If You Can't Stand the Heat…{Part I}

In my last post, I may have grumbled a bit about the crazy weather we’ve been having. You must forgive me, because we really do get spoiled here in California. By this time of year, we are usually well into our summery weather, with a…

If You Can't Stand the Heat…{Part I}

In my last post, I may have grumbled a bit about the crazy weather we’ve been having. You must forgive me, because we really do get spoiled here in California. By this time of year, we are usually well into our summery weather, with a long season of heat…and grilling…ahead.

It can really get hot once we hit the peak summer months, so when we can’t stand the heat, we really do get out of the kitchen. Rather, we take the kitchen outdoors. There are spells when we grill nearly every day!

But a few months ago, we were faced with a situation. Our beloved charcoal grill was finally done for. It was like this one, but not shiny. It had served us about five years and had finally seen its last days. We loved that grill and mourned its loss. I mean, we really missed it. Please don’t laugh. I know it sounds so ridiculous, but remember, we love to grill!

We knew it was time to think about its replacement, and all of a sudden, we realized we had a rather hefty decision on our hands.

Up until recently, we were what some call barbecue purists. We loved the experience of cooking over a lively fire, using only natural hardwood lump charcoal that imparts meat with lovely, smokey flavors. To us, gas grills were sterile, no different than a stove outdoors. There was nothing exciting about pushing a button and being ready to grill. I guess there was some primordial attraction to creating fire, coaxing a heat source, and really smelling the smokey embers. On the other hand, all the prep work and mess that is part of charcoal grilling gets old when you grill as often as we do. As we considered our options, we felt we needed to reexamine the gas grill.

After much research, we thought perhaps gas grilling might be an attractive option. You can’t beat the convenience. Or the consistency of the heat. And nowadays, grills have become so sophisticated, that even heat output can rival or even beat any charcoal grill. We figured this next grill would be an investment, so we really thought long and hard. We considered all the top brands, both charcoal and gas. We spent time at showrooms, meticulously comparing features. Grills really have come a long way, and there was so much to consider! Above all, we really, really wanted something that could do this:

Before I go any further, I have to tell you, my husband is Grill Master in our household. Don’t get me wrong, I love to grill, too, but in some weird way (like it is in many homes across the country), the grill is his domain. And that’s okay. So, when it came to selecting a new grill, although we both debated and considered the purchase together, I felt as though the final decision should go to him. After all, he’s the gear guy. And you know how men are with their gear…and with their grills!

This is what he finally decided on — hold on to your aprons, because it’s B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L:

This is the Lynx 42″ Grill, the hubby’s newest toy, and what we played with all weekend. And yes, it’s gas. We are transformed.

If you aren’t familiar with the Lynx brand, don’t worry, I had not heard of it until fairly recently. But let me just say, I firmly believe that they make the best grills on the market today. We always thought that if we were to get a gas grill, it would probably be one made by a company that starts with the letter V, but Lynx blows all the competition out of the water.

Let’s start with heat. The two 25,000 BTU  (yes, that’s a lot of BTU) burners are brass (remember all that stuff from high school about metals and conductivity?), which means they radiate heat better than commonly used hollow tubular steel burners. The ceramic briquettes provide amazing heat distribution (no more hot and cold spots on the grill!). And when you need to sear, it has a 25,000 BTU ProSear infrared burner. So, with two brass burners and and one infrared burner, that’s a total of 75,000 BTU’s! And that’s not counting another additional heat source, which I’ll get to in a bit.

It’s solid. Lynx uses 304 stainless steel, which makes it easy to clean, and also provides a perfect surface to cook upon. Think All Clad in grill form, but heavier. And when it arrives, there are no parts to assemble. This grill is NOT going to fall apart – everything is welded together.

