the best smoked corn dip recipe
By Tony Kocheff BBQ • Recipes 0 Comments

Smoked Mexican Corn Dip Recipe

 

big green egg best smoked corn dip recipe

Easy Smoked Mexican Corn Dip

A delicious smoked corn dip that will always leave you with an empty bowl no matter how much you make! This is an extremely easy and great dip to make as a party appetizer, for the next big game or really any time you want a creamy and cheesy dip.
I love using a smoker for this dip to add a little touch of smoke flavor to it. You can use any smoker that you have or you can even heat this up on your grill or feel free to just pop it in your oven. This will be one of the easiest and best dips that you make no matter how you heat it up.
Enjoy this corn dip hot right off the smoker or put it in your fridge and serve cold, it's fantastic either way. Tortilla Chips are my go to pairing with this dip but vegetables, pita chips and frito lay scoops would be great to.
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Cans 11-15oz Fiesta Style Corn
  • 1 Can 4oz Diced Green Chiles
  • 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese
  • 2 Cups Mexican Shredded Cheese Feel free to use cheddar, monterray jack, pepper jack or colby jack cheeses.
  • 2 TBS Favorite Tex-Mex Seasoning We used How To BBQ Right Grande Gringo sesoning. Feel free to also use equal parts salt, garlic powder, cumin, pepper and paprika.

Optional

  • 4 oz Jalapenos
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
  • 1 Lime

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Stir and mix well.
  • Place mixture in a medium cast iron pan or 8x8 aluminum foil pan.
  • Preheat a grill/smoke to 250-300 degrees with indirect heat. Add your desired smoke. We used hickory chips in our Big Green Egg for this recipe.
  • Once your grill is preheated, and your pan mixture to it for roughly 30 minutes.
  • Check on the dip after 20 minutes and stir. Once all of the cheese is completely melted it is ready to eat! You can eat it hot or you can place in fridge and serve cold. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Feel free to add more seasoning after tasting if needed.

Notes

Recipe Notes:
  • Feel free to add your favorite cheeses. Other great cheeses that would be good in this dish would be Monterey jack, cheddar, quesadilla or pepper jack.
  • If you want it spicier add some canned jalapenos to the mix or your favorite hot sauce!
  • The seasoning we added was How To BBQ Right Grande Gringo. Feel free to use your favorite Tex-Mex seasoning instead or add equal parts salt, garlic powder, cumin, pepper and oregano. 
  • Use whatever smoke flavor you would like. We used hickory chips but apple, pecan, oak or cherry would be good. Or you can leave out the smoke altogether and just use the heat from your grill or oven.
  • Enjoy this corn dip hot right off the smoker or put it in your fridge and serve cold, it's fantastic either way. Tortilla Chips are my go-to pairing with this dip but vegetables, pita chips and frito lay scoops would be great too.  
Let me know what you thought of the recipe below or how you switched it up!
Keyword corn dip, football appetizer, gameday appetizer, party appetizer, Smoked
the best smoked chicken dip recipe
By Tony Kocheff Recipes 0 Comments

Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

easy smoked buffalo chicken dip recipe

Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip

It's Football season and one of my favorite and easiest game day appetizers is buffalo chicken dip! Buffalo chicken dip is great on it's own, but when you cook it on a smoker and add a kiss of smoke, it makes it even more delicious!
This recipe for smoked buffalo chicken dip is maybe one of the easiest appetizer recipes out there. Enjoy this recipe with tortilla chips or vegetables. It is also great on slider buns with more cheese and made into a little sandwhich! Enjoy and Let me know what you thought of the recipe below.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Smoker Grill Can use regular gas grill or even your oven.
  • 9x13" Disposable Pan or 12" Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Cups Shredded Chicken We smoked a whole chicken for this recipe but feel free to use a rotisserie chicken or any chicken you have around.
  • 2 8oz Packages of Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Ranch Dressing
  • 3/4 Cup Lane's Buffalo Sauce You can substite any pepper sauce like Frank's Red Hot.
  • 1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese
  • 2 TBS Holy Voodoo Meat Church Seasoning Feel free to use your favorite BBQ seasoning.

Optional

  • Green Onions & Blue Cheese Crumbles for Garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a 9x13" disposable pan or 12" cast iron pan and do a quick stir.
  • Set smoker to 250 degrees. Add wood chips, chunks or pellets of your choice to smoker. We cooked this on the Green Mountain Pellet Grill and went with pecan pellets.
  • Place pan mixture onto smoker uncovered for around 1 hour. Stir the dip about every 20 minutes.
  • Before taking off the smoker taste the dip. If you would like it to be spicier, add some more buffalo sauce.
  • After an hour or when it looks melted and well combined, remove from smoker and stir. Enjoy with tortilla chips, vegetables or even make buffalo chicken sliders with it!

