More grill/BBQ questions

[xsnrg]

Our current home gas grill is giving up the ghost, and we are looking at options for a new one.

I would like to have one that has the convenience of gas, or close to it, without the hot spots/grease burn/etc problems. It just seems that every gas grill I have had burns too damn hot, and the burner doesn't have very uniform heating. Once you learn the burner, you learn where to put food, but it shouldn't have to work that way, and yes, I've tried ceramic bricks, lava rocks, etc. The best thing I found was a stainless screen type of thing that replaced all the rocks in my old grill. It kept grease off the burner, and didn't flare up as much, but it almost blocked too much heat.

Anyway, to that end, we have been looking at some of the weber charcoal grills with the gas starter, these are interesting, because there is no lighter fluid, more convenient than a standard charcoal grill, but you still get the flavor.

The other option I had considered was from an older thread on here about the wood pellet injection types. Those would be great, but I am worried that grilling on a whim with those isn't going to happen much.

Are there any gas grills out there that you can do a good grilling with, without having to run the burners on the lowest setting possible 100% of the time, and still worry about burning food? If not, has anyone tried the gas start charcoal types? Work well?

Finally, on the wood pellet types, how long of startup time are we talking, and how expensive is it to grill a lot with? How much material do you go through?

Either the pellet or charcoal will have additional cleanup work involved beyond standard gas, I understand that.

OK, enough ramblings, any assistance with these questions would be great!

Thanks,
Jim

[36Tango]

Wood pellets are a great way to go, but I think that the best is the Big Green Egg charcoal grill with an electric starter. You are ready to put food on in about 10 minutes, and it is awesome. I have one at the lake and at home, and I would rather use it that the gas grills that I have (also one at the lake and one at home :shock: ).

[HHARRIS]

not to hijack your thread BUT!!


a freind of mine has a new ( used once ) stainless 7 burner grille, that is super huge! its downfall is it runs off of natural gas only! hes selling it for $700 or so, if i remember correctly its about a $1200 grille, its got alot of storage and other hot compartments below it, it barely fits length wise in a shortbed truck with the gat down :shock:

he picked it up as a return at his store due to a couple of screws were rusted on it and the owner exchanged it under warranty and the store was going to destroy it??

let me know if your interested, I nor He have natural gas homes!

[Wildcat]

The Weber gas-start charcoal is my next grill...actually, I keep hoping one of mine will wear out so I can justify the purchase.

For quick fixes, we use a Brinkman gasser with cast iron burners and porcelain coated cooking surface...I've been pretty happy with it.

[waterbum]

A high quality grill (not the kind found at Home Depot or Lowes) will have a better burner (thicker stainless steel), thicker cast iron, thicker grates, etc. All of this adds up to a more consistent heat pattern and better heat control.

I bought a Broil King about 10 years ago. It is about the same size as most grills, but the burner puts out even heat to all parts of the grill. Cost around $600 where most of this size go for about $200. Go look at the ones at a bar-b-que speciality shop. My dad bought the cheap one and has now had to buy another after replacing the burner about 3 times.

I like to grill, so I finally invested in better grill. Makes drinking and grilling an easy task again.

I am sure there are other quality brands out there, but my Broil King has exceeded all of my expectations for quality and price.

[36Tango]

I was just out to our landfill (I am replacing a roof on a rental property, but thats another story), and I would bet that they have a stack of these Home Depot/Lowes/walmart type gas grills that is 20' high and 75 feet around. I think that these stores look at thier grills as an annuity. Nowadays I see that they try to trick fock you by making them fancy, or with fancy brand names, but inside they are the same junk. they do this with alot of products. Good luck!

[Wildcat]

Just an FYI, I can usually have my 79 dollar 22.5" weber charcoal ready to go in about 15 minutes using the chimney starter...

[36Tango]

Just an FYI, I can usually have my 79 dollar 22.5" weber charcoal ready to go in about 15 minutes using the chimney starter...



This weber is better than 99% of the gas grills you see at the mass merchants. If you don't want to spend $$$ on a higher end grill, i would stick to the ol' weber kettle! you won't regret it.

[xsnrg]

Absolutely, I still have the lil Joe, and the large kettle weber too. It's just that more often than not I... well, screw it, I'm just lazy, and want the easiest and the best.... [smilie=071.gif] The gas start weber looks cool.

[bajaeddie]

I personally do work for the Weber Grill Family I would suggest the summit 6 burner. Great grill and well constructed. Just my 2 cents worth :mrgreen:

[xsnrg]

What about the big green egg? I've heard a lot of good things about these, and if I am going to go to a charcoal type, which it looks like, then what can anyone say about these? One with electric start would be nice. Does anyone here have one?

[36Tango]

I have two and they are awesome. Go to biggreenegg.com and check them out.

[Wildcat]

Big Green Egg=Awesome=$$$$$$$

[JasonSmith]

I have a big f*cking stainless steel Jenn-Aire grill from Lowes. It was about $1200 has a rotisserie w/ burner a side burner & 5 cooking burners. All the lower burners have covers over them that protect from flame-ups. If you clean them off. I learned that is the key to keeping fires out.

[Baja Cruzin]

I have a Traeger pellet grill and I pre heat it for 15 min before I grill steaks. But the best part of this pellet grill is you can smoke ribs, brisket etc. for hours without
having to worry about anything. The pellet hopper will keep it going and the thermostat keeps it at the temp you set. Check them out at traegerstore.com

[Downtown42]

My Weber gas grill is 10 yrs old. Don't even need to turn the food, no flare ups, great engineering the way grease drains down.

