It’s spring and the mosquitos aren’t quite bat size yet here in our happy little swamp. So a quick 
hitter on grilling. Not exactly core to the mission of the site but this is self-publishing, who’s going to object, the editor? After my circa 2000 Weber died, I recently splurged on a Big Green Egg grill (costs about the same as a mid-range Weber gas grill…. 650-700), a ceramic cooker that’s inspired a cult following of folks who love grilling beyond what the gas grill can offer. It’s early yet but so far I’m a happy Green Egger. Why?
- It can go very, very hot so I can sear/grill nice steaks (like Steve of Let’s Meat serves up here in Del Ray) quickly and with that great combo of crispy outside and still-pink inside that I always found tough with my old gaser
- Something about ceramic (as opposed to metal) means everything stays much more moist. So even when I overcook stuff I’m less salty about it because the meat is still very juicy and flavorful.
- It gave me an excuse to bust out the tools and build this cool table-home for the egg. Got the plans from Naked Whiz, one of the many great Egg sites that have popped for the love of Green Egg Grilling (like, umm, you guessed it… www.greenegggrilling.com)
Next up, starting to use some of the cool accessories to venture beyond straight up red meat cookery. Today I took my first shot at plank cooking some seafood on a piece of cedar. Fun and adds a great flavor. Next it’s on to using it as brick oven for some pizzas. The apocalypse and inescapable middle age will be fully upon me when I start waxing poetic about the grilled Thanksgiving turkey… baby steps….
I got my Egg at Village Hardware (limited site but has address, etc.) down on Fort Hunt Rd. Deserves a post all to itself. But suffice it to say that in the era of awful big box places with tons of stuff but no help, this family hardware store is a revelation. Still plenty of stuff, but with tons of help. If you’re thinking of an Egg (or any other grill), make a trip to Village Hardware. They have a whole showroom in the basement, really knowledgeable folks to point you in the right direction, and there’s no chance of the soul-killing, spend 45 minutes but still not find what you need Home Depot visit that’s ruined many a Saturday morn.
Add a local resource, or comment on your experience with this one.
Filed under: Good eats/food Tagged: | alexandria, Big Green Egg, del ray, Grilling, Long Table
