Warner Stellian prides itself on carrying appliances that truly fit anyone — from a replacement refrigerator for your budget kitchen to a high-end suite for your dream kitchen.
But as for grills, well, as my dad likes to say: “We don’t sell toy grills.”
Our Weber gas grills start at $399, definitely affordable for those who want to buy a simple grill that won’t kick the bucket after a couple years.
That being said, if you’ve invested in a beautiful gas grill (or smoker grill), Minnesota weather will do its best to blemish it with high humidity and extreme temperatures.
A quality gas grill cover with extend the life of your new barbecue.
Most grill covers are fitted around the center of your grill and hang straight down, sometimes stopping just above the ground.
Many barbecue grill covers use heavy-duty vinyl on the outside to protect the exterior of the grill, but use a more absorbent material on the inside to keep moisture from building under the hood of the grill (i.e. the grates and burners).
Many gas grill covers also include vents to pipe moisture out, but make sure they’re well positioned so they don’t let in the moisture they claim to keep out!
Just make sure to let your gas grill or smoker BBQ cool down before you cover it.
Most grill covers cost between $40 and $60, depending on the grill. Buy a grill cover and BBQ accessories over $50 from Warner Stellian and it ships for free in the U.S. See our selection:
I love my gas grill, but the configuration doesn’t make for easy conversation with my guests (OK, fine, guest).
Think about it: I flip the top to land about even with my mouth, which maybe doesn’t matter as I — like many I suspect — locate my gas grillagainst something (a wall, a deck, a fence) anyway.
How am I supposed to conversate? Who wants to gather round that?
Now imagine a setup where the grill is more like a cooktop setup…just open, with no top to baffle your babble or keeps guests away (my personality handles that just fine, thank you!).
OK, stop imagining; I found my picture of it.
Those who have lots of friends and parties (and are into that kind of stuff) will probably wonder why no one thought of this before. This being the DCS Liberty, which “even allows you to effortlessly host an omelet bar in your outdoor kitchen.” Well thank goodness!
It’s called the Liberty because all the individual applications free up your outdoor living design, unhinging it from all those icky conventions and letting you enjoy your outdoor cooking experience along with — instead of apart from — all your friend(s).
You can pretty much mix and match all the individual pieces in the DCS Liberty Collection to do whatever you want. This curved shape lets everyone gather round (pun intended).
DCS expert Michael Mahin will be traveling from Warner Stellian Appliance store to store this summer, cooking on the Liberty and feeding you ideas about outdoor entertaining. Stop by and ask him a lot of questions. He’ll be able to answer because he’ll be cooking topless…topless grill, that is.
A rare picture of me, left, posing with TCL's Emily Engberg and Carla Warner in front of the Grilled Doughnuts on the Viking gas grill.
I love to cook, so I volunteered to whip up 3 unconventional recipes on 3 of our favorite grills.
On the Big Green Egg, we made Bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers
Hollow jalapenos and completely fill with cream cheese. Wrap with raw bacon and secure with toothpick. Grill on the Big Green Egg or other grill using indirect heat at 350-375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Heat grill to medium heat. Sprinkle with cornmeal and roll out fresh, refrigerated pizza dough ball to no more than 1/4-inch thickness. Either oil grill grates or place pizza stone on grill. Grill dough covered for 5 minutes. Top with Kowalski’s Signature Pizza Sauce, slices of Kowalski’s fresh mozzarella and sliced Roma tomato. Grill for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Top with fresh basil and serve.
And on the Viking Grill, we made — you’ll never guess — Grilled doughnuts
Grill Pillsbury Grands refrigerated biscuits on a cookie sheet (or well-oiled grill grate) using indirect heat at about 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, melt a stick of butter in a grill-safe bowl away from direct heat. Dip warm biscuits in the melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar.
If you ask most dads what their ultimate meal involves, beef will probably be an ingredient.
Sure they like chicken and fish, and of course pork, but when push comes to shove, dads want steak.
Our resident King of the Barbecue, Stu Glock of Holland Grill and Big Green Egg, and I thought these three recipes for beef were the perfect Father’s Day flavor.
Stu grilling on his Big Green Egg at our last BBQ Grill Expo. (Note the Carolina Seasoning in the lower-right corner.)
And even if dad usually rules the grill, these recipes are simple enough that you won’t have to be calling him over to rescue you (isn’t that what dads do, though?).
