BARBECUE & GRILLBARBECUE & GRILL BUYING GUIDEBUYING …€¦ · Rich’s Barbecue Buying Guide-...

BARBECUE & GRILLBARBECUE & GRILL

BUYING GUIDEBUYING GUIDE

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Rich’s Barbecue BUYING GUIDE

Rich’s Barbecue Buying Guide- www.richshome.com

If you’re reading this guide, you probably believe (as we do) that the outdoor

kitchen is the new indoor kitchen. There’s just something about cooking outside

that turns food into a feast, and creates lifetime memories.

Plus, the old style one size fits all barbecue has been replace with myriad

choices that allows the creation of succulent meals. With that in mind, we’ve

created a guide that will help you determine the type of barbecue that is ideal

for you and your family.

We’ll share the choices available in charcoal, gas, and wood pellet grills as well

as talk about where you should put your barbecue for the best flow from in-

doors to outdoors.

We’ll also make suggestions about the best accessories in order to maximize

your cooking experience for your family and guests.

We hope this guide will answer your questions. But if it doesn’t, call us. We love

talking outdoor cooking.

Introduction

Barbecue Buying Guide CONTENTS

Gas Grills– page 4

Do you like starting your cooking with

the press of a button? Then you’ll

probably love a gas grill. It cooks

through gas outlets right below the

cooking grate.


Charcoal Grills– page 8

Is there anything like the flavor you

get from a charcoal grill? In a word,

no. It’s why BBQ lovers love cooking

with charcoal.

Wood Pellet Grills– page 13

How do you get perfect temperature

control as well as that scintillating

smoky flavor? Wood Pellet Grills of

course.

Recap– page 18

A quick review of the major factors

to consider when choosing your grill

Comparison chart– page 19

A snapshot of the grills we’ve talked

about to figure out which will fit you

best.

Gas barbecues are the most popular of the grill choices. Why? We’ll get to that

in a bit, but first a quick explanation of how gas grills work.

Gas grills cook by supplying gas into outlets directly below the cooking grate

inside your grill. This supply comes from a propane tank or natural gas hose

which mixes with oxygen which turns into a flame when a button is pushed—or

in some models a knob is turned and pushed inward.

Why Gas Grills Are The Most Popular

As mentioned above, they start at the push of a button

They’re convenient– they heat up fast, and cleaning? Easy.

Precision control of temperature- Want to cook different foods at different

temperatures at the same time? Not a problem. It takes only seconds to

adjust the heat on each burner.

Environmentally friendly– with the use of propane or natural gas, carbon

monoxide levels are low.

Economics– it’s simply cheaper to use gas than charcoal or wood.

They’re easy to maintain– no ash or mess when you’re done, just scrape off

the grate with a metal brush and you’re ready for your next feast.

GAS Barbecues


FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

Mounted or Mobile?

Do you like the idea of

your barbecue being in a

permanent spot? Or will

you want to move it round?

Cooking Grids

Make sure your grids are spaced close

enough that smaller pieces of food won’t

fall through, but far enough apart that the

heat from below gets to your food above.


Grill Lights-

If you enjoy cooking at night, you’ll

want to consider grills lights. A great

way to make sure your food is cooking

not too much, and not too little.

Infrared Burners-

When you cook hot (1,000 to

1,400 degrees) a chemical re-

action you know as “searing”

happens, which locks in

essential juices and adds

flavor to your meat. That’s

the benefit of infrared burners.


ACCESORIES TO THINK ABOUT

Smoke Boxes

If you want that wonderful smoky flavor with a gas

grill, smoke boxes can give it to you. They’re filled

with wood chips and are attached or placed

inside a gas grill to give a natural wood flavor.

Rotisseries

The perfect way to get the perfect heat distribution

to your meat. Rotisseries attach to your grill and are

easily put on and taken off.

Warming Drawers

You want to keep your already cooked food warm

while you finish up the rest of your meal? Easy to do

with a warming drawer!

Storage Drawers

A convenient way to keep your grill tools, cleaning

supplies, and other accessories out of the way.

Two More QUESTIONS to Ask

What Are BTUs and Why Are They Important?

BTU (British Thermal Units) simply means the amount of heat a gas grill will put

out. The more BTUs, the more power, or heat, which means the more food you

can cook at one time.


What Size Grill Should You Get?

This comes down to personal taste and style of cooking. If you’re the type that

is going to cook one thing at a time, then a smaller grill will work fine. But you’re

the type who wants to have multiple foods at multiple temperatures going at

the same time (and a lot of them) then you need a big enough grill not to slow

you down. (The standard size range is 30 “ up to 54 “.)


CHARCOAL Barbecues

Gas barbecues might be the biggest seller, there’s nothing that will con-

venience a charcoal cook to exercise their inner chef anywhere else.

Do they take more time and attention than gas grills? Yes, but charcoal

enthusiasts will tell you it’s more than worth the effort. They claim nothing

comes close to the authentic BBQ flavor that only comes from a char-

coal grill.

