Memorial Day brings bevy of barbecues

Lisa Ferguson

Wednesday, May 24, 2000 | 9:31 a.m.

There they sit, gleaming seductively under the fluorescent showroom lights.

Row after row, these sleek, steel beasts -- with all of their bells and whistles -- call out to hungry buyers who have dreamt of owning one of these bad boys, and long to fire it up to see what it can really do.

The latest, greatest sports car on the market? Not quite. This object of affection isn't nearly as sexy, but it still exudes a certain power with an element of danger and an overtly masculine mystique.

It's a barbecue.

And if you don't already own one, you've probably given thought at some point to buying one.

They are a symbol of Americana. Who doesn't love a back-yard barbecue? Especially on holidays such as Memorial Day. (May, in case you were wondering, is National Barbecue Month.)

Sweet-smelling smoke wafts through the warm spring air, followed by the tell-tale hisssss of a thick steak hitting the scorching-hot grill. It's enough to get the neighbors on the next block salivating -- and often does.

These yummy scents and sounds may be enough to encourage some shoppers to buy a barbecue impulsively. But it pays to do a little homework before bringing home a unit, as styles, options and prices vary immensely.

The Barbecue Industry Association, in Naperville, Ill., is comprised of the manufacturers of grills, accessories and services for consumer barbecuing. Every other year, for more than two decades, it has conducted a consumer market study which reveals barbecue trends and sales figures, among others.

According to the association, 75 percent of households in the United States own a barbecue grill. Last year, about 15 million grills were sold -- likely used in the nearly 3.1 billion cookouts that took place.

Barbecuing "is probably the most American of all the cuisines we have," according to Donna Myers, a BIA spokesperson. "Barbecuing goes back to pit masters of the old days when they dug a pit in the ground and put in hot rocks and a tree" for fuel. "It's very American."

Myers, a barbecue aficionado who owns 28 grills and sits on the World Barbecue Association's founding board of directors, served as a technical reviewer on the book "Grilling For Dummies" (IDG Books, 1998). She also self-publishes "The Backyard Barbequer" newsletter, filled with how-to tips and other information, that reaches about 1,500 subscribers.

She urges consumers to ask themselves (and retail sales people) a multitude of questions about barbecues and grills -- ranging from economics to lifestyle issues -- before purchasing one.

Decisions, decisions

Do you prefer a grill fueled by propane gas or charcoal? Electricity or wood-burning? Do you have enough space to accommodate a large grill? Will a small grill be big enough to handle your needs? Will you use it indoors or outside? Do you need it built-in to your home, or should it be portable?

Which type of grill produces the best flavor in food? How many BTU's (British thermal units) of heat does it put out? Which lights the fastest? Looks the best? Cleans up the easiest?

How big is the cooking grid? Which brand is the best? What type of optional equipment -- rib racks, grilling baskets, side burners -- do you want or think you'll need?

All of these questions should certainly be answered long before deciding whether you want your burger cooked medium or well-done.

"I think most people, particularly if they're buying their first grill, don't know where to start," Myers says. "Once you have had a grill ... it becomes a lot easier."

At that point, she explains, a person has probably already decided how often they'll use the grill; how many guests they will be entertaining; what type of food they intend to cook; and what accessories they just can't live without -- all of which will help determine how large a grill to buy.

An important feature is the number of interior burners a grill has, which affects the unit's fuel efficiency and your ability to cook foods directly or indirectly over the heat. Myers recommends buying a grill with at least two burners for greater flexibility in cooking.

How many BTUs should a grill emit? Between 35,000 and 40,000, she says. "For most people that is going to be ample for any cooking they do."

So don't feel pressured when the barbecue sales person tries to tell you, the more BTUs, the better. "For the most part people way overestimate how much time they're going to cook on high (heat)," Myers says. "If they're doing a good job, they're probably going to sear most things and then turn them down. ... For the average person, when (the heat) gets too hot, it just ends up ruining everything."

