Do you have an outdoor area to cook food?

We have a two year old Weber grill. We hated our gas grill and gave it away. Love the Weber!

We have wilderness camped for many years and i will only use a homemade campfire with an iron grill over it. There is simply no description for the feeling of watching a campfire than cooking over the coals and rebuilding the fire afterwards. We have Hickory trees and i use water soaked limbs to smoke meats with.

I have never gotten the flavor from a gas grill that I get from a charcoal grill. I just need a bigger on with a little more stable countertop on each side and maybe some storage underneath. My favorite food to grill are rainbow trout. You can get people to eat fish cooked on a grill wlhen they will not eat fish otherwise.

I cook on the Grill Dome on the back porch. It keeps the house cooler and I love the flavor of real charcoal instead of briquets. I cook on it all year long but my favorites are a brined turkey for Thanksgiving and fish or chicken in the summer with salt bath soaked corn grilled in the husks- MMM so good! It takes a little prep to set up but it's worth it. By the time the coals are at the right temp, I've got the food prepped.

Maggie

Charcoal grill. I don’t like working with pressurized tanks & I cant get the flavor I want on a gas grill.

We had a very nice gas grill. But despite the convenience and control, it never seemed as good as our old Weber. So we craigslisted it, and pulled the Weber back out of storage.

I would LOVE to get a Big Green Egg. But I would hate to carry it up the 4 flights to our back porch.

I've got the regular Weber Charcoal and a Weber gas grill. We mostly use the gas grill. Have only done s'mores on the fire pit though.

You need that little Green Egg, RD!

just got the backyard done with the sidewalk last year and the deck so not a mud pit will be useing the gas grill much more this summer

I got a Weber Q 220 gas grill 2 years ago and LOVE IT! REALLY nice little grill!

We have a nice gas grill, and a gas smoker, and firepit. Love them all (okay, also have a charcoal grill but I never use it). I especially love smoking meats, and our smoker doubles as a grill, so that is what goes with us when we travel in the RV. We also now have an old washing machine tub for a traveling firepit. I learned to smoke meats last year and LOVE it... yes, it takes time but you can taste the love put into it! We also have an electric jenn-aire grill in the house which is great for winter grilling. DH does the steaks, I do everything else.

Brenda

My BIL has a gas grill. Believe it or not, in the last years of his life, my Argentine FIL switched from a charcoal grill to a gas grill (my BIL's influence?)

I have a 14-year-old Weber charcoal grill that looks to last another 14 years. My next door neighbours just replaced their 4-year-old charcoal grill because it was rusting out. Quality shows!

Gas grills just don't do it. I mean, they work, but "barbecuing" foods on a gas grill is not really any different than putting them under the "broiler" feature of your oven. Gas grills are also hideously "anti-environmental". (Of course, the same proviso might apply to charcoal grills if everyone used them, but it is very interesting that here in France, most of the charcoal I buy is made from "offcuts" and scraps from sawmills [no, we do not have briquets as I grew up with in the US; only "real charcoal"])

After finally coughing up the dough for a Weber grill, I wouldn't use anything else.

I have a Walmart $25 charcoal grill. it's just me and an 11 year old here, and its just big enough to throw a couple of hamburgers or chicken on.

I do have an electric grill but don't use it now that we have the gas grill. We like the flavor of cooking over the gas. I really hate taste of charcoal or wood smoked items. I have allergies so that may account for it. I get headaches from peoples fireplaces too.

My DH has a little Weber-like charcoal grill that he bought at a yard sale cheap and he LOVES it. Burgers and steak are his specialty and , really, I don't care which kind it is. I just love when he does the cookin'.

I'm not real clear on the environmental effects of gas vs charoal grills.
Like "cactuspatch", I have a lot of allergies, but I do try not to let this personal defect affect my general relations with the world. On the other hand, among my many allergies (which include allergies to my beloved cats!!), I have been fortunately spared an allergy to woodsmoke (at least, if it is outdoors or well-vented)

All in all, I do think that the American penchant (made most clear by this DG survey that, presumably. surveys people with concerns for their gardens) for gas grills (53% 0f respondents vs 28% who use charcoal) is worth discussing
What "grill" is more environmentally friendly?
Which is "more healthy"?
Should we, as citizens of an increasingly urbanized culture, "barbecue" at all? (E.g. when my Neighbour legally burns leaves, I must close all my windows and doors and stay inside)

What "grill" is more environmentally friendly?
Which is "more healthy"?
Should we, as citizens of an increasingly urbanized culture, "barbecue" at all?


