BBQ Safety

[jimq26]

Flavor Plate or Radiants Work Great

Fred, you now have most commercial restaurants using this exact type of system in their broilers. The flavour is the same and they work most efficiently. Actually heat up to cooking temp much faster than either lava rocks or charcoal. The big thing is - no smell after the fact and easy clean up.

 

[Paul Akers]

What Do The Charter Boats Use?

Charcoal, of course. But that is for convenience and safety in the islands. Small bottle=propane is less available in the islands and we also know that someone would kill themselves if they had one. So they opt for the "egg-carton" charcoal. It is tasty, but you must cook quick and then dirty the water (and boat) when you dump the ashes. It does taste good, but I still vote for propane. But store your bottles in a vented, topside locker.

 

[John]

I can't believe all the responses! Thank you all. I just ordered the Sport BBQ propane extreme model. The company gives a camparison chart showing the various manufacturers. With the rail mount and shipping it came in under $200. Thanks

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Put a layer of lava rock on the flame plate...

Lava rock will give you the closest thing to a charcoal taste without the charcoal.

 

[Bob]

Charcoal is a mess!

I had one of the original Magna charcoal grills on my 35 Coronado back in 1983 when I was living aboard. The next thing to that back then was the self standing portable charcoal grill only meant for flat decks or steady docks. We used it almost daily, but I have to tell ya that the ashes were always a mess to dump especially in a wind. I did not water down my ashes, rather I waited til they were cool before dumping. My biggest complaint, however was how easy it was to loose the screw off grill grate! I do not know if they changed their design, but you cannot remove the ash without taking that off and it was not attached.Now we have the updated propane model on our Catalina with ignitor and hinged cover and its far more convenient, cleaner, and certainly less of a hassle to use then my old charcoalgrill, which I still have.I never really considered taste differences between the two, but after a long day under canvas and a beautful sunset awaiting, the convenience of preparing a meal over propane far outweighs the tastebud concern expressed here with charcoal. Personnally, I do not have the patience to wait for charcoal to get red hot! I wanna eat now!!!!!Bob

 

[Monty Miller]

Hardwood charcoal

We use natural hardwood charcoal chunks instead of briquetes. Started with a squirt of denatured alcohol they reach cooking temperature in ten minutes or so. They extinguish quickly with the lid down, not like briquetes that may take a hours in a breeze. There are far less ashes left, in fact I can use the BBQ many times before I have to empty it. A good safety tip we learned from chartering is to always have a bucket of water handy just in case.

 

[Bob F.]

Get Propane!

I cant believe you're using charcoal on a boat. The fire hazard is too great. Just make sure your store the propane properly.