A Club for Weber Grill Enthusiasts

To help find the right Weber grill for you, we tested popular models for weeks and rated each one on setup, heat retention, heat control, size, versatility, and overall value. Many steaks, burgers, veggies, and more were grilled to make sure these Weber grills are truly the best. weber genesis 2 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.

weber charcoal grill

Another great component is the hinged grate’s circular insert where you can quickly add charcoals while cooking. You do have to take the whole grate off to re-adjust your fuel though, one of the few downsides. When grilling time is over, this again has an advantage over older kettle grills. The ash is swept into the bottom catcher for easy disposal once it’s cooled, while everything else only needs a quick wipe-down.

Charcoal grilling meets everyday life with the Performer Premium charcoal grill. Simply light a charcoal chimney of charcoal, arrange your briquettes or lump charcoal based on what you’re grilling/smoking, adjust your vents, and you’re off to the races. “Grilling is all about high heat and using direct heat to cook each side of the meat, so you don’t need to use the lid. If I were grilling steaks, I might use the lid to get some oven-like cooking while I’m grilling the meat. In that case, I’d put the lid on and open up its vents,” Karl told me.

To get reacquainted with the Weber Kettle Grill as a grown man, I first went down to my local Home Depot and bought the classic model for myself. The Weber Original Kettle grill comes in three sizes — 18, 22, and 26 inches in diameter. We like the 22-inch model because it allows you to roast a whole brisket or pork shoulder, but you may want to weber genesis 2 size up or down depending on your needs. Buy a cheaper grill as you like, but the difference of about $20 (give or take) isn’t worth the loss of several, if not more, years of the good use you’ll get out of a Weber. Save for grills made with painted galvanized steel (which, again, aren’t built to last), you’re not going to find a cheaper grill.

If you’re going to purchase this grill, then we’d advise looking into having your local hardware store build and deliver it to you. Then, completely open the propane tank’s valve slowly and pause to allow time for the gas to travel through the gas line. You should hear and see each burner ignite after you’ve done that. On the other hand, gas is more convenient once you have it—you simply turn a knob to start the fire, and there’s no need to wait for coals to burn down before you begin cooking.

We enjoyed the ease of being able to hinge open the lid on the Blackjack for a quick flip of our meat during our tests. If you want to use a wood pellet grill, you’ll definitely get great-tasting food, though you’ll have to plan in advance to have pellets on hand. Since wood pellet grills work by indirect heat, you’ll be able to smoke food as well, without any accessories. You will need to make sure there’s an electric outlet nearby since most need to be plugged-in for the ignition and the auger. The SmokeFire EX4 has a 20-pound pellet hopper, as well as a DC-powered engine designed to prevent auger jams.

On cart-style grills, we modify the snake to run in right angles to match their rectangular-shaped fireboxes. The best charcoal grill for steak searing in our lineup was the Weber Classic Kettle. The steak had nice grill marks while keeping a medium doneness on the inside.

I’ll continue to use my gas grill for weeknight dinners, but turn to the Weber when hosting things that I want to feel more like an event. In doing so, hopefully my kids will absorb the same Dad-imbued, charcoal-infused summertime impressions that waft through one’s memory for a lifetime. The other day as I was cooking burgers in a far more antiseptic fashion on my gas grill, I started waxing nostalgic about these Weber Grill-related memories of mine. I decided I wanted to try cooking on one myself, to see if it was as good as I recalled.

The Weber also features a hook on the inside of the lid, which you can use to hang the lid off the side of the grill. This eliminates the temptation to put the lid on the ground, which can singe a circle in your lawn. Small hooks on the grill’s side handle are ideal for hanging tongs, spatulas, or a towel. One other trick to note during assembly is that you will have to apply a little bit of tension to the legs when installing the wheels. I found that just pushing the leg in a little and then tapping the wheel covers on with a hammer (ball-peen, claw, or even a rubber mallet) worked. There are many seasoned grillers who will only use lump charcoal no matter what kind of grill they’re using.