Types of Grills
Types of Grills. You can grill without any equipment at all. A fire and a stick are all you need to cook a steak. But most grillers appreciate their tools and a well-built modern grill does make it easier to control heat and get consistently delicious results. Grills are defined as any physical structure designed to contain and control fire for the purpose of cooking food. In general, every grill has two basic parts: the firebox where the fire burns and the grilling grate on which the food cooks.
Three things distinguish most grills from one another: size, materials, and fuel source. The dimensions of the grilling grate and the cover height largely determine the available cooking space and the grilling techniques for which the grill is best suited. The grill can be constructed from any inflammable material, with steel, ceramic, and aluminum the most common, though fireplace grills are usually stone or brick. The density and the heat conductivity of the material partially determine the grill’s overall cooking characteristics. Finally, the fuel source can be gas, charcoal, wood, or any combination.
Another key factor in selecting a grill is to think about how often you grill and the amount of food you typically cook at any given time. The grill you buy should have ample cooking space for your average meal, but it’s a good idea to go a little bigger than you think you will need. Having more space allows you to better manage flare-ups, and it gives you the opportunity to stretch your grilling chops, taking on more elaborate grill projects as your skills increase. Large roasts, like a whole turkey, a leg of lamb, or a prime rib, need a cooking area of at least 600 square inches or 22 inches in diameter, preferably more. A larger grill allows you to cook both small and big foods.
The next thing to consider is the style of the grill, covered or uncovered, rotisserie-enabled or bare bone hibachi. Here’s a list of grill types ranging rom simplest to most tricked out.
TYPES OF GRILLS – CAMPFIRE GRILLS
This inexpensive grill rests over an open fire. It does firebox. Instead, it has an adjustable height iron or steel grill grate attached to a single stake or to two T-shaped legs that suspend the grate over the fire. eat is controlled by the amount of coals you rake beneath the cooking grate and by adjusting the grate up or down. Campfire grills are suitable only for direct grilling methods. A fireplace grill (aka Tuscan grill) is similar, designed to fit into the constricted area of a fireplace. This type does not always have an adjustable grate, however, so you need to make sure the grate is elevated enough to be at least 4 inches (10 cm) above the coals of the fireplace.
TYPES OF GRILLS – ELECTRIC GRILLS
A metal coil, rather than a flame, serves as the heat source for these inexpensive electric grills ($50 to $100). Otherwise, electric grills usually resemble hibachis and are designed for the same purpose: quickly cooking small amounts of thin, tender foods over direct heat. Some electric grills have lids and can be used outdoors, but most are designed for simple indoor grilling. Heat is easily controlled with a knob that increases or decreases the flow of electricity.
TYPES OF GRILLS – HIBACHI
Here’s where the all-important firebox comes into play. A heavy-duty pan won top. The best Hibachi Grills control heat with adjustable grill grates, air vents on the sides of the firebox, and a raised fire grate to oxygen to flow beneath the coals. Most hibachis char coal fired, but some modern versions are gas electric. The cooking space is usually limited to 100 to 200 square inches (254 to 508 sq cm). A table grill aka party grill is a large version of the hibachi. It rests on tall legs at grill) at counter and is used for grilling dozens of burgers or steaks for big grill parties.
TYPES OF GRILLS – KETTLE GRILL
This ball-shaped grill has become the standard of charcoal grilling. The Weber company company originated the design and trademarked. But several other manufacturers maker similar grills. The kettle grill improves on the Hibachi grill by adding a lid. With a lid, the kettle grill performs like an oven. Remove the lid and the it performs like a hibachi grill. With the lid in place, waves of convecting heat surround the food – cooking it evenly from every side – rather than from just underneath. And, if you stack you coals on one side of the firebox and the food on the other (indirect heating) you can gently rest large pieces of meat so that they cook through without burning. Most kettle grills don’t have an adjustable rack for height which means heat is controlled by the thickness of the coal bed and by the air vents on the bottom of the firebox and the lid. Some models are also available with a gas – assist function that quickly ignites the charcoal with a burst of gas but still relies on the coals for cooking. The cooking area ranges from 14 – 24 inches in diameter.
TYPES OF GRILLS – PIT GRILL OR SMOKER
This grill type is expressly designed for smoking or barbecuing. The cooking chamber in a Pit Grill or Smoker is often shaped like a horizontal barrel, as these cookers were originally made (and continue to be made) from steel barrels, with the firebox located in a separate chamber on one side. A chimney is attached to the lid on the opposite side from the firebox, this creating a draft to draw smoke . Some pit grills have an adjustable tray for charcoal placed under the food in the cooking chamber, allowing for both direct grilling and smoking via indirect heat. A typical steel barrel grill burns wood or charcoal. As with a kettle grill, heat levels are adjusted with lid and side air vents.
TYPES OF GRILLS – CERAMIC GRILL
Modeled on the traditional egg-shaped Japanese kamado oven, heavy-duty ceramic grills take advantage of the heat-retentive property of clay and a tight-fitting lid to roast food slowly at low temperatures (as low as 200°F). The design allows you to use very few coals to generate low heat for long periods. The airtight lid traps heat and moisture, creating exceptionally juicy roasts. Add wood and these cookers become efficient smokers. Ceramic grills usually have a cooking area of 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm) in diameter, but vertical space allows you to add a grill grate below the main one.
TYPES OF GRILLS – GAS GRILL
Gas Grills ignites instantly, emits a clean flame (no smoke or ashes), maintains a consistent yet variable temperature, and can be shut down easily. According to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, these conveniences have made gas grills the most popular grills in the United States. Gas grills are typically constructed of durable steel from the firebox to the burners and include a hinged lid. The firebox bed contains a series of burners connected to a gas source and a system of heat diffusers, either metal plates, ceramic plates, or rocks, that sit above the burner . The burners are attached to temperature controls that regulate the flow of oxygen and gas into the burners. An ignition with lights the burners and and there is usually a hole in the firebox for flame ignition should the ignition switch fail. The height of the grill gate (adjustable), sits about 4 inches above the heat diffusers. Other features vary widely creating a huge price range form abut $250 to $10,000
