Created in partnership with Big Green Egg and a selection of its ambassadors and culinary partners, these recipes celebrate the remarkable versatility of cooking over fire. Bringing together names such as Tom Aikens, Gill Meller and Will Lewis of Willy’s Pies, the collection moves far beyond traditional barbecue cooking, showcasing how the Big Green Egg can deliver everything from slow-cooked comfort dishes to refined, restaurant-worthy plates.
Designed to be both elevated and achievable at home, the recipes include Will Lewis’ deeply comforting Braised Lamb Shoulder with Butterbean and Wild Garlic, Tom Aikens’ delicately Baked Sea Bass with Lemon and Fennel, and Gill Meller’s Smoked Pig’s Cheeks with Rhubarb and Lovage Sauce – a dish that perfectly captures his signature balance of smoke, sweetness and seasonality. Together, the collection demonstrates how live-fire cooking can be both rustic and sophisticated, rooted in flavour yet endlessly adaptable.
Braised Lamb Shoulder, Butterbean & Wild Garlic
Serves 4 – 6 | BGE setup: indirect, 150°C / 300°F | Cook time: 4 – 5 hours
Ingredients: Lamb shoulder (whole, 1.2–1.5kg), chicken stock (2L), butter beans / Bold Bean (600g), lemon (2), onion (300g), garlic (60g), cavolo nero (500g), rosemary (50g), thyme (50g), Dijon mustard (40g), wild garlic (200g), dill (50g), white wine vinegar (10g), cornflour (100g), Maldon salt & black pepper.
Method: Set the BGE for indirect cooking at 150°C. Rub the lamb with Dijon, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Soften onion and garlic in the Falcon enamelware dish directly on the Egg, nestle in the lamb, pour over the stock, add the butterbeans and lemon. Cover with foil and cook for 4–5 hours until falling from the bone. Remove the foil, increase to 200°C, add cavolo nero and cook for a further 30 minutes. Finish with wild garlic, dill and white wine vinegar. Bring the Falcon dish straight to the table.
Baked Sea Bass, Lemon & Fennel
Serves 4 – 6 | BGE setup: direct, 200°C / 400°F | Cook time: 20 – 25 minutes
Ingredients: Whole sea bass (2kg, cleaned), lemons (3), fennel bulb (1), dill (1 bunch), rosemary (1 bunch), thyme (1 bunch), extra virgin olive oil, Maldon salt.
Method: Preheat the Big Green Egg to 200°C for direct cooking. Finely zest one lemon and slice all lemons into 1 – 2cm rounds. Slice the fennel lengthways. Lay the fennel, herbs and most of the lemon slices directly onto the grill (or in a roasting dish) to create a bed. Drizzle the sea bass with olive oil, season generously inside and out with salt, then place on top. Stuff the cavity with some herbs and lemon, and scatter the remaining slices over the fish. Close the lid and cook for 20 – 25 minutes until just cooked through (around 60 – 63°C internally). Rest for 5 minutes, finish with the reserved lemon zest and an extra drizzle of olive oil, then serve straight to the table.
Smoked Pig’s Cheeks, Rhubarb & Lovage Sauce
Serves 4 | BGE setup: direct to indirect, 180 – 200°C then 110°C then 150°C | Cook time: ~5 hours (+ curing)
Ingredients: Pig’s cheeks (2), onions (2, quartered), garlic (1 bulb, halved + 4 cloves), thyme (8-10 sprigs + extra leaves), medium-dry cider (350ml), bay leaves (8), juniper berries (1 tbsp), black peppercorns (2 tbsp), demerara sugar (100g), sea salt (100g), rhubarb (4 sticks), cider vinegar (2 tbsp), honey (1 tbsp), soft brown sugar (2 tbsp), lovage (handful), salt & black pepper.
Method: Combine the salt, sugar, juniper, garlic, thyme, bay and peppercorns, then coat the pig’s cheeks and cure in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Rinse and pat dry. Set the Big Green Egg for direct cooking at 180-200°C and grill the cheeks for 6-8 minutes until caramelised. Transfer to a heavy pan with onions, garlic, thyme and cider. Add woodchips, switch to indirect cooking and reduce to 110°C, then cook low and slow for 405 hours until meltingly tender, topping up with liquid if needed. Remove the cheeks and keep warm. Increase the temperature to 150°C, add chopped rhubarb, vinegar, honey, sugar and a splash of cider to the pan, and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender but holding shape. Stir through chopped lovage and adjust seasoning. Slice the cheeks, remove excess fat, and serve with the sharp rhubarb sauce alongside.