Notes

  • Use whatever smoking wood you prefer. We went with pecan but cherry, apple or even hickory would be good in this recipe. Or feel free to leave the smoke out all together.
  • We smoked a whole chicken on the Green Mountain Pellet Grill for this recipe but feel free to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, some chicken breasts or thighs that you have, or even canned chicken. 
  • Feel free to adjust this recipe to your liking. If you would like more protein add more chicken! If you love ranch dressing double up the ranch. Use your favorite cheese mixtures. Colby jack, monterey, mozzarella or even valveeta would be good in this recipe.  
  • This can be cooked on any smoker that you have. If you don't have one this could easily be cooked in your oven or even on your grill!
  • Make it look great at the end. Garnish with green onions and or blue cheese crumbles.
  • Enjoy this recipe as a dip with tortilla chips, frito scoops or vegetables. Or even enjoy this on slider buns with more cheese! 
Keyword buffalo chicken, dips, football, gameday appetizer
the best smoked queso recipe
By Tony Kocheff Recipes 2 Comments

Smoked Queso Recipe

the best smoked queso recipe

Smoked Queso

Who doesn't love queso?! This is the perfect recipe when you are looking for a delicious dip for the big game. This recipe is super easy and can be cooked on any smoker or even in your oven! Queso is great on its own but when you add a touch of smoke to it, it takes it to the next level!
The great thing about this recipe is it can be adapted to your liking. Feel free to mix up the cheeses to try your own take on it, and add your favorite Tex-Mex seasoning. If you would rather leave the smoke out, no problem, just cook this in your oven. Enjoy!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Lb Chorizo can substitute ground beef or sausage
  • 1 Medium Onion diced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic minced, feel free to use more!
  • 1 Block 32oz Queso Blanco Valveeta feel free to use regular or Mexican Valveeta
  • 1 Block 16oz Pepper Jack Cheese
  • 2 Cans 10oz Rotel
  • 2 TBS Lanes Chili Lime Seasoning use your favorite Tex-Mex seasoning
  • 3/4 Cup Pickled Jalepeno feel free to leave this out if you want it more mild

Instructions
 

  • In a saute pan add the chorizo, onions and garlic and saute until chorizo is cooked through making sure to chop up the chorizo into small pieces. (Drain the grease when done)
    chorizo for smoked queso
  • In a large cast iron pan or 9x13 aluminum foil pan, add the cubed up Valveeta, pepper jack, Rotel with liquid, seasoning, jalapenos if using and cooked chorizo.
    ingredients for smoked queso
  • Set smoker to 225-275 degrees. Feel free to add whatever smoking wood you prefer. We cooked this on our Green Mountain Pellet Grill smoker with pecan pellets.
  • Place pan on smoker and cook for around 1 1/2 hours. Check on it every 20 minutes and give it a good stir. (it will start out watery but it will thicken up)
  • Once the smoked queso is all gooey and melted, it is ready to take off and enjoy! Eat with tortilla chips or even put this on tacos or burgers!
    smoked queso recipe green mountain pellet grill

Notes

Recipe Variations!
  • Feel free to add your favorite cheeses. Other great cheeses that would be good in this dish would be Monterey jack, white American, mozzarella or cheddar. Pepper Jack is our favorite but feel free to mix it up!
  • If you want it more spicy just add more jalapenos!
  • If you would rather not have meat just leave it out!
  • If you are cooking this queso in your oven it will cook quicker because we are not looking to add the smoke flavor. Set oven to 350 and cook for around 20-30 minutes. 
 
Let me know what you thought of the recipe below or how you switched it up!
Keyword dips, smoked queso, texmex
Columbus Donair Recipe
By Tony Kocheff Grilling Class Recipes 0 Comments

Chef Aaron Mercier 2022 Grilling Class Recipe

Columbus Donair Recipe

Chef Aaron Mercier, the executive chef at Watershed Kitchen & Bar, joined us for our first grilling class in 2 years! This recipe for Columbus Donair is based on a Nova Scotian adaptation of the classic Mediterranean sandwich, the Doner Kebab. This is a reimagining of a favorite college-era street food of mine. It incorporates the work of two standout local makers, Macelleria Butcher Shop in Bexley, and Black Cap Hot Sauce by Jack Moore, the owner of Ruffled Feather ferments. You can buy both the Merguez and Black Cap at Macellaria. 

Ingredients Snapshot:

  • Merguez Sausage (recipe follows or buy prepared) 
  • Black Cap Hot Sauce 
  • Onion Powder 
  • Garlic Powder 
  • White Distilled Vinegar 
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk 
  • Cucumbers 
  • Onions of choice (I prefer white) 
  • Kosher Salt 
  • Herbs Of Choice 
  • Lime Juice, lemon juice, or white vinegar

Merguez Recipe 

  • ½ tsp cumin seed 
  • ½ tsp coriander seed 
  • ½ tsp fennel seed 
  • 1 lb ground lamb 
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish 
  • 2 garlic minced 
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt 
  • 1 tsp paprika 
  • ½ tsp cayenne 
  • Grill spray or olive oil and a cotton towel 

Mix together and then form around skewers for easy grilling. Sear on a hot grill then transfer to an indirect side to cook all the way through.

