"Ask me about my Big Green Egg" - The Denver Post, May 2005

Post / Helen H. RichardsonArticle Launched: 05/25/2005 04:12:00 AM
By Douglas Brown
Denver Post Staff Writer

When people fall into the cult of the Big Green Egg, they talk of lump charcoal and alderwood, of briskets and Eggfests and temperatures of 180 degrees, 325 degrees, 800 degrees, higher.

Smoke perfumes their lives, which they spend on decks and in backyards, hovering around their hot, ceramic ovens shaped like eggs. They wear not hooded robes, but aprons. They engage in sacrifice - chickens, cows and yes, sacrificial lambs.

Praise be unto thee, my Big Green Egg. I shall tend thy flame, I shall clean thy inner sanctums, I shall feed thee with racks of ribs and whole turkeys, legs of goat and blue crabs and brook trout lined up like neat rows of commas.

I'm an Egghead, beholden to the Big Green Egg, a combination grill-oven that can hold a low temperature for hours - important for smoking cuts of meat or fish - or fire up to the sort of high temperatures necessary for restaurant-quality steaks and brick-oven pizzas.

The Big Green Egg, first introduced in 1974 in Atlanta, is based on Japanese kamado cookers. (Prices range from $200 for the Mini to $700 for the large egg.) In metal grills, the fire quickly heats the metal and escapes into the air. Ceramic or clay cookers like kamados, East Indian tandoor ovens and Big Green Eggs trap both heat and moisture within the oven.

Various contraptions control the amount of air entering and escaping the Egg's shell, giving cultists the power of meticulous control over cooking temperatures.

Casseroles, breads, roasts, cobblers: Just about anything cooked in an oven works in a Big Green Egg.

Ask us, and we'll talk far too much about the magic of the potent godhead sitting in our yards. Pizza? Of course! Better than you've ever tasted! Clams? Can you say obviously? Bacon? Duh!

We are not a subterranean cult. We fill our backyards with smoldering chunks of hickory wood. We proselytize.

"I keep brochures in my pantry," says Andy Wann, 44, an Egghead sales representative for a Denver radio station. "I give them to people and tell them it will change their lives. I preach the gospel of the Big Green Egg."

Wann's 5-year-old Egg sits at nearly 8,000 feet on his Evergreen deck, with views of Mount Evans on one side and Bergen Mountain on the other - a properly sublime home for his stomach's spiritual leader.

He cooks on the Egg several times a week. During the 2003 blizzard, when he got walloped with more than 6 feet of snow (and lost his power - including his oven - for four days), the Egg emerged, heroic, like the second-string quarterback who replaces the star and wins the Super Bowl for the struggling team.

George Tocquigny, 54, places his Egg in the same company as his circular saw and hammer.

"It's like tool time," says the Castle Rock salesman. "There's something more masculine about it. It's the hunter instinct, go out and shoot the dinner and put it on the spit."

Big Green Egg founder, president and chief executive officer Ed Fisher insisted during a phone interview that the cult is co-ed, but I'm not so sure.

Tong-wielding men invite women into Eggdom's folds, but spend time at the cult's own Vatican City - the "Eggsperts forum" at biggreenegg.com - and bear witness to a priesthood, a patriarchal clergy. Men posting pictures of their just-cooked Cornish game hens. Men offering blueprints for Big Green Egg carts.

How should I best cook country ribs, asks someone calling himself Fishlessman during a recent exchange. It depends upon how thick they are, answers Nature Boy.

Colorado's commercial place of worship for the cult is Outdoor Kitchen in Denver, the Big Green Egg distributor for Colorado, Utah and New Mexico.

Most of the Big Green Egg customers are men, says Outdoor Kitchen manager Jennifer Miller, although the occasional woman will buy one, "based in part on how easy it is to start (the charcoal in) the Big Green Egg."

Miller herself has been an Egghead for five years. "I don't even bother cooking steaks on my gas grill," she says. On the Big Green Egg, "even if I happen to overcook it, it's still juicy and has a whole lot of flavor."

