Gizmodo: Grilling

Water-Cooled Grill Supposedly Keeps Meat From Charring

Elaine Chow — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT

I've always thought that a good char on a burger made it exponentially more delicious, but in case you're worried about carcinogens, Wellbas' water-cooled barbecue grill promises that your slab of meat will come out tender, juicy and completely char-free. Water is pumped from a reservoir through small pipes on the actual grill to keep it cool even as you cook.

After the water finishes its route through the grill plate, it's cooled down again via a heat exchanger before making its way back into the grill. According to Wellbas, the system not only keeps food from turning black, it also lowers the fat content of your steak... supposedly because fat can't drain properly from charred bits.

I'm no Alton Brown, but some of this science sounds kind of iffy. Isn't adding heat to meat the whole point of grilling? If you're grill's getting cooled, I would assume it means the food would just take way longer to cook. Plus, the design doesn't seem to take into account heat distribution—some parts of the grill will be much colder than other parts.

But what do I know? The grill's apparently already won some design awards. Pricing is unlisted on the Wellbas website, but each system looks like it'll cost a couple thousand dollars at least. [Wellbas via Cnet]

BBQ Baja is Barbeque in a Box

Mark Wilson — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT

Charcoal grilling undoubtedly tastes better than gas, but coals can be a pain. This Baja BBQ is a solution to the more lazy among us who'd rather not deal with coal chimneys and lighter fluid. Constructed of 100% recycled biodegradable paper pulp, the Baja's 2 pounds of coals will be perfectly hot after 20 minutes and a match. And the whole thing sounds just eco friendly enough to satiate the yuppies who will be buying the Baja at the "gourmet supermarkets" soon. [Mike and Maaike via core77]

10 Awesome Grills You Can Buy For The Ultimate Memorial Day BBQ

Sean Fallon — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT

The Memorial Day weekend is finally here. For many of us, that means it is time to travel and or bust out the grill and cook up some meat. However, with gas prices being the way they are, you may be passing on the road trip this year. So, now that you are free to focus on throwing the ultimate BBQ this weekend, you are going to need some serious equiptment—like the examples found after the break. And, unlike many of the extreme grills out there, these are priced to own.

BBQ Tower Smoker: This six-foot-tall smoker has enough racks and surface area to simultaneously cook just about any type of meat that you can think of. And it won't take up a ton of your patio space. Available for $500. [Hammacher Schlemmer via Link]

The Ultimate Tailgating Trailer: If a sporting event is in the cards this weekend, kick your tailgating party up a few notches with this tailgating trailer from Gameday Customs. The standard model includes a 26-inch LCD, satellite dish, CD/DVD player, 1000 Watt generator, and a toilet—but you will need to upgrade to get your fresh water system with sink, refrigerator and, of course, the BBQ itself. Naturally, partying this hard will set you back a few—to the tune of $14,000 or more. [Gameday Customs via Link]

Solar Powered Grill: It will probably take a year to cook a burger with a grill that reflects the sun's rays, but if you have a thing about the environment this may be an attractive option. Was available for $249. (Or you could build one yourself, like this guy.) [Tammock via Link]

Koolatron Portable "Drive N' Grill": If you decide to take a road trip this weekend, that doesn't mean you have to pass on the BBQ. This portable grill plugs right into your cigarette lighter to keep you cooking while on the go. And it is actually called the "Drive N' Grill," so my guess is that safety isn't a top priority. Available for $36. [1ofakindbuys]

Longhorn Steel Grill: Nothing beats cooking meat in a grill shaped like meat. Available for $1699. [Traeger Grills]

Smoker and Grill Trailer: This smoker/grill combo hitches to the back of your vehicle and features a whopping 108"-long cooking chamber for serious BBQ projects. Available for $8545.04. [Grill Showroom]

Beer Barrel BBQ: This simple design makes for a charcoal grill that is big enough to entertain your guests, but small enough to transport just about anywhere. Available for around $140. [Drinkstuff]

Ariete SteakHouse Indoor Grill: The product page calls it a grill, but we know a steak toaster when we see one. The SteakHouse cooks your meat vertically and heats it from the side so the fats and grease drip down into a tray without smoking. Yup, sounds like a toaster to me. Available for $220. [Ariete via Link]

Cook N' Dine Tabletop Grill: This tabletop grill functions indoors or out thanks to a flameless cooking mechanism that runs on electricity. The center of the stainless steel surface forms a shallow cooking pit that heats up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit—no pots or pans necessary. Prices start at around $1600. [Cook n' Dine via Link]

The Ultimate Smoker and Grill: Technically you can't buy this gigantic smoker and grill, but you can rent it for a carnival-sized crowd. This beast can cook 200 steaks or 1,000 hot dogs simultaneously, it can slow smoke 2,000 pounds of meat and it features a 48" flat screen television with satellite and a Bose sound system to entertain guests. Rental packages start at $5,000 (before additional expenses). [Adventure Alliance]

Bonus Accessories: Now that you have the grill, you are going to need some cool accessories to go with it. Here are a few favorites:

Roast My Weenie: This little dude has balls of steel—literally. Available for $15. [Roast my Weenie]

BBQ Sword: Ha Ha...pork sword. Available soon for $29.99. [Firebox via Link]

Condiment Pistol: Fill up this oversized cartoon gun with your favorite condiments and blast your burgers. Plus, you will always have the upper hand if a food fight breaks out. Available soon for around $30. [Firebox via Link]

