Advice on ELECTRIC BBQ grills please

[BJRSanDiego]

I live in an "old folks home" and I used to love to grill out. But there are rules that only electric BBQ grills are allowed. I would like to get advice on selecting an electric grill. We have a large outdoor patio and have a 20 amp GFI breaker. I'm looking for a free-standing grill rather than a table top one.

Are there some brands that are better? Some important features to consider? Brands or types to avoid?

 

[Passepartout]

Our #1 son has a Ninja Foodi Woodfire. I was amazed at the food it produced. Now, it comes in several iterations up to near $400!!!, and it is of a tabletop design, though I think there is a stand that it can be mounted to for free standing. What I liked best is that they have the capacity to put wood chips or pellets that actually give a right respectable smoke flavor. Now, I know that there is a time-lag to bring an electric grill up to operational temp, but I'm finding my Weber Spirit takes 15-20 minutes on propane to get preheated as well, so there ya go.

Amazon has several stands to put these on.

Jim

 

[ScoopKona]

I live in an "old folks home" and I used to love to grill out. But there are rules that only electric BBQ grills are allowed. I would like to get advice on selecting an electric grill. We have a large outdoor patio and have a 20 amp GFI breaker. I'm looking for a free-standing grill rather than a table top one.

Are there some brands that are better? Some important features to consider? Brands or types to avoid?

One question: mostly low-and-slow barbecue or high-heat grilling?

There are LOADS of outstanding electric smokers. Not so much high heat grills. (None that are going to give me the result that I want.)

For a ribeye, I would turn to reverse-searing. Use a vacuum sealer, an immersion circulator and either a blowtorch or a cast iron pan and a broiler. Many of the best steakhouses have turned to this route because it is much faster (when doing hundreds of steaks per night), and it is absolutely reliable. There are no over and undercooked steaks because it is impossible to do so.

And steakhouses can offer a well-done, 2" thick steak in a matter of minutes, not an hour -- because it started cooking early that afternoon. Sear a crust on it and serve. The side dishes now take longer than the steak.

 

[pedro47]

Suggestion only have you check Consumer Reports,Google or ask AI this question?

 

[BJRSanDiego]

@ScoopKona ,and @Passepartout Thanks for your responses. On propane grills I always would do high heat grilling. I like to make the steaks medium rare with seared outside. I typically would cook New York, porterhouse or filets.

 

[Passepartout]

At Scoop's urging, I am using an immersion circulator/cast iron skillet for the best steaks, but y'know, there's just something about grilling some burgers or brats and cobs of corn that just feel like Summer.

 

[easyrider]

One of the resorts we visited had a Weber Lumin with stand on the balcony. It worked pretty good but is maybe a third of the size as our BBQ at home. Its diner size, not party size, so it worked fine for what we were doing with six people.

Bill

 

[ScoopKona]

At Scoop's urging, I am using an immersion circulator/cast iron skillet for the best steaks, but y'know, there's just something about grilling some burgers or brats and cobs of corn that just feel like Summer.

Alton Brown's chimney starter trick is even better than the cast iron. Get a chimney starter going with charcoal. (No fluid. Use newspapers and kindling.) When the coals are white hot, slap a grill grate directly on the chimney starter and finish off the steaks that way. (Have the chimney starter in a Weber so if it gets knocked over, no big deal.)

The only way to top that is to invest in a ceramic infrared searing grill/broiler -- a'la Ruth's Chris.

But that's not going to work for BJR. So cast iron with either an induction cooker or the broiler. With a broiler, you can get grill marks on the finished steak if you use a cast iron pan with ridges. But the heavy lifting is done by the immersion circulator. I toss a bunch of green peppercorns in the bag and have a dead simple sauce at the end. Almost no effort steak au poivre.

This is without a single doubt the most important culinary innovation in my lifetime.

 

[easyrider]

I live in an "old folks home" and I used to love to grill out. But there are rules that only electric BBQ grills are allowed. I would like to get advice on selecting an electric grill. We have a large outdoor patio and have a 20 amp GFI breaker. I'm looking for a free-standing grill rather than a table top one.

Are there some brands that are better? Some important features to consider? Brands or types to avoid?

If I was going to buy an electric bbq grill today I think I would go for an outdoor air fryer smoker grill. I haven't bought one yet but I'm thinking about getting one for our cabin to eliminate the need to buy propane. It seems like it would be easy.

Bill

https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-OG701-Woodfire-Dehydrate-Weather-Resistant/dp/B0B88YBB2J?th=1

 

[TUGBrian]

recteq seems to be the cream of the crop...or at least according to all my friends who have them!

 

[davidvel]

I live in an "old folks home" and I used to love to grill out. But there are rules that only electric BBQ grills are allowed. I would like to get advice on selecting an electric grill. We have a large outdoor patio and have a 20 amp GFI breaker. I'm looking for a free-standing grill rather than a table top one.

Are there some brands that are better? Some important features to consider? Brands or ty

BJR, Lowes has a grill/griddle that seems to fit your bill. You can grill and it has a griddle as well. Heats up to 650 so should char well. Here is a link:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Char-Broil-Bistro-Pro/5015291737

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Thanks @davidvel and others for your advice.

I'm starting to look on-line and was initially amazed that the prices ranged from $79 too $2000 or so. One of the cheaper electric BBQs on Home Depot had a 5 star rating. The I checked on Amazon and it had a horrible rating with lots of negative comments. So I surmised that the HD reviews were faked. So, I checked the Char-Broil ratings on Amazon, Lowes, HD, Walmart and another site and while not identical they were all pretty much in the same ballpark which is re-assuring.

