MississippiMom is Slow cookin Baby Back Ribs
Written: Jun 07 '08 (Updated Jun 07 '08)
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Pros: **Adjustable Charcoal Grate
**Oversized Ash Receiver for Easy Maintenance
**Large cooking area
Cons: no place to hang cooking utensils
The Bottom Line: This grill is ideal for Grilling for a large size family. Plenty of cooking area with a warming rack. Its easy to Clean. Home assembly was easy.
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| MississippiMom's Full Review: UniFlame Outdoor Charcoal Barbecue Grill - CBC842W |
We were in need of a new Outdoor Grill. After 5 grilling seasons my daughter wanted to replace her charcoal grill. Even after 5 years the outer shell of her Grill was still in good shape, she wanted one with a larger cooking grate. The only thing wrong with her grill was the flat tray that holds the charcoal had been eaten away and it had holes throughout, so cleaning the ashes out of the bottom of this grill was a Messy job. She had looked at the display of both Charcoal and Gas grills and had seriously considered buying a Gas Grill .
Both myself and my daughter prefer cooking with Charcoal over Propane. So she decided to purchase another Charcoal Grill to make me happy.... I think. One of the perks about Mom living with her is I do a lot of the cooking and she knows how much I enjoy cooking outdoors when the weather is nice.
Most of the Grills we looked at Wal-mart were Uni Flame which are manufactured in China for the Blue Rhino Global Sourcing Company, which is known for its design and marketing of outdoor appliances such as Gas Grills, Charcoal Grills, Outdoor heaters, propane tanks etc.
As we checked out the Grills on display I had seen the exact Model of the Uni Flame charcoal grill that my son had purchased almost 3 years ago from Wal-mart in Louisiana for just under $50.00 . I showed her the features that I liked about using his Uni Flame grill, then we compared them to the Model she was interested in.
My point to her was, Jim's Uni Flame grill had exceeded my expectations and I asked her to remember how many times we were chatting on the phone and you asked me what I was doing and I told you I was outside cooking for Jim and his buddies. Remember how much I kept telling you then how much I liked using his grill that, I felt it was one of the Best Charcoal grills on the market for under 50 bucks.
I had already experienced using it and I knew it is sturdy and everything cooked evenly. He had purchased this Uni Flame Grill just prior to Hurricane Rita. His trusty grill was a real savior to us after the storm hit the area and we were without power for 7 days. As the meats were defrosting quickly, I was cooking on his grill constantly, feeding everyone and anyone who passed by especially my neighbors and their children. 7 days with no power meant NO CoffeeMaker. I couldn't handle that so, I even made my coffee on his grill. Using an old pot and boiling the water and pouring it into a filter filled with coffee that dripped into another pot to stay hot while I drank it. I burned everything from the last of our charcoal to twigs and small branches when the charcoal supply was hard to come by after the storm. That didn't even damage the coating on the bottom of his grill. Today 3 years later his grill is still in great shape, no rust, and still very sturdy. It is stored away in his Shed and when he returns from Iraq I plan on having a HUGE cookout for him.
Mom got her way.... I wanted her to buy the Uni Flame Charcoal Grill for her family that I fell in love with. She selected the Uni Flame Model # CBC842W for $78.64.
The one she selected is a Full size rectangular charcoal grill. She had the option to have it completely assembled at the store free of charge or to carry it home and assemble it herself. With all the grocery shopping we were doing that day and the room available in her van, she decided to carry it home and assemble it herself.
The box was large and weighed approximately 65 pounds but fit easily in the back of her van along with the groceries. Assembly of this grill took her about 1 hour from start to finish. The 13 Step directions were easy to follow, each nut, bolt, lock and flat washers were clearly illustrated where and how to assemble. Each piece of hardware had a slot in the package that were labeled by letters of the alphabet. Included in the hardware was a philipshead screwdriver and 2 CHEAP metal wrenches. She had used the screwdriver but preferred using her husbands wrenches to finish tightening everything. In a pinch if you didnt have your own tools the wrenches would work okay to get the job done.
This Grill has 642 Square inches total cooking area. 452 square inch for main cooking and 190 Sq Inch of warming area. I measured the cooking grate to give you a better idea as to how much cooking surface this has. The Porcelain Coated grate measures 25 1/2 inches across by 18 1/4 inch deep, has an adjustable charcoal grate, ash receiver, two side trays that are made of a hard plastic that are stationary with a shelf on each tray to hold your bottle condiments, or BBQ Sauce, with enough room to place your grilling dishes or whatever you use while grilling. The side trays measure 13 1/2 inches across by 18 1/4 inches deep. The only downside I have found is there is no hooks to hang your cooking utensils on. There are holes drilled into the corners of the trays that I can always rig something up, but for now I just place what i am using on the trays.