As you likely know, charcoal is loaded in a chamber just below the grill

grate. The charcoal turn into embers which radiate a steady heat up-

ward. The temperature is controlled by adjusting top and/or bottom

vents which lets in more or less oxygen. Does that mean more touch and

feel is needed to get the temperature right?

Absolutely.

Charcoal cookers wouldn’t have it any other way.


Why There’s Nothing Quite

Like a Charcoal Grill Flavor, flavor, flavor What happens when you slow smoke a piece of

meat? It absorbs all the smoke flavored scents. Lump charcoal puts off

aromas that penetrate the meat to a greater degree than gas grills can.

Easy Clean Up The inner workings of a charcoal grill are simple. No fuel

lines, no tanks, just a grill grate and the charcoal chamber. So clean up is

simple. Dump out your ash when done, scrape the grill with a wire brush

and you’re ready for your next gathering.

Movability Many charcoal grills come with built-in wheels for easy

portability. Plus they’re fairly light and can be moved by one or two people

even without wheels. Can you say cooking down on the shores of Puget

Sound or Lake Washington?

Temperature Range It’s big. By simply opening the air vents on your grill

you can easily go from cooking a rack of ribs at 225 degrees to whipping up

a pizza at 500 degrees.


FEATURES TO CONSIDER

Place Setters

One of our favorite grills, The Big Green Egg,

offers a flat ceramic piece that sits inside the

grill just above the fire. It creates a consistent

temperature throughout the grill. Plus it lets

you put pizza plates or racks on top to hold

ribs.

Cooking Grids

Made from cast iron, grids are what leave

those perfect sear marks on your steaks.

Durable and easy to clean.

Grill Lights

As with gas grills, cooking at night means

you probably need light. You can add an

attached or freestanding grill light easily.

V-Racks

V-Racks are used to hold ribs upright. If

you’re cooking roasts or poultry, you can

flip it upside down.


ACCESORIES TO THINK ABOUT

Grill Covers

If you’re going to leave your grill outside

during the cold, wet Northwest winters, a

cover will make sure your BBQ is protected

from the elements.

Traditional & Digital Thermometers

A simple and easy way to make sure your

meat or poultry has reached the right tem-

perature—and is cooked exactly to your liking.

Tools, Tools, Tools!

Of course you’ll need a fork and spatula,

but you might also consider meat claws for

shredding, flavor injectors, grid lifters,

basting brushes, and grill rings for cooking

artichokes, onions, poppers, and more, a

cinch.

Fire Starters

If you want that wonderful smoky flavor with

a gas grill, smoke boxes can give it to you.

They’re filled with wood chips and attached

or placed inside a gas grill to give a natural

wood flavor.

A Few More QUESTIONS to Ask


What Size Grill Should You Get?

As with gas grills, this comes down to the type of cooking you want to do. Also,

if you want your charcoal grill to be portable, the smaller it is, the easier it will be

to throw in the back of your truck.

So Which Type of Charcoal Grill is the Best?

That’s kind of like asking if steak or chicken is better. It all comes down to

personal style and taste. At Rich’s, a lot of us love a ceramic grill because

it’s best at keeping heat in and cool air out, which means easier temperature

control. But others of us can’t imagine cooking on anything other than a

barrel style charcoal grill that gives a huge cooking area.

Charcoal Briquettes or Lump Charcoal?

Is there a difference? Yep. If you’re thinking economics, charcoal briquettes

might be your choice. They’re cheaper and offer a nice long, hot burn. But if

you’re looking for fast start up and a better reaction to oxygen and tempera-

ture changes, then we’d suggest you try lump charcoal.

Perfect temperature control. Tantalizing smoky flavor

Those are the reasons Wood Pellet barbecues have become the fastest

growing segment of grills in the US.

The Inner Workings of a Wood Pellet Grill

The pellets of a Wood Pellet stove are made from

naturally shredded wood that is compacted into

quarter inch round pellets.

The consistent size is the secret to giving precise temperature control.

The pellets are loaded into a storage bin attached to the grill, then a corkscrew

mechanism feeds the pellets into the area underneath the grill. (Motorized so

you don’t have to do it by hand.)

Wood pellets offer the best of gas grills and charcoal grills. You get the

simplicity of a gas grill, combined with the smoky flavor of a charcoal grill.


WOOD PELLET Barbecues


Why Folks Are Passionate About

Their Wood Pellet Grills The Flavor, of Course! By now you know the flavor that comes from a

Wood Pellet Grill is it’s biggest selling feature. The added benefit is they work

great not only as a grill, but as a smoker. Love northwest smoked salmon? If

so, this is the grill for you.

Set it and Forget It Where a charcoal grill takes attention, Wood Pellet

grills will hold a precise temperature for hours. Regardless of heat, cold, rain

or shine, you can set your temperature and know it will stay consistent till

you’re ready to take your food off the grill.

