Cobb portable grill

drjohn71a · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:03 am Post subject:

I got one on sale from West Marine - $69. That is about half the suggested price for that Stainless Steel Base, premium unit. It did not come with the baking grid or other accessories, but I ordered the accessory kit online.

Last nite, I cooked two "Mediterranean Pork Chops, Roasted Lemon/Pepper/butter corn on the cobb" and it worked great. It is not fast but not as slow as my Traeger unit and gets much hotter than the Traeger so it browned the chops well. Adding water in the well prevents drying out the meat, but still allows a good browning action.

As for grease, you have to go over the unit while still warm with a towel or paper towel. I sprayed the insides and grill while cold with a "grill spray" - a high temp cooking oil spray - so it cleaned up easily. If you don't want grease on your veggies in the well, you have to wrap them in foil, but it does not have to be air tight. I suppose you could put foil in the grease well, but it wipes out easily with a paper towel if pre-sprayed.

So far, it is better than I expected. I have been looking at them for years, but the over $100 initial cost seemed high. Seeing how well it works, that price is not bad at all. You can stuff a lot of food inside that little thing and it is very forgiving on cooking time, requiring less attention then normal grilling.

John

Doryman · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:19 pm Post subject:

John, does the Cobb you have mount to the boat? How do you "deploy" it?

Warren

drjohn71a · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject:

Warren,

The Cobb grill just sits wherever you put it - no mounting fittings provided. The bottom half is very cool, temp-wise, so I have just been setting it on the baitwell cover or in a chair, or between other things so it does not slide around. It has rubber feet, so has not slid at all for me.

I just finished cooking a chicken pizza on it thru a rain storm (aft top canvas up) and it did not slide at all thru all this wind and wave motion. I slid the cushion off the lid. The bottom is not hot so you can put it on just about anything including a plastic table cloth.

I have a grill, a microwave, small toaster oven, as well as the Wallas, but it is kind of hot in the cabin for a long time after cooking inside.

You can cook bread, rolls, or cornbread at the same time you are cooking pork chops, burgers, roast beef, chicken or whatever. It has a skillet, wok and griddle option which I have been using. Cooking breakfast in the cockpit has been nice in the mornings.

I am sure you could bolt the base to something or even use shock cords to hold the base still in rough water. Right now I'm in a rainstorm with 2-3 foot waves and it is just sitting there with no problem.

The worst thing is that you have to wait, after cooking, for the coals to burn down and cool off before stowing the stove, but you'd have to do that in about any kind of grill.

I've been cutting sweet corn cobs into about 1- 1n1/2 inch slices and tossing them into the "moat" with a bit of water and seasoning while cooking meat/rolls on top. I also toss frozen veggies into the moat or grill them alone on top.

It only uses 8-10 briquets and 1 starter stick per use, (unless smoking ribs for 5 hours, when you'd have to add several more at the 2 1/2 to 3 hour point. The water/beer/wine in the moat keeps the meats moist, but amazingly they still brown.

After cooling and wipe down with a paper towel, it easily fits into a provided heavy canvas case with shoulder straps and I've just been tossing it onto the forward bunk or into one of the cabinets.

I have liked and used the Magma pot/skillet system a lot and this kind of falls into that category, except you really don't need any extra pots or skillets, woks, etc, if you buy the accessory kit too.

Of course, a new buyer is always very excited...

John

Dora~Jean · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject:

Dr. John, thanks for the additional details on its operation and use. Sounds fantastic, I may just have to go check one out on my next deposit at WM, you have my mouth watering a bit too much. Thanks!

Doryman · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:06 am Post subject:

Thanks, John!

Warren

C-Hawk · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:08 am Post subject:

Thanks John,
I looked at the accessary kit-- pricey, but with the options--- looks like a well thought out system.

Roger

Stephen Williams · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:42 am Post subject:

I bought one yesterday at WM for $69.88. They are "On Clearance", but I don't know for how long. Steve

flrockytop · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:

I bought mine last week at West Marine after reading about them here. The marked down price was $69. I told them that c-brats were getting them for $49 at some WMs. He went to the computer and sure enough found the $49 price. So, ask for the lower price.

Roger

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:38 pm Post subject:

OH Dang... 'guess I paid too much - $69.

I did finally get a great, thin and crispy pizza done on the Cobb tonite. Cooked all the meat and peppers, onions, mushrooms on the skillet, then dabbed the moisture down.

Put the thin dough on thin grill plate on top of the skillet leaving the perimeter holes for air to get up and under the thinner plate on top. I used the channeled grill as a template by laying the dough on it and cutting around the edges to get just the correct size.

If you put the pizza dough on the grill or skillet directly over the heat, it will fry and burn, not bake. You have to cover the heat source, then put something over that leaving space. I used the space inside the skillet and put the thin, bowl shaped grill over that, upside down. It is normally shaped like a dome to drain grease, but upside down it keeps the pizza toppings in place without an outside dough lip.

Anyway, cooked the pizza dough 5 min., then flipped it over, loaded the toppings and cooked another round of 12 minutes. Ended up with about 1/8 inch thick (I bought THIN pizza dough in a tube) that was crispy.

Also, I found Mrs. Dash's Lemon Pepper seasoning to be the best thing that ever hit corn cobs or fish filets... very powerful lemon.

Also did a 5 pack of cinnamin rolls this am on the Cobb.

John

C-Hawk · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:43 am Post subject:

flrockytop · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject:

OK, I just got back from WM. They had one more of the Cobb Premier Grill's. It was still marked at $69. I told them I wanted the $48 price. The same person that I got the first one from was there but working a another register. He said "yes I looked it up the other days and the internet price was $48.99. " I actually paid $48.91 but didn't press the issue. So, Marc (Wefings), I have your grill.

Roger