Decent backyard grill

L

ldogg53

500+ Posts
I've got a small (read tiny) backyard at my townhouse and need a new grill... right now I've got a Char-Broil Patio Caddie that is all rusted out and the starter no longer works...
so I'm looking for a quality small grill to replace it... I've checked Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, Sams and haven't found much that I like...

any suggestions on where to look or if you know of some that might work in a small space?
 
I will give Holland Grills another plug. I've owned one for 6 years now and it has been outstanding. Here's a link to their website:

Holland Grills
 
oohhhh.. those Holland grills are nice... a lot of functions for a small unit...

I'm basically looking for something that would be small enough to fit on a patio..
 
The Sam's Club near me has a nice looking small stainless gas grill for about $100. It's not on Sam's website but it looks similar to this:

bDM10-016.jpg
 
ldogg, the trays on each side of the Hollands are simply bolt mounted - you can take them off easily and effectively reduce the amount of space the grill takes up by about half.
 
Gas grills suck. You might as well do your "grilling" inside. As for real grills, go for the Weber Performer if you have the space. Mine's 6 years old and is freaking awesome. Charcoal to cook on, with gas and push button ignition to get the coals blazing. Not enough space? Go for one of the old standby kettle webers, or a smokey Joe with a starter chimney to help speed up the process.
 
Gas grills have thier place, just as wood/charcoal pits and smokers do. I never understood all the BS arguments or which is better. They are all different and all have their own niche in outdoor cooking. I have a gas grill, a large gas pipe pit/smoker, an upright chamber smoker and a firepit with a grill top and I wouldn't want to do without any one of them. It just depends upon your wants/needs as none of them can do everything well.

If you have minimal space to work with and have to go with one outdoor cooker, I would go with a gas grill and use soaked wood chips for added flavoring.
 
explain the wood chip technique with a gas grill please...

and for the record I prefer using charcoal.. however given my limitations on space and desire to make that mess at home and gas wins out..
 
Just soak some wood chips and put them in a small metal container - I use the small aluminum foil pans made for mini meat loafs you can buy at the grocery store. Put it in an out of the way place on the grill and heat until it starts to smoke, Throw the meat on the grill then.
 
Another rookie question, what do you soak the wood chips in? What kind of wood chips do I look for?
 
My bad - I came across a little too strong when I knocked the gas grills - they do have their time and place (when you really need to have cooking temps immediately). On the whole through, I'd never want to slow cook anything on a gas grill - it's like using an inverted broiler - I know smoking wood chips helps (that's one config I use in my smoker), but I've gotta go with real coals & fire. A little too much cave-man in me I suppose. That and you can't use a gas grill to help you get a dutch oven going.
 
Mea ---- soaking is a "wives-tale". The only thing it does is cause the wood to "steam".
Dry wood produces the same amount and quality of smoke.

As to the type of wood --- mesquite and oak are good standbys........hickory or pecan if you're feeling fancy.

From 12thStud:

In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
Your best bet is just an M1A1 Webber. They are versatile and tough. You can cook with direct heat (steaks and whatnot), or use the little charcoal baskets for indirect heat. I used a Webber for over 10 years until I finally got a legit smoker this Christmas. Actually, the webber still is superior when it comes to cooking steaks, because the smoker's grill is too far away from the charcoal for direct heat.
 
i am about to get a gas grill soon and wouldn't even think of getting a charcoal one. what a hassle they are, if you do it "properly".

i guess maybe i like EATING the meal rather than COOKING the meal.
 
Right there. Nail on the head. It's about slowing down, getting it all ready, grilling and relaxing. My entire freshman year at UT was spent eating fillet 2-3 times a week (killer special on fillets stocked the freezer for months), drinking a beer and spending time around my Weber Performer shooting the **** with my friends
 
Boozehound - I can certainly identify with the purist/inner caveman mentality about outdoor cooking, but when you are in a hurry to prepare a meal (some meals) and clean up, a gas grill can be a handy and serviceable appliance. It is not my preference in outdoor cooking by any means.

MirrOlure - My understanding was that soaking woods chips was to make them last longer, not produce more or better smoke. Perhaps that is a tale as well.

suttree is dead on about the Webers; great cookers that are unique and efficient, trendy yet traditional and a conversation piece to boot. All the guys with wall-mounted toilets have them.
 
oh no doubt... I love the comraderie and actual effort in COOKING the meat outside with a real grill.... but when I get home from the gym at 7:15 and am hungry I want to fire the grill up quick and throw down some meat to cook...
 
I love charcoal as much as the next guy, but when you grill as much as I do (at least 3 times a week), a gas grill makes a lot more sense, money wise, time wise, and mess wise. If your patio is not covered, do yourself a favor and buy a cover for your grill. Especially if you want the starter to last more than a few weeks.
 
Stan --- that's the beauty of Barbeque..........you can engage in an hour-long discussion with your buddies around the pit over the efficacy of soaking your wood chips..........and the beauty is that nobody will be wrong!
 
That looks a lot like the pits I've seen from Texas By Design
thumb-16.jpg


They're out of Dripping Springs. I've seen them at market days down in Gruene and they're truly works of art. The wife already knows how badly I want one & with a little luck it will be under my Christmas tree some day in the not too distant future.
 
That's pretty nice looking. A little more expensive, but not much. The pit from shopfrontiergear.com can be seen locally (Austin area) at that Patio furniture store in Round Rock on the North bound side of I35. They want $499 for the 36" pit, but I think I'm going to head out to their store in Brady and pick it up for $325 + tax.

I'll have to check that one out before I buy. Thanks.
 
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