The home improvement stores and mass merchants stores march them out every summer in all their stainless steel glory.
Aisle upon aisle filled with six burner and eight burner monstrosities. Many are clad in low-grade stainless steel and constructed from the thinnest of materials and are designed to withstand the rigors of cooking for maybe a season or, two at best.
While impressive in size, many of these grills have little in the way of cooking heritage or prowess.
A truly talented backyard cook can turn out grilled gourmet delights on much more modest equipment. Think two-to-three burner gas grill models.
And higher quality grills, compared to their thin skinned, monstrous brethren, can crank out some BTUs and have no problem keeping consistent temperature. They are also supported by a robust maintenance parts program allowing you to make easy maintenance parts changes and preserving your grilling investment.
On the topic of temperature—those in the know use a gas grill for quick weekday meals. And they instinctively seek out grills with the ability to maintain temperature. In addition to good temperature management, those that know their way around a grill utilize the mysterious and often overlooked medium setting. The medium setting is that midpoint between high and low and offers the guy in the know around a grill the most flexibility and best opportunity for culinary excellence outdoors.
Medium grill setting and awesome temperature management alone won’t make you a master in in the backyard but, it will go some distance to making you better around a grill.
The final talent in your backyard grill mastery is the application of spices and selection of meats. A mis-step here will potentially render something bland and tough. Good grilling calls for thick chops and steaks seasoned or, marinated before cooking. A knowledge of spices that combine salt, spice, sweet and heat is essential. And being able to make adjustments based on personal preference is key.
Your guests won’t remember the size of what you grilled on for long but, how you used it. The correct application of temperature, spice, and grilling technique turn a mundane chop into a weekend treat that you and your guests will remember for long after.
◊♦◊
Photo:John Tornow/Flickr
Read Rob Ainbinder every week here on The Good Men Project!
It’s interesting that grills, even if they are large, aren’t necessarily good for cooking. I’m wanting to get a grill for next year’s spring and summer and I think getting a quality grill, rather than quantity, could be better. I wouldn’t necessarily be cooking for a lot of people but getting one that cooks nicely could be beneficial. Thanks for sharing!
Great Article about grill quality, Rob! We sell replacement gas grill parts and I can easily get a call from a customer with a 1 year old grill that needs repair, followed by a customer with a 30 year old grill needing repair! The industry has really gotten people to believe they need to buy a new grill every two years. Crazy! If you ever want to chat more, find us online and also, my Youtube channel – GrillGirl by GrillPartsSearch