Need a Bbq

[Wayne M]

I have since upgraded (if you want to call it that) to a 5 burner 36" griddle on the patio and the Blackstone 22" Adventure for the MH.

So much simpler.

[MetroManic]

AMEN!

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

Remembering my youth and hamburgers off the old flat too grills, I purchased our Blackstone. I really like it but the DW does not. She is of the old school that says we should only eat lean meats and fish, and of course grilled, letting all the grease drop into the fire. Better for you.


I have very high triglycerides. Astronomical in fact. Because of this I went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn, (the Mother Ship), and my Endocrinologist there has been monitoring me for almost twenty years. He tells me to limit the carbohydrates, not the meat. Lots of myths going around out there.....anyway...


She likes lean ground meat, I prefer some fat for flavor. She grills, I prefer the griddle.
She buys lean pork loin and then tries to add some flavor with spices. I want a good old pork roast. I like bacon, sausage, pork chops, brisket, ribs, ect. I look for meat with fat marbling. That's flavor.


So it's your choice. Grilling, or griddeling.
Either way the Weber Q series or the Blackstone both work well. Traveling I just use the small bottles of propane. At home I use twenty pound tanks.

Ah, just Google this, you can flip her...oh, and when they refer to “grilling”, they’re talking about like a Weber grill, not a flat grill...

[Marine359]

If you have a biggo riggo weight doesn’t matter, except the weight we carry around our waistline. So, you can carry multiple griddles/grills/smokers. For us little poopers, one thing has to do it all. My Blackstone weighs about 22 lbs, and fits nicely in my pass through. For meats that yield a lot of fat, I simply put a piece of molding under the front two legs, so the grease runs back to the trap. Must do when I’m cooking my daily ration of mucho bacon, lest my pancakes and eggs get soaked and taste like bacon grease. Same goes for burgers. Using a small tilt, and I can cook my frozen fries at the same time.

[Carolinagurl]

Originally Posted by Marine359

For meats that yield a lot of fat, I simply put a piece of molding under the front two legs, so the grease runs back to the trap. Must do when I’m cooking my daily ration of mucho bacon, lest my pancakes and eggs get soaked and taste like bacon grease. Same goes for burgers. Using a small tilt, and I can cook my frozen fries at the same time.

Oorah! Sounds like a great pro tip! By the way, thank you for your service!

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by Wayne M

I have since upgraded (if you want to call it that) to a 5 burner 36" griddle on the patio and the Blackstone 22" Adventure for the MH.

Gawd, you could cook a whole hawg on that monster. Griddle envy setting in here. Pulling that trigger would mean I’d have to find more friends to invite over. Much simpler to come and eat your food.

[Wayne M]

JIm, you are welcome anytime. If'n we are not going anywhere the driveway is empty and has 50 amp - and water if needed. Dump station is about 1-1/2 miles from here


Carolinagurl, go to YouTube and in their search pane type in Blackstone, or Griddle. There are so many videos out there on Griddle cooking.

The Blackstone Adventure 22" at Walmart is $174 and it includes the stand that has adjustable legs. Makes leveling so easy...as stated griddle or grill, just a matter of preference.

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by Carolinagurl

Oorah!

Fellow Tarheel
Thanks. Many here are proud to have served.
Congrats on your new Vista. Very nice coach. I love the floor plan.
But, alas, once again biggo riggo wins out. No room in our small single pass thru for the Blackstone stand. So, if you find yourself space or weight challenged, the lightweight collapseable roll-top aluminum table works for any 22” or smaller griddle.

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by Wayne M

JIm, you are welcome anytime.

Wayne,
Thanks for the offer. Might take you up on it when we head to SoCal in November to see our newest (bun in oven) grand rug rat. But I dunno, as South Texas now known for its Arctic like winters. You are welcome here as well, but unfortunately, we can’t reciprocate on the superb mooch-docking that you have. We’re up a steep winding mountain driveway. We got the biggest rig we could fit up here. You’d have to cut up your rig and bring it up in pieces.

