Gas Grill Recommendations

[GCroyle]

TDR Team,



I asked for your input on a chain saw last year and the information was great, my new Stihl was highly recommended.



I went to use my 5 year old Stainless Steel, Brass Burner back deck grill yesterday, I was disappointed in its condition. They did not make everything out of stainless, any piece of regular steel is in real bad shape including hardware, the burners were partially clogged and when I tried to clean them out, several of them opened up due to thinning metal I think. The system looked like a winner when I got it, didn't meet all of my hopes in the long run. It did not have any dispersion plates (?) under the grill, just burners, I added plates the first year.



I'm disappointed, I thought it might hold up better than it did.



Here's where TDR comes in. My favorite outdoor cooking is wood fired, yup, real wood, know your fire type of cooking. I'm asking for your recommendations for a back deck gas grill that cooks well, is built to last, does not need every feature that exists, but when you need it, it's ready to go to work. If I'm having real fun and have the time, the fire pit in the backyard gets lit, we're talking oak and hickory time. The meals would be typical burgers, dogs, sausages, steaks, chicken and maybe the occasional seafood. Ribs would be reserved for the fire pit.



What say you oh masters of the back deck grilling, speak for your favorite grill. I await your input.



And Father's Day is coming up ain't it!

 

[Pavemen]

I've got this grill; VCS5007 BBQ Grills | 5-Burner Gas Grills, Signature Series by Vermont Castings

While the stainless is not as good as I would like, I think that unless you pay big $$$ they are all the same. Keep it from getting scratched and keep it clean and it will last. Once I started ignoring it and keeping the cover off of it when not using it, it looks less then spectacular.

However, it cooks really good. The porcelain coating cast iron grills held up well,though it has chipped from misuse in some spots. Where I have not accidentally dropped stuff on it, its still in good condition. The heat dispersion plates work well, definitely hotter in the front than the back (how I have them set up).

The larger the unit (like a 5-burner) the more cooking options you have and the greater the ability to control indirect heating. I can cook steaks over a flame and indirect chicken breasts at the same time and they are done within minutes of each other. Hotdogs can heat on one side while I charbroil burgers on the other then roll the dogs in to crisp the skin.

The rotisserie heaters work nicely. I can fit 4-5 game hens on a spit and they all cook evenly. Did that for the holidays several times now.

I have even roasted several turkeys in an oven bag in a aluminum pan like you would in an oven so the house wont get hot and save room for the other dishes in the oven.

So basically, whatever you buy, be sure to keep the cover on it when not in use and clean it well after use. A lot of heat comes out from the front edge of the lid when closed and leaves a bit of sooty/greasy deposit on the exposed stainless there. Clean it promptly or it will become more difficult to remove later.

 

[GCroyle]

Paveman,



Looks like you are setting the bar pretty high up there, this is a nice looking unit. They have a distributor about 90 miles away.



PS, my unit was covered up, it just had too much plain steel for long life. Another issue was the unit seemed to trap runoff rather than let it leave the grilling area, nooks and crannies got full of "stuff".



Let's see what else comes up.

 

[SMorneau]

If you liked the grill you had and the parts that need replaced are available you might want to price them out. When I bought a grill I ran across some on the net who actually restore old classic grills. I ended up buying a broiler master and its been a pretty good grill but be careful what you pay for any of them. Make sure parts are available at a decent price and the main castings are of good quality.

 

[Regcabguy]

Weber

I sold a Weber Genesis that I was the second owner of on Craigslist. It was seven years old and still worked super but was showing it's age appearance-wise. I'm about to order another one albeit a model 210 two burner one for the wife and I. Shipping weight is 120#. That shows you the build quality. It uses stainless steel burners and porcelain coated cast iron grates. No side burner,just the basic gas grill. I retain a Weber dome-type wood grill for the anual turkey bbq at Thanksgiving. Amazon.com ships free and no tax of course. Weber's are rated to be simple to assemble.

