Cooking Resources

gary b · 04-02-2006, 09:29 PM

hello,

I need any info about a small outdoor tabletop grill called the "Cobb grill", I'm thinking of buying. I am wanting to grill or maybe smoke small amounts of food for 2-3 people. I was considering the Cobb grill b/c the manufacturer advertises the grill will cook using very small amounts of charcoal. However, I have heard though, that this grill is hard to clean. This is a picture of the Cobb grill. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Gary

Andy M. · 04-02-2006, 09:42 PM

Gary, I have no experience with this grill but it looks like it would be hard to clean.

Hopefully, someone whos knows more will come along soon.

Have you looked at the Weber tabletop grills?

gary b · 04-02-2006, 10:47 PM

I was also looking at the Weber Smokey Joe kettle grill like you suggested, but I don't know if it would use the small amount of charcoal the Cobb grill supposedly does. I would be taking this grill camping on occasion and the less charcoal I have to pack the better. The Cobb looks like it may be better insulated, and therefore use less charcoal than the Smokey Joe Weber kettle, when doing covered cooking/smoking of a chicken or small pork butt, though I'm not sure. Maybe someone also has some info about using the Weber Smokey Joe for covered grilling and how much charcoal it uses.

cobbmaster · 12-12-2006, 07:16 PM

They are 2 different animals.
If you're looking for a cheap firebox that can grill steaks and burgers then get the Weber. The Cobb is a gourmet portable grill made completly from Stainless Steel and is not a cheap charcoal grill that will rust after 2 months.

The Cobb can not only Grill but it can also roast, smoke, fry, bake... you name it and the flavour is unbelievable. Chicken's come off this grill after about 90 minutes, peferctly done and the juiciest bird you've ever had.

It has to be the best portable charcoal cooker around and I cook on it 2 -3 times a week. Last night I did a rack of lamb, with potatoes and carrots in the moat. We fed all 4 of us easily. It's amazing how much food this little grill can do.

Yes, it is a little difficult to clean but has anyone ever owned a charcoal grill that isn't. It's nothing unreasonable and is dishwasher friendly, so just wipe it down and throw it in there. I was told by a helpfull guy on the Cobb Website to slice up a lemon and put it in the moat with some water. That makes clean up really easy. Of course you can't do that when you are grilling vegitables in the moat.

I just upgraded to the Premier. It is a Stainless Steel mesh, instead of the plastic and a few other upgrades too. It is way nicer than the classic and just looks so darn cool! There are a bunch of cool accessories too.

If you're looking for the Premier or the accessories, try www.cobbq.com, www.cobbamerica.com or www.garrettwade.com. Some have free shipping for the holidays, others have some good bundles.

Cobb America also has some great forums with recipes etc.

Happy Holidays!

Candocook · 12-13-2006, 07:29 AM

That is one of the most interesting cooking things I've seen in a long time.If I had a camper or did a lot of camping (out of car-doors type!!) any more I would be sorely tempted! And for the quality of components the price seems pretty reasonable. How large is it? It shows a chicken, I guess--not a turkey.

cobbmaster · 12-13-2006, 08:30 AM

It does about a 8lb Chicken. Not quite a turkey but I would love to see a bigger one of these.

I did 3 racks of ribs on mine a while back. You jsut pile them up on top of each other to full the whole dome area. It cooks like a convection oven so they were all perfect. With ribs, the longer you do them the better they are, so after about 5 hours, they come out great. I only had to add a little more coal in the middle.

The amazing thing is that it cooks with only 8 briquettes for 3 hours. It's increadable. Any serious gourmet BBQ chef needs to try this thing.

Candocook · 12-13-2006, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobbmaster

It does about a 8lb Chicken. Not quite a turkey but I would love to see a bigger one of these.

I did 3 racks of ribs on mine a while back. You jsut pile them up on top of each other to full the whole dome area. It cooks like a convection oven so they were all perfect. With ribs, the longer you do them the better they are, so after about 5 hours, they come out great. I only had to add a little more coal in the middle.

The amazing thing is that it cooks with only 8 briquettes for 3 hours. It's increadable. Any serious gourmet BBQ chef needs to try this thing.

Are you a rep for this company?

college_cook · 12-13-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candocook

Are you a rep for this company?

That pretty much echoes what I was thinking.

Here's my concern: A briquettes of charcoal only emit so much heat, and even if you manage to hold on to 100% of that heat, I seriously doubt that its enough to cook a whole chicken through.

We've had several threads regarding what I'm about to say before: using off-brand items vs. using name brand items, both in food and in gear. Most of the time I'm all for trying a new gadget or purchasing off-brand items, but for something like a grill, I want to know its reputation and I want to know that it works, and that's why I've always gone with Weber grills. Both of my grills are Weber, and my family's grills have always been Weber. They do what they're supposed to do, and that's all I need. I do know that my first grill was a little portable charcoal Weber, that folded up and had wheels so you could roll it behind you. I think it cost me like $30. My dad actually purchased a mini gas grill so that he could grill small amounts of things in the winter (he firmly believes that charcoal is the ONLY way to grill) without having to fire up his huge grill.

If you want novelty, then go with the cobb. It sure looks cool and might even be worth all that money if it works.

If you want tried and tested, I say go for Weber, or some other grill manufacturer that you know and trust.

cobbmaster · 12-13-2006, 12:51 PM

No, I'm not with the company but I have to admit that I did work an RV show for them once. Sold about 30 units in 3 days. I just really like the grill and use it all the time.

On your doubts about the heat. You are completly wrong. Charcoal, emits a lot of heat but most of it is wasted on an open grill. The Cobb is designed to take the heat and circulate it like a convection oven. They claim it cooks up to 500 degrees but I've only ever got it to a little over 400, which is way more than you'll ever need. It does a chicken 100% perfect... better than any other method I've ever tried and still enough heat to cook some sausages after. At the show we were doing 2 chickens a day and giving out samples.

On off brand items. I tend to agree that most 'made for TV' gadgets are gimmics but this is not. It is simply a small South African company trying to get a footing in the US. They have come out with 3 advances on the grill since I first used one and I definitly wouldn't say it's a novelty. Athough they are not a Weber, I think you will hear big things from this company in the near future.

I personally havn't seen anything new or innovative from Weber in years. They change the colors and sizes every so often but it's still just a tub with a bunch of coal thrown in and a grill on top.

Candocook · 12-13-2006, 12:51 PM

My question was just that--a question, because of his screen name mainly. But there are lots of innovative things that come up after name brands are established. it just takes some knowledge to see if the "tool" fits the need you have. This has quite a different use from a Weber, in my opinion, so it is apples and oranges.
One thing that comes to mind is the pellet fuel smokers that are available now. I personally think using them in BBQ competitions shouldn't be allowed--too new, not old fashioned fire tending all night.