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I want to become a grill master in 2024

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mrmill3218
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8:31a, 12/26/23
AG
I have little experience in cooking/grilling/preparing food, but I have a goal for 2024 to become a grill master. I eat a lot of meat and want to become an expert at grilling steak, chicken, etc.

What sort of grill is best for a rookie? What other things do I need to know/learn? What advise would you have for me?
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Hwy30East
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8:42a, 12/26/23
Get yourself a Weber kettle. Can't go wrong, and you'll learn a lot about fire management.
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Max Power
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10:15a, 12/26/23
AG
First decide on gas vs charcoal and try to cook as often as possible. You can't go wrong with Weber for either. If you go with gas it's definitely worth the additional cost for even cooking. Get a good meat thermometer so you can make sure you're not overcooking or undercooking anything. The more you cook the better you'll get. Eventually you'll be able to tell when something is done either by look/feel or time. Keep your grill clean, try to avoid flare ups on fatty cuts. Get a charcoal chimney if you go charcoal, lighter fluid isn't necessary.
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Chipotlemonger
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In reply to Max Power • 10:37a, 12/26/23
AG
Max Power said:
First decide on gas vs charcoal and try to cook as often as possible. You can't go wrong with Weber for either. If you go with gas it's definitely worth the additional cost for even cooking. Get a good meat thermometer so you can make sure you're not overcooking or undercooking anything. The more you cook the better you'll get. Eventually you'll be able to tell when something is done either by look/feel or time. Keep your grill clean, try to avoid flare ups on fatty cuts. Get a charcoal chimney if you go charcoal, lighter fluid isn't necessary.


Some great recommendations here. If you are truly needing to learn and don't want the extra hassle of learning how to manage charcoal, just get a gas grill to start.

Meat thermometer is a must have regardless. And if you do go charcoal, for sure get a good charcoal chimney.
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mrmill3218
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10:51a, 12/26/23
AG
Thanks for all the replies. I do have a an old, cheaper gas grill that hasn't been used in a couple of years. I will pull the cover off of it and see how it looks today. I do have a meat thermometer.

I was thinking about going the sous vide route and using a grill to sear. Is this a good method?
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FIDO*98*
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11:43a, 12/26/23
AG
I'd consider a Char-Griller Akron Kamado. You'll be cooking over real fire and will have more versatility than a standard grill if you want to smoke or roast meats. A Weber Spirit is a good choice if you just want a simple propane grill
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NColoradoAG
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2:46p, 12/26/23
Depending on budget and amount of food you need to cook you can get a Broil King gas grill and a weber kettle for about $575 total. Those are good quality and will give you the flexibility to learn to grill on both heat sources. If you like one or the other better then you can sell both and upgrade in a year or two to a high quality gas grill or something like a Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe.
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mrmill3218
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In reply to NColoradoAG • 3:16p, 12/26/23
AG
So I have something similar to the Broil King right now. It was about $300 I think. Is this even worth considering, or do I need something better to really get great-tasting meat?

Edit to add that I just checked it out and the grating is pretty rusted out.
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NColoradoAG
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In reply to mrmill3218 • 4:43p, 12/26/23
mrmill3218 said:
So I have something similar to the Broil King right now. It was about $300 I think. Is this even worth considering, or do I need something better to really get great-tasting meat?

Edit to add that I just checked it out and the grating is pretty rusted out.
You can usually rehab a gas grill with some elbow grease and a handheld drill with some coarse brushes. New grill grates are pretty cheap too. I'd start there if you dont want to spend much money.
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Max Power
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In reply to NColoradoAG • 8:35p, 12/26/23
AG
NColoradoAG said:
mrmill3218 said:
So I have something similar to the Broil King right now. It was about $300 I think. Is this even worth considering, or do I need something better to really get great-tasting meat?