Prior to this, I went thru them cheap grills every 1-2 yrs that are stacked up in landfills.

[36Tango]

I have a big f*cking stainless steel Jenn-Aire grill from Lowes


If you think this is a real jenn aite, you're kiddin' yourself. Another tactic of the mass merchants is to pay a licensing fee for a name, and then spec it out to China. Big ain't better, but it sells grills.



I have a Traeger pellet grill

I have heard that these are great.

[Jeepin_CJ7]

My parents just bought a Holland grill (The Tradition) and they like it. We were over for ribeye's this weekend, and they turned out great.

http://www.hollandgrill.com/

I looked through the manual and they have a great warranty, but I can't remember the exact time (25 years?).

http://www.hollandgrill.com/_ccLib/image/products/ADDI1-10.jpg

[Sparky]

I'm gonna get hammerd here but my 2 cents:

Electric

Brinkmann Convertable Smoker or Grill

I've used them for years. No flares, no fire, every thing cooked to perfection.

Daym, sound like a salesman!!!! But you plug in, cook, it's done!!

Downside, not as much grilling area.

My 2 cents$$$$

[xsnrg]

No wrong answers here my friends. If it works for you then it works. I never would have thought of an electric, and although I doubt I will go electric, I certainly like to entertain new ideas! Thanks for posting! [smilie=trink39]

[36Tango]

My parents just bought a Holland grill (The Tradition) and they like it. We were over for ribeye's this weekend, and they turned out great.


A Holland is a great grill built by great people. A buddy was giving his a ten year tune up and Holland gave him a new burner (he had called to purchase on). Be sure to register it.

One thing about it though. Since it "bakes" food, it is tough to get any kind of sear on meat, or to do things like corn on the cob. Pork roasts, beer up the butt chicken, and ribs come out great. Holland will not come out and say it, but they do agree that drilling up a couple of orfice sizes gives you better performance, especially in the winter. My buddies would barely hold 375 before we drilled it out, now it sticks at 425 (although he can valve it down).

Good luck.

[Rip5]

I prefer charcoal over gas everytime. Gas is convenient, but not the same flavor, even with wood chips or liquid smoke added. A big Weber kettle grill is all you will ever need.
If you are set on Gas, then a Weber Genesis is the way to go. It will last for many, many years.

Good Luck, and turn before they burn !! :mrgreen:

[Christian]

Pellets are the way to go IMNTBHO

I have had gas (webers) and still use charcoal in my big catering smoker, but since I just got my last weber repo'd (Brother in law loaned it to us when he moved into an apartment complex several years ago that allowed no grill) I have been thinking about getting either a trager or a Smith & Wesson pellet

MY competition cooker is a Fast Eddy by Cookshack and it is an aweosme machine, just do not want an all stainless refridgerator size unit on the deck :shock:

here are a couple of links to look at [smilie=trink39]

competion cooker, it will do steaks and such but damn it is a big sucker to move around

http://cookshack.radius3.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=88&=SID

The traeger unit I am looking at is the executive model

http://www.traegerindustries.com/grill1.htm#2

and the same unit from S&W but a heck of a lot less $$$

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=149979&pCatg=6171

[36Tango]

MY competition cooker is a Fast Eddy by Cookshack and it is an aweosme machine, just do not want an all stainless refridgerator size unit on the deck


Beides the 2 Big Green eggs, a Vermont castings gas, a Heat-N-Glo gas, an Oklahoma Joe wood, a Texas Metals gas griddle, and a brand X charcoal grill (on the boat), I also have the smaller Cookshack. For certain types of meat (brisket, loins, etc) it is awesome, and it all electric. Set it and forget it....until you are hungry later in the day. In all the grills, I use an electric temp probe where the unit sits on the outside of the grill, and ususally pull it with about 10 degrees to go. I have found that most grills/smokers work, its the operators that make the difference, and temperature is the key! A bit of a grill whore.

[Christian]

lets see, I guess I am a smoker whore as well

Cookshace FEC100
Jedmaster competition smoker (6, 5 ft racks on a rotisserie)
New Braunfels Bandera
OK Joe small offset
Weber Smokey Mountain
chapie propane grill for the dock
smoke and go portable water pan smoker
several propane turkey fryers

and as to toys
2 thermapens
several digital remote probes for intertal temps

A maverick remote dual probe with low and high temp alarms ( a very nice thing for overnight cooks at comps using charcoal)

36T have you seen the new CS smoker that uses an internal probe to cook to temp and then slow an dhold.
Stuart showed it to me last time I was in Ponca, I think the named it the americque

[Money Shot]

I had an Awsome baby weber grill stolen off a sandbar along with 2 chairs and a tent while out boating a few years back [smilie=101.gif] SO I never buy expensive stuff for camping or vacation homes that can't be watched.

[36Tango]

36T have you seen the new CS smoker that uses an internal probe to cook to temp and then slow an dhold.
Stuart showed it to me last time I was in Ponca, I think the named it the americque


I've seen quite a bit of this chit, as I attend the national trade show every other year or so (it is in conjunction with the fireplace trade show). At one time we sold them, but the mass merchants pretty well sucked up the market with imitation chit.