|
Went with chicken since it was supposed to run hot (and that's good for chicken). Probably remains the best thing I've ever done on it actually.
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 14:56
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 08:56 |
|
|
So i am looking into getting my dad a BGE for father's day and was wondering about prices. It seems like there is no set price for these things and it is more set by the dealer. Can anyone give me a rough idea how much these things are for the whole start up kit and what a reasonable price for one is? Even better the closer to Tri-state area you may be.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 15:56
|
|
|
What size BGE? My perspective is skewed because they are more expensive out west. Out here 890 with tax for a used once large egg with nest + wings is the cheapest you'll find. And that sale happens once per year at the SoCal eggfest. It took me looking literally for years to find a place going out of business to beat that price.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 16:49
|
|
|
If you want to buy new, I'd recommend emailing the 10 closest dealers and see what you can find. As for used, Eggfests are better than new prices but I have had the best luck buying used ones on Craigslist. I have bought 3 for under 500 so far (in Seattle where few are available).
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 18:11
|
|
|
What are you doing with three BGEs?
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 18:24
|
|
|
I'm in need of a new grill and really thinking about getting one of the smaller eggs since I may end up moving to an apartment soon. I've been ramping up my bbqing variety lately and this would really open my options up. This thread is certainly pushing me over the edge, especially building myself a temp probe that uploads a website I can check from my phone. Anyone that has bought one in california recommend any dealers, bay area preferably?
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2013 21:26
|
|
|
The Egghead forums love Eggs By The Bay -- their Eggfest is this weekend but sold out and they only have L and XLs. Not sure how their prices will compare though. This one on Craigslist isn't too bad: http://sanfrancisco.craigslist.org/eby/for/3848605753.html . A little pricy if you can get him down, but including the nest and everything is nice.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 01:09
|
|
|
Got pricing back from eggs by the bay for a mini/small/medium which came out to 420/599/699. I'll be out of town all weekend at a wedding anyway so I wouldn't have been able to make the eggfest, though that does sound like fun. I think I'm going to pick up a new medium or possibly a large if I can swing one on monday.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 14:57
|
|
|
I attended eggs by the bay in 2011, had a great time. Free beer included with admission too. Martello posted:What are you doing with three BGEs? First one was a medium, sold it to a friend when I found a smoking deal on a large. Broke that one about 6 months ago and then found a replacement a couple months later.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 18:26
|
|
|
BraveUlysses posted:I attended eggs by the bay in 2011, had a great time. Free beer included with admission too. Ah, okay. Makes sense then.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 18:53
|
|
|
Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. Anyone want to chime in and let me know if this stuff would work for a beginner smoker setup? Please let me know if I'm missing anything necessary, I'm a complete newbie and I plan to purchase the following and try my first smoke over the weekend: Masterchef Vertical Smoker - http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/2/OutdoorLiving/BBQs/Smokers/PRDOVR~0851013P/Master+Chef+Vertical+Smoker.jsp?locale=en Maverick ET732 - http://www.amazon.ca/Maverick-ET732-Meat-DB-Tech-Magnet/dp/B00ANCXJR6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370544744&sr=8-3&keywords=maverick Good set of tongs Oven mitts (mine are crappy) Charcoal chimney Charcoal Wood chips Meat Thanks for all your tips guys. It's complicated deciding what to go with. From the reviews I've read the Masterchef is a decent beginner smoker, it seems comparable to the starter Brinkmann models which are around double the price and hard to find here in Canada. denzelcurrypower fucked around with this message at 20:07 on Jun 6, 2013 |
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 19:56
|
|
|
Is $400 for a medium BGE OK? 
