Charcoal Grills - In the market!

Jstas

OK, I recently got some extra cash. I'll probably be getting more next week since Saturday is my B-day. That's of no concern though. Charcoal grills are!

Do not suggest propane or gas grills, they are not an option. I had a built in gas grill in my yard and I ripped it out and sold it for scrap so that should give you an idea of how much I appreciate gas grills.

On to bigger and better things! Charcoal grills. I have used them. Mostly friends and my parents. I do not have one of my own. Well, I have a small table top one but that's it. I want a bigger one. Thing is, I was going to get a New Braunfels grill because, well, they are nice. However, New Braunfels is now owned by Char Broil and the drum and side-by-side stuff that Char Broil is selling under their "gourmet" lines is the New Braunfels design but doesn't seem to be the same quality. I can compare directly because my father has New Braunfels' "deluxe" grill and their old "Outlaw" side-by-side smoker.

Given that my pretty much only desired choice is no more, I was hoping to get some ideas on what the rest of you charcoal grill masters use so I can at least start researching other options.

BTW, I'm good at dutch oven cooking and I'll be picking up this wee-beasty for a fire-pit/charcoal pit to use for my dutch ovens"



http://www.cabelas.com/product/Landmann-Big-Sky-Northern-XT-Wheeled-Wildlife-Fire-Pit/748344.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfire%2Bpit%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=fire+pit&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Cabela's actually has the cheapest price on that at $230. Add a coupon for free shipping or $20 off and it gets even cheaper. Most other places have the exact same pit for $320+.

Jstas

Also, if it helps any in consideration of suggestions. I learned to cook on a grille and open fire in the Boy Scouts. I'm actually quite good at it and I know how to control my fire. So while stuff like a Weber kettle style grille or a Green Egg smoker are open for suggestion, don't feel you have to limit suggestions. I don't fear the larger and less user friendly grills and smokers. In most cases I actually prefer them. So suggest away!

decal

Three words.... Big Green Egg.

Rivrrat

I do my charcoal grilling on the bottom half of my Weber Smokey Mtn Cooker, but if I were looking for a grill, I'd look at Weber kettle grills.

I-SIG

decal wrote: »

Three words.... Big Green Egg.

+1000

Wes

danger boy

http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&cId=SEARCH&productId=3086667&cm_mmc=SCE_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Master%20Forge%20Dually%20Charcoal%20Grill%20DGO576CC

this one looks like a decent charcoal grill. i see them every time I"m in Lowes shopping for other stuff.. but the design looks well thought out and well made. check it out.

Master Forge Dually charcoal grill about $200. other than that John.. you may want to check into some higher quality ones. more on the pro side than some of the poorly made consumer quality ones.

also, check out a BBQ forum.. just like people come here to learn about speakers.. you should go to a BBQ forum to learn about grills

toucanet

If your budget is in the $3,500 & above range, look into http://www.komodokamado.com/

Polkersince85

I use a 24" John Deere Harrow disk with a round chrome grill from Home Depot. The disk was free, the grill about 10 bucks.

Ricardo

PM me and I will give you some great tips on gas grills.

steveinaz

TRAEGER wood pellet grill (The "Texas")...and never look back.

http://www.traegergrills.com/

toucanet

Ricardo wrote: »

PM me and I will give you some great tips on gas grills.

"Do not suggest propane or gas grills, they are not an option. I had a built in gas grill in my yard and I ripped it out and sold it for scrap so that should give you an idea of how much I appreciate gas grills."

Ricardo

Exactly.

treitz3

decal wrote: »

Three words.... Big Green Egg.

Yes, sir. This should be the end of this discussion unless...

toucanet wrote:

If your budget is in the $3,500 & above range, look into http://www.komodokamado.com/

I have the BGE and I got it off of a suggestion by toucanet. I can't thank that gentleman enough for that suggestion. Believe it or not, these grills have such a following that forums have been created to help maximize your grilling experience with them and there are some serious grillers on those forums. I've had mine for about a year and I have yet to cook a bad meal on it. Because of the design, meats come out juicier than they ever have. My advice would be to give these two some serious thought, John. Your taste buds will thank you.

