BBQ Gear

Sometimes the simplicity is the best. If you are thinking of getting into the world of BBQ smoking, you can’t beat the value of most any Weber Product lines.

Weber Smoky Mountain-

I use the 18” version that…..some days I wish there was more capacity but really how much meat do you need?  There are two cooking surfaces and a new improved water pan that holds much more water than previous models. Benefits I believe of this set up are the relatively low cost (Most days you can find Amazon.com has it for roughly $250.00). It also has a small footprint compared to some of the square smoking boxes out there…and fit and finish is pretty dang good. Very few downsides to the Weber but I have formed a few opinions….the biggest one being the non-insulated shell. For cold temps it’s somewhat hard to regulate and wind seems to take more of a toll on the temp control than anything else. The biggest problem for me is tiny hands that could possibly be burned by touching the shell while the smoker is running.

Weber Performer

The workhorse at our house. When you think of charcoal grills you always imagine the classic Weber Kettle. It’s been around for decades because it works and is a solid value. The most basic model costs just under $100 and range up to the model that I have in the neighborhood of $300. The Performer features a gas assist for starting the coals, and a work table that is standing height. Totally awesome grill!! I use it at least 2-3 times a week and even more in the summer.

Other Weber Grills and Accessories

I recycled the Weber Q100 that we used forever prior to getting married for exclusive camping use. For this role its perfect…. It’s a small grill with a high BTU output. It can be used with 16.4oz portable propane can or fed off a larger tank via an adapter hose. I recently replaced the regulator….but outside of this other than a regular cleaning it still works great.

I also use a few of the grilling accessories that Weber produces. Their 3 piece grilling tool kit has replaced the wood handled chrome kits you find at the dollar store. The Tongs are especially nice for not losing your arm hair.

One new item that is worth looking into is the “Gourmet Grilling Grates” . This is something that Weber Put out a few years ago. It’s a replacement cooking grate with a removable center section that can adapt a Cast iron Sear Grate, Wok and Skillet. For me it doubles as a removable center section that allows the charcoal chimney down on the charcoal grate for startups. Really handy not to have to remove the greasy grill grate every time.