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 20:05
|
|
|
Considering the price I was just quoted, I would say yes.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 20:16
|
|
|
joe944 posted:Considering the price I was just quoted, I would say yes. Sorry, that was ambiguous. I saw the prices you got but my impression was those were largely new? This one is at least 5 years old from the pictures.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 20:23
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. Anyone want to chime in and let me know if this stuff would work for a beginner smoker setup? Please let me know if I'm missing anything necessary, I'm a complete newbie and I plan to purchase the following and try my first smoke over the weekend: I don't know anything about that specific smoker, but looking at the product details it doesn't appear to have adjustable bottom vents. If money is an issue, I would suggest holding off on the fancy thermometer at first and spend the money on a smoker that you're going to have more control over. I think you will be a lot happier. Cooking on your smoker should be fun rather than an exercise in frustration.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 20:23
|
|
|
Rurutia posted:Is $400 for a medium BGE OK? Good price but you will regret not having more cooking surface and the springs loaded lid.
|
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2013 21:08
|
|
|
BraveUlysses posted:Good price but you will regret not having more cooking surface and the springs loaded lid. That's one of the things I worried about. I love making a huge pan of paella for get togethers. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 00:42
|
|
|
I'm debating between the large and medium now, the large is just going to cost so much, easily $1200 after buying an accessory or nest. They want $900 for the large.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 02:49
|
|
|
Keep looking. I paid less than 600 before tax for a new large. Then no nest and a table nest for 32. Built a full table for less than 120. (I finally got really lucky and you probably won't be able to reproduce this)
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 05:40
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. I know the electric sounds expensive, but it's actually a really good way to get started. The hardest part of smoking is actually temperature control for extended periods of time, which is what the MES excels at (and makes it easy for you). You'll get good food results from the beginning. You don't need the AMNPS device, it's just a nice upgrade. You can even use the built in meat probe. You just don't get things like alarms. There's lots of finicky items with a charcoal setup (vent control, heat dissipation, etc) that if you're not fully aware can make things go wrong.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 13:30
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. Anyone want to chime in and let me know if this stuff would work for a beginner smoker setup? Please let me know if I'm missing anything necessary, I'm a complete newbie and I plan to purchase the following and try my first smoke over the weekend: Heyo fellow Canagoon. One of my friends bought one of the smokers you're looking at last year...its really, really crappy. My first real smoker was my MES 30 the wife bought me for my birthday last year, and honestly, its freaking awesome. We found one at a local T.S.C. (not sure where you are), and it was under $300. The thing is awesome. Its really, really easy to use, and the only time I've had bad results was when I played too much with my spices/rubs beforehand. Its definitely a bit more money, but you'll have such an easy time using it. I just picked up an AMNPS, and holy crap its taken my smoking over the top. I did pork ribs on the smoker last night for the first time - a Kansas style dry rub, Jack Daniels pellets, and just straight-up 6 hours at 225. Goddamn were they good. If you want to go Charcoal, at least go for a Weber Smokey Mountain, I know Home Depot sells them. But good luck regardless 
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 14:54
|
|
|
unknown posted:There's lots of finicky items with a charcoal setup (vent control, heat dissipation, etc) that if you're not fully aware can make things go wrong. It really isn't that difficult with a decent charcoal smoker with a water pan and bottom vents. The most difficult lesson to learn in regards to keeping a steady temperature is to stop fiddling with it constantly.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 15:56
|
|
|
cornface posted:It really isn't that difficult with a decent charcoal smoker with a water pan and bottom vents. A million times this. If you think you need to go out and check on your food, or go gently caress with it in any way, you are wrong. Dont touch it. Just use the bottom vents to get up/down to the temp you need and then dont touch it. If you're lookin, it ain't cookin.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 16:05
|
|
|
I have a WSM 22" that I love dearly, but I am thinking about getting a MES as well. There are times when I love getting up really early, tending the smoker (read: drinking beer with friends) all day, and having some awesome BBQ at night, but there is something very appealing about just being able to put a shoulder/brisket in before I go to bed, and having BBQ ready for lunch the next day. Basically I would just like having homemade BBQ not be a "big thing" every time I want some. I also imagine that the electricity to run the thing for 18 hours would be a good bit less money than what I am spending on charcoal for the WSM. Anyone else here that has both types that can weigh in on their experiences? Anyone with any advice on what to keep in mind for buying/using a new electric?
