Big Green Egg

[inspcalahan]

I'm intrigued by this beast. I saw one at a local fireplace store and they wouldn't shut up about how awesome they are. Of course...because they sell them. I get that.

I just finished reading through a 40 page book they handed out with all these reviews and stories about them.

I'm still a bit skeptical....what makes this soooooooo much better than a nice gas grill, or even a good old Weber for that matter??

Does anyone have one and care to share their honest opinions? Great cook tool? Easy to use? Waste of money? Beast of burden on the porch??

 

[Jeff423]

I don't have one but Cooks Illustrated gave them a very poor review. At my gun club they have several charcoal grills including the Egg and no one uses it if they can avoid it. A member there who is the best griller I know says it's terrible.

 

[ditrina]

One word....

WEBER..

 

[Mickey D]

The big green egg is great with ham.

 

[Erich]

Yeah, they've tried to catch me up in the hype, as well.

How many top-quality, delicious steaks could you get at a quality local restaurant for the price of one? And you wouldn't have to cook those . . .

You already have a grill, right?

 

[kwselke]

The Big Green Egg is an exceptional grill or slow cooker. If I were in Alaska I'd seriously consider one.

They are tightly sealed and have heavy ceramic insulation which keeps the hot in and the cold out.

The bad is that they are very expensive. Your fuel must be pure hardwood charcoal, which is not cheap either.

I'd use one if I had one, but cannot justify the expense when I have a Weber gasser and kettle that are fine for my patio cooking conditions.

 

[NCTexan]

I've had a large Big Green Egg for seven years. It's been used a couple times a week ever since I received it.

The BGE is great for grilling, smoking and baking/roasting. It will slow smoke a brisket at 200 degrees for 20 hours or sear a steak at 700 degrees... or cook like a brick oven at 400 with a ceramic insert for indirect heat.

It starts quickly using natural charcoal and shuts down immediately when you cut off the air.

Not many people that own one have anything but great things to say about them.

BTW, it's as good today as day one... with only a replacement of a $30 fire grate in the bottom of the fire box.

I'm a EggHead for sure.

 

[wheelgun28]

I looked at one a few years ago, the price put me off.

Its not even close to a gas grill, if you want to turn a valve and have hamburgers in ten minutes this is not for you.

I am not saying you cant make burgers or dogs on it, you can but it takes longer.

If you want to make slow cooked ribs or brisket, this might be for you.

I was looking for a smoker more than a grill and the price of over $1000.00. It just wasnt for me, I bought a Weber Smokey Mountain the bigger one (22, 24inch?)

I still have my Weber gas grill and for a burger or a steak its just fine. When I want to make a few racks of ribs, well I will take the WSM...

There are web sites dedicated to the BGE and WSM searchem out and have fun.

The BGE is a Kimono style grill and other companies make similar products.

I would like to find a BGE for a few hundred dollars to play with it and test things out. Its supposed to make a great pizza

 

[Onomea]

Great grilling is about great temperature control. I have Weber charcoal and gas grills and my cooking got a lot better after I learned that particular point. Read all about it here: Cooking Thermometers: Buying Guide, Reviews, And Ratings. The Most Important Page On This Website

 

[Revolver-time]

My neighbor is really into civil war history. I gave him a 1863 Springfield and he gave me a Big Green Egg. I bet we use the thing twice a week every week. Pork tenderloin, chicken, 4 minute T-bones and this year we even did the Thanksgiving Turkey on it. My gas grill just sits like my safe queens.

 

[Moonman]

Green Egg a cooking tool of many Competition PRO Barbecue Chefs.

 

[rfuerst911sc]

I have a Bubba Keg grill which is a metal version of the BGE. It is double wall with insulation between the two walls. I love cooking on it and it was about half the price of a BGE. I can slow cook/smoke or turn it into a kiln in about 15 minutes . Use natural charcoal and very easy to light. It also has a hitch mount so easy to tailgate or camp with it. The thing that makes this grill or the BGE or any of the Komodo style grills work so great is heat retention. Unlike a single walled gas or BBQ grill these grills need very little charcoal to achieve very high temperatures. Plus I like the flavor of a charcoal flame but to each their own. There is no right or wrong.

 

[Bill Bates]

Someday a Big Green Egg and Traeger pellet grill will be mine.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

Have NO idea what this is-- some Cat in the Hat thing?? If it isn't a Weber, forget it.

 

[Hodgin]

I'm strictly a charcoal man. I owned a gas grill for a few years and gave it away. Now, it was a Char-Broil and not a Weber but I could never get the flavor I like.

I have two Weber kettle grills (a one touch gold and a one touch silver) and a Weber Smoker Mountain cooker. Never owned a Big Green Egg but I know a few people who do. I almost bought one a couple of years ago.

An advantage of the BGE over the Weber set up I have is that the BGE is designed to both grill and bbq. In other words, you can go hot and fast (burgers and steaks) or low and slow (pulled porked, ribs). I use my kettles for grilling and my WSM for bbqing. It's about
impossible to grill on a WSM (not at all designed for temps above 300 degrees). I can go low and slow on the kettles but
they have limited capacity and don't hold much charcoal/wood compared to WSM. The don't hold heat consistently like the WSM
and the BGE do. Heat control is where the BGE excels because of the ceramic.


The BGE is ceramic and holds heat real well. Save alot on charcoal. I've heard of people easily going 12-16 hours without having to add charcoal or wood chucks. My WSM will do that under the right weather condition but certainly not in cold weather.

Your choice will depend on what you want to do. The BGE is versatile but expensive. You can buy 2 kettles, a WSM, and several packs of ribs for what you pay for a BGE. If it cracks you'll feel bad. If all you want is to grill and you don't mind the flavor, a gasser is all you need. Of course, a good gas grill is expensive too. If you want to smoke low and slow, a gasser isn't very practical. Running gas for 12 or so hours doesn't make much sense to me but I guess people do it.

 

[4011]

SIL cooks a pizza on one. He makes the crust up from scratch. It's outstanding taste. He has done a steak for me and it was cooked all the way thru..

 

[long colt frazier]

My Wife got me one two years ago for Christmas. There is a learning curve but after that I love this thing . I would have never bought it for myself because I was a weber guy but I will never go back.
Mark

 

[K-22]

Another Vote For The Egg

I've had a large Big Green Egg for seven years. It's been used a couple times a week ever since I received it.

The BGE is great for grilling, smoking and baking/roasting. It will slow smoke a brisket at 200 degrees for 20 hours or sear a steak at 700 degrees... or cook like a brick oven at 400 with a ceramic insert for indirect heat.

It starts quickly using natural charcoal and shuts down immediately when you cut off the air.

Not many people that own one have anything but great things to say about them.

BTW, it's as good today as day one... with only a replacement of a $30 fire grate in the bottom of the fire box.

I'm a EggHead for sure.

I have had my Egg for about ten years, an it is worth every penny.
You have cooks, and people that cook. Just like you have shooters, and people that shoot. The Egg is not an expense, it is an investment.
You should not have had to pay for the fire grate, as the Egg (if you are the original owner) has a lifetime warranty.

If I could not get another one, I would not take 5K for mine.

Best,
Gary

 

[Coldshooter]

The Big Green Egg is an exceptional grill or slow cooker. If I were in Alaska I'd seriously consider one.

Interseting you mention Alaska. I understand all the competitive cooks have switched for brisket.

 

[kwselke]

I'll blow my cover and show my credentials for grill quality. The Big Green Egg is a quality grill and smoker. It is just expensive.

Edit: The OP's location is noted as Alaska. I believe his outdoor cooking conditions are different to mine in Houston, TX.