Charcoal grill vs burn bans

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by foobar

Thanks for all of the replies. I will check local conditions and regulations at every campsite.

Looks like I also need to add a gas grill to my cargo list in order to expand the grilling options during some stages of burn bans.

Consider the Blackstone 17" and get some more options. Making bacon and eggs in the morning is pretty satisfying.

[Silvr_Bullet]

Here is another option Explorer with the grill add on, I use a smaller propane tank when camping.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

I can speak from a Colorado perspective, but I don’t know if it applies to other states. In Colorado, there are three levels of burn ban. In a Level 1 ban, you can have a campfire in a designated campfire ring and area. You can also use a charcoal grille. In a Level 2 ban, you can’t have a campfire or use a charcoal grille, but you can use a gas fire pit and you can use a gas grille. In a Level 3 ban, no fire of any kind is allowed.

This applies to residential property also. A few years ago, we went an entire summer without being able to use the Big Green Egg.

.
Same here in New Mexico. NFS and BLM are the same nation-wide.
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[NevadaGeo]

Just go to your local forest fire and grill on some burning trees. Bring extra food for the fire fighters. There's usually a forest fire with in a couple hours of anywhere in the west, started by a camp fire.

[NevadaGeo]

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

Just go to your local forest fire and grill on some burning trees. Bring extra food for the fire fighters. There's usually a forest fire with in a couple hours of anywhere in the west, started by a camp fire.

It really is that serious out here. From where I'm sitting I can see two burns started by campfire on one, and a cigarette on another. Several homes lost in the campfire started fire. They got the cigarette fire out before it peaked the mountain and went into houses. And that's just where I'm sitting on a job site in Nevada.
And the back side of that mountain was a fire last year started a lot of miles away and burned up a lot of houses and miles and miles of forest, called the Cal Door fire. That one was started by target shooting. We're damg lucky the fire stayed on the south side of the mountain, didn't come over the mountain and burn South Lake Tahoe and over to Genoa, Minden and Gardnerville. Job was shut down for two weeks cause of fire trucks in our work site at night, out every morning.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by foobar

Thanks for all of the replies. I will check local conditions and regulations at every campsite.

Looks like I also need to add a gas grill to my cargo list in order to expand the grilling options during some stages of burn bans.

Similar post ongoing now here, with this topic (Trager Ranger smoker) is subject. Your best calling ahead to the park your going to visit. I used to carry both charcoal and propane grills, wood, a propane fire pit, and Coleman propane stove. Now I carry the Coleman stove, propane webber, and propane firepit to be safe. Montana has lots of rain so no burn bans here yet.

Here is the other thread: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f42...ml#post2615830

[Boxite]

Camping in the “Tumble In RV park” in Marfa, Tx…. I had set out the grill and filled it with charcoal…..(I have no reason to eat a steak cooked over a propane flame)…an the park manager (who had been absent throughout check-in and the day)…happened-by and asked me “is that a propane grill?”…(it was pretty obviously not doh)… he told me there was a county-wide fire ban.

So here we were … relatively late at night and no other possiblity for dinner…and no fire allowed.

Pulled out the cell ph and “googled” and found Hotel St. George…and had a delightful dinner with cocktails followed with wood-fired rib-eye steak, mushrooms, grilled aspargus, and Ceasar salad, followed up with cheesecake.
Nice wine list also. (pricey and worth it.)

I refuse to eat a steak cooked over anything but wood or charcoal and I was very satisfied.

[bweybright]

And your point?

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Camping in the “Tumble In RV park” in Marfa, Tx…. I had set out the grill and filled it with charcoal…..(I have no reason to eat a steak cooked over a propane flame)…an the park manager (who had been absent throughout check-in and the day)…happened-by and asked me “is that a propane grill?”…(it was pretty obviously not doh)… he told me there was a county-wide fire ban.

So here we were … relatively late at night and no other possiblity for dinner…and no fire allowed.

Pulled out the cell ph and “googled” and found Hotel St. George…and had a delightful dinner with cocktails followed with wood-fired rib-eye steak, mushrooms, grilled aspargus, and Ceasar salad, followed up with cheesecake.
Nice wine list also. (pricey and worth it.)

I refuse to eat a steak cooked over anything but wood or charcoal and I was very satisfied.