Magnetic BBQ Tool Light Brightens Up Your Beef

Sean Fallon — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:20:00 EDT

Did you know that May is national BBQ month? If you haven't celebrated yet, I suggest you make up for lost time by firing up that grill morning, noon and night. That's right, you can even cook in the dark thanks to this LED BBQ tool light. It isn't the first BBQ light out there, but it is the only one that can attach magnetically to your spatula so you can catch all of the action close up. It even has a bendable neck for added versatility. If you think about it, this sort of device could come in handy in all sorts of situations outside of the grill. Not bad for only $14.95. [Solutions via EB$29.99 via Techie Diva via DVICE]

BBQ Sword Makes You the Swashbuckler of Sausages

Sean Fallon — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:30:00 EDT

En Garde meat products! Armed with your BBQ sword you can finally take your rightful place at the grill as the Musketeer of meats. Plus, with the handy eye mask that is included, you can maintain your secret identity. Just remember, theatrics are the name of the game for any superhero—so make sure to "sign" your KC masterpieces with a Zorro-esque slash of your sword. Available soon for around $29. [Firebox via NOTCOT]

60 Second Charcoal Starter is Not a Bunch Of Hot Air...Wait, Yes It Is

Sean Fallon — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:50:25 EST

I think that most people will agree that charcoal grilled burgers taste better, but getting those little briquette bastards to light can be more trouble than it is worth. Fortunately, there are dangerous man-tools out there that can help get the job done. Hammacher has just such a device—in fact, they claim that their starter can ignite charcoal in 60 seconds without lighter fluid using air that is heated to 1,290 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, that kind of power requires an AC wall outlet, so you will be on a short leash when grilling outdoors. Available for $80. [Hammacher via Uberreview via DVICE]

The Tank Prevents Propaneous Interruptus

Charlie White — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:30:00 EDT

If you grill using propane fuel, you need The Tank. It prevents that common problem where you suddenly run out of gas in the middle of an intense cooking session—it's propaneous interruptus. The Tank is a typical 20-lb. propane container with a major difference: It has a gauge on top, an indicator valve that's accurate because it measures the liquid propane content and not just the amount of pressure in the tank. And hey, that gauge glows in the dark, too.

What a basic concept! You can clearly see how much propane you have left in the tank. At $53.98, it's significantly more expensive than normal tanks, but the company's offering a summer special with free shipping. Sounds great, but we're just thinking that all propane tanks should be this way. That's the reason why we had a natural gas line installed, and now we never worry about running out of propane, but are always concerned about leaving the gas running for a week at a time. [The Tank]

BBQ Tower Smoker Can Handle All Kinds of Meat, At Once

Travis Hudson — Mon, 28 May 2007 10:00:57 EDT

It may be a little late to order this beast for your Memorial Day barbecue later this evening, but it is still a great addition to any grill hound's arsenal. The smoker provides less direct heat to the meats on the top racks.

This BBQ tower has six different racks for meat and two racks underneath for the fire and any smoking flavoring. If I didn't live in a tiny apartment I would be all over something like this. It is a hell of a lot better than my George Foreman or tiny Weber grill. $500. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via SCI FI]

Motorized Grill Brush is For the Lazy Grillers

Travis Hudson — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:45:20 EDT

I personally enjoy getting my paws dirty scrubbing the grill down, but for those uber lazy types this motorized grill brush is fantastic. Push the button and the roller spins, cleaning up all of that leftover meat, grease and hooker spit from the grill. It is available for $25 and includes years of ridicule you will endure for actually using a motorized grill brush. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Product Page]

Talking Thermometer Won't Guilt You For Eating Wilbur

www.gizmodo.com — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:57:20 EST

If your meat could talk, it would probably scream in a high pitched voice about the cruelty of slaughterhouses, the pain of being cooked on the grill, and the indignity of being eaten by a chubby guy in an A1-stained "Vote for Pedro" t-shirt. Which is why there's no technology out there to give a voice to the silent meat population, natch.

What there is technology for is a thermometer that talks to tell you when your meat is done being cooked. The Oregon Scientific Talking Wireless BBQ/Oven Thermometer proves that the pleasant sounds of "Your rare steak is done" are much nicer than the disembodied screams of a slaughtered bovine. What's even nicer is that you can have it tell you that your food is ready in Spanish, German, French, or even Danish if you so desire. Jeres kød er beredvillig! –Adam Frucci

Keg-a-Que

johnb — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:57:43 EST

I'm almost sure this is as old as my grandma, but summer's around the corner and that means one thing—flame! And meat! OK, two things.

The Keg-a-Que is a propane grill made from a beer keg. This $64.99 grill is completely portable and can hold up to 18 succulent hot dogs or up to 15 burgers. Not sure if they have a charcoal version, but this is one keg you'll want to tap again and again—for its meaty goodness.

Product Page [PortableGrillsOnline]

Flame King Propane Tank Indicator

johnb — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 10:19:32 EDT

My favorite activity during the summer heat is to go outside and create more heat and sit around in it. Yes you grill jockeys, I m calling you out. I want you to help keep the neighborhood from blowing up and be the most efficient griller you can with the Flame King. This dongle attaches to any Type 1 propane connections and provides safer, smarter, and cleaner grilling. This valve has an emergency gas shut-off, gas level indicator and a built-in leak detector.

Generally, I think this is a good idea. Instead of shaking the tank around, trying to see how much is in there, this you can tell at a glance how much more searing power you have. So get that fire going, neighbor man, and if the sweltering summer heat hasn t quite given me heatstroke, maybe the flame you are harnessing on your porch will push my body over the edge.

Product Page [Flame King]

UPDATE - Joe sends us this tip:

you can buy all sorts of fancy doo-dads to ensure you don't run out of propane before burning another piece of cow.......mmmmmcowburgers... sorry, I'm back, or you can simply pour a cup full of warm or hot water down the side and feel how full the tank is by noticing where the metal feels cold (caused by the liquid propane absorbing the heat much faster than the gas above it.)