Newly Acquired Santa Maria Grill

[Frozen Smoke]

You can mount that cover on the side frame upside down and turn it into a firebox to make it An Argentine parrilla as well.. The grill itself needs a door on the front for cleaning and some large holes to let the air in for coals and fire to breathe.

I dearly miss mine that I sold a few months back. Mine was from Arizona BBQ Outfitters and was 24X36 and had the cover for it. Also it had the Argentine grates. That was just a tri tip, steak and chicken machine. It was nice to be able to put the cover down for a few minutes and lay some heavy smoke on whatever it was cooking. No flare ups with the Argentine grates.

Nice score there CaptainMike I don't think you fully realize yet how much you're going to like that rig! Have fun!

[CaptainMike]

Thanks FS. I have cooked quite a bit on SM grills in the past and have been keeping an eye out for one for some time. I would have likely bought this very model new from this company next spring, or shop built one of similar design, so I feel pretty darn lucky to have found it at almost any price, let alone $50. Great point on the lid and I was thinking the same thing.

[CaptainMike]

Frozen Smoke Santa Maria Grills has the Argentine grates as an upgrade. It simply looks like inverted 1 1/2" angle iron welded to a frame, does that sound right? https://www.santamariagrills.com/pro...rgentine-style

[Ahumadora]

Use stainless 5/16" round bar. Works better trust me

[Frozen Smoke]

Yes CaptainMike that pic is exactly what they are. But they go under your other grates you don't actually cook on them. Mine had like 3/8" steel dowels welded on some pieces of flat iron layed on edge to hold them a inch above the Argentine grates. Then there was a drain trough that caught all the drippings from the Argentine grates.

[CaptainMike]

Thank you!

[Huskee]

Congrats! Fun project and fun cooks ahead!

[JGo37]

That is an awesome score and there's so many things you can do to give it a facelift. Keep us posted! I'm still using a tripod over a fire pit for somewhat the same approach.

[CaptainMike]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to cleaning it up and gettin' my grill on!

[Ahumadora]

Shoot for something that looks more like this. Simpler and works better. I have cooked on dozens of parrilla and hands down the stainless round bar works best and is easy to clean. Make them in 2-3 removable sections so you can just lift them out to wash them. (Although I hardly every clean my parrilla.)

[CaptainMike]

Hah, I was studying my grill yesterday afternoon on how I could do something like this! It's 30" across, which seems like it could get crowded pretty quickly, what do think?

[CaptainMike]

My understanding of a parilla is that they cook from the bottom and the side, doesn't the fire brick impede that?

[tbob4]

Big Mike - you don't need a vent but call the company and get the raised charcoal grate. It costs about $50 and solves the air flow issue. Oil the heck out of that thing. It comes in two models - on with the removable top grate and one that is upside down and welded on. If you have the removable grate you are in luck. Grillgrates sells the size you need to swap out. Santa Maria BBQ sells a replacement top grate, as well. I put a Tramonita baking sheet under the coal raiser as an ash catcher. Makes clean up a cinch. Santa Maria BBQ Outfitters has Argentinian grills for it, as well. They are a bit pricey.

[CaptainMike]

Definitely the charcoal grate. My cooking grate is removable and GrillGrates did occur to me, but I was concerned about too much heat transference. Is that an issue for you or do you adjust the grate to compensate?

[tbob4]

Not an issue because I move the grill up or down. I use charcoal to start small splits of wood. Then it is all wood for cooking. I use both side of the Grillgrates.

[Jerod Broussard]

Grate find. I think a rogue elf made the lid.