Thats weird this time of year in Marfa~ no fire allowed...maybe wind or what? I love charcoal cooked steaks also! I still carry along my Volcano charcoal grill, small bag of charcoal, and chimney from time to time...fact, we are going up to Marble Falls area this next week and I just was packing up both grills...for steak night! Going to cook the Bourbon Glazed Steak Tips recipe using NY strips I got last week from a friend...will report back if I can't use the charcoal grill. But, aside from cooking with charcoal and the obvious tast advantage, it proves my point about carrying firwood now days at many campgrounds...thats why we moved to the portable Outland propane firepit few years ago. No more wood, no more smoke; and it stores in nice nylon carrying case....I just saw they are on sale on Amazon for $69 is pretty good...they also have a square model now. Wife loves not having to deal with the smoke also a plus! Still do s'mores....not sure about steaks though!

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Thats weird this time of year in Marfa~ no fire allowed...maybe wind or what? I love charcoal cooked steaks also! I still carry along my Volcano charcoal grill, small bag of charcoal, and chimney from time to time...fact, we are going up to Marble Falls area this next week and I just was packing up both grills...for steak night! Going to cook the Bourbon Glazed Steak Tips recipe using NY strips I got last week from a friend...will report back if I can't use the charcoal grill. But, aside from cooking with charcoal and the obvious tast advantage, it proves my point about carrying firwood now days at many campgrounds...thats why we moved to the portable Outland propane firepit few years ago. No more wood, no more smoke; and it stores in nice nylon carrying case....I just saw they are on sale on Amazon for $69 is pretty good...they also have a square model now. Wife loves not having to deal with the smoke also a plus! Still do s'mores....not sure about steaks though!

I didn’t intend to give the impression our trip to Marfa was this time of year. In fact, it was two years ago on a round-a-bout trip which left the Marble Falls area (we live nearby) to Garner S.P., then Big Bend (Stillwell Ranch Store RV park…primitive and remote and yet nice), Ft. Davis S.P. (disappointing interaction with mgmnt), Balmorehea S.P (wonderful) and Marfa… and Marathon on the way home.

As for carrying firewood … some campsites will not allow wood imported from elsewhere due to disease. That coupled with wood-gathering-bans…We had to purchase a bundle of firewood from the approved park-store….then it rained …. LOL
We brought it home with us…still have it 2 years later….LOL
We also bought the Outland firepit when it was $150… yet to use it… but we got the idea from another Airstream camper we met in Santa Fe from your area … was it you? (Wife is STILL laughing over the good time we had visiting with the young couple with the Outland fire pit.)

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Boxite

I didn’t intend to give the impression our trip to Marfa was this time of year. In fact, it was two years ago on a round-a-bout trip which left the Marble Falls area (we live nearby) to Garner S.P., then Big Bend (Stillwell Ranch Store RV park…primitive and remote and yet nice), Ft. Davis S.P. (disappointing interaction with mgmnt), Balmorehea S.P (wonderful) and Marfa… and Marathon on the way home.

As for carrying firewood … some campsites will not allow wood imported from elsewhere due to disease. That coupled with wood-gathering-bans…We had to purchase a bundle of firewood from the approved park-store….then it rained …. LOL
We brought it home with us…still have it 2 years later….LOL
We also bought the Outland firepit when it was $150… yet to use it… but we got the idea from another Airstream camper we met in Santa Fe from your area … was it you? (Wife is STILL laughing over the good time we had visiting with the young couple with the Outland fire pit.)

Sure could have been us, but I'm not as young as the wife...least don't look as young as her! We do Santa Fe at least once each year typically and have stayed in Black Canyon last few times, but wife doesn't like it there now..too far away from the "old town" area we like to visit/eat in when we are staying a night or 2. Likely going to a new place next year.

As for carrying wood...your right; state to state restriction and even county restrictions now in some areas! We had all the wood we wanted from our place in MT before we sold 3 years back...remember filling half the bed for extended stay in Pacific NW area, but never got to use due to fires and then the restrictions of only using the "camp host" wood. Understandable...but cheaper to get the propane firepit!

[Dennis C]

This thread left me yearning for a big steak grilled over charcoal. So I decided to take action. I fired up the Big Green Egg on Saturday evening and grilled two fantastic steaks, which we ate with baked potatoes and a delicious bottle of red wine. I think I’ll smoke a brisket later this week…

[foobar]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

This thread left me yearning for a big steak grilled over charcoal. So I decided to take action. I fired up the Big Green Egg on Saturday evening and grilled two fantastic steaks, which we ate with baked potatoes and a delicious bottle of red wine. I think I’ll smoke a brisket later this week…

A man after my own heart.