Well, the short answer for proponents of AGW is 'no'. In addition to the issues involved with the various fuels, demand for meat is touted as a severe environmental impact.


For AGW skeptics, it probably is just a matter of choice.

I've read that 'grilling' DOES place a lot of carcinigens on the food. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are produced from burning fat. They do seem to taste good, and who knows at what concentration they become hazardous, but true BBQ avoids that issue. Still, there is real risk of fire as well.

And then of course you have to consider alternatives. If you couldn't grill yourself are you gonna get in your vehicle and drive to a restaurant now? That has an environmental footprint of it's own.


I suppose using a solar oven to cook a vegetarian diet is best!


Carl

We have a weber gas grill. We really like it. The cover shrunk on us thought - so not worth the money for the cover. We also have a smoker. We don't use it as often but the flavor of smoked food is wonderful.

Yes, the part I love on grilled food--luscious brown bits is supposed to be full of carcinigens! We are grilling chicken tonight though. Life has compromises right?

Don't cook outdoors now. We had a fireplace made of stones when the children were little. but really too many mosquitos for enjoyment, especially in the evening.

Cactuspatch,
If you're not breathing carcinogens you're eating them.Go for it!

We've got a Weber kettle grill with a gas quick start that is mounted in the rollaround countertop... convenience with old school flavor (or, uh, carcinogens...). We also have a firepit for those true "cookout" nights.

******Yes, the part I love on grilled food--luscious brown bits is supposed to be full of carcinigens! We are grilling chicken tonight though. Life has compromises right?******

well of course. Lab animals live a long time - long and BORING!

It would be nice if science could quantify some of these 'risks' for us. Will 60 years of weekly grilled food intake reduce my lifespan by 6 weeks? 6 years?

lol!


Carl


This message was edited May 15, 2009 9:53 AM

I have a gas grill but I really miss my charcoal grill it does have better flavor for sure. I plan to get a firepit soon as I am just not working on getting my backyard together.

We have a gas grill and a stove on the covered patio, and I cook my curries out there, so that the whole house doesn't smell of curry.

Right Carl, Would I choose 6 more years of eating boiled chicken and ribeyes? LOL!

We have a weber charcoal, hibachi, and use the
crockpot outside. The Cp really helps keep heat
outside where it belongs. I go to the Mexican
grocery and but lena (pronounced lehnya)
which is REAL charcoal, not briquets. They also sell marinated gajitas which makes them come out soft as butter.

For that absolutely smoky wonderful flavor, try real mesquite wood, still green. Not yetcired mesqute. It smokes
up a storm but works wonderful for smoking and grilling meats all at once. and veggies too!

Eau de BBQ smoke is the most sexy flavor a man can wear!
(but NOT cigarette smoke)

bajablue - I get 'real' (aka 'lump') charcoal at Walmart now (B&B brand - good stuff) but it is fairly widely available.

check out http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm for extensive info on charcoal.


carl

before my knee replacement surgery we went to sams club and they had what they call "an event grill" it can cook 85 hamburgers at one time. it is huge and it sells for only 400.00 dollars.

i have a pretty big grill but nothing fancy. it has four burners and i really like the way it cooksthe food.

today i was looking a the home and garden channel and a woman was having built an outdoor kitchen complete with a grill, fridge, fireplace and a giant arbor that was suported by 4 huge pillows. thetre was two different sitting areas. one in the covered area in front of the fireplace and one in the sun. it was beautiful and the price for everything was thirty thousand.

Thanks Carl wll have to look for that- which wally
world? I-20 ar Great SW Pkwy by any chance?

What I really want is a clay/brick oven which I can grill or smokein o bake bread the ole fashioned way.

