Cooking Outdoors

Portable Cooking Equipment

Cooking on a grill

Outdoor barbecues are a wonderful alternative way to cook that provides more flavor and adventure.
Grilling is one of the most primal forms of cooking and most men will jump at the chance to try his culinary skills with the open flame.
I know men that use their grills outside in the winter snowstorm. They just brush off the snow and light it up.
The added bonus of smoking the meat with a flavored wood is enhanced with the smoking attachment.
My 5 picks for outdoor cooking for under $200 are described below. Some are more versatile, more portable and have different functions than others. It may come as a surprise for traditional grillers to see a wok or electric grill in my review.

Char-griller Outlaw Demo

The Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw 1038 Square Inch Charcoal Grill / Smoker is made of heavy duty steel with a double bottom for longer use. The "barrel-shaped" grill may put off some grill masters who are used to the upright open square grill, but this is a serious piece of equipment. And it has a temperature gauge and top vent.
The surface cooking space of 725" main grill and 340" warming rack and cast iron grates keeps the surface hot to insure great flavor throughout.
The optional side firebox turns this into a smoker and those ribs will cook in a few hours.
The Weber 22.5-Inch One-Touch Gold Kettle Grill is an updated version of a classic simple grill that has been in use for 50 years. My neighbors had one and used it often when I was growing up. It reminds me of the classic Volkswagen; durable,simple and popular.
The enameled dome lid prevents rusting and the nickel-plated grill grates are easy to clean.
Also the tripod wheelbase helps to prevent tipping over and wheels make moving it a breeze.The warranty lasts a full 10 years.
O-Grill 3000 Portable Gas Barbecue Grills is one of the most unique shaped and portable on the market. It looks like a clam shell when closed and measures 23.2"x 10.8" x 25.5". and weighs a mere 24 pounds. The cast iron cooking grid has a surface of 225 square inches, which uses a portable propane tank.
Retractable legs and easy carry handle lets you take it anywhere. There are options such as a a rolling cart and dock table to raise the height, and the carrying bag. This comes in 6 fun colors, such as orange, green,gray, blue, red and black.

 

The Brinkmann 810-5000-0 All-In-One Outdoor Cooker is a versatile gas grill, fryer, smoker or charcoal grill and smoker. The many uses of this make it a favorite among outdoor chefs. The maker states that it can be used as a LP gas grill, an LP gas water smoker, a charcoal grill and charcoal water smoker, and a gas cooker/fryer as well. Measures 17" x 17" x17" and weighs 42 pounds.
It's sturdy, welded construction with dome shaped lid, temperature indicator, and chrome-plated steel grills can hold up to 50 pounds of food. It comes with a porcelain enamel water pan, drip pan, ash guard, lava rocks, a gas hose and regulator.

Eastman Outdoors Model 37212 22-Inch Carbon-Steel Wok is not the traditional grill one would expect to hear about, but this had many satisfied customers, so I added it to the list. It measures 24"x 24" x 36" and weighs in at 25 pounds, with it's own cradle stand.. With more people wanting to cook more health-conscious meal, the modern Wok provided the best way to provide that. The Big Kahuna steel burner heats up evenly and fast, and the kit comes with propane burner, spoon, spatula, CD cookbook and thermometer.
Try cooking your meals a little differently and you may like this new meal preparer. No, it won't cook your ribs, but you may lose some weight.

Summary

So there are my top picks for outdoor cooking. Depending on what you are looking for,such as versatility, portability or speed; there's one that is perfect for your needs.
I chose cookers that could be used away from the home; that used propane gas and charcoal, rather than electricity, since most people want the convenience. The Brinkmann All-in-One Outdoor Cooker is the most versatile one but not all portable as the O-Grill 3000.
You'll probably want to use the Char-Griller Outlaw for your racks of ribs and the Weber for smaller family meals such as hamburgers. And yes, real men do use woks!

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