Ultimate BBQ grill

If you can afford it, Viking has an outdoor line that I've used and it is very nice and durable.

Here's what someone posted over in BBQSearch.

I like some of the ideas, but I'd do some different things.



I'd add a CS/FE for overall versatility.
I'd add a TEC for really quick cooks and I'd add one of the Vikings.

Of course, all of that costs $$$, and that's why the photo isn't a picture of my backyard

yo smokin! what are those kettles?

fish, you don't know???

They are BGE's or Big Green Eggs. other versions are Kamado or Ceramic cookers. When you hear us talking about "eggers" that's what we're talking about.

You may want to check Treager at b-bqshop.com They make a fine grill,smoker.

RaiderBill,

I use a propane fired stainless steel TEC Grill. This company also makes indoor grills for restaurants. It has two ceramic burners that cook, infrared - very hot. It is very good for quick cook items like steaks, vegetables, and brick chicken, but you must be very careful with chicken. Also, have a Ceramic Grill Dome but rarely use it for steaks. It works great for slow cooks using natural charcoal, but leaves more BBQ flavor than smoke flavor.

You can't have too many grills or any kind.

smokemullet

quote:

Originally posted by smokemullet:
[qb]

... but leaves more BBQ flavor than smoke flavor.

smokemullet [/qb]

Had to ask, what's "BBQ Flavor"? I think I've figured out Smoke Flavor

i had a suspicion, thank you for verifying smokin. i think those may be a little before my time. i went from weber propane and weber charcoal to my new smokette. i had never heard of the green egg till i started reading here.

I missed the green eggs as well, maybe it was a southern/western thing. I am also interested in upgrading my BBQ grill equipment. I have been looking at the Weber Summit series. I have read some good reports on them so far. Would be interested if any of this group has had any experience with these grills. Roger

For my money as far as gas grills go; I would get the top of the line Weber Summit Gold D with side burner and infra red rotisserie. Retail about $1600, often less on-line etc. Available for built in installations.

I have window shopped many "high end" outdoor kitchen stores and I do not think any of these products are better than Weber. Viking is a good name but IMHO Weber is a better value. Weber has awesome customer service like Cookshack and replacement parts (should they be needed) are as close as your nearest home depot or lowes. I would really worry about parts and service from some other manufacturers and paying 2-5 grand for some of these is a waste of money.

Remember, none of the more expensive models are going to cook any better.

Of course the ultimate set up is to have multiple cookers for different uses. My current set up is an older 3 burner Weber gasser (still going strong after 5 yrs, no parts needed yet), Weber kettle with kettle rotisserie and just got my Model 50 cookshack for christmas!

Many great ideas! I'll try to get a picture this weekend of the area I'm working with and what I already have. I looked at the Webers, don't remember if it was a summit but was in the $1500 range. My Charbroil bigeasy 3 burner works great but not built to last. I may have to figure in some kind of oven too for the things that I can't do in my cookshack.
Are the infrared steak sizzlers worth it?

Not for me, that's why the person that posted those pictures has the Eggs. You can get those really hot if you use lump charcoal.

To add to the infrared. I just got back from a week in Hawaii. Stayed at a condo in Hana Maui for a few days that had a TEC 2 burner infrared. Number 1: It was Stainless but still rusting. Number 2: That sucker was hot! Hard to create a cooler zone. Not very versatile other than a quick seer of steak or maybe boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I cooked some bone in chicken thighs and had to watch them like a hawk to avoid burning. Lots of flair ups.

The nice thing about the rear panel infrared rotisserie on the Weber gas or others is that you have the option to use it as an indirect heat source for some slower roasting of prime ribs etc. You are not cooking directly over it like the TEC grills.

Smokin,

BBQ flavor is the taste "I" get from the meat drippings sizzling on the charcoal - no smoke flavor just pure unadulterated cooked meat flavor. I have room for both flavors and many in between.

smokemullet

Hey Smokin', I hate to correct you but those aren't BGE's they are Kamado's manufactured by the Kamdo Corp. of Sacramento CA. They operate on the same principle as the BGE but come in much larger sizes, are more ornate and offer more options. The ones shown in that picture are in the plain Jane finish but they also come in a plethora of hand laid tile surfaces that are quite attractive. The Kamado people claim that BGE knocked off their design and BGE says "so shat". There is, in fact, a great rivalry brewing between the eggers and the Kamado'ers. Sort of like the Hatfields and McCoy's I suppose. I've had fun following it for the past four years or so. Kamado can be found at: Kamado Website

Thanks, I didn't look at them close, I just quoted from the original post that I saw the picture on.

We demo our pork products at Farmers Markets and have tried a lot of gas grills doing so.

Our last grill was a Solaire infra red tailgater; To hot, has to be watched closely like Sacmer said. Almost impossible to cook and vend at the same time.

The Thermos Grill to Go works the best for us. Teflon griddle, larger surface area, easy to clean, break down, and haul. Cheap too, I just ordered another off the net for $99.

We have a Holland at our back door, works ok but I wouldn't recommend one.

You may want to check out the DCS line of outdoor grills. A neighbor of mine recently purchased the 48" professional model pictured here . Available with a cart as shown or an island module. He went with the island. High quality but pricey.

Ok here goes, This first pix is of my cook area. As you can see I'm smoking on the CS. Next in line is my Charbroil big easy which to date is the best Grill I have had including duncanes. has a flat top and rear rotiss for those indirect heat jobs.Would like something bigger and has to have a flat top. The 3 burner set up I got from harbor frieght or northren tool but it is unstable to say the least. None of the fitting were tight some were even only on by 1/4 thread. Theres not much room to adjust my heat.