[wyocamper]

I went with a two burner stove and reversible 24" cast iron grill/griddle, along with a quick connect propane hose. It sits on a picnic table and we have a folding aluminum camp table we can use when boondocking. It also gives us the flexibility of using a cast iron skillet and a pot of beans or water or whatever. Total cost with the hose was around $200.

Ranger II


Grill/Griddle

[Wayne M]

November is great for this area. Still Hurricane season but dwindling. We'll be back in October so the timing would be right.

I am an RV Mutant. Look that up on the regular iRV2 forum. Come join us. Invitation is for anyone.

Even with my biggo riggo I am cramped for space. Nice pull through with double doors but still not easy to pack. On the driver side that is the only door(s) that open for storage. Everything else is MH related and full of MH equipment. Passenger side has the storage compartments. I originally had a pull out kitchen with counter top and induction burner along with a 1 cu ft refrigerator or freeze (owners choice on where to turn the dial. Induction top would be around a foot away from the side of the MH and there is no way I wanted to take the chance of splattering grease so I pulled it out and it it on the back patio here. I modified that compartment to carry my griddle and lawn chairs.

Yes Carolinagurl, you don't need the stand that comes with the 22" Blackstone as it will fit on about any fold up table or even picnic tables if the RV park allows it. Just easier to level. The griddle alone weighs 34.8 pounds. The stand is 20 pounds.

If you decide on just the griddle and no stand, get the Blackstone 5011 22" Table Top Griddle Hood, 22 Inch. Around $150. The stand is $113, so $260 separately. My go to for the money would be the THIS ONE. ($174) In any case get the one with the hood. Reasoning: If you want to steam something you just squirt some water on the griddle and close the hood. They also make domes that cover food to steam, but the hood is more convienient and keeps dirt and dust off.

Whatever choice, it will be the right choice. At leas I won't tell you any differently. :-)

The price for the combo griddle is considerably less that a quality grill.

[Marine359]

Also, get the $30 12ft QD hose, so you don’t have to haul around a 20lb propane bottle or use those outrageously expensive Coleman 1lb bottles.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X7VBJ3B...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Also making one last pitch for my Blackstone combo griddle/range. No need to fiddle with cast iron adds. The 17” griddle is right-sized for 2 people in an RV, and it comes with the griddle cover. Side burner is high btu, perfect for beans/stew/coffee pot/kettle. I paid $149 @ Wally World online. Free shipping. If you’re gonna have 10 people eating your camp food, by all means buy the 22” model

[imnprsd]

I talked with the Blackstone owner and he does like his grill for two reasons one he makes breakfast often and 2 is easier to clean.

However, when I asked him about how good the Blackstone cook steaks? He said, the Coleman with the cast-iron is much better.

Why?

The cast-iron evenly distributes the heat and withe the raised grill you could put crosshatch is on the steak that more evenly Cooks the steak at higher temperatures faster.

The key to a good steak is high temperature and even heat.

Not all Coleman grills give you the solid center cast iron part that is also key to distributing high heat.

So look for the Coleman Roadtrip "Excursion" model # 9406 at Camping World... and then buy a flat grill for the other side.

Note: This Coleman #9406 uses a 15-inch PSI regulator. This too is important for high-heat.

Therefore if you want or use your RV propane tank you have to make sure you tap into your RV Has linr on the pre-regulator side of your RV tank so that it sends higher pressure propane over to the Coleman. And then you let the Coleman regulator do its job.

If I enjoyed breakfast more than I enjoyed syeaks, then yes, I would probably buy the Blackstone.

So now you make up your own mind as to which grill you think would work best for your needs.

All I can tell you is that this Coleman #9406 from Camping World cook steaks to perfection!

[Wayne M]

Imnprsd, I disagree completely with the Blackstone owner you spoke with. I looked for but could not find the video on the differences between grilled sear and grill sear. Quite interesting and the grilled sear won out. I did find the following:


[quote]Both have their advantages.

• Grilled streaks have that smoky or char flavor and it's hard not to "eat with your eyes first" when you see nice cross hatch marks. Getting to play with fire is just a bonus.
• Pan seared steaks have an even Malliard browned crust across most of the steak surface, bringing more flavor to the steak. It's like having grill marks that cover the top and bottom. Pan searing steaks also gives you sucs or fond in the pan to use in a delicious pan sauce.