For those who embrace their Inner Egg, certain things that did not matter much before take on great significance.

Take charcoal. Identical blackened fuel pods in paper sacks. Stuff you fashion into loose pyramids, douse with fuel, and light.

No, no, nope. Charcoal must be lump, filler-free, the more varied and rough the chunks the better.

Chuck Logan, 53, a software consultant Egghead in Berthoud, bought an Egg, dived into the online forum, and soon had his own website,

clconsulting.mesanetworks.net/big_green_egg.htm. He posts recipes at his electronic devotional, photographs of cooked food, and even movies of techniques for preparing, for example, spare ribs.

Logan's commitment to the cause propelled him to organize an Eggfest at his house in June, which he trumpets in the online Egg forum. So far, about six Eggheads and their families - including one from Casper, Wyo., - are traveling to Berthoud to stand around and cook food in their Eggs.

A shopping trip for grills five years ago led Tom Lasonde, 39, a Dish Network salesman, to the Big Green Egg and now he's an idealistic cult member, sticking 12-pound briskets in his Egg at 8 p.m., waking up in the middle of the night to check on them, and yanking them off the grill 12 or 14 hours later. He posts pictures of food on the Egg forum, where he goes by the handle "ColoradoCook," and whenever the subject turns to barbecue during sales calls, he launches into missionary mode.

"I end up selling my clients information about it," he says. "Too bad they don't have a referral program."

As a "big, huge Egghead," construction manager Jim MacKinnon, 36, of Highlands Ranch, spends a healthy hunk of free time with his Egg.

Friends come to his house, eat his Egg-cooked meals, and profess quick conversions to the Way of the Egg, but MacKinnon cautions them first.

"I stop them," he says, "and say, 'Wait a minute, are you really into barbecue? Are you willing to babysit this thing in a snowstorm? Can you clean it out and take care of it?"'

How did he become the Yoda of Eggville?

"It's hard to put a label on it, but you become almost fanatical," he says. "It's so unusual, you take barbecuing to a whole different level."

Even zipping through the Big Green Egg forum gets his juices flowing.

"It's funny, because it excites me," he says. "Someone's picture of a pork butt. It's awesome."

Amen, brother.

Staff writer Douglas Brown can be reached at 303-820-1395 or djbrown@denverpost.com.

Big Green Egg will make you a superior backyard cook - The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky September 2002

The Big Green Egg smokes, grills, bakes and roasts.I have been a fan of Dr. Seuss for many years -- entertaining myself, my daughters and my grandchildren. We have all been entertained and fascinated by "green eggs. . . ." This fantasy world is a fun place.

The real world is now more fun, too, with a real Big Green Egg.

Yes, Dr. Seuss, there really is a Green Egg! I have one and declare publicly that I am in love with it. My wife understands and even supports me in this love affair.

What is the Big Green Egg, you ask? It is a ceramic smoker/grill that is designed for smoking, grilling, roasting, baking and barbecuing. I have, like many backyard "cooks," owned hibachis, charcoal grills (open and closed) and propane-powered grills.

I was introduced to this product in an article in Evansville (Ind.) Living last summer. Intrigued, I saw my first Big Green Egg at Bassemier's in Evansville, while vacationing in the area.

Upon returning home, my fascination only grew with the concept of smoking, grilling, roasting, baking and barbecuing in one such fine Big Green Egg. I went to the manufacturer's website -- http://www.biggreenegg.com/ -- and learned more about the Egg and located a listing of dealers nearer me.

Nearest to me is Anson Gas Grill & Fireside on Shelbyville Road in Middletown. After a visit or two and a final "wife approval visit," a new, large Big Green Egg made its home with the Joneses just before Thanksgiving. (The smoker also is sold in this area by Walnut Ridge Pool & Patio in Clarksville.)

