Sometimes, in spite of extensive research, shopping and even scoring the best deal, the product we're left with takes more than it gives. That imbalance is called buyers remorse and it can be very challenging to overcome.
I'll wager that the article I'm about to post will cause the most controversy of anything I've ever written. And I've written about some controversial topics. Like how to corral your spending and put it toward retirement like your money ought to be put. I've insulted people, companies, even entire industries, and although there is probably some resentment toward me for those things, I'm pretty certain its going to pale in comparison to what I'm going to focus on today. Because today, I'm going to discuss two things: buyers' remorse and the Weber Kettle BBQ grill. To many, many people, those two sentiments should never be linked.
I watch a lot of cooking tv. My favorite TV chef has to be Jacques Pepin. In a 30 minute show, he cooks up a full, three or even 4 course meal, and as far as I can tell, everything happens in real time. His command of cutting is epic, and I almost think the way he minces garlic is as important a moment in TV as scoring a goal or touchdown is in most live sports broadcast. Crushing garlic is Jacques Pepin's, money shot.
In addition to cooking shows like those featuring Jacques Pepin, I also watch a lot of BBQ TV. These tend to be online with YouTube celebs like the BBQ Pit Boys. Traditional big-wigs like Stephen Raichlen are also favorites, as they seem to cook food that is utterly perfect. I find myself watching both Raichlen and the Pit Boys and getting hungry with every minute I watch. And with both of them, plus a wealth of other BBQ chefs, their main tool of choice is a Weber Kettle BBQ.
The Weber Kettle BBQ could qualify for the industrial design of the century. It was originally crafted in the 1950's, and its design today has changed very little. I was really shocked when I was looking for one how few there were available on classifieds' sites. It seems that once a BBQ enthusiast purchases a Weber Kettle BBQ, they never let it out of their clutches.
For me, however, my starting point may have been a little different than other Weber Kettle owners. I started looking for a kettle having already owned a Weber propane grill for more than 15 years. My Weber Genesis propane grill has weathered the storm both figuratively and literally. It originally came with a cover, and I babied it for about the first 5 years I owed it. Over time, however, the cover ripped, and it became more of a hassle to put it on and take it off than I figured it was worth. After all, after 5 years, I didn't feel the BBQ owed me anything, and most likely it would be rusted out and gone soon.
Fast forward another decade, and despite rain, hail and snow the grill looks literally as good as it did when I first bought it. There is no rust. The built in lighter still works. And firing up all three burners gets me to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit in no time. It is as close to flawless as a 15 year old product can possibly be - far outpacing the performance of any other appliance I have ever owned.
But the pull of charcoal beckoned me based on the shows I saw and the endless on-line testimonials lauding the benefits of cooking over hot coals. So, with the help of a couple of gift cards I had accrued over the years, I picked up a Weber Kettle. I brought it home and in about an hour, I had it assembled and ready to go.
My anticipation to see it in action was palpable. I had some bone-in, skin on chicken breasts ready to go. On my propane grill, I can cook chicken to near perfection and with virtually no effort. I didn't necessarily expect the kettle grill to be as effortless, but I was optimistic the results would be an improvement on my gas grill, or at least provide a new take on traditional grilled chicken.
The kettle grill allowed me to add some apple wood to the charcoal to enhance the flavor. I cooked the chicken until it reached the correct temperature. I let it sit and then we ate it.
Chicken is maybe a little more susceptible to smoke infusion than other meats, such as beef. Perhaps for that reason, eating chicken cooked in this manner meant it tasted like eating an apple flavored cigarette. The smoke overpowered any flavor the original chicken would have had, and in its place was a confusing and odd taste sensation. It made me wonder if the world's kettle BBQ enthusiasts are that way because they themselves are smokers.
I've since tried a few more attempts at charcoal grilling, and I'm optimistic that I'm still getting oriented. But unfortunately, other than reducing or eliminating smoke from my cooking, I have not really learned much that has significantly improved my cooking versus what I would be able to produce using propane. I'm not a big fan of fussing over food, and another thought I have about charcoal is that perhaps the owners of these grills are little BBQ micro managers who can't imagine a world in which food cooks due to heat and not due tot their maintenance and primping of a less pragmatic cooking vessel than a gas grill.
It dawned on me that charcoal grilling may be the last vestige of a bygone era: there are no more coal fired ships, trains, cars or airplanes: in all cases they are fueled by some kind of gas, or perhaps electricity. Maybe the next wave of BBQ tech to take over will be highly efficient electric grills, powered by batteries made by Tesla.
In any event, despite my buyers' remorse over a purchase I thought would have been a slam dunk, I'll keep at it. I'll do what all buyers do when they've made a purchase they regret: I'm sunk into it now, so I'll battle through it and hopefully reach a point of either contentment that I can use the grill for unique situations, or expertise and I discover what everyone else is raving about.
In the meantime, my advice for anyone looking for a BBQ: stick with a Weber Genesis gas range. They have a well deserved reputation of being infallible, and after my experience with their next closest competitor, there really is no competition. The Genesis owns the title of best BBQ experience.