I was very, very excited when I opened up this curiously heavy gift on Christmas morning…

If you haven’t read about the Lodge Enamel Dutch Ovens yet, know this: people love them. They rave about them. On Amazon for instance, the average rating is 4-5 stars and each version of the dutch oven has hundreds of reviews. Most notable about this line has to be a point highlighted in almost every comment and review; “Le Creuset on a budget!”

Suffice it to say, I was very, very excited when I opened up this curiously heavy gift on Christmas morning. Within minutes I was running through the Epicurious app trying to find a good recipe.

Enamel dutch ovens owe at least some of their popularity to the fact that it is dead easy to make delicious food in them. The coffee-rubbed pork shoulder below has 3 ingredients and took all of 5 minutes of preparation. Here’s what you need:

• 2 packets of Starbucks Via Coffee (I went with a bold flavor)
• kosher salt
• bone-in pork shoulder

If you’re in the market for a new dutch oven, I highly recommend this model from Lodge. The quality is incredible for the price. Plus, the color is pretty cool… it goes perfectly with my solo cups!

Note how fine the grind is on the Via. This is key for coffee rubs, as I’ve found coarse grinds to imbue an overly bitter flavor on the rub-ee, in this case, the pork shoulder. I decided not to use a traditional rub ratio in this dish as a bit of an experiment; I wanted to see if coffee and kosher salt could stand on their own.

I heated the enamel dutch oven to medium and browned the pork shoulder before putting it in the oven at 350 degrees. The idea behind getting a quick sear on the shoulder is about flavor and texture. Typically, I’d smoke a pork shoulder which would help develop a nice bark or crust, but baking the shoulder in a covered dutch oven doesn’t allow a bark to develop. This step helps imitate that texture.

About 3 and a half hours later, the coffee rubbed bone-in pork shoulder was ready to come out of the oven. When the bone comes out clean, you know you’re there. I try to remove and serve the pork in chunks and then shred it as needed. I believe (though, have not justified though testing) that this helps the shoulder keep better. At the very least, it makes it much more presentable than a pile of shredded pork.

Let me know what you think.

11 Grilling Gifts for the Most Discerning of Grill Masters or Aspiring Enthusiasts!

Tongs
Spatula
Basting Brush
Thermometer
Chimney Starter
Mitts & Gloves
Skewers
Grilling Shovel
Cast Iron Skillet
Grill Pans

Whether it’s for Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary, a random second tier holiday or just because, grilling tools make great gifts. Here are some of my favorites with a few options ranging from ridiculously practical to borderline crazy. As an awful recipient of gifts – I just can’t feign it – I’ve culled the list to only things that:

1. I would be genuinely excited to get
2. I have used or currently do own
3. I recommend

Browse below, and please let me know your questions, thoughts, and/or opinions!

(Note that many of these links go to Amazon. This isn’t by design. I used Google Product Search to find the best prices for most of these products… and Amazon just happened to have them. If you find a better deal, please let me know in the comments section!)

Grilling Essentials

Oxo Tongs are great for grilling.

Tongs
Possibly the most used of the grilling essentials, tongs provide digit-like manipulation without the danger of getting burned. Anyone serious about grilling will need more than one set of tongs.

What to look for:

• Solid, thick-gauge construction
• Wide opening with a smooth locking mechanism
• 12+ inches for use on the grill

Recommended: Lodge ($10), Oxo ($17)

My favorite Weber spatula.

Spatula
Many grilled dishes are made or broken on the spatula. Whether it’s a failed flip or a pierced and split burger, the right choice here pays off.

What to look for:

• Solid, thick-gauge construction (a trend?)
• Smooth edges
• A spatula. No multi-tools here
• Offset neck and a wide blade

Recommended: Weber ($12), Oxo ($10)

Kingsford Basting Brush

Basting Brush
The basting brush won’t make an appearance every time the coals are lit, but it plays a major role in many dishes. A good basting brush will last forever.

What to look for:

• Silicon bristles
• Stainless steel handle
• Variety of brush widths

Recommended: Weber ($9), Kingsford ($18)

Overkill but awesome.

Thermometer
Using a good instant read digital thermometer takes the guesswork out of done-ness. This is also a good hint gift if the recipient cooks dry chicken, or cold burgers.

