Grills

MelroseHawkins

MelroseHawkins

Well-Known Member
Not sure where to post this as there is no off-topic thread. I'll just say I have a Hawkeye grill cover to cover my azz and make it football related!

Anyway, my grill is getting pretty bad and on the tail end of its life. There are a variety of options out there. What kind do you have? A co-worker was raving that her husband really likes his Traeger pellet grill. Another co-worker this spring bought an infra-red which I have been contemplating. Any thoughts on it or the pellet grills? Advantages/disadvantages??

I heard the pellets might not work as well in colder weather & might as well pack them up for the winter. Also, are the pellets quite expensive or do you go thru quite a bit compared to the price of propane? Sometimes I really miss charcoal but it's nice to be able to crank it up fast. I was at Lowe's and did see a grill that offered side by side propane & charcoal. I also didn't see any pellet grills & left wondered if their bubble had burst in the grill market.

Thoughts?
 
My brother-in-law and best friend both bought pellet grills in the last month and they love them. That's my next planned purchase here soon. My 15-year-old Weber kettle grill is showing its age.

I don't do much winter grilling, so I'm not worried about whether they work in the middle of December.
 
I have both a Traeger and a propane grill. Use them both all year long. For my Thanksgiving turkey I smoke it on the traeger for about 4-5 hours then finish in the oven in a roasting bag. Pellets are about 16-18 bucks for a 20 pound bag. so propane is the better deal there. They both have their pros and cons. Good luck with whatever one you choose.
 
I've heard that Traegers are great for smoking, but it looks like for grilling, it's really more of a convection oven with smoke. It may work great, I don't know, but to me that's not really grilling.

Here's what I do. I have a propane grill for when I want to throw something on the grill fast and my trusty Weber kettle grill for when I just have to have that true "grilled" flavor... with lump charcoal of course. Here's where I'll get bashed by the smoker purists, and maybe rightly so, but I also have a Masterbuilt electric smoker that I got at Lowe's. I was skeptical at first about the electric smoker, but you just set it and forget it and some of the best smoked butts and ribs I've ever tasted have come out of that smoker.

I really don't think there's one grill that can do it all. If I add up the cost of everything I have, it's still a little less than the cost of a Traeger.
 
What about Infra-red? Anybody have one of these they can comment on? I agree that a couple varieties would be nice. I had my regular propane that need to replace and a 7-1 (smoker, grill, charcoal, fryer) from Cabelas that was really nice but has seen its time as well. Need a new burner for that.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
What about Infra-red? Anybody have one of these they can comment on? I agree that a couple varieties would be nice. I had my regular propane that need to replace and a 7-1 (smoker, grill, charcoal, fryer) from Cabelas that was really nice but has seen its time as well. Need a new burner for that.
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Infrared sucks.
 
nationalchamps said:
Infrared sucks.
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Have a commercial char broil infrared for last 4 yrs.,the biggest problem is cleaning.I grill all year round and the holes get plugged real easy and hard to clean.Just replaced the grids and so far it's better,not like the ones it came with.When this one goes I will get me a Weber.
 
I have a Rec Tec pellet grill and absolutely love it! It's made extremely well out of some serious steel and their customer service is top notch. Example, I was smoking a brisket Sunday before Memorial Day and texting them throughout the day with questions, they always respond. As for grilling, I bought Grill Grates for it which when I turn the Rec Tec up to its highest setting it can grill, although not quite like a propane or charcoal grill. It still does pretty well, though. Check out their website or look at some YouTube videos of the Rec Tec as a smoker and a grill, or check out other pellet smokers too. They are really nice to have. Set it and forget it!
 
IMHO, the best grill discussion starts and ends with one amazing cooking device... the Big Green Egg. I've had mine for 4 years and would never go back to another grill of any kind.

Grilling - Due to the use of real lump charcoal (not briquettes), the flavor of the food is the very best. Additionally, due to the ceramic construction, the heat and moisture are kept inside the grill, preventing drying of lean meats like chicken and pork chops.

Smoking - To smoke brisket, pork shoulder, turkey, etc., all you need to do is add a few chunks of your favorite wood (apple, oak, etc.) and the BGE will hold temp for over 12 hours, even in the dead of winter. I've done Christmas turkeys in blizzards and had no trouble.

Oven - I've done pizzas in my BGE at 700+ degrees, taking only a few minutes to completely bake the pie. They are outstanding.

Good luck with your decision.
 
rchawkeye said:
IMHO, the best grill discussion starts and ends with one amazing cooking device... the Big Green Egg. I've had mine for 4 years and would never go back to another grill of any kind.

Grilling - Due to the use of real lump charcoal (not briquettes), the flavor of the food is the very best. Additionally, due to the ceramic construction, the heat and moisture are kept inside the grill, preventing drying of lean meats like chicken and pork chops.

Smoking - To smoke brisket, pork shoulder, turkey, etc., all you need to do is add a few chunks of your favorite wood (apple, oak, etc.) and the BGE will hold temp for over 12 hours, even in the dead of winter. I've done Christmas turkeys in blizzards and had no trouble.

Oven - I've done pizzas in my BGE at 700+ degrees, taking only a few minutes to completely bake the pie. They are outstanding.

Good luck with your decision.
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I had the forerunner to it, The Kamado.

You omitted one problem: you need to be vigilant in keeping some of the fittings/components tight. I lost mine due to the top coming off and breaking apart. Admittedly, this took place about 15 years after I received it.

But, yes, it IS the best single-option appliance for outdoor cooking. By a mile.
 
Oh yes the eggs. I do like them but they come at a price. I did see one on sale a couple years ago that seemed to be a good price. Buddy picked one up at a Amish scratch-n-dent store. Was cool as was a store that had outdoor sporting equipment (scratch-n-dent). I haven't made it up there to do to it yet.
 
GrandpaHawk said:
Have a commercial char broil infrared for last 4 yrs.,the biggest problem is cleaning.I grill all year round and the holes get plugged real easy and hard to clean.Just replaced the grids and so far it's better,not like the ones it came with.When this one goes I will get me a Weber.
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This.
 
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