Comments on: QOTM: What Charcoal Grill Should I Buy?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 21:39:58 +0000

Ray, sent me an email commenting on buying a charcoal grill:
The charcoal/ wood grill is home made. It is a 18” piece of casing pipe they use down hole in a oil well. This piece was damaged and never was used. My grill is 18″across by 30″ long . I believe the pipe is about 3/8 thick. It has a piece of grating about the half way point. Yes it is heavy. I have looked at the new ones and they all look cheap and thin material. If something happened to my grill, I would build another one out of pipe. You can’t go wrong doing it this way.

I have used Charcoal before, But my favorite is Mesquite wood. If you lived close by I could supply you with plenty of it. I have grubbed 3 acres of Mesquite laying in my pasture. When I do use Charcoal I think the brand is Kingsford.

I hope this helps.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 03:53:58 +0000

In reply to Joe. Joe--second time someone has mentioned Volcanos in these comments. Thanks for your comments on the Chargrillers. I'll check those particular models out.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 03:49:34 +0000

In reply to Howard. Howard, thanks for your detailed response! Sounds like you have quite the collection. I'd love to add a pellet smoker to my list, but it will have to wait. Thanks for the tip on the Golden Oak lump charcoal.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:09:52 +0000

I have a Chargriller Pro with a side firebox used mostly for direct and indirect grilling. A Chargriller Acorn Kamado that is used for smoking. A Meco water smoker I got for free and don’t use much and a Volcano grill that I use for Dutch Oven cooking. Kingsford briquettes started with a chimney starter for all but the Acorn I use Royal Oak Lump for this.
I would like to try the Pit Barrel Cooker as the reviews and videos look impressive.
I like all the grills/smokers I have and they serve their purposes well. I would like something that would require a little less attention every now and then like a good pellet stove. Yoder 480 pellet cooker comes to mind.

By: Howard

Howard — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 19:46:03 +0000

We cook competition, so I have 6 grills and or smokers. Each has a distinct advantage.

1. Our team has a pull behind commercial smoker, large enough to cook a whole Hog, or for competition 1/2 dozen Butts, 6 slabs of ribs and two Wagyu Briskets. We cook the 24 – 36 chicken thighs on an Egg. The reason for so much meat is to get a minimum 6 perfect servings for turn in to the judges. The competition today is brutal… but fun!

At home:

2. Big Green Egg. The standard go to for most low and slow, although it does get warm enough for steak. It also cooks incredible pizza. Expensive, but a lifetime of excellent cooking. A bit slower, so I reserve it for weekends and company.

3. Trager Pellet cooker: Perfect for a quick weeknight. Turn to smoke, 5 minutes later, set anywhere from 120 to 500 deg. Fast, easy and with the variety of wood pellets, great for anything from delicate fish to competition style ribs. It’s the convenience of gas, but far superior cooking. I use it the most, and BGE second. Not my choice for burgers or steak, as I prefer much higher heat.

4. Off Set Cajun Cooker: When we have a “Steak Out” with 30 + people, this is perfect, as we can raise the charcoal level to the meat, and can cook about 30 NY Strips at a time. When just the two of us, I fire up the side burner with much less charcoal, and the intense heat perfectly sears (I use reverse sear method) the steak, for a full flavor profile, from rare center all the way to an great outside char.

5 Weber kettle. Perfect for chicken indirect, burgers and steak. Bank the charcoal on the sides, put in one or two two whole chickens, and run errands for a couple of hours. The fire is out, and the birds are perfect every time. Since the Weber was my first serious grill, I tend to be a bit nostalgic and just can’t let it go.

6. $40.00 Walmart kettle: This is for the travel trailer. I can cook a whole chicken indirect, hamburgers, steaks and Salmon. Lightweight and versatile. Figure it will last about 4 – 5 years, not bad.

Except in the travel trailer, I always use lump charcoal. Golden Oak makes BGE, and sells at about 1/2 the price. Burns hotter than compressed charcoal, and to me better flavor. For the trailer, Kingsford Competition briquettes is convenient and works fine.

So many choice, so much fun!

“Keep your flame hot and your meat slow.”