Picture a backyard barbecue and you might see friends and family gathering on the lawn, talking, laughing, drinking, and sweating. You might see one or two of your party standing by the grill, tending the burgers and brats. This is certainly a typical summer scene across America.
The beauty of a barbecue, however – and the grill used in barbecuing – is its versatility. While a great gathering on a summer evening might be the stereotype, the right grill works equally well for a gourmet meal for a close family, an intimate dinner for two, and even simple fare for one. Keep this in mind, too: there is no need for your grill to hibernate. The right grill provides delicious (and easy!) meals the year round.
Case in point: the Performance 2 Burner Gas Grill by Char-Broil.
Last night we walked across the street to my aunt’s house to try out her Char-Broil grill. My parents and another aunt came over, so in all we were a party of six. We all love food. And we decided to incorporate the grill into each part of the meal.
For starters, cold cucumber soup with a garnish of chopped radish and a grilled shrimp. The shrimp, seasoned with an aromatic blend of sweet paprika, garlic salt, and cumin, was skewered and grilled on medium for just a couple of minutes. One turn of the shrimp and done.
Next up was the main meal: t-bone steaks and veggies. A medley of red onions and rainbow peppers accompanied garden-fresh zucchini. These veggies spent 7-8 minutes on the grill at a medium-high. The onions and peppers were “stir-fried” in a porcelain grill wok while the zucchini cooked on skewers with a couple of turns over the flames.
The steaks were seasoned with only Maldon salt crystals and a tri-color peppercorn blend. On a medium to medium-high temperature setting on both burners, the steaks were cooked to medium rare in 8 minutes. Of course, the time will vary based on desired doneness. The temperature setting was just right for cooking the meat and we turned it up a bit just at the end for a final sizzle. We let the meat rest for ten minutes or so while we ate our soup.
Dessert was grilled as well: grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream. The halved peaches spent about 5 minutes on each side. Next time we will turn down the flame halfway through to avoid charring the peach skins, but that knowledge just comes through trial and error.
So what does this delightful meal mean to me? It’s time planning, inviting, preparing, talking, cooking, eating, sharing, and just being with family around a dinner table. These times cannot be measured in terms of value.
Does the grill provide these moments? Admittedly, no. But it does provide an excuse, if one is needed, to come together.
We share this experience with you all in the hopes that you, too, can enjoy a nice meal. Whether you are cooking for one or for six, the Performance 2 Burner Gas Grill by Char-Broil makes short order of great food.
You may be thinking: that sounds like a great meal, but it also sounds like a lot of work. Let me add up the numbers: 10 minutes to get the grill nice and hot, 3 minutes for the shrimp, 8 minutes for the steaks (can be done at the same time as the shrimp), another 8 minutes for the veggies while the meat rests off the grill, and 10 minutes for the peaches. From start to finish, this three course meal takes less than 40 minutes to cook.
And if that seems like too much after a long day at work and it’s just you, simplify it further. Throw a skewer of veggies over one burner and a meat of your choice over the second burner. You’ve just cut your time down to 20 minutes (10 for the preheat and 10 for the cooking). Cut out the grilled peaches and enjoy an unaccompanied scoop of ice cream at no extra cost in time.
You just don’t have to settle for the same old meal cooked over the stove top. Time is not an issue. Season is not an issue: why not fire up the grill in November? And number of people in your party is not an issue. The Advantage 2 Burner Gas Grill by Char-Broil does not demand any more time for one person as for a small party of six.
So next time you picture a backyard barbecue, maybe you’ll still think of a loud summer party with all your friends. Or instead, maybe you will imagine a lone pork chop and a couple of thick slices of onion on your 2 burner grill and a nice quiet meal for one to cap off a long, hectic day.
Our Char-Broil Review:
First and foremost, we are not in any way affiliated with Char-Broil and we do not even own this grill but our aunt does. We did help her bring it home from Lowe’s several months ago. We were incredibly impressed with the quality of this small grill. We are working to write about several grills from various price points over the next year and this grill is perfect for one or two people as it grills great, provides ample heat at 24,000 BTU’s which is enough to sear a steak and heats up quickly with efficiency. The price point on this grill is incredibly reasonable and the grill trays fold down to make a really small footprint that can fit just about anywhere including small patio’s, decks and balconies. Great Grill for single and double households.
Char-Broil Performance 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill Specs:
The Performance™ 2-burner grill features a sleek black and stainless steel cart design and the stainless steel burners emit flame from the top for even cooking and added durability. This grill is made to last, with rust-resistant porcelain-coated cast iron grates for easy cleaning. All the features are here including a removable porcelain-coated grease pan and an electronic igniter.
- Char-Broil’s Performance Series, liquid propane, convective grills are great for grilling and indirect cooking at low temperatures
- Two main burners allow you to grill up to 16 burgers or your favorite seafood or vegetables
- Porcelain coated cast iron grates are easy to clean and have excellent heat retention, while stainless steel burners are rust resistant and made to last
- Warming rack features 100 sq. in. of space and allows you to keep food at serving temperature
- An electronic igniter means you can light all your burners with the simple push of a button
- Foldable side shelves offer prep space for seasonings, utensils or keeping condiments close by
- A lid-mounted temperature gauge lets you keep track of the temperature inside the grill
- Sleek black and stainless steel cabinet design
- 5-year burner warranty, 1-year limited warranty on all other parts
- 24,000 BTU’s
- Electronic Ignition
- 2 Burners
https://www.charbroil.com/performance-2-burner-ss-cabinet-gas-grill/