Cucumber Salad Ingredients & Recipe

  • 1 English cucumber, sliced thin 
  • ½ small white onion, julienned 
  • Herbs of Choice 
  • 2 tsp salt 
  • Lime juice to taste, or lemon, about 1 tbsp 
  • 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Mix all together and set in the fridge to marinate.

Flatbread Ingredients & Recipe

  • 375 g water, 90 F 65% 
  • 580 g AP flour 100% 
  • 14.5 g salt 2.5% 
  • 3.75 g instant yeast .65% 
  • 6 g Extra virgin olive oil, 1%

Mix all in a stand mixer on low speed to combine. Increase speed to medium, mix 8 mins. Rest dough 30 mins. Portion and shape, rest 30 mins. Can be held overnight and covered in a refrigerator. To bake, roll out into 5-8 inch rounds. Can be baked on a cookie sheet or grilled on a griddle. Can be held cold and reheated on a griddle, oven sheet, or even on the grill. Best if re-oiled and lightly seasoned for this step.

Donair Sauce 

  • (2) 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk 
  • 4 oz black cap hot sauce 
  • 4 oz distilled white vinegar 
  • 1 tbsp each: onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder 
  • 1.5 tbsp salt, or to taste 

Whisk all these together

Preparation:

Take pita and slide Marquez onto the pita. Top with cucumber salad and Donair sauce and enjoy!

 

Comments/Questions

We’d love to hear from you! Give us a comment on what you thought or if you have any questions. Check our grilling class calendar to join us at our next one! 

Grilling Classes

 

pork belly ribs
By Tony Kocheff BBQ • Recipes 0 Comments

Pork Belly Ribs Recipe

pork belly ribs recipe

Pork Belly Ribs

Pork Belly Ribs are hard to find, but if you can get your hands on them, they are some of the most tender delicious cuts of meat you can cook.

What are pork belly ribs?

Let’s start with the 2 main types of pork ribs. Baby Back and Spare Ribs. Baby back ribs come from the part of the ribs that are connected to the backbone, beneath the loin muscle, and are curved where they meet the spine. Back ribs are shorter than spare ribs; they are very tender and lean and are usually wanted more than spare ribs, so they usually cost more.

Spare ribs are cut from the ends of the baby back ribs and run along to the pig’s belly and breast bone. One side has exposed bone — that’s where they meet the baby backs — and the other side, the side near the belly, is where the rib tips are, a flap of meat that has some small bones and cartilage in it. Compared to baby backs, spare ribs have more meat between the bones and less meat on top, and that meat generally has more marbling which means more flavor. The bones are straighter, longer, and flatter than baby back ribs making these ribs much larger. The reason they cost more is that baby back ribs tend to be more tender than the spare ribs.

Now, what on earth are Pork Belly Ribs?! First, what is pork belly? Pork belly is the part of the pig that is connected to the loin meat, it is a fatty, boneless cut of meat that comes from the belly of the pig. When kept whole, the cut looks like a brick of meat with a thick layer of fat running along the top and smaller layers of fat marbled throughout. Pork belly is most famous for the meat that turns into all of our favorite food, bacon!

Pork Belly Ribs contain the spare ribs and the pork belly, simply put, pork belly ribs are spare ribs with the pork belly still attached. Keeping the pork belly on the spare ribs makes this cut of meat very large, usually you will find these in the grocery store with the ribs cut individually. These ribs are full of meat and extremely tender and melt in your mouth if cooked correctly. For this recipe, we went simple and smoked these at a low temperature as we would with most ribs, to break down the fat and make them as tender as possible. If you are lucky enough to find these ribs, you are in for a treat!

Ingredients:

• Pork Belly Ribs
• Your favorite rib bbq rub (We used savory pecan from Big Green Egg)
• A binder for the rub (e.g. Olive oil or Mustard)
• Smoking chips or wood (optional but highly recommended)
• aluminum foil or butcher paper
• favorite bbq sauce (optional)
• Temperature probe (optional)

 

Directions:

(We cooked these pork belly ribs on our Big Green Egg charcoal grill and finished them on the MHP gas grill, but feel free to use any grill/smoker you have or even your oven. But for the most flavor these should be smoked!)

1. Prepare your grill for indirect heat and set the temperature to around 250°.

2. Rub olive oil or mustard on your pork belly ribs to help the rub stick to the meat.

3. Pour your favorite bbq rub generously on all sides of the meat. Do not rub the rub into the meat, instead pat the rub into it for better adhesion.

