# Best small charcoal grill?



## soonerpeace (Jan 8, 2011)

I have heard Weber or Cobb.


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## bbquzz (Jan 8, 2011)

Depends on what you want it for, the Cobb is nice but expensive. For the same money you can get a Weber One Touch Silver if you don't want portability and if you just want portable a Smokey Joe for $30 will fill the bill for far less money. Can you tell I'm a Weber guy? Welcome to the Forum.


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## Nick Prochilo (Jan 8, 2011)

What buzz said!


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## bigwheel (Jan 8, 2011)

If you got money go to BBQ Galore and buy the Aussie clone of a Smokeshack Oven or whatever its called where the firegrate cranks up and down and runs on charcoal. I sure wanted one of them bad at one time. Aussie version is a bunch stouter and maybe slightly higher than the one it is trying to copy. If you aint ready to take that plunge get something where it is possible to tend the fire without moving the meat. I think some webers have a flapper on the grate where you can add fuel etc. without having to move it.


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## Tri Tip (Jan 8, 2011)

Smokey Joe!!!!!!Fo Sho!


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## Old Dave (Jan 9, 2011)

The small Webers are great and I do own several but I  would also like to recommend the Char-Broil CB 500X to this group of small charcoal cookers. This cooker is on sale for half price right now at the Char-Broil site.

This is an article I wrote up on the cooker a few weeks back for my website. 

I stumbled onto this slick little cooker a few months back while doing some research on the much larger Char-Broil 940X which is one of the Classics. It is called the Char-Broil 500X and is a smaller version of the CB 940X. Like it's bigger brother, the CB 500X just looks like quality with both cast iron and heavy steel going into it's production. You know, it's just not "tinney" like many of the cookers out there today. I really liked the looks of it, the design and features, and figured if I could get it to do half of what I can do on my Weber kettle, it might be a great purchase. And then I find it on sale for 1/2 price....Bingo!!







I just got this grill on Wednesday so I put it together and then got it ready for the first seasoning and the first cook.






Very neat little grill with the pre-seasoned cast iron grates, pull out ash pan, adjustable fire grate, and a service door in the front of the grill.

I slopped on a heavy coat of vegetable oil on all the inside parts and areas like the manual suggested and then took it outside in the cold (13 degrees) for the first fire.






Placed about 3 pounds of charcoal in a chimney and fired it up and then dumped it into the cooker for a two hour seasoning session.

When that was done, I set the cooker up for my big chuck roast that I planned to use for my pulled beef.






I trimmed all the fat off of the outside of the roast and sprinkled on a heavy dose of my low carb rub.






I moved all the charcoal to the right side of the grill and then added a drip pan with about 1-1/2 cups of water to help keep it moist and prevent the drippings from burning.






Added a few more brickettes and some chunks of hickory for smoke and then placed the roast on the cooking grid.






I smoked the roast about 3 hours at about 275 degrees and when it looked right, I took if off to wrap in foil for my braising period which will tenderize it enough for pulling.






I added about 1/2 cup of beef broth to the foil and wrapped up the meat and placed it back on the cooker.






When the internal got to about 205 degrees, I pulled the roast off of the cooker being very careful to not tear the foil as I need the juice for my meat. The total time was about 5 hours for ths smoke. Sure looked good!






I pulled the meat and then added the juice back into it and it was ready for serving.






I toasted up a piece of low carb bread, added some of that pulled beef, drizzled on some of my low carb bbq sauce, added some salad and cheese, and I had myself a great meal.

You know, this cooker at half price right now has got to be one great bargain for the folks that do like charcoal. I would think it would be perfect for tailgating.

Pizza Next.....


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## bigwheel (Jan 9, 2011)

Dang Old Dave. Think you could qualify is an exspurt on Grills. Thanks for your input. Sure that gonna help the young man go look for something similar. I meant to say Hasty Bake oven as opposed to Smokeshack oven which the Outback folks have cloned. 

bigwheel


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## Old Dave (Jan 10, 2011)

Jeff,

Thanks for the kind words and you are sure right about the Hasty Bake being one fine charcoal grill.


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## bigwheel (Jan 10, 2011)

Well I was blessed with a good talent for detecting folks who know of which they speak and you scored a 10 in my book at least as regarding grills. Course a person could write a book on whut I dont know about em so maybe I am prejudiced. In the Land of the Blind the One Eyed Man is King ya know Anyway back in the good old days when Alfgore had freshly invented the Internet...have had a lot of discussions on such topics. Even went and looked at the Hasty Bake and its various clones. That just seem like too much money for thin sheet metal to me. Last I heard was from a yankee in the Windy City or close who say they last a long time if you dont use em too often. For a person addicted to cooking outdoors apparently you can go through a few per decade. I prob vote for the cast iron deal too. lol

bigwheel


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## Grillerator9000 (Jan 13, 2011)

I got a pretty cheap little Webber knock-off job. Classic bowl-type on a tripod. It won't perform culinary miracles, but I don't need to spend a lot of money just starting out. If you're in the same boat, I recommend starting cheap, and cooking the heck out of your grill while saving for the real deal.


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## bigwheel (Jan 13, 2011)

Ok well I will keep my eye peeled for one of them thangs. Thanks for the tip. 

bigwheel


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## dollarbill (Jan 14, 2011)

I'm not an egg guy but i'm surprised that nobody has chimed in about the tiny egg. They've got a great "cool" appeal. And as I remember they were kinda pricey.  $.02 db


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