competition grill--recommendations?

comfrank · 12-11-2009, 10:27 AM

I've got a BarBChef from BBQ Galore, and I dearly love it. But it's big and heavy and I'm tired of lugging it to competitions. Any recommendations for a smaller and lighter grill, one that's easy to load into my pick up truck but still would do a great job at a comp. Ninety percent of the use of this grill will be for finishing chicken and ribs, but occasionally I'll use it for the odd nonstandard category such as a chef's choice.

I'm thinking of getting a Weber one-touch gold 22.5" http://weber.com/grills/?glid=5&mid=24

but before I pull the trigger I thought I'd check here to get opinions on that grill or any other you might suggest.

Thanks,
--frank in Wilson, NY

Brew-B-Q · 12-11-2009, 11:05 AM

If you just want a grill, you can't beat the weber kettles. You should check out craigslist as you can find them for much less than new. You may find a 22.5" silver fits your needs just fine, although the gold is nicer.

CivilWarBBQ · 12-11-2009, 11:46 AM

Agreed. Especially after Christmas when all the guys who found an expensive stainless gasser under the tree bow to pressure from their wives to "get rid of that dirty old charcoal grill", you should see scads of kettles on CL.

Captain Dave · 12-11-2009, 11:46 AM

Those webers are nice, but have you cooked on a uds yet. It might make you want to deal with the size and weight...and its cheaper.

Meat@Slim's · 12-11-2009, 05:20 PM

We use a pair of Weber Go Anywhere Charcoal Grills. ($45 each on Amazon Shipped free)

We put these on a Camp Chef Dutch Oven Table which is designed to hold dutch ovens with charcoal so it handles the heat no problem. This table has removable legs so it flat packs to a very shallow depth. You could go with a pair of Smokey Joe's as well but I like the modular nature of the Go Anywhere's. It is nice to have an extra table when not grilling. A drawback to the Go-Anywhere is that it is not deep. Meaning I actively manage and space out briquettes during competition cooks. I have no problem with this...I take it instead of the space hog that is a Weber Kettle.

BBQ Grail · 12-11-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CivilWarBBQ

Agreed. Especially after Christmas when all the guys who found an expensive stainless gasser under the tree bow to pressure from their wives to "get rid of that dirty old charcoal grill", you should see scads of kettles on CL.

I love it when people "upgrade" to gas...

Get a weber kettle and be done with it.

txschutte · 12-11-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ Grail

I love it when people "upgrade" to gas...

Get a weber kettle and be done with it.

Just do as the man says. You'll thank him later.

swamprb · 12-11-2009, 09:06 PM

I had been hauling around a kettle most of the season, usually for one day comps that I cooked Tri-Tips or Salmon on. And occasionally zapping some chicken off the drum.
What I really wanted was to use a rotisserie at comps, and I picked up a Cajun Bandit
http://candcgrillinco.com/
and took a One Touch Silver (OTS) and drilled 3 holes for the leg kit and it was off n' runnin'!

With the rotis ring in place it is slightly taller than the 22" WSM

It comes with a charcoal ring the same size as the 22" bullet-but I usually use either the ring from one of my 18" WSM or a homemade 11" ring for short cooks. I don't care what anyone say's- the big bullets are fuel hogs!

Use it without the charcoal ring, waterpan and center section and it is one stable kettle.

You can't do that with a big bullet!

Midnight Smoke · 12-11-2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamprb

I have nothing to offer for advice. But those are some Very Good looking Thighs!!!!

ballou1024 · 12-11-2009, 10:35 PM

Check these out!
http://www.yodersmokers.com/

Sawdustguy · 12-11-2009, 10:52 PM

Big Green Egg

Rookie'48 · 12-11-2009, 10:57 PM

Brian, just looking at these makes me think 9-9-9! Get that to my table with minimal sauce and you've got good scores from me.

