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How Do I Choose the Best Wood Barbecue?

Misty Amber Brighton
Misty Amber Brighton

One of the things you should consider when choosing a wood barbecue is how easy it might be to add or remove fuel. This equipment should also contain the ashes until they are cool, yet make it easy to remove them. Cooking on a grill could be done with different types of wood, and this largely depends on the size of the stove itself. The barbecue should have a lid so you can cook foods at different temperatures or even smoke them.

A good shape for a wood barbecue is somewhat round on the bottom, yet flat on top. This normally allows the wood to be placed inside easily and makes it easy to adjust the amount of fuel being used. You should check to make sure the grill is not too deep. A grill that is anywhere between 1 and 2 feet (0.91 to 1.2 m) deep is usually considered ideal.

Woman holding a book
Woman holding a book

Wood ashes normally fall to the bottom of a grill, so it can be important to make sure this section is made from fireproof material. Some type of metal is usually preferred, but it could also be brick or concrete. Since ashes need to be removed from a wood barbecue often, one that has a removable drawer could be a good choice. If the BBQ does not have a drawer, it should be easy to lift up the top of the grill so you can insert a small shovel into this cavity.

You may prefer cooking on a grill using firewood, wood chips, or pellets. As a rule, the larger the base of the wood barbecue is, the bigger the chunks of wood used in it should be. This might mean you should use a smaller grill if you are cooking with pellets or wood chips, but one made from a large drum could be better for firewood. You may sometimes want to use charcoal instead of wood, and this can be done with nearly any size of stove.

When preparing barbecue meals, you may need to cook with either high or low heat. One way of doing this is to open and close the lid, so choosing a wood barbecue with this attachment can be a good idea. A hinged lid can be easier to open and might also stay in place better. If the lid also has vents, this could allow you to smoke meats or even adjust the temperature slightly without removing this piece altogether.

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