the World’s Largest Serving of Rooster Wings

In early October, greater than 5,000 followers of the cult grill Huge Inexperienced Egg — affectionately dubbed EGGheads — descended upon Coolray Subject, within the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville, for EGGtoberfest. 

The annual occasion, which first kicked off in 1998 as a small, low-key gathering of fervent Huge Inexperienced Egg fanatics, featured cooking demos for the likes of braised pork stomach tacos, dwell music, and an array of proud Huge Inexperienced Egg house owners serving their experimental dishes to keen crowds. However the twenty seventh version was particularly notable — not simply because Huge Inexperienced Egg set a Guinness World Document for serving the world’s largest quantity of rooster wings (an enormous 655.8 kilos from Georgia’s Springer Mountain Farms) however as a result of the corporate celebrated a powerful 50 years in enterprise. 

Entrepreneur Ed Fisher first unveiled the heavy, dome-shaped kamado ovens popularized in Japan for cooking rice in 1974. They sat alongside pachinko machines, one other Japanese import relished in arcades, in his Atlanta storefront. Prospects had been wowed by the Huge Inexperienced Egg’s cooking prowess and flexibility — and 5 many years later, it endures for a similar causes.

“It’s, in my humble opinion, probably the most gratifying strategy to cook dinner. We’ve been cooking over hearth for hundreds of years, so cooking on the Egg is only a continuation of that ritual,” explains Huge Inexperienced Egg CEO Dan Gertsacov. “It’s 50 years of being the grill you’ll be able to collect round, with household, pals, and neighbors. It’s 50 years of constructing lifelong reminiscences. That’s all we might ever hope for.”

Fueled by all-natural lump hardwood charcoal, Huge Inexperienced Egg is a multifaceted powerhouse, a yard boon that emblazons juicy burgers and brats with excellent char marks. However past grilling, it roasts turkey, smokes ribs, stir-fries shrimp, and bakes pies with equal aplomb. An assortment of helpful equipment, equivalent to a pizza stone and cast-iron Dutch oven, multiply the chances.

Huge Inexperienced Egg additionally stands out for its design. Initially, the cookers had been crafted from clay like their historic predecessors, however when that materials proved too fragile, the meticulous Fisher upgraded to a hardy, heat-insulating, NASA-approved ceramic. Coated with a wealthy inexperienced porcelain glaze, it’s a daring, eye-catching look. 

There are seven sizes of the well-engineered, self-cleaning Huge Inexperienced Egg, in addition to the limited-release Chiminea, a fire bolstered by lava rocks. The transportable mini involves the rescue of intimate picnics, whereas the 2XL, large enough to deal with 20 steaks at a time, is right for alfresco workplace retreats.  “We make nice, lasting grills that folks go down from technology to technology. Conserving cooking traditions alive isn’t just for the scrumptious meals, however to know one thing older generations knew effectively: Meals is extra than simply nourishment. It’s a cornerstone of human connection,” explains Gertsacov.

All that magic doesn’t come cheaply, nevertheless. The big providing, the most well-liked, porch-friendly measurement of the Huge Inexperienced Egg, prices a whopping $1,149.99. Between its craftsmanship and effectivity, the hefty price ticket is price it for true BBQ buffs, however in all probability not these merely content material with a cocktail party centered on cedar-planked salmon as soon as a month.  

If buying a Huge Inexperienced Egg isn’t possible due to finances or lack of outside house, then perhaps it’s time to play with one on a chilled-out trip. As lodges grow to be ever-increasingly lifestyle-oriented, the Huge Inexperienced Egg is popping up as a socially pushed amenity at such properties as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa, California; and Ocean Home in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, all of that are alternatives to discover how the Huge Inexperienced Egg reimagines native meals traditions like wild sport and clam bakes with educated cooks. 

On the InterContinental Buckhead in Huge Inexperienced Egg’s Atlanta dwelling base, the contraption is immediately woven into the meals and beverage program, a pure match since banquet chef David Royal is an EGGhead himself. 

“It permits us to raise basic grill gadgets—every part from smoked meats to greens,” says the lodge’s basic supervisor George Terpilowski, “and may be arrange in varied areas, together with our Windsor Backyard, which offers a lush, scenic backdrop for interactive eating experiences. It’s excellent for events the place friends wish to be extra concerned within the culinary course of, having fun with not simply the ultimate dish, however the journey of making.”