All Fired Up!

Weber Stephen Products LLC

In tough economic times, it’s no surprise that people eat at home more. And 22 percent of Americans say they are grilling more this year when compared with a year ago, according to a survey that was released in March by grill manufacturer Weber.

But that doesn’t mean that Americans are eating the same old grub. Chris Raines, who is an assistant professor of meat science and technology at Penn State University, says he believes that the gloomy economy has increased experimentation among cooks. Based on analysis of trade association surveys and his own observations, Raines believes that when dollars are tight, grilling enthusiasts buy less expensive cuts of meat and try new ways to make those meats taste good.

Manufacturers are making it easier for outdoor grillers to experiment by introducing more—and less expensive—grills that provide different approaches to outdoor cooking.

NICHE FIX. Two types of grills that help consumers to cook more types of food outdoors have become more common: kamado grills, which are grills that are based on Asian clay-baking techniques, and pellet-fired grills.

Grills that use convection cooking that can bake foods to a degree aren’t new. But kamado grills and pellet cookers deliver results that are more akin to baking in an oven. Temperature fluctuations and a lack of even heat circulation make baking difficult to pull off in other types of grills for anyone but the most experienced of cooks. Talk about exploratory cooking—now casseroles, pizza and even cake are possible for anyone to cook on your grill.

Not only has the number of kamado grills increased, but prices also have come down. At least 12 companies now market them, and kamado grills now are priced as low as $600. This is down from $1,000 2 years ago, when there were no more than three manufacturers of the grills.  

Kamado grills typically are made from ceramic or cement that’s combined with crushed lava rock. But the Big Steel Keg, which is made by a company of the same name ($640), is made of a double layer of steel that has a layer of insulating material in between. Because it’s insulated, the manufacturer says you’ll achieve cooking results that are similar to those of traditional ceramic kamado-grills. We agree. Although ceramic—the traditional kamado-grill material—is heavier (which allows it to retain heat), it’s a single layer, versus two layers of steel with insulation in between, so heat retention should be similar.

Meanwhile, at least six manufacturers now make pellet grills, compared with at least two manufacturers 2 years ago. Pellet grills use compressed sawdust pellets as fuel, and those burn slower than do the briquettes that are used in charcoal grills. That slower burn gives you the ability to use a pellet grill as a smoker. And new premium models that start at about $800 now can go beyond the traditional “low” and “high” settings when it comes to heat control because of their digital thermostats. Digital thermostats automatically determine how many pellets that you need to feed into the firebox as you are cooking to keep the temperature even at specific points—typically between 180 degrees and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. That range is ideal for low-temperature grilling, slow smoking and baking.

However, we found that even though high-temperature models can double as traditional grills, low-fat burgers tend to fall apart. And even those that have higher fat content end up tasting like the burgers that you might cook indoors because of the low and slow cooking. (Digital-thermostat conversion kits start at about $95, so you don’t need to buy a new pellet grill to get this feature.)