Edit to add that I just checked it out and the grating is pretty rusted out.
You can usually rehab a gas grill with some elbow grease and a handheld drill with some coarse brushes. New grill grates are pretty cheap too. I'd start there if you dont want to spend much money.
Agree with this advice, clean it up and replace the grates. One thing you can do on an old or new grill is to check out how evenly it heats to check for hot and cold spots. Heat the grill on high and cover the entire surface with pieces of white bread. Flip them after about a minute and you should have a good idea about how evenly the grill heats.
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country
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8:48p, 12/26/23
AG
Get very familiar with kosher salt rather than iodized salt, start learning the difference in pepper grinds, look for granulated garlic rather than a salted garlic. Learn to salt early. Play with thicker cuts of steak rather than thin. Just a few thoughts I had while reading. I figure you'll get plenty of recs on the grills etc. for what it's worth I would buy a cheap ceramic style. You can grill or smoke and do both with great results. Not difficult to control with the dampers so not a huge learning curve. Also learn how to sharpen a knife to a razor and buy a quality meat hook. A pair of welding gloves comes in handy when messing with brisket or other large cuts. Lastly….do t be afraid to just go at it. You don't learn until you start doing it yourself.
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'03ag
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In reply to FIDO*98* • 9:10p, 12/26/23
FIDO*98* said:
I'd consider a Char-Griller Akron Kamado. You'll be cooking over real fire and will have more versatility than a standard grill if you want to smoke or roast meats. A Weber Spirit is a good choice if you just want a simple propane grill
Best grill I've ever owned. Shouldn't have got rid of it. And now they have the Auto Kamado with built in fan temperature controller for $400. Gonna be getting one soon.
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streetfighter2012
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9:43a, 12/27/23
AG
I'm a big fan of PK grills. Super thick cast aluminum body that will last forever. My dad has the one my grandfather got back in the 70's or 80's and I purchased mine 10 years ago. I regularly grill burgers and chicken. Have reverse seared a handful of tri-tips and smoked a few pork butts. I am hoping life will settle down a bit this year and I can step into smoking more on it.

The easiest way to get better is by repetition/experience and purchasing quality meats. You can cook some amazing things on the old steel grate grills found in any state park, if you've done it 20 times and taken notes and learned what works best. And by no means do you need go to wagyu or anything like that, just don't get the cheapest cuts from the discount cooler at the store.
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gvine07
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9:00a, 12/28/23
AG
As far as grill goes, you could make it with gas but I would nudge you to charcoal. Charcoal, with few exceptions, can get significantly hotter than gas. You can't go wrong with a kettle, but I'd upgrade to a kamado (Big Green Egg, etc.) if you can. My brother-in-law has a PK grill and loves it.

A Thermapen is a must.

The best resource I've found is amazingribs.com. Although smoking is a little different than grilling you can learn a ton from the page on prime ribs (linked below). I've joined Facebook groups to ask questions, but you'll quickly find out most don't know what they're talking about and just repeat myths their parents told them.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/prime-rib-and-other-beef-roasts/
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Mathguy64
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10:50a, 12/28/23
AG
I would definitely 2nd getting a kamado style. In the words of Alton Brown, it's a great multitasker.

They are very forgiving to learn on and you can cook anything from cold smoking cheese to high temp pizza. Yes those are extremes but for cooking basic stuff like burgers, steaks and chicken, to smoking ribs and brisket there is nothing close to the versatility, quality of cook and ease of use.

Get a fan, controller and a good temp tool and all the guesswork gets removed.
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TreeFarmAg
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11:08a, 12/28/23
AG
Alot of good advise here, which I will mostly reiterate.

I agree that a good quality instant read meat probe is essential. I also use Thermapen.

I vote charcoal for heat source. Love my Weber Kettle, but I dont have experience with any of the higher end ceramic pits. It wont break the bank and will give you a wide range of temp options. A charcoal starting chimney makes the set up so much easier.

Plus, if you like the Weber product, and want to venture into smoking/bbq, a weber smokey mountain is excellent excellent choice for around $300. once you have the kettle down, cooking on WSM is very simular. Ive done briskets, ribs, pork buts. etc and always very good.

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mrmill3218
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6:39p, 12/28/23
AG
I appreciate all the advice. I'm going to look into the kamado for sure.
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mike073
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8:39p, 12/28/23
AG
I would suggest keeping a diary of everything you grill. Temperature, time, food weights, thickness, amount of trimming you do, meat quality and your satisfaction with the results. Your best procedures will become apparent and easier to duplicate.
Gig 'em Aggies!

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GSS
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In reply to mrmill3218 • 9:54p, 12/28/23
mrmill3218 said:
I appreciate all the advice. I'm going to look into the kamado for sure.

The Char-griller Akorn is an overachiever, for its price, and versatility.
LOTS of great BBQ produced on mine.
NRA Life
TSRA Life
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htxag09
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11:59p, 12/28/23
AG
I will echo the ceramic recommendations. I've always enjoyed grilling. Have had an offset that I could grill directly over coals on the firebox for the last 12 years. Needed lots of work so replaced it with a primo.