What to look for:

• Instant read
• Digital display

Recommended: Weber ($18), Taylor ($110, probe and infrared!)

Weber 7416 Chimney Starter

Chimney Starter
I went nearly 20 years without seeing a chimney starter in use. Anytime the family brought out a charcoal grill, copious amounts of lighter fluid were used to get things kicked off. This is not the way of the master.

What to look for:

• Solid construction from a light material
• Second handle for additional control
• Shielded handle

Recommended: Weber ($19)

Grill mitt by Charcoal Champion

Mitts & Gloves
It’s easy to ignore mitts or gloves… until you have to reach something on the back of a grill or move a hot cast iron pan.

What to look for:

• Insulated cloth with silicone inserts
• Cuffs that extend a bit to protect the forearm

Recommended: Charcoal Champion ($12)

The Expanded Tool Chest

Bamboo Skewers

Skewers
Aside from the obvious – like kebabs! – skewers are very useful for things like shrimp, scallops, or even wings. Both bamboo and metal skewers are acceptable in the grilling world. My personal preference depends on the fare, a heavier skewer for a heavier dish.

What to look for:

• Metal: flat or double pronged
• Bamboo: thick, splinter-free skewers

Recommended: Bradshaw ($3), ThinkBamboo ($15)

Grilling Shovel

Grilling Shovel
A small shovel is the most efficient tool for flipping giant burgers. Not really, but shovels are great for masterful coal arrangement, which allows you to control direct and indirect heat.

What to look for:

• All steel or mostly-steel construction
• Rubberized grip or handle

Recommended: Michigan ($10), Black & Decker ($20)

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Cast-Iron Skillet
A good skillet helps move stove favorites out to the grill. This isn’t the place for a bunch of cast iron recipes but a quick view into my favorites: grilled breakfast, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, seared filet mignon…

What to look for:

• Pre-seasoned
• Dual handle design

Recommended: Lodge ($28)

Calphalon Rib Rack

Rib Rack
A basic rib rack makes efficient use of grill space and provides better results than just laying ribs directly on the grates by enhancing air flow. This is the best way to achieve indirect heat on a charcoal grill, in my opinion.

What to look for:

• Thick gauge wires
• 4+ slots spaced for ribs or poultry

Recommended: Charcoal Companion ($15), Calphalon ($19), Weber ($16)

Weber Grill Pan

Grill Pans
Grill pans and sheet pans offer expanded prep area and a solution for grilling delicate or small foods. It would be crazy for instance to grill a delicate fish filet directly on the grates. Grill pans expand the utility of a grill, and thus make the list.

What to look for:

• High grade stainless steel
• 14-16″ length

Recommended: Weber ($23), Norpro ($20)

If you have a suggestion for this list, I’d love to hear about it.

[Header image source.]

Setup
The Weber One-Touch Silver was a breeze to setup. I’ve set two of these up now and the second was in an emergency situation – the charcoal trap on my roommate’s cheap grill had rusted to the point where the bottom actually fell out of it.

Basically setting up the Weber One-Touch Silver boiled down to snapping a few parts into place, flipping it over, and putting the lid on. All in, setup was roughly 20 minutes from unpacking to cleanup. The instructions were clear and easy to follow.

This is where I ran into my first problem with the Weber. There is a bucket in the coal trap that detaches to allow for easy emptying. There is a set of rivets holding a heat shield onto the trap, and two of the rivets had failed, causing the heat shield to hang down as pictured. This didn’t affect the functionality of the grill so I shot off an e-mail to Weber so that they could send me a replacement part and more or less forgot about it.

Until recently, I knew Weber as a company that would always go above and beyond to stand by its product. At the time of this article, Weber has not responded to e-mails, letters, or calls regarding the broken part. While I could have simply brought the grill back to Lowe’s for an exchange or a refund, it was absolutely my expectation that Weber would be on top of the replacement.s

First Impressions
The materials for this grill are of the quality I expect from Weber. The gauge of the steel is appropriate for most home grilling applications. The steel grates are thick enough that I don’t expect to see them bend in any situation. The grill has blades that allow you to clear the ash from the bottom of the grill without significant effort. This is a nice feature in theory but it’s not a very efficient system to be honest. The handles are made of a quality plastic and designed like heat sinks to disperse the heat of the charcoal.

