OT: Outdoor Grills looking for insight

[znfdl]

My trusty 12 year old Weber Genesis will be replaced in the near term with a larger grill. I grill out almost 12 months a year and a natural gas grill is a must and cooking is probably my favorite hobby.

Looking for reccomendations for a larger sized grill. Some of the features that I am looking for include:

Having two different cooking levels on the same grill (side by side would be the best). For example a 4 foot grill divided into two foot independently cooking sections.
Preferably not a built in unit.
Does not need a side burner
Multi fuel use would be a plus, e.g the ability to add charcoal or wood to the cooking mix.

Any insight would be helpful. Thanks.

[Jonathan]

I've got back to charcoal even though we grill 12 months here in Fla. With a chimney starter I can have coals red hot and ready in 15 minutes(thanks Roman). I think everything tastes better and is worth the extra time.

[pdxmech13]

What would Steven Raichlen do?

We just bought our first outdoor grill last summer for the new house. We wanted something about the size your replacing with less of a foot print on our deck. I found this company and have been very happy so far.

Minden Grill

[bking]

i don't have one, but i have been considering a "big green egg" or one like it. Take a look: Big Green Egg, World's Best Smoker and Grill

I went through a gas fuel phase but i'm over it and back to charcoal etc. Best way to go.

[vqdriver]

On a related note for those using charcoal what do you prefer to use? The Kingston stuff leaves a strange taste even the non-matchlight.

[Ken Robb]

I like Kingsford regular charcoal in my 22.5" Weber Kettle. I have the model that is built into a rectangular cart with a storage bin for a whole bag of charcoal and the propane lighter which is a GOOD THING. I pile the coal, turn the valve,push the ignition button and have the fire well under way in 5 minutes so the propane lasts a long time. Never, ever, "save" old coals by shutting the vents to kill the fire. The old stuff won't get hot enough or last long enough to cook well.

I gave my gas grill away as it wouldn't get hot enough to char the exterior of a thick steak while keeping the center red/rare. It was ok for chicken and fish. The best gas grills I have used were Webers. I often cook chicken,etc. on a BIG Vermont Castings gas grill at a pal's home. We have 3 Weber Kettles for steaks and smoking there too. The VC is good for big meals but not for smaller amounts of food. It has 3 burners so in theory one can cook over just one for smaller amounts. It doesn't work as the heat dissipates to the cooler parts where the burners are turned off. Even when we light all 3 burners the heat is distributed unevenly and I have to keep moving bits of meat around so it all cooks the same in the end.

I would seriously consider having two smaller Weber Genesis grills for flexibility and control rather than one big one with gimmicks.

[dang]

I got nothing. I've been through several of the usual suspects for gas grills without loving any of them. If big piles of money are burning a hole in your pocket, I saw a huge outdoor Viking range at Bray & Scarf today in Arlington -- marked down to something like 3900 bucks (yikes) from a starting price of 7k (oy).

[Chance Legstrong]

Weber.
chimney starter.
lump coal

NEXT

[Too Tall]

Gas grills are horrible...it's like cooking inside the house except you are outside the house. Feh.
Whatever you get, go with charcoal.
I'm velly close to buying a large version of Big Green Egg and Offenbacher's is located close to me and have them in stock. I'm convinced I can do everything I want with it incl. pizza. The price is my stopping point, holy cow.

[John M]

Really like our Broilmaster P4. We've had ours 9 years and it is still in very good condition, even with 2-3 times/week use and storage outdoors in the wet Seattle climate. We have the stainless steel base, which has held up well to the elements. The P3 is larger, but I wouldn't call it a really "large" grill. I is not 4 feet wide. The Broilmasters do allow multi-level cooking side-by side. They sell an accessory that allows using wood for smoking. I don't have that so can't comment on how it works, and don't know if it can use regular charcoal.

Agree that charcoal grills give good flavor, but the convenience of gas has may vote.

[Fourflys]

"look son, this ain't no gas grill forum... we're gonna have to shut this here thread down..." "this site has a reputation to uphold..."
-forum police




BTW- I like OT threads...

[Roman]

"look son, this ain't no gas grill forum... we're gonna have to shut this here thread down..." "this site has a reputation to uphold..."
-forum police




BTW- I like OT threads...

But we like this thread, and you're being a smartass... znfdl bought me a bbq pork sandwich once. What do you have to add? If you turn this into a whining session over closed threads, you're getting banned.

Weber.

Chimney

That Cowboy wood charcoal.

Done.

[Ken C]

I like Kingsford regular charcoal in my 22.5" Weber Kettle. I have the model that is built into a rectangular cart with a storage bin for a whole bag of charcoal and the propane lighter which is a GOOD THING. I pile the coal, turn the valve,push the ignition button and have the fire well under way in 5 minutes so the propane lasts a long time. Never, ever, "save" old coals by shutting the vents to kill the fire. The old stuff won't get hot enough or last long enough to cook well.

I also have the Webber Performer and love it, I will never go back to gas again. I do like using Kingsford Competition Briquets, which at Costco are pretty cheap. Otherwise I will also use Wicked Good Lump Charcoal and sometimes mix it with the briquets depending on what I am cooking. Even though this grill has a gas starter, I use a chimney, but I pulled out the grate in the starter that holds the charcoal over the paper since I don't need it.

[Ken Robb]

RE: Big Green Egg: I had something very similar 30 years ago. It was great for cooking whole birds and roasts but the fuel grate had the coals too far from the food grate to sear steaks. After a year or so it started falling apart as the fired clay/ceramic parts crumbled. I haven't looked closely at the B.G.Egg but I doubt that it would be a do-all cooker. The main claim to fame of the one I had was that it would roast stuff using relatively little charcoal because the ceramic construction held the heat in well.

[Roman]

the egg isn't inexpensive, is it?

[itspeedmoore]

I have a big green egg and LOVE IT! The ceramic insulation means you use little charcoal. Last weekend I smoked a pork butt for pulled pork and used one chimney of charcoal and ran the smoker for 10 hours! Yes, the egg is expensive. But I smoke stuff all the time and its the best. Smoked salmon, pulled pork, bacon, turkeys, chicken...

[happycampyer]

I've always wanted to get a commercial charcoal grill like one of these:

Super PORTA-GRILL® | Commercial Barbecue Grill| Mesquite or Charcoal Grills | Belson Outdoors

60" Charcoal Grill - bm-60

[Wilkinson411]

Traeger for BBQ, weber one touch for grilling:)

[classtimesailer]

My weber one touch was rebuilt for the last time last year (my wife says so). Father's day this last year we got the Big Green Egg. Cooks whatever you want. We do steaks charred rare, pork tenderloin med rare, whole chicken on that upright thing at 700 degrees. Yep. 700 degrees. Smoke a bunch of ribs for 6 hours with no additional wood. Adjust the temp +/- 25 degrees. Everything you were told the Weber was but wasn't really. That is the Big Green Egg. There are BGE geeks like there are bike geeks. Lite the fire around 8 am. Put your short ribs on. Adjust the temp. Go for a 4 hour ride. Come back and eat melt in your mouth BBQ with some IPA.
Jeff.

[rydesteel]

Get the big Weber, chimney starter, lump charcoal yada yada. I have the 22 1/2" grill and the extra size would be nice for parties. I came back to charcoal after a brief romance with LP. Charcoal is the only way. Frank