The Big Green Egg is the brand name of a kamado-style ceramic charcoal cooker.
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The Big Green Egg is commonly referred to as a kamado barbecue because of the origins of the basic design that lie in southern Japan.
The word "mushikamado" means "steam cooker" (from "mushi" meaning "to steam", and "kamado" meaning "cooker, oven, or kiln") The mushikamado was a device designed to steam rice and used by Japanese families for ceremonial occasions and took the shape of a round clay pot with a removable domed clay lid. It was also distinctive in that it featured a top damper and bottom draft door. The mushikamado first came to the attention of the Americans after World War II when US Air Force servicemen would bring them back from Japan in empty transport planes[1]. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that manufacturing started in the Americas. The Big Green Egg Company was founded in 1974 by Ed Fisher and is based in Tucker, Georgia in the USA. Production of the Big Green Egg takes place in Monterrey, Mexico by the company Daltile.
The shape of the Egg reflects ancient technology in that it is designed to contain the heat with only a small vent at the top to create a draft to keep the fire going. Today’s Egg is manufactured from high fiber ceramics developed for the space shuttle program specifically designed to reflect heat and this allows temperatures of up to 650 degrees Celsius (1200 Fahrenheit) to be reached. The external surface has a high gloss ceramic glaze applied to provide crack and weather resistance.
The Big Green Egg is a charcoal barbecue - the manufacturers recommend lump wood charcoal because alternatives such as charcoal briquettes contain many additives that can contaminate the flavour of the food[2]. The sealed design of the grill results in a slow burn that uses small amounts of charcoal compared to a regular grill, and lump wood charcoal also creates little ash.
Big Green Eggs can be used for smoking or grilling and with the addition of accessories one can also bake bread or cook a pizza.[3]
In addition to the outer ceramic shell there is draft opening to provide air to the ceramic firebox in the base of the unit. There’s a separate daisy wheel damper unit on the top to give air flow control and therefore temperature regulation. An accessory called a plate setter can be placed above the firebox - this will prevent direct cooking of the food when using the unit as a smoker. Between the base and the lid is a felt gasket designed to maximise moisture retention during long cookouts.
Prices vary by model and start at approximately $700 US. Several accessories are also available.
Big Green Egg (BGE) barbecues have quite an enthusiastic following of amateur chefs and the collective name given these enthusiasts is “Eggheads”[3]. The founder of the company attributes a large portion of the company's success to the enthusiasm of the product's owners[4].
Every October there is a global gathering of Eggheads called “Eggtoberfest” held at the company's headquarters in Tucker, GA[5]. The 2008 Eggtoberfest drew over 1500 attendees from all 50 states plus other countries. During Eggtoberfest over 200 Big Green Eggs are used to cook various recipes with lots of samples, and interaction from the group. In addition to the Eggtoberfest, numerous other Big Green Egg Festivals occur throughout the US and the world. These Festivals are called "EggFests".
Assistance for new owners of the Big Green Egg can be found at the original forum for Eggheads |http://www.greeneggers.com |. There they will find recipes, suggestions and a whole community ready to answer questions. All Eggheads welcome!