The home front: Speedy grilling

Published 4:40 pm Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Advantages: The cooker provides a painless way to smoke and cook meat. Here’s how it works. Meat is placed inside a barrel-like chamber. Lit coals in outer chambers, above and below the food, create a convection-like indirect heating environment. The cooker also simultaneously smokes and steams the food. The meat stays moist and cooks quickly: A 15-pound turkey can be finished in less than 2 hours, while six baby back rib racks take just more than 1 hour.

Advantages: The cooker provides a painless way to smoke and cook meat. Here’s how it works. Meat is placed inside a barrellike chamber. Lit coals in outer chambers, above and below the food, create an indirect heating environment like a convection oven. The cooker also simultaneously smokes and steams the food. The meat stays moist and cooks quickly: A 15-pound turkey can be finished in less than 2 hours, while six baby back rib racks take little more than an hour.

Limitations: While the grill, standing 35 inches high and 18 inches across, is ideal for someone cooking large amounts of meat or whole birds, it isn’t as good for a bachelor looking to cook a single brat. Both setup time and the amount of charcoal used make it a less-than-ideal replacement for single-patty people.

Where: Online at www.Amazon.com, or at major retailers such as Home Depot and True Value

Learn more: www.orionoutdoors.com

Cost: Discounted to $170 at www.Amazon.com, not including shipping

Text by the Associated Press, Herald staff

Photos by the Associated Press