‘Redefining the British Barbecue’ is the claim made by the latest gadget to take the cooking world by storm. But is the Big Green Egg here to stay, or just a passing phase?
While attending a number of press shows recently, I’ve been seeing more and more of the latest weird and wonderful cooking appliance, the Big Green Egg.
I’m a real foodie, I love cooking and trying out new things, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s actually anything in it, or if it’s just a gimmick.
How the Big Green Egg barbecue works
Somewhere between an oven and a barbecue, the Big Green Egg uses an air-tight ceramic cooking chamber to keep itself hot, and a sealed fire box which uses charcoal to create a smoky flavour.
There is a metal top and a flow-draft door at the base to control air flow through the chamber. It can be used outdoors, and the ceramic coating is designed to make it completely weather resistant.
A number of Michelin star chefs have waxed lyrical about the egg, including Daniel Clifford who claims that ‘it has become an obsession’. Head Chef of Orwells restaurant, Ryan Simpson, uses it as his weapon of choice in our ‘How to cook a steak on a barbecue’ video. But could it ever become a household name?
Is the Big Green Egg barbecue worth the money?
The egg doesn’t come cheap, with prices starting at £399 for the smallest egg in the range, the ‘Mini’. And it’s up to a whopping £1,200 for the extra large one. While I’ve been known to spend obscene amounts of money in the past on various ‘must-have’ kitchen gadgets, even my purse strings tighten at the thought of shelling out (sorry – had to get one in) such a hefty sum on one item.
What’s more, the last appliance that seduced me with its bells and whistles (a food processor which claimed to do pretty much everything short of the washing up) has yet to make its second trip out of my kitchen cupboard. Despite my protestations that I would use it for everything, I just haven’t got the time or the patience for it, and I can’t help but think that the Big Green Egg might be an equally quick love affair.
So, would you be tempted by this latest addition to the cooking market or do you think the Big Green Egg barbecue is just a fad?