Tailgating time inspires the barbeque fancier in us all. I particularly love to throw a few brats on the grill and toss on a few burgers for the children. Then we can kickback and chill out while the grill does the cooking. However not all tailgating grills are up for the task. A weak or messy grill just won’t accomplish the job. Thank goodness, there are some top-notch portable grills for tailgating that are simple to use and won’t create a huge mess.
Two I really love are the Weber Q 220 and the Weber Smokey Joe. Both of these barbecues are neat and portable, with tons of cooking room but without the hassles of lesser grills. Let’s face it, Weber has been making some of the best grills available for decades. Weber knows their stuff – and they are made in the USA. These days, that means a lot.
So, why buy a Weber for tailgating? Which Weber fits your needs?
The Weber Smokey Joe Gold is the yardstick in portable charcoal grills. Most important, this grill gets sizzling and grills to perfection. The well-designed venting system is a huge step up above the Weber Silver, since it won’t get all messed up with debris. You need a good air flow to properly cook on a charcoal grill, and Weber’s kettle design and great venting system do the trick beautifully. The Gold version of the Smokey Joe is also really nice because the lid locks on for travel – no more charcoal all over the inside of your car. The lid lock doubles as a windscreen so the wind won’t blow ashes all over your food.
The Weber Q 220 is a gas barbeque. You can use it with the little camping propane tanks or get the hose attachment and use a twenty pound tank. It has a huge grilling surface and a cast iron grate so you can be sure your steaks will sear, not boil. The engineering is flawless, allowing great airflow and focused heat so it heats up fast. You can be sure it will get hot fast so you can barbeque to your heart’s content and still be on time for the game. All you need to do is turn it off and let it cool off, so there is no wait for the charcoal to extinguish.
No matter which grill you favor, you can rest assured you will get the quality that will last and the design that makes it easy to use. Tailgating with a great grill is just a whole lot more fun. Now, if you need to grill on a balcony without flame, you need a Weber electric grill. But for tailgating, these two can’t be beat.
Weber Smokey Joe Gold (click picture)
Owners of the Smokey Joe are thrilled with it, as you can see in these reviews. They are most pleased with it’s quality and durability for the price.
“Great Little Grill for Home or Travel – This is the third little Weber I’ve had in the past 20 years – I’ve never worn one out; the first two were stolen! I like the locking handle on the new model. One great feature of these grills is that when you are done cooking, you can close all the vents and the fire will go out in about 15-20 minutes, saving whatever’s left of your charcoal for the next time. With the handle locked, it won’t spill in the back of your pickup on the way home.”
“10+ Years Old and Going Strong – I got this grill on the advice of a friend when we were in grad school. She’d been trying to save money, and bought a similar type grill from a different manufacturer. It didn’t vent right at all, and she was right, this one does. Brand matters.”
“Solid Value, Great Grill - I’ve used this gem for years. My apartments, on the whole, mandated the simplicity and efficiency offered up by the Smokey Joe. A great feature is the rounded top. This enables better smoking, as air and smoke circulates more fluidly. I’ve lugged it with me through something like 5 moves, and it’s still fine.”
“You really can’t beat a Weber grill – I have to disagree with a previous reviewer who said the venting system didn’t work and the charcoal fire goes out. It just doesn’t happen if you get the fire going properly to begin with. I love it that the vents are on the sides of the kettle instead of underneath the coals.
The Smokey Joe Gold is for our RV. It fits in the storage compartment and if it tips over it doesn’t create a big mess. It’s perfect for cooking and relaxing around an isolated campsite or adding a little downhomeness to those concrete parking lots they call RV parks that we sometimes have to use when traveling. It’s a great improvement over the original Smokey Joe if you need a portable grill to take along with you.”
Weber 40020 Smokey Joe Gold Charcoal Grill
Weber Smokey Joe Silver Grill (click picture)
Need a portable and inexpensive charcoal grill? The Weber Smokey Joe Silver is perfect for grilling anywhere outdoors. Whether you are using it for tailgating or picnics, on your back patio or while camping, this grill is available for about $30 so it fits in any budget. This is a basic, pared down grill that still lives up to the Weber reputation for quality.
The Weber Smokey Joe Silver grill will sizzle up to 3 steaks or 6 hamburgers at one time. Perfect for just the two of you or a small family. It’s compact size means it will fit in your car easily, while still leaving plenty of room for the ice chest and other necessities.
The Weber Smokey Joe Silver offers these features:
- Perfect size for cookouts, tailgate parties, and car camping
- Cool-touch glass reinforced nylon handle provides easy lid removal
- Easy to clean 14-1/2-inch diameter triple nickel-plated cooking grate
- Rust resistant sturdy porcelain-enameled bowl
- 10-year limited warranty
This little grill has some enthusiastic owners. Just read some of the reviews that got this grill 4 1/2 stars on Amazon:
“Solid Value, Durable Grill – Though this is a portable grill, it is terrific for at home use if you’re single, or have a small balcony apartment. It takes very little space, and is easy to maneuver when cleaning time comes.”
“The Perfect Compact Grill – If you’re short on space, cooking for only 2 people or grill only a couple of times a year, this will be the perfect grill! You’ll get the same exceptional cooking results and flavors with Smokey Joe as you would with the larger Weber charcoal grills. This extremely durable grill is an outstanding value, and also makes an ideal “second grill” for those with larger Webers who wish to cook items using “direct-heat” and “indirect-heat” at the same time.”
“Excellent and Fast Way to Grill Food – This is my second Smokey Joe: The first one (about 11 years old) really only needed the charcoal grate so I figured I’d get a new grate and pass that one on to one of my children and have a new one for me. Although it’s relatively small in size, I’ve done 7 BIG burgers or 5-6 chicken breast-quarters with smoked sausage at one time. And it doesn’t require a big amount of charcoal to do the job.”
“Great Grill for Football Tailgating -
This grill is terrific for tailgating at football games. Its small enough to fit in any space, can be placed on the parking lot or table, and is very easy to put together.
I bought this right before tailgating, showed up to the game, put it together and cooked steaks and chicken. I had no problems figuring out how to put it together – its one of those products that just makes sense when you look at it. The grillheated up quickly, and cooked thoroughly.
The best part of this for tailgating is the charcoal remains are small enough that they can be dumped directly in a used paint can (which can be left outside the car during the game to cool). The grill cooled down very quickly after the coals were removed, so I could easily pack up and get to the game.”
“Compact but Sturdy – This Smokey Joe Silver grill replaced my old Smokey Joe regular grill (which was 10 years old when I got it and then lasted another ten years). The Smokey Joe Silver grill is made from heavier steel than the old one and feels more substantial. It’s just small enough to rinse out in my kitchen sink but big enough to grill for 4 to 6 people on the deck. You’ll get about 40 to 60 minutes of premium grill time after your 12 to 15 charcoal briquettes turn grey after lighting. Keep the grill kettle lid on to keep the heat working longer.”
As you can see, this grill has some pretty happy owners. For the small price, it is a great bargain.
Weber 10020 Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill, Black
Weber Smokey Joe reviews and tips, as well as barbecue secrets that will make you the ultimate pit master. Smoked fish. Smoked turkey. Smoked ham. Smoked pork roast. Oh, the possibilities are nearly endless. Just stop before you get to the desserts. You are going to love having a Weber Smokey Joe – and we’ll be right back with lots of recipes and tips for using your new Weber Smokey Joe.
For the moment, we need to take a break to lick the barbecue sauce off the computer.
Stay tuned for lots of fabulous Weber Smokey Joe info. We need a break to get the barbecue sauce off the keyboard.