Portable Smokeless Charcoal Grill with Fan Assist

[harryc]

Has anyone tried the new charcoal grills with built in fans? I just bought this one and am waiting to try it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also has a non-stick roasting pan and can multifunction in American bbq, korean bbq, baking, cooking with soup pot and frying pan.

[WhittleBurner]

Let us know how you like it, my first thought is the grill size seems small and grilling a full meal for 2 with meat veggie and corn on the cob could be tight.

[harryc]

Just came yesterday but it looks like big enough to cook a meal for up to four in one go with a 14.2 inch diameter. The charcoal can last up to 4 hours on low fan so you can cook in shifts. Follow the link to see the pictures and there are videos showing how it works and how to cook. Not too much information in the box but it looks like it can do a lot of things. It heats the charcoal in 5 minutes and, with the blower on high, it can reach over 800 degrees. It's light enough that I can use it at home and take it to the trailer. I always liked cooking over charcoal but hated the mess. And for $135 it's less than a propane grill. I was surprised to see how many other air assisted charcoal grills there were.

[Skiddy]

Have looked at a couple of this type of grill, would be interested in your review. I cook pretty much on lump and use a Weber Smokey Joe Gold model, with side vents when open flame is allowed at the campsite. Keeps the charcoal mess in the grill.
For the Korean style grills the grid is pretty fine and given the heat capability, getting replacements would be a must. Also the fire pan would burn through depending on use. Again, as long as a replacement is available all should be good.

Look forward to hearing your experience.

[harryc]

My first impression: I like it. I started the charcoal using paraffin cubes and loaded the charcoal bowl filled with hardwood lump charcoal. I put the fan on high and the charcoal was lit in about 5 minutes. I don’t know much about Korean BBQ but I put the Korean cooking surface on anyway. I then put a thick cold chicken breast on the grill. Two mistakes here. It is better to have the meat at room temperature before cooking and the Korean cooking surface is better suited for thinner cuts of meat. The chicken burnt a bit before I turned it and the other side was near burnt before I took it off. However, when I cut into it, it was very juicy although undercooked at the center. There were probably still a few hours left on the charcoal so I could have burnt it even more. I will try it again later with the wire grill cook area. You can adjust the temperature by the fan speed so it doesn’t burn your meat before it’s done.

Even at the high fan speed you can pick up the grill to move it with the recessed handles because the shell was cool. It was virtually smokeless so you could put it in the middle of your picnic table and let everyone cook their own food. It’s lightweight yet big enough to cook a full meal for two to four especially if you cook in courses. There is a channel around the charcoal pan where you can put water to steam, or you can bake potatoes there. And, talk about flexible, you can pan fry. I plan to use it at home and on the trailer. I had a Char-Broil cast aluminum portable grill before but it took up too much room, was heavy (ish) and hard to clean. Even with propane readily available on the trailer I like cooking over charcoal.

I have not used it enough to find a negative yet other than the Korean grill surface is easily scratched. The package comes with silicon coated tongs and a brush which I should have used. The Korean surface is solid with vents and not so thin as to make you think it will burn through easily. They do sell replacement wire grill areas in a three pack. I don’t know about other replacement parts.

So, I both like it and recommend it. However, there are other grills with air blowers and larger cooking areas. This model is so versatile I don’t think I went wrong in choosing it.

[WhittleBurner]

Thanks for the review, there is always a slight learning curve with different style grills. Being smokless, how is the flavor of the foods you've cooked so far ?

[Skiddy]

Thanks for the review, there is always a slight learning curve with different style grills. Being smokless, how is the flavor of the foods you've cooked so far ?

Not sure how smokeless these small grills might be. You are still cooking with lump, the fuel has to be hot enough to reduce the VOCs before it burns with clear smoke. As it is fan forced, most of the smoke will be from drippings of the food on the open grid or across and thru the Korean style hot plate. Chicken thighs will drip, and smoke, much more than chicken breasts. Some of the traditional smoke flavour would depend on the type and quality of lump used. Maple based lump is much more neutral than a mesquite based lump. The more I think about it, this is like cooking on a supercharged kamado style grill/smoker, like a Big Green Egg with the lower vent open and the lid up - it will go nuclear in no time. This is why the OP noticed the initial cook to be burning before heating thru. (As an aside - coupled with a sous vide circulator, this might be ideal to finish sear a thick steak, chicken breast or pork chop)
Part of the learning curve is getting used to the grill, great observation. I suggest when considering thicker meat cuts, like a chicken breast, turn the fan speed as low as it will go. It will still be hotter than most traditional styled gas grills.

[harryc]

There is a learning curve with this type of grill for sure. Of course there is always some smoke when juices drip on the hot coals and that smoky flavor comes to the meat. One thing I learned is that you can burn your food without cooking through if you leave it in the center with the blower on high. that wasn't smokeless. Now I just get the coals hot while the meat is off to the side then turn the blower off or on low to cook. I cooked some hamburgers too fast that weren't cooked in the middle but did some chicken that came out perfectly. Still learning. Moving up to steak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7F0EIrJhgs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw9XMzu7wQk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZW4Lcafws