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Talk me out of buying an XL Big Green Egg (to go with my L)

While I am painfully aware that it goes against every precept of B&B, I'm looking for some help in NOT buying something new. :laugh:

I already have a Large BGE (the 'standard size', I guess; it's the one I think of whenever I think of a BGE), and absolutely love it. However, when entertaining, I find the grill size to be somewhat limiting and am considering buying an XL Egg just to use when we have friends over (quite often, especially in the summer...the Egg gets a lot of love!).

I'm hoping for some suggestions on maximizing the cooking capabilities of the L I have, so whatever methods you guys are using to cook for a big group, lay'em on me: stacked grids (I've never had much success with them), whatever, I'm all ears.
 
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Guys, a little help here, seems like Jay is lost, he thinks he is at an Enablers Anonymous meeting.
My boss has two and loves using them. I am still without one, but hopefully not for much longer.
 
can't help!

even with extra stacked grates i wish i had the next size up ceramic.. with stacked grates on my ceramic, not BGE, i lose a tiny bit of main grate and it's hard to get in there if you need to turn or check something.. it can be done, but it's slightly inconvenient... pros and cons to both sizes...

i bought an orion smoker for when i need to get 9 racks done or something else, but while the end results never hear complaints, it's way different from the ceramic.
 
I am a recent convert to the cult of the BGE, but I am looking for just that little extra amt of grilling space. After wandering the forums, I have decided to add an add'l grill level.

I am still deciding if I go for the full double decker or if I want just the half-moon. The half will give me an add'l 127 inches of cooking surface (255 + 127 = 382) vs a full (255 + 255 = 510) and I think that should be enough.

The XL has 452 inches total, but then there is the purchase cost and add'l effort associated with running multiple grills while ingesting refreshing adult beverages.
 
I just had to have a big green egg after seing this post and checking out their website! I now just arrived back home with a new small size big green egg to compliment my Traeger pellet grill. Now I just need to assemble it and fire it up for lunch. I need to stay away from here as I usually always end up purchasing something!
 
I just had to have a big green egg after seing this post and checking out their website! I now just arrived back home with a new small size big green egg to compliment my Traeger pellet grill. Now I just need to assemble it and fire it up for lunch. I need to stay away from here as I usually always end up purchasing something!

wow, that's awesome! it only took one look for me before i knew i wanted one also. ufortunately, the store only had an XL or L and i didn't have teh cash at that time.
 
I just had to have a big green egg after seing this post and checking out their website! I now just arrived back home with a new small size big green egg...

Jim G is officially my hero. :thumbsup:

You're in for a good time. I've never cooked on the small, so have no idea how it does on a slow cook, but even my wife is OK with buying an XL to complement the L, as she likes the way food cooks so much better, and sees the issues with space when we have a bunch of folks over.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Sorry, I don't have time to post a proper answer, I've been too busy posting pointers for you in my "talk me into growing a full beard" thread.
 
Dude, I spent last weekend smoking meat at my brothers ... using his crappy smokers ... I stayed up all night adding coal / wood to keep the temp just right. It was hell cooking without my BGE.

Buy the XL. Buy two. Just don't smoke on anything else. I'm serious. It sucked.
 
Jim G is officially my hero. :thumbsup:

You're in for a good time. I've never cooked on the small, so have no idea how it does on a slow cook, but even my wife is OK with buying an XL to complement the L, as she likes the way food cooks so much better, and sees the issues with space when we have a bunch of folks over.

I'm trying to slow cook some ribs right now. Not quite sure how to use this just yet but we'll see how it goes. The small seems to be a perfect size as it will just primarily be use used by myself and the wife.
 
Before I laid out the cash for a new XL I'd look at adding another level to the grill. It will be a more economical option.

The BBQ store near me sells used eggs on consignment. You might want to see if you can trade in your large for an extra large and see what kind of trade in value you can get.
 
The BBQ store near me sells used eggs on consignment. You might want to see if you can trade in your large for an extra large and see what kind of trade in value you can get.

What store is that? I have been thinking of getting one and the wife has OK'ed a grill purchase so I just need to make up my mind and pull the trigger.
 
What store is that? I have been thinking of getting one and the wife has OK'ed a grill purchase so I just need to make up my mind and pull the trigger.

BBQ Outfitters. According to one of the salesmen the demand for used Eggs is greater then the supply. He said that usually what happens is people decide that they need a larger Egg but they want to sell their large Egg to help finance an XL Egg, he had a list of people who wanted to buy used Eggs. I have seen used eggs for a song on Craig's list, sometimes they need a little work like new seals, or a plate setter but you can't beat the price.
 
While I am painfully aware that it goes against every precept of B&B, I'm looking for some help in NOT buying something new. :laugh:

I already have a Large BGE (the 'standard size', I guess; it's the one I think of whenever I think of a BGE), and absolutely love it. However, when entertaining, I find the grill size to be somewhat limiting and am considering buying an XL Egg just to use when we have friends over (quite often, especially in the summer...the Egg gets a lot of love!).