To quote renowned author, bbq whisperer, and hedonism evangelist, Meathead of AmazingRibs.com,

Grill marks are flavorful and crunchy, and they look great (grate?). But the goal is to get the entire surface as dark as the grill marks. If the grill marks taste wonderful, why not give the same treatment to the whole surface?[COLOR=#583000 !important] [unquote]
Both have their advantages.

• Grilled streaks have that smoky or char flavor and it's hard not to "eat with your eyes first" when you see nice cross hatch marks. Getting to play with fire is just a bonus.
• Pan seared steaks have an even Malliard browned crust across most of the steak surface, bringing more flavor to the steak. It's like having grill marks that cover the top and bottom. Pan searing steaks also gives you sucs or fond in the pan to use in a delicious pan sauce.

To quote renowned author, bbq whisperer, and hedonism evangelist, Meathead of AmazingRibs.com,

Grill marks are flavorful and crunchy, and they look great (grate?). But the goal is to get the entire surface as dark as the grill marks. If the grill marks taste wonderful, why not give the same treatment to the whole surface? [Unquote]

I'll continue to look for that comparison video, but for now my money is on grilled seared.
Also, pork chops as so much juicer done on the griddle.

[Wayne M]

Jim, the Blackstone Adventure 22" for $174 comes with the adapter hose. Saves another $30.

[Wayne M]

Here is an Interesting read

[imnprsd]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

As for the Colman #9406 "Excursion" I can tell it's not going to be that easy to clean, but I am very impressed with the way it cooks steaks!

I suppose one could duplicate my favorable comments buy buying a high heat 2-burner stove -- and then just placing a cast iron griddle on top -- the one's with raised sear lines to get the same heat transfer, but I did not think of that. ...Plus a single, hand held, cast iron pan is easier to clean and handle.

I also very much like how the Coleman fold up for immediate use; and folds down for easy storage on wheels I just roll into my basement.

However, I am not happy that Coleman buries their regulator and practically forces you to buy their gas canisters, because I had to do some modifying of the hoses to get it to quick connect to my RV the way it was already setup.

NOTE: Coleman also does not recommend using this grill off an RV propane tank, but that's because people get confused, like I did, on how to set up the Coleman with an RV tank.

This Coleman grill wants 15PSI, but as already discussed in this thread, I now see most RV gas lines plumbed for the BBQ are after the RV regulator, which only puts out 12-13PSI. So I will need to "T" into my RV tank LP line BEFORE the RV regulator and then continue to use the 15 PSI regulator in the Coleman, which is okay, but I was not like I could just pull it out of the box and I was grilling my steaks that night. (Mostly because I did not know "natural" gas fittings are slightly different than LP fittings, which are very different from air fittings.)

I was also surprised at the cost of adding an extra gas line and quick disconnect. But I am very happy with the way it cooks my steaks and that's want I wanted the most.

I don't ever see myself buying a Blackstone now that I have this Coleman #9406. And I keep saying the model so if you decide to go this route you get the Coleman with solid grill part in the center -- with opening around the edges. This is solid center is what makes the difference.

So unless you guys have used this Coleman model, which I think is only sold at Camping World, then I'm afraid you don't know what I'm talking about.

https://www.campingworld.com/coleman...ill-75018.html

...And now that I know how to cook a perfect steak, I think I will take your advice and buy a flat griddle for the other side... if I can find a smooth stainless steel top like the Blackstone has. (I.e., buying a smooth cast iron griddle like the one shown below will still be harder to clean, and it's heavy.

...Plus I too like how other food (not steaks) cook on a smooth griddle that is not cast iron and which is easier to clean.

So thanks for the posting thumbs up for the Blackstone. The thing is: I can have the best of both worlds with the Coleman -- and you really can't duplicated the searing advantages I get with the Coleman #9406 model on a Blackstone.

...But hands down, the Blackstone will be easier to clean.