4. Add a few wood chunks or a large handful of chips to your fire. (We used apple wood; fruit woods are great for pork but you can also use oak, pecan or even hickory if you like a stronger smoker) Chunks will give you more smoke flavor, make sure to wait for the clean blue smoke! Check out our smoking guide for more help.

5. Place the meat on the smoker and cook until internal temperature is around 150-160°

6. Once the ribs reach an internal temperature of around 160°, take off the smoker and wrap them with aluminum foil. Then return to the smoker until probe tender or until internal temperature reaches 175-200°. If you’d like more of a bite on your ribs, cook until around 175°, if you like more fall off the bone cook until 190-200°. (Wrapping is not completely necessary, but I feel it helps not only cook it a little quicker but it helps it hold in more moisture and makes the meat that much more tender.)

7. Once the ribs reach an internal temperature of around 175-200°, take off the smoker. At this point, they are good to eat! But If you like a little more char on your ribs like me, either crank up the heat on the smoker or turn your grill on high. Then place your ribs on the grill until you get a nice char on them, just a few minutes per side. If you like to add bbq sauce to your ribs, this would be the time to do it. Slather it on the ribs while on the grill and let it caramelize for a few minutes per side.

8. Remove from the grill, let rest for a couple of minutes, and then dive in! Feel free to add a little bit of seasoning or sauce if needed.

 

 

 

Comments/Questions

We’d love to hear from you! Give us a comment on what you thought, if you have any questions, or about what you did differently to make them even better!

 

 

By Tony Kocheff Recipes 0 Comments

Tater Tot Mini Slider Bacon Burgers

These very simple bite-size slider appetizers will be a huge hit at your next party. Who doesn’t love toothpick appetizers that can be eaten cleanly with one bite? They will quickly become your favorite tailgating or party appetizer and will easily be the most fun and best appetizer at the next party. Even better, they are extremely easy to make! Feel free to add any sauce or topping you’d like to these mini slider burgers. There is no wrong way to build them, have fun with it!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen tater tot rounds
• 1lb. ground beef
• 1lb. Bacon
• Your favorite burger seasoning
• Your favorite burger cheese (american, cheddar, colby jack, swiss, etc)
• Ketchup & Mustard
• Jar of dill gherkin pickles
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• Long sturdy toothpicks

 

Directions:

(We cooked everything on our MHP gas grill, but this can all be done with an oven!)
1. Cook tater tots in the oven according to package directions.

2. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and lay out bacon. Cook in the oven with the tater tots until your desired crispiness, around 18-20minutes.

3. Form small burger patties into quarter-size pieces. You don’t want them too thick.

4. Cut your cheese into equally sized squares, about the same size as your burgers.

5. Slice Gherkin pickles diagonally into small bite-size pieces.

4. Add your oil to a pre-heated skillet or frying pan on medium-high and cook the burgers until your desired doneness.

5. Add cheese to the burgers once they are almost finished cooking.

6. Once everything is finished cooking, it is time to assemble! Put ketchup on one tater tot, and mustard on another. Put the patty on one tater tot, then add a small bacon piece, then pickle, then top it with the mustard tater tot and put a toothpick through the middle. Make as many as you can and put on a platter for people to destroy in seconds!

 

 

Comments/Questions

We’d love to hear from you. Give us a comment on what you thought, if your guests enjoyed them or what you did differently to make them even better!

 

 

big green egg band nut caps
By Tony Kocheff BBQ 0 Comments

Big Green Egg Yearly Maintenance

Big Green Egg Annual/Bi-Annual Tightening

The Big Green Egg is the most versatile and longest-lasting grill on the market, but like most things in life, they need a little TLC every once in a while. A Big Green Egg will last you a lifetime, as long as you make sure to give it a little love. The biggest thing that needs to be done yearly, if not bi-annually, is the tightening of all the nuts and bolts.

When a Big Green Egg leaves our shop, you can rest assured that the bolts are in the correct spot and tightened to ensure your egg won’t take a tumble and crack. But that doesn’t mean those nuts will stay tight forever.  If you move your Egg around often, every movement over rough terrain will loosen the nuts ever so slightly. Thermal expansion is another reason your nuts and bolts may become loosened. With how often the Egg heats up and cools down, thermal expansion can loosen the nuts over time. Because of these reasons, we recommend tightening all of the nuts/nut caps on the band and nest every 6 months to make sure your Big Green Egg stays intact.

If your nuts loosen up on your nest you risk having the 150lb+ Egg crumble the nest. This could potentially end up with your Egg in pieces on the ground. If your nut caps are too loose on your band, you also risk opening your Egg one day and having the dome fall to the ground, potentially cracking it in pieces. Although there is a lifetime warranty on the ceramic, it does not cover accidents like these. The good news is it’s very easy to make sure this does not happen. Tightening everything on your band and nest takes less than 5 minutes and will save you money and a headache in the future, take the time to do it!

