For most of us, price is a key element in all purchasing decisions. Whatever your charcoal grill budget may be, I strongly advise getting a model that has an ash removal system, such as Weber’s One-Touch removable ash bucket. Even if it costs a little more, you’ll be glad you shelled out the extra dough for that convenience, which takes away much of the pain in the ash. Hardwood pellets smolder to create a slow-smoked taste and a set-it-and-forget-it-type leniency that allows you to mingle with guests without incessantly having to monitor your meats. To my childhood mind, firing up a Weber charcoal grill had existential significance.
To help you choose the right one, we researched and tested top brands to find the best options for your home. For the indirect-cooking test, we cooked a whole chicken at as close to 500 °F as we could get (emulating Barbara Kafka’s famous oven-roasting method). We moved the remaining coals to one side of the coal grate and added half a chimney’s worth of freshly lit coals. In effect we were testing whether the grills could function as ovens—a really nice feature in the hot summer months, when you may not want to warm up your kitchen.
We tested the 22-inch Weber charcoal grill in black, but Weber also offers an 18-inch version of its original kettle design. There are certainly fancier and more expensive grills to use for cooking, but for a balance of affordability and quality, you can’t go wrong with this classic. In addition to 314 square inches of cast iron grill space, this porcelain-coated steel grill also has a removable 133-square-inch warming rack and two folding metal trays. The grill’s body is made from 22-gauge steel with a double wall insulation and porcelain-coated interior that can cook at 200 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s also adjustable top and bottom dampers, an easy-to-dump ash pan and locking wheels for moving it in your yard. There’s nothing quite like the smell and taste of a charcoal grill in the summer.
To see how differences in cooking temperature would play out in the real world, we seared 1½-inch-thick sirloin steaks on both grills over 3 pounds of coal. As you would expect given the laws of physics, both fires burned at similar temperatures and produced similar steaks. weber q When we filled the Egg to its capacity, however, things looked a little different. The Weber grilling system is designed for even cooking, consistent results and incredible flavor. Plus, these grills are easy to clean, leaving you with more time to enjoy your BBQ.
It’s solidly built, will last for years and mine that I’ve had for nearly 3 years now looks as good as new still. Admittedly, this is with perhaps 25 to 30 uses per year only, but it’s traveled thousands of miles in that time, and has been a joy to use campsites and fishing trips. As you can see in the portable bbq image above and at the top of this page, I manage to smoke roast foods on it, maintaining a steady temperature. Taking care of the Weber Go-Anywhere is not much different than with any charcoal grill. What you can’t do, however, at least not without a LOT of effort is any long, low n slow smoking.
The coals can move from 14.5 inches to 2.5 inches away from the cooking surface for serious direct infrared searing, a lot like a classic Santa Maria-style grill. Energy at the food level reduces rapidly as the coals move away, so this is a very effective temperature controller. And if you want that great dark mahogany steakhouse sear, crank the coals to right below your steak.