[Wayne M]

Yes, we do all have our opinions and my expressed opinion by no means is to say what is best for any one other than myself. I just put out the facts as I know them or links to others who have better facts than I do.

I do know what you are talking about as I have a Coleman Road Trip LXE grill sitting in the shed. It used to be in the motorhome. I also have the half griddle for it but can't remember the last time I used it or what for.

Yes, the gas canister on the Coleman leaves a little to be desired manipulating it on. However, I'm surprised that the model you have is a problem hooking up to the RV. My RV has a built in quick disconnect and the 15 foot hose that goes to the LXE and has no problem with the regulatior. I never followed the line to see if it was before or after the MH regulator, it just works.

Yep, cleaning a grill is much more difficult than cleaning a griddle. Oh, and the Blackstone is rolled steel, not Stainless. Restaurants and Hibachi places use the stainless. Wish mine were stainless but the rolled steel is as easy as a frying pan, maybe even easier because you don't have to take it inside to clean. There are lots of videos on how to clean a Blackstone and once you watch one you can see how easy it is to clean.

The idea of a perfect steak may be different for each of us but I like the "Maillard" reaction over the entire steak versus the cross hatch Maillard reaction which only sears a portion of the steak. Also when cooking on a griddle, or in a cast iron skillet, the juices stay with the meat and don't fall through like on the grill grates.

The specific griddle I use weighs 34 pounds and easy easily lifted off the stand and placed in a bay. The stand folds up and lays flat.


For me, and in my opinion only, the griddle is much more versatile than a grill. I was born in 1941 and have done a lot of grilling over the years and only been using a griddle for a short while. I'll stick with the griddle.

Thanks for the information on the Excursion.

[imnprsd]

By trial and error, I found out my Coleman #9406 "Excursion" grill uses a built-in 15psi regulator; and it would not lite when I tapped into my existing remote "hookup" ...because the T-Fitting was located after the Large LP Tank Regulator.

During this learning curve, other people have told me the LP Tank Regulator only puts out 12-12.5 PSI; so this explains why my Coleman grill would not work with this configuration.

So today I spent 4 hours moving the T-Fitting from the "after" regulator side of the 30 Gal LP Tank to the "before" side of the regulator (because I had to return to the ACE hardware store twice for parts) and now it get a very good, blue-looking, gas flame in the grill, and it heats up just like it did when I was using gas canisters. So now I'm expecting a "home run."

Not so...

I cooked a Walmart bought "Black Angus, Grass Feed, Rib-eye" and it tasted horrible.

Note: I have purchased very good beef from Walmart before, but not this time; or maybe the gas source is the problem?

Now if you remember I said this same Coleman "Excursion" grill cooked my steaks to perfection the first time I used it, but not today. So I have to know why?

Here are the variables:

1) The grilled to perfection steak -- I bought at Sam's Club in Puerto Penasco, MX. It was top grade and priced like a prime cut. The brand indicated it was from Mexico and the label was in Spanish. Then I cooked it using the common Coleman gas canister method.

2) The terrible ribeye mentioned above I bought at Walmart in Montana; and it was from a brand called "Marketside Butcher" and the label indicated grass feed, Black Angus. Then I cooked it using my new 30G LP gas line connection... with the T-Fitting before the RV tank regulator.

So, yes, the cuts of beef the same, but the source is different. And yes, I changed the grill heat from the canister gas method to the "before" 30Gal LP tank gas source.

QUESTIONS

1) When you tap into the 30Gal LP Tank, "before" the tank regulator, is this gas line now subject to LP oil accumulation/contamination, because the tank regulator is not in play?

Note: The 15psi Coleman regulator is still there and from the tank I connected a gas line to the Coleman "Excursion" Grill.

or

2) Does the LP source make no difference... and I have to conclude this is the difference between Mexican Top Grade Beef and USA-Black Angus beef sold at Walmart?

The first picture shows where the T-Fitting is "after" the 30Gal Tank Regulator; and the second picture shows where the T-Fitting is "before" the 30Gal Tank Regulator.

[Wayne M]

For several bucks I'd do another cook test on the same steak purchased from a different store.

Sounds weird for sure.