Large Inexperienced Egg Kamado Grill Evaluation

So far as kamado-style grills go, Large Inexperienced Egg is a legacy identify with a strong following. The primary Egg debuted in 1974, and the long-lasting inexperienced dome has grown to characteristic a number of sizes and a broad vary of equipment to fulfill even essentially the most discerning of “Eggheads.”

A few 12 months in the past, I entered the Egg group with a big dimension (the third-biggest of seven choices) full with an “IntEGGrated” Nest, Handler, and acacia wooden folding cabinets. This 162-pound beast changed my pellet grill. Nonetheless, whereas ceramic kamado-style grills can be utilized for grilling, additionally they excel at smoking. I grilled throughout my first few classes with the Egg to get the dangle of temperature management and cooking vary and slowly ventured into barely longer bakes and smoking classes with bigger items of meat and fish (and plenty of greens). Not too long ago, I made my first brisket and even examined the Egg’s functionality as a pizza oven. Listed here are my ideas on this massive, inexperienced griller after proudly owning it for 12 months.

What We Discovered

It Was Heavy, however (Kind of) Transportable 

Even the smallest Egg weighs 39 kilos earlier than including charcoal. My Massive Egg is a hefty 162 kilos—most positively not movable with out the wheeled Nest. It’s heavy as a result of it’s primarily product of ceramic and steel, with little or no plastic. The standard development makes it extra sturdy than aluminum kamados, however what you achieve in longevity you lose in portability. It is smart why many cooks put their Egg in a single spot and construct a workstation round it. Nonetheless, with the handler/nest combo, the Massive Egg is movable from my storage to my driveway. I’m not wheeling this factor to an area park, however I can transfer it about 100 toes with minimal fuss.

Have been the Large Inexperienced Egg Equipment Price It?

One doesn’t merely Egg (I’m petitioning to make that formally a verb) with simply the bottom unit. There’s an ecosystem of equipment that make Egging extra sensible. The customized coal stoker and ashtray for the coal opening are two issues I positively couldn’t dwell with out. Whereas any stoker and ashtray would theoretically work, the BGE variations are particularly designed for the curvature of the ashtray and the inner backside cavity, so others will not be as efficient in eliminating ash. I’m not likely certain the way you’d take away ash from the Egg in any other case (with out taking out the heavy inside ceramic rings that’s). There’s additionally the “Eggspander,” which provides one further degree of cooking contained in the Egg. It’s an excellent choice for gadgets that don’t want direct warmth, like softer veggies.

I believe should you’re going to put money into a Large Inexperienced Egg, it’s price it to funds for some equipment. They make possession way more pleasurable and fruitful. Should you’re taking a look at only a few equipment, I might say the BGE ashtray, coal stoker, and nest/handler are essentially the most sensible.

Lighting the Egg Was Not an Actual Science

Should you watch sufficient “Eggducation” on YouTube you gained’t assume twice about lighting the grill, till you get on the market to do it. I selected to not get the Egg-specific butane lighter or a chimney starter and to make use of paraffin wax cubes as an alternative (Large Inexperienced Egg has its personal model; most are the identical). Though there are two separate channels for airflow (one from above and one adjoining to the ashtray), I by no means fairly know if I’ll get the coals lit the primary time. Ceramic kamados retain warmth rather well, however that additionally presents a problem for preliminary lighting since there are solely two choices for air circulation. (Different kamados have a round opening on the backside for airflow, however that additionally results in probably extra warmth loss, so it’s a give-and-take.)

In my expertise with the Egg, I attempt to begin grill prep early and get a fireplace going quickly after, simply in case I’ve to stoke the coals once more or add one other wax dice. If I’m going for a high-heat grilling session, I discover that stoking the coals after about quarter-hour shortly promotes a roaring sizzling grill, typically exceeding 550°F. I hardly ever want temperatures that top, so I sometimes shut the vents for a bit to assist degree off the warmth to 475 or 500ºF.

