Big Green Egg

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There's no market for "prime" brisket so he puts it out with all the others. when I call or see him he pulls out the prime for me.
 
Wanted your opinion...if I let this go overnight, is the temp consistant enough to handle not attending for 6-7 hours? I figured I would load it with charcoal, keep it low and slow, and wake up early (6am is early for AF haha). I'm not going to be around Saturday, so need to get this going tonight.
 
Yes. Just make sure the bottom vent is barely open if you're going to keep it sub 250 degrees and load it up with a full load of charcoal.
 
mhlee said:
Yes. Just make sure the bottom vent is barely open if you're going to keep it sub 250 degrees and load it up with a full load of charcoal.
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And when he says barely open, he really means it, like a quarter inch or less. and the vent barely open at the top. I put one 4 inch diameter oak piece and a similiar size hickory, and then fill it with charcoal.
I have a BBQ guru, but dont even use it for a 12 hour smoke....
 
AFKitchenknivesguy said:
Wanted your opinion...if I let this go overnight, is the temp consistant enough to handle not attending for 6-7 hours?
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Yes but adding to what others said in combination with this being the first slow burn I'd say start early enough so you can attend the BGE for the first two hours as the temp stabilizes and you get your vent and daisy wheel openings tweaked. I've got a brisqet drying in the fridge for Sunday. It's been like July here for days now.

Dave
 
Dave,

When you mention drying, do you put it on a perforated cooling rack, then on a sheet pan? Do you find this helps considering a brisket is already a dry peice of meat and needs the extra moisture? How do you combat this?

Jason
 
Jason,
Due to the physical size of a packer brisket I can't use any thing but a flat pan in my fridge. I made the mistake of paying a boat load extra for a countertop depth fridge. Nothing like paying more...for less.
In either event after I take the brisket from the cryo I just set it in the fridge uncovered for a day to help dry out some of the blood. Then I season it and put it back in the fridge for one more day. I don't find that this has any impact on the moisture of my brisket. I think you will find the BGE ceramic helps hold moisture very well. You can start with a pan on top of your plate setter with liquid if you wish. I use old pie pans for this and do it mostly so once the fluid evaporates the pan catches the majority of the fat. I just toss the pan after the cook. This makes clean up a bit easier.
If I had a larger fridge I would hold the brisket in the cryo for two weeks in advance to allow it to wet age as well but I just don't have the room.

Dave
 
Duckfat said:
Jason,
Due to the physical size of a packer brisket I can't use any thing but a flat pan in my fridge. I made the mistake of paying a boat load extra for a countertop depth fridge. Nothing like paying more...for less.
In either event after I take the brisket from the cryo I just set it in the fridge uncovered for a day to help dry out some of the blood. Then I season it and put it back in the fridge for one more day. I don't find that this has any impact on the moisture of my brisket. I think you will find the BGE ceramic helps hold moisture very well. You can start with a pan on top of your plate setter with liquid if you wish. I use old pie pans for this and do it mostly so once the fluid evaporates the pan catches the majority of the fat. I just toss the pan after the cook. This makes clean up a bit easier.
If I had a larger fridge I would hold the brisket in the cryo for two weeks in advance to allow it to wet age as well but I just don't have the room.

Dave
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The "dry aging" also helps in tenderizing.
 
So I am 4 hours into the brisket. Before I started I let it stabilize for 2 hours, as I was getting set up (with my plate setter), the temp shot up. After I closed the lid and shut the vents, I heard a whine and then pop. Next thing I know the felt seal came off. Must have not given the felt seal enough time to set. Either way, it's holding temp well 4 hours in, and I am about to go to bed and wake up in 4-5 hours to check on it. BTW, the juices are holding quite well, can't believe how great it does at this!

