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Darren Ford
05-03-2005, 8:23 AM
Sears has last year's model of the Silver A for $349.99 and Silver B for $399.99, both prices are assembled.

There are some differences between last years model and current, most noticable is current year has a closed stand, and comes in several colors. The downside of the new model is that the tank now has to be purchased separately (I might be wrong about this, read it somewhere).

Jim Becker
05-03-2005, 10:21 AM
We have the Silver B and LOVE it. It was just the right size for us (we didn't need the side-car that the C version has) and has the three heating elements. That's great for indirect cooking like shown below...front and back are on with the center burner off for indirect heat. Mr. (or Mrs) chicken has one of those butt things supporting it allowing moisture and seasoning from the well to work inside-out...that was one juicy bird!

Kevin Arceneaux
05-03-2005, 10:45 AM
Bah, that ain't BBQ'ing. Charcoal is the only way to go! :)

We have one of those big ole smoker/BBQ combo's and wouldn't have it any other way. I have been down the gas route and no matter what you do, it cannot match charcoal.

I kept the tanks, needed them for my boiling rig. HUM........ Think I'll have to get another sack of crawfish this weekend. Maybe a few crabs also. I guess, while I am at it, maybe a few shrimp too.

Jeff Sudmeier
05-03-2005, 11:28 AM
Kevin, I hear ya on the charcoal issue! Gas grilling is just so damn convienent! Also, when you start adding the smoking chips, you can get great flavor on a gas grill as well.

Tony Falotico
05-03-2005, 12:14 PM
Bah, that ain't BBQ'ing. Charcoal is the only way to go! :)

We have one of those big ole smoker/BBQ combo's and wouldn't have it any other way. I have been down the gas route and no matter what you do, it cannot match charcoal.

:) I'm with you on this one Kevin, tried them gas BBQ's and never had any luck with 'em, Nothin' like a good ole double barrel smoker .........

Kevin Arceneaux
05-03-2005, 12:41 PM
Kevin, I hear ya on the charcoal issue! Gas grilling is just so damn convienent! Also, when you start adding the smoking chips, you can get great flavor on a gas grill as well.

They have come a long way from when I had one.

But, we do a fair amount of smoking and I am not sure how that would turn out with gas.

Have you tried Cowboy Charcoal? It is the best to use. It works great on BBQ, but it burns pretty quickly so it doesn't work that well for smoking. I keep some of the limbs that fall off my pecan trees for that.

John Hart
05-03-2005, 1:37 PM
We've had our gas grill for 4 years and only used it in the first year...Always found it more appealing to throw a pile of mesquite in the regular grill. Smells better too. I finally threw the gas grill away last weekend after it being in the way "for the last time".

Bill Lewis
05-03-2005, 2:23 PM
I too have an older Weber gas grill. It is convienent. I use a smoker box, but the older models have the burners pretty far away so that only works so so.

I hear ya on the charcoal side, but to tell the truth, the really awsome way to go is to grill/smoke on an all wood fire. The least convienent, but really good.
I'm definately going to get a smoker/grill after we finish building the deck and patio. Something like those double barrel types I have seen.

John Hart
05-03-2005, 2:43 PM
Jim,
I'm supposed to be working...but I just can't get that chicken outta my head. It looks like you snuck up on a chicken while he was reading the paper and flamed him when he wasn't looking! :eek:

Tim Morton
05-03-2005, 2:47 PM
We have the Silver B and LOVE it. It was just the right size for us (we didn't need the side-car that the C version has) and has the three heating elements. That's great for indirect cooking like shown below...front and back are on with the center burner off for indirect heat. Mr. (or Mrs) chicken has one of those butt things supporting it allowing moisture and seasoning from the well to work inside-out...that was one juicy bird!

Jim do I see a new avatar opportunity?:D

Jim Becker
05-03-2005, 2:49 PM
I'm supposed to be working...but I just can't get that chicken outta my head. It looks like you snuck up on a chicken while he was reading the paper and flamed him when he wasn't looking!

LOL! The support thing with the "marinade" container up the bird's butt is just a commercialized version of the old "beer can chicken" idea. The liquid in the container heats up and creates a lot of moisture and flavor from inside. Combined with indirect 350º heat, the meal remains really juicy, even when you cook to 170-180º internal as measured by a meat thermometer. This bird took about 45 minutes start to finish. (~4 lbs)

Darren Ford
05-03-2005, 3:38 PM
LOL! The support thing with the "marinade" container up the bird's butt is just a commercialized version of the old "beer can chicken" idea.

If thats not adding insult to injury I don't know what is. :)

Rich Konopka
05-03-2005, 3:59 PM
I have the Silver B and it is a really good grill. The difference is that it has 3 burners as opposed to 2. When cooking roasts on rotisserie you turn off the middle burner and cook "indirectly". The hood design moves the heat around the center and cooks the meat superbly, I received the rotisserie that goes with it for Fathers day and I have to say that my chicken never sits on the can:D:p. Highly recommended !!

For the charcoal lovers out there I have to agree it is better. However, I don't have the time to get the charcoal going and all that fuss.

Kevin Arceneaux
05-03-2005, 4:45 PM
this is mine

Jim Becker
05-03-2005, 4:58 PM
Well....yours is definitely bigger, Kevin! :D

Kevin Arceneaux
05-03-2005, 5:12 PM
yeah it is big. The LOML has managed to put 2 briskets, 2 rack of ribs, and 2 roasts on to smoke at the same time. It took a lot of charcoal, hickory, and pecan. But it was GOOOOOOD! Ate some and put the rest in the big freezer.

Jim Fancher
05-03-2005, 5:24 PM
this is mine

Nice! I've never even seen how those work. Is the fire in the small section on the left only?