Next is the sink/bar/ prep area. I will build the cook area to match when I finally decide which grill to use. In that it will hbe built in I want a grill that will hold up for years. Historically all of my past grills has sef destructed in 5 years or so. Additionall I would like to figure out a oven to be built in under the cooking are somehow.



This is a over view of the area.

Bill,

Saw the photos and did some minor editing of the links, they were showing up weird in my browser, hope you don't mind and I put them all in one post.

Russ

no problem!

I looked at a commercial kitchen stove last night, had a oven, flat top, 4 burners and a grill. This maybe the one!
Do any of you Professional cooks have comments?

Bill... You might want to take a look at the Wolf product line. I have used them for ten years in my mobile catering unit and they have been great. They have numerous configurations available in their commercial line and they also have a home line but the home line is outrageously expensive. why I don't know because I don't think the quality level in the home line is as good as the commercial line. I'm using a Wolf double oven and two Wolf single ovens that can accomodate a total of eight #4 full size hotel pans, a 36" flat top and eight high BTU gas burners. Hope this helps.
CB

I looked at the Wolf web site and wondered what the french top grill was for?

quote:

Originally posted by RaiderBill Largo, Fl:
[qb] I looked at the Wolf web site and wondered what the french top grill was for? [/qb]

It's a large cooking surface where a variety of items can be cooked at the same time at different methods and temps. Example - braise + saute + boil + etc simultaneously

does it take the place of burners?

Essentially, yes.

BTW - The topic pertains to the search for the "Ultimate BBQ Grill". You may want to check this out.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

I have a Wolf gas grill that runs on natural gas. It is a very substantial unit and the best gas grill I have ever had including various Webers, Broilmasters, Ducanes, and a Tec.

Lots of heat control and plenty hot when you want it.

The only issue with the grill so far is that the iron grill grates are rusting away in chunks, like you have to be careful eating your hamburger so as to not break a tooth.

They are also awfully expensive although at the time I bought it I knew the rep and bought it wholesale. If you ever see a used one they might be worth investigating.

My opinion on gas grills,
I own a Ducane and I would never think of buying another one. Not what it was advertised to be. Their lifetime gaurantee on parts, They make you pay shipping and handling costs that exceed the cost of buying replacement parts for other brands. The parts are free though! RIGHT!
Again, just my opinion. Dj

quote:

Originally posted by dls:
[qb] Essentially, yes.

BTW - The topic pertains to the search for the "Ultimate BBQ Grill". You may want to check this out. [/qb]

Yep.. and here is another ULTIMATE.. I saw this one in operation at the Boise Riverfestival a few years ago..
Lookie Here

Oops.. didn't work as planned.. once you get to the page.. go down the left side until you get to "Big Taste Grill".. that's it

Accidently came accross this web site. A lot of good info on a variety of grills in the category considered "ultimate". Some pretty impressive equiptment - especially the Fire Magic line of grills.

Pertaining to commercial stoves. If you are serious about going commercial I would check out your local used kitchen equipment seller. They will be able to offer you a used model or a scratch and dent for much less than a new.

If you look real hard you can find broiler(read as grill)/flat top/range/oven units built into one. They traditionally will be about 6 feet wide depending on how you configure but you don't have to worry about multiple propane bottles and hoses. We used to have a 6 top burner with a 24" flat top and a double full size oven underneath. Best burgers I ever ate came off that flat top.

BUT before going commercial I would check out the operating expense of LP for that unit. Being from Florida I assume that you will be using LP instead of natural gas. Commercial equipment does not normally operate very efficiently but it can really fire out the BTU's.

just my .02
Mark

Hey RaiderBill,

Are you down on Key Largo? If yes, what's the deal with all the cats. We spent a weekend there about six or seven years ago. Having a great dinner out by the pier when we are descended upon by a multitude of semi-wild cats. It was a trip.

Mark

Thanks guys for the info. I'm really up in the air about my new grill. I have six foot to work with, and want to only do this one more time. If my charbroil big easy was bigger I'd stick with it but it's too small so the search continues. I plan on taking some time this week hopefully and checking out a used resturant equiptment place and see what they have to offer. I certainly don't want a car payment grill and hope to find something in between.
I thought maybe a commercial type stove/range would do me well but am now concerned about the outside elements effect. I've checked out the Weber Summit and it seems to be a nice rig coupled with a gas /electric range would do me fine but I still hold out hope that the ultimate grill will fall into my lap.
I'm in Largo Florida next to Clearwater. As far as the cats in Key Largo goes, I believe Kitty catchatori is a favorite menu item for the tourists there, as is free range alley chicken in Key west!

RStrand,

I have a weber gas--Silver series. I never use the side burner. I love the rotisserie and do a great roast beef on it. Foil the center burner and turn it off with roto work. I will post two pics-a pork shoulder and a boned marinated duck wrapped in greased chicken wire to hold the shape. Crispy and juicy and slices like a pork roll.

For top quality steak cuts seared fast, I put one of the grill tops right down on the 'flavor bars' and get the 900F+ heat that restaurants get. It does a beautiful job on rare and medium rare prime cuts.

Otherwise, the regular config works just the way I want. This weber is very functional, but you pay a lot for gadgets and add-ons.

Cheers