Ease of Clean Up As mentioned on the previous page, Wood Pellet grills

offer the simplicity of charcoal grills when it comes to clean up. Every 10

pounds of pellets result in only a half cup of ash. That’s it! (We recommend

removing the ash every 8 - 10 cooks.) Cleaning the grate is a few scrapes

with your metal brush.

Easy to Use Ready for a cook? Just fill the hopper with pellets, fire up your

grill, set your temperature and throw on your meat. Then sit back and let

that smoky flavor infuse your meal with tantalizing taste. It’s why a great

many competitive barbecuers whip up their prize winning dishes on a Wood

Pellet grill.


FEATURES TO THINK ABOUT

The Fan System

The air flow that keeps the pellets burning comes from a convection fan.

This system also is what gives an even distribution of heat throughout the

grill resulting in a tender, juicy meal.

Size of Your Hopper

The larger your hopper, the more pellets it can store which means more time

where you can walk away and not think about what’s cooking on your grill. If

you’re the type that wants to slow cook for hours, a bigger hopper is going to

be your best choice.

The Steel

Stainless steel gives excellent heat retention and the same cooking results no

matter the outside temperature. And it holds up better in the northwest weather.

Wheels

The majority of Wood Pellet Grills come with wheels, unless you choose to

mount your grill We like the wheels because the idea of moving a Wood Pellet

Grill to different spot on a patio or deck just seems right.


ACCESORIES TO CONSIDER

Pellets

Is there just one kind of pellet? Of

course not. Pellets come in a nice

variety that can enhance your food,

and can match up with what you’re

cooking. In other words, each type

of pellet has its own unique flavor.

Covers

As with any grill, keeping it protected from

the elements is essential to getting years

of high level performance.

Pellet Caddys

Pellets need to stay dry, and with the, shall

we say, abundance of rain in the northwest,

a caddy can make sure no moisture gets

into your pellets.

Portable Generator

The wheels make a Wood Pellet grill

portable, but there’s that issue of power.

If you’re the type that wants to take your

barbecue with you, a portable generator

is the perfect solution.


A Few More QUESTIONS

What Size Wood Pellet Grill Is Best?

As you might suspect, since Wood Pellet grills are newer on the scene,

many people already have a gas or charcoal grill when they add a

Wood Pellet grill. Because of this, they might not need the biggest pellet

grill available.

They often combine their new Wood Pellet grill on a BBQ island where

they have access to both grills within reaching distance of each other.

How Hot Can a Wood Pellet Grill Get?

The range is 500 to 700 degrees. The larger the

grill, the higher the temperature you can reach.

If you’re thinking about searing meat—that’s

difficult with temperatures this low—you can

purchase direct inserts for direct searing.

Does it Matter What Brand of Pellets Are

Used?

It does matter. A higher quality of pellet will always

give better results. Like a finely aged wine, buying

finer pellets will give you better flavor in your foods.

We suggest looking for a dealer (yes, like Rich’s) who

has extensive knowledge and experience cooking

on Wood Pellet grills and give you those little tips

that take a meal from good to exceptional.


RECAP on Grills

Gas Grills

Charcoal Grills

Wood Pellet

Grills

Gas grills heat up fast

Easy to clean, easy to maintain

More burners means more grilling space,

means cooking more items at different

temperatures

Accessories to consider: Smoke boxes, warm-

ing boxes, storage drawers, and rotisseries

The flavor is so tough to beat!

The traditional way to barbecue, so for some,

this is the only way to cook

With innovative grills like the Big Green Egg,

you’ll have barbecue like you’ve never had it

before

There’s a vast array of tools that can make

charcoal grilling more fun than any other way

There’s nothing like the unique smoky flavor

that comes from a Wood Pellet grill

Digital temperature control is the industry

standard

The quality of your meal depends on the

quality of the pellets you buy

No other grill let’s you so easily set the

temperature and walk away for hours


COMPARE Your Options

GAS Charcoal Wood Pellet

Mounted X X X

Mobile X X X

Natural lump

charcoal

X

Ceramic

Insulation

X

Convection

Oven

X X

Grill Lights X X X

Infrared Burners X

Plate Setters X

Stainless steel X X X

Smoky Flavor X X

Auto Temp

Control

X

Consistent Fuel

Distribution

X X

Multiple Heat

Levels

X X

Temperature

Gage

X X X


Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has addressed most of your questions, but if you

have more, we’d love to help. Call us or drop by any of our showrooms

and one of our grill experts can give you a demo or simply answer your

questions.

In the end, choosing a barbecue comes down to the features that fit

your style and the way you love to cook.

The most important thing about choosing a grill is finding one that will get

you into your backyard with family and friends more often.

Because the right grill can give you excellent meals, but great memories

are only created by being with the people you love hanging out with.

From our family to yours,

Larry & Marianne Chapman

Owners, Rich’s For the Home

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