I know this group has a lot of barbecue experts, so this is only semi-ot.
For Father's Day, I got from my kids and wife a new barbecue. Well, I didn't exactly get it, but they will get the one I want.
I have getting by for years on a medium-size Weller dome lid. However, now I want something bigger and more serious. I like the quick start and control of propane, but I like the flavor-enhancement possibilites of charcoal. Any good hybrids available?
Well, sort of. The truth is we are only really any good at frying chips :-)
Hello Richard,
The plain old large size Weber is IMHO the best. Real men use charcoal or wood to barbeque. Nothing but charcoal and wood. And a beer, but none of this cheap stuff.
Most of the large hardware stores and places like Costco sell those stainless steel gas grills that allow the placement of coals between the flames and the rack. But make sure that this is endorsed in the manual. I'd just stay with a known brand like Weber or Brinkmann and then still check out the mechanics really good. Personally I would not consider anything where the hinges and their counterparts are cast iron. Yesterday we were at a friend's house and I was declared the impromptu grillmeister. It was a nice Brinkmann gas grill but the cast hinges had both broken off, making opening of the lid quite a challenge. Oh, and the electric igniter thingamagic had quit so starting is was also a bit adventurous.
Now you could go to a home expo and take a look at those outdoor kitchen units. The kind that Jim has. But it could be that your kids cringe because they didn't imagine it could be into the four digit price range.
Also, remember that propane and natural gas have very different BTU ratings. The orifices of the burners must be different.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
Propane, but has a smoker tray...
Brand is DCS (stainless, commercial grade), cost ~$3K for the main unit and the side burners (on the left).
Warmers on the right are converted from Sam's Club canned heat warmers by adding propane burners underneath.
Construction, tiling and electrical work by yours truly, with aid from the two sons to erect the steel framing.
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
I have a stainless steel natural gas grill that has a "smoker tray". It is good for adding smoke when, say, I am smoking some meat. I do not use smoker tray when I am grilling.
It works very well and cooking is quite easy. I no longer have to run back and forth to Ace Hardware with gas tanks, due to it using natural gas.
i
Liquid oxygen is the fastest way to start a barbeque fire. Coals are typically ready to use in 0.3 seconds.
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Those igniters seem to have a lifetime specified in clicks. Mine are about 11 years old and are all starting to fail one right after the other.
But they are readily available in most BBQ stores, and really easy to replace.
...Jim Thompson
-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | |
Hello Jim,
On that Brinkmann it was one central button and the instructions said to hold it 3-5 seconds, for each burner that's needed, while turning the burner to "high". This button felt like nothing could be depressed behind its rubber cap.
I am not a fan of gas grills and with a lighter we could only get the rightmost burner going. But I must say that the 2" thick steaks came out absolutamente perfecto.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
I use charcol and lighter fuel, but I usually light it about an hour before I want to use it.
As for hybrids, just a thought but my parents used to have a coke fired cooking range (AGA) , the sort that normally you let burn round the clock, but when you do need to relight it, it was a pig. They used a propane stocker, just a sort of flattend tube with holes that you lit and plunged into the coke. I would guess something like that would be good for charcol, but then again I think a good charcol fire always needs time to mature, so probably not better than lashings of liquid:-)
BTW, I know some people sprinke sawdust on propane BBQ's to get a charcol like smoked effect!
If you're not going to take the time to use charcoal or wood, please, go back to Massachusets. ;-)
Tim
-- Deep Fryer: a very philosophical monk. Website:
Sounds like we are talking of different "buttons". Yours sounds like a thermal interlock on the gas valve to ensure ignition. I'm talking of the piezoelectrics that, when flexed, make a spark.
On the gas valves I find that a little spray of WD-40 is needed every once in a while so that they can be pushed in and turned without excessive force.
In your neck of the woods (literally ;-) you probably have more corrosion and spider web issues than we have here in God's country ;-)
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Hello Jim,
This one was supposed to actually ignite the burner. It's not one of those "hold until it's hot enough buttons". But if two or more things are broken on a grill it is often less expensive to buy a whole new unit. Except maybe on high-end stuff like yours.
Yes. We tend to just "burn it off". That's where simple grills like a Weber excel. There really isn't much that can plug or break. Less accident prone as well since the amount of available fuel is so small compared to a propane cylinder. A few weeks ago one went kablouie here in town and it burned down a house.
We use the Weber every other day and year-round. Tonight it's going to be ribs and bratwurst.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
I remember the LOX barbecue website, but I think it wsa takne down by the authors at their employers' request.
Yep. I did baby-backs and BBQ'd chicken yesterday for "Father's" Day.
...Jim Thompson
-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | |
I was going to buy a $500 Weber Genesis Silver B grill, but opted instead for the $55 Weber "go-anywhere gas grill" after hearing that quite a few folks hide it in their >$1000 stainless "prestige" patio grills. They use the little Weber to do the real cooking because it works so darn well. It's really amazing. I've had several little gas grills and this is the first one that doesn't suck. It's actually greatly exceeded my expectations. I was also tempted by the very nice compact Ducane SS grill sold at Home Depot, but am glad I didn't buy it since many reviewers said it looks nice but cooks lowsy. Do your research and don't listen to the sales people, unless there's a really honest one.
Of course, reading a book on how to BBQ correctly helped as well. I recommend "The Fire Chef."
Unless you need big, a large grill just wastes fuel. I just cook for my wife and I, and charcoal isn't an option in an apartment (condemned to poverty living in CA; but eating well.) so the little Weber is perfect. It's more of a slow-cooking grill, not a steak searer. Consider a Weber Q if you do mainly steaks and burgers. But the Go-anywhere is still fine for steaks if you don't care about "grill marks."
-- Good day! ________________________________________ Christopher R. Carlen Principal Laser&Electronics Technologist Sandia National Laboratories CA USA crcarleRemoveThis@BOGUSsandia.gov NOTE, delete texts: "RemoveThis" and "BOGUS" from email address to reply.
I just fired up the Weber with Kingsford charcoal. Couldn't find any mesquite in the store. Or lighter fluid, for that matter - but gasoline burns off quickly. Tonight is chicken thighs, lamb chops, bratwurst, polish sausage, and Hebrew National jumbo beef weiners. And I bought a big Costco shrimp cocktail plate for the cold side.
We had 13 here yesterday for Father's Day... about half our usual crowd. My main grill has three grill burners, one rotisserie burner and one smoker burner, all independently controlled, so I can cook for just us, or a crowd... 22 is our more usual family party group ;-)
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Hello Richard,
Man, you must have a healthy appetite. Or a big family :-)
Ever tried Johnsonville Brats? Our Costco has them again after we turned in one of those suggestion sheets complaining that we miss them. We poke them with a fork a few times so they come out more lean.
We start the Weber with a starter chimney. Coal into the top, two crumpled newspaper pages into the bottom, and 1/2 hr later it's all nicely glowing. Usually the quantity of coal in that chimney is sufficient. Walmart has them as well as ACE Hardware and others, usually under $10. No fuel smell whatsoever.
Also we buy a big bag of hickory chips and another with mesquite chips. Lasts the whole year. Then before season is over we stock up our charcoal, big time, to last through the winter. Sometimes we snatch coals out of the wood stove and that's like an instant start.
My dream would be an extender ring to be able to cook turkeys larger than 16-18lbs. Some day I'll have time and make one.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
Joerg, I made and sold lots of those charcoal starters when I was in Jr. Achievement back in the late '60s. Our group was sponsored by the local steel mill, and well, you know...
-- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I\'ve got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida
polish
Costco
Three adults, three teens, a dog, unpredictable number of neighbor kids.
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