So I want to by a grill...

[FredK]

Yeah they require preheating for a slightly longer time, especially with the small amount of charcoal that you'll be using. Not a big deal.

[Jscotty]

First of all, if you want your food quickly, that would defeat the point of grilling. Grilling is not one of those things you just do quick, fast, and in a hurry. If you want to whip something up in a half-hour then microwave it or deep fry it.

The whole grilling thing is a process and a ritual. When you grill your meat you have to season it and then let it marinate for a few days. Then afterwards you have to fire up the grill and let it heat up. Hamburgers and hot dogs cooks relatively quickly but other things like ribs, steak etc take some time. Plus you want your food to simmer and catch the smoke flavor. Also, the whole process is something that you plan on doing for at least a couple of hours. You don't just use the grill to cook your food but there is the whole art of "working" the grill.

[JGood]

First of all, if you want your food quickly, that would defeat the point of grilling. Grilling is not one of those things you just do quick, fast, and in a hurry. If you want to whip something up in a half-hour then microwave it or deep fry it.

The whole grilling thing is a process and a ritual. When you grill your meat you have to season it and then let it marinate for a few days. Then afterwards you have to fire up the grill and let it heat up. Hamburgers and hot dogs cooks relatively quickly but other things like ribs, steak etc take some time. Plus you want your food to simmer and catch the smoke flavor. Also, the whole process is something that you plan on doing for at least a couple of hours. You don't just use the grill to cook your food but there is the whole art of "working" the grill.

Dude, it's a fuckin grill. Yeah, I will occasionally spend time with some buddy's, grillin and eatin some steak and shit all day, but this thing will mainly be used for me during the week, to stay away from the sick microwave foods. Mainly burgers, chicken, shit like that. There's no reason I can't grill some food in a half hour. I like meat with nothing on it sometimes, and even when not, marinading takes 5 minutes the day before. No need to have to spend 3 hours every time I want to grill. I'm not trying to have ribs every night, just some burgers and stuff.

[FredK]

Nah, GRILLING doesn't take long, but barbecuing does. A steak should not see heat for more than a handful of minutes per side assuming a reasonable thickness. Otherwise you'll dry it out. But it does take like a good 20-25 minutes for a small amount of charcoal to get ready. So you won't be eating in like 30 minutes. Maybe 45 minimum if you are fast as lightning.

[uofom3]

someone beat me to it...

I suggest a CharBroil. You can get a basic one for about $100.00 and mine has lasted very well... someday I'll get a NICE built in webber... but i'm not ready to spend a G on my Q

[uofom3]

First of all, if you want your food quickly, that would defeat the point of grilling. Grilling is not one of those things you just do quick, fast, and in a hurry. If you want to whip something up in a half-hour then microwave it or deep fry it.

The whole grilling thing is a process and a ritual. When you grill your meat you have to season it and then let it marinate for a few days. Then afterwards you have to fire up the grill and let it heat up. Hamburgers and hot dogs cooks relatively quickly but other things like ribs, steak etc take some time. Plus you want your food to simmer and catch the smoke flavor. Also, the whole process is something that you plan on doing for at least a couple of hours. You don't just use the grill to cook your food but there is the whole art of "working" the grill.

You're right man.. but he's cooking fucking burgers and franks. This isn't Smith and Wollensky.

[LINUS]

Nah, GRILLING doesn't take long, but barbecuing does. A steak should not see heat for more than a handful of minutes per side assuming a reasonable thickness. Otherwise you'll dry it out. But it does take like a good 20-25 minutes for a small amount of charcoal to get ready. So you won't be eating in like 30 minutes. Maybe 45 minimum if you are fast as lightning.

Exactly the truth - and why I just have a propane job. I'd love a charcoal unit, but the time involved, and the general cleanup involved keeps me in propane.

There's a little propane job they sell either at Home Depot or Lowe's that's totally portable, and uses those small screw in cylinders - it's a stainless body, so it's built to last 5+ years. I think it's $99.

