Hey guys! Need some help with a grill

[mannye]

I bought this: http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423651 and I was really excited to have what I thought would be the mother of all bbqs!

Sure, it's Chinese made crap and would only last like 5 years... but I figured since it wouldn't be outside (it's under a roof in a screen room...vented) I could easily stretch that to 7-10 years before it fell apart... My Ducane lasted almost 15 years....so why not...

Problem is that not only is the build quality what I expected (crap) but the damn thing doesn't heat up... It gets really hot when the cover is down, but lift the cover and the heat dissipates faster than Iraqi insurgents under fire.

Am I doing something wrong? I let the thing heat up for about 15 minutes before I cook.. should I keep the lid up? Anyone else have a Member's Mark grill from Sam's Club?

 

[68R/T]

My old phisics teacher always said that heat rises, so, I'd say, "keep a lid on it."
:shifty:

 

[Dr.Jass]

If there's a lower grate directly above the burner, go get yourself some of the stone briquettes that are available and place them on it. Run the grill up to temp and let it stay there a while to heat up the briquettes (Dad always went about half an hour). They maintain heat like crazy, and you can actually shut the gas off and cook solely on the heated briquetts. After about half a season's use, the briquettes soak up juices and fat, which increases flavor quite a bit. It's the only way I'd run a gas grill; otherwise to me grilling with gas is no more flavorful than using the broiler in my oven.

I'm a charcoal snob--hell, I live in Kingsford (the town where the charcoal briquette as we know it was invented).

 

[dodgechargerfan]

I say, "Taste the meat, not the heat."
:hank:

I have one of those ceramic sear zone things over one burner.
Gets super hot in 15 seconds. It's radiant heat just like charcoal. Sear the juices in real quick and then move it over a gentler heat to cook... with the lid closed.

 

[mannye]

Or... I could just plce the meat on a plate outside! Holy crapola it's hot!

Thanks for the suggestions.. I'll give them a try.

 

[mannye]

Hey guys! Thanks for the tips... the gas man cam out and adjusted the pressure and that was it! Also it seems that I'm not used to such a large grill and it really needs to pre-heat for 30 minutes before being ready.

 

[Stretch]

If your not grillin with charcoal, you’re just cooking in an outdoor oven.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I say, "Taste the meat, not the heat."

Exactly. Propane tastes like a fart.