You can adjust the hinge on a Big Green Egg to make the lid easier to lift and keep it out of the way. A Big Green Egg is a ceramic outdoor smoker grill styled after a classic clay cooker called a kamado. The basic two-piece ceramic base and lid design is connected by a hinge. Most Big Green Egg models have a spring-assisted band hinge, but older models and the Mini Egg have a more basic two-position scissor-style hinge. Lifting the heavy lid to adjust cooking foods can be difficult if the hinge is not properly adjusted.
Wait until the Big Green Egg is completely cool before attempting to make any adjustments to the hinge. The hinges are made of metal and stay hot for hours as the ceramic cooker slowly cools.
Tighten the band around the lid of the Big Green Egg by adjusting a crescent wrench to the correct size and turning the two silver bolts that connect the metal strap clockwise. The band should be tightened until it does not slide or wobble on the lid.
Tighten the silver bolt or bolts in the hinge a half turn in a clockwise direction while the lid is closed. Scissor-hinge models will have silver bolts at the rear of the Big Green Egg that tighten to make the lid less wobbly as it lifts. Spring-assisted models have a single silver bolt that can be tightened to adjust the tension of the spring.
Test the adjustment by raising and lowering the lid. Turn the adjustment bolts an additional half turn and retest until you have the lift action you are looking for.
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Jeffrey Brian Airman is a writer, musician and food blogger. A 15-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Airman has used his experience to cover food, restaurants, cooking and do-it-yourself projects. Airman also studied nursing at San Diego State University.