Why Didn't I Do This Sooner???


 
OliverLeveritt

OliverLeveritt

TVWBB Member
I have been cooking burgers, chicken and steaks on small Weber gassers for decades. We recently had a big outdoor kitchen built with all natural gas appliances.
Just for grins, I bought a Smokey Joe on Facebook Marketplace. After cooking hamburgers on it twice, I was hooked. I got a Performer Charcoal Grill 22". I like the fold-down table. It takes up less space on the patio when I'm not using it.
Needless to say that I am having a ball with my Performer. I got a Vortex (which works great with the GBS grate), and a SNS with EZ Spin grate and porcelain enameled Roast & Drip pan.
Cooking on the Performer is much easier and far better than my previous experiences with gassers. I have cooked the BEST ribeye steak I ever ate, filet mignons that were sublime, NY Strips, chicken thighs, Kettle Fried Chicken, etc. It almost seems too easy to get far better food than I ever cooked on a gas grill before.
I got the Weber rotisserie and the Weber Low & Slow Kit. I already have a nice charcoal smoke box, but I got the L&S for grins, smaller cooks and an alternate device. The rotisserie should get put to use soon, but I'm totally hooked on Vortex thighs. :)
 

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Bob Bailey said:
Nice looking groceries there Oliver!

Cooking over charcoal and/or wood is a whole different ballgame. All you're missing now is a Santa Maria adapter to fit your kettle:)
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That might drive all the neighbors crazy, with good stuff wafting on the breeze. I seem to always have a stiff breeze tunneling through my patio, so that could be problematic.
What's best cooked on a Santa Maria (in addition to tri tip)?
 
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Your steak looks perfectly done!

I really like rotisserie chickens from Costco/Sam's Club and you literally can't beat the $4.99 price so I'm not going to knock them BUT.... Rotisserie chickens on a Weber are in a different league. So delicious and faaaaaaar more moist with crisp skin. The setup and cooking process is easy. It's fun to monitor chicken's transition to golden brown. You're going to enjoy using your rotissorie.

I just started using a rotisserie on my Performer this summer. I like it so much that I'm planning to do my 1st rotissoire Turkey for Thanksgiving.
 
Mike-GA said:
Your steak looks perfectly done!

I really like rotisserie chickens from Costco/Sam's Club and you literally can't beat the $4.99 price so I'm not going to knock them BUT.... Rotisserie chickens on a Weber are in a different league. So delicious and faaaaaaar more moist with crisp skin. The setup and cooking process is easy. It's fun to monitor chicken's transition to golden brown. You're going to enjoy using your rotissorie.

I just started using a rotisserie on my Performer this summer. I like it so much that I'm planning to do my 1st rotissoire Turkey for Thanksgiving.
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I'm looking forward to "rotissing" a chikken. LOL! As for my grilled poultry, I have become a huge fan of Cattleman's Grill Ranchero rub. These days, I use only Cattleman's Grill products. I only use rubs with no MSG and no sugar. CG is the BOMB.
 
Looking amazing.
I think the Weber Performers are the best charcoal grill for the money.
The Weber Performer 22" is the perfect size, I love the metal fold down table.
Sounds like you have the perfect accessories for your Performer.
 
I did the same thing this year. Ive always had a gasser, but I picked up a mint 2nd gen Performer back in January, and have not touched any of my propane grills since.

For the people who claim gas is faster and more convenient, try using lump charcoal. When starting lump with the Performer's gas assist and a chimney, there's practically no nasty smoke, and it's ready to cook in 10 minutes.
 
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As you’ve discovered, there’s just something special about cooking over charcoal that simply, in my opinion, cannot be beat.

Congrats on the purchase and enjoy the learning journey. Well worth the time, effort, and occasional headaches.
 
OliverLeveritt said:
That might drive all the neighbors crazy, with good stuff wafting on the breeze. I seem to always have a stiff breeze tunneling through my patio, so that could be problematic.
What's best cooked on a Santa Maria (in addition to tri tip)?
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Just about anything. I've cooked pork ribs, chicken thighs & quarters, steaks, chuck roasts, burgers and sausages. Nothing like cooking over a wood fire. The fats dripping onto the fire send great flavor back up to the protein. My Santa Maria setup came with a rotisserie that I've used for whole chickens and pork shoulder on it.
 

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Well. Once you start spinning you will really be winning, there’s nothing wrong with commercial rotisserie chickens but, when you do them yourself, the difference speaks for itself.
Those are some truly fine looking thighs!
 
Very nice cooks. Barb and I also have a performer and it's great for larger cooks, but for the two of us our Jumbo Joe is the go-to and espically with the vortex and chicken thighs a match made in heaven. We make KFC (Kettel Fried Chicken) in so many different ways the choices are endless.

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BFletcher said:
Beautiful cooks. I've been wondering what you were up to; nice to see you post again.
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Thank you. With the outdoor kitchen build, there was a lot of transition. I had all three WSMs (14, 18, 22) but with the constant wind tunnel thru my patio, I got tired of collecting all the pieces of the WSMs where they got scattered all over the back yard. Fortunately, there was no hot charcoal involved. They were replaced by a 125 pound Hasty Bake Roughneck charcoal smoke box. My wife wanted all the "roll-around" stuff off the patio, hence the kitchen build, but I also have The Trinity on the other side of the patio, and that's where all the magic happens. I use the big dual infrared sear station, the power burner and Le Griddle a lot. I might use the gasser for some things that I have been doing in the oven -- covered braising, etc.
I want another Performer, tho. Cooking space is POWER! :) I can serve rotisserie chicken and Vortex chicken at the same gathering. Or, other combinations.
I need to get a storage shed set up on the side of the house where I can store the lightweight charcoal grills off-patio when not in use. Happy wife, happy life. She knows that the Yoder and the Roughneck aren't going anywhere. LOL!!
 

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Good looking food.
Your steak is just the way I like it.

Other than smoking I was a gasser guy for years.
I think it’s been about 5 years since I used my gasser, right about the time got a performer I think.
 
Andy Kaminski said:
Good looking food.
Your steak is just the way I like it.

Other than smoking I was a gasser guy for years.
I think it’s been about 5 years since I used my gasser, right about the time got a performer I think.
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Thank you. I'm having a hard time explaining to my wife why cooking on my $350 Performer (plus aftermarket stuff) is so much better than on the $2,000 built-in gasser. I'll find stuff to use it for, eventually. I can run it at 225 - 250 degrees using just the outer two burners and put a covered braiser in the middle.
 
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