It may be heavy, but there are so many features that make it so easy to use. That 40lb hood is a breeze to lift, thanks to a spring-loaded Hood Assist system. And for all those drips, the stainless steel drip pan removes completely for clean up! There are halogen lights under the hood and on the knobs so you can see when you’re grilling in the evening! There is a smoker box to hold your favorite wood chips and aromatics, so there’s your flavor. There’s a pull out bamboo cutting board, and even a built in ice cooler drawer (these two latter features are exclusive to Frontgate).

And yes, it has a 13,000 BTU infrared rotisserie burner with a variable speed motor. That’s right. We DID make that glossy rotisserie chicken and it came out perfectly! We grilled for five days straight, until the rains returned. So in Part II, I’ll share a recipe with you. Actually, be prepared – there will be a lot of grilling recipes coming up. Hope you don’t mind.

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Comments

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  1. Spicy Green Mango

    I’m so jealous that you can now roast a whole chicken on a spit with your new addition to the family. Oh my goodness..the things you can now do and in our dream home, my hubby and I are definitely planning on ‘pimping out our outdoor grill/kitchen patio. Food ALWAYS tastes so much better when you cook it outdoors. Congrats on your new baby Lynx.

    Reply
    • Liren

      LOL, this grill certainly is a little bling for the back yard. That’s true. It really is a lot of fun to cook on, and you’re so right about everything tasting better al fresco. Why is that?

      Reply
  2. Jenn

    So beautiful!!! It’s like you just bought a brand new car!!! lol….
    and that chicken…. mmm…… mmm… good!

    Reply
    • Liren

      Scary to think, but it feels like a car! A hunk of metal on wheels!

      Reply
  3. Eric Ackerson

    OMG a thing of Beauty! I too am facing the dilemna of replacing the old grill. I have a BBQ/Smoker as well, which I use for charcoal grilling, but the gas grill can be a thing of beauty (especially if you don’t want to keep buying 10 dollar bags of Charcoal!

    I am now inspired and will probably break down this weekend! I will let you know if I find a Lynx!

    Eric

    Reply
    • Liren

      LOL, you men are so funny when it comes to grills. When we were grill-less, it was like my husband had lost an appendage! If you do go grill shopping this weekend, good luck! I admit that so far, it’s been nice not having to buy anymore charcoal. But of course, now we buy woodchips for the smoker and the propane tank. There’s always something!

      Reply
    • Liren

      Thank you so much! I’m glad you stopped by and like what you see :) Wish i could serve up real grilled chicken through the blog :)

      Reply
    • Liren

      I can’t wait till this weather makes up its mind! You know, I would have been happy with any grill, charcoal or gas! But I suppose hubbies get final call, LOL!

      Reply
    • Liren

      LOL! That chicken is definitely bronzed and curvy – it really was so fun to cook. Stick it on the rotisserie and try to forget about for an hour and a half. It was quite hard to resist peeking :)

      Reply
  4. SMITH BITES

    That is one gorgeous grill! I’ve always said that if we decide to add another grill, we’d get a gas one and this would be on the list to check out. We have a Big Green Egg and have LOVED it! Bakes, smokes, grills but no extra burners, etc. CONGRATS!

    Reply
    • Liren

      Oh, that would be the ideal, to have both a gas and charcoal grill! I gasped when I saw your comment — we came THIS close to getting the Big Green Egg. It was a very serious contender! I think what made our decision so tough was that it was a decision between gas and charcoal — and each one has such a wide variety of choices. But for the longest time, i thought we’d end up with a Big Green Egg. I was really impressed with its heft and the idea of being able to resuse the coals. Are you able to do that in real life?

      Reply
  5. April in CT

    I had to pick my jaw up after seeing that beauty! That is one gorgeous grill!! We got a fantastic deal on a gas Weber on Craig’s list (brand new, only used a few times with a price so low I felt we were stealing it) and we are gas converts. One day when we’re settled in one place (hubby is military so we move a bit) THAT is the kind of grill I want. I think the smoker box is a fabulous idea and I’ll be interested to hear how you like it!