As I noted, we’ve set up two of these grills and the second disappointment I have with this model is its lack of stability. While it is more than stable enough to grill on safely, there is a lot of play side to side that I just don’t expect in any grill. I’ve had the privilege  of using custom grills that cost many thousands of dollars and I have certainly spent more than enough nights grilling on setups on the other end of the spectrum, and I’ve never used a grill that had as much horizontal play and wobble as this Weber.

It came together quickly, but this charcoal grill wasn't all I wanted it to be.

First Use
I typically use a grill that has much less volume than the Weber One-Touch Silver so I had be sure to use the appropriate amount of charcoal. The menu was comprised of grilled chicken and sausage and the Weber performed exactly as expected. I really was pleased with the quality of the grates and appreciated the easy access to charcoal. The bottom vent is a great design and allowed me to fine tune the internal temperature – which was well-held – without any hassle.

This grill suffers from two design flaws that drove me completely insane. To be fair, I’m only dinging Weber here because I expect more from them.

1. The lid handle needs a heat shield or to be spaced further from the lid. I’m not an industrial designer. I’m not an engineer. I am just a dude that hates grabbing things that are incredibly hot.
2. The lid vent needs a more elegant design. Adjusting this mid-grilling is a recipe for a burned finger. The tab with which you must manipulate the vent is surprisingly small, inviting more burn opportunity.

Overall the first use was a success – the quality materials of the Weber outweighed the lack of build quality.

Summary
The quality materials that Weber uses do not make up for the shoddy manufacturing, but they do make it a little easier to deal with. The sub-$100 grill market is filled with alternates and from what I’ve seen, this space is Weber’s to lose. If you’re wanting to do better – look for a grill with similar stats that has a sturdier feel to it. This isn’t a bad purchase, but it didn’t leave me feeling like I had done nearly as well as I could have.

Grilled Romaine

Serious Grilling Tips

Steel Notebook Grill

Martha Stewart Hamburger Recipe

Summer is right around the corner. Being a winter person, I sometimes wish I could hibernate through the warm months. This being said, there are a few extracurricular activities and outdoor events that help redeem the season. As you might have guessed, grilling is involved with all of them.

Below are a few of my favorite summer activities plus the perfect grill for the occasion:

When: Camping / Hiking / Fishing / River Float Trips

Why: Because Jeremiah Johnson would be proud.

The Grill: Grilliput Compact Stainless Steel Outdoor Camp Grill

Dimensions: 11in Length / 2.2cm Width

This grill is compact, lightweight, resistant and collapsible which is great for a day-trip or a week in the bush. After installation the Grilliput offers 9” x 10” of grill space – leaving plenty of space to grill up your choice of camping cuisine. The device is made of stainless steel, is dishwasher safe and includes a scraping groove to remove char. The foldable grill breaks down to fit into a tiny solid tube.

Some Accessories: Grilliput Compact Outdoor Charcoal Fire Bowl

Pick your brand of outdoor activities, summer may not be my personal favorite however there isn’t anything much better than sitting around the grill after a long day.

Incredibly accurate... and it talks.

In a previous post, I mentioned the importance of consistency in grilling. One of the best ways to achieve consistency is by using a grill thermometer, and this is one of my favorites. Wireless grill thermometers add a bit of convenience. Talking ones are possibly creepy, probably nerdy, and definitely overboard. So, we like them.

Features include:

• Water resistant construction to support easy cleaning
• Backlit display, which I fully endorse
• Belt clip. Improves mobility!
• Supports multiple meats / doneness alerts
• 300ft Range

It can’t all be good, though. The Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer has a notorious lack of durability. Based on my experience and many reviews from around the net, expect a shelf life of 1-2 years; less if you are rough on your equipment. (Joke about being rough on your equipment.) There is also a problem with replacement parts; Brookstone limits the selection to solely replacement probes. Go for the replacement plan.

While this product is a strong performer, the high cost and questionable durability translate into mediocre value. This is a great gift but not the grill thermometer you buy for yourself.

