Verdict: The Big Easy® Smoker, Roaster & Grill (pics)

[PatioDaddio]

Verdict: The Big Easy® Smoker, Roaster & Grill

I've cooked on The Big Easy Smoker, Roaster & Grill several times over the
past week. Despite my early misgivings regarding the overall build quality of
this unit, I will say that its performance has definitely surpassed my
expectations.



You may recall that my first cook was roasting two chickens. This was
clearly a success, but it only tested one of the three cooking methods that
this unit boasts.

Last night I decided to try filling the supplied chip/pellet box with some
Jack Daniels pellets while grilling some steaks. My thought was that the
smoke would give me a more authentic grilled flavor.

I fired The Big Easy up and let it preheat on high for 15 minutes. I put a
grill surface thermometer on the stainless steel grate (seasoned earlier)
and, as you can see, it hit 525º. This is a good temperature for grilling.



I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how much smoke this
thing produced. It was almost overwhelming for what I was after. You can
easily get 75-90 minutes of smoke from one load of pellets. I don't know
how chips compare, but the manual states that you can expect about an
hour.

I cooked the steak to medium-rare, and the flavor was outstanding. The
heat was consistent and about as even as one could expect.



Tonight I cooked several more steaks, minus the smoke box, and the
results were equally impressive, as the picture at the top of this post
attests. I will say that the more you load up the grill grate, the less
impressive the grill marks.

My verdict on this unit is that it is great for those that want an
easy-to-use cooker that will allow them to grill, roast and smoke. In short,
I think it lives up to its name. It's simple to use and produces good food
with very minimal fuss. The downside is that its grilling capacity is limited,
with a grate that is only a 15" in diameter.

-----

John

[deguerre]

Thanks John. Nice review! I had been wondering about the smoke production and you answered that nicely. I got a look at one at MIM at the Char-Broil tent when looking for the BBQ-Grail and was surprised at the size. It is a cute l'il feller.

[Smokey Al Gold]

Thanks John I appreciate your indepth review. That steak and onions look killer!

[PatioDaddio]

You're certainly welcome. It's my pleasure.

John

[RAYSOR]

Thanks for the great report, I always enjoy your posts and knowledge

[vr6Cop]

Nice review on a cool looking product John.

[deguerre]

John, any effect from wind? It looks pretty self contained. Also, I know you could not know, but having had experience with the cooker and knowing the materials it's made of, would it be a good cold weather unit?

[PatioDaddio]

Thanks for the compliments and encouragement.

Originally Posted by deguerre

John, any effect from wind? It looks pretty self contained. Also, I know you could not know, but having had experience with the cooker and knowing the materials it's made of, would it be a good cold weather unit?

You're right, I don't know, but I think it would cook just as well in the cold. It gets seriously hot, and uses infrared heat that is directed inward.

John

[PatioDaddio]

Oh, I forgot to mention this:

Special Deal: Use the promo code SZTBEPRO when you order here and receive 20% off. The code will be good for the next 60-90 days.

Obligatory Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with or compensated by Char-Broil.

John