Thanks again to all for your thoughts and advice.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

And the rest of the story:

I was impressed with the Char-broil electric BBQ based on features and price. Yes, there are certainly others that are better but this one fit into my price target. I think that Lowes wanted around $ 350. But Walmart was selling the exact same model for around $250 and free shipping. So, I ordered it and it came about a week later. It seems pretty decent in terms of functionality, and my initial impression of parts quality.

Assembly was required and the instructions were just pictures. There were a few assembly steps that were confusing and which could have benefitted from some text. There were a couple of assembly items that were a bit clumsy, but all-in-all it went together without any swearing. Ha ha..

I'm heating it up right now. Perhaps next weekend I'll grill some steaks.

 

[sponger76]

And the rest of the story:

I was impressed with the Char-broil electric BBQ based on features and price. Yes, there are certainly others that are better but this one fit into my price target. I think that Lowes wanted around $ 350. But Walmart was selling the exact same model for around $250 and free shipping. So, I ordered it and it came about a week later. It seems pretty decent in terms of functionality, and my initial impression of parts quality.

Assembly was required and the instructions were just pictures. There were a few assembly steps that were confusing and which could have benefitted from some text. There were a couple of assembly items that were a bit clumsy, but all-in-all it went together without any swearing. Ha ha..

I'm heating it up right now. Perhaps next weekend I'll grill some steaks.

Let us know if it actually gets up to 650° F.

 

[davidvel]

And the rest of the story:

I was impressed with the Char-broil electric BBQ based on features and price. Yes, there are certainly others that are better but this one fit into my price target. I think that Lowes wanted around $ 350. But Walmart was selling the exact same model for around $250 and free shipping. So, I ordered it and it came about a week later. It seems pretty decent in terms of functionality, and my initial impression of parts quality.

Assembly was required and the instructions were just pictures. There were a few assembly steps that were confusing and which could have benefitted from some text. There were a couple of assembly items that were a bit clumsy, but all-in-all it went together without any swearing. Ha ha..

I'm heating it up right now. Perhaps next weekend I'll grill some steaks.

Great to hear. Let me know when you get steaks on.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Let us know if it actually gets up to 650° F.

I ran it for 1/2 hour and it was at 630 F and still rising. But I had to leave and didn't want to leave it heating w/o anyone watching it so I shut it off. I suspect that it'll probably make it. But I'll repost when I see what it tops out at.

 

[davidvel]

I ran it for 1/2 hour and it was at 630 F and still rising. But I had to leave and didn't want to leave it heating w/o anyone watching it so I shut it off. I suspect that it'll probably make it. But I'll repost when I see what it tops out at.

It keeps adding heat so if it got to 630, it will get to 800 if there is no temp interlock.

One time I turned my gas grill on to heat up and ran to the store (5 minutes away) to grab a few forgotten items. Got sidetracked when I saw a friend. 40 minutes later it was pegged at 850 max on thermometer with everything inside bright red. Opened the lid, turned it off, and it took about half an hour to get under 700.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

It keeps adding heat so if it got to 630, it will get to 800 if there is no temp interlock.

One time I turned my gas grill on to heat up and ran to the store (5 minutes away) to grab a few forgotten items. Got sidetracked when I saw a friend. 40 minutes later it was pegged at 850 max on thermometer with everything inside bright red. Opened the lid, turned it off, and it took about half an hour to get under 700.

Wow! I suspect that if you had thrown a steak on that you'd get a nice sear.

I googled it - - bright cherry red is about 1300 to 1450 F. That's really hot.

 

[davidvel]

Wow! I suspect that if you had thrown a steak on that you'd get a nice sear.

I googled it - - bright cherry red is about 1300 to 1450 F. That's really hot.

Yeah I could barely get near it to turn it off and then opened the lid with a shovel. I estimated well over 1000 but was shocked that everything worked once it cooled down. My guess is any meat on there would be charcoal pretty quickly after it burst into flames.

 

[ScoopKona]

I googled it - - bright cherry red is about 1300 to 1450 F. That's really hot.

That's the temperature at which things start to get interesting. I shoot for 1500 -- the temperature at which salt melts. I only need it that hot for about 20 seconds total. Because I let Isaac Newton cook the steaks. And then I finish with what is essentially the glowing heat shield from the space shuttle.

Ruth's Chris is even hotter. Their broilers pump out 1800 F.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

That's the temperature at which things start to get interesting. I shoot for 1500 -- the temperature at which salt melts. I only need it that hot for about 20 seconds total. Because I let Isaac Newton cook the steaks. And then I finish with what is essentially the glowing heat shield from the space shuttle.

Ruth's Chris is even hotter. Their broilers pump out 1800 F.

Wow !! I had no idea. Thanks for commenting.

When we're at a timeshare with a close friend, he cooks steaks at perhaps 350. Me? I try to get the grill up to 650 F (or hotter).

Once, in Sedona where the evening temp was around 45 F, the grill flames were pathetic - - about 1/4 inch tall. So, I took out my SOG multi-tool and re-adjusted the regulator.

 

[ScoopKona]

Once, in Sedona where the evening temp was around 45 F, the grill flames were pathetic - - about 1/4 inch tall. So, I took out my SOG multi-tool and re-adjusted the regulator.

When using temperatures such as Ruth's Chris, cooking is more of a physics problem. Mass of the steak, energy being pumped into it per second. They're cooking with stop watches, basically. Immersion circulators and a chimney starter (or a blowtorch) allow mere mortals to get the same results without having to install an oven that is more than likely to burn the house down.

I cook entire turkeys this way. All the work is done days in advance. And on Thanksgiving or Christmas, nobody has to do much at all. Watch football games until we're ready. The turkey at that point has been completely done for more than an hour. It can't overcook because it never gets any hotter than the target temperature.

For instance, with steaks, I set my temp to the very top end of rare. Then the searing process puts it at on the low side of mid rare, which is right where I want it.