Jstas

steveinaz wrote: »

TRAEGER wood pellet grill (The "Texas")...and never look back.

http://www.traegergrills.com/

I was lookin' at them but they aren't cheap. That Texas model is a grand. Plus, nobody local has them. One guy has them in West Berlin but he doesn't stock them. You order it from him, he ships to his place and you go get it. You pay shipping as well plus his retail price and NJ state sales tax. It'd be cheaper to get it direct from Traeger.

Thing is though, the only place that carried the pellets...Bristol, PA. About 30 miles away. So either I blow a bunch of gas just to buy fuel or buy it online and have it shipped. Kinda inconvenient if I run out of fuel in the middle of a BBQ. I'm sure they are great options but they aren't real practical for me. So I dunno if I'm gonna go with that idea. Gotta research more locally but, believe me, it's being considered.

Although, do you know if they can use the corn pellets for the pellet heaters they use up here? If they can, that might put that option back on the table.

Jstas

Polkersince85 wrote: »

I use a 24" John Deere Harrow disk with a round chrome grill from Home Depot. The disk was free, the grill about 10 bucks.

Oh, I could probably do a 55 gallon oil drum like we had at the shop. But it requires a bit of work and the drum rusts out fairly quickly. I don't really have a disc harrow hanging around for spare parts either. My dad's New Braunfels stuff has been in service since about 2004 and probably has another 10 years left in it. The oil drum setup it replaced only lasted 4 years before it rusted through in the middle of a barbeque dumping about 5 pounds of burning coals on the ground.

Jstas

danger boy wrote: »

http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&cId=SEARCH&productId=3086667&cm_mmc=SCE_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Master%20Forge%20Dually%20Charcoal%20Grill%20DGO576CC

this one looks like a decent charcoal grill. i see them every time I"m in Lowes shopping for other stuff.. but the design looks well thought out and well made. check it out.

Master Forge Dually charcoal grill about $200. other than that John.. you may want to check into some higher quality ones. more on the pro side than some of the poorly made consumer quality ones.

also, check out a BBQ forum.. just like people come here to learn about speakers.. you should go to a BBQ forum to learn about grills

I'm liking that one!

But I have no idea where one would find these "pro" level ones?

Face

decal wrote: »

Three words.... Big Green Egg.

What's their price range?

I-SIG

treitz3 wrote: »

I have the BGE and I got it off of a suggestion by toucanet. I can't thank that gentleman enough for that suggestion. Believe it or not, these grills have such a following that forums have been created to help maximize your grilling experience with them and there are some serious grillers on those forums. I've had mine for about a year and I have yet to cook a bad meal on it. Because of the design, meats come out juicier than they ever have. My advice would be to give these two some serious thought, John. Your taste buds will thank you.

Yup. You can get a reasonably juicy well done piece of flesh, if that is your thing. You can bake with it. I finished off some mac 'n cheese Saturday on the BGE. Fish is phenomenal if you do your part. A veggie pan/tray makes fish and shrimp a lot easier. A pizza stone is great too.

A BBQ guru is a super help for those long 24-hour smokes.

Wes

I-SIG

Face wrote: »

What's their price range?

For a large, you're probably looking at $700 or more for a basic kit. I know it's a lot, but just remember there's no metal parts to rust out like on almost every other type of grill out there, gas or charcoal. It's a one-time hit and your grilling/smoking/outdoor-baking/etc. needs are done for life. I wouldn't go smaller than a large unless you get a mini BGE for camping and travel.

