As the chicken cooked we monitored the grills’ temperatures, using the built-in thermometer where available and a probe thermometer where not. The goal was a steady hold at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and we adjusted the vents to get as close to that as we could. After 45 minutes, we flipped the chicken parts, slathered on a coating of barbecue sauce, and closed the lid for another five minutes. We repeated this step twice more, rounding out the cook time at an hour flat. Then we had a taste, paying special attention to the breast meat—a long cook can dry it out. The Blackjack Kettle Grill also features two air vents, and it was easy to control the grill temperature with them.
A lot of Kamado-style grills are built with ceramic, however the Char Griller is built with double walled stainless steel to improve durability. The powerful performance and convenient features of the Performer charcoal grill is your excuse… Its build isn’t quite as heavy duty as some of the other models on this list, but this is very much a charcoal grill built with convenience in mind. Easy charcoal access is a key factor when looking for a good grill. You need to be able to replace coals as they burn out, and also when it comes to cleaning up after you cook. We noted similar temperature performance from the Nexgrill, along with similar rib results.
It comes with Weber’s standard One-Touch cleaning system, an aluminum ash catch and a pair of solid wheels to move around with. BBQGuys has the largest selection of charcoal Weber Grills available, and our BBQ experts are standing by 7 days a week portable bbq to answer any questions you may have about this iconic brand. We can help you find the Weber grill that will keep you and your family cooking for years to come. It calls for dropping a few lit coals over top of many unlit ones inside the grill.
As a preventative, you’ll want to oil the meats and veggies before they go on to prevent sticking and extra scraping. A clean grill is essential to flavor, and cleaning the Weber is a fairly simple affair thanks to the ash catcher. Even though it is solidly attached, the catcher pops off with ease, and its deep, bowl-like shape allows you to seamlessly pour the ashes into the trash without much spilling after they have cooled. I managed to get it all in the can every time—something I can’t say about the original plate-style catcher, with which I probably lost an average of about 40 percent of the ashes to the wind.
The Kettle’s foldable hinged cooking grates making it easy to replace charcoal as it burns out. Its 22-inch width gives you a 363-square inch cooking surface to work with, which is more than enough for a portable unit like this. In the case of kettle models, we arrange coals in a semicircle around the grill’s inner wall.
The true original Weber grill, the Weber Original Kettle Grill, can be purchased for under $100, making it our top pick for best budget grill. This grill measures 18 inches wide, which is a noticeable surface-area difference from the 22-inch grill. It does not include a lid hook or thermometer, and the ash catcher is not enclosed.
The same goes for searing burgers, steak and vegetables, as well as grilling seafood. Not only this but charcoal cooking gives you a far smokier taste than can be created with most gas grills. Largely because of higher cooking temperatures, but also because you can use charcoal and wood chips. We placed two steaks on each grilling grate near the center and seared them for five minutes before flipping them over and searing for another five minutes. With a good, reliable grill, this will give you a steak with a seared outside and a medium rare to medium center.