How Do A Grill And Smoker Differ
A smoker is a device designed to cook foods low n slow, mostly at temps between 225 and 325 F. Smokers are what people call barbecues and are typically used to cook large cuts of cheaper, tougher meat for many hours until fall-apart tender. Think ribs, pork butts and brisket.
A grill is designed to cook foods very quickly, at searing hot temperatures from 325 F up to 700 F. Typical things to grill hot and fast are cuts like steak, chops, fish, lobster and vegetables.
Grilling and smoking are very different methods of cooking, for very different foods. Typically, you would buy either a grill, a smoker, or one of each to cook different ways on separate units. That is, unless you buy a grill and smoker combo
How Do I Choose A Charcoal Grill
Consider these next 7 factors:
- Do you really need one
- Size of the cooking area
- Your budget
- What features does it have to control the temperature
- How durable the grill is
- Size and weight
- How easy it is to clean
There are many charcoal grills to choose from. Even choosing one of these 6 best charcoal grills can be difficult. If youre still unsure which charcoal grill suits you the most even after watching this video, then check out this detailed charcoal grill buying guide.
Build Quality Materials And Durability
Is the metal strong enough to withstand constant high temperatures, especially over longer periods? Will the surfaces be easy to clean? How durable is the metal used, not just for the exterior but also for the grates or smoke chamber components?
Heavy-duty stainless steel tends to be the best option for the outside of a grill, although it, too, will eventually rust. A cover should always be used if you plan on leaving it outdoors. Powder-coated paints and ceramics may not rust, but can be fragile and chip easily.
The thickness of the steel used will also provide insulation to keep the heat in. Metal graded as 10 or 12 gauge will be robust and, even if it should rust, its thick enough not to weaken for years.
Any chambers or lids should have solid gasket seals, which will stop both smoke and heat escaping.
The smoker/grills legs are just as important. You need a stable base to ensure it doesnt tip over while youre cooking. Large sturdy wheels will make it easier to move around your patio or backyard. Ensure the wheels are stable enough to move the unit while its still hot.
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Which Oklahoma Joes Grill Is The Right One For Me
As most of the grills, bar the Rambler, that Oklahoma Joes make fall within a similar budgetary level, the only questions that you really need to ask yourself when it comes to choosing one of their grills, is how versatile you want it to be, and how much cooking space youll need your grill to have.
That said, if you were to ask our opinion, wed always point you toward the Oklahoma Joes grill and smoker that weve always put our faith in, and thats the Longhorn.
Regardless of whether you choose the combination grill or the offset reverse smoker, its an all-purpose and all-powerful grilling giant that will never let you down.
Because when all is said and done, theres only one way to grill, and thats the Oklahoma way.
Best Overall Grill: Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill
The 22-inch Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill lives up to Webers storied history. The Weber charcoal grill has been around for nearly 70 years and, while the design of the kettle has barely changed, its easy to see why.
In our testing, the Weber Premium was hands down the easiest grill to control temperature on, with the flames inside the kettle responding expertly to any tap of the vents. Temperature control is key to successful charcoal grilling. During our cooking tests on the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill, hamburgers cooked to a medium rare temperature and our chicken ended up juicy, with a solid sear on the outside. Other grills we tested either ran hotter and overcooked the hamburgers, or they werent hot enough and barely seared or cooked the meat.
The premium version of the original kettle measures 22 inches wide and comes in three colors. The premium version also includes Webers One-Touch cleaning system, meaning that it comes with a large enclosed ash pan for easy cleanup, and it also boasts a built-in thermometer and lid hook. While we found both Weber grills to cook flawlessly, the upgrades on the premium model make the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill our top charcoal grill of 2022.
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Ease Of Access To Get To Cooking Surfaces
Although thermometers can help you tell whether the food is cooked, sometimes you just want to take a quick peek. Or maybe you need to add a few more burgers for late arrivals. Heat-resistant handles on the grills lid will ensure you dont burn yourself when your unit is at its highest temperature.
Does the grill combo feature separate compartments for grilling foods and smoking at the same time? The last thing you want is smoke escaping every time you check on the food youre cooking.
An adjustable shelf will often allow you to move the charcoal close to the cooking surface without opening the chamber at all.
Vertical-style smoker grill combos, like egg or barrel styles, can be harder to rearrange the meats once cooking. Heat rises, and it can often be very hot to stand above. Invest in the longest pair of tongs you can find, and heatproof gloves are a good idea too.
What Should I Search For In A Oklahoma Joes Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill
When it pertains to locating your best oklahoma joes rambler tabletop charcoal grill , all of it relies on what you prefer.
If you desire that famous yard barbeque flavor, I would certainly suggest purchasing a charcoal grill. If you desire more of an even prepare and also to regulate your temperature swiftly, I d suggest purchasing a gas grill.
