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MCS - charcoal grill time

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    MCS - charcoal grill time

    Hi all - it has been some time since I bought my PBC, which led me to this site and all you good, MCS-addled folks. I've caught the bug to my wife's chagrin.

    I currently have a Char-Broil 4 burner gasser with flat top grill grates and the PBC. Big thing I'm missing is the ability to sear over charcoal. I really only ever used gas grills for my life but now that I've been using the pit barrel the last year or so I really come to appreciate charcoal cooking.

    I'm not quite sure what I want. A Weber Performer is an obvious choice, but I really like the look and square design of a PK grill. The prices are bonkers on those but I suppose that pays off long term and I do like the square design. If I was going to go that route though I'm wondering if I should consider a kamado at that price.

    Looks are also a factor - something that looks good will alleviate the reveal of a third cooker to my spouse.

    #2
    I hear ya. I've been eyeing the Weber Summit Charcoal or the performer. I currently have an Ooni Kara pizza stove, pellet smoker, gas grill with grill grates and a WSM. The grill grates do help with searing steaks. But I wonder if it's time to move on from the WSM. The Grilla Kong, their Kamado looks nice too and the price helps. Just not sure what I need/want.
    Last edited by radiodome21; May 11, 2022, 06:12 AM.

    Comment


    • glitchy
      glitchy commented
      Editing a comment
      It’s hard to beat the WSCG/Kamado, especially for searing. I’m sure the Kong would be a good choice too if you want ceramic.

    #3
    Your going to get a ton of recommendations for both a Kettle or PK. IMO if you need the real estate, go with a 26" weber kettle. I have both a 26" and 22", and even if I'm only cooking for 2-4 people i still seem to use my 26" the majority of the time.
    The other think that's nice about a kettle is all of the aftermarket accessories available for them vs the PK.
    Don't get me wrong, I think the PK is a fine fine grill but you are a little limited on space and there aren't as many aftermarket toys out there for those.
    My vote is for a 26" kettle!!

    Comment


    • mcook2201
      mcook2201 commented
      Editing a comment
      Second the 26 kettle.

    • Jessterr
      Jessterr commented
      Editing a comment
      Third the 26 kettle, although if you can secure the go-ahead from the boss lady then the Weber Summit charcoal is a no-brainer. You can do everything with it. I have a pork butt out on mine as I type, it’s humming along wisping clean blue smoke and holding steady temps hour after glorious hour. In 7 hours it’ll come off nearly as beautiful as a new born, and I’ll still have half the lump charcoal left. And it is indeed beautiful to look at! Your neighbors will lose sleep in jealous agony.

    • Razor
      Razor commented
      Editing a comment
      Yep, the Summit, then 26" is the one two punch, with the Performer Deluxe coming in at a close third.

    #4
    I am looking for a charcoal grill, Just not sure I can justify the extra space a 26" gives me for the price..

    Comment


    • jfmorris
      jfmorris commented
      Editing a comment
      I've got two 22" grills (Performer Deluxe and SNS Kamado). I make things work with creative use of rib racks and elevated cooking grates. You can fit a lot on a 22" grill. For direct grilling, I also use a set of Grillgrates to allow a full-grill 1 zone setup without flareup concerns.

    #5
    From a price to value perspective, it is extremely hard
    to beat the SNS packages.

    Shop the entire grills collection from SnS Grills; including the Slow 'N Sear® Kamado and the Slow 'N Sear® Kettle!


    If your budget allows, the Weber Kamados and Napoleons can be nice.

    The Summit Kamado, with durable, dual-walled insulated steel construction, is for the charcoal enthusiast looking to become a backyard BBQ artisan.


    The Napoleon Charcoal Professional Grill takes traditional charcoal grilling to new heights with the stability and features of cart model gas grilling in a huge charcoal BBQ. Durable and beautiful sta...


    However, if you are considering a kamado, the Akorns are an excellent value and come in many pretty colors.


    Comment


      #6
      Have you considered a pellet grill?