Fire Magic Echelon E1060 - $10,005.60

First up is the FireMagic Echelon E1060. This baby features… well almost everything. Notable: angled halogen internal oven lamps, a 4-zone  backlit digital meat thermometer, a woodchip smoker drawer with dedicated burner, dedicated power supplies, condiment holders, and 1056 square inches of cooking surface… but there is no cupholder. I honestly don’t know how you craft a grill so elaborate and beautiful but forget to add a cupholder on the side of it. I’ve found deals online starting in the low $9,000′s, but you can also purchase just the range for the bargain price of $5,900 at some of your finer stores.

The 56" Alfresco Classic with Refrigerated Cart - $10,404.00

Honestly, the E1060 only made the list because I wanted 5 unique grills. It’s an abomination and a true sacrifice of value compared to #2 – the nearly 150,000 BTU monster that is the Alfresco Classic 56″ Natural Gas Grill. First let’s talk about firepower. We’re looking at three high-temp stainless steel main burners producing 82,500 BTUs, Dual 17,000 BTU side burners with recessed, sealed top, rotisserie with heavy-duty motor & 18,500 BTU infrared burner, and a smoker with a 7,000 BTU dedicated burner. As if the raw power wasn’t enough, this grill comes with a refrigerated cart featuring adjustable shelves and dual marinating trays. So, there’s proably $1000 of convenience for a slight $400 premium. I like where this is going.

Kalamazoo 900GT - $10,695. That's less than $22 per pound!

Also in the $10k range is the Kalamazoo 900GT, a freestanding LP gas grill. The 900GT also features nearly 150,000 BTU’s and – no joke – proudly weighs in at over 500 lbs. thanks to it’s 304 Stainless Steel and fully-welded frame construction. This grill differentiates itself from competitors with technology: the Kalamazoo Advanced Cooking Concept. KACC Technology (as I’ve dubbed it) allegedly provides the best direct AND indirect grilling performance. I’m not one to fall for marketing but this thing has Dragon Burners for perfect heat distribution. Learn more here. That’s +1 for badass stainless steel burners named after mythical creatures but -1 for having a refrigerator underneath it. And -1 for having less cooking surface (only 864 inches) than the base model at the top of the page. And -1 for being called Kalamazoo. Because it has a 900GT… the +- is getting annoying.

I’m rather bored by the $10k range so I’m going straight for the platinum standard. Grills can be outrageously expensive, but remember these are production. Take this in. It’s one thing to sell an $80,000 custom grill to a billionaire as part of an extravagent outdoor kitchen… it’s an entirely different thing to sell these grills online with two-day shipping.

Ready? The Crown Verity TG-2 Tailgate Gas Grill. $27,720. That’s just shy of the average annual income in the United States. The TG-2 has such an intriguing and ill-punctuated product description I have to post at least part of it here.

TG-2. Like a Terminator. $27,720.

The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill is a unique Item for taking your grilling anywhere The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill come with tires and a hitch for towing along on trips and jobs The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill is the ultimate tailgate grill and will be a big hit wherever it goes and it goes anywhere The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill makes for a perfect party If your business or pleasure means you need high-volume grilling in many different locations then you need the Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill Nothing is more suited for grilling on the go This is a top- quality stunner

I really don’t think I could say it any better. Though, if I were trying to sell a $27,720 grill that bolted onto the back of a vehicle, I’d probably use sentences and periods, and I probably wouldn’t say “come with tires.”

The Crown Verity IG-36. $29,340!

Today’s winner can be yours for the bargain price of $29,340. The Crown Verity IG-36 is an island gas grill with a refrigerator, granite counters, and Brazilian walnut surfaces. The unit comes with TWO separate GFCI outlets.  Basically, the IG-36 is actually a Transformer. Look at it. For the cost of remodeling your kitchen you can skip all the dust, labor, and appreciating home value and just toss one of these in your back yard. Terrible jokes aside, I am having a difficult time believing in the integrity of the image to left. If you look very closely (sorry for the crappy quality, not a lot of good imagery here) you will notice a grill brush hanging from the front handle. A $6 grill brush. On a $30,000 grill. I call bullshit.

For your entertainment, here are some additional entries for the most expensive grill:

1. A Discontinued Frontgate Entry
2. A Pimped Smoker. With Touch Screen!