12-11-2009, 10:27 AM	#1
comfrank On the road to being a farker Join Date: 01-29-08 Location: Wilson, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	competition grill--recommendations? I've got a BarBChef from BBQ Galore, and I dearly love it. But it's big and heavy and I'm tired of lugging it to competitions. Any recommendations for a smaller and lighter grill, one that's easy to load into my pick up truck but still would do a great job at a comp. Ninety percent of the use of this grill will be for finishing chicken and ribs, but occasionally I'll use it for the odd nonstandard category such as a chef's choice. I'm thinking of getting a Weber one-touch gold 22.5" http://weber.com/grills/?glid=5&mid=24 but before I pull the trigger I thought I'd check here to get opinions on that grill or any other you might suggest. Thanks, --frank in Wilson, NY __________________ OK Joe Bandera style smoker; WSM 22"; blue DigiQ II

12-11-2009, 11:46 AM	#4
Captain Dave is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-29-09 Location: Beechgrove, Tn. 37018 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Those webers are nice, but have you cooked on a uds yet. It might make you want to deal with the size and weight...and its cheaper. __________________ Thanks for noticing

12-11-2009, 09:06 PM	#8
swamprb somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-27-06 Location: Bothell WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I had been hauling around a kettle most of the season, usually for one day comps that I cooked Tri-Tips or Salmon on. And occasionally zapping some chicken off the drum. What I really wanted was to use a rotisserie at comps, and I picked up a Cajun Bandit http://candcgrillinco.com/ and took a One Touch Silver (OTS) and drilled 3 holes for the leg kit and it was off n' runnin'! With the rotis ring in place it is slightly taller than the 22" WSM It comes with a charcoal ring the same size as the 22" bullet-but I usually use either the ring from one of my 18" WSM or a homemade 11" ring for short cooks. I don't care what anyone say's- the big bullets are fuel hogs! Use it without the charcoal ring, waterpan and center section and it is one stable kettle. You can't do that with a big bullet! __________________ Brian - Left Hand Smoke BBQ PNWBA 2010 Team of the Year BGE's/WSM's/BWS Gater/BDS Clones/Weber Performer w EZ-Que/Cajun Bandit/Rib-O-Lator Test Pilot/La Caja China/BBQ Guru/Weber 1000 RK Drum Coffee Roaster Follow Left Hand Smoke on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/pages/Left-H...462391?sk=wall KCBS CBJ/PNWBA CBJ www.pnwba.com

12-11-2009, 10:35 PM	#10
ballou1024 Found some matches. Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Lithonia,GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Check these out! http://www.yodersmokers.com/ __________________ Grilling is my way of life!

12-11-2009, 10:52 PM	#11
Sawdustguy Babbling Farker Join Date: 09-14-05 Location: Manorville, Long Island Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Big Green Egg __________________ Guy (Brewmaster and Pitmaster) BBQ Team: *Two Fat Polocks BBQ Team* Brewery: Black Dog Brewery BBQ Equipment: "Sam I Am": XL Big Green Egg "Barbra Q": Lang 84 Deluxe "R2 and D2": Twin 22" Weber Smokey Mountains Brewery: Custom Made Automated Souped Up Sabco

12-11-2009, 11:05 AM	#2
Brew-B-Q is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-27-08 Location: Round Lake IL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you just want a grill, you can't beat the weber kettles. You should check out craigslist as you can find them for much less than new. You may find a 22.5" silver fits your needs just fine, although the gold is nicer.

12-11-2009, 11:46 AM	#3
CivilWarBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Agreed. Especially after Christmas when all the guys who found an expensive stainless gasser under the tree bow to pressure from their wives to "get rid of that dirty old charcoal grill", you should see scads of kettles on CL.

12-11-2009, 05:20 PM	#5
Meat@Slim's Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Woburn, MA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	We use a pair of Weber Go Anywhere Charcoal Grills. ($45 each on Amazon Shipped free) We put these on a Camp Chef Dutch Oven Table which is designed to hold dutch ovens with charcoal so it handles the heat no problem. This table has removable legs so it flat packs to a very shallow depth. You could go with a pair of Smokey Joe's as well but I like the modular nature of the Go Anywhere's. It is nice to have an extra table when not grilling. A drawback to the Go-Anywhere is that it is not deep. Meaning I actively manage and space out briquettes during competition cooks. I have no problem with this...I take it instead of the space hog that is a Weber Kettle.

12-11-2009, 10:57 PM	#12
Rookie'48 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-12-06 Location: Des Moines, Iowa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Brian, just looking at these makes me think 9-9-9! Get that to my table with minimal sauce and you've got good scores from me. __________________ Dave Compton KCBS MasterCBJ # 22569 KCBS BoD Judges' Advocate Possibly the only judge ever to get an award from a bunch of cooks UDS 075 UCB WSM and a bunch of other stuff. The above post is only my opinion - mine & mine alone.

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