With Father's Day and my birthday this month, and my retirement next month, my wife and son got me a large BGE.

Looks like I'll have plenty of opportunity to experiment with recipes and to explore all the optional accessories available.

I know there are plenty of online resources for information, but I am a bit disappointed that the instructions included give hardly any information on proper use.

Anyway, obligatory pic of it sitting next to the old gas grill that I anticipate getting less use now.

Welcome to the club.

Many ways to light it. Always have the top and bottom vent all the way open.

When I lived in AK and Alberta:

In the winter, I heated it up slowly to minimize chance of thermal cracking. I used 3 fire starter squares on top of the charcoal.

In the summer, I heated it up faster since I wasn't concerned about thermal cracking. I wasted money on chimneys and mini weed burners so I wish I would've bought the Looflighter sooner. I light one spot in the center on top of charcoal pile.

Whatever you do, do not move that cart while it's lit or still hot.

This is the lighter I use on mine.
I just gradually and carefully bend it to fit the curve of the BGE.

Congrats on a great purchase, enjoy!

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
This is the lighter I use on mine.
I just gradually and carefully bend it to fit the curve of the BGE.

Cheaper, faster, and no extension cords required.

Congrats on the retirement. I expect some protection pics with some slabs of meat real soon.

TK I have two of them-a large and an XL and we cook on them 3-4 times a week. The BGE smokers have changed our way of cooking for 8 years. I use only BGE lump charcoal because I have found that it lights reliably and burns evenly.

I have tried several ways to light the coals. One is to buy a case of firewood starter at Lowes and break pieces off to start the fire. A piece about 2 inches long works fine. You can also buy the fire starter tabs but they cost more. I have graduated now to a MAPP Gas torch, found in plumbing supplies. Fire it up and hold it to the coals in the center for about 10 seconds and you have a fire. I have been using if for a year and am still on the first tank of fuel.

I have found that if I leave the lid open for 20-30 minutes with the bottom vent wide open I will get hot coals quickly. Close the lid and adjust vents to get the temp you want.

The Digi-Q temperature controller will really enhance your experience. Set the temp you want and adjust the vents and it will hold the temp all day. I have cooked large briskets at 225 degrees and had this thing hold the temp for 16 hours.

Enjoy!

I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

That being said, I love mine! Wait until you bake a pizza at 700 degrees!

As to lighting your charcoal, I love this thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Looftli...y&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

I also have the DigiQue and it's fantastic. Smoked a brisket overnight Friday night and then cooked chicken and sausage over the same coals at 5:00 PM yesterday afternoon.

I recently purchased the Kick Ash basket for mine and have been lighting it by placing a fire starter square under the basket and starting it that way, I highly recommend the basket. It makes clean up a snap. https://www.kickashbasket.com/

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

That being said, I love mine! Wait until you bake a pizza at 700 degrees!

That gap caught my eye as well. I'd remedy the situation by putting a granite scrap or a paver under it. Raising it up (will increase the gap as the egg narrows) and adding a layer of protection.

When I moved mine out of my BGE brand table it had a burn mark under it. Needed a bit more clearance than the ceramic feet provided.

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

That being said, I love mine! Wait until you bake a pizza at 700 degrees!

That gap caught my eye as well. I'd remedy the situation by putting a granite scrap or a paver under it. Raising it up (will increase the gap as the egg narrows) and adding a layer of protection.

When I moved mine out of my BGE brand table it had a burn mark under it. Needed a bit more clearance than the ceramic feet provided.

I would agree on putting something under the egg. Here is how I built my table.

Welcome to the club, they are a great cooker and extremely versatile. Just be careful raising the lid if you have a big fire going. Burp it first and save the burned hair on your arm.

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

That being said, I love mine! Wait until you bake a pizza at 700 degrees!

That gap caught my eye as well. I'd remedy the situation by putting a granite scrap or a paver under it. Raising it up (will increase the gap as the egg narrows) and adding a layer of protection.

When I moved mine out of my BGE brand table it had a burn mark under it. Needed a bit more clearance than the ceramic feet provided.

Good plan! I have mine in the BGE metal stand on casters now. I really want to build a table similar to this for mine.

These type grill/smokers are the shiznit!! I have the Red (brand) and you will love feeding your family with such a great unit! Enjoy!

Egg on!

Got mine as a Christmas gift and am now pretty comfortable controlling temps. Looftlighter, Kick Ash basket and a good thermometer and you are good to go!

Also go join the original Facebook group and use the search feature. Anything/everything you ever need to know including killer recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BGEBBQers/

Here is the classic - Good pork shoulder, bone in, 225-250 degrees until internal temp hits 205 (about 10-14 hours). Remove from egg, double wrap in foil, wrap a towel around it, place in an empty cooler for several hours, remove and shred for the best BBQ you've ever had. I like the Dizzy Q rub, but there are numerous good choices out there. Enjoy!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BamaJeepster,

For quick and easy lighting, without an extension cord or buying starters, get yourself a MAP gas torch. For grilling, full load of charcoal, 30-45 seconds each in 4-5 spots around the charcoal, for smoking, full basket of charcoal and 30-45 seconds in the center. For pizza/fast searing, light the left over coals (or a 1/3 basket full if you don’t have any left over) like you would for grilling, then fill the basket to full = 700+ degrees in 30 minutes or so.

I’ve found a bottle of MAP gas lasts between 1/2 to a full season, depending on how much I use it. If my grill was close to an outlet, I’d consider and electric starter, but as it stands, I’d have to get a heavy duty extension cord out of the garage for each use.

Happy Grilling, Smoking, Baking, Searing!!!

Thanks everyone for the advice, I appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

I would hope this wouldn't be an issue. The table is a BGE brand accessory, so you would think it would be designed properly.

quote:

Originally posted by tk13:
Thanks everyone for the advice, I appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I would be extremely careful with that table. It looks very close to the egg’s external wall. Without much standoff or heat shields, you can start a fire with a BGE.

I would hope this wouldn't be an issue. The table is a BGE brand accessory, so you would think it would be designed properly.

While it doesn't look like any of these are BGE brand, it would still be good to keep an eye on it:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:

While it doesn't look like any of these are BGE brand, it would still be good to keep an eye on it:

Wow! That's an eye opener.

quote:

Originally posted by tk13:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:

While it doesn't look like any of these are BGE brand, it would still be good to keep an eye on it:

Wow! That's an eye opener.

Like I said above my BGE table with BGE ceramic feet left a burn mark on my table. Having said that there were no issues to the sides but its pretty easy to have it rock out of position and make contact. When I moved to the new table and saw the burn mark I was surprised. Fortunately mine resides well away from the house on concrete.