The great joy of grilling is cooking food outdoors. While the hulking charcoal grill you bought two summers ago will be perfect for a backyard BBQ, if you want to grill on a family camping trip, you'll need something smaller and more portable. This is exactly the function that a portable charcoal grill can fulfill.
I've always been a fan of portable charcoal grills because they allow me to take my BBQ outdoors. I no longer need to be confined to my kitchen or backyard and can cook my choice of meats anywhere I want to. Truly, the taste of food improves with the surroundings; the further I am into wilderness, the more I enjoy the taste of a perfectly grilled steak or tri-tip.
Of course, I'm not naive as to believe that a portable charcoal grill can match a standard grill in power or capabilities. These are meant for outdoor use and portability is their mantra. Consequently, their cooking area is generally smaller, their heat distribution lower. In most cases, however, they get the job done adequately, if not magnificently.
An ideal portable grill should be light weight, small in size, should have foldable legs so as to eliminate the need for a stand or cart. It should have a good ventilation system and a lid to make cooking easier. The design can range from the popular 'kettle' style, to the 'suitcase' style. Design, in fact, is something of a personal preference. Many would choose the 'kettle' style over the 'suitcase' style and vice-versa. It should be like a 'chef's briefcase' which you can lug around wherever you want, set up easily, and grill your meat comfortably. Durability is definitely an issue. It should be strong enough to withstand bumps and tumbles on the road.
Now, it takes a certain amount of skill to operate a portable charcoal grill. Unlike a gas BBQ which can be ignited by pressing a button, charcoal grills require some effort to start. Further, the generally small size and lower heat distribution means that you will have to modify your cooking methods. For novices, a portable charcoal grill is definitely not the best investment, as they will find themselves better served by a gas version.
For more experienced BBQers, however, a portable charcoal grill can be a delight to use. It allows them to take their favorite activity - BBQ - anywhere they want. Eating freshly BBQed meat definitely beats slurping cheap food out of cans cooked over a campfire. It can make the difference between an amazing and a so-so camping trip, picnic, or any other outdoor event.
No comments:
Post a Comment