Big Green Egg XL Charcoal Grill

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
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Updated on 06/30/19
Big Green Egg grill
Big Green Egg

Big Green Egg has been producing these Kamado Style grills for decades. This one is the largest of their models and is big enough to cook two 20-pound turkeys. What makes this unit great is that while it can produce high temperatures due to the focused heat of its ceramic shell, it can also hold low temperatures making it a great smoker. It is the versatility of the egg that makes it stand out as one of the great charcoal powered cookers of our time. With many accessories available there really isn't much this charcoal grill can't do. At around $1,100 this large grill is for the person who plans to do a lot of cooking.

Pros

  • Ceramic shell holds heat for even cooking

  • Excellent ventilation gives you great heat control

  • Works great as a smoker

  • Can be shut down to snuff out the remaining charcoal

Cons

  • Costs around $900

Description

  • 24-inch diameter cooking surface (452 square inches)
  • Top vent cap is cast iron - bottom vent is stainless steel
  • Heavy ceramic shell holds heat and stops temperature fluctuations
  • Glazed interior makes it easy to clean
  • Spring loaded lid for easy lifting
  • Made in Mexico by Big Green Egg

Guide Review of the Big Green Egg XL

The Big Green Egg is a legend among backyard cooks. With the ability to hit temperatures over 600 degrees or hold them as low as 200 degrees this unit is perfect for searing steaks and smoking briskets. The XL unit is the largest of the Eggs and the 24-inch diameter cooking surface (452 square inches of primary cooking space) is large enough to hold two 20-pound turkeys. This gives you enough space to grill up a whole meal for a lot of people.

The ceramic shell of the big green egg is strong and able to withstand a wide range of temperatures so you don't have to worry about it cracking if you heat it up on a freezing cold day. What makes this grill work so well is that the heat is held inside. Even at its highest temperature, the outside remains relatively cool (though I wouldn't go putting my hand on it). Because of this efficiency of the design, you will find that you don't use as much charcoal as you would on comparably sized grills. When you are done the cooking you can close up the vents to stop the remaining charcoal inside from burning and hence save it for your next cookout.

Heat is controlled on this grill by a vent in the bottom of the unit and another one on the top. These vents are simple to use but give you a great deal of control. In fact, I find that you get better heat control on this charcoal grill than you do on most gas grills.

Big Green Egg and their dealers are renowned for their service and support so you can really trust making this investment. Eggs tend to last for a long time so while the $1,200 price tag (check current Big Green Egg Prices) on the Big Green Egg XL may seem high but divide that out by the ten-year minimum you will get out of the grill and it really is a reasonable investment.

This grill is only available through authorized dealers. Check out Big Green Egg's dealer locator to find one.