Lets talk about grills

[Skybird]

The sealing of my loggia is brpoken and leaked water reache sinto the appartment below me, so it will all be redone, and needed is a renovation right down to the concrete plate .

I will use the opportunity to rebuild the whole loggia/balcony area, and arm it with new ground plates of my choosen design.

And then I plan to fulfill a desire of mine that i hold since long: adding a BBQ grilling device.

I plan more for using cast iron pans, woks, or dutch ovens on it, not so much meat on a bare grill, though sometimes that might happen, too.

It must fulfill three conditions: it must burn both wood and charcoal, it must burn clean and cause as little soot and smell (neighbours) as possible, and it must be mobile. By mobile I mean not to carry it around in the wilderness, they all are too huge and also heavy for that, I mean that I can move it around in my place and store it away easily into a hidden corner of my loggia.

I currently consider two rocket ovens and one firebareel-type of device by German manufacturer Petromax.

1. The Ecozoom Versa (=versatility) burns both coal and wood (and dry grass, biomass), which makes it very attractive to me. But it does not create a wood gasification effect, which would reduce soot and smell, and the door for the wood feeding cannot be closed while there is wood in the way.I like this one.



2. The German Petromax oven specialsies in burnign wood, and creates a wood gasification effect by door and wall design. it burns cleaner and hotter than the ecozoom Versa. But it is suboptimal for using charcoal. I like this one also.


In German, but later there are the images talkign for themselves. This thing burns incredibly fuel-efficient and economic and reduces soot to minimums. In this regard it seems to be superior to the competition.:



3. The Petromax Atago is a firebarrel-kind of design, very practical, I just discovered it and immediately started to consider it as well. It seems to burn fuel very economically, not much coal is needed. Wood can be used as well for an open fire. Feeding the fire needs the grill taken off, or the pot taken off the top. The firts might prove to be difficult when hot, the latter can be done easily - just lift the kettle, pot by its grip. - The Atago is almost twice as expensive as any of the two rocket ovens. Still, I really like this one.

German talking, but the pictures talk for themselves:

Has anyone experiences with any of these, any tips? Any other suggestions for alternative devices? Or should I buy all three?

P.S.Pizza. My God.

[Jimbuna]

We have a gas powered setup something similar to this for outdoor use in the garden and the bottom picture is the same model as our George Foreman Grill used indoors.

[Skybird]

The prepper in me says the option to burn just any biomass and be independent from electricity, is a must. Thats why they distribute these ovens even in the third world. Hence: coal and wood. An small electric contact grill with option to form it an oven, I already have.





I also say that a fire from coal adds different flavour to roasted meat, than an electric or gas grill. Which is only natural, since in principle it is a form of intense short-time curing. and nobody can seriously argue that cured and non-cured meat or vegetable taste the same.

Dutch ovens are heavy. Cast iron woks are heavy. But a rocket oven could carry them, despite its small size.

And cheaper than a Weber they are any time.

Any then there is the charm of an open fire (and still safely contained). Indispensable.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I also say that a fire from coal adds different flavour to roasted meat, than an electric or gas grill. Which is only natural, since in principle it is a form of intense short-time curing. and nobody can seriously argue that cured and non-cured meat or vegetable taste the same.

You do realise there are BBQ coals in the setup, the gas only provides the heat source that passes through said coals.

[Rockstar]

Out of all the smokers/grills I've owned I would say my current 22" Weber Smokey Mountain is a damn fine smoker. Can hold a steady 225 degree temperature for a good 12 to 14 hours. If need be I can easily use it grill steaks, chicken or what have you over the bottom section too.

[Buddahaid]

Damn, I thought this was about girls....

[STEED]

What Ben Grills the former SAS who now on TV eating bugs as he fights the elements and so on.......



Oh wait you are talking about one of my pet hates...

The great british summer time where stupid men throw raw frozen meat on a grill stink the place out and burn the outside of the meat while inside remains raw. Serve up eat and on the bog for the next couple of days with bad guts.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Damn, I thought this was about girls....

I wish it was about girls.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Damn, I thought this was about girls....

Originally Posted by u crank

I wish it was about girls.

I doubt they'd appreciate being laid out over hot coals

[Rockstar]

For the prepper, back country camper or for a quick cup of coffee when the power goes out. When I go into the wild for a few days I take my Optimus cooker. On windy days it does require a wind screen, but that's an easy fix.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

For the prepper, back country camper or for a quick cup of coffee when the power goes out. When I go into the wild for a few days I take my Optimus cooker. On windy days it does require a wind screen, but that's an easy fix.

