Which BBQ

[sluggerdog]

Go for a Kamado style BBQ! (or an original, if you can spare the cash).

I bought a cheapie steel one from Bunnings called an Acorn, and all I want to do is upgrade to a ceramic one now! Really love what it does for a BBQ, roasts, slow cooked ribs etc.

Akorn is what I have as well. It's fantastic. I don't see the need to get the ceramic ones though, maybe I'm missing something? I like to move my around a bit. It's also gets less hot on the outside apparently so good for young kids.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

This year I've bought myself a kamado charcoal smoker and cooker, since getting the kamado my beefeater is used to cook snags and that's about it. Charocal flavour for the win. Get yourself a looftlighter (bunnings for about $40) and you can be up and cooking on the charcoal within 20 mins. Similar to the amount of time I needed to preheat my beefeater anyway.

I just went out and bought one today, these things fcking rock, wish I'd know about them sooner!

EDIT: also will be getting an akorn in the very near future, dropped enough hints for the wife to hopefully buy one for my bday

 

[zappa]

That's not a lighter.

That's a lighter

 

[Spiesy]

A few years back I saw a show on Southern (USA) BBQ'ing. We think we know how to BBQ, but those guys really no how to BBQ, or barbecue as they say.
The thing that got me were there wood/coal fired barbies where the grill could be raised or lowered, to adjust the temperature the food is exposed to - what a great idea.

When I buy a house, I'm certainly going to have a BBQ with a grill/hotplate combo that I can raise and lower.

Maybe like this, but not so insane: http://bbqguam.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/santa-maria-style-bbq-pits.html

 

[Droopy Brew]

Bloody hell that's some impressive ****. Would be a bit of a pain in the arse but if you just wanted to quickly burn some snags for the kids dinner.

 

[vykuza]

Akorn is what I have as well. It's fantastic. I don't see the need to get the ceramic ones though, maybe I'm missing something? I like to move my around a bit. It's also gets less hot on the outside apparently so good for young kids.

Mine's getting a bit of rust on the fittings and after I left the cover off one rainy night, it filled some of the wall with water, which I had to boil/evaporate out. But mostly for the bling factor, and even more heat for hardcore pizza crusts.

The lid seal on the Akorn is also quite terrible - replace it with something that blocks the air better if you have the chance. I got a nomex gasket from bbqgaskets.com, so it's good if I ever want to attempt re-entry into the atmosphere in my BBQ without burning up

If anyone goes a kamado and plans getting in to slow cooking and smoking on it (think pulled pork, beef ribs, pork ribs) you can upgrade with an Auber Instruments PID to keep the temperature super steady with a little fan that blows air in to feed the charcoal. I got one, and can do a slow smoke over 12 hours without having to add more fuel or even open the lid. Linky: http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=396 Fits the Akorn without having to do any mods.

 

[seamad]

Mine's getting a bit of rust on the fittings and after I left the cover off one rainy night, it filled some of the wall with water, which I had to boil/evaporate out. But mostly for the bling factor, and even more heat for hardcore pizza crusts.

The lid seal on the Akorn is also quite terrible - replace it with something that blocks the air better if you have the chance. I got a nomex gasket from bbqgaskets.com, so it's good if I ever want to attempt re-entry into the atmosphere in my BBQ without burning up

If anyone goes a kamado and plans getting in to slow cooking and smoking on it (think pulled pork, beef ribs, pork ribs) you can upgrade with an Auber Instruments PID to keep the temperature super steady with a little fan that blows air in to feed the charcoal. I got one, and can do a slow smoke over 12 hours without having to add more fuel or even open the lid. Linky: http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=396 Fits the Akorn without having to do any mods.

I was going to get one of these when I got my primo xl

The Aussie distributor for Primo said he had one and had never used it and reckoned you don't need one. He offered to sell it to me if I wanted one after using the primo a bit. I've found that the temperature stability of the bbq doesn't require one, once you get used to the correct vent openings it will chug along all day without adjustment. The thing weighs a tonne and with that large thermal mass temps don't fluctuate.

 

[wobbly]

I bought one of these "Char-Broil-Quantum-Infrared-Grills" from Master a couple of years ago now and it is just the "ducks Nuts" http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/char-broil-quantum-infrared-grill.html

No regrets at all and the "self clean feature" (heat to high temp) is such a god send

Wobbly

 

[Batz]

Not too many options Yob, should be an easy decision. :lol: :lol:

Me? I have an old 4 burner that cost around $100 about 4-5 years ago. Around 2 years ago I bought a Weber Q, it's only me and the wife at home now days so the little baby size suits, and it fits in the caravan as well. The 4 burner now is the table for the Weber Q.
I have some mates who all bought fancy barby's around 2 years back, stainless and bling azz. They all look like crap now.

Batz

 

[2much2spend]

http://www.biggreenegg.com
This the rig I run! Worth the cash
Also the is this can be found at BBQ galore
http://www.kamadojoe.com/index.php

 

[Edak]

I should add that I also have the acorn kamado and it's great for pulled pork see the smoking meats thread for example. It's cheaper than the Joe or the green egg and it's evident but it's still great to cook on. I only use it for low and slow, just too lazy to start up the charcoal so that's why I got the turbo.

I would love to get the komodo kamado but that's like 5k.

 

[Engibeer]

I have only read the first two pages of this thread so I apologise if this has already been mentioned.

BBQ's don't have a great resale value.

I took advantage of this about a year ago. I got a 1yr old $1200 Beefeater, 5 burner plus side burner, off gumtree for $400. Looked as though it had been used about twice.

I purchased it off a school teacher who had just built a new house, I asked him "are you going to buy a built-in?" as I was loading up my new BBQ. He said that was what he had in mind and I replied "oh, really? I would have just kept this and removed it from the trolley... you know these are the same as the built ins, just with different mounts?" the look on his face said it all, but it was too late.

Anyway, up until this point I only had charcoal BBQ's for several years - Mrs wanted the convenience of gas - yet I'm the one that always cooks on it!

2nd hand barbies all the way.

 

[doon]

I just went and checked out the akorn kamado and the vision kamado.

The akorn was dreadful rivets had bent the shell, lid didnt line up to seal properly etc.

Vision on the other hand looked bloody great. Would definitely spend the etc to get it over akorn

 

[Liam_snorkel]

then you've got people like this guy, who reckon the akorn is the duck's nuts. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAB3kEMvD0_9IaQ6IL6R2cQ

 

[beercus]

Yob, still looking for a BBQ?

http://www.graysonline.com/lot/0001-3126276/outdoor-living/gasmate-stylus-4-burner-outdoor-kitchen

pic up Cheltnam

Beercus

 

[Yob]

holy ****

will keep an eye on that :super:

 

[wobbly]

According to "Choice" they tested 27 BBQ';s ranging in price from $179 to $2200 BBQ and concluded that the "Webber Genesis-E330" was the best of those tested.

Not cheap though at around $1600

Wobbly

 

[Edak]

According to "Choice" they tested 27 BBQ';s ranging in price from $179 to $2200 BBQ and concluded that the "Webber Genesis-E330" was the best of those tested.

Not cheap though at around $1600

Wobbly

So they didn't test any of the turbo elite range? It's outside of that price range...

 

[Yob]

Update on Deck and BBQ Area



New Ramp up



Lower Deck Area



Upper Deck Area



BBQ are (old BBQ)



Bar/Bench area still to have the pavers and stacked stone cladding added



Reverse view

 

[GrumpyPaul]

All it needs now is 576 (24*24) swap bottles lined up for a photo