Gas BBQ grill recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Nicholls]

BTW tonight it's tri-tip steak, corn on the cob, and garlic French bread. No need to warm up the kitchen on a hot day like this.

 

[Jason Charlton]

I've done fish on the plank before, but if I'm doing a filet that has the skin, I just grill it skin side down, let the skin stick a little, then use the spatula to separate the meat from the skin when it's ready to come off.After the grill cools, the skin typically pops right off leaving only minimal cleanup.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I come to hang my head in shame.

I used my new grill for the first time last night and overcooked some 90% lean burgers.

It began as an awesome experience and looking back on it, I should have recognized a few things.

First off, the ignition system worked like a champ for all three burners...and they "whooshed" into service like jet engines! Where I made my mistake was not realizing just how much hotter this new grill would be in comparison to my old one. I mean it was crazy. They were cooked....erm, overcooked..in just minutes.

I will do better next time (probably tonight).

=============

Oh. I brought the appropriate cover for the Weber Genesis 300 series grills and it, too, is awesome. Whereas my old grill cover was similar (but not as heavy duty)...it only had a few inches of a velcro cinching strap on each end. The Weber grill cover has about 18 to 24 inches of cinch strap on each end. I don't think that thing would come off in a tornado.

And, at a trip to Home Depot I picked up a new metal grill brush and a supply of those awesome rectangular disposable drip pans!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

My old Barbeques Galore has an interesting drip pan. It's permanent and covers the entire bottom of the grill. You slide it out and cover it with sand. Every so often you slide it out, toss out the greasy sand, and load fresh sand. I don't think any are made that way anymore.

 

[Johnny Angell]

My old Barbeques Galore has an interesting drip pan. It's permanent and covers the entire bottom of the grill. You slide it out and cover it with sand. Every so often you slide it out, toss out the greasy sand, and load fresh sand. I don't think any are made that way anymore.

Sand in a drip pan? Has it ever attracted gophers or cats?

 

[DaveF]

I come to hang my head in shame.

I used my new grill for the first time last night and overcooked some 90% lean burgers.

It began as an awesome experience and looking back on it, I should have recognized a few things.

First off, the ignition system worked like a champ for all three burners...and they "whooshed" into service like jet engines! Where I made my mistake was not realizing just how much hotter this new grill would be in comparison to my old one. I mean it was crazy. They were cooked....erm, overcooked..in just minutes.

I will do better next time (probably tonight).

=============

Oh. I brought the appropriate cover for the Weber Genesis 300 series grills and it, too, is awesome. Whereas my old grill cover was similar (but not as heavy duty)...it only had a few inches of a velcro cinching strap on each end. The Weber grill cover has about 18 to 24 inches of cinch strap on each end. I don't think that thing would come off in a tornado.

And, at a trip to Home Depot I picked up a new metal grill brush and a supply of those awesome rectangular disposable drip pans!

How hot does your propane grill get? I'm curious how propane compares to NG. My E330 on NG gets to about 600F, maybe 650F, after 20-30 minutes. So plenty hot for cleaning and all sane cooking. But not quite hot enough for going bananas on brick-oven style pizza or instant-sear 800F steak grilling.

I need to get a set of those pans, so I'm ready when the first one is full. Also, a busy said he found them to be flimsy and recommended putting a metal pail below it, in case of failure.

I'm glad your ignitor worked for you. I described previously my initial difficulties. I still have one burner than can take a moment's fussing to get going. But as a whole, it lights up fine now. (I suspect my burner tubes are the real culprit more than the ignitor.)


Day to day, I would have been fine, maybe even better off, with a Spirit. The Genesis is huge, and makes my two burgers for the wife and me look laughable. But I appreciate the extra space when I'm cooking four ears of corn if guests come over. And the space is useful if I've got four burgers and a side of asparagus going.

I need to cook some more steak. My first go was so successful. And I want to play with the sear-station, which is why I bought the E330. (Haven't used the side burner, and don't expect to.)

Also, the big thermometer on top is great. I can read it from dining table, which lets me monitor temperature while playing boardgames.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I have splurged this week on a rib-eye. I walked into this artisinal butcher and they had a 26oz, 2 1/4" thick ribeye. It was expensive? Looking at it, it looks thicker than 2 1/4" but I measured it and that's what it is.

So I've got the Weber 330 with the sear burner. Anyone want to offer suggestions on how to cook this steak? We will be serving 4, so portions are not large, but there will be side dishes and desert and a very good wine. 3 of us are medium rare folks, if I remember correctly and one prefers his at least medium.

What are the techniques for cooking a steak this thick and this large?

 

[atfree]

I have splurged this week on a rib-eye. I walked into this artisinal butcher and they had a 26oz, 2 1/4" thick ribeye. It was expensive? Looking at it, it looks thicker than 2 1/4" but I measured it and that's what it is.So I've got the Weber 330 with the sear burner. Anyone want to offer suggestions on how to cook this steak? We will be serving 4, so portions are not large, but there will be side dishes and desert and a very good wine. 3 of us are medium rare folks, if I remember correctly and one prefers his at least medium.What are the techniques for cooking a steak this thick and this large?

