Real talk: I've never been a hang-by-the-grill kinda girl until my chef-husband (Luke, the the chef of Elm restaurant in New Canaan, Connecticut) got a Big Green Egg.Moving into our new house in the dead of January, during a blizzard, with an empty fridge, I thought Luke might have lost his mind when he headed out onto the snowy deck armed with a bone-in ribeye and his Looftlighter."Are you seriously going to grill right now?" was my only response, mouth agape."Of course," he quipped with a wink.That should've been my first clue.By summer, Luke was firing up the Egg almost every night, and I'd gone from skeptical observer to enthusiastic taste tester. Somewhere between the smoked spatchcock chickens, bacon-wrapped filets and fire-kissed pork chops, I started to understand why this cult-favorite cooker inspires such devotion.Maybe it's the iconic green shell. Maybe it's the fact that it can grill, smoke, roast and even churn out charred-to-perfection pizzas with surprising precision. Whatever the reason, dinner prep has become less of a chore and more of a ritual—and I've become unexpectedly well-versed in the art of Egg ownership.Ahead, my chef-husband and I share our honest review of the Big Green Egg, including why he thinks it's worth the investment, his best temperature-control tips, cleanup hacks and the dishes he swears taste better over a live fire (and I can't disagree!).Related: How to Make the Best Grilled Burger, According to a Chef
What Is the Big Green Egg, Exactly?
The site further explains, "Shaped like ancient kamado cookers, the Big Green Egg ensures optimal airflow and precise temperature control. With patented technology that’s hard to replicate (although many have tried), it embraces the timeless tradition of live fire cooking, avoiding modern gimmicks. This method honors one of humanity’s oldest culinary practices and is the most organic, eco-friendly way to prepare food."
The Big Green Egg smoking away in all its gloryKelli Acciardo Venner
Is the Big Green Egg Worth the Money?
The smallest model, the Mini Big Green Egg, starts around $499 (and that's before you've added modular nests, charcoal, smoking woods and all of their covetable accessories to your cart), while the largest, the 2XL Big Green Egg, rings in at roughly $2,799 (again, before adding any extras).
"It's best-in-class when it comes to design, craftsmanship and versatility," Luke tells me, noting that it's surprisingly user-friendly for a wide range of cooking styles. "Other grills and smokers have cheap electric components that can fail, require long preheat times and have inconsistent temperature recovery—not the Egg. Not to mention, it looks beautiful on any deck, patio or backyard."
"If given a choice, I would personally never use a gas grill," he says, adding that the Egg's unique design allows for precise temperature control across a variety of cooking methods, from grilling and smoking to slow roasting and pizza making.
Kelli Acciardo Venner
How To Use the Big Green Egg
Luke's process starts with a quick clean. "I stir any leftover charcoal in the fire box with the fire tool, pull the ashes out through the draft door with their ash pan, then shut the lid, metal cap and draft door before cleaning off any ash or debris from the outside with a leaf blower or damp rag," he explains.
Ash-free EGG alwaysKelli Acciardo Venner
Then comes the preheating. "I open the cap and draft door all the way to get the grill up to temperature," he says. Easy enough.
And if the outside is perfectly cooked before the inside catches up? "Simply close the lid and leave the metal cap and draft door slightly open." This is when a meat thermometer can really come in handy, unless you're Luke, who can apparently determine a steak's internal temp with a single poke.
As I've witnessed firsthand, his biggest tip for using the Egg is mastering temperature control.
6 Tips for Using the Big Green Egg
Here are my chef-husband's biggest dos and don'ts when it comes to the Big Green Egg.
1. Do: Keep your charcoal in a safe place
"I really love their weatherproof charcoal storage bag to ensure my fuel is never wet," Luke tells me, eagerly showing off a handy little side pocket for his meat thermometer with the kind of excitement usually reserved for children on Christmas morning.
No wet charcoal on Chef-Husband's watchKelli Acciardo Venner
2. Don't: Forget the smoking chips
Although just about anything tastes great after a little smoke treatment on the Egg, their various flavored smoking chips take your food flavors to the next level. As for Luke's favorites, those would be BGE's dried hickory or oak wood chips and Buffalo Trace's Bourbon Barrel Smoking Chunks.
This is about the time Luke breaks out a bourbon cocktail to go with his bourbon-smoking chunksKelli Acciardo Venner
3. Do: Wear gloves
"Or mitts, to protect your arms and hands," Luke says, pulling on his new Hell Hands. "I'm very excited about these." Aptly named to ward off the blazing flames just beyond the lid, BGE's latest accessory resembles the sturdiest pair of work gloves I've ever seen and can withstand temps up to 900°F. That's pretty useful when maneuvering the Egg's grids or grates mid-cook.
Putting Big Green Egg's Hell Hands to the testKelli Acciardo Venner
4. Don't: Forget the veggies
Ever tried to char super skinny asparagus spears or green beans on the grill, only to witness them succumb to the fiery grates at the slightest turn? The BGE's fire bowls are Luke's veggie basket hack for saving dinner.
No veggies were sparedKelli Acciardo Venner
Never one to waste one of the animal-style burgers he serves at his New Canaan, CT restaurant, Elm, he wrapped the leftover burger from the night before in foil and tossed it in the Egg for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Don't: Put your face near the grill surface
"And never open the lid quickly," notes Luke, explaining that doing so could cause a rush of oxygen that results in a dangerous backdraft. "Instead, open the lid two to three inches slowly a couple of times before opening it completely."
Related: How To Make the Best-Ever Grilled Steak, According to Ina Garten
What To Cook on the Big Green Egg
Kelli Acciardo Venner
Lately, though, smoked spatchcock chicken has been his go-to. After giving the bird a generous dusting of whatever seasoning blend he's into that day—usually one of Hardcore Carnivore's rubs—he employs his set-it-and-forget-it technique to produce impossibly juicy, flavor-packed chicken.
Where To Purchase
You can buy Big Green Egg products on their website or at Ace Hardware, and some of the BGE accessories are available to purchase on Amazon.
Related: My Chef-Husband Cracked the Code to the Best Creamy, Tangy, Never Ever Mushy Potato Salad
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