Side-by-side: BGE-WSM Overnighter


 
I have both a BGE and a WSM and use both in competitions. When people ask me which one is "better", I say the WSM is the better pure smoker, and a better value to boot, but the Egg can do many different things very well.

I will say transitioning from a WSM to a BGE (I had a WSM for several years before the Egg) is a little tricky. There are differences in how they operate.

Lastly, note that the grate extender for the BGE is only $14-$15. Not exactly a bank breaker (although the BGE may be).
 
I apologize in advance because I support all those with the desire and spirit to embrace the Q'', so no insult intended.....but reading thru the threads I checked out the egg website....WHAT IS THAT??? It only made me appreciate this great forum that much more. Questions with no answer..and popular questions with max 5 responses... This site is such a valuable resource with everyone sharing the tips and knowledge. I have posted questions and had quality responses within minutes.
I don't know about the product
(weber only in this house).but can say...I.m glad I have the WSM and this site!
Happy Q'ing
icon_smile.gif
 
Originally posted by Jay Turner:
I, too, am thinking about getting the BGE. It seems to me the extra value in the BGE that isn't being compared or really mentioned in this post is its aptitude at high-temp grilling (not to mention baking).

Brian,

Do you find that it's really a great high-temp grill or are all the egghead's claims there just hype? I love my WSM and think it's a great investment, but imagine that the BGE would be a better griller than slow smoker.

All that being said, there's really nothing out there to compare to this forum. It's the best.
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Jay,

The BGE is awesome for high temperature searing. I easily hit 750+ on start-up without even trying. Nothing in my Weber arsenal can compare. The egg is also terrific for baking, when the plate setter accessory ($$$) is installed.

However, one of the recommended cooking techniques for high-temp searing requires the egg temperature to be reduced before completion of cooking. The problem being that the BGE cannot be used for two-zone cooking.

# HUNGRY YET? BE PATIENT!: Now, the second most important step—letting the meat rest. I learned this important tidbit from a friend of mine, David Welch, who has been a chef at several well-known steak houses, including Pappas Bros. here in Houston. Meat is mostly muscle that will contract and tighten during the searing process (think of when you get a “knot” in your shoulder muscle). For a tender, juicy steak, you must let the muscle in the meat relax before you cook your steak at a lower temperature (think of a massage working the knot out of your shoulder). After much experimentation, I have found that the optimum resting time for a steak is 20 minutes. Any longer than this and the juices start to run out of the meat. So leave the steak on a plate in your kitchen and walk away (if you have a dog, you may not want to walk away).

# QUELLING THE FIRE—PREPARING FOR THE MAIN COOK: After having seared your steak and while your meat is resting, you need to start bringing the Egg down to cooking temperatures. Close the bottom vent until it’s open about 1.5”. Close the top of the Egg and move your daisy wheel until about 1/8” of the top opening is exposed. Also, fine-tune the shutters on the wheel to about 25% open. Adjust your bottom vent to about ¼” open. Wait a few minutes and the temperature should begin to fall. Your target temperature is going to be 400 F. This is the part that takes practice. Hopefully during the 20 minutes your steak has been resting you have stabilized the Egg at around 400 F. Once there, pick out three fist-sized mesquite wood chunks. Have them handy. When you’ve approached the 20th minute of your resting time, open the Egg, remove the grill grate CAREFULLY using tongs, place your wood chunks on the perimeter of the coals (not in the middle), and put your grate back on. Close the Egg. You will notice now that your temperature has dropped probably below 350 F, but it will recover once the lid is closed. If it struggles to recover, open the bottom vent and blow some air in. You may also need to adjust your daisy wheel at this time (it moves just about every time you open the lid). Let the Egg stabilize at 400 F. Shortly thereafter, you should start getting a nice billow of smoke out of the top vent. YOU’RE READY TO COOK!
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If I were to do this, I'd probably sear the meat on the egg, then finish it on a moderate temperature Weber kettle.

Jim
 
Originally posted by Erik H.:
I have both a BGE and a WSM and use both in competitions. When people ask me which one is "better", I say the WSM is the better pure smoker, and a better value to boot, but the Egg can do many different things very well.

I will say transitioning from a WSM to a BGE (I had a WSM for several years before the Egg) is a little tricky. There are differences in how they operate.

Lastly, note that the grate extender for the BGE is only $14-$15. Not exactly a bank breaker (although the BGE may be).
Click to expand...
Thanks Erik - I didn't know the price of the grill extender, but assumed that anything with "Big Green Egg" on it would be priced like something described as "vintage marine."

Now about that grill extender, when I see it the words Rube Goldberg immediately come to mind.

With regard to my side-by-side test, I am now convinced that I was running much hotter than I thought, which would account for the short burn time. This report by the Naked Whiz shows describes his first low & slow egg cook and give good guidance. The BGE seems to be more finicky than the WSM, but is certainly manageable with egg-perience.