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 16:19
|
|
|
Why not just get a heatermeter or something equivalent for your WSM if you want something set it an forget it?
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 16:34
|
|
|
Doom Rooster posted:Basically I would just like having homemade BBQ not be a "big thing" every time I want some. Anyone with any advice on what to keep in mind for buying/using a new electric? This is why I went with the MES40 after using charcoal for a while. I respect and enjoy the process of a good charcoal smoke, but at the end of the day it's just another cooking tool to me, and getting the best results with the least amount of work/energy is a huge benefit. I definitely use my MES a lot more often than I did charcoal, at all times of the day, in all kinds of weather. If I have to leave the house or go to sleep during a smoke, I don't spend a second worrying about it. My major advice for owning an MES is to: - get the AMNPS so you can smoke cold or hot unattended for up to 11 hours. - Cover removable parts with foil for easy cleanup (not the grates, obviously). - Add a 12x12 unglazed ceramic tile above the heating element to act as a heat sink and to block the heat from going directly up the back corner to the vent. - Take a can that fits in the top vent and attach a piece of screening to the top of it before inserting it. This improves airflow and keeps bugs out of the smoker.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 17:06
|
|
|
GigaFool posted:This is why I went with the MES40 after using charcoal for a while. I respect and enjoy the process of a good charcoal smoke, but at the end of the day it's just another cooking tool to me, and getting the best results with the least amount of work/energy is a huge benefit. I definitely use my MES a lot more often than I did charcoal, at all times of the day, in all kinds of weather. If I have to leave the house or go to sleep during a smoke, I don't spend a second worrying about it. Maybe I will go for the MES. I looked at a mes30 today (only model they had) and it looked a little small for doing pulled pork, can anyone weigh in on the size? Is the AMNPS a requirement for cold smoking or is it just a nice upgrade?
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 18:13
|
|
|
sellouts posted:Why not just get a heatermeter or something equivalent for your WSM if you want something set it an forget it? I had a BBQ Guru that worked great (until I left it out in the rain one night, and it would never come back on). I liked it, and it accomplished most of what I wanted, but was still dealing with getting charcoal lit, water bowl cleaned out/refilled, refueling on long cooks when it was cold outside, etc... It made the process easier, without a doubt, and I will still absolutely use my WSM but there are times when I would love to just S&P a brisket and toss it in there with a lit AMNPS and forget about it until time to take it off.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 18:41
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:Maybe I will go for the MES. I looked at a mes30 today (only model they had) and it looked a little small for doing pulled pork, can anyone weigh in on the size? Is the AMNPS a requirement for cold smoking or is it just a nice upgrade? Seems to do fine for me. The 40 would be nice, but the 30's been more than adequate for feeding the wife and I, and I've done a couple of 6-8 person meals with zero issue. As long as there's a couple of inches around the edges, it'll smoke, so you need a pretty hefty chunk of meat to not have it fit. Plus the racks remove easily if you need more vertical space. AMNPS is a must-have for cold smoking, as the build-in smoker basically needs the heating element to be turned on to work worth a crap. And I've honestly used my smoker more in the month that its been decent out here than in the 3 months I had it before winter, all because of my AMNPS. Its awesome. Turns the easy smoker into the easy-amazing smoker.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 20:20
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. Anyone want to chime in and let me know if this stuff would work for a beginner smoker setup? Please let me know if I'm missing anything necessary, I'm a complete newbie and I plan to purchase the following and try my first smoke over the weekend: Don't buy that Masterchef Vertical charcoal smoker from Canadian Tire. It's a pile of garbage and ultra flimsy. I started with (and still use) a 22.5" Weber One-Touch Silver with a Smokenator insert. It's super badass and easy as poo poo to keep temps steady. In fact, the Smokenator makes the Weber kettles so good as smokers that I don't feel the need to upgrade. Though I'm sure I will, when I get the new toy itch... Or when I finally outgrow the size. I would recommend that, as you can find the Weber kettles for under $100 if you're okay with the Silver model (the Gold has an ash catcher that people will swear is worth the extra $50 but I didn't care), and then $60 for the Smokenator... If you don't like spending all the time smoking, you can always just use the Weber as a normal charcoal grill. {edited for clarity} VERTiG0 fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Jun 7, 2013 |
