My parents are getting me a grill for my upcoming bday. They gave me 3 choices, links below. Any opinions? My main question is how do people feel (preferably by people who have them) about infrared grills? I've never used one, or know anyone who has one. I know I have to clean the infrared grate after each use, but that isn't a huge set back. http://www.lowes.com/pd_314410-8221...oductId=3110361&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1 http://www.lowes.com/pd_212564-8221...oductId=3276381&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1 http://www.lowes.com/pd_296457-505-...oductId=3066413&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1
IMO infrared grills are great for searing, not so good for cooking. You'll get a great sear on a steak, but then you're better off finishing it in an oven. I would imagine they tend to burn barbecue sauces too, at the temperatures they reach. If you're an attentive griller, I'm sure you could make it work, but I would advise going more conventional.
http://www.traegergrills.com/shop/grills/BBQ055 You can thank your parents for buying it for you and thank me after you taste the difference of Traeger grill.
Sell the smoker and use this for both searing and smoking. big green egg I cooked on an extra large 2 weeks ago and now I'm a believer. Slow smoked some ribs then opened the vents and seared some steaks. Awesome fire control from high to low.
Weber is almost always rated the highest in gas grills at many price points. Char-broil.........not so much. Most people want a gas grill mainly for ease of use (light and go). However, I've found that they need a warm up time to reach the temperature at which they work best.........after all, who is going to go "low and slow" with a gas grill. A big green egg is certainly NOT a gas grill, and it is probably at a price point that exceeds a typical birthday gift. But I've found with mine that if i buy good quality lump charcoal, I can use a chimney starter and a sheet of newspaper and have a chimney full of lump charcoal going strong in about the same time it takes to get a gas grill going at a good temp. As I've gotten older, I've found that over the years I've simply accumulated too much crap. And often times, I've found that much of it is just that......crap. I've had some really nice stainless, HEAVY gas grills, several offset smokers including one made out of a water tank set on a trailer. I've made great meals with all of them and had great times around each of them. But slowly I've let them all go and just kept the one thing that does just about everything really well (including pizza at 800 degrees). My XL Big Green Egg.
VooDooPope..........I got one of these for my egg and LOVE it. It let's me be even lazier for those 18 hour briskets. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IMA718/ref=wms_ohs_product_T2
I've got a Char-broil Quantum grill and really like it. It gets really hot and is great for steaks. I would say that if you are looking at that price range you might look at the Char-broil RED grills at Home depot. Its a different infrared system and its rated a little better than the quantum ones. They only sell it at Home Depot
Very nice. I have a temp gauge but it doesn't have a remote. Big Mac, I was just suggesting what I'd do. I've owned them all and my next grill purchase will be an XL big green egg and I have a real nice gas grill which I'll be getting rid of the day I get it.
Infrared for p*****s, me only cook with ultraviolet! You shameful for mooching grill off parents! Ayn Rand no approval!
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I have a Charbroil RED Infrared. AS good if not better than the Weber Silver it replaced, and it sears steaks. It is harder to cook lower temps though, and it took a while before I was able to cook chicken without overcooking (always use a meat thermometer). I'd suggest looking at one of the Green Eggs though... I understand they really work well.
I love my Charbroil Infared. It gets hot so fast. If I want to smoke something, I put my woodchips on tin foil on the bottom rack and the meat on the top rack. It will start the wood smoking in about a minute.
I'm tempted to get one of these, but I still love my massive barrel smoker... $700 would earn me an ass-kicking from the wife, but I think she'll come around.
I agonized over the cheap Chinese-built grills versus a Weber for a couple of months, until I discovered Broil King. I bought mine off of Amazon (yay, free shipping!). It gets hotter than any gasser I've cooked on and it's solid as a rock.
