Am I crazy to want a mini big green egg too?

[Loquitur]

I do many more high temp cooks on my KK than low and slo and often times, its small quantities of food - such as two burgers or chops. Since my family likes a nice sear, I am often ramping the KK up to 650 dome, searing for a couple of minutes on the sear grill and then shutting it down. The food cooks perfectly for us but I honestly feel like I'm wasting energy considering the fuel I need to heat the KK to those temps and then the time it takes for it to cool down. Now that the mini big green egg has a 10" grate rather than a 9" grate, I'm seriously considering buying one for these kind of small cooks. Whaddayathink???

Susan

[LarryR]

Can you have too many?

I'm of the mindset of you can never have too many quality cookers. While my KK sees the majority of the action at my house (probably around 90%) I still like to pull out the Weber kettle from time to time and even cook a single steak over my Weber Charcoal Chimney from time to time too.

Also given the portability of a mini why not?

[Syzygies]

Save your money, get a Weber to back up the KK.

There's a style of close grilling, patterned e.g. after close-quarters street food cooking in Thailand (or Queens, NYC), that I can match better on a Weber than a ceramic cooker. The key issue is the ability to spread out a very spare layer of embers, just under the grill for the entire length of the grill. The KK ceramic layers aren't designed to be compatible with an optional charcoal grate in this position, just under the main grill.

Just as it's a mistake to match pots in the kitchen, you want diversity here. What do they say?

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds' date=' adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.[/quote']

I try to never waiver from this advice.

[ThreeDJ16]

Save your money, get a Weber to back up the KK.

There's a style of close grilling, patterned e.g. after close-quarters street food cooking in Thailand (or Queens, NYC), that I can match better on a Weber than a ceramic cooker. The key issue is the ability to spread out a very spare layer of embers, just under the grill for the entire length of the grill. The KK ceramic layers aren't designed to be compatible with an optional charcoal grate in this position, just under the main grill.

If size is not the restriction, what is wrong with just using the sear grill over the charcoal basket? I often do very small hot / fast meals (just two of us) and find no issues doing the entire cook on the sear grill directly over the charcoal basket. Takes a matter of minutes to get a fire going adequate for close cooking, couple minutes cook with lid open, and quick shut down (or dwell if need be). Outside of grill never even gets warm. Very little charcoal usage and no other grill needed.

But if I had to have a small backup, I agree with this choice. I don't really see where ceramics buy you anything on fast high temps in the style of cooking in which mine is used.

[Amphoran]

I'm with DJ on this! I've learned that I can get a good fire going in about ten minutes, grill a couple of steaks or burgers on the sear (or the lower for thinner burgers) grill, and be shut down all within 15-20 minutes.

I close the lid (but with the vent wide open) so the handle doesn't get blazing hot, but otherwise, the technique is the same.

Mike

[Syzygies]

I can, and I have. It tastes different. This was brought home to me again, grilling at my Thai teacher's classes.

If I were to have one cooker, it would be the KK, and there's a way to do everything.

Up there with the best chicken I've made in a decade was for a large party at my brother's place. It was supposed to be a tossed-off course for the kids, in case they wouldn't eat steak. We rented one of those 2' by 4' metal caterer's grills, I spread the embers thin a few inches under the cooking grates, over eight square feet. I turned the chicken fairly constantly.

There are a number of different ways I love chicken from the KK, but any of us could have picked out the above grilled chicken, blindfolded. It tasted different. I don't know how to make a wide, thin layer of embers in a charcoal basket. Sounds to me like confusing a plate with a cup.

I'm not saying you can't just have one ceramic cooker. I'm asking, why have two ceramic cookers if you could instead have more diversity?

A Weber is a workhorse that could care less if you believe the KK outclasses it. I'd be worried about the Egg's feelings, it would seriously be out of its depth in this company.

[ThreeDJ16]

Up there with the best chicken I've made in a decade was for a large party at my brother's place. It was supposed to be a tossed-off course for the kids' date=' in case they wouldn't eat steak. We rented one of those 2' by 4' metal caterer's grills, I spread the embers thin a few inches under the cooking grates, over eight square feet. I turned the chicken fairly constantly[/quote']

This is pretty much the same technique used for true southern pit cooked BBQ and what I grew up eating/loving. Simply 4 cinder blocks / cooking grate set on top of cooking apparatus with a fire pit close by to create the burning coals underneath. Completed with a salt/vinegar mop, chicken or pork is awesome. But it is a very time consuming/laborious cook. I also agree it has a very unique taste of it's own and cannot be replicated in ceramic (try many times I have).

But I don't consider this high temp cooking (burned down coals and open cooking) as I would not cook a steak or pork chop this way. Still seems to me the original thread question can be answered "Yes" and use the sear grill on the KK! If that doesn't work, buy a Weber Smokey Joe!

-=Jasen=-

[Amphoran]

Again I find that DJ and I think alike! I do have a Smokey Joe for doing the thin bed of coals thing, and use it a fair amount for Kushiyaki, sate, etc.