Jim
 
There are still people using firebricks to cook indirect on the BGE, and there are cottage industries built around grate extenders/adjustable racks, handles etc. I would not have found out about the clay pot base in place of the waterpan mod if John Jackson (Stoker/Rocks Barbecue) had not mentioned using it in his clay Kamado for years. Some of the stuff does seem Rube Goldberg, but a homemade grate extender does come in handy in my backyard.
 
Originally posted by JRPfeff:

Now about that grill extender, when I see it the words Rube Goldberg immediately come to mind.
Click to expand...

It's actually not as bad as it looks, but yes, it isn't as simple at the WSM's configuration. :)

Best part about the grill extender is that is also fits in the WSM -- that way you can use it in both cookers.

Erik
 
JRPfeff,

Going back to your earlier posts in this thread, I suspect you used a lot more fuel in the WSM than the BGE which as you know, was not enough--not to mention you think it ran hotter then the reading on the thermometer. RO lump is far less dense than Kingsford (though not everything in Kingsford will burn) and I believe the uniform shape allows for a much denser packing of briquettes.

Hopefully you give it another try with the BGE and report back results. I am definitely interested in the BGE (actually a Grill Dome is my first choice).


Brian Moriarty,

You mentioned your used BGE came with a cracked firebox. Unless I am mistaking the parts, from what I have read, the fireboxes on the BGE all crack. A cracked firebox it does not impact performance. They ought to build the firebox in pieces to begin with to allow for the normal expansion and contraction that occurs during the extreme heat changes.

Check out:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm

...scroll down and you will see a section on a cracked firebox and how that is normal, not to say that I think breaking should be normal.
 
Originally posted by Joh:
JRPfeff,

Going back to your earlier posts in this thread, I suspect you used a lot more fuel in the WSM than the BGE which as you know, was not enough--not to mention you think it ran hotter then the reading on the thermometer. RO lump is far less dense than Kingsford (though not everything in Kingsford will burn) and I believe the uniform shape allows for a much denser packing of briquettes.

Hopefully you give it another try with the BGE and report back results. I am definitely interested in the BGE (actually a Grill Dome is my first choice).


Brian Moriarty,

You mentioned your used BGE came with a cracked firebox. Unless I am mistaking the parts, from what I have read, the fireboxes on the BGE all crack. A cracked firebox it does not impact performance. They ought to build the firebox in pieces to begin with to allow for the normal expansion and contraction that occurs during the extreme heat changes.

Check out:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm

...scroll down and you will see a section on a cracked firebox and how that is normal, not to say that I think breaking should be normal.
Click to expand...

Joh- the firebox on my BGE is cracked and not yet in pieces, and I would prefer it to stay that way, I just don't see the need to take the time to fire up the Egg for a quick High temp sear. I've had an Imperial Kamado for @15 years and used it with the firebox in 3 pieces before I got around to restoring it, and I've refurbished two others that all had fireboxes in pieces, so for me its just easier to use a few briqs or lump and use a smaller grate closer to the coals if I want go that route. BGE backs the parts to the original owner and I think the firebox is @ $250 to replace for me.
It would be a different story if it was my primary cooker.
 
Jeff, thanks for the side by side.

A few thoughts as I've read through this. One big difference I think with the BGE v. the WSM is that the kind of charcoal you use makes a HUGE impact in performance. While with the WSM you can use virtually any charcoal and, with adjustments, make it work, that isn't the case with a BGE. For great, long cooks, you really need a lump charcoal with very long burn times and very little ash. Royal Oak has little ash, but it's burn times aren't that great. I'd try it again with wicked good or another similar long-burning charcoal (as rated by naked-whiz).

In my mind, the final product is the real arbiter of which is better. And if the results are the same, then it comes down to the overall convenience and experience of the user. assuming the ease of use is the same with both, once both are mastered, then what are the real differences? Capacity, price and versatility of fuel go the way of the WSM. Versatility of different cooking methods (ultra high-temp grilling and baking...) go the way of the BGE. Those last two aren't as important to me as BBQ, so my vote is strongly in favor of WSM.
 
I also have a WSM and a large egg.
I have given up on the egg for low and slow for several reasons. My first problem was lack of consistant smoke ring. The second was a total lack of even a remote guess when the meat would be ready. The third problem was it's weight when trying to load/unload for bbq contests.
I tried posting repeatedly on the bge website to have no answer or to be treated like I was a retard. I can say that the egg has no equal when cooking in the rain or while cooking at high temps. My wife still says the best Q i've made has come off the WSM. I would rather use my WSM, BDS, and offset in competition although others have great sucess while using eggs.
I have learned more about bbq on this sight than anywhere else.

Randy
Plumb Crazy Smokers
 
Randy,

Your two problems with the egg seem to have nothing to do with the cooker.
Smoke ring has more to do with meat temp when its is place on a hot pit. Try taking the meat right out of the ice box and onto the pit. Second are you not using a probe or therm pen I dont understad why there would be lack of when meat would be done unless your not taking temps and your not paying attention to the fire?
Just curious
Rick
 
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