Time to get serious about a new smoker.

[Moliere]

Which is never! lol.

[ERCougar]

My wife, with lots and lots of help from Coastal Ute, got me a Big Green Egg. It was waiting for me when I got home tonight. It's an amazing grill/oven/smoker and I can't wait to get started. You will all come to admire my skills with this thing.

I'm still waiting for Moliere to tell me about the beaches in Texas.

That's pretty sweet--I'm jealous. I love my Akorn, but the ceramic kamados just look cooler (and probably work a little better). I still like the red Kamado Joe I linked earlier the best but the BGE is just so iconic.
First step--fill it with up with Royal Oak Lump (get it at Walmart or Home Depot) and light it up. For lighters, get a bag of big cotton balls and a bottle of the high percentage rubbing alcohol, and poor both into a big jar with a lid (one of those really big pickle jars is what I use). Put one in the middle and light it. Leave it wide open ten minutes and then shut the lid with vents cracked. Check on it every half hour or so and watch the temps to get an idea of what temps different vent settings get you. You can do this while you're at home one day and it will save you all kinds of time later.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I would like to add a ceramic egg smoker to my arsenal just for fun. I wish they weren't so darned expensive. I keep my eye on the ads for used ones but haven't seen any deals yet.

[hostile]

I saw a short write-up about the Hephaestus Patio-Pro (www.hephaestusbbq.com). It claims to be a BBQ, grill, smoker, pizza oven all in one with temp ranges from 70-800 degrees. Listed cost is $3500.

[Donuthole]

I saw a short write-up about the Hephaestus Patio-Pro (www.hephaestusbbq.com). It claims to be a BBQ, grill, smoker, pizza oven all in one with temp ranges from 70-800 degrees. Listed cost is $3500.

While that looks like it would work great for pizza and smoking, that configuration would make for a pretty awkward grill.

[LA Ute]

That's pretty sweet--I'm jealous. I love my Akorn, but the ceramic kamados just look cooler (and probably work a little better). I still like the red Kamado Joe I linked earlier the best but the BGE is just so iconic.
First step--fill it with up with Royal Oak Lump (get it at Walmart or Home Depot) and light it up. For lighters, get a bag of big cotton balls and a bottle of the high percentage rubbing alcohol, and poor both into a big jar with a lid (one of those really big pickle jars is what I use). Put one in the middle and light it. Leave it wide open ten minutes and then shut the lid with vents cracked. Check on it every half hour or so and watch the temps to get an idea of what temps different vent settings get you. You can do this while you're at home one day and it will save you all kinds of time later.

Thanks, I will try that. We're doing some basic grilling tonight -- just scallops and shrimp (no, FM, not "on the barbie"). Coastal wants to do spatchcock chicken this weekend. I have never done smoking so I'm eager to try that. What should I smoke first? Brisket? Tri-tip?

[ERCougar]

Thanks, I will try that. We're doing some basic grilling tonight -- just scallops and shrimp (no, FM, not "on the barbie"). Coastal wants to do spatchcock chicken this weekend. I have never done smoking so I'm eager to try that. What should I smoke first? Brisket? Tri-tip?

Pulled pork. It's cheap, it's easy, and you truly can't screw it up. If you're around for the day, I really would just light it up and mess around with the vents without food. Then at the end of the day, do your grilling. You'll be surprised at how little lump charcoal you go through.

[Green Monstah]

Thanks, I will try that. We're doing some basic grilling tonight -- just scallops and shrimp (no, FM, not "on the barbie"). Coastal wants to do spatchcock chicken this weekend. I have never done smoking so I'm eager to try that. What should I smoke first? Brisket? Tri-tip?

I'd go with a tri-tip, since it's really just an hour of smoke, then grilling to your desired temp. It'll give you a shot to better understand how to light your coals and control temps for that first hour.
I'd buy one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-ET-73...maverick+et732 before your first real smoke, to help you with temperature control. After that I'd try almost anything, but a pork shoulder is probably a good starting point.

[TripletDaddy]

buy a flat that later turns out to be a full packer!

[hostile]

While that looks like it would work great for pizza and smoking, that configuration would make for a pretty awkward grill.

Yeah, at first glance I thought the logistics looked iffy. Maybe the top lid can come off?

[LA Ute]

Time to get serious about a new smoker.

I would like to add a ceramic egg smoker to my arsenal just for fun. I wish they weren't so darned expensive. I keep my eye on the ads for used ones but haven't seen any deals yet.

If we end up not liking ours I'll make you a deal on it.

[LA Ute]

Grilling Over Charcoal Is Objectively, Scientifically Better Than Grilling Over Gas

[LA Ute]

Grilling Over Charcoal Is Objectively, Scientifically Better Than Grilling Over Gas

But see:

Grilling Over Gas Is Objectively, Scientifically Better Than Grilling Over Charcoal

I'm a charcoal fanboy now anyway. I am really amazed at how much better something as basic as chicken breasts come out when cooked on the Egg.

[Jeff Lebowski]

But see:

Grilling Over Gas Is Objectively, Scientifically Better Than Grilling Over Charcoal

I'm a charcoal fanboy now anyway. I am really amazed at how much better something as basic as chicken breasts come out when cooked on the Egg.

In other news, water is wet. Has anyone here seriously claimed that gas is superior (or even equivalent) to charcoal?

Now stop this silly hijack and start posting photos of your meat (not that way, sickos).

[LA Ute]

In other news, water is wet. Has anyone here seriously claimed that gas is superior (or even equivalent) to charcoal?

Now stop this silly hijack and start posting photos of your meat (not that way, sickos).

I keep forgetting to take photos. So far we've done:

Tri-tip (came out great but nothing to write home about; we need to perfect our technique)
Chicken of various sizes and types, which I have never seen cook so moist on any grill
Pork chops (amazing)
Hamburgers (awesome)
Pork loin (meh)

Most of this has been indirect roasting, some grilling. We haven't smoked anything yet, but that is coming. Still learning how to get the heat right. One afternoon, just for fun, when we saw that the Egg was still at 450 degrees, my daughter whipped up some brownies and baked them in the thing. They came out perfect, just as if baked in the oven. We've done a peach cobbler too. Of course, we could do all that in our kitchen oven, but we were just messing around. Besides, we kept the kitchen cool.