It's a Weber Performer, and it's about the penultimate charcoal grill! It's got a gas connection, but it's for one of those small disposable propane canisters, and that's only for use when lighting the coals. It doesn't even require a match, as there's a piezo type one button push ignition system. As you can see in the picture, there's also a nice counter space for resting the food and utensils on while cooking. The black trashcan looking bin is a charcoal container that tilts out to the side and helps keep the underside of the grill tidy while keeping the briquettes dry. The wheels are quite easy to roll, and having four points of contact with the ground is much easier, and safer, than the 3 point setup on most Weber kettles. Finally, there's that contraption on the bottom of the kettle. The black stockpot looking piece is an ash-catcher, and the bottom of the two levers is the handle for this, with a simple twist and drop release to remove the thing. The upper lever is the combination kettle bottom vent opener and it also acts as a kind of sweeper, by pushing the spent briquette ash down and out of the bottom vents into the aforementioned ash-catcher. A few side to side sweeps of the vent handle and the ashes all fall down. Cleanup's a breeze! The top grill grate even has flip up sections on either side that allow coals to be added while you're cooking, without having to remove all the food and the grate. There's also thermometer built in to the lid, so you can get an idea of how hot you're cooking, but I found it was a nice gauge to tell when the temp of the coals had started to drop, and when I needed to add more.
This thing is so nice to grill on I felt spoiled using it. Considering I've got a nice cover, and the grill is built like the rest of the Weber lineup, I should be enjoying it for many years to come.
So, What'd I make? Why, ribs, of course, and some chicken. There were a couple hot dogs tossed on the grill as well, for the kids. For both the ribs and chicken I used Weber's recipe for their classic Tangy BBQ Sauce, which is one of those sauces that I'm yet to find someone who doesn't enjoy. I made it on Friday night, and let it rest overnight which I find allows the flavors to mix and mingle a bit. I can't recommend this recipe enough, regardless of what grill you use, or whether it's pork or chicken you're cooking. I will say that I prefer something a little more savory for beef, though. I get a craving for beef ribs from time to time and I hate to say it, but I really like Bullseye sauce for these.
Anyways, the grub was tasty, and I enjoyed myself immensely!
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