as long as it's firm but I'm Medium or anything beyond. Wood coals in the Weber... see.... I'd never thought of that either. Maybe I should just go to McDonalds and supersize... [^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Bender, I have to say that what you wrote is some of the best advice that I have ever read on cooking steaks.....You managed to do it very quickly without having to have three pages of instructions. It is the little things that make a great steak and you covered just about all of them in one paragraph. I have probably eaten some of your great meals, at some time in the past.....[H] GREAT job.....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted February 12, 2012 Moderators Share Posted February 12, 2012 I say all this being a die hard griller and smoker and I don't use gas, but that's based on my doing a great deal of smoking and slow cooking The only real way to cook, everything taste better. I use only wood for everything and rarely rush anything, the longer the better even burgers, unless I am in a rush to get done which is about 10% of the time. Did 3 pork butts and a whole pork loin and a bunch of marinated chicken breast this week, and some turkey burgers last night. [] I can't get enough of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted February 12, 2012 Moderators Share Posted February 12, 2012 Bender here Had no idea, cool job ! [Y] Your right, Webers are hard to beat for what they do and the price. [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Heli01..... Thanks ! Maybe you have. All about keeping it simple Dtel.... That's why I disappear for months at a time.... Chained up in a kitchen lol actually I love love slow slow cooking for large cuts and I really love "sous vide "( under vacuum) for steaks, chicken/duck breast ect. I use an olive oil based marinade on the protein and seal it in a "food saver" type vacuum bag. The negative pressure forces the marinade deep into the meat very fast. Then you "thermalize" the bag in a circulation bath. ( pot on the stove on warm with a thermometer works) at a temp of 125-130 degrees. For about 30-40 min. This slowly brings the "steak" to rare very evenly and at that point is considered "oil poached ". Then I throw it in a blazing hot Pan or grill to sear the crap out of both sides for about a minute. Awesome!!! whoops sorry for rambling hijack..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 whoops sorry for rambling hijack..... Speaking for myself, I'd suspect some of us bumbling idiots here might enjoy some of your tricks/techniques... unless of course, you have to kill us afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted February 12, 2012 Moderators Share Posted February 12, 2012 That's why I disappear for months at a time.... Chained up in a kitchen lol I always wondered why that was happening. "actually I love love slow slow cooking for large cuts " Me to, my favorite, Never tried sous vide, really just heard of it a few months ago watching "No Reservations". Still a cool (tough) job. [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechMan Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 "Takes Notes" Gotta try that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arky Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 whoops sorry for rambling hijack..... Speaking for myself, I'd suspect some of us bumbling idiots here might enjoy some of your tricks/techniques... unless of course, you have to kill us afterwards. Yeah, me learnin lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 actually I love love slow slow cooking for large cuts and I really love "sous vide "( under vacuum) for steaks, chicken/duck breast ect Good Lord, man, please hijack more threads! What a concept! Thanks...we mere mortals rarely ([]) have access to such secrets. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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