      Comment


      #7
      Definitely a kettle whether Weber or SnS. There isn't anything you can't do with them. Especially with all the accessories. Adding a thermostatic controller with a fan provides the most worry free set and forget experience you can have.

      Comment


        #8
        Too bad you didn't pickup a PK Original when it was on sale at Woot! yesterday for $269. That was a steal!

        I've heard nothing but good things about the SNS kettles, and love my SNS Deluxe Kamado. It's a phenomenal grill. However, I also have a Weber Performer Deluxe, and I absolutely love the spacious cart, charcoal storage, large working surface on the table, and the propane ignition. I absolutely love my Performer, and highly recommend it. I also highly recommend the SNS Deluxe Kamado, but its also $1000 more than the Performer, and a bit of a stretch for many people.

        If you get the Performer, you still want to get at a minimum a SNS insert for it from the SNSGrills folk. That, and maybe a Vortex as well. I rarely cook without one of those two inserts in my kettle.

        Comment


        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          WillieMac a couple of things.

          First - if you can, use lump. I don't think briquettes will get hot enough. And they produce a lot more ash. Definitely let me know.

          On the setup - you want a good amount of charcoal in the bottom of the kamado. I literally almost fill that bottom bowl under the stainless charcoal grate. You could then pull out a chimney worth from the center, get it going, and then dump it back on top. Then install the stainless charcoal grate and the ceramic deflector.

        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          WillieMac Con't

          Then the cooking grate. If you have a pizza stone, put it in the center of the cooking grate. I've also put my stone (actually a cast iron Lodge pizza pan) on the elevated grate - it kind of hung off, but next time I'll just put it on the cooking grate.

          Shut the lid, and leave both the top and bottom vents WIDE open, including the wind screen at the bottom. Once it hits 600 degrees, I'll shut the bottom vent slightly. I found for me the sweet spot is 650 to 700 degrees.

        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          WillieMac let's talk in one of these areas, that would be more appropriate, and allow pictures and such:



          or

          For questions or discussion of doughs, baking techniques, or storebought pizza discussion. For pizza & flatbread <i>recipes</i>, please see the <i>Pizza and Flatbread Recipes</i> sub-channel. <b>For pizza ovens or pizza-baking gear, please see the Pizza Ovens channel in the Grills, Smokers, and Cookers section.</b>

        #9
        SNS Grill or the basic Weber would be my rec. That assumes a 22" grill works for you capacity-wise. I'm sure that other charcoal grills like the PK are great, but there are three reasons I'd get an SNS or a Weber:

        First, it can do everything. Low and slow. Grill a bunch of stuff. Hot and fast with a vortex.

        Second, it's simple. There's not a big learning curve to getting good results and while you CAN add fans etc, you don't need to in order to get those results.

        Last, accessories. You can add the SNS basket, the Vortex, rotisseries, etc. Hell there's even a pizza attachment. You don't HAVE to add any of this, but there are a ton of accessories for 22" kettles. There are fewer for the 26 and while I'm sure there are some for things like the PK, there are so many more for the 22" since they've been sold into millions of homes.

        The Weber is fine but as I've looked at them, I think I'd get the SNS since it has several of the mods I'd want already built-in.

        ecowper bought one and has a couple of good threads here:

        https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...mcs-wins-again

        and here

        https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...the-sns-kettle


        I have an old Weber and honestly can't find anything I really want to do that it can't do.
        Last edited by rickgregory; May 11, 2022, 11:21 AM.

        Comment


        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          (Con't)
          I feel this would lead someone who values 3rd party accessory compatibility to stick with Weber.

        • rickgregory
          rickgregory commented
          Editing a comment
          Ah, good point jfmorris. And a huge oversight by SNS.

        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          Yes. I imagine its just a factor in the curvature of the design resulting in the lid and bowl diameters being different than a Weber kettle, despite the same cooking grate size. I do believe from looking at my SNS Kamado and from reading reviews for the SNS Kettle that they may have intentionally made the interior diameter slightly larger than Weber, in order to make spinning the cooking grate easier. The grate on my SNS Kamado is much looser/sloppy than the same grate on my Weber Performer.