I also like the large storage rack underneath the grill that we use to store the charcoal and lighter fluid underneath.
Another feature I like is the ash container located under the grill that easily slides on and off for disposal of the old ashes. No more having to lift up the rack and carrying the tray with ashes that fly everywhere, when you go to empty it. As the charcoal cooks away the ashes drop into the bucket. Most of the ashes fall right in. Before the next use I just simply take my grill brush and push whatever ashes left around the edge into the ash can. To empty, simply slide it off and carry it away and empty. It slides right back into place. The ash receiver has vent holes that you can slide open and close to also help control your heat settings.
The cover of the Grill only has 1 air vent that you can adjust your temperature with.
Adjusting the charcoal grate is a plus on this grill for me. I can start the coals out on the lowest setting when they are extremely hot and depending on what I am grilling, I can raise the grate to a higher level so that coals are closer to the meat. The turn knob located on the front of this grill raises or lowers the Charcoal grate and is clearly marked up/down so there is no guessing if the lid is closed.
I am very pleased with this Grill and its features. It helps having the extra cooking area when cooking for a large family of 8 like ours.
Yesterday, I had grilled 5 large bone in chicken breast, 4 chicken legs along with potato wedges and onions wrapped in foil and everything fit nicely. Today I plan on cooking 4 slabs of ribs. Slow cooking them Southern style for about 3-4 hours. I am anxious to cook these today and my mouth is already watering, so I need to finish my review and get started making my Rub.
I came back in to update my review after I slow cooked the Baby Back Ribs, not to toot my own horn, but I wanted to share with you how well they did turn out, I cooked them on a low heat by keeping the vent in the ash container slightly opened. The 4 slabs of ribs cooked evenly, they were so tender they almost fell off the bone as they cooked. There was enough room on the grate to hold a small pan of water to help keep the moisture inside the grill as I cooked them.
I have cooked a variety of meats and vegetables together on this grill already and I couldn't be happier with the way each meal has turned out. I always use Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes. No matter if we are grilling hamburgers/hot dogs, sausage with peppers and onions, steaks, pork chops or ribs this grill Smokes!
This particular grill uses a 65 inch cover. Once it has cooled off, I clean the grate and cover our Grill to protect it from the weather. I don't empty the ash container until I am ready to grill on it again.
Fully assembled it moves easily with the wheels, even for myself who has back issues, If I want to move it to a different area on the patio I can with ease.
For those of you interested in purchasing a Uni Flame Charcoal Grill I have added the information taken from the Box:
Features:
* 452 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface
* 190 sq. inch chrome-plated warming rack
* 0.6mm porcelain top lid
* 0.6mm baked enamel bottom
* Steel hinges and Bakelite handle
* Zinc-plated charcoal grate with height adjust system
* Slide-out ash receiver
* Plastic side shelves with condiment holder
* Steel tube wagon with baked enamel finish
* Plastic casters
* Steel wire bottom for additional storage
Fully assembled it stands 54.02 x 25.0 x 42.01
Comes with a 1 yr warranty
More Information from the Owners Manual:
Made from 70% Bagasse
{Environmentally Friendly Sugar Cane Pulp By Product}
Manufactured in China for:
Blue Rhino Global Sourcing, LLC
104 Cambridge Plaza Drive
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27104
USA(800) 762-1142
24 Hour Fax: (336) 659-6743
Questions or Concerns: Contact CustomerService@BlueRhino.com
My daughter and I are both very pleased with the purchase of the Uni Flame Model # CBC842W. I know that I am completely satisfied with this grill. I have always used Charcoal for cooking outdoors and I have been grilling outdoors for well over 30 something years and I have owned a variety of brand name grills. The Uni Flame Brand is now by far my favorite of all.
With the proper care I feel this Grill will give us years of use.
I am giving it a 4 Star rating for the ease of assembly, and the quality of the materials. Every part fit perfectly during assembly, no adjustments had to be made. If it holds up as well as my Son's Uni Flame Grill and I honestly think it will... I will continue to be a completely satisfied Customer and will Highly recommend this Uni Flame Charcoal Grill or any of the Uni Flame charcoal grills that may suit your needs.
Happy Grilling and Thanks for Reading!
*** Thank you Dawn dlstewart for adding this to the database so quickly !
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 78.64
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Member: Lucy
Location: New York
Reviews written: 178
Trusted by: 318 members
About Me: I hope to get back in the swing of writing new reviews soon...Still_Recovering_from_my_Spinal_Fusions!
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