chingador
is Blowin Smoke!
Sorry I have not posted much in the last year or so. Nothing against the Brethren. I just don't post much on public forums or social media these days. I do lurk here and appreciate those of you who keep this site at its well earned level.
I am not a big collector of grills. I like to have the correct amount of grills in the back yard to handle just about every style of cooking. Right now, I am using a Rec Tec pellet grill for low and slow cooks and Primo Xl oval kamado for high temp cooks. My Primo is a bit long in the tooth. Firebox is cracked in several spots but is functional. I need to replaced the gaskets (again). The lid probably needs to be realigned as there seems to be air gaps. But since I only use it for high heat cooks, there really isn't much motivation to put the work in on it.
I decided it is time for a new grill. Was thinking offset stick burner but really don't have time to dedicate to super long cooks and like the food that comes off of the pellet grill just fine and love the convenience and ease of use. The style of cooking that really appeals to me is open fire cooking, specifically Santa Maria/Argentine brasero pits. Settled on Lonestargrillz but it is bigger than the space I have available. I could make it work but at the expense of an angry wife. She would walk right past it every time she comes and goes. Compared to other builders LSG is a good price but once I had it the way I wanted it I was around $2500. It is a cool pit and a fun way to cook but maybe not enough use to justify the outlay of funds.
Then I came across the Gabby's Grill attachment for Weber Kettles.
https://gabbysgrills.com/product/gabbys-grill-attachment/
So ordered the 26" Gabby's grill Santa Maria attachment and it ships out today via UPS. A 26" Weber Kettle was delivered yesterday. So by next weekend, I will be up and running on some improvised Santa Maria cooking filling out my home cooking arsenal.
But my OCD is kicking in with my natural tendency to reduce clutter and number of grills. I can kick out the Primo and retire it to my country house where it would live next to my UDS. We also have 2 stickburners there as well.
First question. Is there any benefit to have both a kamado and a kettle? I don't entertain huge groups of people. Mostly my wife and I + a couple couples every now and then. The pellet grill handles most slow cooked items and the 26" can fill in with extra capacity cooks.
I really love the idea of the Kettle. As much as I like the versatility of a Kamado, a kettle paired with the proper add ons can be way more versatile. In fact, I whenever I recommend pits to people a Kettle is always the first thing I say due to low cost, quality and versatility. I guess it was only a matter of time before I had my own. And it isn't made of ceramic so I don't have to worry about breaking anything.
Next question: considering that I am almost up to $1000 on the kettle and santa maria add-on, just how necessary is it to add a slow n sear?
Most low temp parts of reverse sear cooks happen on my pellet grill with the searing part on the charcoal grill. If I buy the slow n sear I know myself well enough to where I would also buy the drip pan and easy spin grill grate. But I am not sure how much I would use it. But all 3 would be an extra $350.
Which brings me to another question: Just how necessary are the drip pans and easy spin cooking grates if you go with slow n sear? I see the benefit to the cooking grate for charcoal access alone, but does the drip pan give enough benefit to airflow or does the SNS draw just as well without it?
And yet another question couldn't I just acheive the same thing as the SNS by stacking up fire bricks on 1 side? And as a follow up to that, just how much better is the SNS compared to the stock charcoal baskets that already come with the grill?
And just one more question: Vortex. Should I want one of these too? I hear most people use them for chicken wings. I am not as picky about that. My plan for all chicken was to use the Santa Maria attachment for that. I guess I could always add one later.
Right now, my lean is to work with 3 grills through the first part of the summer, I will know the answer when I put them all in use. But I cannot see anything that the Primo does that the Weber cannot do just as well if not better.
The way I see it, if I go the full route by adding the full compliment of Slow n Sear goodies, I am still around half price of the dedicated Santa Maria pit but with a ton more versatility. Going to be a fun year either way.
I am not a big collector of grills. I like to have the correct amount of grills in the back yard to handle just about every style of cooking. Right now, I am using a Rec Tec pellet grill for low and slow cooks and Primo Xl oval kamado for high temp cooks. My Primo is a bit long in the tooth. Firebox is cracked in several spots but is functional. I need to replaced the gaskets (again). The lid probably needs to be realigned as there seems to be air gaps. But since I only use it for high heat cooks, there really isn't much motivation to put the work in on it.
I decided it is time for a new grill. Was thinking offset stick burner but really don't have time to dedicate to super long cooks and like the food that comes off of the pellet grill just fine and love the convenience and ease of use. The style of cooking that really appeals to me is open fire cooking, specifically Santa Maria/Argentine brasero pits. Settled on Lonestargrillz but it is bigger than the space I have available. I could make it work but at the expense of an angry wife. She would walk right past it every time she comes and goes. Compared to other builders LSG is a good price but once I had it the way I wanted it I was around $2500. It is a cool pit and a fun way to cook but maybe not enough use to justify the outlay of funds.
Then I came across the Gabby's Grill attachment for Weber Kettles.
https://gabbysgrills.com/product/gabbys-grill-attachment/
So ordered the 26" Gabby's grill Santa Maria attachment and it ships out today via UPS. A 26" Weber Kettle was delivered yesterday. So by next weekend, I will be up and running on some improvised Santa Maria cooking filling out my home cooking arsenal.
But my OCD is kicking in with my natural tendency to reduce clutter and number of grills. I can kick out the Primo and retire it to my country house where it would live next to my UDS. We also have 2 stickburners there as well.
First question. Is there any benefit to have both a kamado and a kettle? I don't entertain huge groups of people. Mostly my wife and I + a couple couples every now and then. The pellet grill handles most slow cooked items and the 26" can fill in with extra capacity cooks.
I really love the idea of the Kettle. As much as I like the versatility of a Kamado, a kettle paired with the proper add ons can be way more versatile. In fact, I whenever I recommend pits to people a Kettle is always the first thing I say due to low cost, quality and versatility. I guess it was only a matter of time before I had my own. And it isn't made of ceramic so I don't have to worry about breaking anything.
Next question: considering that I am almost up to $1000 on the kettle and santa maria add-on, just how necessary is it to add a slow n sear?
Most low temp parts of reverse sear cooks happen on my pellet grill with the searing part on the charcoal grill. If I buy the slow n sear I know myself well enough to where I would also buy the drip pan and easy spin grill grate. But I am not sure how much I would use it. But all 3 would be an extra $350.
Which brings me to another question: Just how necessary are the drip pans and easy spin cooking grates if you go with slow n sear? I see the benefit to the cooking grate for charcoal access alone, but does the drip pan give enough benefit to airflow or does the SNS draw just as well without it?
And yet another question couldn't I just acheive the same thing as the SNS by stacking up fire bricks on 1 side? And as a follow up to that, just how much better is the SNS compared to the stock charcoal baskets that already come with the grill?
And just one more question: Vortex. Should I want one of these too? I hear most people use them for chicken wings. I am not as picky about that. My plan for all chicken was to use the Santa Maria attachment for that. I guess I could always add one later.
Right now, my lean is to work with 3 grills through the first part of the summer, I will know the answer when I put them all in use. But I cannot see anything that the Primo does that the Weber cannot do just as well if not better.
The way I see it, if I go the full route by adding the full compliment of Slow n Sear goodies, I am still around half price of the dedicated Santa Maria pit but with a ton more versatility. Going to be a fun year either way.