Use sear station on 330, needs to be HOT. Sear each side 1-2 minutes to get a good sear to seal in juices. Then, put on lower heat section on grill and cook (turning a couple of times) until desired doneness (I use meat thermometer). Then, let it rest about 5 minutes before cutting it to let it reabsorb juices. If you cut before its rested, all the juices will run out.Good luck!

 

[Johnny Angell]

You think the steak can take 2 minutes at sear per side?

 

[atfree]

You think the steak can take 2 minutes at sear per side?

That size should....but eyeball it after a minute...just want a good brown sear on both sides.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Ok

 

[Chuck Anstey]

I use the Alton Brown method where I cook the steak at lower temps first but only a few minutes a side so it isn't finished. Then I open up the egg and let it get really hot while the steak rests in foil. Then sear around 1 minute per side and done. Alton Brown had a show where he explained that searing a steak first has negative consequences because of the instant high temps on a cold / room temperature steak. Better to bring up the temp slower and then sear it after. I can't say definitively it is better because I haven't done a side by side test but it seems fine and I used to do it the other way but then I had to wait a while for the egg to cool down so this way is easier for me.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Well that's confusing. Sear first or second? If done right, I've never had a problem with the taste of sear first.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Chuck, when you say you open up the egg to raise the temp, what, exactly, do you mean? This is that big ceramic cooker, right?

 

[DaveF]

Pre-grill, I've been cooking filet mignon per this:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pan-seared-rib-eye-recipe.htmlThe Weber Real Grilling cookbook says to cook 2" thick steaks: Let steaks stand 10-20 min at room temperature before cooking. Cook 18-22 min total. 8-10 min Direct High, then 10-12 min Indirect High. You'd turn once in each of those durations. Let rest 3-5 min after cooking before cutting.I'd use the Sear Station to pre-heat the grill to 500F (High), with the third main burner left off. I'd cook direct High over the sear station for the first half, then move to the off-burner section of the last half.I wouldn't necessarily have the Sear Station cranked to max. I'd try to have the three burners balanced while holding 500F in the grill.Caveat:I haven't done this yet

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Chuck, when you say you open up the egg to raise the temp, what, exactly, do you mean? This is that big ceramic cooker, right?

It is a ceramic cooker using lump charcoal so controlling the air vents controls the temperature. For searing I open up the bottom vent full and take the cast iron topper off for maximum air flow. Gets the temps well over 700F. Sear is done second, 'slower' cook first. For my grill I have to wait 20+ minutes for it to cool down from sear temps to cook temps but only 5 minutes to go from cook to sear temps.

I have also tried the sous-vide technique for steaks but I haven't had the success I have wanted. It also is only on the grill for a short time so it doesn't get the full charcoal grilled flavor. A coworker does it and he says he has great success cooking steaks that way and for the sear he uses a ribbed cast iron pan on the stove top.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

A coworker does it and he says he has great success cooking steaks that way and for the sear he uses a ribbed cast iron pan on the stove top.

What would a cow-worker know about cooking steaks?

 

[DaveF]

What would a cow-worker know about cooking steaks?

A great deal, I should think. The waiter approached.'Would you like to see the menu?' he said, 'or would you like meet the Dish of the Day?''Huh?' said Ford.'Huh?' said Arthur.'Huh?' said Trillian.'That's cool,' said Zaphod, 'we'll meet the meat.'...A large dairy animal approached Zaphod Beeblebrox's table, a large fat meaty quadruped of the bovine type withlarge watery eyes, small horns and what might almost havebeen an ingratiating smile on its lips.'Good evening', it lowed and sat back heavily on its haunches, 'I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in the parts of my body?' It harrumphed and gurgled a bit, wriggled its hind quarters in to a more comfortable position and gazed peacefully at them.Its gaze was met by looks of startled bewilderment fromArthur and Trillian, a resigned shrug from Ford Prefect andnaked hunger from Zaphod Beeblebrox.'Something off the shoulder perhaps?' suggested the animal, 'Braised in a white wine sauce?''Er, your shoulder?' said Arthur in a horrified whisper.'But naturallymy shoulder, sir,' mooed the animal contentedly, 'nobody else's is mine to offer.'Zaphod leapt to his feet and started prodding and feelingthe animal's shoulder appreciatively.'Or the rump is very good,' murmured the animal. 'I've been exercising it and eating plenty of grain, so there's a lotof good meat there.' It gave a mellow grunt, gurgled again and started to chew the cud. It swallowed the cud again.'Or a casselore of me perhaps?' it added.From the book "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" by Douglas Adamshttp://www.saunalahti.fi/~huuhilo/dna2.html

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

 

[DaveF]

iGrill mini reviewhttp://idevicesinc.com/igrill/igrillmini/The iGrill mini is meat probe cooking thermometer, that relies on a bluetooth-compatible device (e.g. an iPhone) for readout. If you want simplicity, buy a standard, standalone meat thermometer. But if you want to have temperature readouts and doneness-alarms without watching the grill — or just enjoy gadgetry along with your grilling — I recommend the iGrill mini. And at $40 retail, it’s cheap enough to take a chance on.And if you’re a more sophisticated cook than I am, such that you need four simultaneous readouts (you’re cooking a big bird), then you should look at the iGrill, the mini’s big brother.The iGrill is packaged in a solid cardboard box. The top slips off to open it. The contents are the grill device, its probe, a simple instruction sheet, and an adhesive-backed metal puck.