Wes

Sherardp

I would do something like a Brinkmann or Landmann so you have the smoke box in there also. Nothing like a good smoked shoulder, ribs, or chicken. I have a gas grill, but recently bought a Masterbuilt smoker which should be fun when it arrives. If I could, I would definitely go with something like a Brinkmann or similar plus chimney starter. Weber's are ok, but they don't last long at all. I think I must have gone through at least 2 since being out here.

I have heard great things about the Big Green Egg, but they are pricey.

http://www.amazon.com/Landmann-590135-Charcoal-Smoker-506-Square/dp/B0036186TW

treitz3

I-SIG wrote: »

For a large, you're probably looking at $700 or more for a basic kit. I know it's a lot, but just remember there's no metal parts to rust out like on almost every other type of grill out there, gas or charcoal. It's a one-time hit and your grilling/smoking/outdoor-baking/etc. needs are done for life. I wouldn't go smaller than a large unless you get a mini BGE for camping and travel.

Wes

Yeah, that's about the going rate. I would suggest that you look on Craigslist or something along those lines to purchase on the used market but I don't recall ever seeing one used being put up for sale. That right there says a lot.

I got extremely lucky and purchased mine for only 250 smackers from a cat that bought out a couple of 18-wheeler trailers of things from a business that went out of business. Good timing on my part. One further note, if you ever need suggestions or advice, talk to toucanet. He's got years of serious grilling experience on both of his Kumodo's.

Jstas

Sherardp wrote: »

I would do something like a Brinkmann or Landmann so you have the smoke box in there also. Nothing like a good smoked shoulder, ribs, or chicken. I have a gas grill, but recently bought a Masterbuilt smoker which should be fun when it arrives. If I could, I would definitely go with something like a Brinkmann or similar plus chimney starter. Weber's are ok, but they don't last long at all. I think I must have gone through at least 2 since being out here.

I have heard great things about the Big Green Egg, but they are pricey.

http://www.amazon.com/Landmann-590135-Charcoal-Smoker-506-Square/dp/B0036186TW

Yeah, a friend has Big Green Egg and after he optioned it out, cost him a grand. He loves it but he usually has a cheap $15 drug store special cooking along side it for BBQ's when his family is over. Otherwise he has to cook in waves and he doesn't like that 'cause invariably, someone is waiting and pissing and moaning.


However, I've been looking at side-by-sides all day in between laundry loads and a guy I used to work with actually competes in BBQ competitions. Did not know that. He sent me a message on Facebook and told me about this company called Horizon Smokers out of Oklahoma.

He recommended this one for a backyard BBQ guy.

http://www.horizonbbqsmokersstore.com/servlet/the-373/16%22-Classic-Backyard-Smoker/Detail

It's 1/4" thick structural piping. Might as well be cast iron. A bit overbuilt too. But golly is it sure purty!

Thing is though, alot of guys don't use their smoker for grilling. I'm not sure why so I have to pick some brains on that one. Still, if I'm dropping 7 large and then some on a smoker, it'd better handle a brisket or a whole turkey or multiple racks. I have yet to see a BGE do anything like that.

treitz3

Well, damn. If you wanted a commercial cooker, you should have said something. You want a quality cooker and one of the best out there? It has been suggested. BTW, the BGE does have a company out there that does make the multi-layer thing for it....3 layers IIRC.

If you are looking for a commercial cooker or a cooker that can handle the masses, that's a whole new ball of wax and the suggestions on designs and techniques vary as much as the audio world and what sounds good.

I-SIG

treitz3 wrote: »

Well, damn. If you wanted a commercial cooker, you should have said something. You want a quality cooker and one of the best out there? It has been suggested. BTW, the BGE does have a company out there that does make the multi-layer thing for it....3 layers IIRC.

If you are looking for a commercial cooker or a cooker that can handle the masses, that's a whole new ball of wax and the suggestions on designs and techniques vary as much as the audio world and what sounds good.

I'm not familiar with the BGE commercial or layer thing, but a large will handle a whole turkey or 2 Boston Butts without a problem. You can feed a lot of folks with that.