The Egg Excelled at Low and Gradual Cooking

I used to be impressed by the Egg’s potential to take care of decrease temperatures over a protracted interval, such because the eight hours it took to smoke a brisket. The smoker held a gradual 230˚F with minimal consumer interference. Ceramic kamados typically maintain extended warmth nicely, so this is not fully stunning.

The Egg plows by means of charcoal at temperatures over 500˚F, and I needed to intently monitor (and fiddle with) the dampers to take care of something over 520˚F. Nearly all of my weeknight grilling is completed at 400 to 450˚F and the Egg retains that going simply tremendous. It’s price having a grilling thermometer to double-check temperatures, although.

It Was Properly-Constructed and Simple to Preserve

There are zero digital parts within the Egg, and relying in your viewpoint that’s both a giant plus or an enormous damaging. (Followers of app-enabled grills and people who smoke ought to try the Char-Griller Auto-Kamado.) A 12 months in, I like that facet. Few issues can break, and past tightening the outside bolts each few months, upkeep tops out at cleansing the inside and changing the grill seal gasket each couple of years—a straightforward DIY job. It is a rig that’s constructed to final, which helps warrant the excessive value. 

Price range Time for Cooldown

The Egg holds warmth extremely nicely, which suggests it takes a very long time to chill. Should you retailer your Egg in a storage, know that it must be beneath 100˚F earlier than placing it away—that may take as much as three hours after you’ve stopped cooking. There are a few methods I realized from the net group to hurry this up, like placing a grill-safe pot (metal or forged iron) filled with water within the closed grill to drag the warmth out of the Egg. Aluminum kamado grills, like our favourite mannequin from Char-Griller, will quiet down a lot faster, however as a trade-off, they will’t match the warmth retention of ceramic cookers.

The Verdict

Whereas it’s not as turnkey as, say, a fuel grill, I now plan my meals across the Large Inexperienced Egg. In contrast to my outdated pellet grill, I like that this kamado would not require electrical energy.

Above all, it’s the sturdiness that is offered me on the Egg. I don’t know that there’s a better-built ceramic kamado on the market, and I actually recognize the dearth of breakable elements within the development. Most average to critical grilling lovers ought to have a good time with the Egg, granted they do not balk on the value.

The Execs

• Wealthy, smoky taste 
• A ton of versatility: low-, medium-, and high-heat capabilities 
• Minimal upkeep
• Choices for each stationary and movable stands 
• Comprised of sturdy ceramic

The Cons

• Even the small sizes are heavy
• Costly 
• Extra of a studying curve

Key Specs (for dimension massive)

• Weight: 162 kilos 
• Grid diameter: 18.25 inches 
• Cooking space: 262 sq. inches 
• Coal mattress capability: Round 12 kilos
• Max temperature: 750°F 
• What’s included: Grill, grill grate
• Guarantee: Restricted lifetime guarantee

FAQs

How do you clear a Large Inexperienced Egg?

Cleansing the Egg is like like another grill, whether or not utilizing a grill brush or soaking the grate to take away powerful grime. You will have an ashtray and a coal stoker to get ash out of the underside. The Egg’s exterior requires an occasional wipe-down with a humid fabric.

How do you utilize a Large Inexperienced Egg? 

Utilizing an Egg is just like another kamado-style grill. The straightforwardness is what makes it a beautiful alternative: Add charcoal, mild the hearth, and wait till you’re at your required temperature. The ceramic construct of the Egg is nice at sustaining a temperature when you’ve acquired it the place you need it, so issues will likely be comparatively hands-free after that. 

How do you mild a Large Inexperienced Egg? 

I like utilizing paraffin cubes, however most of the Severe Eats crew members want a chimney, which can be utilized with any sort of charcoal grill.

Why We’re the Consultants

• Geoff Nudelman is a Severe Eats contributor with a decade of expertise testing merchandise and kit throughout a variety of hobbyist classes. He writes for a number of nationwide and worldwide publications.
• For this assessment, Geoff spent a 12 months with the Large Inexperienced Egg to know how the grill stands as much as long-term use.