My first cooking adventure was our Thanksgiving turkey 2001. This was a brave step -- new cooker and all. There was no backup bird in the oven in the kitchen. It was up to the Big Green Egg to come through. And come through she did -- a 23-pound bird, held steady at 300 degrees, seven hours later.

It was a success! The easy temperature controls worked accurately, as advertised. The natural lump charcoal gave a steady, even burn without reloading, and the cooker started without using lighter fluid. And Tom Turkey was moist and golden brown. What an event!

Since then I have worked the Big Green Egg wonders on turkey breasts, sirloin strip roast, brisket, pork chops, pork loin, chicken breasts, shrimp, fish, vegetables, hamburgers, steaks and even pizza. Everything meets or exceeds the publicity for this cooker.

The Egg comes in four sizes -- mini, small, medium and large. Grill sizes range from a 9.5-inch grid to an 18.25-inch grid. They weigh from 30 pounds to 140 pounds. Prices range from about $199 for the mini to about $649 for the large. Various accessories are available to turn the backyard "cook" into a Big Green Egg "guru."

The cooker comes with its own video, cookbook/manual and a life-time ceramic guarantee.

The combination of the charcoal fire and the ceramic mass makes this a truly efficient cooking machine. A 20-pound bag of lump charcoal lasts and lasts. After cooking, I just close both dampers and the fire goes out, leaving fuel for the next time. Often, but not every time, I only have to top it off. I have never run out of fire in the middle of cooking or ever had to refuel in the middle of cooking.

What else can you ask for? It's even self-cleaning. I am in love! I can't wait to fire it up again!

Tom Jones lives in Louisville and is the principal of the Pitt Academy.

Dr. BBQ to share techniques, sign books - The Gwinnett Daily Post, Gwinnett, Georgia April 2005

Dr. BBQ to share techniques, sign booksRay Lampe is schooled in the art of French cuisine, but he’d rather lounge in a lawn chair and throw back a few beers. That’s why barbecuing suits him so well.

The former truck driver from Chicago has sold barbecue from the back of a trailer in parking lots and he’s competed in the barbecue cookoff circuit. Now, he’s written his first book, “Dr. BBQ’s Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook,” due in bookstores Monday. Lampe will be in town May 4 to sign the book and teach a few cooking classes.

His book is filled with anecdotes from his cookoff days and takes a storytelling approach to sharing his favorite barbecue recipes. He also includes lots of ideas for using up barbecue leftovers and throws in recipes for grilling anything from a head of cabbage to tofu.

Cooking started out as a pastime for Lampe, but after years of cookoffs, he realized it was becoming a passion.
“It started out as just a hobby. But pretty soon, it was all my vacation time and all my spendable money,” Lampe said.
So he gave up truck driving and moved to Florida, where he could barbecue year-round. He had his license plate personalized with “Dr. BBQ,” and the name stuck.
Lampe picked up most of his barbecuing talent by watching the chefs at cookoffs in the Midwest. Most of those men had learned to grill from tips passed down through their grandfathers, Lampe said. He’d also visit the barbecue restaurants he’d heard everyone rave about and try to learn their techniques.

During cooking classes, Lampe teaches traditional barbecuing techniques, which he calls the backbone for good cooking.
But he also avoids constricting his students with the opinions of some barbecue traditionalists, who hold that real barbecue is only cooked in a pit made out of concrete blocks.
“If you want to call grilling barbecue, go ahead. I don’t want to get caught up in that whole ‘grilling is not barbecue’ fight,” Lampe said.

He considers traditional barbecue to be lower-quality cuts of meat cooked slowly, over less than 250 degree heat. That technique yields tender meat with a developed crust.
The most common mistake amateur barbecuers make is cooking meat for too long, Lampe said. Most people get nervous cooking meat without a time guideline. In the interest of avoiding meat that’s not thoroughly cooked, people bypass tender ’cue and end up with dry hunks of meat.

“People equate ‘safe’ pork with ‘gray and dried up,’” Lampe said.

