Why We Love the Big Green Egg

Gary: It's summer, the weather is warm and barbecues are fun. I have nothing against gas grills and Weber kettles, but a Big Green Egg, well - it is just in a different dimension! Not only does it look cool, it is one serious piece of cooking hardware that allows you to smoke foods at low temperatures or sear them at really high temperatures. And it uses lump charcoal-slower burning and more aesthetically pleasing then the standard stuff you by in the store.


Maria: I remember when we were looking for a new grill and we came across the Big Green Egg. We both thought, "how cool!" I couldn't wait to "meet" one in real life, and when we did it was love at first sight. The basic design goes back to the ancient Japanese kamado. This type of clay oven grill apparently came to the attention of Americans after World War II. We were intrigued by it not just because of its looks - beautiful dark green color, thick clay walls and round shape - but also because, as Gary mentioned, it uses lump coal rather than briquettes. The pros and cons of one over the other is a hotly debated topic, but for us is was a definite plus.


Gary: It's also fun to be able to use wood chips and smoke food. Our Pecan smoked turkey was a big hit a Christmas dinner a couple of years ago and alder smoked salmon - yum!


Maria: Gary and I took a walk this lovely warm evening, and the scent of a neighbor's smoking wood chips came wafting through the air. I can't wait for the 4th of July two days from now! We are planning to fire up our Big Green Egg and grill something delicious!