How to Clean Your Big Green Egg
If you follow the @carnivorous_bastards on social media, you might have gathered that we are huge fans of the Big Green Egg.
The Big Green Egg is many things, but one thing it's not, is cheap. If we put down a chunk of cash on a grill, we want something that will last a very long time.
A few Bastards have had their Big Green Egg for well over 10 years. We believe with proper maintenance, it can last longer than us.
Cleaning the Big Green Egg is very simple and does not require any special tools or chemicals. In fact, the number one rule in cleaning the Big Green Egg is to NOT USE any harsh chemical cleaners.
EXTERIOR
To clean the exterior of the egg all I use is a clean towel, a bucket of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. The general rule of thumb is to not use any cleaners that you wouldn't also use on your pots and pans.
INTERIOR
"The Clean Burn"
The Big Green Egg is essentially a self cleaning oven. It's made out of the same ceramic material as the kiln you used in middle school art class.
To start a clean burn, fill your egg up with lump charcoal, and light it as you normally would for a high heat cook. Open up the bottom vent all the way and remove the daisy wheel from the top. Opening all the vents in the Big Green Egg increases airflow, which increases the temperature in the egg.
Put the platesetter into the grill with the legs up, the grill grate on top of the platesetter legs, and the daisy wheel on the grill grate.
Close the lid and let the temp get as high as it can go for about an hour.
After about an hour, you can shut the bottom vent and place the ceramic damper top on the lid. It usually takes a full hour or longer for the fire to die down before opening.
Make sure to “burp” the egg by opening and closing the top lid an inch or so before you open the top completely.
It's also always advisable to use high temperature gloves as the egg can still be hot.
After the fire is out and the egg is cool to the touch, open the egg fully. You may notice white ash on the grate, daisy wheel, and plate setter. The white ash is just remnants of food from past cooks and can easily be wiped away with a paper towel or a grill brush.
Remove the steel grate, and carefully remove the platesetter, the firebox, and the fire ring from the Big Green Egg.
The platesetter, firebox, and fire ring are all made out of ceramic, and can crack easily. We recommend placing a cardboard box on the ground to protect the internal parts and to keep your patio clean.
Next, dump any ash or unburnt charcoal into an ash can. You can purchase a cheap stainless steel bucket from Amazon or your local hardware store to use as an ash can. Do not use a paper or plastic bag as there could be lit embers hidden in the ash.
Use a shop vac to vacuum out any remaining ash from the bottom of the egg as well as the firebox and fire ring.
Once your egg is clear and clean, place the fire box and fire ring back into the Big Green Egg and enjoy your clean egg!