You would be hard-pressed to find any group whose followers have more passion and loyalty to their cause than Big Green Egg fans or “Eggheads.” Many have been fans for decades. Cookouts, tailgating, family get-togethers, all go better with an Egg.
American Servicemen discovered earthen cookers in wide use in Asia during WWII. Loving the foods they produced, many shipped them home. One of those men was entrepreneur, Ed Fisher. He began importing these cookers and opened the first Big Green Egg store in Atlanta in 1974.
Research and trial runs led the company to arrive at the version available today, which utilizes a ceramic material created initially for use by NASA. This material allows the unit to be stronger and retain heat exceptionally well, which is a cornerstone of the Big Green Egg cooking process. The heavy-duty construction allows the Big Green Egg to be covered by a lifetime warranty for most of its major components.
Don Artman is the Big Green Egg expert for Grady’s Outdoors, Anderson, SC’s authorized Big Green Egg dealer. Being an avid user himself, he can quickly guide prospective owners through the steps of choosing the proper Egg as well as becoming an expert cooker. Don loves to help Egg enthusiasts shorten their learning curve and start enjoyed their Eggs right away.
We asked Don how most people become interested in the Egg. He said, “They usually have friends with an Egg. When they taste the food off of one, that’s the deal”.
Eggs are offered in seven sizes, from mini to XXL. Don recommends choosing the size for you based on the number of people you plan to cook for as well as the type of cooking you plan to do. Don has cooked for up to 14 people and cooked 22-pound turkeys with his large model.
The Egg generates its heat from natural lump charcoal, which adds no chemical taste. You can also add in mesquite, pecan, apple, cherry, and other wood chips to customize your food flavor. Its ceramic construction retains heat so well that it can cook up to 16-18 hours, and 800-degree temperatures are easily attained. The temperature is controlled by balancing the airflow by adjusting the upper and lower vents. This flexibility, along with the wide variety of accessories, makes the Egg an ideal cooker for ribs, brisket, burgers, and steaks. It also can be used to prepare excellent pizza, cakes, and cookies.
There are hundreds of authentic accessories available to enhance your grilling experience. With the ceramic insert known as the “ConvEGGtor,” you can convert your Egg from a grill to a convection oven, which is ideal for smoking and baking. There’s the Egg Genius, which can control grill temperature using your smartphone. Baking stones make cooking pizza a snap. There’s a huge selection of charcoals available as well as accessories that make cleaning and maintenance a breeze. There’s also a wide variety of sauces, seasonings and rubs available, so your flavor options are unlimited.
Once a year, Grady’s hosts the corporate Big Green Egg cooking team. They spend a day showing enthusiasts the ins and outs of Egg cooking. Covid concerns kept the event from happening in 2020, but they hope to have the team back this year. There are also “Eggtober Fests” around the region, where enthusiasts gather to cook, exchange tips and recipes, and swap stories.