[Conodo12]

Re: Am I crazy to want a mini big green egg too?

I do many more high temp cooks on my KK than low and slo and often times, its small quantities of food - such as two burgers or chops. Since my family likes a nice sear, I am often ramping the KK up to 650 dome, searing for a couple of minutes on the sear grill and then shutting it down. The food cooks perfectly for us but I honestly feel like I'm wasting energy considering the fuel I need to heat the KK to those temps and then the time it takes for it to cool down. Now that the mini big green egg has a 10" grate rather than a 9" grate, I'm seriously considering buying one for these kind of small cooks. Whaddayathink???

Susan

I say go for it! You'll end up taking that mini with you on a few picnics, ventures to state parks, tailgating at sporting events and not regret that you made the purchase!

[mguerra]

I keep telling Dennis to make a KK Junior...

[DennisLinkletter]

BTW Foam has been cut for a KK Junior..

I keep telling Dennis to make a KK Junior...

BTW Foam has been cut for a KK Junior..

[bryan]

Broiler Pan

Why not put an oven broiler pan of lump on KK grill - w/raised grill over that.

Seems the height would be just right.

[Loquitur]

I am super tight on space on my small patio. What is attractive about the mini big green egg is that it would have a zero footprint inasmuch as I could set it on top of an item already there. But I had not considered that I could get the same high temperature searing effect without heating up the whole KK. This is my favorite feature of the KK and something I could never get with my gas grill. As you may recall, my only experience with charcoal cooking is the KK.

Do I let the coals heat up with the lid open? How do I know when they are ready? Do you think I would have to add a lot of cooking time - such as double what I do now - or would it be about the same?

If I could solve my probem this easily it would be wonderful. Thanks so much for the ideas.

Susan

[mguerra]

Susan, you can easily use your KK as you wish. Get a grilling wok. Start your fire in a charcoal chimney, dump it out into the wok which you have placed on the charcoal basket handles of your KK. Put the mid level grill on the KK and cook on that. You now have a small amount of hot charcoal close to your grill for quick hot cooks and no need to heat soak your huge KK. You have not added one more thing to your porch. One reason you might want an extra grill, however, is for parties.

I couldn't get the second photo to upload, but you get the idea.

[bryan]

WOW.

[mguerra]

photo

OK, here's the second photo of the mid level grill sitting above the wok charcoal basket.

By the way, how do you post full size photos rather than thumbnails?

[Syzygies]

Get a grilling wok.

When I raised this issue in a different thread, it was pointed out that only down where the charcoal basket normally lives are the KK walls prepped to be next to a fire. I was fully prepared to get a Weber charcoal grate to suspend below the main KK grill, before hearing this.

Sure, some of us have been discussing a method with a thin, spare arrangement of coals that aren't that hot. It may be "obvious" that this is ok. Nevertheless, I'm not putting any fire above the official level without an explicit OK from Dennis. Oh yeah, and we have a small Weber, which cost 1/50th of the KK. The only debate here is if one is pressed for space.

Remember, I'm here because I basically destroyed a competitor's K7. The KK can take much more, but I'm not using it outside spec without an OK from Dennis.

[ThreeDJ16]

Get a grilling wok.

When I raised this issue in a different thread, it was pointed out that only down where the charcoal basket normally lives are the KK walls prepped to be next to a fire. I was fully prepared to get a Weber charcoal grate to suspend below the main KK grill, before hearing this.

Sure, some of us have been discussing a method with a thin, spare arrangement of coals that aren't that hot. It may be "obvious" that this is ok. Nevertheless, I'm not putting any fire above the official level without an explicit OK from Dennis. Oh yeah, and we have a small Weber, which cost 1/50th of the KK. The only debate here is if one is pressed for space.

Remember, I'm here because I basically destroyed a competitor's K7. The KK can take much more, but I'm not using it outside spec without an OK from Dennis.

Can't remember the thread, but he has already stated this is not recommended. There tends to be a reason for the ~2" thick firebox. So for those of us who wish not to void our warranty, best leave the fire where it belongs.

[mguerra]

total thermal energy delivery

The fire is going to be small and short lived for Susan's purposes. Also, you will notice in the photo that the wok is not tight up against the walls of the KK. It is suspended in mid air in mid KK. Also, the wok has a limited charcoal capacity. The total heat energy this rig can deliver to the KK walls is a good bit less than a raging charcoal basket down in the fire box. I doubt there is any problem at all with this, but, for those who don't want to, don't do it. I do it.

[mguerra]

agreement

Susan' date=' you can easily use your KK as you wish. Get a grilling wok. Start your fire in a charcoal chimney, dump it out into the wok which you have placed on the charcoal basket handles of your KK. Put the mid level grill on the KK and cook on that. You now have a small amount of hot charcoal close to your grill for quick hot cooks and no need to heat soak your huge KK. You have not added one more thing to your porch. One reason you might want an extra grill, however, is for parties..[/quote']

WOW.. I thought I said that at 7:19.

Yes, I am agreeing, with another device to accomplish same. Great minds...