To start, you push and hold for a couple seconds the iGrill’s one button until the light flashes. Then pair it to you bluetooth device. Download the iDevices app for your device, and launch it.https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/idevices-connected/id682656390?mt=8Plug in the probe, if you haven’t yet. The iDevices app will see the device. On the iPhone, use the notifications manager to configure how the iGrill can alert you.

So let’s cook something: The grill base has a strong magnet and will hold strongly to the side tables of a Weber grill (or any other steel-constructed grill). If you want to place the base elsewhere, use the sticky-backed puck. Adhere the puck to the desired location, and the iGrill’s magnet will hold on the puck. (This puck is not explained in the slim instruction sheet. I puzzled over it for a while until I realized its likely use.) Run the probe into the grill. My grill has small gaps for a rotisserie add-on, which work for this.

The app will show a summary of the active probe(s). Tapping the specific probe shows a time history of the temperature. With just this, you can cook while watching your recipes temperature. (Here I've got it showing the grill temperature during pre-heat)

The iDevice app has customizable timers. I’ve got a handful set, including one for asparagus. Veggies are time based, not temperature (for me), so a timer is fine. The timers are buried in a sub-menu in the app; I wish they were easier to get at. But since you can have multiple, custom-named timers to select from, it’s easier than using my iPhones clock app to time cook.But the real benefit of the iGrill — the reason to buy it — is its temperature alerts. Select what you’re cooking, say “Beef - Medium”, and it sets an alert for 140F. Select “Chicken” and the alert is set for 165F. With the probe in the meat, the iGrill charts temperature away, which you can watch. And the little base has its Green light on as you’re getting started. When you’re within 15F of the target temperature, the light goes Yellow. Within 5F, the based lights Orange. At target temperature, the base lights Red. (The base’s light is underpowered, and can be hard to see in the summer sun.If you rely on this feature, you may have to finesse its position to optimize.)

But that’s secondary. The main event is the bluetoothy, smartphone-enabled awesomeness that ensures every chicken breast you cook from now on will be 165F, not guest-killing undercooked nor soul-crushing overcooked. This is the feature that will make your burgers be remembered as perfect medium-rare, and not tartare nor char-pucks: Your smartphone notifies you when the target temperature is reached.

Yep, that’s worth $40 to me. That first chicken breast I grilled a couple weeks ago, the one I’ve struggled with for years always over cooking or undercooking it, came out perfect first try on the new grill with the iGrill mini. And my burgers I cooked for friends the weekend after that: almost perfect.It’s not a perfect device. Search Amazon for “grill thermometer” and you’ll find a lot of standalone devices. This may be simpler than a device integrated with your smartphone (or tablet). There’s a real tension between the simplicity of one device to rule them all, and the complexity of managing multiple activities simultaneous on one device. I find this in the poor audio alerts and audio-ducking through the iDevices app. I like to listen to podcasts or music while cooking. The iDevices app, so far, does not do a good job of audio ducking background audio and inserting its alerts. For now, if I’m using iGrill, I’m not playing any other audio on my iPhone.As noted, the timers should be easier to access. Because even when cooking to temperature, I still use a timer for the first half to turn it. Then I use temperature to to finish. This is an obvious opportunity for the smarts of an app: Any cooking timer should automatically split itself in half and send a “flip it” alert halfway through. Or the temperature probe should send a “flip it alert” at the 15F “Yellow” alert stage. Something like that. Because right now I use a half-length timer to flip and temperature to conclude. And the app is not structured to make this (seemingly obvious usage) trivial to do, time and time again.And after using, don’t forget to turn off the base. The battery will die in a week if left on. The instruction sheet intimated it was automatic. The next weekend, I had to run out for a replacement battery. It’s necessary to press and hold the button for a couple seconds to power it off. (this is explained in the full manual, which you can search and download from the igrill website)http://idevicesinc.com/igrill/downloads/igrillmini-user-manual.pdfFinally: wear grill glove when handling the temperature probe. Yes, that’s obvious. Except that in the rush of finishing up dinner I grabbed the innocuous looking probe by hand and burned myself. So don’t do that.From just a few uses, I recommend having a grilling thermometer of some sort. Whether it should be the iGrill mini, is a matter of preference. I’m happy with it after initial uses. It’s affordable enough to risk a “maybe?” purchase.