 

Tools Needed:

7/16″ Wrench
1/2″ Wrench
Phillips Screw Driver

 

Instructions

Start by grabbing the 7/16″ wrench and going all around your band assembly, tightening each and every nut cap. Then take your 1/2″ wrench and tighten the two nuts on your back bolts. Those long bolts will show a slight curve. That is completely normal and should happen!

If you have a nest, then grab your 7/16″ wrench and Phillips screwdriver and tighten all of the nuts on your nest. The most important two being the center ones. And that’s it! Now you are ready to continue grilling without having to worry about any accidental falls happening with your Egg. EGG ON!

big green egg band nut caps

big green egg tightening bolts

big green egg bolts bent

big green egg bent bolts

bge nest maintenance 2

bge nest service

Have any questions about your Big Green Egg? Feel free to comment and we will answer them right away. Are you looking to add to your Big Green Egg collection? Stop in our showroom in Columbus, Ohio, or start by heading to our Big Green Egg page to see some of what we have to offer. 

big green egg accessories
By Tony Kocheff BBQ 2 Comments

The Best Green Egg Accessories for 2021

The Best Big Green Accessories

The Big Green Egg is acclaimed as the highest quality, and most versatile outdoor cooker of all time, offering more cooking options than all other conventional grills combined. From appetizers and entrees to desserts, the Big Green Egg will cook many different foods to culinary perfection. With Big Green Egg, everything is a la carte which begs the question, which Big Green accessories are needed and which Big Green Egg accessories are the best to have? There are many to choose from but we compiled a list of our 10 favorite.

Now I’ll start off by saying what accessories are a must have. The EGGcessories that we included in our top 10 are ones that aren’t exactly needed, but are great to have. At our shop in Columbus we put together a basic package of everything we think is needed. This package includes, the egg, the nest (stand), ash tool, ash pan, grill gripper, conveggtor, bag of charcoal and firestarters. These are all the basics that will have you cooking right away. That is really all you need, but we all know that we always want more! Whether you are looking for a great gift or looking to upgrade your arsenal, below is our top 10 favorite Big Green Egg accessories.

ConvEGGtor (Platesetter)

This is an absolute must have. We included this in the items you need for your Big Green Egg and this list is mostly made up of accessories that you don’t need, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows to purchase this with your Big Green Egg. With the ConvEGGtor (or platesetter which it was called for 30 years) it will give you the capability to smoke, roast and bake on your egg. This is the tool that really makes the Big Green Egg a Big Green Egg.

The convEGGtor is designed to facilitate indirect cooking on the Big Green Egg by providing a heat-directing barrier between the food and the fire, instantly transforming your egg into an outdoor convection oven. You will use this piece anytime you want indirect heat on your food, like when you’re smoking a brisket or cooking pizzas. Whether you are gifting a Big Green Egg or looking to purchase one, make sure to include this piece.

conveggtor platesetter

5 Piece EGGspander System

The 5 piece EGGspander system is the ultimate add-on if you are looking to add even more versatility to your Big Green Egg. Let your creativity shine with this expansion system. The Big Green Egg EGGspander System facilitates an extensive variety of cooking setups including an extra cooking surface, an easy holder for your convEGGtor and the ability to do indirect and direct at the same time. It’s also capable of doing many other combinations with special add ons like half moon cast iron & perforated cooking grids.

5 Piece EGGspander Kit includes:

  • convEGGtor basket
  • Multi-level direct and indirect
  • Multi-tier cooking racks
  • Two stainless half grids
  • Direct “Cowboy Style” lower rack
Eggspander System

EGGniter

If you’re looking to light your Big Green Egg quickly, the electric EGGniter is great for that. It ignites lump charcoal in just minutes by using super-heated air. No need for firestarters anymore with this handy tool. It also has a fan only option when your charcoal is already lit and you want to get your egg hotter quicker. This tool lights much quicker than their electric charcoal starter and lasts much longer.

Honorable mention: If you don’t want to use electric and would rather use gas, Big Green Egg’s new Battery Powered Refillable Butane lighter works well and for a little less money the JJ George Grilltorch is a great tool that will light your egg quickly.

Big Green Egg igniter

Instant Read Thermometer

The Big Green Egg Instant Read Thermometer provides accurate food temperature readings in seconds. We all know that keeping your egg open too long not only makes the temperature fluctuate but also affects the way your food will turn out.  Having an instant-read thermometer will take the waiting and guessing game out of checking your food temp. With this instant-read, you can check multiple foods within seconds, helping you cook your food to perfection without having to have your egg open for too long.