Jason
 
The temp should not go above 350* for the first few hours of your first cook to allow the gasket to really seal. Mine has been burned out for a while now and it still holds temps like a champ. I have a Rutland gasket to replace it but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
Irrespective of your burn in procedure the gasket should not have come off. Call BGE and ask them for a replacement! They should send one free of charge. I received a hi-temp (nomex?) gasket from them under warranty. Once your done with your burn if you can re-use this gasket clean the surface of the ceramic where it came off with acetone and then use 777 spray glue (3M brand home depot carries it) to apply the gasket. Total bummer that your having this problem in combination with the flying daisy wheel. Some lump can really snap crackle and pop so I hope it was just the charcoal.

Dave
 
It'll be a pain in the butt, but I plan on resealing it tomorrow, and fixing the daisy wheel as well. The brisket turned out great, though a bit dryer than I wanted it to. I seasoned it with just salt and pepper, and smoked it using mesquite/apple. Stayed between 225-250 the whole 12 hours. Didn't have a pretty pink ring, but it had great smoke flavor and not the overwhelming kind. When I sliced it, it held together but pulled apart easily with my fingers. Tastes better than Rudy's down the road, and they charge a lot per lb.
 
Just pulled off some teriyaki chicken. My friend thought it was the best ckicken he's ever had. Thanks little green buddy!
 
I wound up doing the first brisket of the season last week. My internal meat temp rose to 151 over the first three hours and then leveled off for a few hours before climbing to 172 where I hit the plateau. After holding there for some time my internal temp dropped off five degrees for two hours. That's when I managed to fall asleep. (grooooan) Pulled at 195 and just a hair over 12 hours. Probably about an hour too long for where I would have liked to have been (185). Still came out good for the first burn of the season.
I'm going to do some cedar planked Salmon this week.

Dave
 
I smoked a pork shoulder last weekend. At about 9 hours in, the temp dropped from 230F to 150F, apparently because the coals went out (almost). I think it's the hardwood coal I was using at first, cheaper with smaller pieces to block the airholes in the firepit. I bought some larger, better quality hardwood coal so I think that will fix the problem. I ended up keeping it on for 22 hours, but couldn't get the temp above 180F. Any ideas? I wanted to get it up to 200F without bumping the temp. BTW, I have to get a high heat gasket, this one burned off again, same as before. Granted, I had that baby up to 750F+ burning off drippings...
 
Jason, it looks like the biggest issue you are having is with controlling your burn. I'd suggest getting a plastic tub like I mentioned up thread so you can sort your lump before you load the BGE. If you burn Royal Oak from Wally World it can have smaller pieces than the BGE branded RO the dealers sell so sometimes I have to open two bags. Open the bags and dump them in your sorting tub out side and down wind! You might be surprised at some of the things you find in a bag of lump. Make sure that your Fire box is centered in your unit and not pushing up against one side. The same with your fire ring. Make sure the opening on your Fire Box is centered with the lower vent opening on the BGE. You want good air flow all the way around the inside of your Egg. I wouldn't hesitate to call the company or email them and ask for a replacement Nomex gasket. That just shouldn't happen with your gasket that soon. I think you'll find them easy to deal with!
I noticed earlier that you said you had started your burn before putting your plate setter in. What I do is load the unit with fresh lump for any long/slow burn. I buy Rutland safe lite fire starter squares on close out every spring at Tractor Supply Co (fireplace acc) for fire starters. So I just break one up in thirds and place it in the charcoal in between the cut outs on the side of the plate setter so I can lite them with out removing the plate setter. From the time I lite them, add a disposable pie pan on top of the plate setter and place the grate it's probably less than 20 minutes before I'm at a steady temp and ready to start cooking. I may have to do a fine tweak on the vent/Daisy wheel a few times in the first few hours but after that I rarely make any vent adjustments unless I open the Egg.

Dave
 
I use chunk wood for brisket/pork and I mix that in with the lump when I load the egg. I make sure I have some wood at every level so I'm getting smoke all through the cooking process.

Dave
 
You can disperse the wood chunks throughout the charcoal before lighting so chunks will burn as the fire spreads. I actually prefer lighting wood chunks with my charcoal when I start. That way, I get a solid smoke ring right from the start.

