Big Green Egg Cart

[HowardH]

My latest project.  My old cart was a prototype and needed to be replaced.  I went out to the nakedwhiz.com (don't laugh) a site devoted mostly to Eggers.  Anyway, I got some ideas from out there and this is what developed.  The frames were ordinary 2x4's and the cabinet was made out of glued up cypress.  I thought about using ply but decided it wouldn't hold up in the elements.  Added some drawers to add some storage space I desperately needed.  The tops are 3cm granite.  The drawers were domidrawer inspired.  I don't have a domino but I do have a Dowelmax so the the drawer sides were pinned using that setup.  It worked out pretty nice!

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[peter halle]

Howard,

WOW!  Kicks the butt of any other cart / stand I've seen.  Almost too great to use.  Except for a dedicated griller like you and a couple of others that I know!

Peter

 

[AlexThePalex]

Nice cart. So what does it do?

 

[HowardH]

Alex,
I don't think have Big Green Eggs in Europe.  Its a ceramic cooker that can be used as a direct grill or a smoker. The trick is the ceramic. It holds heat extremely well. By using the top cap and the bottom door you can control the heat very precisely, within 5-10 deg

 

[AlexThePalex]

Aha, so it's something for an outdoor diner party like a barbeque or something. No, we don't have big green eggs over here as far as I know. When I read 'Egg Cart', I thought it was something for real eggs. He must have a lot of eggs, I thought.  [smile]

 

[leakyroof]

AWESOME [eek] A fellow Egghead salutes you.. [thumbs up]  I don't have a cart for mine since I keep it on the metal 'wheeled' stand.  I did swap the 4" casters for some very reasonable 5" shielded casters from Mc-Master Carr.  I have a large BGE model, so the 5" wheels ride on my concrete sidewalk and over the backyard bumps much easier than the stock wheels did.  Thanks for the pictures

 

[HowardH]

Thanks. There ia a BGE dealer really close by. I should take them these pics and see if they would be willing to take a few orders.

 

[bonesbr549]

Cool!  As a lover of pizza, they make great pizza ovens as you can get the heat really high which you want for that classic crust!   

 

[stvrowe]

Finally!  Something listed on this site that is NAIE  [tongue]

 

[awdriven]

I'm pretty sure you CAN buy a BGE in Europe. I've been an egger for about five years. It's my other green obsession.

 

[HowardH]

Exactly!  [big grin]

 

[tbellemare]

When I lived in Amsterdam in '97-'98, I tried to set up a simple hibachi. I looked and looked and finally found a store out in Harlem that had a little grill and charcoal.

Back then, I think it was a pretty foreign concept in the Netherlands.

Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

I'm pretty sure you CAN buy a BGE in Europe. I've been an egger for about five years. It's my other green obsession.

Well, I googled a bit around and you're right. Found a Dutch website that sells them here. I just never heard about them before. Mind you, I'm not really that big in the 'cooking in the garden' department.

When I lived in Amsterdam in '97-'98, I tried to set up a simple hibachi. I looked and looked and finally found a store out in Harlem that had a little grill and charcoal.

Back then, I think it was a pretty foreign concept in the Netherlands.

Aaargh!,  [scared] you guys use all these big words, Big Green Egg, Hibachi, us Dutchies, we are just simple guys, we don't know them fancy words, we just call it a barbecue. And barbecues have been around a long time here.  [smile]

 

[tiralie]

Howard:
Looks good.
I know those Green eggs are fairly heavy, how did you support it on the granite?
How did you deal with the (air flow) vent on the bottom?
Tim

 

[PeterK]

Howard - does the granite have any way to disipate heat below?
I ask because if you do low-and-slow cooks, the granite will pass the heat through. I see you are using the little feet under the egg so that will sure help.
I have a large BGE that I put into a picnic table. Cut a round hole in top and added bracing below to hold egg. Have 2 concrete paver blocks stacked under it with the blocks open to the air but sitting on pine 2x4s. The first time I grilled a turkey - about 5 hours - both blocks cracked from the heat and the 2x4s started turning color. I don't have the feet under mine.
I really like your table design. I need to build a new one.

 

[HowardH]

I have a lot of blocking underneath the granite. Several 2x4's so its well supported.  If you look closely, it's on the feet provided by BGE. I may move it onto a paver to increase the airflow. I've also seen them simply resting on the supporing surface too without ill effect.  My last cart, the wood one you see in the background, was entirely wood and neverscorched even with some 8 hour cooks.

Update: I looked again and it had sorched a bit directly under the egg.  I dont want to ruin the granite so Ill go get the paver today.  As usual, fellow foggers help out!  [big grin]

 

[tallgrass]

has anyone made their own egg? or something like it?

 

[leakyroof]

has anyone made their own egg? or something like it?

It would tricky, as you have to have a high heat rated ceramic material . Lots of lower grade ceramic cookers have shown up over the years, they fall apart on their owners.

 

[HowardH]

The egg is the festool of ceramic cookers. Expensive but will last for years.

 

[tallgrass]

i would have figured it is the same kind of high performance materials used in the building kilns?