I wanted to share a picture of my new outdoor kitchen with everyone.
Just kidding. I could never afford this. But, I can dream! (and do so regularly)
In all seriousness, I am in the market for a new grill.
I know how to grill, but when I went shopping quickly realized I know nothing about grills.
Enter the wonderful man working at the local Lowe's.
I learned some really valuable nuggets of information for grill shopping and can't wait to share them with you!
What you need to know when shopping for a new grill:
- Most importantly- know your needs. The grill you'd need for cooking an occasional hotdog or burger is different from the one needed for the serious griller who cooks a variety of food and won't let a little thing like winter stop him from grilling (i.e.- my fiance who enjoys grilling steaks in the snow)
- Respect your budget. You can get a pretty decent piece of equipment for under $300. If you take care of it, it will last you for years.
- It doesn't matter how much money you spend, if you don't properly clean your grill, it won't last.
- The biggest threat to grills (other than weather) is acids. If you're a cook who loves a good tomato or bbq sauce, you'll need to give your grill some TLC. Juices and sauces have a habit of finding their way into the little nooks and crannies of your grill. After it's cooled, be sure to remove all the grates etc. and give it a good scrub down, focusing on the corners and all the places that metal is folded or attached. Slacking in your cleaning duties leads to rust. Rust is your grill's sworn enemy.
- If you can afford it, stainless is the way to go. We're talking stainless grill plates and elements. The outside isn't as crucial as the inside. However, most grills that feature stainless grill plates have upgraded exteriors as well.
- If a grill has cast iron plates instead of stainless, they will be uncoated (rough and bumpy) or enameled (black and shiny). You really shouldn't take the wire brush (that comes in just about every grilling tool kit) to enameled plates or you risk chipping it off. That being said, a grill brush isn't the most effective tool to use ever. My new friend from Lowe's hates them. While they get off big chunks of leftovers, they aren't efficient cleaning tools. You'll still need to take the cooled plates off the grill and let them soak in the sink before cleaning them thoroughly.
- The higher the BTUs, the better.
- Weber grills are expensive, but worth the money for a serious griller (so says the man at Lowe's). Personal experience from family and friends tells me that they get blazing hot (which is good), but it's hard to finesse meals that require lower temps. So, jury's out on that particular brand.
- Weber does have a few models in which the cooking area body is made from a one piece cast iron unit. This makes them in the $700+ range, but it also eliminates all those teeny tiny crevices that hide your dripped sauces and harbor rust. Pretty cool.
- Master Forge is a brand that's new to the market (and available at Lowe's). They're offering fantastic grills at reasonable prices because they're just breaking in. They're selling at lower prices and waiting for word of mouth to spread. The same quality grill you buy this year will probably be more expensive next year and continue to rise until they hit market price.
- More expensive grills have more convenience features. These added features can be anything from a place to hang a kitchen towel and racks for spices to conveniently located drip trays and slide out tank tray with fuel meter. You don't need any of these things. But, they're nice, aren't they? I was drawn to a model with blue LED lights on the knobs. That's totally over the top, but still pretty nifty.
- Pay attention to the type of side burner that comes with your grill. A gas burner or an infrared burner will give you different benefits. Continue reading below for more information on infrared grilling.
What's the big deal about Infrared?
Infrared grills aren't new to the grilling scene, but they've definitely enjoyed a yearly increase in popularity.
An infrared grill works in the same way that a regular gas grill does (gas from your tank is lit and pumped through burners) except the burners are buried beneath a few layers of stainless steel to inhibit airflow. Regular gas grills work through convection (the food is cooked by the hot airflow). Because infrared grills don't have the convection process due to the lack of airflow, they cook by the radiant heat (like your microwave or oven).
What that means:
- Infrared grills can reach screaming hot temperatures in a short amount of time.
- This means they're great for searing steaks and locking in juices. This also means you'll probably burn the first meal that you cook until you get used to it.
- Many people use infrared grills for grilling more delicate meals (like fish) after a little practice
- The different cooking style will take some getting used to. Delicate meals will be tricky at first.
A note on side burners:
Depending on what you use your side burner for, infrared might or might not be the best option for you.
What to use an infrared side burner for:
- Searing steaks before placing on lower heat on a regular gas grill
- Preparing delicate mains (ie fish) while cooking hearty veggies and potatoes on a regular grill
An infrared side burner is not good for:
-Sweating onions or sauteing any veggie
-any type of cooking the requires another vessel (boiling corn or lobster, pan frying, etc.)
Only you know what you grilling needs.
Don't be pushed into an infrared grill if you'd rather stick with what you know. You don't need the $899 KitchenAid all stainless model if you're only going to grill a few burgers over Labor Day weekend.
Most importantly, never smush your meat down onto the grill. Pressing down on meat squeezes out all those delicious juices. No one likes a dry burger!
Enjoy grill shopping!
Have any advice on grill shopping?
Share in the comments!
