If you're a grill enthusiast, you have likely discovered the Big Green Egg grill. It is a ceramic barbeque grill that can be used as a barbeque grill, smoker and even a brick oven. It really is so adaptable it is possible to cook all sorts of things from hamburgers and steaks and other traditional barbeque grill foods to desserts, bread and also pizza.
Eggheads can't live without the Big Green Egg, but you might be thinking what makes the Egg (as it's fondly referred to as) different from other grills.
Probably the biggest distinction is the overall look of the grill. The Big Green Egg smoker is well, green and in the shape of a big egg. While I can't say precisely why it's green, I can state that the egg shape was designed (on purpose) to produce the means to regulate and maintain heat within the smoker much better than other grills.
The next largest difference is the material the grill is made of. Instead of being constructed with metal, the Big Green Egg has thick ceramic walls. Ceramic is significantly more sturdy than other materials, which means the Egg will last longer than other barbecue grills, it can be cooked on all year (even during freezing temperatures). It is also less dangerous than other grills, especially if there are small children running around, since the ceramic exterior stays cooler than regular metal barbecue grills plus you always cook with the lid down, so you never have to worry about flare-ups.
There are a lot of other differences however certainly one of my favorites may be the number of fans the Big Green Egg has. You will find Egg fans and gatherings throughout the U.S., and Eggheads are always excited to share their stories, helpful hints as well as recipes at gatherings and also on the Egghead forum. I can't think of any other barbeque grill that has such a following.
I will admit, the Egg does have a few shortcomings when compared to other barbecue grills. For instance, it isn't a cheap bbq grill. You can expect to shell out about $700 for the large Big Green Egg. Also, it's important to use lump wood charcoal, which is not always easy to find and can be quite a bit more expensive than standard charcoal briquettes. The Big Green Egg also has a smaller grilling surface compared to many gas grills, which suggests you are going to need a back-up bbq grill if you are entertaining a number of people.
However, the flexibility of the Big Green Egg grill, the capability to grill, smoke or even bake with your Egg, as well as the amazing results you get (the Egg can be quite forgiving, even for amateur cooks) are worth the purchase price. If you're a barbecue enthusiast and you also do a lot of smoking in addition to barbecuing you'll really enjoy the quality and the results you will get when cooking on the Big Green Egg.