Our Complete Guide to the Big Green Egg

Outdoor cooking has evolved well beyond the traditional barbecue. What was once a grill used occasionally during summer has gradually become a central part of how many homeowners entertain, cook and spend time outside. Across the UK, particularly since the pandemic, gardens are increasingly being designed with outdoor kitchens, dining areas and sheltered seating spaces that allow people to cook and host comfortably throughout the year.

Within this shift, one piece of equipment has developed an almost cult following among serious home cooks and outdoor living enthusiasts. The Big Green Egg is widely recognised for its versatility, durability and the distinctive results that ceramic cooking can deliver.

For anyone considering adding one to their outdoor space, understanding how the Big Green Egg works, how to choose the right size and how it fits into a wider outdoor living setup can make the decision far easier. For those who cannot make it to our Chester outdoor living showroom, this guide explores everything you need to know before bringing one into your garden.

What makes the Big Green Egg different?

The Big Green Egg operates very differently from the gas or charcoal grills most people are familiar with. The key difference lies in its ceramic construction. Inspired by ancient clay cooking vessels, the thick ceramic walls of the Egg retain heat extremely well while allowing precise control over airflow. This combination means the grill can reach very high temperatures for searing while also maintaining low, steady temperatures for slow cooking.

Another distinctive feature is, of course, its shape. The iconic ‘egg’ form is not simply a design choice, it plays an important role in how the grill performs. The rounded dome allows heat and airflow to circulate evenly throughout the cooking chamber, creating a consistent cooking environment that surrounds the food rather than heating it from a single direction. This is one of the reasons the Big Green Egg is able to maintain such stable temperatures and produce such even cooking results, whether you are searing steaks at high heat or slowly smoking meat over several hours. The curved ceramic shell also helps lock in moisture and flavour, which is why dishes cooked in the Big Green Egg often develop a rich texture and depth of flavour that can be difficult to replicate on more conventional grills.

What can you cook on a Big Green Egg?

One of the reasons the Big Green Egg has become so popular is its versatility. Rather than being limited to one style of cooking, it allows users to experiment with a wide variety of techniques.

Grilling remains the most familiar approach. Steaks, burgers, seafood and vegetables can all be cooked quickly at high temperatures, producing the distinctive sear marks that many people associate with outdoor cooking. However, the Egg also excels at slow cooking. Larger cuts of meat such as brisket, pork shoulder or ribs can be cooked over several hours at low temperatures, allowing the meat to become tender while absorbing gentle smoke flavours from the charcoal. Roasting is another popular option. Whole chickens, joints of lamb or trays of vegetables cook beautifully within the ceramic chamber, where heat circulates evenly around the food. Baking may surprise many first-time users, but the Egg can also be used for breads, pizzas and even desserts. When paired with a pizza stone, it can reach temperatures high enough to produce crisp, restaurant-style pizzas within minutes.

Because of this versatility, many owners find themselves using their Big Green Egg far more frequently than a standard barbecue.

How to choose the right Big Green Egg size

One of the most common questions we face when customers view the Big Green Egg at our outdoor living showroom is how to decide which size is right for your space and the way you like to cook. While each model delivers the same ceramic cooking performance, the difference comes down to capacity, portability and how you plan to use it within your outdoor space.

There are three main Big Green Eggs available in the UK - the MiniMax, the Large and the XL.

For those looking for something compact and flexible, the Big Green Egg MiniMax is a brilliant option. Despite its smaller size, it delivers the same ceramic cooking performance as the larger models and comfortably feeds up to four people. Its portable design makes it particularly appealing for those who want to take it beyond the garden, whether that’s cooking on a terrace, bringing it along to a picnic, or using it as a compact grill for smaller outdoor spaces.

The Big Green Egg Large is often considered the classic choice and remains one of the most popular models for home gardens. With a generous cooking surface capable of feeding around four to eight people, it strikes an ideal balance between everyday cooking and entertaining guests. This size also integrates beautifully into outdoor kitchen designs, making it the perfect centrepiece for a dedicated outdoor cooking space.

