BBQ Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Specialty Gas House

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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>>

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.

By Tony Kocheff BBQ 4 Comments

How To Choose The Right Smoking Wood.

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’!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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