On the various other hand, constantly seeks quality, develop as well as life time guarantees first. Additionally describes that a good grill will certainly be air tight, enabling you to particularly regulate the amount of air that reaches the fire box. Last but not least, recommends going with a grill that fits your space as well as design.
Its far better to invest in a better top quality, smaller sized grill after that to obtain something big for a flex. Make certain it fits your area yet additionally gives you sufficient room to work around it.
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Charcoal Grills & Smokers: A Higher Level Of Flavor
People everywhere love charcoal grills for the exceptional smoky flavor they can deliver. Burning solid fuel for cooking is as old as humanity itself, and that rich tradition can be carried on in your own backyard with the use of a charcoal grill or smoker. If you’re looking to elevate your home cooking experience with an outdoor appliance like a BBQ charcoal grill, then Kickass Grills is the place to be.We’ve done a lot of the legwork for you already, curating a collection of only the best charcoal grills on sale today. When you shop with Kickass Grills, you can be sure you’re getting a quality product designed to deliver exceptional flavor and a great experience for many years to come. Our outdoor charcoal grill offerings are no exception. From the classic kettle charcoal BBQ to full featured high heat grills with all the bells and whistles, we’ve got you covered.
Best Charcoal Grills Under 150 Dollars Of 2022
Its that time of the year again the time for a barbecue. But why spend your entire lifes savings on a grill? Its just not worth it. Even on a budget, you can get a decent charcoal grill that will feed both you and your friends and/or family.
Take a look at this list of the 9 best charcoal grills under 150 dollars and pick the grill that suits you the most.
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Best Smoker Grill Combo Reviews
Below weve compiled a list of what are, in our opinion, the top six contenders for the title of the best BBQ smoker grill available today.
From the simple barrel-style up to the latest high tec pellet models, weve handpicked a wide range to give you an idea of whats out there.
Its common for people to confuse the terms hybrid grill and combo grill. They do refer to different things!
A hybrid is a grill that can run on both charcoal or gas but is not a smoker. If you are genuinely looking for a hybrid, dual fuel outdoor cooker, then please check out our guide: The best hybrid grills.
Mark Jenner
- Needs a consistent supply of charcoal for longer burns.
- The grate can be too far away from the heat for grilling steaks or burgers.
For a simple grill smoker combo you can easily throw in the back of your truck, the Pit Barrel is the go-to solution. Its so simple to use, and creates such great results that even competition BBQ chefs are known to use this bit of kit.
Oklahoma Joes Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker
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It might share its name with Oklahomas Joes combo gas and charcoal grill, but thats about all this reverse flow smoker has in common with its namesake.
Oklahoma Joes made their name with smokers and this offset behemoth was designed and built with three decades of experience and know-how to help imbue you with all of the grilling prowess of a culinary deity. With seven hundred and fifty square inches of cooking space in its primary cooking area and an additional three hundred square inches mounted in the firebox, the Longhorn has a total grilling knockout blow of nearly eleven hundred square inches.
Designed to be used as either a traditional offset or a reverse flow smoker, the Longhorn uses a set of simple to control baffles to control the amount of smoke and heat that it makes, which will grant you mastery over, and command of, everything that you smoke and grill in it.Its chamber mounted temperature gauge will ensure that youre constantly aware of how hot it is inside the Longhorn and the easy to remove charcoal basket that the firebox uses to house its fuel means that the Longhorn is also easy to clean and maintain in peak operating condition.
Whether you want to smoke and grill the offset or reverse way, the Longhorn is the machine that makes it possible for you to conquer both disciplines and perfect your grilling skills.
Pros
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Oklahoma Joes Longhorn Combo Grill
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Variety is the spice of life and a lesson that Oklahoma Joes took to heart when they began their grilling adventure.
They know that sometimes you want a little more from your grill and need to draw on all of the power and versatility that it possesses to satisfy the ever-changing food-based demands of your guests and your family.
Thats why they created the Longhorn so that you can cook with gas and grill with charcoal.An offset smoker and a gas grill, the Longhorn is ready to rise to any culinary challenge that you can lay in front of it.
A dual-chamber grilling monster whos gas-fired side can produce thirty-six thousand BTUs of heat and whose charcoal chamber will grill and smoke as long as theres fuel in its firebox, this combination grill, and smoker has a total cooking surface area of more than one thousand square inches and two separate lid-mounted temperature gauges so that youll never lose track of how hot your grill and smoker are.
And if that wasnt enough heat and grilling power, the Longhorn has an additional side-mounted gas burner thatll provide another twelve thousand BTUs of heat, so if any extra guests do show up at your barbecue unexpectedly, youll have more than enough spare capacity to cook for them. Built from heavy-duty steel, the Longhorn is as reliable and durable as the State that is named after and wont let you down, even in a grilling crisis.
