HankB
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2012
- Location
- Winfield...
I have too many grills. It all started back in '73 when we got married and got an 18" Weber BBQ for a wedding present. I didn't even take it out of the box for a couple years. But I had heard they worked well so I finally unpacked it, got a rack of baby backs and followed directions to prepare it using the indirect method. Holy Cow, those were good ribs! I realized how badly I'd screwed up by not using it sooner. What I didn't realize was that I'd started something that would eventually get out of hand. While the kids grew it wasn't really a problem. I used the grill now and then and it never disappointed, but 18 1/2" just wasn't quite enough for the four of us.
In the '90s I decided to reward myself for something I no longer remember and bought a 22" Weber kettle. I succumbed to a hot red model with an ash bucket and thermometer in the lid handle. Aficionados will recognize this as a Mastertouch. For a few more years that was enough to satisfy my cravings.
Somewhere about that time I also got a Coleman propane grill, my first gasser. It has a side burner and heat resistant glass and burners that put out way too much heat. I suppose it would be good for grilling steaks, but that wasn't my style. I was already leaning toward low 'n slow and this just didn't do it. But I still use the side burner to light chimneys full of charcoal. And it's good for roasting corn on the cob (husk on.)
A couple years ago I decided to take low 'n slow to a new level. I bought an 18 1/2" Weber Smoky Mountain. Yes, I'm drinking their kool-aid. About this time I discovered Internet forums dedicated to making the best use of back yard cooking equipment. I learned hot wo get the best out of my WSM and took my cooking to a new level. I get results that amaze me.
And I discovered Craigslist. And that's when things started to get out of hand. Last year I bought a 12 year old Weber Silver A - a nice small two burner gasser. It needed flavorizers and I got lucky and found a stainless set on CL. It needed a grate and I found that one that had been in our back yard since we moved in fit admirably well. It's actually a super grate with slots about the same size as the bars (50% duty cycle is how I think about it) and bars that are about 3/4" top to bottom. There's a lot of mass to produce good grill marks. Better yet, that grate is a perfect fit in a 22 1/2" Weber kettle. Set on the grate, the corners just touch the bowl and there is just enough space to open the hinged part of the grate.
I also decided that I needed to upgrade to a Performer to get some working surface. I bought one that was missing the propane lighter and charcoal bin (and which I later found out was actually a model called the Platinum.) The important part about it is the work surface and it s thus one of the more used members of my collection.
Then I saw a 10 year old Silver B on CL free for the taking. I cleaned it up and it worked great. Style wise it was a perfect match with my Silver A and they made a great pair. Until I saw an '05 Gold B listed for $40 on CL (with tank.) It became my next acquisition and I sold off the Silver B.
I also couldn't resist the Q220 with the nice cart that went for $30. It's just cool.
I did step out of the Weber fold to get a hibachi. I got a Lodge Sportsman's Grill. I like Lodge stuff but I'm not sure this up to their typical quality, but it is great for grilling and roasting red peppers.
Am I done? Just this week I bought a Weber Go Anywhere for $5. Another CL find. I was going to cannibalize the handles for one of my older grills but now that I see it, I hate to do that. It's so cute!
But my real dream is to find the next biggter Weber kettle - the 26 3/4. Then build a cart for it with a concrete counter top, sort of like an oversize performer. It won't have the propane igniter in the bowl, but I could build a side burner into the top to use for cooking and lighting charcoal. Fitst I have to find a 26 on CL at a decent price.
Do I have a problem? Yes. Do I intend to do anything about it? Heck no! This is so much cheaper than chasing loose women plus SWMBO approves. :-D
so, hi folks.
In the '90s I decided to reward myself for something I no longer remember and bought a 22" Weber kettle. I succumbed to a hot red model with an ash bucket and thermometer in the lid handle. Aficionados will recognize this as a Mastertouch. For a few more years that was enough to satisfy my cravings.
Somewhere about that time I also got a Coleman propane grill, my first gasser. It has a side burner and heat resistant glass and burners that put out way too much heat. I suppose it would be good for grilling steaks, but that wasn't my style. I was already leaning toward low 'n slow and this just didn't do it. But I still use the side burner to light chimneys full of charcoal. And it's good for roasting corn on the cob (husk on.)
A couple years ago I decided to take low 'n slow to a new level. I bought an 18 1/2" Weber Smoky Mountain. Yes, I'm drinking their kool-aid. About this time I discovered Internet forums dedicated to making the best use of back yard cooking equipment. I learned hot wo get the best out of my WSM and took my cooking to a new level. I get results that amaze me.
And I discovered Craigslist. And that's when things started to get out of hand. Last year I bought a 12 year old Weber Silver A - a nice small two burner gasser. It needed flavorizers and I got lucky and found a stainless set on CL. It needed a grate and I found that one that had been in our back yard since we moved in fit admirably well. It's actually a super grate with slots about the same size as the bars (50% duty cycle is how I think about it) and bars that are about 3/4" top to bottom. There's a lot of mass to produce good grill marks. Better yet, that grate is a perfect fit in a 22 1/2" Weber kettle. Set on the grate, the corners just touch the bowl and there is just enough space to open the hinged part of the grate.
I also decided that I needed to upgrade to a Performer to get some working surface. I bought one that was missing the propane lighter and charcoal bin (and which I later found out was actually a model called the Platinum.) The important part about it is the work surface and it s thus one of the more used members of my collection.
Then I saw a 10 year old Silver B on CL free for the taking. I cleaned it up and it worked great. Style wise it was a perfect match with my Silver A and they made a great pair. Until I saw an '05 Gold B listed for $40 on CL (with tank.) It became my next acquisition and I sold off the Silver B.
I also couldn't resist the Q220 with the nice cart that went for $30. It's just cool.
I did step out of the Weber fold to get a hibachi. I got a Lodge Sportsman's Grill. I like Lodge stuff but I'm not sure this up to their typical quality, but it is great for grilling and roasting red peppers.
Am I done? Just this week I bought a Weber Go Anywhere for $5. Another CL find. I was going to cannibalize the handles for one of my older grills but now that I see it, I hate to do that. It's so cute!
But my real dream is to find the next biggter Weber kettle - the 26 3/4. Then build a cart for it with a concrete counter top, sort of like an oversize performer. It won't have the propane igniter in the bowl, but I could build a side burner into the top to use for cooking and lighting charcoal. Fitst I have to find a 26 on CL at a decent price.
Do I have a problem? Yes. Do I intend to do anything about it? Heck no! This is so much cheaper than chasing loose women plus SWMBO approves. :-D
so, hi folks.
