CharQing while being "safer at home!"

[Jon Tofte]

I was pretty restless even though I still am working at our now closed office. My tax preparation has had to be shelved for a while (now extended to July 15, anyway) because I am swamped with doing applications for this crazy PPP government bailout program. They said "First come, first serve" for the $349 billion feeding trough, and everyone got the message. The banks that process SBA loans are overwhelmed with tens of thousands of applications, crashing application websites, etc. And I have everyone breathing down my neck to get theirs done ...

Anyway, I still have to eat. I had a few burgers and dogs available and since my wife wasn't eating any I got to cook with charcoal! I broke out the CharQ and had some fun:








I know my CharQ looks really rough, but that's because I USE it! I do have some ideas about giving it an upgraded look, but that will have to wait. In the meantime, throw on some Kingsford Professional (see my earlier post in this section about "Welsh Coal") and sprinkle on some oak wood chips, and Voila!

 

[Bruce]

I have my CharQ sitting in the garage and it stares at me every time I walk by it. I know it wants a makeover and I am anxious to get after it. I am almost done with my Skyline except for prepping and painting it, but I can't do that when the temps and weather don't cooperate. So, I will probably start the CharQ in the mean time.
Jon: I know what you mean about how a personal grill looks. My Blue head Genesis 1000 is getting to be a source of embarrassment for me.

 

[Dave in KC]

Jon, yours looks just fine. Especially on the nicer cart. Those carts are
about as hard to find as the CharQ's. I keep searching, but will use the
rickety little fold up cart in the meantime.

 

[John A. Winston]

Jon, sounds like you have the same issue that I have at my house. My wife prefers her meals on the gasser, does not care for the charcoal, smokey flavor that I like. We tend to comprise but that is why I am interested in a pellet grill. Some say that they don't give enough smoke flavor and I thought maybe that the pellet grill would give just enough smoke flavor but not too much. I know the Smokefire is getting rave reviews for producing lots of smoke but maybe some of the other brands would be a better fit for me.

 

[BFletcher]

That looks like you had some well-deserved fun, Jon! I can imagine one of your clients seeing this and yelling "why can't you just throw a pizza in the oven and get back to work?"

 

[Jon Tofte]

Jon, sounds like you have the same issue that I have at my house. My wife prefers her meals on the gasser, does not care for the charcoal, smokey flavor that I like. We tend to comprise but that is why I am interested in a pellet grill. Some say that they don't give enough smoke flavor and I thought maybe that the pellet grill would give just enough smoke flavor but not too much. I know the Smokefire is getting rave reviews for producing lots of smoke but maybe some of the other brands would be a better fit for me.

Actually, that is pretty much what I have found. My Rec Tec pellet grill makes a good compromise between strong charcoal/wood flavor (even I have a little trouble with aftertaste from it sometimes) vs. bland gas grilling when used with no smoker box. The latter is still my wife's preference, but she can at least tolerate most pellet grill cooks. If I had given her one of those burgers I did on the CharQ last night I would have heard about it!

 

[Chris in GA]

Jon, love these CharQ pictures

 

[Jon Tofte]

I have my CharQ sitting in the garage and it stares at me every time I walk by it. I know it wants a makeover and I am anxious to get after it. I am almost done with my Skyline except for prepping and painting it, but I can't do that when the temps and weather don't cooperate. So, I will probably start the CharQ in the mean time.
Jon: I know what you mean about how a personal grill looks. My Blue head Genesis 1000 is getting to be a source of embarrassment for me.

Bruce,
You need to try cooking on it first!

 

[A Lee]

I'm in Canada and all used gas Weber Q's seem to list for crazy high prices. You almost never see them for under $100, and that's for the crappy ones in rough shape. On the other hand, I've seen 3 or 4 Char Q's pop up on Craigslist last year for $40-$80. They usually show up in good to excellent condition and no one buys them.

 

[Dave in KC]

Bruce,
You need to try cooking on it first!

