I will run be going through some key points on how to select and maintain your BBQ. Also keep reading to get some tips and tricks on how to repair the BBQ when the time comes. I have purchased many BBQ’s over the years and have to say that my choices have changed as my life has changed. I always thought selecting the right BBQ would be easy enough until I get to the store and find myself starring aimlessly at so, so many options, brands and sizes that it becomes overwhelming. So now I will answer this question for you. How to select and maintain your BBQ. Well let me break it down to make this a seamless decision for anyone in this dilemma. I found that this has made all those summer BBQ’s so much more enjoyable.
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This is how to select and maintain your BBQ
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- Type of BBQ
- Gas
- Charcoal
- Wood pellet
- Brand of BBQ (Weber, Traeger, Pitt Boss, Kenmore, Char-Broil)
- Tips and tricks on maintaining and repairing your BBQ
How to select and Maintain your type of BBQ
When I try to think about what type of BBQ I am going to purchase the first question I always ask myself is how much time am going to be spending around the grill. This has changed throughout my life due to having children and having less time to prepare and monitor like you will have to do with charcoal grills. But I also like to have the option of using charcoal if I really want that real BBQ taste once in a while. So be mindful of this when you are going to select and maintain a BBQ
How to select and maintain gas grills
Gas grills are very easy to start up and get that exact temperature I look for when grilling. They are also very predictable when it comes to the outcome of how it is cooked. I find it very similar to an oven but I can still get that nice sear and grilled flavor I look for.
pros of selecting and maintaining a gas BBQ
- Easy push button start up
- Easy clean up
- Even cooking
- Easy temp control
cons of selecting and maintaining a gas BBQ
- Running out of gas
- Can produce a lot of smoke or flare ups
- typically larger in size due to propane tank storage
- more expensive than most charcoal grills
- does not infuse smoky flavor
How to select and maintain charcoal grills
Charcoal grills are the original and always have a place in an BBQ situation. They are tried and true and will always provide the best and most authentic BBQ flavor when it comes to grilling. The only drawback I find is the amount of time that is spent getting it started and maintaining the temperature when cooking. Also the amount of clean-up that is necessary when I am done BBQing ie. all the ash.
pros of selecting and maintaining a charcoal BBQ
- Lower cost to buy
- infuses the food with lots of flavor
- Grill can get hotter than gas grills
- Usually are a little smaller
cons of selecting and maintaining a charcoal BBQ
- Takes longer to start up and get to temp.
- harder to regulate temp.
- messy clean-up
- bigger fire danger due to hot coals.
- remembering to purchase charcoal prior to cooking
How to select and maintain a Wood Pellet BBQ
Wood pellet BBQ’s are great for cooking large cuts of meat it is just like baking in an oven. I find it great because I can just set the temp on a pellet cooker and just walk away and it know when to add more pellets and keeps the heat at exactly that temp. What I don’t like about it is that there is no zone to get a sear on it. Meaning that there is no spot on the grill to get that direct heat.
The other reason why people are turned off by pellet grills is because you need electricity to run the grill to cook the wood pellets. This puts a lot of restrictions on where you can use the grill unfortunately.
What I love about pellet grills is that you can cook anything, have a clean flavor, great temp. control and start-up and clean-up is so easy. They are also very good at smoking food in a very controlled way with no flare-ups.
pros of selecting and maintaining a wood pellet BBQ
- Best heat control of the three
- Grill, oven and smoker in one
- No flare-ups
- Very easy clean-up and start-up
- Easy to use
- Easy to buy fuel in bulk
cons of selecting and maintaining a wood pellet BBQ
- Not good for wet conditions (pellets can deteriorate)
- Need of electricity to run.
- Searing will not be as pronounced.
- Maintenance due to electrical componants
How to select and maintain Combo grills
The combo BBQ is really where its at when it comes to an all in one grill. whether it be a gas and charcoal grill on a pellet and charcoal grill. I have used and love both. The versatility of a combo grill is unmatched. With any the ease of use of a good high quality grill like one from Pit Boss it is hard to pass up but there are others out there that are coming out with great combo grills as well.
Selecting a brand of BBQ
When trying to choose a brand of BBQ I would highly go with the philosophy of “buy once, cry once”. The more reputable the brand and better quality the BBQ the better grilling experience we will ultimately have. Even when choosing a good quality charcoal grill I make sure it has these items checked off my list before I even start to think about buying it. So let me get into my quality checklist for buying a BBQ. This will help you select and maintain your BBQ.
BBQ purchase checklist
- What style of grill I’m looking for (gas, charcoal, pellet)
- How much money I can spend
- Quality of the grills on the BBQ
- Quality of the casters and frame on grill
- Gauge of steel used for the BBQ
- How much surface area do I need for grilling.
This is how I selected and maintain my BBQ
After going through the checklist I ultimately went with a duel use BBQ. For one it makes it very easy to use. Secondly because I can cook quickly and evenly but I can also get the sear I’m looking for when grilling. The choice I came up with was also a very well built BBQ that will last for years and is very easy to maintain. I have included A link to this BBQ as well as others to let you go ahead and make your own decision. I have also included a few videos on how to properly care for your BBQ and do any repairs that may arise. Also click here to look at my complete list of tools you might need for any repairs around the home.