MCS Got Me

[tbob4]

Never in my life have I owned a gas grill. I pulled the trigger today on a Weber Genesis II SE at our local Ace Hardware grand opening. The Weber rep (who I have met before) was on hand. I tried to buy a Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Summit grill when it was first introduced and he appeared at a local hardware store. My wife nixed that right away.

The old retail price of the Genesis was $949, the sale price was $699 - it seems to be the price everywhere right now. However, Ace paid the tax and and additional 15% was taken off of the purchase due to the promotion. That made the price $594.

With what I have, I really see this as a tool to pre and post sear things, to make sauces while cooking as well as to do veggies in the summer. My wife will hold this purchase against me, forever. The irony is that I have rib-eyes I will cook tonight and they are going on the Santa Maria over wood, not gas. I want to only hear from people who say I made a good purchase (honestly anyone is welcome to chime in - critics let me know if I need to take it back before using).

[Red Man]

Sounds like a good deal to me! I’ve had my three burner Genesis for five years. I use it less than my charcoal cookers, but it’s a nice grill. I like to set a couple wood chunks across the gap between flavorizor bars. The food will pick up more smoke if it spends some time on the elevated warming rack to start with.

[tbob4]

Thanks!

[FireMan]

Whoa, I bet you felt good walk-in away with that gem. Yer gonna love have it & sperementin with it. You’ll be a quick cookin fool, yessir. Nice haul! 🕶

[tbob4]

Thanks FireMan!

[CaptainMike]

Good pickup, Ted. You will find many uses for it. I use mine often, especially for searing post-SV on GG's. It's great for rotisserie as well, if you're into that. Speaking of, I'm looking at a couple of options to mount a rotisserie to my SMG. I'll let you know if I pick a winner.

[tbob4]

CaptainMike , I have been thinking of that for the Santa Maria. The proper mount with the cables seemed like the issue. Please let me know what you come up with. Thanks for the input on the gasser. It fits nicely in the smokehouse. I really like my smoked Tri-tip pre-seared which was easy in my old COS’. In the upright I feel like I am really wasting fuel in the Santa Maria just for a quick sear. Thanks, as always.

[HawkerXP]

Great buy! I am looking to buy a place in...……..Gasburg! Something is in the air!!!

[glitchy]

Gassers are great for quick meals. Throw some thin cut rib-eyes one there and have steaks in 5-6 minutes. I’ve been using my Spirit quite a bit on weeknights or to cook up some burgers for lunch while dinner is smoking away on the Summit Charcoal.

[mountainsmoker]

Super buy. I have never been without a good gasser. To many things it can do without firing up the other charcoal or stick burners I have had.

[tbob4]

Thanks. 55 years old and have been smoking/smoking since my teens. Never owned a gas grill and have only operated a couple. I’m looking forward to cooking things outdoors that I used to cook inside. This could be fun.

[jfmorris]

Hey - great buy you got there!

I think you will like having the gas grill. I use my Genesis II 4 burner quite a lot, for things that you direct grill that are quick, where charcoal versus gas won't make a difference. I.e. burgers, wings, chops, veggies, etc. I also use it any time I don't have an extra 30 minutes to wait on charcoal, or the cook is bigger than will fit on the 22" kettle.

[RickyBobby]

What jfmorris said. Lol. I didn’t read the posts before I wrote mine.

[jfmorris]

@tbob glad my posts helped! Also sorry you didn't get it for $399 like I did! That was a once in a lifetime find I think, to find a Weber marked down about 60% or more off.

[tbob4]

jfmorris - I have a question. After getting home and reading Max Good 's reviews I became a little worried about whether the unit gets hot enough to sear things. I love the surface area the 4 burners give me. What has been your experience with the heat? Max seemed a bit sour on it's ability to sear.

[RickyBobby]

FWIW, I use my Genesis almost more than anything else. I grill/BBQ at least 4 times per week. As much as I love to fire up charcoal in the Kettle or light the logs in my stick burner, after a long day at work, it is so much easier and more convenient to fire up the gasser for quick cooks. Burgers, dogs, brats, chicken, pork, bacon wrapped shrimp, steak, bacon, pretty much everything. Now on weekends, I usually go to the Kettle, but I think you will really come to enjoy the ease and convenience of the gasser. I did buy one of the metal smoke boxes for wood chips, and it works great for a little added smoke flavor. Oh, I also use the rotisserie on my Genesis.

Sounds like to got a GREAT deal and I hope that you really enjoy your new cooker!!!

[jfmorris]

RickyBobby do you have the Genesis or the Genesis II? I got the rotisserie for Father's Day for my Genesis II, and I feel like Weber really screwed up in their changes in the Genesis II, at least in regards to the rotisserie. A 5 pound chicken spinning BARELY clears the flavorizer bars, with the grates removed. I have to truss it really tightly to keep wings or legs from hitting. I have a Genesis made in 2002 and it looks like clearances would be better on it.

[jfmorris]

The rotisserie clearance is really my only complaint on the Genesis II. I've seen pictures of the rotisserie on the Weber Summit grills, and those have a lot more height in the rotisserie mount.

[RickyBobby]

jfmorris , mine is a Genesis. I bought it during a sales event at Lowe’s when they were clearing out to make room for the new Genesis II’s. I primarily do pork loin on my rotisserie, but I have done a couple of chickens, too. I do have to make sure I truss everything up tight on the chicken, but I don’t remember the clearance being too much of an issue. Interesting note on the change with the release of Genesis II.

[mountainsmoker]

Well said jfmorris. Lots of things I cook on the gasser that pick up no smoke flavor on a charcoal grill. I have a smoke box from Weber that provide a wisp of smoke flavor. I just put it on over a burner as I preheat the grill Be sure to preheat you grill 15-20 minutes to get maximum heat and follow any recipes they give you.

I may do long smokes on my smokers and finish the meal with vegetables on the gasser. Or want a quick dinner of chicken thighs or pork chops, I'll fire up the gasser with the smoke box and some wood chips and have dinner ready in 30 minutes or so.

The other thing I will do since I have a set of Grill Grates is do a reverse sear on a couple of steaks. Take them up to about 110 then take the grill to its max temp, the GG will be close to 700 degrees. Put the steaks on and sear them to the temp you want.

Have fun with your new Weber it can do a lot of things for you.

[jfmorris]

You know, we both said that you don't get much smoke, but when I think about it, you really do - from the vaporized drippings hitting the flavorizer bars, or with Grillgrates, hitting the valley of the grates. While its not charcoal or wood smoke, it is smoke. A burger grilled on the Genesis will laste different than one I cook inside in a skillet for sure. The smoke from the dripping is different than charcoal, but I think it still gives you that "grilled" taste.

[mountainsmoker]

Looking at it that way I concur, also don't forget the option of throwing some wood chips on the Grill Grates.

[Rod]

Killer deal! Like folks have already said, it's a great grill for doing quick cooks in things that don't need smoke. I have a S330 that pretty much only does corn in the husk and hot dogs.

[MBMorgan]

All I have to say is ............. 😎👍

... a quality gasser is indispensable in my world ... and I predict in yours, too.

[tbob4]

Thank you. I am looking forward to it!

[holehogg]

I'm sure you're going to be in for a gas.
Nice score I picked up a 6 burner 2 weeks ago not because I needed one but all because of the influence of the pit and it was hard to overlook at the price.

[tbob4]

Hahahaha. Aren't these folks the worst?!

[Greygoose]

All I can say is " what an outstanding support group we have here !!! "