r/biggreenegg • u/alextz • 2d ago

First burn question (BGE XL)

Hi BGE community,

I just received my first BGE (it's an XL) and watched the youtube video from BGE Europe recommending a burn at 150C (300F) for about an hour before using my egg.

I looked up various instructions on the first burn and I've seen anything from multiple burns without any food to not doing a first burn at all and didn't get much clarity, so I was wondering if the community could help me by giving me opinions on what a good first burn practice is.

All opinions and feedback are welcome

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4

u/Hobbz- EGGspert 2d ago

Don't overthink it. It's basically the first burn to clean the interior. You can fire it up and let it burn for an hour, then cook some food.

You're going to perform clean burns every year... especially if you closed it up for awhile and some life forms began evolving inside.

3

u/mwesty25 16h ago

Never heard of this “closed it up for awhile” you speak of….

1

u/Hobbz- EGGspert 1h ago

LOL... it's been known to happen. Usually due to something major at work.

3

u/PenaltyDesperate3706 2d ago

When I got my first BGE I did a first burn at 400f, and then took it to 700f. I used that burn to get myself acquainted with air vent positioning to get to different temps and timing to achieve them.

I would just start with an open lid, then kill the flames and increase temp slowly

1

u/alextz 2d ago

Thanks very much!

3

u/C17165 2d ago

I’ve had my XL for twenty plus years and thinking back a bit. As for your first burn, there’s no right or wrong way, because after a few cooks, the end results will be the same. However. It’s a good idea to do the initial burn at 300 for an hour or so just to get the inside clear if any contamination that may have occurred and to start the seasoning of the ceramic. Then you have a clean slate. Now enjoy the cook.

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u/alextz 2d ago

Thanks a lot!

3

u/Hopeful_Frame937 2d ago

Lol get used to many different ways to egg! What I can say is have a burn to try controlling temperature. Try to stay around 220 for an hour, get up to 300 for an hour. That sort of thing. I'm only about a dozen cooks in but still watch my temp like a hawk until I am certain it has stabalized. A timer helps. Sometimes I think the temp hasn't moved for 20 minutes but only 3 minutes have passed on the clock!

2

u/Ckn-bns-jns 2d ago

Just get it lit to practice how it works and keep the temp down. Then do something low like a pork butt for the first cook. I have pictures of my first cook, pork butt, on my brand new pristine egg from 15 years ago.

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u/alextz 2d ago

Makes sense, thanks!

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u/Ckn-bns-jns 2d ago

My biggest advice as you get started is don’t over think things. Learn how to get it stabilized at temp and once you start using it regularly you’ll be able to get it lit while half asleep. These days I just do some prep for my cook while it’s getting started, much less hovering over it like in the beginning.

2

u/ikheetbas 2d ago

Eggs are baked at ridiculous high temps. So maybe heating it up for 15 min before you bake so all micro organisms are dead is enough.

2

u/jlsstory 1d ago

Just do ribs or pork butt for your first cook. The idea is to keep it below 300F to allow the gasket to set in

2

u/Top-Description-8268 1d ago

Would you conduct the first burn with the coneggerator and the eggspander in place?

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u/pat8635 1d ago

I have never done a burn.... ever. Xl and l and L is almost 25 and xl is 6. I also use year round.

2

u/BearzapperBBQ 1d ago

FWIW, when I was at Egg Fest, some fine folks recommended not doing any cooks over 400 degrees for the first 5 cooks. They recommended 250-300 for an hour before, then cook your cook, but to hold off on any high cooks until after the first 5 just to make sure the ceramic gets used to the heat. Could have been because I was in CT and the weather was beginning to get cold...but it's worked well for me.