Grill Suggestions

K

Kal

New member
Hey everybody,
I'm looking to add another grill to compliment my SI smoker #2 and my Weber Genesis. I was thinking of adding a Santa Maria Grill, there might be other names for them around the country but that's what they are called on the West coast. The wood fire grilling makes me think of lots of great camping trips with the family when I was a kid. Does anyone use this type of grill? Any suggestions for a particular manufacturer?

Some of these grills can get pretty expensive so I'm looking for a reasonably priced grill but with a decent size grate to hold plenty of meat. The next suggestion I need is how to convince my wife we need another grill! I briefly brought it up at dinner the other night and I got the rolling of the eyes! lol

Thanks Kal!
 

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I have been wanting a Santa Maria for a LONG time!! I just don't have any more room for grills. To be more precise, my wife won't let me make more room for grills, lol.

Here is what I almost bought last month. In time, I may still get it ;)

Santa Maria Grill

Technically it's an Asador grill, but it's just an Argentine style Santa Maria. Not bad for the price and shipping is only $20..00!
 
Thanks RG, that's a good price for that grill and a nice design. Your backyard is what mine wants to be when it grows up!
Thanks! Kal

 
Kal said:
Thanks RG, that's a good price for that grill and a nice design. Your backyard is what mine wants to be when it grows up!
Thanks! Kal
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:) Thanks Kal! I enjoy it and so do the people I cook for, lol. I actually wanted a drop in Santa Maria. If I could turn back time. :D
 
Thanks for that link, Jason!  I didn't know Academy carried that grill!  I have fond memories of Santa Maria BBQ, and have also wanted a wood-fired grill like that!  Gonna have to check it out, and (of course) convince the dear wife how great it will be (usually not a problem, though - she likes my cooking)! ;)
 
DivotMaker said:
Thanks for that link, Jason!  I didn't know Academy carried that grill!  I have fond memories of Santa Maria BBQ, and have also wanted a wood-fired grill like that!  Gonna have to check it out, and (of course) convince the dear wife how great it will be (usually not a problem, though - she likes my cooking)! ;)
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Not a problem Tony. I hope you get it, that way you can be the guinea pig, lol.
 
Here ya go RG,
One of these may fit in your collection! I think I'm going with the JD Fabrications 36x21.

http://www.santamariagrills.com/36x24.htm

http://www.jdfabrications.com/product/10-gauge-steel-grills/36x-21-santa-maria-bbq-pit

Cheers! Kal

 
Kal said:
Here ya go RG,
One of these may fit in your collection! I think I'm going with the JD Fabrications 36x21.

http://www.santamariagrills.com/36x24.htm

http://www.jdfabrications.com/product/10-gauge-steel-grills/36x-21-santa-maria-bbq-pit

Cheers! Kal
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Yeup, been to both of those sites plenty of times. What angers me is that Home Depots out in Cali sell those Santa Maria Grills (made by the santa maria grill co. that is) but they are only out there. If my HD had those, I'd have bought one back when I was building the outdoor kitchen. Since they didn't, and it's well known by now that I don't like paying a crap ton for shipping, I just skipped it.
 
Can I play stupid?  Why would I want that grill (with no cover/lid) unless I am cooking a whole pig?


As a side note, I almost bought a tractor trailer wheel made into a yard planter w feet/legs thinking I could make that into a grill.  $80 tempted, just needed the top and bottom cut out waffle grilling section and bottom wood holder.



 
jcboxlot said:
Can I play stupid?  Why would I want that grill (with no cover/lid) unless I am cooking a whole pig?


As a side note, I almost bought a tractor trailer wheel made into a yard planter w feet/legs thinking I could make that into a grill.  $80 tempted, just needed the top and bottom cut out waffle grilling section and bottom wood holder.
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Santa Maria (CA) BBQ is a unique kind of grilling.  If you ever experienced it, you'd know why.  The key to this system is a mechanism that raises and lowers the grilling surface to adjust temp - very important.  Yes, there's no lid, but it doesn't matter.  This is not a grill that you are going to fire up to cook a couple of burgers on; you'll want to be cooking a lot of food for a party, or a really big family.  Wood flame beneath the meat and veggies (oak) = a little slice of BBQ heaven!  Not going to be smoking pork butts on it, though!

Look up the Hitching Post restaurant, from the movie "Sideways."
 
Ok, I get the cool factor now. 

Their (JB) site has a neat bullet proof looking round small adj stand gill.  Not on pulleys, but I dont need to cook 340 individual chicken thighs either. 
 
Here's what I like about it. You can use charcoal (briquettes or lump) or you can just use straight up, real wood! You control the temp by raising and lowering the grate. Good for a sear then raise it up to finish cooking. Excellent!

For me, I would use it for ribs. Smoke them, take them out of the smoker, sauce them and let the sauce set on the SM grill and just before serving, lower it closer to the fire to get a little caramelization on them. It's a beautiful thing :D
 
Bet the ribs would be great, Jason, but I'm talking tri-tips and bone-in ribeyes all the way, baby!  Oh, and don't forget the veggies! 8)
 
Find me one of those with an auto turning spit (yep, an extension of lazy Q), and I'd be all over it for chicken/turkey.
 
BedouinBob said:
You guys are negatively impacting my Lazy Q sensibilities.....this is all crazy talk!  :o
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Ha!  Good one, Bob!  You know me to be the "Purveyor of Lazy Q," and that's my M.O. 90% of the time, but there's some really great grilling that can be done out there!  As much as I love my SI, it will never match what I can do on a grill - nor can my grill match what I can do in the SI!  All good, Bob - still livin' lazy~ 8)
 
I am in the same boat myself.  I have had a Weber gas grill for about 10 years and it has worked flawless and will last at least another 10 years.  Since using my electric smoker it has made me realize the lack of last the gas grill is imparting.  I am seriously looking at a Cookshack PG500 for grilling.

Chris
 
RSNovi said:
I am in the same boat myself.  I have had a Weber gas grill for about 10 years and it has worked flawless and will last at least another 10 years.  Since using my electric smoker it has made me realize the lack of last the gas grill is imparting.  I am seriously looking at a Cookshack PG500 for grilling.

Chris
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I do love pellet grills and THAT one looks like a doozy! If you're wanting something that can do high heat though, you'd be better off with something other than a pellet grill. I see that the one you're looking at can do 600°. If that indeed is the case, that's impressive for a pellet grill as most struggle to hit 450-500°. Not to persuade you away from it but have you considered going to charcoal?
 
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