 

[Pavemen]

Paveman,

Looks like you are setting the bar pretty high up there, this is a nice looking unit. They have a distributor about 90 miles away.

PS, my unit was covered up, it just had too much plain steel for long life. Another issue was the unit seemed to trap runoff rather than let it leave the grilling area, nooks and crannies got full of "stuff".

Let's see what else comes up.

I picked mine up at Home Depot four years ago for $1,000. It is a nice unit, just wish I would have taken better care of it. I had gone through two of the better of the painted aluminum CharBroil units but those barely lasted 2 seasons.

The best part if the Vermont Castings unit is the porcelain coating cast iron grates. The are so much nicer than the standard steel wire grates.

 

[testraub]

I've got a LYNX grill that is going on 9 years. Stainless steel, SS racks and heavy duty brass burners. The whole darn thing has pretty much a lifetime warranty. have replaced a few starters, the warming rack, the "briquits" and want to replace a couple other parts for no other reason then they are showing their age. The brass burners were replaced under warranty (with a handling charge), but over all the thing is still going strong. It cost a whopping $4 K mounted in a nice brick surround with tile top (replaced with granite) but has been worth every penny. We grill year round and hardly ever cover it either.

 

[GCroyle]

My deck is off of the second floor of the house as viewed from the back, so a brick affair is off limits. I have given some thought to a firebox/oven at the camp, but that is just an idea so far.



The unit would be a convenience grill out there, the best times are at the backyard camp fire pit.



I have a Home Depot nearby, next trip, I will see what they have. Just want to avoid disposable grills.

 

[Dieselnut59]

I am not much a fan of gas, as I prefer charcoal. I have a home made charcoal grill made of 1/4 inch steel. It is awesome! For the gas ones, I have always heard good things about Weber. I have a cheesie little Char Broil that I mainly use to keep meat warm when cooking on the charcoal one when I have a big party. The side burner is also handy. It is a cheapie grill, with no "plates" under the rack. It looks like it would easily rust or burn out if used too often.

 

[GCroyle]

Dieselnut59,



Ditto's on the non-propane cooking. Oak does it for me. I build up a fire, let it burn down, start cooking and tending.



The grill is for when time or weather doesn't allow the oak.



I learned a bit about slow cooking style in smoke when we lived in OKC, IMHO, ain't nothing like it. Well, I do have to go back to the Salt Lick outside of Austin TX as I remember it and give the brisket and sausages another try. But slow cooked in smoke for ribs, roasts and turkey is hard to beat.

 

[JSellers]

My last gas grill purchase was a Ducane. It's not a large unit - maybe 300-400 sq. inches or so - but it has nice features. Lower grate units are all stainless, but made of large dimensioned elements instead of the flimsy welded rod construction. The gas burner valves allow nice control with very good turn down, so you can adjust for a wide range of heat. And the lower grates are constructed and spaced so no drip containers are needed - the bottom unit is a grid of channels that collect drippings from between the cooking grates, so they are evaporated/burned before dropping.



I bought the Ducane from a fireplace dealer where I had purchased my Vermont Castings stove - they recommended the Ducane, even over the VC grills. They were willing to price an excellent deal on the VC grill, but said the Ducane would serve better. I've been happy with it for about 5 or 6 years - it's still holding up well.



Hope this helps,

John

 

[Dieselnut59]

Dieselnut59,



Ditto's on the non-propane cooking. Oak does it for me. I build up a fire, let it burn down, start cooking and tending.



The grill is for when time or weather doesn't allow the oak.



I learned a bit about slow cooking style in smoke when we lived in OKC, IMHO, ain't nothing like it. Well, I do have to go back to the Salt Lick outside of Austin TX as I remember it and give the brisket and sausages another try. But slow cooked in smoke for ribs, roasts and turkey is hard to beat.

I love cooking with wood also. Build up a big bonfire with oak and hickory, thsn scoop out the coals to use for cooking. Works awesome. The gas grill is convenient for quick cooking though...

