Grilling issues?!
Grilling issues?
I have a charcoal grill that has a smokebox on the side and smokestack on top. I bought it thinking how great it would be to use if I wanted to cook a lot of meat. Unfortunately, I keep running into a problem. When cooking, I can't seem to get enough heat to cook meat fast. I mean, it takes an hour to grill 6 burgers on my grill. I use an aluminum roasting pan in the bottom on the side that I am using since putting charcoal on the bottom is incredibly tedious trying to clean out afterwards. I use a lot of charcoal every time, maybe more than necessary, at least I would wish. For instance, 6 burgers fit on grill grate, but putting coals in pan only seems to cover 85 percent of the space. Always have case where meat darker on one section and other section of meat is lighter. Lot of times fire does not even seem super hot, opened smokebox vent, but not sure if that does anything. Keep thinking meat is too far from fire, but never had issue before, even with other grills.
Answers:
First off...I am the best griller in the world. I have the same grill ( I think, it looks like a 50gallon drum on its side, cut in half?). Why do you need to clean a grill? Its a grill! Pour a bunch of charcoal in...I use about 10 lbs of charcoal each time i cook. Load it up with Charcoal lighter fluid. Let it soak in. Load it up again with lighter fluid, and light a match.
You want the flame to go wild for a little bit, until it starts to go down. When it goes down, close the grill, and open the smoke stack to about half way. Leave the vent on the smokebox open.
If you're still having trouble, go out and buy one of those electric charcoal lighters (Think Home Alone (what he puts on the doorknob to heat it up)). You dont want to start grilling until the charcoals get white.
Source(s):
Now youre cookin with fire.
GOOD LUCK MAN! Happy grillin!
EDIT: That pan for your "cleaner grill" might be a problem. You need Air to be UNDER your coals. So that could be a big downfall. I would get rid of that pan, man. If its dirty, its dirty. Its supposed to be a grill! be a man, get dirty! You dont need to clean the grill...wtf?! its a grill!
what a nightmare!
burgers clearly too cool if taking that long get them closer to the heat or up the temperature. I dont think worrying about clear up should put you off - grills get seasoned dont need to shine just be kept healthy ie no old food hanging around.
If all thats too much you need to think about getting a new grill I think.
A smoke box on the side is only helpful when you are smoking meat. Smoking meat is a long, tedious proposition, but well worth the effort. You use the smoker vent on the side to regulate the flame and hence the temperature.
For grilling burgers, you are going to have to use enough charcoal to cover the cooking surface. The fire is hot enough if you can't hold your hand over the grill for 3 seconds.
We have the same kind of grill, and you are right, because it is deep, we use a lot of charcoal. But, if you will put some pecan wood and mesquite in the smoke box and smoke some ribs, oh yummy!
It seems you have more of a smoker than a griller. If I am right what you purchased is made to cook meat slowly so it absorbs the flavor of the smoke. If you want to cook meat quickly you need a shallow grill. We have one that we put in our backyard that actually sit's on a small table. I think it was like $20 bucks at Walmart. It takes less than a small bag of charcoal, and once it gets going cook a burger in like 10 minutes.
Another to remember is that grilling is not quick unless you have a gas grill. You might be being too impatient. Put the charcoal on the grill and put a little lighter fluid on them. Give the lighter fluid about 5 minutes to soak in then light the charcoal. Let the flame go out and the coals turn white before you start grilling. That way you know the coals are hot and you can manipulate them if need be.
If all else fails email Bobby Flay ; )