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VIDALIA IS OUT OF BUSINESS.
The Vidalia 628 is their mid-size cooker: unlike any other on the market. The unique design has two 20,000 BTU burners on the left direct side and a large water pan on the right indirect side. Air gets pulled in from the left by the gas flames, convection heat naturally moves upward and is deflected back down from the hood where it exits out the right exhaust vent. It’s actually a grill and roaster/smoker in one with 314 square inches of cooking surface on each side. Grill on the left, slow roast on the right. You can put small amounts of wood or charcoal over the left side flavor bars. Slide the water pan from right to the left/gas burner side and steam, boil or fry in it.
The large shining aluminum body has a sleek, almost futuristic look and comes with a 99 year no rust warranty. Grates, burners and water pan are stainless steel. All models are available in either LP or NG versions. No BBQ rotisserie available or needed for this versatile device.
May be purchased online and at a limited number of independent stores.
Manufacturer:
Vidalia Outdoor Products manufactures one of the most clever designs we’ve seen. It is divided in two, a direct heat zone and an indirect heat zone. The indirect zone has a water pan under it (they incorrectly call this a marinade pan, but we’re nitpicking). Exhaust openings are below the grates so smoke must travel across the food. Charcoal or wood may be tossed on the flavor bars for steaks and smoking. Sear over the direct zone and/or smoke over the indirect zone. Vidalia was actually a finalist in the 2003 VESTA Awards for Charcoal and Wood Barbecues and Smokers. Not bad for a gasser. The briquette tray can be lifted out as a unit and the water pan can slide over the heat to steam or boil. Remove water and the pan can be used as a griddle or for stir frying.
May be purchased online and at a limited number of independent stores.
Published On: 12/13/2012 Last Modified: 2/15/2021
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When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then 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 the 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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