        #10
        Kettles are incredibly versatile, you can do pretty much everything on them. I only ever use my PK for steaks, but they are really nice as well. If kamodo is the direction you want to go the Char-Griller Akorn is an awesome setup for almost anything. They are the cheap end of Kamodos $310 with cart on Amazon currently.

        Comment


          #11
          Thank you for all the responses. I have to go through and respond but lots of helpful information here. I really dig the Weber Summit but might be more than I am looking to spend right now. Think I'm leaning towards the SnS grill or just a Weber kettle.

          As some pointed out, I don't really need the 26" as it's not my only cooker, though I do have the space for it.

          I'm going to do a little bit more research on the accessories for the Weber though, some of those could work great for me. The wok set up is intriguing as my wok is probably my most used cooking tool inside.

          Comment


            #12
            bbq_esq FWIW I have a weber 22" and it delivers on value. I am eyeing the PK 360 HARD though. I think the weber probably does just as good a job but the build quality isn't as good. So depends on whether you are the type of person that wants a forever grill or something to take you further into your bliss for a reasonable price point.

            Comment


              #13
              Regarding Weber Performer vs kamado: I’ve had both since 2016. For a few years I was going back and forth between them, pretty much equally. But in the past couple years I’ve used the BGE over the Weber by a wide margin. The Weber still has its place, but once I have the BGE set up and holding lump, I pretty much keep using it.

              Go with the S&S kamado. Swallow the price once, and be happy forever.

              Comment


              • Mosca
                Mosca commented
                Editing a comment
                I love my BGE, and if you chose BGE you would be happy and satisfied. An XLBGE package, with side shelves, nest, and deflector, is $2039. The S&S Kamado, with all that plus a slew of extra inserts, is $1599. And you get all their indirect stuff.

                $440 is $440. The food isn’t going to know which brand it’s being cooked on.

                Regarding BGE warranty: I’ve had the base and dome replaced, no questions asked, just a photo showing some flaking that was an issue on a small production run in 2010.

              • Mosca
                Mosca commented
                Editing a comment
                2) When I bought my BGE in 2010, there weren’t a lot of competitors that had the same presence in the market. I chose BGE over Primo, but didn’t know much about the others. I picked BGE because of that warranty, and the time they’d been in business and their reputation. Today, I would get S&S.

                And, regarding kamados in general: People who don’t have one say, "Why would I want a kamado?" Then they get one, and they say, "Oh. Now I understand." I can make it do anything I need it to do.

              • MsTwiggy
                MsTwiggy commented
                Editing a comment
                "Today, I would get S&S"

                That's as good as it gets for me given your experience with the egg . . .

              #14
              Having looked at everything, I think it's either going to be 22" Weber Premium Kettle or the SNS Deluxe. Either would fit my current needs. I'm going to look more at the accessory options for both, but to be completely honest, I'm leaning towards the Weber because I like the green color option


              Edit: just like when I order dinner out, I changed my mind last minute and went with the SnS Deluxe. ecowper 's posts about his are what nudged me over to the SnS in the end. Will post pics of first cook once it arrives! I'm picturing some big ol ribeyes.
              Last edited by bbq_esq; May 13, 2022, 05:27 AM.

              Comment


              • jfmorris
                jfmorris commented
                Editing a comment
                You went with the SNS Deluxe Kettle or Kamado?

              • Jessterr
                Jessterr commented
                Editing a comment
                Congratulations on a very fine choice! Predicting increasing loneliness for the gasser.

              #15
              jfmorris Deluxe Kettle. I really considered the kamado (Summit and SnS) but I just couldn't justify the price for what I need in my setup right now. I will still probably do most of my longer smoking in the PBC, Im now that I've got the hang of it I haven't missed on a cook yet. The main reason I need another cooker (so I tell myself) is the ability to do two zone cooking over charcoal.

              Comment

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