My late dad was a true grill master. His Big Green Egg was his pride and joy, and no one could touch his BBQ-especially his ribs. But two years ago, everything changed when he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. He fought bravely but passed away in June 2023, leaving a massive hole in our lives.
For two years, his Egg sat unused, quietly collecting rust and mold, a bittersweet reminder of him. In October, I decided it was time to bring it back to life. Restoring it was harder than I imagined-a bolt snapped when I was reattaching the bands, and the replacement kit was backordered for weeks. But I stayed determined.
Finally, after weeks of cleaning, scrubbing, de-rusting the grates, and replacing worn-out parts, the Egg was ready.
Yesterday, I fired it up for the first time since Dad last used it. I chose a pork butt for my first cook-because everything I read said it's forgiving for beginners.
The result? An absolute success. I couldn't help but feel like Dad was there with me, smiling, maybe even a little proud. His Egg is back in action, and while I'll never match his mastery, it feels good to honor him by keeping his BBQ legacy alive.
by PunchDrunkGiraffe
2 Comments
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Beautiful post, there are so few things in life that gain value with age, I’m glad you were able to restore your dad’s love piece and are able to make it your own.
If you need a ribs recipe, I have one that’s easy to follow from my local BGE store owner who won a few BBQ championships with this recipe. It was the first thing I cooked in my BGE and I’m consistently impressed with how good the ribs turn out.