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Grillin'!


Balta1701

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I'm looking to buy a grill at some point in the next couple weeks, and frankly I'm not even sure where to start, so I figured I'd attempt a post here and see if y'all had any recommendations or things you really hated.

 

Here's my situation:

 

I've got a deck now, so I've got plenty of room to put one. To first order, money isn't an issue as long as I'm getting something worth the money. I'm planning to live in my current place for probably 2-3 years and then have at least 1 more move expected in life before I hopefully wind up becoming a homeowner, so I would need to plan to be able to move whatever I buy.

 

Here's my 3 general lines of thought so far:

 

1. Go cheap, buy one of the classic charcoal Weber style grills. Pros; easy to move, cheapest option. Cons; can't use gas or cook at a constant heat.

 

2. Go intermediate. Buy one of the cheaper model gas grills. Maybe somewhat harder to move or care for, costs a bit more than a classic model, might not always be the best setup for doing any smoking, but can probably hold a constant temperature for better. May wear down and need replacement faster than a more expensive model.

 

3. Go all out. Cons; price, likelihood that I'll need to move it at some point. Pros; hopefully can find something that lasts a good long time and does everything I could possibly want.

 

What kinds do you own? Any you particularly like or hate?

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Got a 6 burner gas BBQ where I'm currently ATM.

 

Use it quite a lot whenever I cook anything meatish, or even some corn or pineapple. We've also got a Weber, that we use to cook larger things such as Turkey.

 

Haven't used charcoal before so wouldn't be able to make a recommendation there.

 

I suppose whatever you think cooks best is the right option, and if it's portable, even better.

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 12, 2010 -> 09:59 AM)
Any experience smoking say a rack of ribs for 2 hours on one of those?

 

yeah, i cooked them indirectly. i used a rib rack, put the coals up the other side, and cracked the lid above the ribs so it would pull the heat towards the ribs. It worked good.

 

Honestly though, the best ribs i have made yet I made in the oven for this past years superbowl. I cooked them at 200 degrees for about 4 hours. They fell off the bone

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 12, 2010 -> 09:59 AM)
Any experience smoking say a rack of ribs for 2 hours on one of those?

 

My buddy smokes all kinds of meat on his Weber. I would get a Weber or cheaper gas until you are somewhere more permanent, then go for the nice one you really want.

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QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 12, 2010 -> 10:06 AM)
yeah, i cooked them indirectly. i used a rib rack, put the coals up the other side, and cracked the lid above the ribs so it would pull the heat towards the ribs. It worked good.

 

Honestly though, the best ribs i have made yet I made in the oven for this past years superbowl. I cooked them at 200 degrees for about 4 hours. They fell off the bone

 

Did you use that recipe that somebody(can't remember who) on here posted? I tried it and they were awesome. I still have it if anybody wants it.

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QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Apr 12, 2010 -> 10:09 AM)
Did you use that recipe that somebody(can't remember who) on here posted? I tried it and they were awesome. I still have it if anybody wants it.

 

I found a badass bobby flay dry rib rub online, it has a lot of kick in it so I have to dial it down a bit for my wife.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bbq-wit...cipe/index.html

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon granulated onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

 

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Pack on the dry rub onto your next rack of ribs.

 

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QUOTE (Controlled Chaos @ Apr 12, 2010 -> 11:42 AM)

 

I made the Chaos Ribs and they were outstanding! :headbang

 

I used a Weber charcoal grill for 15 years before finally buying a good gas grill that I've had for almost 5 years now. I like the convenience of the gas and I grill way more often (had grilled steaks and veggies just last night), but I can very honestly say I like the flavor of wood or charcoal much better than propane.

 

Given your situation, Balta, I think I'd stick with the charcoal grill for now.

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Doesn't necessarily have to be a weber, but any charcoal grill is a must. Call me a purist, a nut, biased, or whatever you want. If you want to convenience of cooking on gas, cook in the damn house.

 

The charcoal, learning the proper amount, how to place it/where to place it, waiting for it to get ready is all a part of the pure experience. And after you learn how much (and this takes time), you'll be able to cook on consistent heat just fine, don't let the gas heads fool you on this. Also, you can get charcoal that's ready in under 6 minutes if you are in a hurry.

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Depends on what style of cooking you're going to use.

 

If you're going to be using mostly direct grilling (anything done on high heat that takes less than 30 minutes) I'd go with a gas grill. Pre-heating the coals and getting a solid high-heat cooking temperature is more time consuming and difficult on a charcoal grill. I've mostly used a gas grill and it's pretty convenient if you're just going to grill some steaks or chicken breasts.

 

However, if you're going to do more indirect, slow roasting style cooking, you should really go charcoal or a smoker. It will take a little practice to get a good low flame going, but you get a really good smokey flavor even using just a standard weber kettle grill. I've done stuff like ribs, pork shoulder and whole chickens with good results on our weber, though for some stuff you really need to make a major time investment (a good pork shoulder or brisket will take 5 hours plus). You can do that stuff on a gas grill, but you'd need to get one with a smoker box to do it (never been a fan of just putting the foil pack full of wood chips on the burner).

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