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What’s the difference between direct and indirect cooking?

What is direct cooking?

When you cook at a high temperature in direct contact with the cooking surface, that's searing. This cooking mode falls under the "direct heat" category, as whether you're using a searing grid, skillet, or plancha griddle, you'll be utilising the heat without anything blocking or deflecting it around the dome of the EGG.

What is indirect cooking?

When you're cooking directly, the flames cook your food. That's good for smaller items that take less time to cook or for things that can easily be flipped over. However, if you've got a large cut of meat with lots of connective tissue to break down, a loaf of bread that requires consistent, even heat all around, or something you're looking to roast or smoke at a very low temperature, direct cooking won't cut it for you.

By placing a ConvEGGtor into your firebox (or by using the EGGspander System), you block the direct heat and deflect it around the dome of your EGG. Thanks to the EGG's careful design and amazing ceramics, this heat bounces back to your food, cooking it indirectly.

How do I set up my EGG for indirect cooking?

To cook indirect on the Big Green Egg, you’ll need a ConvEGGtor. This clever ceramic sheet slots into your EGG and deflects the direct heat from the coals, transforming your barbecue into a powerful convection oven.

Place your ConvEGGtor into the EGG once the ceramics have warmed up, and you’re all set.

How do I set up my EGG for indirect cooking?

To cook indirect on the Big Green Egg, you’ll need a ConvEGGtor. This clever ceramic sheet slots into your EGG and deflects the direct heat from the coals, transforming your barbecue into a powerful convection oven.

Place your ConvEGGtor into the EGG once the ceramics have warmed up, and you’re all set.

Why won’t my Big Green Egg get hot?

Often, the cause of a Big Green Egg not heating up properly is a blockage somewhere in the Fire Box. Rake through your coals with an ash tool, and you should fix this in no time. It’s also worth consulting our lighting guide to ensure you’re starting your EGG correctly. Lastly, make sure you’re cooking with the Dome closed, as the EGG’s ceramics play a huge part in its heat retention. If you’re looking, you’re not cooking!

How do I set up the EGGspander?

It couldn’t be easier. Once your Fire Box is filled with charcoal, insert the ConvEGGtor Basket. Then add in either a Half Moon Baking Stone (for indirect cooking), a Cast Iron Searing Grid (for direct cooking), or a combination of the two. By mixing and matching, you can cook with two types of heat at once.

Why are Big Green Eggs so expensive?

A lot of skilled work goes into the manufacture of a Big Green Egg — we only use the artisans we know and trust in our factory in Mexico, the home of ceramics. The ceramics we use are of NASA quality, which sets the EGG apart from all other cookers, and helps achieve incredible temperature control as well as higher temperature limits. We also see the price of an EGG as an investment: it will last you a lifetime.

How much is a Big Green Egg?

Big Green Eggs range from £795 for a MiniMax with Carrier to £1,795 for an XL. For Large or XL EGGs, you’ll also need a table or a nest, which come at a wide range of price points.

What is Pre-Assembly?

With pre-assembly, our technicians put your EGG together in our warehouse. It will arrive on the kerbside, as with standard delivery, but pre-built so there’s less work for you to do. This is only available for the MiniMax, Large or XL EGGs in either the IntEGGrated Nest with Handler or Royal Mahogany Base. The service is £50.

Pre-Assembly: How will my EGG arrive?

The EGG will arrive shrink-wrapped and strapped to the pallet already assembled in your chosen base. Our team will deliver it ‘kerbside’. It will then be your responsibility to remove the packaging, lift the EGG off the pallet, move it into position, then discard the pallet and packaging.

Please note that the EGG will be pre-assembled with shelf brackets but you will have to attach the shelves. EGGs can’t be transported with shelves attached.

Pre-Assembly: What should I expect on delivery day?

Your EGG will still arrive under our Standard Kerbside Delivery service, which means that the driver is under no obligation to move or unpack the EGG inside your property or garden. It will be delivered "kerbside".

Like our standard delivery, this means that you'll have to manoeuvre your EGG into place from the kerb of your property. However, unlike the standard service, our team will build the EGG and its table ahead of time.

If you would like to upgrade to a premium delivery service please choose the White Glove Delivery option if this is available in your area, and contact us to upgrade.