    Grilling recipes, bring ’em on. Summer is almost upon us here in CT and with no AC I need all the grill recipes I can get.

    Reply
    • Liren

      Hi April! I never knew grills could be so pretty – things have come a long way, I guess. We’re still figuring out the whole gas thing, as well as the smoker box — it may take a bit of practice, but so far, I think it really does give off a smokey flavor! Don’t miss charcoal yet! I’ll definitely be dishing up more grilling recipes – I remember full well how hot it can get in the tri state area in the summer. Heat AND humidity! Whew!

      Reply
  6. norma

    Men and their grills, gadgets, tools…they are all the same…just give me that chicken….so perfect

    Reply
    • Liren

      Hi Norma, yes, men are hardwired for grills, gadget, and tool. I always call mine gear guy – sometimes its more about the gear than the activity, LOL. I’m with you…if this grill can yield that kind of chicken, then it’s all that matters!

      Reply
  7. Mhe-Lhanee Benito

    Love the new grill…. Ahahaha same here. My hubby is the grill master as well. Its some kinda territory or something. “The kitchen is yours, but leave the grill to me”. I do the marinade and he does the grill.. But im not complaining, I kinda hate the high temp too. Especially summer days, argh….. By the way, i just gave you an award!! Yey!! Check out my last post for details….

    Reply
    • Liren

      You’ve got it set up just like we do! I take care of the marinade and he takes care of the grill – love how that works! I admit, it takes the brunt of the cooking off of me :)

      Thank you Mhe-Lhanee for thinking of me – I am so flattered that you thought of me for the award. That really, truly, means a lot to me! I’ll be running off to your site now…

      Reply
    • Liren

      Hi Cristina, it is certainly a serious grill! But so easy to use, so that makes it good for me :) The chicken came out so lovely, we can’t wait to try a turkey on it! You can guess what we’ll be doing this Thanksgiving…

      Reply
  8. Liz

    Wow, I’m jealous. I got a free grill with my house (think tailgate quality), but I’ve always dreamed of something bigger and better. Is there such a thing as grill envy?!?

    Reply
    • Liren

      Aw, Liz, I totally know that feeling of grill envy! BUT, grills don’t have to be super fancy to do the job, but I will admit that so far, all the bells and whistles of this grill are proving to be worth it! The next time you’re in CA and close to my neck of the woods, we’ll have to do a cook out!

      Reply
  9. Karen

    Oh, that is one gorgeous grill! You’ll have so much fun with it. That chicken looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Liren

      Hi Karen! It really is so pretty, pictures don’t do it justice. Almost too pretty to cook on. Almost :)

      Reply
  10. Stella

    Hey Liren, I am so ‘grill ignorant’. I always use my indoor grill. I’m in florida too, which is a subtropical region much like parts of California. You’ve inspired me though, as we do have a grill and need to use it.
    By the way, that Lynx 42 is beautiful. I hope it lasts a long time!

    Reply
    • Liren

      Hi Stella, you’re in prime grilling country, too! If we lived in Florida, we’d be cooking outdoors year round! When weather gets cold and wet, I turned to my indoor grill pan, but now with this grill, perhaps we’ll be able to use it in the winter, too.

      And it BETTER last a long time! I’m pretty confident it will :)

      Reply
  11. Divina

    That is a really nice looking grill and chicken. I think I’ve heard of that brand before but we don’t grill here in the Philippines like you do in the US or Canada. I just don’t know why. But that roast chicken is so gorgeous and succulent.

    Reply
    • Liren

      Hi Divina! The chicken came out amazing – we were thrilled with how the rotisserie worked! Is grilling not popular there? I imagine it COULD do well, considering how hot it gets – I remember my grandmother had the main kitchen in her house in Manila…then what they called the dirty kitchen, which was off the side of the house, and where the heavy duty cooking took place!

      Reply
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