New Grill

[Yooper75]

As the title states I need a new grill after my big 5 burner stainless grill had an unfortunate accident while I was hauling it to a company cookout on my car trailer. I'm looking for input/opinions on what to look at and what to avoid before I spend what I've been told by some is an insane amount of money for a grill.

Must have list:

Over 750 square inches of cooking surface because I cook for up to 50+ on occasion.
Easy to use- I'm not the only one that uses it so the XO must to be able to use it as well with out much fuss.
Lowish Maintenance.
Easily portable- Meaning I can put it on my car trailer with out the use of a forklift or small army.


Wants:
Ability to smoke.
Digital temp control- Kind of limiting my self to pellet grills with this feature.
Some type of light on the hood for cooking at night.
Cast iron cooking grates- Always seem to have the best flavor once you get them seasoned.

My budget:
Up to $1800

[WinstonSmith]

Do they make the digital smokers that come on their own trailers ready to be hitched and pulled?

[Yooper75]

I think so and the trailer mounted units that I've seen are considerably out of my price range at $3000+. The pellet grill/smokers I've been looking at have digital temp controls that you can plug a meat thermometer into for doing pigs and roasts.

[tweek]

Doesn't meet your requirements but for people not looking to feed a platoon and don't require mobility: look in to a Big Green Egg. A lot of my motorcycle friends have got them and I just got tired of their constant raving so I got one to see what the fuss was all about. On the whole they stupid thing is pretty damn good. I've smoked ribs, pork chops and chicken with great results. I have also produced incredibly great steaks on it too. Being able to get the temperature up to ~800F makes grilling steaks a cinch.

The make a giant egg that would probably provided the cooking service required but I would seriously doubt it would be portable in any fashion.

[emtdaddy1980]

I used to sell high end grills in college about 16 years ago so my info is a little outdated, but I was always a fan of the firemagic series by peterson. The ones I dealt with were pretty heavy duty stainless 16 gauge or better, the, burners were made of cast stainless steel and will last a lifetime, and they had the ability to function as a direct flame Gass grill or a charcoal powered smoker with the ability to smoke with indirect heat. They are also highly customizable. The part I'm not sure of is the digital temp control.....it was 15 years ago when I was selling them and that technology wasn't very common at the time. They may very well offer it now. Hope this, helps.

[EDELWEISS]

Ahhh you do know its ok to cook in the house now...:wink: I really never understood the whole outdoor grill thing. Please tell me you guys don't wear the "Kiss the Cook" apron and hat or the holster for the utensils hehehe

[Yooper75]

Ahhh you do know its ok to cook in the house now...:wink: I really never understood the whole outdoor grill thing. Please tell me you guys don't wear the "Kiss the Cook" apron and hat or the holster for the utensils hehehe

So you're telling me I should return the Tactical Digi Camo MOLLE apron I bought!?!:blink: I know it's ok to cook in the house but cooking a good cut of meat over an open flame just can't be beat in my opinion.

[Patrick-OP]

Weber bullet. Just cooked a pork butt over the weekend. Smoked two whole turkeys at Chistmas. Best $400 I have spent on a cooking instrument. You seriously can't go wrong with it.


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[palm farmer]

green egg and they do make a table that has casters on it, I never once have regretted buying it

[WinstonSmith]

Weber bullet. Just cooked a pork butt over the weekend. Smoked two whole turkeys at Chistmas. Best $400 I have spent on a cooking instrument. You seriously can't go wrong with it.


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He wants an automatic, rather than a grill he needs to poke and prod every half hour to make sure the temp is regulated. I have one of the ones you recommend, and while it will certainly smoke the meat very well, it is labor intensive to regulate the heat. I'm either burning meat or it burns down and isn't hot enough, unless I'm standing over it for the 8 hours necessary to properly smoke a whole turkey.

[336Whiskey]

Get a couple Weber 22.5" kettles like the Performer and a couple of these:

http://www.amazon.com/IQ120-Temperature-Regulator-Standard-Adapter/dp/B00ED2KTDE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1422976581&sr=1-1&keywords=iq120

Then get a gas grill.

IMHO, having a one-grill solution is kinda like trying to have a one gun solution to every situation.

[Yooper75]

Get a couple Weber 22.5" kettles like the Performer and a couple of these:

http://www.amazon.com/IQ120-Temperature-Regulator-Standard-Adapter/dp/B00ED2KTDE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1422976581&sr=1-1&keywords=iq120

Then get a gas grill.

IMHO, having a one-grill solution is kinda like trying to have a one gun solution to every situation.

