Wood Grilling

[hammb]

Where's the best place to find lump charcoal? I was in Wally World today in BG and they had Royal Oak wood charcoal but nothing that specifically said "lump characoal". Gander Mountain and the soon to be opened Bass Pro would be my guesses.

Also is a chimney fire starter the only way to light charcoal or lump charcoal without lighter fluid? I did find those in Wal-Mart too.

On some of other grills that I saw there , many had nice contraptions built in like for raising/lowering the grill grate and nice ash holders. Many of these (UniFlame brand mostly) were much cheaper than the Weber Kettle 22" but did have a lot of cheaping looking and feeling parts and too much plastic. Maybe thats why. Even though I really don't feel like spending $84 on a grill , I may have to get something really quality.

I'm pretty sure the Royal Oak Hardwood charcoal is their lump. I don't think they use the specific term "lump". Home Depot usually carries a brand called "Cowboy Lump", but I think the Royal Oak is higher quality; the Cowboy seems to get a lot of scrap woods and less chunks of real wood, at least when I bought it that was the case.

Yes, there are tons of cheaper options than a Weber Kettle, and many of them will give you the ability to raise and lower the grill grate, which the Weber Kettle doesn't offer. I just know that the Weber is a design that hasn't changed much in decades; mostly because it offers the best temperature control. It offers the best distribution of heat, and is widely regarded as the most versatile of all charcoal grills. It's also very high quality and the things will last for 20-30 years without any problem.

I'm not going to deny that you can probably make great food on any of a number of different brands of grill. In my experience, however, the Weber products will hold up to the rigors of being outside year round, even without covers. Many other brands of grill will rust out and fall apart in a few years, and then you'll be buying another one.

As to your chimney question that's the only method I know of lighting coals without fluid. They're cheap and work great.

[Pete Segaard]

The nearest Gordon Food Service carries Royal Oak lump charcoal and they usually have the best price. Pardon the pun but Menard's also carries Royal Oak.

[Falconboy]

Broke down and bought the Weber 22" Kettle Grill. Got a 3 piece grill utensil set , some Royal Oak hardwood charcoal, a chimney fire starter and some mesquite fire chunks. May try this thing out tomorrow on some burgers.

You may now all dispense with any grilling knowledge that you have. I've grilled before on a gas grill but never with charcoal and smoking wood so this will be a different experience. I'm using pasture-fed beef from a local farm in Pemberville. Grass-fed beef usually cooks a lot faster than grain-fed/mega-farm beef does.

[Pete Segaard]

with the Weber kettle
1.) Keep the lid on and it will not flare up.

2.) Regulate the heat with the lower draft control, not the lid damper. The lid damper tends to smother the fire, the lower draft control tends to keep it burning clean.

3.) Make a nice bed of coals over half of the grill that way if it is too hot you can move things to the indirect heat side of the grill.

4.) enjoy it!

Over the weekend I gutted three jalapenos, filled them with cream cheese, and wrapped them in bacon. Cooked them on the indirect side until the bacon was just starting to crisp, then cooked some patties and pulled them off at the same time.

[Falconboy]

with the Weber kettle
1.) Keep the lid on and it will not flare up.

2.) Regulate the heat with the lower draft control, not the lid damper. The lid damper tends to smother the fire, the lower draft control tends to keep it burning clean.

3.) Make a nice bed of coals over half of the grill that way if it is too hot you can move things to the indirect heat side of the grill.

4.) enjoy it!

Over the weekend I gutted three jalapenos, filled them with cream cheese, and wrapped them in bacon. Cooked them on the indirect side until the bacon was just starting to crisp, then cooked some patties and pulled them off at the same time.

Oh, so that 3 pronged fan thingy at the bottom is not a ash disposal vent? For some reason thats what I was thinking it was. I guess being able to the air from the bottom does make sense.

Cream cheese jalepenos? Hmmm...sounds tasty.

[Bleeding Orange]

Cream cheese jalepenos? Hmmm...sounds tasty.

Oh my God, you wouldn't even believe it. Cut those things in half, gut 'em, and fill 'em with cream cheese. Soooo good. Grilled and wrapped in Bacon sounds even better. I might have to try it sometime...

Have fun with the new grill, too. I'm not a big griller, so I have no sage wisdom to pass onto you (other than don't put your face on the grill - that hurts), but grilled meat is fantastic.

