all work and no BBQ

I've been longing for a BBQ grill lately - odd, isn't it? It's a good thing men don't get pregnant or we'd be grilling in the rain and snow (which admittedly, I have done in the past). I've always loved BBQ food for some reason. Maybe it's the flavor, or maybe its the good times we share over BBQ. Family get-togethers and parties seem to revolve around them during good weather seasons. You can smell them from a distance and it always makes you wish you were having it for dinner. Maybe it's the meat. I tried being vegetarian for a year, and giving up meat was tough, but giving up BBQ meat was nearly impossible (and one of the things that did me in). Although I grew up in a town that is better know for its seafood, I always managed to have some good "Q" as a kid. I guess it is part of my upbringing, and something I want to share with my own kids.

Lately, I've been debating what type of BBQ grill we should get. We sold our grill the last time we moved. We have never even used it once. It was a gas grill and we only had it during the fall and winter and I never got around to filling up the gas tank. Now I'm leaning more towards charcoal. I know its more work, but I like the smell and the flavor better. In fact, I'm even debating picking up a grill that can do both charcoal grilling and smoking. Smoked meat is *awesome* when done correctly. Every website that I've checked out plugs the Weber grills and smokers and their reviews are the collective best. I used to have the Smokey Joe when I was younger and it never failed me. That's their low end unit so I can see why the higher end grills would be getting good reviews, too. I'd have to upgrade at this point, though. Nobody wants to squat down on the ground to BBQ, and I don't like tabletop grills. They take up too much room on the table and are a pain to relocate when they're still hot.

There are a few charcoal/smoker combo grills out there, and their price range really runs the gamut from under $100 to $1000. I've seen the industrial strength ones and they look cool, but are probably much more than I need. Plus I don't want to spend that much. Wal-Mart actually has one for only $78 and I got to see it at the store and it seems like a decent little unit for the price. It felt pretty well built, and I liked the little smoke stack and side grill. It also has the built-in thermometer which is strangely missing from some of the other higher-end units.

Another cool product that I ran across was a cast iron smoker that goes in the oven. Strange concept, but interesting. The only problem is that it costs more than the smoker/grill combo at Wal-Mart and part of the whole fun of grilling is being outside. Plus, I'd be hard pressed to find room for something huge like that in the kitchen with our current extensive cookware set and broiler pan beneath the stove.

The Weber Smokey Mountain seems to be the top choice overall, but I read some disparaging remarks about factory defects and manufacturing problems that caused smoking inconsistencies. But I have heard that this grill is used at most of the big BBQ competitions. It is the choice of professionals. It's probably worth the extra $100 over their Brinkman counterparts, which get mixed reviews. I'd just hate to pay that much and end up with some sort of problems with the craftsmanship. I'd also have to pay to ship it, as none of the stores in town have them.

Hmmm...tough decisions. We're on a budget and the $78 Char-Grill smoker/grill at Wal-Mart looks appealing, but I may just pay the extra and go with a brand I can trust. After all, Weber has been around forever and I'm sure they would fix any problems that I run across. And if it's like the rest of their products, I'm sure it will last a long time and give us years of good "Q".