Optimus makes some good gear, I have the Polaris. Used it just three times, however. No wilderness over here. I just enjoy these things for the sake of what they are and how well they are made. Collector's item, so to speak.

I am shifting towards the Ecozoom Versa rocket stove, due to its versatility (coal and biomass/wood burning), and the charms of open fire (wood really burns quzite high out of the opening, also it is quite safe, produces less smell neighbours could complain about, and no flying sparks if having a pot placed on the top:






with a Petromax cast iron grid to process meat over coal,



This beign an option for later:



while I already have a huge wok-pan made of cast iron in use, a Swedish model (Skeppshult):



I am not certain I have use for a Dutch oven, I do not plan to cook ordinary dishes on this thing, but just do typical asian-style Wok cooking (means: very hot and high temp, very short), and steaks/meat over coals.

I have no clue whether Ecozoom is a British or Americna brand.

[Rockstar]

When you get ready for your 2 week cross country bicycle tour of Europe the Optimus will come in handy. Lightweight, compact and no need to spend money at restaurants for an overpriced prepared meal.

[Mr Quatro]

Some of those stoves don't look safe to me especially on a balcony above other people feeding wood or coal into it.

Jim's looks like a more traditional way to barbecue they even have one that uses wood chips or should I say wood pellets sold in big bags to go with it.

Think safe ... you don't need a mad neighbor

[Mr Quatro]

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[Skybird]

Some of those stoves don't look safe to me especially on a balcony above other people feeding wood or coal into it.

Jim's looks like a more traditional way to barbecue they even have one that uses wood chips or should I say wood pellets sold in big bags to go with it.

Think safe ... you don't need a mad neighbor

Nothing but blue sky above me, my loggia is 3rd floor, at the very top (2nd floor in german counting).

A rocket stove on coals is fully encapsuled from the bottom (ceramic plates), all sides (double elayed isolated wall, often with filed-i ceramics, and the opening on top covewred by a pan, Dutch oven or anything. This looks indeed much safer to me (sparkles) than any fully open or half-open BBC grill, even more sicne the stoves are heavy and not easy to kick. The usally burn wood at temperatures where exhaust gas from the fire gets mixed with air and then creates an gasification effect - especially the Petromax rf33 excels in this regard, is smeel- and smoke-free for that reason, they added special ventilation design into the double walls that can be opened and closed.

A pocket oven burns wood pellets. Heck: dry wood, dry gras, dry biomass is what mankind has invented them for in the very first!

Placed on the ground (stone plates, maybe also using a metal plate over them), it looks safe to me. safer than lighter, higher constructions. Note that the pan almost closes the opening on the top. With coals, the big door open in the picture would be closed, and the small door below the front grid would be opened to let oxygene in. the coals lie on the second, the upper inner level, get air-feed from below, not the side.






If feeding longer pieces of wood is a safety concern, why not breaking them into smaller things and keep the big door shut, lifting the pan, put the wood inside, and replace the pan? Like you woudl do with wood pellets?

The things weighs 7.5 kg, and has a low centre of mass. Its wider and not as high as the Petromax rf33.

Another advantage of rocket ovens, I read, all of them, is that they are the most fuel economic grills/ovens, needing just fractions of the coal load other devices need. You can get away with just one quarter of the coal you would need on some other grills. This is due to their good isolation and possible wood gasification.

We still have kitchens, in professional gastronomy anyway, where they use open fire as well: in form of gas ovens. Sometimes even coal/wood ovens (Asian restaurants). I love to use a gas stove, its much better than electric ovens, no matter the type. Open fire and cast iron pots or pans are an unbeatable combo.

I think these things are way more dangerous, and a nuisance (smell) to others:

Sparks:


Getting kicked off:


English video, 5 minutes explaining the advantages of the Ecozoom Versa.
What hoos me: coal for peace times and civilized BBQ, wood/biomass for prpper-kind of doomsday scenarios where yiou ma yhave run out of coal. I like multi-functioning equipment it it makes no compromises.




And reiterating it again, if done correctly and using the right dry wood or coal - no smell, no smoke. In an urban environment with plenty of neighbours around, that is a key argument.