Cheap thermometers will have you waiting 10 seconds before it gives you an accurate readout. Spending the extra money to have an instant-read thermometer is money well spent.

instant read bbq thermometer

Kick Ash Basket

The Kick Ash Basket sifts out excess ash for an easy clean-up and more airflow. All you have to do when you’re ready to cook the next time is pick up the basket and shake it over a bin and all the ash will be cleaned out. When you don’t clean out your Big Green Egg regularly the holes in the fire grate can get clogged and affect airflow which will make temperature control harder. The kick ash basket will make cleanout extremely easy and allow for more airflow for better temp control and will help get your egg hotter quicker.

Honorable Mention: Big Green Egg has just created their version of the Kick Ash Basket, called the Stainless Steel Fire Bowl. I have never used it but I have seen it in person and it does not feel as heavy-duty as the Kick Ash version but if you like to stick with Big Green Egg branded tools, this would be the equivalent.

kick ash basket

EGG Genius

Take the guesswork out of temp control and meat doneness with this accessory.  The Egg Genius effortlessly controls the temperature of your egg through your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can remotely manage and monitor cooking temperatures for worry-free cooking and monitor the temperature of your food at the same time without having to touch anything. You can also view graphs of your past cooks to learn how long your previous cooks took.

The Big Green Egg is relatively easy to use and this tool is definitely not needed, but if you need to make sure a cook comes out perfect, or if you’re smoking a brisket overnight and want to sleep soundly, this is the ultimate temperature control tool.

egg genius

EGGmits

The EGGmitt BBQ Glove is a great grilling glove that is made with durable heat-resistant fibers and features a soft cotton lining and BPA-free silicone textured surface for easy grip. When cooking over charcoal it can get hot when you’re cooking multiple things at once like wings. These gloves will help keep the hair on your hand and forearm intact when you’re flipping your food!

Now, this is just one of many BBQ gloves you can get, if you want gloves that will be able to withstand picking up a convEGGtor, then I would recommend getting some flamex gloves. With flamex gloves, you will be able to remove the convEGGtor mid-cook if you need to switch from indirect to direct cooking like when you’re reverse searing a steak.

Helpful Tip: Always make sure to burp your Big Green Egg when cooking at high temperatures! Yes burp. Learn more about that here>>

bbq gloves

Pizza Stone

If you aren’t cooking pizzas on your Big Green Egg, you need to start now! The wood-fired taste from cooking pizzas on an egg is absolutely delizioso! 

In this instance, I would purchase the Big Green Egg branded stone. Be careful using your pampered chef baking stone in your Big Green Egg, they will eventually crack under the heat. The Big Green Egg stone is rated to withstand the heat the egg pumps out. This stone is not only used for pizzas but baking also. You will be able to cook cookies, breads and all types of desserts with this baking stone.

Big Green Egg Pizza Stone

Rib & Roast Rack

The dual-purpose, stainless steel Rib and Roast Rack is a great multi-use tool. This rack can be used upright to hold roasts and poultry or can be flipped over to serve as an efficient rib rack, fitting 6 racks of ribs sideways. Great for Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas roasts and when you’re having people over for the big game and you need many racks of ribs to feed everyone.

rib and roast rack

Meat Claws

Are you tired of shredding your pork shoulders by hand or with forks? Then you need this tool. These high-quality meat claws will make shredding larger pieces of meats like pork shoulder, chicken or beef roasts much, much easier. Your forearms will thank you.
meat shredding tool

Don’t see your favorite Big Green Egg accessory? Drop a comment below with your favorite one. For more grilling tips and BBQ events, follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Or if you are in the market for a new BBQ Grill, check out our selection of the finest grills in the industry. 

different types of smoking wood
By Tony Kocheff BBQ 4 Comments

How To Choose The Right Smoking Wood.

This article will help you find the best smoking wood for your next cookout. Whether you’re looking for the best smoking wood for beef, chicken, pork, lamb, brisket or fish, this guide will help you out!

Wood Chips vs Chunks

When it comes to using different smoking wood to enhance the flavor of your food, you can either use smoking chips, chunks or splits (logs). Wood chips are used for short cooks. They burn up quicker than chunks so they are great for using on fish, poultry and smaller cuts of meat that don’t need to be cooked as long like steak, burgers, or sausage. 

Wood chunks and splits are good for longer smokes. Cooks that take hours to finish like pork shoulder, brisket, wings, pork belly and ribs. It is better to use chunks for larger cuts of meat that require longer cooking times because the chunks do not burn up as fast as chips. Wood chunks will add smoke flavor for a longer period of time without having to add more wood during your cook. It is ideal to never have to add any charcoal or wood during your cook so you won’t disrupt the process. If you’re lookin’ you aint cookin’!

smoking wood chunks vs smoking wood chips

Do I need to soak the wood?