Time for BBQ 101. :D

I'm in the market for a new grill. I've rebuilt my old Sunbeam gas grill three times and it's time for the garage truck.

Kevin Arceneaux
05-03-2005, 5:33 PM
When you are smoking or slow cooking something yes. But if your are BBQ'ing something, you can build the fire in the big tube. A lot depends on what you are cooking.

The LOML is the pro, I'll have to get here to post exactly how she does things.

Jim Fancher
05-03-2005, 5:42 PM
I'd love it if she would! I grew up in the South, but I'm still not that great at grilling. I sort of "Forrest Gump" my way through it. :) Don't even get me started on smoking. I've never even seen it done before.

I might Google up some BBQ forums to see if I can learn something.

Dan Mages
05-03-2005, 9:06 PM
Beer Butt Chicken is the greatest thing to make on the grill. That fancy gizmo that Jim has is not needed. Just take a can of beer, drink half of it, and shove it up the chicken. Nice and juicy!

I also like cowboy charcoal. Have you noticed that they use hardwood flooring scraps in their mix?

Dan

Jim Becker
05-03-2005, 9:10 PM
Dan, you're right the gizmo isn't necessary, but it was five bucks on clearance and Dr. SWMBO bought it. I used a little left-over white wine, a few cloves of fresh garlic and some herbs in the well...same effect with a different tast than good old beer. Seriously, the wider base is a little more stable than your typical beer can...unless it's a big Fosters or something!

Norman Hitt
05-04-2005, 1:58 AM
Have you tried Cowboy Charcoal? It is the best to use. It works great on BBQ, but it burns pretty quickly so it doesn't work that well for smoking. I keep some of the limbs that fall off my pecan trees for that.

Kevin, I save all my Bad Pecans, pecan shells etc, and throw a couple of handfulls on the fire when grilling steaks , hamburgers, etc, and also throw them in several times while smoking meats, and my friends all think the flavor is even better than when using the pecan wood. (Learned this from my flight surgeon about 35 years ago, and been doing it every since).

I've just about given up on charcoal though, as it all seems to be made soft (so the folks that are not normally capable of starting a fire can BBQ also), but it burns up so quick it is a real pain to use. I used to put a Turkey on the smoker about midnight and get it out the next morning, but now I have to reload the charcoal two or three times because it burns up too quick).

I also have a gas grill, and use it a lot because of the soft charcoal thing, and even lay a piece of foil on the grill and put some whole pecans on it and it smokes the steaks & burgers really well. I have one of those chicken holders like Jim's and also a ceramic one that we use in the convection oven. The thing I like about them is that they are not as prone to turn over as a beer can just sitting on the grill rack.

Try the Pecan hulls & pecan bits, and I'll bet you never throw any of them away again. I keep a large paper bag full of them, and Old pecans by the grill at all times.

Bill Lewis
05-04-2005, 7:43 AM
this is mine

That's what I'm talking about getting. Is that one made by Brinkman?

Jim Becker
05-04-2005, 9:06 AM
I've just about given up on charcoal though, as it all seems to be made soft (so the folks that are not normally capable of starting a fire can BBQ also), but it burns up so quick it is a real pain to use.

Norm, isn't "real" charcoal available in your area? It's been many years since I bought such stuff, but that's what I always got instead of the "briquettes" that are so ubiquitous today.

BTW, great idea with the pecans!

Kevin Arceneaux
05-04-2005, 10:32 PM
Yep.

Pecans I have, at least the ones I get before the squirrels do .

Norman Hitt
05-05-2005, 1:50 AM
Norm, isn't "real" charcoal available in your area? It's been many years since I bought such stuff, but that's what I always got instead of the "briquettes" that are so ubiquitous today.

BTW, great idea with the pecans!

Jim, the only charcoal we can get here is the briquettes,and they used to be formed under high pressure and were Very hard and heavy, and did take a while to get started, but burned evenly, but now they use much less material in each briquette and they are very soft and crumbly, light weight, and start easily but burn up in just a few minutes.

When a friend of my wife's cousin from the "Bay Area" was visiting once, I cooked some steaks on the grill, so he wanted some Pecan Hulls to take back with him. I didn't have enough left from my own trees, so we went out to a local Pecan Sheller and they Gave us all we wanted. He took four 5 gal plastic buckets back with him. They were a combination of shells and small pecan bits and were wet and Moldy when we got them but they worked just the same. He gave one bucket to two of his friends that had a very High End Restaurant in SFO and they said their customers went Crazy over the steaks they cooked with them and wanted me to ship them more, but it just wasn't cost effective.

Rob Russell
05-05-2005, 7:34 AM
We've been the charcoal and gas route. Each is better for some things.

One thing we can do on our gas grill that can't be done with a charcoal grill is rotisseried chicken where the heat is radiant, not direct. There are 2 ceramic burners that are mounted vertically along the back of the grill. Fire those up and they glow cherry red. We can do up to 20 pounds, and we've used that to do 4 chickens or a turkey for Thanksgiving. My B-I-L was over and said that the rotisseried turkey was even better than deep-fired turkey. For going out to cook some steak strips, piece of fish or some chicken breasts - it's sorta hard to beat the convenience of a gas grill. i've attached a little GIF of the rotisserie from the manufacturer's website - you can see the ceramic burners behind the chickens.

Having said all that - even though our grill does have a "smoker tray" where we could put in chips to smoke - I'll admit that were I to want a smoked chicken or similar, I'd pull the old Weber charcoal grill out of the shed and dust that off. I'll also admit that I'm not going to get rid of the Weber, even if we decided that we were never going to smoke stuff again. It's a lot easier to tell if a charcoal grill has enough fuel for the project by looking at the bag than trying to figure out how much gas is left in the tank.

Rob