For larger households or those who regularly host gatherings, the Big Green Egg XL offers even greater capacity. With a wide cooking surface capable of feeding six to twelve people or more, it allows multiple dishes to be prepared at the same time and is particularly well suited to full outdoor kitchen installations.

Ultimately, each size offers the same versatility and cooking performance. The decision simply comes down to how you plan to use your Egg and how it fits within your outdoor living space! Chat to our team to help with your decision making.

If you're unsure which size would work best for your garden, visiting our showroom can be incredibly helpful. Seeing the models side by side allows you to properly compare their scale and understand how they might fit into your own outdoor kitchen or patio setup.

Our outdoor living showroom is available by appointment only, allowing time for a more personalised walkthrough of the Big Green Egg range and the wider outdoor cooking products available. You can book a showroom appointment here to explore the MiniMax, Large and XL models in person and speak with our team about the best option for your outdoor space.

Our recommended accessories

While the Big Green Egg itself is incredibly versatile, a wide range of accessories allows you to push its capabilities even further and experiment with different cooking techniques.

One of the most popular additions is the EGGspander System, designed to unlock multiple cooking levels within the Egg. Simple to install yet extremely adaptable, the EGGspander allows you to cook several dishes at the same time without needing to constantly remove hot surfaces during the process. By utilising the full depth of the Egg’s dome, it creates three cooking zones, from the intense heat close to the coals to the gentler warming air at the top. The EGGspander Essential Kit provides the key structures and cooking surfaces to get started, making it possible to prepare complex multi-dish meals with ease, from a full Sunday roast to larger shared dishes or banquet-style cooking. The system is available for both the Large and XL Big Green Eggs.

The EGGSpander in action, creating more space for a variety of dishes.

For those who love cooking pizza outdoors, the Pizza Oven Wedges offer another way to transform the Egg’s capabilities. This two-piece accessory effectively turns the Big Green Egg into a dedicated pizza oven by creating a front opening that allows pizzas to be easily slid in and out while maintaining the high temperatures needed for crisp bases and perfectly cooked toppings.

The BigGreenEgg pizza wedge makes it easy to slide your pizza in and out.

Integrating your Big Green Egg into an outdoor kitchen

Increasingly, the Big Green Egg is not simply placed on a patio as a standalone grill! Instead, it often becomes the centrepiece of a wider outdoor kitchen design.

Outdoor kitchens allow cooking, preparation and serving to take place entirely outside. Work surfaces, storage units and integrated appliances can transform a simple grilling area into a fully functioning outdoor cooking space. The Big Green Egg fits particularly well within these setups because of its versatility. With the ability to grill, roast, bake and smoke, it can effectively replace multiple cooking appliances.

Big Green Egg within an EO outdoor kitchen at the Walker Landscape & Design outdoor living showroom in Chester, Cheshire.

Pergolas are also commonly paired with outdoor kitchens, creating a sheltered environment that allows cooking to continue comfortably in a range of weather conditions. When combined with outdoor heating and lighting, these spaces can be enjoyed well beyond the summer months.

For homeowners looking to invest in their garden, designing an outdoor kitchen around a ceramic grill like the Big Green Egg can transform how the space is used.

Seeing the Big Green Egg in person

While reading about the Big Green Egg is helpful, many people find it far easier to understand its capabilities when they see it in person.

Our outdoor living showroom allows you to explore the Big Green Egg range up close, chat to our team, and get a better feel for how it might fit into your own outdoor space. It’s also an opportunity to discuss outdoor kitchen layouts, accessories and complementary products that can elevate the entire cooking experience. The showroom is available by appointment only, allowing time for a more personalised walkthrough of the products and options available.

If you’re considering adding a Big Green Egg to your garden, you can book a showroom appointment here to explore the range and speak with our team about the best setup for your outdoor space

Andrew Dickens using the Big Green Egg, here shown within a Roostr outdoor kitchen, at our outdoor living showroom in Chester, Cheshire.