Jon, you have a better shot at curing Covid19 than getting Bruce to use a coal burner.

 

[Chris in GA]

I'm in Canada and all used gas Weber Q's seem to list for crazy high prices. You almost never see them for under $100, and that's for the crappy ones in rough shape. On the other hand, I've seen 3 or 4 Char Q's pop up on Craigslist last year for $40-$80. They usually show up in good to excellent condition and no one buys them.

Where in Canada is that ?

 

[Joan]

Chris, scan his avatar. It says B.C. Canada. A lee, that first picture is beautiful!!!!

 

[Chris in GA]

Wow that all the way at the other end.
The CharQ hunt is still on!

 

[Bruce]

LOL: Yah, I am not going to fire up the CharQ after I clean it all up. It is getting sold and interestingly, I just started on it today. The temps are warm enough to paint my Skyline, but it is sprinkling out, so I decided to grab the CharQ while I wait for a warm sunny day to paint the Skyline (gonna be a while now). But, anyway, I was surprised how well the CharQ cleaned up. I basically did the whole cook box, lid and coal rack in about an hour or so. I just have to clean up the plastic parts (frame and handle and then paint the outside of the bottom cook box and It will be ready to go. It is surprisingly in good shape. I can't figure out how much I should be listing it for once I get it done.

 

[Stefan H]

I'm in Canada and all used gas Weber Q's seem to list for crazy high prices. You almost never see them for under $100, and that's for the crappy ones in rough shape. On the other hand, I've seen 3 or 4 Char Q's pop up on Craigslist last year for $40-$80. They usually show up in good to excellent condition and no one buys them.

I think we need to start some trade talks... lol
I do see plenty of gas Q in my area. They don't sell very well here and I had a hard time selling my two Q-2200 last year. But I have never ever seen a CharQ in my area.

 

[Bruce]

I have only seen one or two and got lucky and got this one with the Q300 style cart for $40. It was pretty rough looking when I picked it up, but it cleaned up really nice. I am hoping when I get it done, I can make a nice flip profit with someone who like you doesn't ever see them, but REALLY wants one. I am going to keep the cart however for my Q200.

 

[Jon Tofte]

I'm in Canada and all used gas Weber Q's seem to list for crazy high prices. You almost never see them for under $100, and that's for the crappy ones in rough shape. On the other hand, I've seen 3 or 4 Char Q's pop up on Craigslist last year for $40-$80. They usually show up in good to excellent condition and no one buys them.

I would say you could barter those with people in the US for Weber gas grills! Of course the border has to be open and distance makes that unrealistic. Funny that you would have those as being common up there. People here have to search diligently to find one. I have also noticed that a Canadian division of a company I can't remember is the only supplier I could find for the aluminized steel charcoal tray for the CharQ. They told me I could not buy from them being in the US.

 

[Jon Tofte]

LOL: Yah, I am not going to fire up the CharQ after I clean it all up. It is getting sold and interestingly, I just started on it today. The temps are warm enough to paint my Skyline, but it is sprinkling out, so I decided to grab the CharQ while I wait for a warm sunny day to paint the Skyline (gonna be a while now). But, anyway, I was surprised how well the CharQ cleaned up. I basically did the whole cook box, lid and coal rack in about an hour or so. I just have to clean up the plastic parts (frame and handle and then paint the outside of the bottom cook box and It will be ready to go. It is surprisingly in good shape. I can't figure out how much I should be listing it for once I get it done.

I want first dibs!

 

[Tim K]

The Char-Q. Still my unicorn! In all my years, I’ve seen 1 available, and I (like a fool) didn’t act a soon as I should’ve. I still search daily for 1..........one day, one day......
Tim

 

[Bruce]

LOL: Jon, you got first dibs. Of course.
What is "aluminized steel". Did you mean: "Galvanized steel"?

All I have left is to paint the outside of the bottom cook box. I need 50 degrees with no rain and the forecast doesn't show that until a week from Saturday.