Barbeque Grills are Quite Capable of Performing as Smokers
Barbeque grills are almost a necessity in today’s households.The warm weather beckons us outside to cook outdoor favorites such as hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and chicken.
For the real barbeque chef a grill is another tool to amaze and tantalize guests with his wizardry of outdoor cooking.
We have already pointed out that a barbeque grill can serve as a smoker and do a pretty decent job.
In fact, some of the recipes on this site are probably better done on grill than a dedicated smoker.
That said, how do you chose a barbeque grill? Deciding on a grill choice is not always straightforward. You have to chose based on the type of fuel used in the grill.
The primary choices are charcoal and gas grills.
Charcoal Grills:
I don’t think anything beats a charcoal fire. The flavor of meat cooking on a charcoal grill is exceptional and cannot be duplicated with a gas grill. A Weber grilll falls into this category and make an excellent choice for a charcoal grill.
Sometimes charcoal is difficult to light but the problem is easily solved with the right tools. A charocal chimney starter is the ideal tool but a small propane torch also does a good job.
- Construction should be of high grade steel preferably enamel coated.
- Grates should be made of stainless steel for easy cleaning.
- The cooking surface should be large enough to with both direct and indirect heat.
- The food grate should have a hinge so that it can be opened to add charcoal during cooking.
- Wooden handle are convenient for avoiding burns
Gas Grills:
- The construction should be of high grade steel. Many of the best are stainless.
- The burners should have angled metal bars, lava rocks, or ceramic briquettes to distribute the heat.
- Look for good control of the burners with precision dials
- A reliable and maintainable ignition system is a must. You want to be able to observe the ignition easily so that you will not have to guess if the grill is lit.
- Look for good design for fat drainage. Gas grills are notoriously susceptible to flare ups over burners.
