Alright, I have to admit. When I began researching the , I wondered what the word gravity had to do with a . While the has been around for a while now and has gained in popularity, I had not given much attention to it….until now.
I know about the and how it works, but I wasn’t as familiar with the . As I was speaking with a few of my expert barbeque buddies and scouring some of the groups online, I began to hear more and more discussion about the and became curious.
Since I love to eat barbeque food, I am usually curious about anything that has to do with or smoking food. With the , I became so intrigued to find out how it works and how it can be used that I needed to know more. So I set out to learn more and what I found was quite interesting.
How Does a Gravity Feed Charcoal Grill Work?
The actually works off of gravity to feed into the bottom of the hopper to fuel the flame. The gets lit and then burns in a firebox located in the bottom of the hopper.
A fan located in the firebox pushes the through a manifold in the body and distributes the into the area where the is done.
Depending on your need, you can fill up the ’s hopper to about three-fourths full of hardwood or to begin. Also, can be added to the hopper at any time during the process, eliminating the need to open up the where the food is .
You can also add a few chunks to the hopper to give more of a smoky, flavor or taste to the food. For low and slow , this can be dialed back to a lower temperature, giving you plenty of time for longer sessions.
A digital fan is used to maintain the temperature of the at the setting programmed on the control panel. The higher the temperature setting, the faster the fan will run to generate the necessary . Likewise, decreasing the setting causes the fan to run slower to maintain the at the lower temperatures.
Another component of the is the firebox. In the firebox, and are transferred from the hopper to the bottom of the . This distributes the in a regulated manner and helps to the food evenly.
Opening the door of either the hopper or the firebox after the has been lit will stop the fan to eliminate any danger of stoking the flame in the .
How Is The Temperature Controlled On The ?
Many grills come with a digital control panel display that shows the temperature of the . You can regulate the temperature of the by using the digital control panel. Some of these grills come with an app where you can set the temperature on the control panel using your mobile phone. You also have an option to set a notification to alert you when the temperature has reached the desired level.
Advantages of a
● A uses less for the same amount of as with a regular . Depending on the temperature used, you can burn a fire for up to 8 hours with the same amount of that burns up in much less time with other regular grills.
● grills can be set to at very low temperatures or very high temperatures, and all points in between.
● The spreads the evenly throughout the , ensuring consistent results each time.
● You don’t need to constantly look over the food, saving you a lot of time at the .
Drawback of a
● The g more expensive than a regular .
Things to Look at Before Purchasing the
Ease of Use
The should be easy to operate. It should be easy to switch on, switch off, and set the temperature. The placing of racks, loading of , cleaning of , etc., should be hassle-free, and the should not require more than one person to operate.
Size
The comes in various sizes providing the option for each person to decide which size will be adequate for them. You should keep in mind the space available in the outdoor area you plan to in. You should also consider how many people you will be for. Most grills offer multiple racks to give you the you need.
Temperature Control
The temperature will be set according to the type of food you are . So, the should have a way for the user to easily set the according to what the food requires.
Safety Features
The should have safety features built in that keep the user safe when starting, operating and extinguishing the .
Best Grills
560
The 560 uses a that burns perfectly and provides the exact required for . You get a nice, smoky flavor using this .
It reaches 225 degrees Fahrenheit in just seven minutes and 700 degrees in thirteen minutes. So you can get your barbecuing started very quickly. You can control the temperature and set the timer using a digital control panel.
This works with a that can connect to Wifi and Bluetooth. You can set the temperature using a mobile phone also. The comes with a built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer.
To get more details about this , check out our article on the 560.
- Reaches 225°F in 7 minutes or 700°F in 13 minutes
- Control temperature and cook time with the digital control panel or with smart device control using WIFI or Bluetooth
- DigitalFan for precise temperature control
- Built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer for perfect results every time
- GravityFed hopper holds 10 lbs. of lump charcoal or 16 lbs. of briquettes for 12-15 hours of use
Last update on 2023-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
800
The 800 also comes with a hopper and does everything the 560 can do, plus it comes with a few extras features. One feature that is very popular is the flat top griddle insert that is not available with either the 560 or 1050 gravity series grills.
To learn more about this , you can check out our article on the 800.
- Reaches 225 F in 8 minutes, 450 F in 10 minutes, or 700 degrees Fahrenheit in 14 minutes
- Includes a flat top griddle insert and cast iron grill grates with 800 total square inches of cooking area (including the two porcelain-coated smoking racks)
- DigitalFan minimizes heat fluctuations – maintains temperature
- Control temperature and cook time with the digital control panel or with smart device control using WiFi or Bluetooth
- Built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer for perfect results every time
Last update on 2023-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1050
The 1050 has a that has enough capacity to food for 8 hours. It has a smoking rack which provides more to the user.
This can reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit in shorter time than the 560. It also controls the temperature and grills the food nicely. You can set the precise temperature using the digital control panel use the to check the temperature and set the timer.
To find out more about this particular , go to our article on the 1050.
- Digital charcoal grill and smoker with 1050 square inches of cooking space
- Reaches 225F in 8 minutes or 700F in 15 minutes to use as traditional charcoal grill or charcoal smoker
- DigitalFan precisely maintains desired cooking temperature during grilling or smoking
- GravityFed vertical charcoal hopper uses gravity to continually burn through fuel, allowing for 10lbs of lump charcoal or 16lbs of briquettes for up to 8 hours of use
- Digital control panel to easily set desired cooking temperature for grilling or smoking
Last update on 2023-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What is a ?
A uses the same gravity principle as a and can burn either or as a fuel source. You can check out our recommendations for the best in this article.
It burns the at the hopper’s base, and the then gets distributed across the of the or area. Many of the manufacturers today offer a and combo you can purchase. These and combo units can be set at the lower temperatures for low and slow .
Recipe You Can Try on the
To check out some recipes for the , you can go to our article on recipes.
But here is a recipe for the that we think you will really like.
Smoked Ribs
Ingredients required:
● Honey
● Your favorite dry sweet rub
● Butter or margarine
● Aluminum foil wrap
How to make barbeque sauce?
● 1 cup ketchup
● 1/4 cup brown sugar
● 1/8 cup molasses
● 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
● 1/2 tsp garlic powder
● 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
● 1/2 tsp onion powder
● 1/2 tsp salt
● 1/2 cayenne pepper
● Honey
Cooking process:
● Preheat the at 250 degrees fahrenheit
● Remove the rib membrane using a butter knife
● Season the ribs with the dry sweet rub
● the ribs for two hours
● Remove the ribs from the and set aside
● Spread a mixture of brown sugar, honey, and butter on aluminum foil, place the ribs on top of it, then wrap the ribs tightly in the foil and place on the for one hour
● While the ribs are on the , make the barbeque sauce using the ingredients above. In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients and stir together until mixed well and allow to simmer on the stove for twenty to thirty minutes
● After the ribs have cooked for one hour, remove them from the foil and mop them with the barbeque sauce
● the ribs on the again at 350 degrees fahrenheit for thirty minutes or until the ribs have reached a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees fahrenheit.
To see a list of the proper internal temperatures for meat, check out our article on safe meat temperatures.
Conclusion
The is a great way to if you are looking for something that can be set to lower temperatures to food or higher temperatures for searing. Many people like this kind of versatility and have found that the digital control panel and digital fan make it easy to control the of the . There are a number of different sizes to choose from to match the amount of you’ll be doing for your family and friends. So if you have got the extra money to invest in a , we recommend that you give some consideration to this type of .