 

[24V-DSL]

Have you considered the Traeger wood pellet grill? I've had mine for over a year and love it. Smoked the best turkey I've ever tasted last Thanksgiving. Very well built and so easy to use. Be sure to get the thermometer option. Many pellet options... . oak, mesquite, apple, grapevine, cherry, hickory, maple, pecan, etc. 100% hardwood.



Traeger Pellet Grills - Taste the Difference!

 

[GCroyle]

This is getting good! I see a regional TDR BBQ/Slow Cooked/Smoked competition coming to a TD event near you real soon.



It would be fun to start a BBQ discussion online, but I think TDR's server might overheat. I haven't seen anything that can start a discussion like who has the best BBQ! Only solution Bibs, Brew and Q. Sounds like the name of a restaurant.

 

[GVallus]

Hello GCroyle, like some of the threads above, I love to cook with fire, charcoal AND propane. Having a large collection of HEAVY cast iron Lodge cookware, I ended up buying a Camp Chef triple burner stove. What makes this work well for me is I can grill on thier barbeque box on two of the burners giving me a 60,000 BTU grill and still have a 30. 000 BTU burner left on the side to fry up some peppers and onions! I also have a big iron griddle that fits on two burners for great breakfast bacon, eggs and pancakes. I use the burners on low to slow cook beef stew in my iron Dutch ovens. You can add soaked apple or hickory chips to the barbeque box to smoke what ever you choose. The stove folds up and fits in a wheeled luggage type bag and although pretty heavy, it is easily packed for camping in the bed of my Dodge. All it all, it is more flexible than a stand alone barbeque grill. I usually end up cooking for fifteen to twenty people while at camp, so it can handle large meals. And, if you end up getting one; I'll pass along some really unhealthy, carnivore friendly recipes. Just do a search for Camp Chef. They are carried by Cabelas, Gander Mountain and other outdoor stores. Best wishes for what ever choice you make. G.

 

[GCroyle]

GVallus,



Cast iron starts a whole new twist to this conversation. My need is convenience first due to time and location, but we could compare Lodge collections. I'm sorta willing to bet $1 that MY cast iron skillet is larger than yours! I haven't lost this bet yet. Mine is the discontinued 20" two handle giant with a ground surface. It makes more flapjacks than you can eat, I have fed Boy Scout and Cub Scout Troops, most of my neighbors and it is still going strong. In addition I have at least 4-5 other Lodge units and a very large Lodge camp Dutch and the next size smaller, then a std. Dutch small one for a bean pot. Cast Iron gets it done, no challenge there. But its is best over wood.



I'm getting hungry and I just had lunch.



I'll look up your idea just to see what you like.

 

[GVallus]

Gary,

I could not agree more about cast iron. I was laughing while I read your reply as yes; I have the discontinued 20 skillet too. Great minds think alike regards Heavy Duty manly cookware! Here's the link: Camp Stoves, Smokers & Dutch Ovens By Camp Chef - Camp Chef

 

[GVallus]

Gary, sorry, hit the post command accidently. I also have fed a bunch of Scouts over the years. I like cooking over a wood fire whether it's foil packs, barbeque or a dutch oven meal but for sheer convenience; as in the case of "where's breakfast?" you cannot beat a propane stove for speed. Good to hear from you and who knows, if you happen to be in WVA or North Central PA and smell REALLY good home smoked bacon cooking, just come over and say hey! Thanks from the other Gary.

 

[GCroyle]

Gary,



WV, I used to go to Ritchie County for deer season, lost my hunting buddies land when he sold out a couple of years back.



Bacon, you mean meat candy. i can cook up a darn good fixing of it, but you do need the right P I G to make it work, none of the sugar cured is worth putting in cast iron.



I'm still hungry.

 

[schv]

It's hard to beat a Weber Genesis for a durable gas grill. They're American made, and parts will be available for many years unlike most other brands.