I know where you're coming from but what I'm doing now the bed of my F350 is completely full of gear and I drag a 20ft car trailer with a big stainless 5 burner gas grill strapped to it when I go do events for work. Is what I'm doing now working? Yes, but I want to make what I do more efficient because set up and tear down takes me a little over an hour now. I'm about to go buy a small trailer, Miller 211 Mig Welder, two 800 SQIN LP grill heads, medium sized pellet smoker, and a pile of steel to build what I'm looking for. I did one event that I ended up feeding over 300 people with just my big grill and I never want to be behind the 8 ball like that again. A large group hungry people that size is not fun to deal with.

[morghill]

Yep! Just build one.... I had to! 3'x4' gas grill, with pot burners in front of the grill. Great for all occasions!

Holds 60 burgers, or 7 butts... Bad thing is, once people know you have it you end up cooking a lot!

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[Vigilant]

A Traeger meets all of your criteria, and it truly is a set it and almost forget it option. Just make sure to feed the hopper. I have two Traegers and a large BGE. I love them all, but ease of use goes to Traeger hands down.

[Greg Nichols]

could get one of these https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUxQxNjjwH58LYEm1QwDl_QLk6ejWhV 41Z6b2Fjx_zRpx3GLws7iOw9n8 (http://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.keywordpictures.com/keyword/mouth%2520grille/&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=ZgTRVMnbHI63ogSojoGABg&ved=0CDYQ9QEwEA&usg=AFQjCNH3N9IN8D-O49VAUrZ_w8u9N5EW9w)

[336Whiskey]

http://www.bbqguys.com/item_name_Louisiana-Grills-Country-Smoker-Whole-Hog-Pellet-Grill-On-Cart_path_7119-11095-9953_item_2872726.html

[Yooper75]

could get one of these https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUxQxNjjwH58LYEm1QwDl_QLk6ejWhV 41Z6b2Fjx_zRpx3GLws7iOw9n8 (http://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.keywordpictures.com/keyword/mouth%2520grille/&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=ZgTRVMnbHI63ogSojoGABg&ved=0CDYQ9QEwEA&usg=AFQjCNH3N9IN8D-O49VAUrZ_w8u9N5EW9w)

I knew that post was coming when I created this thread! :biglaugh:


http://www.bbqguys.com/item_name_Louisiana-Grills-Country-Smoker-Whole-Hog-Pellet-Grill-On-Cart_path_7119-11095-9953_item_2872726.html

I've been drooling over the Whole Hog for almost a year now and I just might end up with it yet.

[Yooper75]

Yep! Just build one.... I had to! 3'x4' gas grill, with pot burners in front of the grill. Great for all occasions!

Holds 60 burgers, or 7 butts... Bad thing is, once people know you have it you end up cooking a lot!

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

I've already gained that reputation and I enjoy cooking especially on a grill.


A Traeger meets all of your criteria, and it truly is a set it and almost forget it option. Just make sure to feed the hopper. I have two Traegers and a large BGE. I love them all, but ease of use goes to Traeger hands down.

I've been looking at Traeger grills as well as the Louisiana grills ever since my grill had it's fatal accident last year and now that I'm getting my tax return I need to do something before summer get's here.

[336Whiskey]

Bite the bullet and get the best

http://www.yodersmokers.com/ys1500-pellet-grill.html

[Gabriel Suarez]

41643

This is what originally came to mind when I read the title. But yes...tier one outdoor cooking aparatus are great things.

[Dorkface]

I have been fighting the urge to post a pic of a mouth grill since the thread went up..... rofl.

[randyho]

I think a big traeger is the droid you're looking for. I never cook for 50 people, so the little traeger serves me very well. The big ones? They'll hold a lot of food.

[kabar]

Dang! I thought this thread was going to be about elective dental work...

Edit: I see I wasn't the only one with that impression

[Echo17]

I am a BGE fan, adds flavor with no calories to fuel your paleo diet of delicious meats

[BPMOU80CO]

I love our Traeger, meets all of the requirements. We've got the big tex model. Here's Saturday morning pastured pork belly cooking. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/07/1b044d39b1cb41680b36dbeed9aa3527.jpg

[Jeromy Hasenkamp]

Traeger all the way...check out their new for 2015...I might have to upgrade myself http://www.traegergrills.com/pro-series/texas

[Yooper75]

I like the Traeger and Louisiana pellet grills I just need to put my hands on one before I spend anything. I've got a buying show next week in Orlando both of Traeger and Louisiana grill companies will be there as vendors and I will look at them while I'm at the show. Who know one may follow me home.

[mike135]

Traeger plus a wireless dual-probe thermometer is the super-easy button for me. One probe monitors air temp, the other is inside the meat. Turn it on, the receiver sits inside next to you, when the internal temp is right go get your meat, you never have to open the lid once.

[Yooper75]

I ordered a Traeger Texas Pro Series pellet grill I can't wait to get it and try it out.

[randyho]

Excellent choice. Enjoy.