They do make an extra large BGE. Not sure of the pricing on that.

Wes

Jstas

That's hardly a commercial cooker, dude.

Commercial cookers are usually mounted on trailers.

A 16" by 32" grill is roughly 660 square inches of cooking space. That's moderate and about what your standard propane grill has for cooking space. They BGE's and other ceramic cookers that you guys are suggesting are not even half that. I'm open to all suggestions and I knew alot of people were going to call out BGE's and other ceramic style grilles as well as Webers. But, like I said earlier, I have experience with this stuff and I'm not intimidated by size or user friendliness. Stuff like BGE's and Webers are designed to be about as fool-proof as something like a BBQ grill can be made. They make the average joe look spectacular and people with the high levels of experience look like wizards when using them. Stuff like side-by-sides and cylindrical "pits" (the tall towers you see around) are not for amateurs and require some practice to use effectively. I got skillz on a grill so I can appreciate the Webers and BGEs but at the same time, I look at the larger, more intimidating equipment and see potential.

I'm mainly asking for ideas because the company I've trusted for a while now is no longer. I need ideas but I'm not opposed to "outside the box" ideas either.

If I could get something like a BGE with 400 or more square inches of cooking space, I'd probably give it serious consideration. But the 20" BGE, lotta price for a nice grill but not alot of grill either. Especially when the Horizon Smokers beast is roughly the same price. BTW, that one I posted from Horizon is the smallest they make.

And I'm doing my best to not come off like a condescending jerk.

treitz3

John, it's all good. The last one you linked looks like it has the basic design principals that would do food justice. I guess because I have had he pleasure of cooking on what has been suggested, I am a bit biased. If you ever have the pleasure of learning what they can do, I believe you would know what I mean.

I apologize if I came off like a condescending jerk. Happy grilling, regardless of what you decide to do. This, coming from one grill master to another. Happy 4th!

I-SIG

No problems....I guess I have a lot smaller family and circle of friends to cook for on occasion. As was already said, if you wanted commercial-level gear, shoulda said so up front. An XL BGE can cook the following:

• two 20-pound turkeys
• 24 burgers
• 11 whole chickens
• 12 steaks
• 14 racks of ribs vertically

Link: Extra Large Big Green Egg

That list sure seems like an awful lot of food to me, but like I said, if you want to cook for an army.....

If you wanted something on trailer, why not get one of those units that look like a revolver? :eek:

Wes

TECHNOKID

Jstas wrote: »

Oh, I could probably do a 55 gallon oil drum like we had at the shop. But it requires a bit of work and the drum rusts out fairly quickly. I don't really have a disc harrow hanging around for spare parts either. My dad's New Braunfels stuff has been in service since about 2004 and probably has another 10 years left in it. The oil drum setup it replaced only lasted 4 years before it rusted through in the middle of a barbeque dumping about 5 pounds of burning coals on the ground.

If you are looking just for good charcoal BBQuing a reasonable pricing here some DIY idea; http://www.planetbarbecue.co.uk/shopdiy.htm

When I was in Masset Queen Charlotte Island BC in the early 80s (I was in the military then) I built some similar with modest recycled material.

I used sturdy wood which I recupe from dismantling a room that later became a walking fridge.

With the recycled wood I made a heavy table which was at waiste level.

I then used sand (available locally from under my feet just about everywhere on the island ). Maybe a couple inches if I can recall.

I then poured concrete over the remainder of the table form.

I had used bricks readily available so I used it to form the surrounding walls of the fire pit. I laid the bricks in such a way so some edges would flow slightly on the insided creating a resting area for the grill.

When I buited the walls and grill resting area I made sure it was a perfect fit for a recycled large electric stove grill.