[TG1996]

but grilled meat is fantastic.

It doesn't surprise me that you'd say this.

Seriously. Try not to grill your meat.

[hammb]

with the Weber kettle
1.) Keep the lid on and it will not flare up.

2.) Regulate the heat with the lower draft control, not the lid damper. The lid damper tends to smother the fire, the lower draft control tends to keep it burning clean.

3.) Make a nice bed of coals over half of the grill that way if it is too hot you can move things to the indirect heat side of the grill.

4.) enjoy it!

Over the weekend I gutted three jalapenos, filled them with cream cheese, and wrapped them in bacon. Cooked them on the indirect side until the bacon was just starting to crisp, then cooked some patties and pulled them off at the same time.

Oh, so that 3 pronged fan thingy at the bottom is not a ash disposal vent? For some reason thats what I was thinking it was. I guess being able to the air from the bottom does make sense.

Cream cheese jalepenos? Hmmm...sounds tasty.

The jalapenos of which he is speaking are the legendary Atomic Buffalo Turds. I generally stuff mine with Monterrey Jack cheese because I prefer that over cream cheese, but both are pretty good.

The three pronged "fan thingy" has two purposes. One is to clean the ashes, as you said. The other use is as your primary temperature control. Honestly the top vent should remain open at all times. You regulate the temperature of your fire by opening/closing that baffle at the bottom. The wider you keep it open the more Oxygen gets to the fire, the hotter it stays.

Oaklane's advice #3 is exactly what I do for nearly every standard grilling session. Slope your coals from the center to one of the sides, with no coals on the other side. That will make one side very hot, the middle will be medium heat, and the far side will be low heat. Throw your burgers over the hot part of the coals to sear them, then move to the middle section until they reach your desired doneness.

Dude, you will NOT regret the purchase of that Weber Kettle. As far as I'm concerned there has never been a better grill.

[Pete Segaard]

I wanted to say put the coals on one side but I figured that TG would lambaste me for saying "a circular grill doesn't have a side except for the inside or outside"

[1987alum]

Two things ...

1) I take sweet peppers, stuff them with goat cheese, wrap them in thick-cut bacon, then grill 'em. Carmelize a little BBQ sauce at the end and life is good.

2) They showed an old "Good Eats" last night and Alton was grilling a huge leg of lamb. He went into great detail about picking the right grill, why you should use lump charcoal and how to use it. Also used fresh rosemary as a smoking agent and it looked pretty neat.

[TG1996]

I wanted to say put the coals on one side but I figured that TG would lambaste me for saying "a circular grill doesn't have a side except for the inside or outside"

I'm not nearly as Zen-like as you may believe.

[Falconboy]

I didn't do it perfectly by a long shot. Forgot to put in the mesquite wood chunks to almost too late and never really got much mesquite smoke (I used only 2 chunks) and I'm not sure if I even got the grill has hot as it should've been as I noticed a short while into grilling that the 3 pronged air vent fan was closed.

The grill finally got hot after I opened it. Wanted to put on some onion rings on top to grill the into the burgers but forgot that. Still the burgers beat anything I've cooked in the pan ever. Hopefully I get into a groove with this as I go along. Thanks for all the tips people. Any that wants to pass along grilling recipes, favorite foods, appetizers or whatever for grilling just fire away.

[h2oville rocket]

(other than don't put your face on the grill - that hurts), but grilled meat is fantastic.

You can get the grill itself with the Falcon logo on it so that it burns the logo into your steak. Now a real man, and a real Falcon fan (mutually exclusive in my book, but still) would press his face on one of those and brand the bird on each cheek.

[Bleeding Orange]

(other than don't put your face on the grill - that hurts), but grilled meat is fantastic.

You can get the grill itself with the Falcon logo on it so that it burns the logo into your steak. Now a real man, and a real Falcon fan (mutually exclusive in my book, but still) would press his face on one of those and brand the bird on each cheek.

Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind...

And I take it that you think branding a phalic symbol into one's face would be..."manly?"

[h2oville rocket]

And I take it that you think branding a phalic symbol into one's face would be..."manly?"

I kept thinking "What is he talking about?" And then I remember you've never seen me-Rocket brands on all four cheeks and a giant one that covers my entire back and yes, they're modeled on the blue inflatable one!