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What Is A Combination Smoker Grill
Put simply, a combination smoker grill is an appliance which can be used for both grilling and for low n slow smoking and roasting. Its a dual-use piece of equipment that can serve two purposes and replace two single-use bits of kit.
Think of them as outdoor versions of the oven you might have at home, with high heat hobs and a variable heat oven, to perform all styles of cooking outdoors.
Just like traditional grills, they can be powered by either gas or charcoal. Some top end models will also use a combination of electric elements and possibly even burning wood.
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Who Are Oklahoma Joes
It all started with two thousand dollars and a dream. Having fashioned twelve meat smokers using every penny he had, Joe Davidson took the fruits of his labors to the Oklahoma State Fair in nineteen eighty-seven and on the first day, sold all twelve and took orders for one hundred more. It was the beginning of Oklahoma Joes.
In the three decades and some spare change since that fateful day, Oklahoma Joes has become one of Americas premier manufacturers of grills and smokers and continues to push the envelope of everyday smoking and grilling technology to its limits.
Grilling Area And Cooking Surface Size
How many people do you plan on cooking for? If you have a larger family, youll need more cooking space than you would for two or three people.
The smoker part will typically need at least 12 inches of clearance when closed if you plan on cooking a whole turkey in it. A width of 16 inches or more will enable you to place an entire rack of ribs in the smoker, without having to cut them down.
Extra warming shelves and side burners can provide even more cooking surface. Barrel style cookers may have the facility for more than one grate, or space-saving hooks to hang meat from.
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Why Buy A Charcoal Grill Or Smoker
Why are charcoal grills and smokers so popular? While everyone’s got their own reasons for buying a charcoal grill BBQ, we’ve noticed a few common threads in our years selling high quality outdoor cooking solutions. These are some of the major reasons Kickass Grills customers choose to buy a charcoal grill from us:
Best Smoker Grill Combo Bbqs For 2022 Money
Buying a dual grill smoker combo saves money, and space in your yard, compared to buying two or more separate pieces of equipment. On these multi-purpose cookers, You can grill, smoke, roast, bake, and sear. Here we look at some of the best ones available and what you should look for when buying.
Today, were going to help you choose the best smoker grill combo to suit your precise budget, needs, and desires.
You will learn what differentiates good models from bad, what features you should look for, and what to avoid. We discuss a few of the top models available today and generally help you to make the right buying decision.
I have a ton of BBQ and smoking equipment, more than one thing for every job. This includes three kettle BBQs, two Kamado Joes, a WSM smoker, a wood-fired oven, rotisserie attachments, and much more besides. Im a bit of a BBQ nut.
However, not everybody has the obsession, space, or the budget for quite so many bits of equipment as I do. And thats why we put together this article.
A smoker grill combo is a space-saving, money-saving, dual-purpose bit of outdoor cooking equipment that can benefit many who do not wish to have two or more single-purpose bits of kit.
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Other Grills We Tested
Oklahoma Joes Blackjack Charcoal Kettle Grill
The Oklahoma Joes Blackjack Charcoal Kettle Grill gets top marks for its design, which includes an attached hinged lid for easy opening and closing, an enclosed ash pan and a convenient removable side shelf. The lid sets this grill apart from a traditional Weber kettle, which features an unattached kettle top. We enjoyed the ease of being able to hinge open the lid on the Blackjack for a quick flip of our meat during our tests.
The Blackjack Kettle Grill also features two air vents, and it was easy to control the grill temperature with them. The bottom vent functions like most kettle grills, but the top vent is styled more like a traditional smoker vent. You mainly control the temperature on this grill from the bottom vent. We also found the built-in temperature gauge to be accurate. This grill gave both our burgers and chicken a really nice sear. During our testing, hamburgers cooked to medium, while it took the chicken about 32 minutes to come up to temperature.
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Char-Griller Premium Red Kettle Charcoal Grill
Cuisinart 18-Inch Kettle Charcoal Grill
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Oklahoma Joes Highland Offset Smoker
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Oklahoma Joes originally smashed their way into the grilling scene with their smokers, and the Highland is one of the staggering be-all, end-all smokers that helped to cement their reputation among the grillers in the know.
As good as it ever was thanks to the tweaks and modifications that have been made to it throughout its working life, the Highland is a powerhouse offset smoker that would fit proudly in any grillers yard.With one thousand square inches of combined total cooking space , this offset smoker is designed to be rust-resistant, has porcelain coated grilling racks, and has been made to flawlessly channel smoke and heat from its offset box into the main chamber.
And all of that heat and smoke that it makes? Youll be able to control it with ease thanks to its simple to navigate system of dampers, thatll make sure that you remain firmly in control of the smoking process from beginning to end. When your smoking session does come to an end, the Highland is also easy to clean as it uses the same simple to remove and empty ash pan and charcoal basket that all Oklahoma Joes smokers do.
The Highland is where Joes story started, and its an ideal smoker for you to start your Oklahoma journey with too.
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