# Anybody using a Big Green Egg for smoking.



## catman (May 27, 2010)

I have been using a big green egg the past few months for low and slow cooks. The egg holds temps all day with no adjustments. I have baked pizzas at 700 degree , similar to a wood fired pizza oven. Just curious if anyone else on the forum is using one


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## flash (May 27, 2010)

I bought 12 of my smokers and a 1/3rd of a cow instead.


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## flbobecu (May 28, 2010)

Flash said:


> I bought 12 of my smokers and a 1/3rd of a cow instead.


As I'm finding out - despite the 12 cookers in your possession, I'd suppose after just a few smokes, you'd be equal to or at more than the cost of a ceramic or kamado style cooker, due to the fact it holds heat so well, and you'd be fueling 12 cookers. :) 

There's a fella on the Bubba Keg forums, smoked for 30 hours straight on ~5lbs of lump. That's 6 hours per pound. That's impressive in my eyes. And he still had lump left over...

Catman - to answer your question, I plan on using a Kamado style cooker (Bubba Keg) and BGE (down the line) in the future. I know there's not many here that do use them, at least to my finding.


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## jaxgatorz (May 28, 2010)

But with the room on his 12 smokers, he might have 50 times the food 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Just a thought


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## flbobecu (May 28, 2010)

JaxGatorz said:


> But with the room on his 12 smokers, he might have 50 times the food
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very true!


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## flash (May 28, 2010)

FLbobecu said:


> As I'm finding out - despite the 12 cookers in your possession, I'd suppose after just a few smokes, you'd be equal to or at more than the cost of a ceramic or kamado style cooker, due to the fact it holds heat so well, and you'd be fueling 12 cookers. :)
> 
> Actually I only have two smokers, I just could've bought 12 of them for the same price. I only use about a cup and a half  of charcoal a smoke. ;)


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## flbobecu (May 28, 2010)

Flash, which smokers do you have? That's almost no charcoal (unless a "cup" is like 2 chimneys full or something)..


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## rbranstner (May 28, 2010)

There are a few people on there that have a BGE. I used my buddies last summer and like it but I couldn't justify spening all that money so I built a UDS instead and they are very similar as far as set it and forget it and having a long burn time. Nothing against a BGE but I'm glad I went the way I did.


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## ak1 (May 28, 2010)

For me that was the big issue with the Egg. It just costs too much.

I saw the Bayou Classic at Lowes, and it looks like it would do the same but for much less money.


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## flbobecu (May 28, 2010)

AK1 said:


> For me that was the big issue with the Egg. It just costs too much.
> 
> I saw the Bayou Classic at Lowes, and it looks like it would do the same but for much less money.


If I'm not mistaken, that's about the same price as a Large egg. Though no stand is included. 

You can get a similar item, the Bubba Keg @ HD for $299 on clearance.


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## flash (May 29, 2010)

FLbobecu said:


> Flash, which smokers do you have? That's almost no charcoal (unless a "cup" is like 2 chimneys full or something)..


 The one I use most of the time is my GOSM conversion from Charcoal to Propane. To maintain a charcoal flavor, I add coals to the can my wood chunks go into. My other is a 35 year old ECB that I only use for short smokes 4 hours or less. It rarely gets used anymore.


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## okiedawg (May 29, 2010)

At first, I balked at the price of a BGE, but........... after I bought one, I was I had spent the bucks earlier! I have smoked ribs during ice storms without any trouble. The BGE to me is worth the money.


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## ellymae (May 29, 2010)

I have a large BGE and smoke on it using the plate setter. I also have an adjustable rig from http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramicgrillstore/  that allows for raised direct grilling.

The Egg is pricy, but it is versatile and works for me. It never ceases to amaze me how little fuel the Egg uses. Wouldn't give mine up.


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## 5lakes (May 29, 2010)

I live in Minnesota, we have a BGE dealer in town. My concern would be the ceramic cracking if I used it in the winter. The dealer says it's not a problem. I'm a bit skeptic about that, though. If I decide to smoke something when it's near zero degrees would the heat build up and cool down be slow enough to not crack it?


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## catman (May 29, 2010)

The egg cools off very slow, I can grill steaks at 500degree and three hours later the temp is still above two hunderd.


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## ak1 (May 29, 2010)

FLbobecu said:


> If I'm not mistaken, that's about the same price as a Large egg. Though no stand is included.
> 
> You can get a similar item, the Bubba Keg @ HD for $299 on clearance. I saw the Bayou at Lowes for around 700-750 bucks, with stand, side shelf everything. I can't get an egg for anywhere close to that price. Don't know about any quality difference, but I much prefered the finish of the Bayou over the green paint on the egg.


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## rbranstner (May 29, 2010)

5lakes said:


> I live in Minnesota, we have a BGE dealer in town. My concern would be the ceramic cracking if I used it in the winter. The dealer says it's not a problem. I'm a bit skeptic about that, though. If I decide to smoke something when it's near zero degrees would the heat build up and cool down be slow enough to not crack it?


I have several buddies that smoke with their BGE's all winter long and have not had an issue with them cracking. But for my money I am glad I went with a UDS's I have cooked in -30 degrees with no issues. You can't go wrong either way.


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