Man, that things a game changer. From how much less charcoal it uses, to ease of use, I just regret not getting one earlier.
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austinag1997
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10:40a, 1/3/24
AG
It doesn't matter what device you use, wood and fire management are paramount tecniques to learn.
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HTownAg98
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12:41p, 1/3/24
I've got both a Weber Kettle and a Big Green Egg. Both have their plusses and minuses. The best thing I ever did for my kettle was to get a Slow 'N Sear insert for it. It can hold enough briquettes for an 8-hour smoke easily, and with a flip-up grate, it is super simple to add more charcoal if needed. A Weber Kettle and a Slow 'N Sear will set you back $200, and it's a great setup that can handle anything from searing steaks to smoking a brisket.
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Rattler12
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1:55p, 1/3/24
Charcoal ? Really ? How about real coals from real wood? It takes some effort but it beats compressed charcoal ......plus you can cook with 100 % hickory, mesquite, pecan, cherry, walnut ( if you don't mind the juglone in it) apple, oak, alder or a combination of each. If you've never tasted a piece of pork cooked with Texas Black Cherry............well that's too bad.
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HTownAg98
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2:37p, 1/3/24
Because not everyone has time to build a fire and cook over live coals. Kudos to you if you do. The next best alternative is to put some wood chunks over charcoal and let them catch.
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reineraggie09
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7:29a, 1/5/24
AG
Buy a good grill, cook often, and cook the same thing often. I usually pick a good for the summer I want to master. I did a summer of burgers, summer of ribs, summer of pizza etc. I need to do the pizza again because never got the dough right.

Oh, get a good meat thermometer. I use one every time I grill.
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PerdidoKey2030
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5:14p, 1/6/24
AG
Words of advice I have given successfully to many starting out:

1. Buy a Weber 22" Kettle Grill
2. Buy Thermopen
3. Buy B&B Lump Charcoal - HICKORY @ Academy w/ chimney starter
4. As stated by ReinerAg09, pick one cook.... hamburger (85/15 or 80/20), chicken breast, then pizza, etc. and master that. For working folks, 3 to 4 months to master when you have time is a good estimate.
5. Once you master several items as discussed above, buy a Smoke N' Sear insert and use that until you feel comfortable. Then, if you want to buy a real smoker, not an outdoor compressed sawdust oven, GO FOR IT!

Folks might not be in agreement over the steps above, but I'm a 3x Texas A&M BBQ Camp attendee, trial and error before the intranet, listened to alot of experts at camp, pitmasters and put it into action at home...I don't comment much on BBQ threads because 75% of the folks don't know as much as they think or are self-proclaimed pitmasters using a pellet "grill" oven. LOL

Good luck and Godspeed!
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reineraggie09
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In reply to PerdidoKey2030 • 6:41p, 1/6/24
AG
I want to go to the BBQ camp soooooo badly

Trick on my burgers 80/20 beef. 3 parts beef and 1 part pork sausage.
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zoneag
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12:39a, 1/7/24
Weber Performer + Jealous Devil lump charcoal is what you need. Extremely easy to use and versatile.
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SeMgCo87
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In reply to HTownAg98 • 6:55p, 1/23/24
AG
HTownAg98 said:
Because not everyone has time to build a fire and cook over live coals. Kudos to you if you do. The next best alternative is to put some wood chunks over charcoal and let them catch.
Hmmm....

Just attended a competition smoker class by Harry Soo...

He said put wood chunks under charcoal...so it just smolders...better smoke and lasts a bit longer, too.

"You are being watched..."
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HTownAg98
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In reply to SeMgCo87 • 7:38p, 1/23/24
I would think that would give you a dirty smoke.
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LCE
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In reply to PerdidoKey2030 • 11:52p, 1/23/24
AG
PerdidoKey2030 said:
Words of advice I have given successfully to many starting out:

1. Buy a Weber 22" Kettle Grill
2. Buy Thermopen
3. Buy B&B Lump Charcoal - HICKORY @ Academy w/ chimney starter
4. As stated by ReinerAg09, pick one cook.... hamburger (85/15 or 80/20), chicken breast, then pizza, etc. and master that. For working folks, 3 to 4 months to master when you have time is a good estimate.
5. Once you master several items as discussed above, buy a Smoke N' Sear insert and use that until you feel comfortable. Then, if you want to buy a real smoker, not an outdoor compressed sawdust oven, GO FOR IT!

Folks might not be in agreement over the steps above, but I'm a 3x Texas A&M BBQ Camp attendee, trial and error before the intranet, listened to alot of experts at camp, pitmasters and put it into action at home...I don't comment much on BBQ threads because 75% of the folks don't know as much as they think or are self-proclaimed pitmasters using a pellet "grill" oven. LOL

Good luck and Godspeed!


Recommended a 85/15 burger. Is that what 3x camp attendee is suggesting ?
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Rattler12
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In reply to LCE • 8:07a, 1/24/24
LCE said:
PerdidoKey2030 said:
Words of advice I have given successfully to many starting out:

1. Buy a Weber 22" Kettle Grill
2. Buy Thermopen
3. Buy B&B Lump Charcoal - HICKORY @ Academy w/ chimney starter
4. As stated by ReinerAg09, pick one cook.... hamburger (85/15 or 80/20), chicken breast, then pizza, etc. and master that. For working folks, 3 to 4 months to master when you have time is a good estimate.
5. Once you master several items as discussed above, buy a Smoke N' Sear insert and use that until you feel comfortable. Then, if you want to buy a real smoker, not an outdoor compressed sawdust oven, GO FOR IT!

