A Classic American Grill
Written: Oct 31 '06 (Updated Dec 30 '08)
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Pros: affordable, versatile, cool design, great value for money
Cons: charcoal is messy, unpredictable and causes flare ups
The Bottom Line: One of the best charcoal grills available for the price paid. Simple, elegant, versatile and easy to use. This is a great American product.
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| beefchop's Full Review: Old Smokey Charcoal Grill |
Charcoal vs. Gas
Thankfully, both parties to this debate have begun to realize that charcoal and gas can co-exist in the same universe. Finally, an end to the Charcoal Gas War! Today, many Americans have one of each, reserving the charcoal grill for special occasions and relying on the gas grill when expediency overrides flavor. For those in the market for a second grill, i.e. a charcoal grill to accompany their gas one, Old Smokey promises versatility and value. Personally, I use it as my primary grill and feel that Smokey’s grilling capabilities, unique design and price make it one of the best options on the market, especially if you don’t mind tending to your fire and fussing over your meats on a lazy Sunday or Saturday afternoon. Having used it all summer, I can testify that it deserves its place among Derrick Riches’ Top Ten Charcoal Grills. It really is a special little American product.
Novel Design
Here, simplicity heralds superiority. The Old Smokey is available in 14 (2-3 people), 18 (4-6 people) and 22 (6-8 people) inch diameter grill sizes. The standard sized legs are short, placing the grill roughly at knee height, which is great for campers but bad for backyard barbeque enthusiasts. Not to worry, leg extensions are available to give the grill additional height, but they are no longer listed on The Barbecue Store’s web site. I pray they continue to offer this accessory, because it makes the grill much more accessible.
Without the extensions, the medium-sized Old Smokey, which is advertised as the best-seller of the three sizes, stands 27 inches tall, 18 inches wide and weighs roughly 15 pounds. This is the model I’ve used all summer to grill everything from hot dogs, burger patties, steaks, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, and chicken pieces. I’ve even used it to make S'mores. It sells retail for less than $40.00. In hindsight, 18 inches is adequate for my needs, but I’d go ahead and purchase the 22 inch grill if given the opportunity. The extra space won’t limit you should you want to cook for two, but it will accommodate your needs should you want to cook for a small crowd of eight to ten folks.
Constructed from aluminized metal, Old Smokey claims a long lineage and boasts that not one single nut has changed since the original manufacture date, circa 1953. The company, based in Houston, also claims that the grill has earned prominence and is an omnipresent fixture in backyards all over the Lone Star state. I can’t vouch for these claims, but will admit that I’m the only one on my block in Baltimore’s Waltherson neighborhood that grills with an Old Smokey. Then again, I’m one of the very few in my neighborhood that uses charcoal. A few have the classic Weber, but these sit in storage. Unused and unloved.
Why the Old Smokey? I selected the grill because it has an old timey feel, a design that is in fashion with my pre-WWII brick home. Shaped like a drum barrel, the Old Smokey functions both as a smoker and slow roasting grill. The domed lid is outfitted with a simple damper, one that can be used with the damper on the bottom to regulate airflow to smoke and roast meat to suit one’s individual taste. The grill sits above the charcoal bed, and, unlike many charcoal grills, is distanced far enough away to avoid searing. If, on the other hand, you would like to give your steaks a nice sizzle before slow cooking, you can pile the briquettes on top of each other, sear your steak, and proceed to redistribute them evenly on the bottom so your meat finishes with a fair degree of moistness. You can do this with a pair of tongs and an oven mitt. In short, this grill is versatile.
Drawbacks
The height is a problem, unless you take the grill camping, so you’ll need to purchase the leg extensions if you want something that is at least waist high. Only the jumbo (22 inch grill face) comes with side handles, so you’ll have trouble moving the 14 and 18 inch models unless you pick the grill up by its legs. Again, you need a good oven mitt. The main drawbacks to the Old Smokey are fairly universal complaints most have about charcoal in general. Charcoal is messy, unpredictable, and causes flare ups. All true of the Old Smokey. You have to wait a long time for the grill to cool before you clean it, and the round design makes it difficult to really scrub free the soot and greasy ash. I have a chimney starter, which greatly reduces the amount of time you have to wait in order for the grill to get hot (10-15 minutes), but there’s nothing you can do about shortening the cool-down time. Charcoal grilling is an art—experience and time teach you about when and how to use the grill to cook meat. Gas presents less of an investment in total time spent learning the art of the grill, so if you are impatient then this may not be the grill for you. Of course, the cost is low, so this is a great grill on which to learn should the idea of charcoal appeal to you.
Finally, let’s treat the subject of flare ups. The good people that manufacture the Holland grills have built and marketed an entire line of grills around this very problem. With Old Smokey, fatty or marinated meats will cause flare ups, which turn your grill into a spitting and sizzling volcano. It’s not dangerous, but does dampen the life of the charcoal briquettes a bit and creates a good deal of smoke and yellow flame. I’ve found that chicken breasts and vegetables do really well on the Old Smokey, mainly because they are lean. Hamburger patties and steaks, on the other hand, are sure fire ways to create Plume City. Again, this is good for those of us who like to worry over our grill, but bad for those with spouses or pets terrified by the sounds of spitting grease. The words, “Hon, are you okay?!?” have floated across our backyard on many a summer afternoon when Old Smokey and I locked horns.
Payback
The reward, of course, is that you get insanely delicious meat. If you can endure the smoke and are patient enough for the clean-up, the Old Smokey gives you a really affordable way to produce some excellent barbeque. I recommend using the grill to accompany a gas one. If you have a gas unit, use it to cook most of your steaks and hamburger patties, then throw them on the Old Smokey for the final five to ten minutes—just long enough to impart that signature charcoal flavor. Smokey is best reserved for chicken pieces, seafood, veggies, and dry rubbed marinades. If you are looking for a high-end charcoal grill to impress your neighbors, you may want to check out the Weber One-Touch series, or, for the truly adventurous with a flare for Europe’s latest and greatest, something from the Barbecook line. It’s my main grill, and will continue to be so until I’m too old to lift a pair of tongs.
Why? I just love the original design, the price, and the versatility.
Where Can I Find an Old Smokey?
The Barbecue Store
11220 S. Hwy 6, Suite A-4
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
888-789-0650 Toll Free
281-495-1112 Fax
barbecue@nottingham.com
Company Contact Information
Mailing Address
Old Smokey Products Company
PO Box 4
Houston, TX 77001-0004
800-999-1923
Other Reviews:
The Tao of the Grill
Old Smokey Electric Smoker
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 39.95
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Epinions.com ID:
beefchop
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Member: Zach
Location: Baltimore
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 21 members
About Me:
This has been a great summer!
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