Airstream Weber Grill

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

...
... You are a bad influence... in a good way... I ordered that pan with the removable handle... in 9.4" to try it...

Crapity crap, the 11 inch model does not fit the Magma. The lid won't close because of the little grip protrusion on the opposite side of the pan to the handle.

I'm going to return and re-order the 10 inch model.

Meanwhile, I would still like to see how your 9.4" fits on the surface of the Magma.

Other than not fitting, it's a nice quality item.

[PB_NB]

I did some grilling this week on the Camco Olympian and with the propane running of the Airstream supply and the top electric grill, It did a fantastic job. Electric /Propane combo.

[nateallen80]

Can you still find the magma grill without hinges or does the lid easily come off the hinges for compact nesting storage?

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by nateallen80

Can you still find the magma grill without hinges or does the lid easily come off the hinges for compact nesting storage?

No, the one I have has a lid that does not remove easily, but that’s OK with me because I want to store stuff inside it.

[InterBlog]

I bet you my next feast that the Magma grill was developed by a pistol owner, or maybe even a pistol designer.

The good news is that it is practically indestructible. It’s a lifetime purchase if taken care of.

The bad news is that the only way to clean it properly is to disassemble it, and it comes apart into 17 pieces in a process which very much reminds me of breaking down a pistol for cleaning. Lose any one of those pieces, and you are in big trouble with both this grill, and your firearm. And you better be mechanically-inclined so that you can put it back together.

This might not be such a big deal for boat owners, especially salt water boaters. If I were using this on a boat, I would simply tie a rope to it and drop it whole, drop it overboard for a couple of hours. The ocean would clean it - little minnows and other critters. Done deal with no disassembly required.

But I’m a landlubber. That approach will not work for me. Especially given the inaccessibility of the grease tray, it must be taken apart.

Anyway, this relates to the question of, do I have the model where the lid comes off easily for nesting storage?

No, but we may develop a quick-release alternative mechanism to ease that part of the disassembly process. The little bolts that hold on the lid are among the easiest pieces to lose.

On my to-do list today is to create a carrying case for all of these parts, which is why I decided to tackle the cleaning.



EDIT: My bad; I think it is actually 18 pieces. Throw in 2 cylinders of fuel and call it an even 20, for memory purposes.

The good news is that, disassembled, it packs down very small.

It's an engineer's dream, and a consumer's nightmare:

[InterBlog]

I am kicking myself - duh, why didn't I look in Buc-ees?

For those of you in the market for Lodge cast iron, and brave enough to be in Texas in July, Buc-ees has the best selection I've seen anywhere in the whole history of the world. Academy is mostly sold out, but Buc-ees is stocked to the eyeballs with the stuff.

Here are two of the smaller offerings, similar to my small oval.

[Hittenstiehl]

Haven't been to a Buc-ees yet but based on talk here looking forward to it.

Picked up this large Lodge recently after seeing a
you-tube family (Epic Family Trip) use theirs with great versatility.

It's big and heavy but a great one pot supper holder.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

...Meanwhile, I would still like to see how your 9.4" fits on the surface of the Magma...

I will take photos this weekend. It is all in the AI and since it is no longer parked in front of our house, takes awhile to go over... that and we are not going outside much...

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

I will take photos this weekend. It is all in the AI and since it is no longer parked in front of our house, takes awhile to go over... that and we are not going outside much...

Don't go to any trouble!

My replacement shipped from New York yesterday. Hopefully it will fit.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Don't go to any trouble!

My replacement shipped from New York yesterday. Hopefully it will fit.

Too late... We had to take our son to his ACT test... so we got the AI last night. We waited outside while he finished.

Here you go! For me, it is poifect!! Everything fits... and still everything also fits in the bin...



I still need to get the small you have have... I love the idea of doing the steak along side with the garlic shrimp or au gratin potatoes ... ohhh I am so hungry again...

[wachuko]

Well, could not decide, so got 2 of each of the small Lodge cast iron pans...

This is great as they can be use for serving... we have silicone mats that we can place under them.

With this approach I can use one for shrimp and all the veggies my wife likes.

Mine will just be shrimp and fresh garlic... perfect...