I'd get that, and concentrate on some good marinate / grilling methods you like - I'm personal to searing the heck out of both sides of a ribeye for 3-4 minutes, then splashing a little 100 proof Southern Comfort on it at the end - leaves a nice sweet carmel taste and good for a flame show for the girlies.

Also, Southern Comfort splashed on some asparagus & a little parmesean cheese & pepper after that is a good side for a ribeye.

[Jscotty]

Southern Comfort, huh? I gotta try that. I usually use heineken for exactly the same thing.

[browntown]

the fiesta brand they sell at home depot are well built, good warranty, and affordable.

[Dave]

I bought a Char-Broil at Sams Club about 6 years ago - except for a broken handle on the lid, its needed nothing but cleaning and gas refills.

We grill A LOT. Like 90% of the meat we eat is grilled - year round. I;m out there in the snow making steaks. For those of you with time on your hands who grill once in a blue moon, the romance of the old style charcoal grille is great, but fuck it - its just not practical for us. We use some hickory briquets in it, and you get the flavor just the same.

[808BMW]

Every propane grill I've had sucks. Those fake briquettes don't taste like the real thing IMO, and every electric starter has broken.
I lived on a small propane grill for 4 months (we had no stove/oven, so every meal was grilled) and it was conveniant, but not as good as a real grill.

A small hibachi is good for a bachelor or something, but if your friends come over you won't be able to cook multiple meals on it.

The cheap weber Charlie posted is your best bet. Small enough to just do 1 steak, big enough to entertain.

As far as quick and easy, don't you own a stove? Jscotty pretty much had it right. Maybe not a couple hours, but you definately gotta put a bit of effort in it. A dinner would probably be 45mins-1hour from firing up the grill to sitting down and munching. Busting out the grill (especially for the summer) is a great opportunity to have a beer and relax.

If your still going to go get a propane one, if its small and has a little neck on the side for your propane can to screw into, expect that neck to break.

[Kruzen]

Well, I wanted a gas grill, but I guess I'll be a bitch if I do that.

So how much of a PITA is it to use a charcoal grill? Doesn't it take a lot longer? I want somehting that lets me come home and whip some dinner together in a 1/2 hour or so.

I feel like a newb at being a guy, not knowing this shit. I've just never had time to "grill" (full time job since I was 15, plus full time bachelors degree in 3 years = no time for anything, only mcdonalds/wendys).

Oh bullshit, it takes 15-30 minutes tops to grill with any type of grill.. don't give us this 'school takes too much time' bullshit.

[JGood]

Oh bullshit, it takes 15-30 minutes tops to grill with any type of grill.. don't give us this 'school takes too much time' bullshit.

Right, when you HAVE a grill. If I had a grill this thread wouldn't exist.

Oh and 30 minutes was way to long while I was in school. I got up for work at 5:45am, went to work, left work at 4pm, went right to school, got home at about 11 at night, went to sleep so I could get up at 5:45am. I commuted 1.5 hours to school where I took advanced classes (Bachelors degree in 3 years) and was the store manager of an automotive shop, on call 72 hrs per week. Don't try to tell me I had a spare 30 minutes.

[HST]

Man my $25 wal-mart grill has held up for 2-3 years, and cooks great. I have never understood expensive charcoal grills. It is a metal box that holds charcoal, how hard is that?

[Charlie]

Man my $25 wal-mart grill has held up for 2-3 years, and cooks great. I have never understood expensive charcoal grills. It is a metal box that holds charcoal, how hard is that?

The biggest problem I've had with those flat bottom wal-mart specials is getting a good flame on the coals, it takes forever to get it to light and warm up, and you end up just dousing the shit out of the charcoal in fluid. This in turn makes everything taste like lighter fluid. I've got a basic weber kettle right now, (the silver), and use one of those metal "chimney" lighters that you stuff some paper in the bottom. Works great in about 10 minutes, and doesn't need any fluid at all.

As for "expensive" charcoal grills, that weber is just pretty. It's completely recockulous in terms of a charcoal grill, but for some reason I want one. Other than that, you get into smokers, which is a whole 'nother situation.

-Charlie