BB - I have baked bread and cooked pizza in my BBQ pit. I just do not add the flavor wood because all the combustion gasses pass thru the food chamber. A true oven I don't think does that. ???

I have what was then called a Good-One 30-24 Patio which I think is now called a Marshall;

http://www.aceofheartsbbq.com/

They have several models. I really need a smaller one now with the kids gone but - we scaled back to Q-ing only 2-3 times a year and still end up giving food the the 2 kids that live local and relatives and neighbors (I'm sensitive that my neighbors may hear some noise at night and smell a LOT of smoke when I cook!)

They are probably not ideal for baking though, but as an occasional experiment they work.

AS for lump charcoal - I've found it at the W-M at Randol Mill/Collins, eastchase and the new one at I20 Little Road. If they don't have it, I THINK I've seen Royal Oak there. I Know I've seen Tom Thumb carry, IIRC, Cowboy lump charcoal but I think it is inferior. Still, if the charcoal you are getting now is a good value, no reason to panic.

Jackson's in Dallas I'm sure will have a lot. The BBQs Galore we had near the mall is closed but maybe there's still a store near you somewhere? They carry a lot. Also, Ben E. Keith has some in there catalog if you know someone that gets food delivery from them they could order it.

Also, Foreman's in Colleyville has good lump and accessories.

The best I ever used was probably Maple leaf. I mailordered some ($$$) for fun. AWESOME smell!

Charcoal!!!! The way to go for flavor! I use indirect heat, low and slow. Perfect combo!

.bulbsdirect.com/index HAS SOME OF THEM

Charcoal schmarcoal, I had chicken on my gas Weber tonight and it was REAL YUMMY.

Grillin' is grillin'!

One of the best charcoal grills I ever had food cooked on belonged to a high school friend. He and some buddies used to make them out of big metal drums. They were butt ugly and enormous but back then just out of high school every cookout turned into a huge party so a big grill was a plus:lol:

I love charcoal grilled food but I have a weird phobia about actually starting a fire in a grill:lol: I haven't been able to successfully get the darn thing started. Guess I'll have to give it another shot--I'll pull up the Good Eats/Alton Brown instructions on how to start the darn thing:LOL:

dmac - I can see how some folks would be apprehensive. And there's no reason NOT to be cautious with fire. You may feel more comfortable with a long fire glove and maybe wear some safety goggles/face shield and an apron. Lighting lump charcoal can also mean a lot of sparks. My cookers are all on a wood deck so I hose everything down in the area before a cook.(sometimes later if I'm q-ing overnight) to help prevent fires. I also have each unit over one of those 'mats' they sell that are supposedly fire resisteant. I have NEVER had even smoldering or the hint of a fire outside the grill or firebox.

I use a charcoal chimney.(for the grill - for the BBQ pit I use one of those propane weedburners, I use it to clean/sterilize my shelves too)
haven't used 'starter fluid' in years.


I wonder if a seperate thread for outdoor cooking 'tips' would be well received?


Carl

I love my Grilldome. I can grill steaks, roast turkey for Thanksgiving, slow cook pork butt, and do the bread and vegetables as well. The service and communication from the owner are great. There's also a DG type forum of owner/devotees that provide a wealth of information and assistance to those interested in the Dome. The website has the scientific explanation http://grilldome.com/HowCeramicCookersWork.html of why it is so good. You can look at the cookers here http://grilldome.com/ and browse the forum here http://grilldome.com/community/
I love mine and love the taste & juiciness of the food. FYI- I have no financial interest in the product. Just passion about the results!
Maggie

attention BajaBlue

outdoor oven posted here;

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/971181/


There's already an outdoor cooking forum here!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/cookoutdoors/all/

Thanks Carl:) I will most likely give it another try. I didn't realize there was an outdoor cooking forum so I'll add that to my watch list--pretty sure there must be some awesome recipes there as well. I would definitely be trying out the chimmney thing--sorta makes it appear much simpler and I'm all for no starter fluid:lol: Thanks for the reassurance!!

Hey Carl,

We use a charcoal chimney also. It is SO easy to start the fire now. Plus, no nasty 'starter fluid' here either. We have more than saved the cost of the "chimney".

April