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By: Max Good
The 20″ x 42″ Grill Chef is one of Klose Pit’s most popular residential cookers and WOW! What BBQ aficionado wouldn’t want this in their backyard? Klose is one of the most respected names in traditional, competition grade “stick burners”: offset smokers that burn logs in a side firebox, separate from the larger smoke box. Cheap Offset Smokers like the ones you get at hardware stores are a nightmare. The thin flimsy metal and rickety construction makes heat and smoke control an almost insurmountable task. But Klose Pits are handmade with heavy ¼” welded steel, superior design and tight construction. Grill Chef is a scaled down, backyard version of the big Klose smokers that competition BBQ teams have used for decades to bring home the gold. Once your stick burning chops begin to develop, you’ll be cranking out top shelf, traditional smoked delicacies like ribs, butts and brisket.
The main chamber has a removable secondary cooking rack for expanded capacity and the 20″ x 20″ firebox with a five level, adjustable height “meat rack” can double as a grill for searing steaks and burgers, or crisping chicken straight from the adjacent smoke box. An ash removal pan facilitates clean up.
That big hood is heavy so Klose adds a counterweight on the back for ease of movement. Dampers on the dual smoke stacks and firebox provide accurate air control, hence accurate temperature and smoke control, while the thick ¼” metal retains heat and keeps temps steady.
The massive weight is supported by four 8″ locking casters and a large storage shelf runs along the bottom.
Our posted MSRP is for the basic Grill Chef. Many options are available like the firebox gas burner and stainless steel front work table pictured above. And if you have a vision of a customized model, you’ll find a friend in Dave Klose. He loves wild, inventive ideas. He recently told me about plans for a fire truck smoker with a dance floor on top and beer taps running along the sides.
Manufacturer:
BBQ Pits by Klose has made some of the most highly regarded pits since 1986. Many top competitors use Klose pits. They are not cheap but fit and finish and craftsmanship are top notch. They hold up well and hold up their resale value.
In addition to serious cookers of all sizes from backyard to monster commercial, Klose makes some of the craziest custom pits you’ve ever seen: A passenger jet shaped pit for Continental Airlines, a beer bottle shaped pit, a phone booth, a baby carriage, trains – you name it. Klose is a bit of a character, too. His personal smoker “Bling Bling” (above) has 24k gold plated wheels, satellite dish and DVR with Hi-Def monitor powered by solar cells, beer coolers, deep fryers, infrared grill, lighting, warming oven, lazy susan, and yes, even a dual stainless steel kitchen sink.
Published On: 7/23/2014 Last Modified: 2/24/2021
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The PK-360, with 360 square inches of cooking space, this rust free, cast aluminum charcoal grill is durable and easy to use. Four-way venting means it’s easy to set up for two zone cooking with more control than single vent Kamado grills. It is beautifully designed, completely portable, and much easier to set up for 2-zone cooking than any round kamado.
GrillGrates(TM) amplify heat, prevent flareups, make flipping foods easier, kill hotspots, flip over to make a fine griddle, and can be easily moved from one grill to another. You can even throw wood chips, pellets, or sawdust between the rails and deliver a quick burst of smoke.
Green Mountain Grills Trek smoker
Green Mountain’s portable Trek Smoker is one mean tailgating and picnic machine. But it’s also gaining popularity with people who want to add a small, set it and forget it pellet smoker to their backyard arsenal. And with their WiFi capabilities you can control and monitor Trek from your smart phone or laptop.
The amazing Karubecue is the most innovative smoker in the world. The quality of meat from this machine is astonishing. At its crux is a patented firebox that burns logs above the cooking chamber and sucks heat and extremely clean blue smoke into the thermostat controlled oven. It is our favorite smoker, period.
Click here for our review of this superb smoker
The flat top does the burgers and the fryer does the fries. Use the griddle for bacon, eggs, grilled cheese, and so much more. And why deep fry indoors when you can avoid the smell and mess by doing it outside!
This is the first propane smoker with a thermostat, making this baby foolproof. Set ThermoTemp’s dial from 175° to 350°F and the thermostat inside will adjust the burner just like an indoor kitchen oven. All you need to do is add wood to the tray above the burner to start smokin’.
From TBoneJack, the unofficial Poet Laureate of The Pitmaster Club:
AmazingRibs is where you go,
To get the best advice,
You’ll find out how, to smoke a cow,
And it will turn out nice.
Smokers, gadgets, recipes,
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The how, the why, and what to try,
When things arn’t going good.
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Marinades and such,
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And how to use the Crutch.
Brisket secrets are revealed,
For moist and tender meat,
The point, the flat, the rendered fat,
The proper mix of heat.
I found out how to smoke spare ribs,
Great bark and taste and worth,
I want some more, I’ll have them for,
My last meal on this Earth.
Memphis Dust did suit them well,
I served them without sauce,
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It’s hard to make the call,
Almost a crime, so little time,
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Weber, Brinkman, PBC,
No need for budget breach,
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They’re all good, I like them fine,
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When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first them the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. So thick cuts need more salt. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. For very thick cuts of meat, we recommend adding a bit more salt. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Sprinkle on one tablespoon per pound of meat two hours or more before cooking if you can. Called “dry brining,” the salt gets wet, ionizes, becomes a brine, and slowly penetrates deep, enhancing flavor and juiciness while building a nice crusty “bark” on the surface. Sprinkle some on at the table too!
Are they hot? No! You can always add hot pepper flakes or Chipotle powder (my fave) in advance or at the table. But we left them mild so you can serve them to kids and Aunt Matilda
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