Barbecue accessories are numerous: Baskets for grilling all types of fish and small foods, such as vegetables and thinly-sliced meats, to ease in flipping; toppers are used for grilling even smaller shellfish and vegetables (including mushrooms) that might otherwise slip through the grates.

Separate rotisseries, smoker boxes, skewers, racks, vegetable holders, water pans (for steaming), drip pans (for catching fat) and woks (for stir-frying) are also available.

Side burners, like those on an ordinary kitchen stove, are also becoming more commonplace on barbecues. "It's very nice to be able to throw a pot of water on and (make) my pasta or my corn or put on baked beans ... there while I'm doing the rest of the grilling," she says.

Even the old-fashioned, dome-shaped "kettle" grills have kicked things up a couple of notches. Some now come with convenient side tables for carving meat and cooking grids with sides that flip up, eliminating the need to balance the white-hot piece of metal when adding more charcoal briquets to the fire.

"I think the (manufacturers) have really tried to come along and say, 'Hey, just because we're charcoal, it doesn't have to be a low-end grill,' " she says.

Have you ever considered the sturdiness of a barbecue unit? If you have small children and pets, you should. "If they're out (in the yard) running around, you don't want to have to worry about them bumping into something on a grill that's going to move when it shouldn't," she says.

The numbers game

Then there is the issue of cost. Myers explains that the largest category of grills sold are those with price tags under $300.

Who is buying them? Specifically people who aren't looking to make a major investment in a piece of equipment and who, for the most part, have barbecued before, but are not what the industry considers "fancy grillers."

"They go out and occasionally do the hot dogs and the hamburgers, and they're not planning to (grill) fish and all their vegetables, and they're not going to do a lot of entertaining," she says.

The fastest-growing category of grills sold, however, are those in the $400-$800 price range.

That may sound like a lot of money to spend on a barbecue -- until you consider the "premium" ($800-$4,000) and "super-premium" ($2,200-$12,000) categories of grills, which feature such options as hydraulically-operated cooking grids to move food close to and away from the flames.

"It's a lot of money," Myers admits, "but barbecuing has become so popular that people think nothing of paying that kind of money for grills."

People who are really into barbecuing, that is. She says the association has received feedback from retailers about families that have saved up for a grill as they would have a car. "They say they'll give up a vacation so they can spend $4,000 on a barbecue."

While that's not the norm, Myers says, it is a good indicator of the cult status that barbecuing has gained.

George Weckstein understands that. The regional supervisor for Paddock Pools, Patios and Spas stores, which sell grills. He also manages its store on North Rainbow Boulevard.

The store stocks four brands of grills, including electric and portable grills that start at nearly $160, while it's most expensive, stainless barbecue sells for nearly $3,900.

Its best-seller by far, Weckstein says, is a $349 Weber-brand gas grill -- likely because of the manufacturer's guarantee against fire "flare-ups" around food on the grill.

"You'll find that you put your meat on, you open the lid to look at it and the next thing you know, you're standing there with a water bottle trying to put out the fire," he explains.

"Once the sales person starts talking (to customers) about grills, they understand that they don't have to stand there with that water bottle anymore. That is a big concern to customers because those flare-ups cause their meat to get charred and broiled and the inside of their meat to be raw."

Also, bucking the national trend, Weckstein says local consumers are opting for barbecues fueled by natural gas as opposed to liquid propane (LP) as built-in gas lines for barbecues are becoming common in newer homes. According to the BIA, only seven percent of grill owners possess natural gas grills.

Other buyers of expensive grills may just trying to keep up with the Joneses, Myer says. She explains that retailers have reported to the association that after selling a high-end grill to one resident of a neighborhood, chances are good they'll sell a couple more to other neighbors within eight weeks.

"The back yard has become an enormous investment area," Myers reminds, noting the record pace at which swimming pools and decks are being added to homes.

"When you get your back yard looking so glitzy and terrific, do you want that old, black box (barbecue) sitting out there? No, you want a nice grill to go with it."

archive