BBQ Recommendations

PBinWA · May 31, 2005

Now I'm sure there will be some recommendations on a new BBQ/Grill. I like the flavor of charcoal but the convenience of propane is beckoning.

Maybe some sort of hybrid gas/charcoal unit?

I'd like something easy to clean and not too big. I don't think I need any side burners but lets hear what y'all have to say about your favorite set up.

This could be an interesting thread.

BTW - the CFO has committed to pay for this capital expense from her budget so I don't need the cheapest grill (although under $500 will get me some brownie points).

Mith · Jun 1, 2005

You cant possibly whoose out and get a gas! Some of there 'BBQs' are better than our main cooker in our kitchen (we still cook on wood). Nothing can substitute the carbonised on the ouside and undercooked on the inside of good old normal NON GAS barbies. Talk to Goodoleboy, i think hes got some spare oil barrels for you to make into a proper barbie (think thats the right guy)
sorry i didnt answer your question /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Egon · Jun 1, 2005

I'm with Mith. Wood ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mines a large flat rock with some bricks to support the grill. It'll easily get you buget brownie points! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

txdon · Jun 1, 2005

PB, The setup I have, and like, is a pit with a separate fire box using Post Oak wood. It smells like grandpa's smokehouse when I'm BBQing.

jeffinsgf · Jun 1, 2005

I currently use a Big Green Egg. It is a ceramic, dome-shaped affair that can grill or smoke. A couple of good handsful of charcoal will burn for 10 hours at 200 to 250 with just a little attention to the dampers. Or, you can open the dampers and get a fire up to about 700 degrees, if you like to sear your steaks (just watch them closely!).

The speed of start up of a gas grill calls my name from time to time (usually when the fire is being contrary), so I have done some investigation on hybrids, and found the Kamado. It can cook with gas, or start charcoal or wood from gas, or you can skip the gas altogether. It has the same ceramic dome design as the Big Green Egg. Both are an adaptation of an Oriental design several hundred (thousand??) years old. The ceramic holds the heat in better than anything I have ever used, and holds up better than anything on the market. How many people can say that they have been cooking 3 or 4 days of the week, 10 months of the year for 7 years on the same gas or charcoal grill? I have, and the BGE looks as good as the day we brought it home.

If I were buying today, I would probably get a dual fuel Kamado. In fact, as soon as some other capital expenditures are forgotten by the CFO /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif , I plan on getting one. But, you won't go wrong with either a Kamado or a BGE.

ronjhall · Jun 1, 2005

Here is link to a similar thread from last year. Should help with your selection. Click Here

Bob_Skurka · Jun 1, 2005

I think you need to find OKEEDON to give you your answer. Prior to his retirement, he sold and installed premium grills, built outdoor kitchens and is probably more familiar with this topic than ALL of us combined. I can tell you he owns a Phoenix brand grill.

I also own one of the stainless steel Phoenix grills. I would recommend it, but I also strongly suggest you check one out before you buy, because they are not quite normal and you may not like what they do and how they do it.

My observation is to be careful. There are a lot more grills out there than there used to be. Many of the Stainless Steel grills are very lightly built, many of grills have substandard parts inside (I rusted out the guts of a "Ducane" grill twice before I tossed it out and replaced it with the Phoenix. Weber Silver series is a very good basic grill, I have one of those down by the pool house. They are not fancy, but they are very well made and stand up to neglect.

PBinWA · Jun 1, 2005

I figured their might be a link to a past thread some where but I think there has been an explosion of grill varieties in the last year. Maybe I wasn't looking that hard last year but it seems like there are tons of different grills around now.

I do want to avoid the cheap parts and rusting out if possible so hopefully there will be some good advice.

I'm thinking of doing a big fire pit in the back yard for serious wood cooking but this BBQ will be on the deck and used for the quick nightly dinner.

Thanks again for the wisdom and experience - keep it coming!

PBinWA · Jun 1, 2005

Those Kamado grills are funky! Might be a little too funky for boring old me (how about a flat black model) but they also look to have all the features I would like.

Thanks for pointing out the link.

PBinWA · Jun 1, 2005

I just read through the old thread and soaked up all OkeeDon's wisdom. I think I like the idea of Propane for this grill since I was going to plumb it into the house propane tanks anyways. I'd like to have this on a one story up deck near the kitchen so it is easily accessible.

I'll probably build a BBQ pit out back for wood and charcoal grilling or maybe even get a big green egg and put it under the deck on the ground floor (easier to clean up the charcoal).

It looked like OkeeDon was big on the Weber Genesis Gold B as a good mid level grill in my price range.

Weber Genesis Gold B at Amazon

Does anyone else have one of these? Anything bad to say about them?

After reading the other thread and seeing the cabbage and onion recipes I think I need to start a thread on interesting regional BBQ recipes. Just in time for summer!