Indeed, it is not a secret that finding a good grill resembles the search for a roommate who can cook without burning your apartment down. It should be something sturdy and durable and certainly not the light metal thingy that you want to decorate your yard as modern art in two years. I know that you have low budget but try investing in quality.
Firstly, a grill is the heavy metal container that will hold the fire to cook the meat in it. The metal body, which is supposed to be stamped, is bound to warp in such conditions dissipating the heat faster. Physics says so.
Speaking of the budget, the vast majority of the backyard grills will not be able to beat the Weber Kettle. This is the Toyota Corolla of backyard grills that never dies and parts are available anywhere. For fifty bucks you can find a used one on Facebook, clean it up, and it will serve you ten times longer than that cheap trendy gas grill that you find in the department stores. Black porcelain enamel is very durable.
In case you decided that you do not want the hassle of cooking with charcoal and opt for gas grill, try Weber Spirit and Genesis series. Yes, they are quite pricey but the burners are stainless steel and the cook box is cast aluminum. You pay for a decade of even heat distribution and avoiding replacing the ignition modules every spring.
Do not neglect your thermometers. Thermometers that are integrated into the lid are there to trick you. Save yourself from cooking the undercooked chicken and ruining the evening. Buy a digital instant-read thermometer, for example, ThermoWorks Thermapen. Yes, it is expensive but it prevents you from ruining the evening and cooking the chicken improperly.
Tongs will be your hand on the grill so buy stainless steel locking tongs that are heavy enough. Do not settle for cheap ones that break immediately after you put them on the steak. OXO Good Grips 16 inch tongs are great and do not cost an arm and a leg. It is important that the tongs are long enough because you do not want to burn your arm hair.
In case you want to skip on buying grill set in the briefcase, you were right to do so. You do not need corn cob holder and a small spatula that will not help you flipping the hamburger. You will only need a wire brush to clean the grate. In case you are worried that you will get some metal wire bristles into your food, try the “grill rescue” steam cleaning brush.
Grate made of cast iron will dramatically increase your grilling experience, assuming that you can afford it. It will distribute the heat evenly and provide you those great sear marks you always wanted to see on Instagram. Lodge has grate replacement kits for many standard grills. Season it with oil, and it will last a long time.
As you surely know, you must have a place to store raw meat and another place to store the cooked meat. Yes, I know, it sounds obvious, but cross-contamination happens when you are too lazy. Buy two different cutting boards, for example, one red and one green. It is a cheap way to avoid spending the evening hugging the toilet.
And last but not least, the cover. Rain is the slowest destroyer of outdoor equipment. It destroys a cheap vinyl cover, and that is why you must purchase a cover that is made of thick fabric. It does not sound very interesting, but leaving your grill uncovered during a rain is just plain stupidity.
Listen, I know that equipping yourself with all that is needed for grilling can be very expensive at first. It feels like too much money for the hobby. But believe me, when you are thirty-five and you still use the same grill you bought now, you will thank me. It is an investment in good food and absence of having to buy a new grill every two years.
Now go and buy the equipment.
Thanks for reading this post! – MyPlugin