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Thanks, all. I'll look into your suggestions. What I'm hoping for is to be able to almost char a steak on the outside, but leave it rare on the inside. Like in steak restaurants, where they cook steaks at about 1200 degrees.
Maybe charcoal is the way to go, although if I'm just throwing on two burgers, who wants to wait for charcoal?
Take a look at Traeger or Louisiana country cookers(or any models that Louisiana brand makes) They use wood pellets(ie hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, etc) for heat and taste. They are so much better and so much more versitile than a gas grill, and they'll last. A bit high priced but well worth it.
Benifits to each one. Traeger is easier to set temp, but not as heavy of metal and paint isn't much. They also don't get as hot as a Lou.
The Lou is just a little harder to set, but can get up to 5-600*(a bit high and could warp a door).
I have both, a Traeger Texas and a Louisiana "Whole Hog" Country Cooker. I really like the Lou. I smoke on it 90% and grill 10% so I do know more bout smoke'n. Just this winter we had steaks on a gas grill and the wife and kids said it wasn't very good. I went the next day and bought the same steaks, put the same rub on(S&P evoo) and made them my way. 350* till med-med well. No comparison.
I gotta go but real quick, I've made pizza, jerky, tortilla chips, fish, pork, beef, shrimp, b-beans, veggies.
If there is a dealer near buy get him to let you try it out. Hamburgers are fantastic, steaks are great.
To help get some nice marks I want to get a cast iron grill to put in it, but were not big on that as much as taste.
Any questions let me know, or I'll check back here when I can.
Captain.. These are a new world of grilling I never knew existed. Wood pellets? I bet the results are awesome. Sounds like a bit of overkill for someone who just wants to throw a steak on the grill once in a while, though.
Gentlearts - After reading what you want to do (char outside) you would not like them. They are indirect heat. They are easy to use, but you need electricity to run the augers and fans. They are as easy as turning on and setting the temp you want to cook at, but won't go near 1200*.
To help me get that grill "look" on my steaks I'm ordering a couple cast iron grates from Lodge mfg.
I'm more into smoking than grilling. Fastest I've done steak for yrs has taken a total of 45min. 15min warm up and 1/2hr grilling.
Check out alton brown grills or grilling on you tube, that may help if your still undecided.
Maybe I just need a BIG FIRE!! Maybe charcoal is the only way to get the effect I want?
I see where Weber has a charcoal grill with a gas starter. My father, 40 years ago or so, used to get the steaks the way I want them, but that was with charcoal. Maybe the modern convenience of a gas grill has wiped out this type of hot grilling.
Maybe I just need a BIG FIRE!! Maybe charcoal is the only way to get the effect I want?
I see where Weber has a charcoal grill with a gas starter. My father, 40 years ago or so, used to get the steaks the way I want them, but that was with charcoal. Maybe the modern convenience of a gas grill has wiped out this type of hot grilling.
Heh, well, no self-respecting Texan I know uses a gas grill! There is no comparison between the flavor of meat cooked over charcoal/wood and propane. LOL, when I used to go up to visit my mom in Pennsylvania, she'd ask me to bring along some mesquite wood so I could smoke some pork chops for her and her friends.
If you want to sear meat you'll need somewhere in the range of 15,000 btu's. But the same effect can be achieved for a lot less than a Wolf or Viking gas grill. I use a Weber Professional and with the right mix of charcoal and wood can generate a fire that will sear your eyeballs just to look at it! My advice is to go get a really good book on grilling and learn technique versus dropping a lot of leafy cabbage on a top-end gas grill.
Gas grills are convenient, but listen to what folks here are saying: charcoal tastes better than gas.
Be sure to use a chimney starter, though. You don't need starter fluid - just the chimney and some old newspaper.
If you want a really hot fire, use hardwood charcoal instead of charcoal briquettes - the heat tends to peak at the start and fade slowly, whereas briquettes tend to have a longer burn time but don't get quite as hot.
It really doesn't take that long for charcoal to ash over and be ready to cook. I usually get it going before I start prepping the food, and by the time I'm done the meat is up to room temp, the veggies are prepped and I have the table set. You want to put the meat on the grill at room temp any way, and it usually takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
We have charcoal and gas - both have their merits. If you want super high heat on a gas grill, the higher the BTU's, the hotter it will get. Silly as it sounds, I like pork and chicken better on charcoal but I like the convenience and taste of the gas grill for steaks.
Oh, and I second sean98125's comment about chimney starters - they are much more environmentally friendly and there is no lighter fluid taste. I've been using them for years and love them!
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There is no comparison between the flavor of meat cooked over charcoal/wood and propane. LOL, when I used to go up to visit my mom in Pennsylvania, she'd ask me to bring along some mesquite wood so I could smoke some pork chops for her and her friends.