[InterBlog]

Replaced the Magma lid hex nuts with wing nuts for ease of finger-removing, no tool needed.

It was really designed for boat installation and the assumption that the cover would never come off, hence the nylon nuts. Well, we are not going to be using it that way. It will be disassembled frequently.

Close up of the bolt for reference of the part number:

[InterBlog]

And oh, cross post from the tires thread, the Magma fits poifectly in our underslung spare tire. Husband does not mind raising and lowering the tire, so we will likely carry it here at least on long trips where space is really, really tight.

Pic shows it without the carry bag just to illustrate the fit. We will wrap in plastic and place in the draw-string bag for transport.

[InterBlog]

Oh thank goodness, the 10-inch Ukrainian pan fits the Magma. The lid closes fully when the handle is taken off.

Wachuko, I thought you said you got the 9 inch, but our two look the same size. I should have taken a straight-up-and-down pic of mine before I put the whole works away. The pic below is at a slight angle which makes it hard to tell. EDIT: No, looking again, it seems like yours is smaller.

Anyway, this now becomes my only skillet in the van, suitable for three applications: On the van stove, in the camp fire, and on the Magma grill.

Husband be like, "This weekend, you need to cook an omelette and some bacon to season it..."

[JohnandDonna]

Last trip out we got use our new Airstream Weber grill. It worked perfectly. Did, steaks one day, burgers the next and finally sausages. All were delicious!!! Sorry for the sideway photo. It went that way after I uploaded it and there does not seem to be anyway to rotate it.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

.... Everything fits... and still everything also fits in the bin...
...

It should be seasoned. It has a patina on it suggesting it was seasoned, but it was not an adequate job (one Amazon buyer believed that it was not seasoned). I don't enjoy that process... it stinks up the house even with the exhaust fan on, but I can't control the temp very well in my BBQ so I do it in the house oven.

This vid is longer than it needs to be, but this guy is funny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDTCgxvmShc

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

It should be seasoned. It has a patina on it suggesting it was seasoned, but it was not an adequate job (one Amazon buyer believed that it was not seasoned). ...

Two successive oven seasonings for an hour apiece at 450 - 500 degrees and the performance of the Ukrainian is much improved. It passes the fried egg test now. It did not, out of the box.

Properly-seasoned cast iron should be close to Teflon in its performance. Eggs should slide around easily.

Ugh, I've eaten 4 eggs in the past 18 hours doing the before and after on this thing. Enough.

[InterBlog]

On-the-road storage suggestion for cast iron:

Do you know those little drawstring backpacks that companies distribute as monogrammed promotional items?

I don't know what they imagine we are going to use those fool things for. Cutting new grooves in our shoulders perhaps? I've got like 12 of them floating around my house, unused, and not good for much.

Except maybe for this. The drawstrings cinch it into a nice package. One less thing for me to have to sew.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

It should be seasoned. It has a patina on it suggesting it was seasoned, but it was not an adequate job (one Amazon buyer believed that it was not seasoned). I don't enjoy that process... it stinks up the house even with the exhaust fan on, but I can't control the temp very well in my BBQ so I do it in the house oven.

This vid is longer than it needs to be, but this guy is funny:

Good to know. Will do that. Too bad the smaller ones are not getting here before we head out tomorrow... will get to use them next time.

Originally Posted by InterBlog

On-the-road storage suggestion for cast iron:

Do you know those little drawstring backpacks that companies distribute as monogrammed promotional items?

Excellent. I have a few of those around. Will put them to good use.

[InterBlog]

Everything must have multiple purposes in a van, right?

The stainless steel chain maille cast iron scrubber I bought on Amazon can also be used as the pan’s trivet. Brilliant.

Shown here sitting inside the pan instead of underneath it. I also had to get a new stirring stick because my existing are thin plastic designed for Teflon coated pans. Cast iron takes a bit more muscle. This is acacia wood from Kohl’s because they have a devious Amazon return policy whereupon you walk in to return your Amazon, they hand you a 25% off coupon, and you think, “Well, I am already here, already masked up - I might as well shop...” and the next thing you know, you are at the cash register spending money. Also brilliant.