I'm hoping for some suggestions on maximizing the cooking capabilities of the L I have, so whatever methods you guys are using to cook for a big group, lay'em on me: stacked grids (I've never had much success with them), whatever, I'm all ears.

Sorry, once you have one, another is the only solution to entertain more....often/more guests...
Currently I have a M as the L was left behind with my in-laws when we moved to Europe. When we move back, we'll keep both the L and the M. Thus, my somewhat useless advice to your request, is thus to get a XL:lol:
 
sometimes they need a little work like new seals, or a plate setter but you can't beat the price.

Plate setters are a requirement even if you buy new, and seals are a cinch to replace (just changed mine a month or so ago in preparation for the summer).

Don't know about you guys, but I'm thinking buying an XL is the way to go. :001_rolle
 
Lessee...8 or 9 ears of corn, dozen or so 6oz burgers, about the same number of boneless chicken thighs, 7 or 8 boneless ribs. I'd like to hear how you manage the multi grids as I've never had a lot of success there.

Here is a link to the Ceramic Grill Store, the makers of the Adjustable Rig: http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/large-adjustable-rig/big-green-egg-large-adjustable-rig.html Check out the Tips and Options tab. I have the rig, a spider, oval grid, an a smaller round that fits inside the rig. I also have a cast iron grid (medium BGE size) that I use with the spider (legs up) to put the grid right over the lump for searing. I don't have a plate setter, but instead use my spider and pizza stone for indirect cooks, or for cooking in a Dutch oven on the Egg. If you regularly cook that much food, I guess an XL wouldn't be a bad investment. Either that or another L and have two eggs going at different temps, set-ups to handle all that. I have two friends with XL's ( both experienced with L Eggs) and both of them have trouble maintaining a fire in them. The air flow just doesn't seem to be as good. They now use a Guru on every cook to keep their fire burning. Other Eggers I know don't seem to have any problems, so I'm not sure what is going on. I do know that there have been some mods to the the design of the XL over the last couple of years and it may have been the early XL's didn't draw well and the recent mods might have addressed those issues. The guy that owns the Ceramic Grill Store is frequent contributor on one of the BGE forums and designs/builds/sells the stuff. Some designs came from suggestions made by other Eggers on the forum. Nice guy, give him a call when you get your next Egg.

I'm with you on gasket replacement, sort of a regular maintenance procedure. I quit using felt on mine and put fiberglass on the bottom. When it came time to replace the dome seal the last time, I went with high temp silicon. I need to build it up a bit, though, because I didn't do a good job on it. Neither seal will need replacing because of burning, melting, or coming off.
 


Here is a link to the Ceramic Grill Store, the makers of the Adjustable Rig: http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/large-adjustable-rig/big-green-egg-large-adjustable-rig.html Check out the Tips and Options tab. I have the rig, a spider, oval grid, an a smaller round that fits inside the rig. I also have a cast iron grid (medium BGE size) that I use with the spider (legs up) to put the grid right over the lump for searing. I don't have a plate setter, but instead use my spider and pizza stone for indirect cooks, or for cooking in a Dutch oven on the Egg. If you regularly cook that much food, I guess an XL wouldn't be a bad investment. Either that or another L and have two eggs going at different temps, set-ups to handle all that. I have two friends with XL's ( both experienced with L Eggs) and both of them have trouble maintaining a fire in them. The air flow just doesn't seem to be as good. They now use a Guru on every cook to keep their fire burning. Other Eggers I know don't seem to have any problems, so I'm not sure what is going on. I do know that there have been some mods to the the design of the XL over the last couple of years and it may have been the early XL's didn't draw well and the recent mods might have addressed those issues. The guy that owns the Ceramic Grill Store is frequent contributor on one of the BGE forums and designs/builds/sells the stuff. Some designs came from suggestions made by other Eggers on the forum. Nice guy, give him a call when you get your next Egg.


Woohoo! Paydirt! Thanks for the tips, Buxwheat, I'll definitely check out the Ceramic Grill Store.

Edit: Dude! I am in your debt for pointing me to this site...I'd never seen it before. Don't know how I missed it, but I know what I'm asking for for Father's Day.

Interesting about the XL and air flow, and you bring up an excellent point: another L would likely be the better investment. All my extras (platesetter, for example) would fit, I could cook slow on one, grill on the other, I'm already familiar with the setup, and I would exactly double my grill area.



I'm with you on gasket replacement, sort of a regular maintenance procedure. I quit using felt on mine and put fiberglass on the bottom. When it came time to replace the dome seal the last time, I went with high temp silicon. I need to build it up a bit, though, because I didn't do a good job on it. Neither seal will need replacing because of burning, melting, or coming off.

I almost went with the Permatex Ultra Copper gasket install, but wussed out at the last minute and slapped on another felt gasket. I think I will try it on the next one.

 
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