He said the only surefire way to ensure moist, cooked-through meat is to use a meat thermometer.

Another common mistake is adding barbecue sauce too early. The sugar in the sauce cooks quickly and will end up burnt before the meat is finished cooking. In fact, Lampe usually doesn’t brush on sauce until after the meat is off the grill, or he serves it on the side.

By Shelley Mann
Staff Writer
shelley.mann@gwinnettdailypost.com

Pricey New Grills, Gadgets - The Wall Street Journal, January 2003

January 17, 2003

Pricey New Grills, Gadgets
Heat Up Winter Grilling

By JUNE FLETCHER
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Rob David recently made his family a special marinated chicken dish, along with some tasty broccoli and spicy baked potatoes. All of which might not sound unusual, except that he grilled the dish in his backyard -- outdoors, in the snow, in subzero weather in Detroit. "I'll just run outside," says the 46-year-old radio producer, who has a special grill for this and says the longest part of the job is "putting on my hat, coat and
boots."

It may be the height of some of the coldest weather in recent years, but American cooks have hit on a new obsession: winter grilling. Pushed by a $2 billion grilling business that could use some help, they're out there 2-feet deep in snow with a new generation of "infrared" grills (top temperature: more than 1,600 degrees) and pricey extras such as canvas-covered cooking islands. Some grill makers even introduce new models in January instead of July these days -- and are finding quite a market. Sears says its grill sales jumped 15% in December from last year, while Vermont Islands, a maker of grilling stations, has seen winter-month sales climb 60% in the past two years.

"My wife thinks I'm nuts," says Mick Tinnon, a Chicago businessman who braves the cold as many as five days a week, grilling up dishes like beef jerky, stuffed jalapenos and Chinese-style stir fries. Even with 30-mile-an-hour winds coming off Lake Michigan, Mr. Tinnon has been known to go the outdoor route. "Hey, I'm a guy," he says.

Some purists call the whole winter-grilling movement a bit silly -- after all, what's the point in a cookout if you can't relax on your patio with a cold drink? And traditional grill fare such as swordfish or corn on the cob may not hit the spot when there are football playoffs on the tube. Yet the growing ranks of cold-weather grillers insist the year-round approach makes perfect sense, especially in a down economy. Now their expensive grills can get year-round instead of seasonal use.

Of course, some polar-bear types have always refused to put away the grill tongs when frost hits the ground, while in warmer parts of the country a February barbecue seems perfectly natural. The rise of gas grills helped boost the trend, because they're easier to light.
But now the makers of grills and accessories are working hard to turn winter grilling from an oddball hobby into a sizable -- and profitable -- niche. Industry experts credit all this grilling and chilling with helping to revive lackluster sales, with the number of grills sold in 2002 hitting 15.2 million (nearly back to the
industry's record levels seen in 2000). Until recently, makers "hadn't given customers much reason to buy a new grill," says a spokeswoman for the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.

Melting Aluminum

Now many makers are pushing hard with a new, pricey, winter-friendly lineup. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the rush to sell so-called infrared grills, like the Solaire InfraVection, a 42-inch stainless-steel hulk that costs more than $5,000. The infrared models run on propane or natural gas just like typical grills, but use a special kind of burner with thousands of tiny holes that turns red-hot. These grills get so hot -- 1,650 degrees, more than double the temperature of a standard gas grill -- that even cold windy weather won't slow down the steaks. (One reason for the infrared craze: A key patent on this kind of burner expired, making it cheaper for companies to offer them.) Solaire says infrared sales jumped 50% in 2002 from the year before.

But is a fire hot enough to melt aluminum really necessary to cook pork chops? No less an expert than Bobby Flay, owner of Mesa Grill and Bolo in New York and host of grilling programs on the Food Network, scoffs at the notion that grillers need special equipment for a winter cookout. "You need to have a deft hand," says Mr. Flay, who says he does cold-weather grilling all the time at his East Hampton, N.Y., house (using both charcoal and gas -- but he likes gas in the winter better because it's easy to light). "The grill can't take the credit or blame for a meal," he says, adding that infrared cookers are "excessive."

