Which barbecue should I buy?

BIg Green Egg

If you’re in a position to splash out, barbecues don’t come much better than the Big Green Egg. They’re inspired by Japanese mushikamados (traditional, round, clay rice-cookers) with top dampers and bottom draught doors. Big Green Eggs are made from high-fibre ceramics that were developed for the space shuttle programme, so they’re far less likely to crack. Because they cook closed, the heated air circulates, and the insulation and air vents mean the temperature can be controlled much more accurately than other charcoal barbecues (it’s best to use lumpwood charcoal, with no additives). There’s a temperature gauge, so you can get the heat just right for anything from slow-cooking ribs, to grilling, or baking pizza at 400C. The closed lid and air circulation mean it’s great for smoking too – an accessory called a plate-setter can be placed above the firebox so the food isn’t cooked directly, but by convected heat. Because Big Green Eggs can accurately barbecue, grill, smoke and bake, they’ve become popular in restaurant kitchens – Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and The Chiltern Firehouse use them. O tested a MiniMax sized Big Green Egg (£550) to barbecue lamb marinated in pomegranate molasses and monkfish in lemon, thyme and cumin. The results had satisfying grill-char, were cooked-through, still succulent, and retained the flavours of the marinade while also taking on a delicate smokiness – pretty much the barbecue results you might fantasise about but would otherwise never achieve. Prices from £399 for a Mini up to £3,745 for an Extra Extra Large.