Soaking your wood chunks or chips is not necessarily needed. Most people do this to make sure the wood doesn’t burn up too fast. Wood chunks definitely do not need to be soaked because their larger size ensures that they will not catch fire and burn through quickly. For you to see a difference in soaking vs not soaking wood chunks you would have to soak them for several days. But it is certainly not needed. Soaking wood chips will help them last a little longer, but since you are only using them for shorter cooks it is also not needed. Adding wet wood chips to a lit grill will also lower the temperature causing you to have to wait longer to get it back up to your desired temperature. 

Choosing the right type of smoking wood.

Choosing the best type of wood is an essential part of smoking meat, it is right up there with choosing the right time and temperature. Depending on what type of food/meat you’re going to smoke, you need to pick the right type of wood so it perfectly matches the flavor profile of your meat. 

Choosing the wrong smoking wood type could result in a poor taste completely ruining the cook. That’s why you have to be careful in choosing which flavor of smoking wood to use. Use the guide below to help you in choosing the best type of smoking wood. Remember though, everyone’s flavor profiles are different, so with all things in BBQ, test it out!

How much do I use?

Make sure to not use too much wood, especially with stronger wood types. A handful of wood chips is often enough for a short smoking session and you should start a long smoking session with just a few chunks. A slightly less intense smoky flavor still gives great results, but too much smoke can cause food to taste bitter. 

Smoking woods can come off as mild and some can come off as very strong. Mild smoking wood are the fruit woods like apple, peach and cherry. They’re good on white meat, poultry and pork. Middle of the road smoking woods are hickory, maple, pecan, and oak. They’re great with pork, and strong enough to stand up to beef and game meats. The strongest smoking wood is going to be mesquite. Make sure you only use mesquite if you are looking for a strong smoke flavor. Usually only reserved for large chunks of beef….and people from Texas!

Now onto the different types of smoking wood.

big green egg smoking smoker

Different Types of Smoking Wood.

Alder Smoking Wood

Alder – Mild & Sweet

Alder will typically give you the least amount of smoke but adds a nice sweet profile to more delicate types of meat. It is great for and primarily used on fish but can also be used on white meat poultry.

Great For: Fish, White Meat Poultry

apple smoking wood chunks

Apple – Mild, Sweet & Fruity

Apple has a mild, sweet & fruity profile. Can be used on virtually anything but it is a more mild smoke flavor so it is better for pork, poultry and fish.

Great For: Pork, Poultry, Fish

cherry smoking wood chunks

Cherry – Mild, Sweet & Fruity

Cherry is a mild to medium smoke level that is sweet and slightly fruity. It is good on pork, lamb, beef and dark poultry like duck and other gamey meat. 

Great For: Pork, Poultry, Beef, Lamb, Duck 

grape smoking wood bbq

Grape – Medium,  Sweet & Fruity

Grape has a medium smoke intensity with a sweet and fruity flavor. Smells great when cooking, great on dark meat poultry, lamb, beef and game, but don’t go overboard or else the flavor will be too heavy.

Great For: Lamb, Dark Meat Poultry, Game, Beef

hickory smoking wood chunks

Hickory – Intense, Smoky & Spicy

Hickory is probably the most popular smoking wood. But it is more intense than the fruit woods so you have to be careful with that you use it on. It has a smoky bacon flavor and is great on beef and pork.

Great For: Beef, Pork

Maple – Mild & Subtle

Maple wood gives a more subtle, sweet smoky flavor that is perfect for mild, light and sweet smoking. Good for mixing with woods like alder, oak or apple.

Great For: Poultry, Vegetables, Cheese

mesquite smoking wood bbq

Mesquite – Intense, Earthy & Slightly Sweet

Mesquite is the most intense smoke flavor you will find. It should only be used if you really like a bold smokey flavor. Good on large chunks of beef and pork.

Great For: Beef, Pork

mulberry smoking wood chunks

Mulberry – Mild, Sweet & Fruity

Mulberry has a similar taste profile to apple, it has a mild, sweet and fruity flavor. Despite working great for nearly every type of meat, it’s great for fish, poultry and pork.

Great For: Pork, Poultry, Fish

oak smoking wood flavored

Oak – Medium, Earthy

Oak is another popular smoking wood choice. Oak is less intense than hickory but still gives you a great smoke profile. It is great on virtually anything depending on how much smoke you want. 

Great For: Pork, Beef, Poultry

Peach Smoking Wood Chunks

Peach – Mild, Sweet & Fruity

Peach resembles many other fruit trees in flavor, giving a mild, sweeter flavor with similarities to Hickory, but less intense. Smells great when cooking and works well on poultry and pork.

Great For: Poultry, Pork

Pecan Smoking Wood Chunks

Pecan – Medium, Nutty

Pecan has a rich, sweet, nutty smoke flavor. It is a good all around wood. It works well with pork, beef and poultry. 

