Elite Big Green Egg Owners: What size should I choose???

[nicname]

Naturally, I want the biggest and baddest BGE out there.  That said, after some careful research I think that may just be too much BGE for me. 

Say if I want to entertain between 3 and 12 people on a semi regular basis?

[Saulbadguy]

Why don't you just put your money in a pile in your back yard and set it on fire?

....SBG, with a shot across the bow...

[nicname]

Bubba Keg Grill is cheaper

[pissclams]

I have a large.  It's 18.5 inches across the smoking surface.  What you need to know is that you can pile meat on top of each other and you can also buy accessories that help you expand your smoking area and the amount of meat you can smoke at one time.

http://ceramicgrillstore.com/shop/shop/index.php?categoryID=95&category_slug=adjustable-rig-sliding-grids

I'd recommend the large, I would not recommend the extra large (too big) or medium (much to small).

Friday I'll have mine going with a 10lb brisket, a 10lb pork shoulder, and miscellaneous other what nots.  That's a lot of meat.


Get a large.  The start up costs do suck - by the time you buy the nest and other stuff you'll need (chimney smoker, plate setter, grill gloves, egg nest, etc) you'll have spent over a grand.   Once you have the crap though it's super cheap to keep going b/c the meat you smoke is so inexpensive.

[ChiComCat]

I got my large about a month ago.  Love it, haven't had any problems with size.  I put on a couple pork butts and fed about 25 people easy for less than $20 of meat so it should do 3-12 pretty easily.

[pissclams]

I got my large about a month ago.  Love it, haven't had any problems with size.  I put on a couple pork butts and fed about 25 people easy for less than $20 of meat so it should do 3-12 pretty easily.

what temp did your butt cook at?  the costco near me sells it without bone so mine usually cook for ~1 hour 15 per pound at 225 dome.

also, abuse the hell out of the BGE forums, lots of knowledge there.

also, make yourself familiar with BGE flashback, i learned the hard way.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

[WillieWatanabe]

Why don't you just put your money in a pile in your back yard and set it on fire?

....SBG, with a shot across the bow...

pffttt

[ChiComCat]

I got my large about a month ago.  Love it, haven't had any problems with size.  I put on a couple pork butts and fed about 25 people easy for less than $20 of meat so it should do 3-12 pretty easily.

what temp did your butt cook at?  the costco near me sells it without bone so mine usually cook for ~1 hour 15 per pound at 225 dome.

also, abuse the hell out of the BGE forums, lots of knowledge there.

also, make yourself familiar with BGE flashback, i learned the hard way.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Yea, I've been on their forums.  Really helped me on my first cook that I'm sure wouldve been a disaster.  Did mine at about 235 for 19 hours.  Came out beautifully.  Still working on my ribs though... pretty good but not where I want to be.  I want a Manhattan CostCo!!!!!

[Cire]

I got my large about a month ago.  Love it, haven't had any problems with size.  I put on a couple pork butts and fed about 25 people easy for less than $20 of meat so it should do 3-12 pretty easily.

what temp did your butt cook at?  the costco near me sells it without bone so mine usually cook for ~1 hour 15 per pound at 225 dome.

also, abuse the hell out of the BGE forums, lots of knowledge there.

also, make yourself familiar with BGE flashback, i learned the hard way.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Yea, I've been on their forums.  Really helped me on my first cook that I'm sure wouldve been a disaster.  Did mine at about 235 for 19 hours.  Came out beautifully.  Still working on my ribs though... pretty good but not where I want to be.  I want a Manhattan CostCo!!!!!

3-2-1 FTW.

[pissclams]

i do baby back ribs-
mustard/gates hot & spicy rub @ 220 dome until they're 175 degrees.  pull them off and lather them in gates hot and spicy sauce.  put back on smoker and increase smoker temp up to 250 or so, just until your sauce starts carmelizing and turning black on the rib tips.  be careful not to over cook and dry them out.   might consider spraying once an hour or so with apple juice/vinegar/water combo. 

super easy to do ribs.


what temp did you pull your pork off at?  I usually go until 200 then wrap it then pull it.  19hrs at 235 seems really long unless you cooked big ass bone in butts.