Here are a couple of tricks I use for longer burns. First, I use my wet dry vac to clean out ashes after any long burn. That way, I have a consistent cook and cooker - no unburnt pieces from the previous cook to catch fire, no airways are blocked, no mid-cook issues with too much ash. Second, there's no need to go up to 750 to burn off drippings. I had my XL BGE up to 450 two weekends ago to burn off mold and other stuff from not using it during the winter. About 2 hours at 450 did the trick. Third, like Dave recommended, use larger chunks of charcoal for long cooks. The cooking temp will be lower than using smaller chunks of charcoal (there's less surface area to catch fire, especially when lighting the BGE like Dave recommended in a number of areas, and at a low temp, the larger pieces will take that much longer to light up completely). Fourth, gradually get up to temp; don't go too high and bring it down. You'll use more fuel the higher you want to go - if you start low, and keep the fire going slowly along, you won't use much fuel. There's really no reason why you can't do an all night cook with a full firebox if you start with a low temp, around 200, and keep it there.

Lastly, if you have any concern about not having enough fuel to get through a cook, take whatever you're cooking out of the fridge early. It's amazing how long the center of a pork butt will stay cold after you pull it out of the fridge.
 
Jason you know were gonna show up for beer and ribs right! :hungry:

Dave
 
Anyone know a reputable dealer in southern California anywhere from San Diego to Los Angeles. The reviews I am reading on businesses by me in Costa Mesa have very poor customer service. I know I can get a deal at an egg fest, but more concerned with buying from someone who will give good customer service after the investment. Any opinions. Thanks in advance.
 
That place looks eggsceptional. Thought some of the southern cal guys might respond. I will keep that place in mind. I drove farther than that to buy my dog. : ) thanks for your response.
 
Deckhand:

I started my ceramic jouney probably 15 years ago with a Kamado, and unfortunately some of the issues that bothered me then about So Cal retailers haven't changed, so my advice would be find the lowest price closest to you. Not sure what you're looking for in customer service, but what you're buying is a massive hunk of concrete...more or less. The best 'customer service' you'll get on these will come from the community on the BGE forum. Try to find a 'no sales tax' or Memorial day sale, and talk them into free delivery & set up - you'll come out ahead. Really, most retailers want to sell you a gas fired stainless something or other and think your ribs should be boiled first.
 
I purchased a once used XL BGE at the Southern California Eggfest last year. It's worked for me great so far.

The company that sponsors it is here: http://outdoorkitchencreations.net/

Unfortunately, they already sold out of the once used eggs for this year's Eggfest. However, these people are really great. Great service, answer all questions, etc. If you go to the Eggfest, they'll probably have a regional representative there to answer any more questions.

However, as I've explained before, I don't think the BGE platesetter is great in my experience. Maybe it's how I"m using it, but I don't feel that I get enough circulation or smoke when I use it. I'm seriously considering buying the indirect setup from this company: http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
 
mhlee said:
I purchased a once used XL BGE at the Southern California Eggfest last year. It's worked for me great so far.

The company that sponsors it is here: http://outdoorkitchencreations.net/

Unfortunately, they already sold out of the once used eggs for this year's Eggfest. However, these people are really great. Great service, answer all questions, etc. If you go to the Eggfest, they'll probably have a regional representative there to answer any more questions.

However, as I've explained before, I don't think the BGE platesetter is great in my experience. Maybe it's how I"m using it, but I don't feel that I get enough circulation or smoke when I use it. I'm seriously considering buying the indirect setup from this company: http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
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Excellent! Exactly, what I needed. A BBQ store where they didn't behave like total #%&$! It's a personal thing, restaurant, gas station, any business if service and general consideration is poor don't like to spend my money there. Support the good guys. Read a bunch of reviews on places. Where people spent thousands and were treated like dirt. This place looks great! Thanks for the plate setter tips.
 
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