Great For: Pork, Beef, Poultry

sassafras smoking wood chunks

Sassafras – Medium, Sweet & Fruity

Sassafras has a sweet smell and taste, but you do not need a lot. Can be overpowering if too much is used. Good on Pork and Beef

Great For: Pork, Beef

The Ultimate Smoking Wood Flavor Guide:

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Feel free to comment your favorite smoking wood or any questions and we will be glad to help you out with your next cook!

Our favorite grill to smoke on is The Big Green Egg. Not only is it great for smoking, but it also does so much more! It bakes, smokes, grills and roasts all in one grill. Check out our Big Green Egg  page here!

delicious bbq
By Tony Kocheff BBQ 0 Comments

10 Reasons Why Cooking/Eating BBQ Is Good For You!

1. Cooking Relieves Stress

After a busy stressful day at your job, there is no better way to unwind than cooking up dinner. An article in the Wall Street Journal explains how clinics are using cooking therapy classes to relieve stress in patients. They found that cooking soothes stress and takes your mind off of all the negative things surrounding you. Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress, explains “when cooking we focus our attention on creating the best dish possible which shifts our attention from a brain locked into worries to a more calming state.” I mean what’s more relaxing than sitting back with a nice cold beverage watching the smoke roll.   

barbecue relieves stress

2. Cooking Makes You Smarter

Research shows that your brain operate like a muscle,  it changes and gets stronger as you use it. Psychological therapist Annie Gurton says, “Cooking is a task that requires a combination of several skills – understanding and planning, attention to detail, using our memory and imagination, manual dexterity, creativity and style”. Just like the more you work out the more weight you can lift, the more you use your brain and the more you learn new recipes and ways of cooking the smarter you get. When you stop exercising your muscles shrink, same thing happens to your brain. That’s why people say “use it or lose it”. So start cooking!

barbecue makes you smarter

3. BBQ Enhances Your Mood

Spending time cooking and eating BBQ can enhance your mood and mental well being because it satisfies your need for food. I mean we’ve all been hangry before, who doesn’t feel better immediately after having a big bite of delicious BBQ!  But cooking for people and seeing them enjoying your fruits of labor also helps enhance your mood and make you happier.

barbecue happy grilling

4. Cooking Makes You More Creative

With cooking and BBQ there are endless recipes and possibilities. That’s why most recipes don’t taste the same. We love to put our own touches on them. Cooking gives you endless opportunities to show off your creativity. You get creative when you look in your kitchen and try and figure out what ingredients will go together and what rub will taste best on what cut of meat. Cooking lets you express yourself through food!

barbecue happiness

5. BBQ Brings People Together

What brings people together more than a barbecue?! Not many things. When you are surrounded by friends and family at a barbecue you forget about all your troubles in life and feel much happier. The compliments you will receive from the delicious barbecue you made will improve your mood greatly. Studies have also shown that completing tasks while listening to music can improve your mood. So fire up the grill, invite your friends and family over and crank up the tunes, your body and mind will thank you!

bbq with friends

6. Cooking Improves Your Quality of Life

A study in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science looked at the therapeutic qualities of cooking as a hobby. Researchers concluded that cooking improves a person’s well being and makes them happier. Studies have also shown that people who finish small and creative tasks throughout each day feel more relaxed and satisfied with themselves. When you start cooking you have to see it until it is finished,  when you complete a project from start to finish it gives you that feeling of accomplishment, no matter how small the task. You’ve created a delicious meal that can be enjoyed and shared, giving yourself a well-deserved sense of achievement.

barbecue makes you happy

7. Cooking at Home Saves Money

Studies have found that on average, it costs almost 5 times more to order delivery and to go to a restaurant than it is to cook at home. The more you cook your own meals the better chef you become, and before you know it you will be cooking better food than the restaurants! So not only will you be saving money, but you will be eating more delicious food!

grilling makes you happier

8. Offers Immediate Satisfaction

How often do you get to reap your rewards as soon as you finish a project. When cooking BBQ you get the best reward ever when you finish, you get to eat it! Not much is better than seeing a task from start to finish and reaping the rewards immediately after. 

Happy Barbecue

9. Cooking Your Own BBQ Can Be Healthier

Healthy BBQ? Yes, cooking your own BBQ can be a healthier choice than going out to eat. When you eat at home compared to going out to eat you consume fewer carbs, less sugar and less fat even when people aren’t trying to lose weight. Studies have shown people consume fewer calories when they eat at home. This doesn’t mean you have to cook healthy BBQ, it just means you end up eating healthier naturally when you cook your own food. You also have more control over what goes in your food, if you are trying to eat less sugar, find a rub that is still delicious but has no sugar. Having much more control over what you are eating will have you feeling better physically and mentally. 

healthy barbecue

10. BBQ is Delicious!

Not sure if we have to explain this one. BBQ is just plain good eats! Cook it up as much as you can and be an overall healthy person!

delicious barbecue

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