Last week, grilled 5 prime top sirloins over hickory and pecan in our big green egg.

Have a couple of prime briskets in the freezer. Hmm, might be time to bust out one of those too. Thanks for the suggestion Dennis!

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by foobar

A man after my own heart.

Last week, grilled 5 prime top sirloins over hickory and pecan in our big green egg.

Have a couple of prime briskets in the freezer. Hmm, might be time to bust out one of those too. Thanks for the suggestion Dennis!

Yea, thanks Dennis! I was also thinking time for some beef!

Did a 48hour wet marinade on a 12lb turkey on the Traeger Ranger and another 18lb turkey using dry rub method on the Webber Genesis for Thanksgiving. Both turned out great!

Just finished looking at an email I received from Traeger this morning featuring Whistle Pig partnership with them. Haven't tried any of this yet, but interesting partnership if you are interested.
https://www.traeger.com/whistle-pig?...0-5cadf94f589e

I loved my Big Green Egg, but alas...when I sold my place in South Austin and moved here to Sun City, including the BGEgg is was what sealed the deal on the house! After owning 7 different model of smokers over the years, I loved the BGE the best; but Traeger and Green Mountain I had at my cabin in MT were pretty decent smokers also, but they went with my cabin sale also!

This new Traeger Ranger I picked up last year on Next Door was a "house warming" gift to a couple who already had a BGE when they were married, so it had never been unpacked...I have used it now about 15 times with good results. Portable with cover and not too heavy to move around, which makes it a nice option for travel with me this summer.

Have not done "steaks" with the Traeger yet...may have to try that. Instead, I have been using one of those woodchip/pellet smoker tubes on my Webber...does decent job if you light up the wood to help get it started in the tube, but not as much smoke flavor as a smoker. I still have my charcoal Webber kettle, but moved it down on to the lower patio...not using as much anymore, but miss the smell/taste of good old charcoal or wood cooked steaks!

Sorry I got off topic here...didn't mean to hijack this one...sometimes can't help myself!

[Dennis C]

No problem getting off track… if you own a BGE or a Traeger, then you’re essentially a member of a cult. If you own both, then you’ve taken it to another level.

I’ve also gotten into soups vide cooking for steaks, which is another topic for another thread…

I’ve thought about buying the small, portable Traeger for camping.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

No problem getting off track… if you own a BGE or a Traeger, then you’re essentially a member of a cult. If you own both, then you’ve taken it to another level.

I’ve also gotten into soups vide cooking for steaks, which is another topic for another thread…

I’ve thought about buying the small, portable Traeger for camping.

Haven't heard of "soups vide cooking for steaks" yet...but my son uses the sous vide system and swears by it for prime ribs and some cuts of meat...I'm not there yet..have to look and see if I have storage room for another gadget!

[Dennis C]

Damn you autocorrect…

[switz]

Returned my CostCo sourced Traeger and acquired a Yoder competition cart YS640 smoker. Been pleased with it so far.

Would love to have a smoker at our summer place in the montains at lakeside, AZ. Sadly, for the last five years, we move to the "no fire" bans almost as soon as it gets warm there.

[Piggy Bank]

We bring along our 30 year old coleman propane camp stove and those little green canisters for this option. Also good if it is raining cats and dogs and you don't want to mess with a charcoal fire.

We use the cast iron skillet on the coleman stove. Heat that baby up H O T. Cook that fillet, after salting and peppering and rubbing with garlic, in olive oil. Top with sage and browned butter. You will not be disappointed.

[PatSoozy]

Originally Posted by Boxite

I didn’t intend to give the impression our trip to Marfa was this time of year. In fact, it was two years ago on a round-a-bout trip which left the Marble Falls area (we live nearby) to Garner S.P., then Big Bend (Stillwell Ranch Store RV park…primitive and remote and yet nice), Ft. Davis S.P. (disappointing interaction with mgmnt), Balmorehea S.P (wonderful) and Marfa… and Marathon on the way home.

I think any outside fire this time of year (at least this year) would be foolhardy. Just yesterday, we took a reconnaissance drive of I 10 for two hours west out of San Antonio. We are heading out to meet family at Quartzite in a week. Scary dry out there. I can’t imagine it’s any better farther west.