High-tech cookers or not, grilling in the middle of winter isn't always easy. When Peter Nystedt finished cooking a meal in his Worcester, Mass., backyard, he left his smoker out to cool overnight -- and found it sunk into the frozen ground the next morning, stuck there until the spring thaw. And then there's the surprise Darryl James McKoon got when he lifted the lid on his extreme-heat ceramic grill without opening up the vent first.
"Flames went whoosh and singed my hair," says the Atlanta construction project manager. "I was fuzzy on the ends for a week."

What's more, just figuring out what to cook can be a challenge. Some winter chefs say they experiment with hearty meals, like roast pork or even grilled meat loaf, while others argue that traditional fare such as burgers and steaks work any time of the year (and cook in just a few minutes on a hot grill). In Dorset, Vt., Malcolm Cooper even does breakfast on the grill -- complete with bacon, eggs, pancakes and home fries. The wood-products salesman says it makes him "feel like an Eskimo."

Chicken and Truffles

Look for even more winter barbecues as retailers who once stopped stocking grills after Labor Day increasingly try to stretch the season. Even in January, Amazon.com offers more than 180 different grills and
accessories (including heavy-duty vinyl grill covers rated for "subzero" temperatures), while Frontgate touts 17 upscale grills on its Web site, including a $8,995 grill island boasting "freeze-resistant porcelain-tile countertops." And while Home Depot didn't give grills any floor space during winter two years ago, now they've become "a year-round item," a spokesman says.

Hillard Pouncy is one of those who'll be shivering over the grill next weekend. The visiting lecturer at Princeton University in New Jersey is planning a Super Bowl party for 15 people, where he'll serve his own variation on beer-can chicken, a recipe where the birds are grilled sitting on cans filled with white wine and truffles. "The taste is sensuous," he says. Still, he says, there is a downside to minding the food while the guests stay warm inside. "It can get lonely," he says.

Where There's a Grill ...

With Americans putting more fat in the fire, grill manufacturers are introducing new versions with sleek finishes and bold designs. Here are some of the hottest models and coolest accessories.

Solaire InfraVection Grill
www.riwinc.com $5,053
This 42-inch stainless-steel grill, which has both infrared burners and rotisserie, can cook meat in minutes, reaching temperatures of 1,650 degrees. Company says sales are up 50% from last year.

Evo
www.evoamerica.com $2,195
Looks like a flying saucer -- and sears steaks and boils veggies simultaneously. Called a flat-top grill, it's more like a griddle: Burners that run on natural gas or propane heat the solid, nonstick cooking surface to 630 degrees.

Kristine Grill4All
www.kristline.com $249
Stainless-steel portable grill can be used indoors or out, and runs on charcoal, electricity or propane. Ideal for for tailgating, but you can't cook more than a dozen wieners at a time.

Big Green Egg
www.biggreenegg.com $600
Based on 3,000-year-old Chinese prototype, this ceramic-walled cooker can cook slowly at 200 degrees or broil at 700 degrees, and is fueled by charcoal. Devotees, called "Eggers," swap recipes online for meat loaf, roast pumpkin, even dog biscuits.

Kenmore Elite grill
www.sears.com $1,400
Propane-powered six-burner stainless-steel grill with rotisserie, griddle, smoker box and attached granite-topped "islands" to chop food. Customers have to assemble the cookers themselves.

Grill Alert talking remote thermometer
www.brookstone.com $75
Probe goes into food, and wireless digital temperature gauge clips to your belt. When the food reaches preset temperature, voice says "ready." The unit works through walls, so you can stay warm inside.

Smoker Pellet sampler
www.barbecue-store.com $60
Compressed wood pellets, placed in aluminum foil or special pot, can be used in any type of grill to give meats and vegetables a smoky flavor. Flavors include pecan, cherry and Jack Daniels, a favorite.