What are you doing at the moment?

[EasternWest]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

That's awesome.

Seconded.

I'm positively green, Stache.

[jeemak]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

Scraggers, tell us how the berks are going.......

'stache, I've been giving the Q200 an absolute smashing for the last three years and it's been great, but I'm looking at upgrading after this summer is done as I think that would be a good time to mothball it and use it as a portable BBQ only (next year's tax return is in my sights). How do you rate your Weber grill?

EW - that machine looks immense, great work!

[Greystache]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

'stache, I've been giving the Q200 an absolute smashing for the last three years and it's been great, but I'm looking at upgrading after this summer is done as I think that would be a good time to mothball it and use it as a portable BBQ only (next year's tax return is in my sights). How do you rate your Weber grill?

It's probably a discussion that could go for an hour, there's so many variables that makes one the best selection for you over the other.

I was replacing a Spirit E320 which I absolutely loved and used about 5 times a week. The Mrs and I decided we wanted to put a vergola down the side of the house so we could BBQ all year round, and given we were going to go to those lengths we should probably upgrade the BBQ as well. I actually decided on the BBQ before I built the kitchen, and originally planned to just have the Summit E670 and the One Touch Gold on their own. Then I decided to build it in, which meant I had to go the Summit E660 or E460, then we decided to get a smoker and a fridge and it snowballed from there.

It really depends on where you want to put it, how you want to use it, and how long you hope to keep it for. Without wanting to be a wanker, money wasn't really a consideration, so I just figured I'd go with top of the range. Then once I decided to build it in I had to go for the Summit anyway because it's the only build in model. I figured if I'm going to get a Summit I may as well get the biggest one.

It's great, but not that much better as an actual cooking device than the Spirit was. If you just want a stand alone BBQ that'll last for ages and cook great, but don't want to spend a fortune, then I'd look at the Genesis E330. It's basically the same cooking burner and grill as the Spirit but on a better quality cart and with a better quality lid, similar to the Summit. It'll last much better than the Spirit and has the sear station which turns out brilliant steaks. The only things it doesn't have is the rotisserie as standard, and you're talking under $2K as opposed to well over $5K. If you're going to use LPG then it's probably the best choice too, the Summit would destroy LPG bottles, which is why most people connect them to natural gas from the house.

If you want to go all out so you aren't ever going to be limited in how many people you can cater for, then by all means I recommend the 6 burner Summit. All of the full size Weber BBQ's have the positives of the Q range (i.e. fast cook times, even temp across the whole cooking surface, and flavour retention) but have the extra flexibility of turning off specific burners for indirect cooking, no need for all the extras, and a proper cart for storage. So they are a nice step up. And when they say even cooking surface they genuinely mean it, the top corner cooks at exactly the same temp as the bottom corner, which is the same as the middle, and this is across a cooking surface of almost a metre.

[1eyedog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

It got finished about a month or so ago and I hadn't really taken any photos, so here you go. It's probably a bit OTT but I figured while we're still young and don't have kids we may as well take the opportunity to go a bit crazy. It's all plumbed into the natural gas and hot /cold water, plus electricity, so it's pretty convenient.

Absolutely no need to ever leave home again.

[Bornadog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

The best BBQ meat, for me any how, is charcoal. Gas BBQ's just don't give you the same flavour. Having said that, I picked up a Weber Q2000 to grill with during the week days when I don't have time to fire up the charcoal. We have just finished painting and doing a mini renovation to the back Kitchen/Familyroom area and my wife insists I can't use the grill pan any more due to the smoke, so I picked up the gas Weber.

[jeemak]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

Thanks for the advice Grey.

BAD, are you still using briquettes or a different charcoal?

What are people's thoughts on fuel type?

[Bornadog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

Thanks for the advice Grey.

BAD, are you still using briquettes or a different charcoal?

What are people's thoughts on fuel type?

I have been using http://www.redheads.com.au/faq.php for a straight BBQ. For roasting I use the heat beads but don't really like them.

I would love some alternatives to test.

My father use to use the limbs off an olive tree (when the tree was pruned he would collect them), and swore they were the best to use. He would light his fire and burn them right down to smoking charcoal. The thing with charcoal is you don't want any flames. Of course he lived on the Mediterranean and had his own trees.

[Greystache]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

The best BBQ meat, for me any how, is charcoal. Gas BBQ's just don't give you the same flavour. Having said that, I picked up a Weber Q2000 to grill with during the week days when I don't have time to fire up the charcoal. We have just finished painting and doing a mini renovation to the back Kitchen/Familyroom area and my wife insists I can't use the grill pan any more due to the smoke, so I picked up the gas Weber.

Have you seen this?



Link

[Bornadog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

Have you seen this?



Link

No I haven't, looks interesting - thank you

[Greystache]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

No I haven't, looks interesting - thank you

I haven't tried it but supposedly it cuts prep time to 10 mins if you're using the Redhead lump charcoal. You should be just about able to use your kettle each night. The charcoal chimney's themselves are great. I introduced it to the father-in-law earlier this year after he hadn't used his kettle in 10 years, after some grumbling, he's now bought 5 and given them out to his mates. He's using it once a month now!

[Happy Days]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

Have you seen this?



Link

It looks like the bbq equivalent of a vape.

[Twodogs]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

It looks like the bbq equivalent of a vape.

Haha. It does too.

[Bornadog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

I haven't tried it but supposedly it cuts prep time to 10 mins if you're using the Redhead lump charcoal. You should be just about able to use your kettle each night. The charcoal chimney's themselves are great. I introduced it to the father-in-law earlier this year after he hadn't used his kettle in 10 years, after some grumbling, he's now bought 5 and given them out to his mates. He's using it once a month now!

I watched the video on the site and looks pretty good. I may even invest in one.

I use my Kettle most weekends, especially in the summer. When using heat beads it can be a bit dodgy getting them going, especially if there is no wind around, they seem to take forever to get them right.

[Greystache]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

I watched the video on the site and looks pretty good. I may even invest in one.

I use my Kettle most weekends, especially in the summer. When using heat beads it can be a bit dodgy getting them going, especially if there is no wind around, they seem to take forever to get them right.

I still use mine too on weekends, even with the new kitchen. I specifically had the stone mason build some bench space on the far right side so I had some working space when using my kettle. Anything between 2-4 hours of cooking and I use it, anything longer I use the smoker because the charcoal becomes a hassle to top up or keep burning. The kettle with some apple or hickory wood seems to produce a better smoke ring than the smoker.

I use the chimney with 3 firelighters, light it, put it on the bottom grate of the kettle, then go and prep my food, and come back after about 45 mins. It's not quick, but I've never had any trouble getting them lit and ashed over.

[Bornadog]

Re: What are you doing at the moment?

I still use mine too on weekends, even with the new kitchen. I specifically had the stone mason build some bench space on the far right side so I had some working space when using my kettle. Anything between 2-4 hours of cooking and I use it, anything longer I use the smoker because the charcoal becomes a hassle to top up or keep burning. The kettle with some apple or hickory wood seems to produce a better smoke ring than the smoker.

I use the chimney with 3 firelighters, light it, put it on the bottom grate of the kettle, then go and prep my food, and come back after about 45 mins. It's not quick, but I've never had any trouble getting them lit and ashed over.

Great setup.

does it all sit there in the open when it's raining, or do you cover the lot?