I used that DIY innexpensive but to me luxury charcoal intensely (daily use) for 3 years (all year around) without any signs of wear and tear. The only reason it was taken down after the 3 years is because I was transferred to another location and did not dare move it with me since the crown was paying for my move (however I know the oven grill is still somewhere in my workshop and would still be quite efficient for the task).

The only reason I never built similar when I acquired my house is the stories around charcoal being an issue with cancer so I then opted for gaz which apparently was not as nocive heathwise. If I could trust charcoal I would not hesitate to built such again, innexpensive, will not rust and would last a life time.

mewisemagic

plain old round weber charcoal grill is hard to beat for burgers/dogs and they last a long time

steveinaz

Jstas wrote: »

I was lookin' at them but they aren't cheap. That Texas model is a grand. Plus, nobody local has them. ....Although, do you know if they can use the corn pellets for the pellet heaters they use up here? If they can, that might put that option back on the table.

Cabelas carries the Texas for $999, and I *think* shipping is free. As far as corn pellets, couldn't tell you fo sure John.

treitz3

There is a Big Green Egg to fit everyone's outdoor cooking needs with five sizes ranging from Mini to Extra Large. You can use the EGG? year around in all climates, even in freezing temperatures or during pouring rain. You will find it more versatile than any outdoor cooking appliance on the market, whether comparing it to gas, electric or another charcoal grill, because the EGG is a smoker, a grill and an oven all rolled into one. Here are some of the reasons current owners love their EGG.

It's A Complete Outdoor Cooker

The Big Green Egg has unparalleled cooking flexibility. You can grill steaks and chops to the perfect degree of doneness, cooking at temperatures up to 750?F for steakhouse searing. But if fallin'-off-the-bone ribs or a tasty, juicy brisket is on your menu, the EGG will maintain a low temperature of 200? to 250?F for the low-and-slow smoke cooking that develops wonderful flavor while tenderizing the meat. Whether searing or slow cooking, prepare the entire meal on the grill by adding any of your favorite vegetables to the cooking grid. If you're longing for cornbread, biscuits, a freshly baked loaf of bread or even a warm pie or cobbler to complete your meal, the EGG bakes better than a brick oven.

The simple secret to temperature control is the easily adjustable dampers that let you maintain accuracy within a few degrees. The exterior temperature gauge gives precise temperature readings of the cooker's internal temperature.

Awesome Results
Big Green Egg
The EGG retains moisture in foods and releases flavor unequalled by other types of cooking, indoors or outdoors, thanks to the space-age ceramics from which the cooker is made. Foods don't dry out and meat undergoes little or no shrinkage. Foods will have a natural and wholesome quality and there are no metallic or chemical tastes. The ceramic surface doesn't get as hot as a metal cooker, also making the EGG safer to use.

Easy to Start

The Big Green Egg reaches cooking temperature and is ready to use in approximately 10 minutes. The inventive design of the EGG draws air into the lower draft door, through the charcoal, and out of the damper top. We recommend using natural lump charcoal, which lights quickly, and by using a natural fire starter, or an electric lighter, no lighter fluid is ever needed!

Easy Clean Up

Burning natural lump charcoal results in less ash than burning briquettes, thus less frequent ash clean out is required. The Big Green Egg exterior has a lifetime glaze that maintains its good looks and easily wipes clean with a damp cloth. Inside, the heat burns off any grease build-up - like a self-cleaning oven.

*******************************************************************************


These are just some of the benefits. There are many more. I posted this not to be "that guy" but to help you out in your decision. I have the pizza stones and I have the bread [Clay based, soak the top in water bread oven that you put into the BGE] and man, every recipe that I have made comes out as good as I imagined or better.

Then, you get into the different charcoals and wood chips.....Oh, dear. The possibilities are endless and always consistent. Why go on such a steep learning curve when there is consistency and great grilling without effort?

Hot spots are a thing of the past. Nothing but great food and envy from those who have actually tasted what has come from it. My next grill purchase will be none other than that from...

http://www.komodokamado.com/