Folks might not be in agreement over the steps above, but I'm a 3x Texas A&M BBQ Camp attendee, trial and error before the intranet, listened to alot of experts at camp, pitmasters and put it into action at home...I don't comment much on BBQ threads because 75% of the folks don't know as much as they think or are self-proclaimed pitmasters using a pellet "grill" oven. LOL

Good luck and Godspeed!


Recommended a 85/15 burger. Is that what 3x camp attendee is suggesting ?
How close do you think those ratios of 80/20 and 85/15 are to actually being 80/20 and 85/15 ? Not very. It's a marketing gimmick as much as anything. You might get close to those ratios if you grind it yourself but at commercial giants like the HEB's ?????/ Doubtfull.
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LCE
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In reply to Rattler12 • 8:43a, 1/24/24
AG
Rattler12 said:
LCE said:
PerdidoKey2030 said:
Words of advice I have given successfully to many starting out:

1. Buy a Weber 22" Kettle Grill
2. Buy Thermopen
3. Buy B&B Lump Charcoal - HICKORY @ Academy w/ chimney starter
4. As stated by ReinerAg09, pick one cook.... hamburger (85/15 or 80/20), chicken breast, then pizza, etc. and master that. For working folks, 3 to 4 months to master when you have time is a good estimate.
5. Once you master several items as discussed above, buy a Smoke N' Sear insert and use that until you feel comfortable. Then, if you want to buy a real smoker, not an outdoor compressed sawdust oven, GO FOR IT!

Folks might not be in agreement over the steps above, but I'm a 3x Texas A&M BBQ Camp attendee, trial and error before the intranet, listened to alot of experts at camp, pitmasters and put it into action at home...I don't comment much on BBQ threads because 75% of the folks don't know as much as they think or are self-proclaimed pitmasters using a pellet "grill" oven. LOL

Good luck and Godspeed!


Recommended a 85/15 burger. Is that what 3x camp attendee is suggesting ?
How close do you think those ratios of 80/20 and 85/15 are to actually being 80/20 and 85/15 ? Not very. It's a marketing gimmick as much as anything. You might get close to those ratios if you grind it yourself but at commercial giants like the HEB's ?????/ Doubtfull.


Who said anything about HEB? It was a simple question. You need to learn how to grind your own hamburger.
It's not that difficult or just stick with HEB.

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HTownAg98
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In reply to Rattler12 • 8:47a, 1/24/24
It's a "marketing gimmick" that is defined by regulations. There is some leeway, but bigger places like HEB test it to make sure it's within those parameters. Otherwise, it's known as fraud.
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Rattler12
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In reply to LCE • 8:48a, 1/24/24
LCE said:
Rattler12 said:
LCE said:
PerdidoKey2030 said:
Words of advice I have given successfully to many starting out:

1. Buy a Weber 22" Kettle Grill
2. Buy Thermopen
3. Buy B&B Lump Charcoal - HICKORY @ Academy w/ chimney starter
4. As stated by ReinerAg09, pick one cook.... hamburger (85/15 or 80/20), chicken breast, then pizza, etc. and master that. For working folks, 3 to 4 months to master when you have time is a good estimate.
5. Once you master several items as discussed above, buy a Smoke N' Sear insert and use that until you feel comfortable. Then, if you want to buy a real smoker, not an outdoor compressed sawdust oven, GO FOR IT!

Folks might not be in agreement over the steps above, but I'm a 3x Texas A&M BBQ Camp attendee, trial and error before the intranet, listened to alot of experts at camp, pitmasters and put it into action at home...I don't comment much on BBQ threads because 75% of the folks don't know as much as they think or are self-proclaimed pitmasters using a pellet "grill" oven. LOL

Good luck and Godspeed!


Recommended a 85/15 burger. Is that what 3x camp attendee is suggesting ?
How close do you think those ratios of 80/20 and 85/15 are to actually being 80/20 and 85/15 ? Not very. It's a marketing gimmick as much as anything. You might get close to those ratios if you grind it yourself but at commercial giants like the HEB's ?????/ Doubtfull.


Who said anything about HEB? It was a simple question. You need to learn how to grind your own hamburger.
It's not that difficult or just stick with HEB.

I'm not an engineer so things don't have to be that precise for me. What % of folks that make hamburgers grind their own meat? Maybe 1 out of 5000?
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