[FIRE HAZARD!]
BBQ Grill Update
Tonight I wheeled my BBQ into position for grilling, and it rocked and rolled (like it has done the last few times I've used it). When I went to light it, I could tell something was amiss immediately -- the burner didn't light as it was supposed to, but I could hear the gas and see fire from somewhere. All the twisting around had knocked the propane tubes out of alignment, and a large gas-fed flame was burning under my [plastic] side tray. Yikes!
I quickly shut the gas off at the tank, and thanked God that nothing bad happened. I was able to re-align the pipes and grill up some steak and pork chops, but I think maybe this was a sign from God... one saying: [BUY A NEW GRILL!]
I think for safety's sake, I will be getting one very soon...
I would love to get a Traeger, but they are very expensive, don't heat up very hot, aren't the best for simple hamburgers and hot dogs, and they are rather bulky. I love the smoky flavor they impart to foods, but they just aren't in the budget.
One of my friends, whom I consider to be a master griller, has a Weber gas grill; and he says they are high quality and provide even, consistent heat (he uses soaked Hickory chips in a tuna can for smoke, as I do). The Weber is half the price of a Traeger, so that is what I will get... maybe tomorrow, if time allows.
[SATURDAY UPDATE]
One of these is now sitting in my garage...
I fired it up and tested it out, but didn't have a chance to grill anything. It ended up raining much of the day, so we didn't get to spend any time outside. But come Monday evening, we will be grilling regardless of the weather... :-)
Comments
Congrats on the new barbecue! Have you been playing with it today? :-)
Posted by: Mom | April 8, 2007 5:25 PM
Well, the BBQ came assembled, so I mainly just cleaned it up once I got it home -- it had been sitting outside (under cover) at Home Depot.
We didn't have anything thawed and ready to grill on Saturday, and we had leftovers from Friday, so I haven't actually grilled anything yet. Tonight will be the maiden voyage... Grilled Japanese Chicken Thighs with Rice and Grilled Veggies (from the latest Cooking for the Rushed cookbook).
Posted by: Jeff | April 9, 2007 8:41 AM
Hi Jeff,
You're right about Traegers being very expensive and bulky. However, your other comments about them aren't quite right.
I've been cooking on their top of the line Executive model for a year now. I love this grill. It runs up to 450 degrees easily (though tops out at 420-430 on a cold winter day). It's actually excellent for simple hamburgers and hot dogs - that's the majority of what I cook on it.
Hot dogs, if you like them black, you just move them to the far edges of the grill where most of the heat escapes around the drip tray and they'll blacken up for you. If you don't want 'em that way, leave 'em in the middle and it's virtually impossible to burn them.
It does take longer to cook. My old gas grill would fire up and cook burgers in 10-15 minutes. The Traeger takes closer to half an hour from cold to finished burgers. It's also a bit spendy to run in terms of pellet cost, especially with the giant model I have. The smaller ones are much more economical. Still, for someone who wants to spend the money, the taste and convenience can't be beat.
Posted by: Ryan | April 11, 2007 3:29 PM
Ryan,
My comment about the Traeger not heating up very hot was based on several of my friends collective experiences with the Texas Grill models. I have have been around enough of them to know that they do not get hot enought to get a good sear on a steak or pork chop, and they just flat out take a long time to cook anything.
But I do agree that the lower heat would be an advantage for hot dogs, as I usually use indirect heat to cook them anyways.
As I said before, I would love to have a Traeger to smoke larger cuts of meat, but in the end, it came down to cost...
Posted by: Jeff | April 11, 2007 4:08 PM