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 22:58
|
|
|
VERTiG0 posted:Don't buy that thing from Canadian Tire. It's a pile of garbage and ultra flimsy. Which thing ? I'm lost in the context of this.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 23:12
|
|
|
jonathan posted:Which thing ? I'm lost in the context of this. Sorry, that Masterchef Vertical charcoal smoker. It feels like it's going to fall apart and there's no way that door seals up like it should.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 23:19
|
|
|
VERTiG0 posted:Sorry, that Masterchef Vertical charcoal smoker. It feels like it's going to fall apart and there's no way that door seals up like it should. Oh ok cool. Because I was just about to go buy that cuisinart smoker/MES 30 with the front window. Scared me. Question, with the wood pellets, will I get a smoke ring from an electric smoker ? Also, how well do these things work at colder temperatures ? After October, -40 degrees is not out of the question. Will the smoker keep up or will I have to run it in my detached garage or something ?
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2013 23:26
|
|
|
jonathan posted:Oh ok cool. Because I was just about to go buy that cuisinart smoker/MES 30 with the front window. Scared me. You still get a smoke ring from an electric smoker. As far as the cold temps, I don't know. (I'm in Texas, cold here is 70 degrees).
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 00:34
|
|
|
PhotoKirk posted:You still get a smoke ring from an electric smoker. No, you don't. Not unless you put charcoal in the chip tray, which most people don't, because smoke rings are just window dressing and don't contribute to flavor. They require combustion temps to occur, which smoldering chips/pellets do not provide.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 01:36
|
|
|
jonathan posted:
No smoke ring since that's generated by carbon monoxide (generated by combustion as mentioned). Note that it still generates it, just not sufficient quantity to make that colour ring. So don't use it inside. I've used the MES down to ~5c (10f), but it takes ages to warm up. The heater isn't powerful enough at that point to warm the incoming air in time. Cold smoking is different obviously.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 02:22
|
|
|
I have a Traeger electric pellet smoker and I get a smoke ring.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 17:16
|
|
|
GigaFool posted:No, you don't. Not unless you put charcoal in the chip tray, which most people don't, because smoke rings are just window dressing and don't contribute to flavor. They require combustion temps to occur, which smoldering chips/pellets do not provide. Sigh. Looks like I have to drag out the Traeger tomorrow and smoke something.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 17:34
|
|
|
PhotoKirk posted:Sigh. Chemmy posted:I have a Traeger electric pellet smoker and I get a smoke ring. My understanding is that Traeger's use an electric element to ignite pellets, which then burn in a firebox as they're augured in. I'm referring to the completely electric smokers referred to above that use an element as the sole heat source, and the chips/pellets only smolder to provide smoke. Burning pellets will provide a smoke ring. Electric elements and smoldering pellets/chips will not.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 17:47
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 08:56 |
|
|
jonathan posted:Oh ok cool. Because I was just about to go buy that cuisinart smoker/MES 30 with the front window. Scared me. Once its below -5C or so, it can't keep up. But, easy trick for that - go grab a welding blanket. Get one that's not the fiberglass itchy stuff, but the smoother sides. Set the smoker, put your stuff in, and wrap it up. Or if you have a detached building that's even mildly heated that you don't mind getting smokey, that'll work to. I just parked mine for most of the winter, because its just too loving cold out to want to bother heh.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2013 20:58
|
|