3-2-1 FTW.

unneccessary

[nicname]

<------ is very excited.  

[pissclams]

<------ is very excited.   

it's so much fun.  you haven't an idea.

[Cire]

i do baby back ribs-
mustard/gates hot & spicy rub @ 220 dome until they're 175 degrees.  pull them off and lather them in gates hot and spicy sauce.  put back on smoker and increase smoker temp up to 250 or so, just until your sauce starts carmelizing and turning black on the rib tips.  be careful not to over cook and dry them out.   might consider spraying once an hour or so with apple juice/vinegar/water combo.  

super easy to do ribs.


what temp did you pull your pork off at?  I usually go until 200 then wrap it then pull it.  19hrs at 235 seems really long unless you cooked big ass bone in butts.

3-2-1 FTW.

unneccessary

I do spares and it works like a charm.

also, have you checked your grate temp if it's taking that long to cook?

[pissclams]

3-2-1 just seems like a lot of work.

ya Chi should def invest in a $10 grate thermometer and also check to see if his dome thermometer is reading the right temp (stick it in boiling water and find out what reading it gives you).

[Dr Rick Daris]

big green egg, huh? that's what she said. oh my.

[Cire]

3-2-1 just seems like a lot of work.

ya Chi should def invest in a $10 grate thermometer and also check to see if his dome thermometer is reading the right temp (stick it in boiling water and find out what reading it gives you).

It actually gets them over done but most people that I'm making them for like it that way.    Baby backs would be more like 2-1-1.

[pike]

I have the medium, and have cooked for family at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter etc. There's plenty of room to do 3 slabs or 2 butts or a couple brisket. However, if I had the money I would've gotten a large. So get the large, and get the stand just to start out. Probably cost around $1000

[pike]

I got my large about a month ago.  Love it, haven't had any problems with size.  I put on a couple pork butts and fed about 25 people easy for less than $20 of meat so it should do 3-12 pretty easily.

what temp did your butt cook at?  the costco near me sells it without bone so mine usually cook for ~1 hour 15 per pound at 225 dome.

also, abuse the hell out of the BGE forums, lots of knowledge there.

also, make yourself familiar with BGE flashback, i learned the hard way.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Yeah...me too

[CNS]

I have the medium, and have cooked for family at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter etc. There's plenty of room to do 3 slabs or 2 butts or a couple brisket. However, if I had the money I would've gotten a large. So get the large, and get the stand just to start out. Probably cost around $1000

That is almost an entire eye worth of lasik.

[KSUBrian]

Naturally, I want the biggest and baddest BGE out there.  That said, after some careful research I think that may just be too much BGE for me. 

Say if I want to entertain between 3 and 12 people on a semi regular basis?

Get  the Primo large oval.  Can hold more for large events and you can get a box divider to cook smaller portions.  Best grill I have ever owned.  Everything that we have cooked on it is amazing.  

[ChiComCat]

i do baby back ribs-
mustard/gates hot & spicy rub @ 220 dome until they're 175 degrees.  pull them off and lather them in gates hot and spicy sauce.  put back on smoker and increase smoker temp up to 250 or so, just until your sauce starts carmelizing and turning black on the rib tips.  be careful not to over cook and dry them out.   might consider spraying once an hour or so with apple juice/vinegar/water combo. 

super easy to do ribs.


what temp did you pull your pork off at?  I usually go until 200 then wrap it then pull it.  19hrs at 235 seems really long unless you cooked big ass bone in butts.

3-2-1 FTW.

unneccessary

I had a couple of pretty large bone-in butts.  Temp when I pulled off was in the 190s.  Temp was reading high at that point so I am kinda guessing the temp, I calibrated after and it was a bit off so maybe it was a bit lower temp too.  Results were great though.  I got Adam Perry Lang's BBQ book not too long ago and am going to try his ribs soon.  Tried 4-5 things in there and they have all been excellent