The Big Green Egg -- general information, benefits, recipes, stories

I want to know more about it. I'm sure I'm not the only one. From what I've read it can be used as a smoker, an oven or a grill. It uses "lump wood" charcoal (well, any charcoal, but the manufacturer recommends lump wood -- whatever that means -- because it contains no additives that can spoil the taste, and it produces low amounts of ash). One obvious question I have is what that means for cleanup -- how easy is it to empty out the ashes, does it have to be done each time or periodically, how messy is it? It can withstand temperatures up to 750 degrees F, which lets you do some nice searing for steaks. It uses less charcoal because of the construction than a regular pit bbq. There are lots of accessories (eggcessories). People who own them swear by them.

OK, now, your turn. Tell me why I should get one. Tell me what size I should get (6 in the family). Tell me what accessories are must-haves. Tell me your favorite recipes.


Oh, and if you can tie it in to hockey (maybe some hockey players who own one) that would be even better

For a family of 6, I'd get the large. I have a medium ( it was gift from my wife) and for a family of 4 it's perfect.

An 18 kg bag of charcoal typically lasts me almost the entire summer, unless I do allot of smoking.

I actaully import my charcoal from Canada because the Cowboy brand I've found at Home Depot in the US is not good quality. I use Maple Leaf brand that you can find at Rona.

I only wanted a BGE because my older brother turned me onto it. I haven't used gas in 15 years. I had a Texas style smoker before that. (the one with the firebox and smoke stack you find at Canadian Tire.

Search YouTube for Big Green Egg. Lots of great info there.

For BGE there's an initial learning curve. But once you get to it, it's pretty easy.

I would recommend you get one in the US as they are much cheaper than in Canada. End of season will reap the best discounts.

Lots of questions there.

- main reason I think lump vs briquettes is that briquettes don't generate as much heat and briquettes have "filler" as opposed to lump which is just hardwood. I don't buy their brand of coal. Like most of their accessories, I find that the value proposal isn't there. I buy the crappy tire charcoal and it's more than adequate.

- must-buy accessories : I can only think of the ceramic place setter. Must buy that for indirect heat. Just this year, I bought the half moon place setter which is quite good for certain applications (eg sear your steak on direct hEat then move it over the half moon for finishing; works well especially if you cook for many and need different "doneness").

Favorite recipes:

Hard to say. Everything is better on the egg because of its moisture retention properties. I have had great successes with all the meats and fishes of course including ribs, roasts, salmon (planked or not), pizza. It's also great to roast veggies and garlic.

Cleaning is easy. Once you're done with it, you close off all the air supply and it dies really quickly. There's a holy thing at the bottom that let's the ashes fall to the bottom. You get them out through the front door. That operation takes 30 seconds or less. Once in a while (maybe 40 uses) you can do a more thorough cleaning which takes 5-10 minutes.

Listen, if you to know more and check it out, give me a shout. You can come over; bring your meat and we'll BGE it

There are lots of demos on YouTube as well.

Cheers v



- I have a "large" model and it is a good size. I hear that the results aren't the same on the extra large model; it has a different shape.

I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

TheAvatar wrote:I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

See: Subway

SeawaySensFan wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

See: Subway

Here we go...

SeawaySensFan wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

See: Subway

They don't have Green Eggs at Subways.

They do, however, have ham.

Just a follow up question about the cleaning. The ash has to be taken out. Where does it go? Do I spread it on the begonias or I place them in a plastic bag and take them to the curb?

P.S. I don't have begonias.

Do you have daisies?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Do you have daisies?

Yes. I don't mean to, but I've got some.

Point was really -- should I be spreading the ashes on the lawn or some-such or package them for the dump?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

See: Subway

Did you hear about Marshy? He was a former Ottawa Senator that tried his hand at the restaurant business, only to be financially destroyed by Eugene Melnyk.

spader wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:I didn't know they were cheaper in the US. They never go on sale here.

I might look for a small "mobile" unit.

See: Subway

Did you hear about Marshy? He was a former Ottawa Senator that tried his hand at the restaurant business, only to be financially destroyed by Eugene Melnyk.

I nearly pee'ed myself

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Do you have daisies?

Yes. I don't mean to, but I've got some.

Point was really -- should I be spreading the ashes on the lawn or some-such or package them for the dump?

You can do either really but I'm told they're really good for the garden. Personally, I keep roughly half and ditch the rest.

for all you BGE owners out there. I crisped my gasket making chicken wingss the other week. I just replaced it with a nomex gasket. So if you have to replace your gasket, make it a nomex one, not the factory original - they last longer.

in other news: I just ordered a BBQ Guru.

Number Twenty Nine wrote:for all you BGE owners out there. I crisped my gasket making chicken wingss the other week. I just replaced it with a nomex gasket. So if you have to replace your gasket, make it a nomex one, not the factory original - they last longer.

in other news: I just ordered a BBQ Guru.

Let me know how much you use your Guru (I assume you got A Pitt viper). I find that I can get a consistent temperature burn for upwards of 8-9 hours without any extra eggcessories ...