Congratulations
on purchasing a Big Green Egg! We know you are excited to start enjoying The Ultimate Cooking Experience! Please read the
Safety Tips and watch the instructional videos below for assembling, lighting, and temperature control.
Using Your EGG
The Big Green EGG is extremely safe and hazard-free when used according to safety guidelines, and will provide years of
trouble-free use and enjoyment. It is the user’s responsibility to maintain safe operation of the EGG and to exercise reasonable
standards of care at all times. Do not attempt to modify or use non-Big Green Egg components inside your EGG as you may void
the warranty, and modifications can lead to damage or injury. Don’t forget to read the Warranty and Register your EGG!
Unpacking & Assembly
Big Green EGGs are manufactured and packed with care to facilitate trouble-free assembly. Always use extreme care
when moving or loading/unloading an EGG, as the product is heavy and includes many metal parts. You can easily follow the assembly
instructions on your computer or mobile device, and a printable Online Manual (pdf document) is available for downloading.
Select an EGG size to access manuals and instructions.
Filling
To fill your EGG, we recommend using Big Green Egg Lump Charcoal, made from a selection of 100% hardwoods. It will heat quickly and burn cleanly. This video will show you how to properly fill your EGG. Make sure you never use lighter fluid or quick light charcoal products – you don’t want it to taint the flavor of your food.
Lighting
Lighting the charcoal is always quick and easy, as the design of the Big Green Egg allows air flow to circulate efficiently. Use a natural charcoal starter or an electric starter and never buy lighter fluid again! The EGG reaches its optimal temperature within minutes when using the Big Green Egg brand of lump charcoal, made in the USA from select cuts of oak and hickory for superb performance and results.
Never Use Lighter Fluid
Lighter fluids permanently contaminate your EGG with petrochemicals that taint the flavor of your food. Instead, use Big Green Egg All Natural SpeediLight™ Charcoal Starters or our Electric Charcoal Starter, both of which are odor-free and the fastest method of reaching a cooking temperature without any exposure to chemical fumes. Do not use charcoal briquettes, self-starting charcoal, or other similar products in an EGG.
Do NOT Cook at High Temperatures Your First Use
This may damage the gasket before it can properly seat itself. Your first few cooks should be under 350°F/177°C to allow the gasket
adhesive to fully cure and adhere to the EGG. If you do damage the gasket, you can easily replace it with a self-adhesive high
temperature replacement gasket available from any Big Green Egg dealer.
Burping
Never quickly open a hot EGG all the way. Burping your EGG allows air to slowly and safely enter the dome, preventing any back draft or flare-ups that could cause a flash of heat to burn your hand. You should burp your EGG if you have been cooking at temperatures above 300°F/150°C. Be very careful when opening the dome. First, raise the lid an inch or two and pause to “burp” it before raising the dome completely. This will allow the sudden rush of oxygen to burn safely inside the EGG without causing injury.
Relighting
Previous Big Green Egg cookouts leave behind a lot of leftover charcoal in the grill. Don’t let it go to waste! If you closed both the top and bottom openings after you finished cooking, the remaining charcoal can be reused. Before firing up the EGG, use an ash tool to rake the coals across the cast iron fire grate. The ash will fall through the holes of the grate and into the bottom of the EGG. Add charcoal if necessary to bring the level back to the top of the fire box.
Precise Temperature Control
Big Green Egg gives you total, precise temperature control right at your fingertips! You can grill, smoke, and bake your food at accurate temperatures by easily adjusting the patented air flow controls. The “Made in USA precision temperature gauge” provides accuracy to 750°F/ 400°C. Many indoor ovens cannot match this exactness!
The temperature control system of the Big Green Egg allows you to cook in every season and weather condition – even rain or snow! Thanks to its high-tech ceramic composition, an EGG will endure and maintain extreme temperature differences irrespective of the weather.
