Weber Charcoal Grill – The King Of The Barbecue

There are few products whose very shape becomes so iconic that the shape itself dominates the genre.  For example, what image comes to mind when I say the words “barbecue grill”? For many people, these two words conjure up a picture of a round object on a tripod base with a domed cover.

 In the mind of the buying public, a generic term, in this case barbecue grill, has come to mean a single product – the Weber Charcoal Grill.  That’s a pretty amazing when you think about it. In this case though, the association is justified.  The Weber Charcoal Grill has become synonymous with barbecuing because it is an amazing grill.

A History of the Weber Charcoal Grill

Back in the 1950′s. all outdoor grills were the same. A grill was a flat square object supported on four legs.  The coals went in a single layer on the bottom.  The grill went on top of the coals, nearly touching them.  The flat grill top went on over everything else.  That was it.  You could grill up hot dogs, burgers and maybe steaks and chops, but that was all.

You couldn’t really control the heat of the fire or the height of the grill from the fire and the function of the grill top was to prevent the inevitable incineration of the food from happening too quickly.  This type of grill was really only a mass produced brazier and braziers had been mankind’s “barbecue grill” for ages.  Sure, it was convenient, in terms of having a place to start controlled cooking fire out doors, but in terms of food quality, it was a joke.

In 1952, a guy by the name of George Stephen, Sr. got fed up with the barbecue status quo.  George worked for Weber Brothers Metal Works, a company that manufactured marine buoys.  He took one of the company’s buoys, cut it in half and fashioned a domed top for a cover.  The Weber Charcoal Grill was born. 

George started making these grills for his neighbors,  and the for the neighbor’s neighbors.  Soon, supply couldn’t keep up with demand.  In short order, the Weber Charcoal Grill became THE outdoor grill for the discriminating barbecue chef.

Advantages of the King of Grills

Why is the Weber Charcoal Grill so popular?  The secret is in the grill’s versatility.  Unlike traditional barbecue grills, a Weber’s round shape and domed top create a reflective cooking surface that intensifies the heat of the charcoal fire.  This allows the grill to create higher internal temperatures which, in turn, can quickly sear the food being cooked.  The object in barbecuing a lot of foods is to sear the outside while the natural juices of the food remain within.  A Weber Charcoal Grill does this especially well.

Another advantage a Weber has over a tradition grill is room. The rounded shape creates more space inside the grill and that increased space means more room to cook.  You can cook roasts and turkeys on a Weber with ease.  You can also cook more food, period. Since the round shape radiates heat evenly, there are no “cold corners” or “hot spots” where food get over- or under-cooked.  Finally, the rounded top and bottom of the grill, along with the placement of the vents, creates an induction within the grill.  This means the hot air is circulated around the grill as cold air comes in through the bottom vents and hot air exist through the top vent.  This circulation means even temperatures within the grill and these even temperatures mean evenly cooked food.

Today, the Weber remains the King of the Grill world.  If you’ve never cooked on one, do yourself a favor.  Pick up a Weber Charcoal Grill today and see how innovation can result in better tasting food.