Watch Stu demonstrate Grilled Caesar Salad and Tomatoes on KARE 11 News @ 4 today. He’s an absolute hoot, I swear.
For those two days, any grill $499 or over qualifies for free delivery and assembly. And trust me that you don’t want to assemble your own — or your dad’s!
(Please forgive Stu for insisting to name two of the three recipes after himself. I sure do, and you would too if he’s fed you before!)
Stu’s Beef Bites Marinade
I can personally vouch for the addictiveness of these guys as I’ve eaten them (many of them…) at our in-store events. This recipe works well with any cut of meat, but Stu usually uses sirloin or prime rib.
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
¼ cup oil
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs garlic
1 Tbs ginger
Combine all ingredients. Place 1-inch beef cubes in shallow glass dish or Ziploc bag, pour in marinade and cover. Marinate for 18-24 hours in fridge. Grill to desired doneness on Big Green Egg or Holland Grill, and enjoy.
Stu’s Stuffed Ribeye
Stuffed meat is like a sandwich that won’t be bothered by bread. This one oozes cheese and meaty portabellas.
Preheat your Big Green Egg to 600 degrees. Butterfly a 1 1/2-inch thick ribeye steak. Fill with sliced sweet onion, sliced portabella mushroom and provolone cheese. Suture with toothpicks to hold together.
Season with Holland Carolina Seasoning and Butt Rub. Sear for 2 minutes on each side. Close vents on Egg and dwell for 4 minutes on each side. Plate and let rest five to 10 minutes, and enjoy.
Prime rib might not seem hard, but Stu argues many people who grill don’t know how to grill and get used to dried out meats. Sound familiar? Try this method for the perfect prime rib for dad.
Set up the Big Green Egg with platesetter/indirect at 500-degree grill temperature.
Place prime rib — well-seasoned with Carolina Seasoning, Greek Seasoning and Butt Rub — on the grill. Immediately reduce grill temperature to 325 degrees.
Grill for approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound or until internal meat temperature reaches 125 degrees for rare, 130 degrees for medium rare or 135 degrees for medium.
Remove from grill and loosely tent with foil. Let rest 20 minutes. Carve and enjoy.
If Memorial Day weekend finds you dragging your gas grill out for the first time this summer, make sure you have it party-ready in time for the dinner bell with these maintenance tips.
Clean the interior using a putty knife to scrape off burnt-on food particles inside your grill. This isn’t just aesthetic. Build-up prevents your grill from heating correctly.
To clean your grates, Weber Grill suggests putting them in a dark-colored plastic bag with a cup of ammonia into the bag. After a day in the sun, residue should easily hose off (hat tip Shelterpop).
If you have a grease drain, make sure it’s unclogged by running a coat hanger down it. Just keep your hands away from the grease bucket, because the grease will drain out fast and could burn you.
Season the grill. Use nonstick cooking spray to oil the grates, drip pans and inside of the grill. This helps keep food from sticking to the surfaces and speeds cleaning. Light the grill and let it burn empty with the lid closed for 30 minutes to burn off the preservatives.
Level the grill. If one side of your grill burns burgers while the other leaves them raw, it’s probably not level. Check both side-to-side and front-to-back.
Check for leaks by inspecting connections for tightness and hoses for cracks. Another good way to scope out leaks is by brushing non-ammonia soapy water around the fitting with an old toothbrush. Turn the gas on and watch for bubbles.
That’s all from me. Anyone else have good tips to add?
It’s supposed to be nice out this weekend in the Twin Cities, so I’m guessing plenty of grills will get fired up.
Accidents DO happen, resulting in serious injury and even death.
Take precaution. Follow these 11 grilling tips compiled by Warners’ Stellian’s HR manager, Judy Mansun:
Don’t partially precook meat or poultry before transporting
Put your cooler inside your car rather than the hot truck
Be sure all utensils, cutting boards, plates, cooking surfaces and hands are clean.
Never place cooked meat on a platter that held raw meat.
So foods won’t stick to the grill surface, dip a folded up paper towel in olive oil and rub over the grate before turning on your grill.
Keep your grill away from overhangs, fences and shrubbery.
Never add lighter fuel directly to hot coals. The flame could travel up the stream and burn you.
When refilling a propane cylinder, have the supplier check for any damage or leads (especially when the cylinder has been stored, such as during the winter)
Always use and store propane cylinders in an upright position.
Use tongs to lift and turn meat. Using a fork pierces the meats and lets precious juices escape.
When lighting a gas grill, always keep the lid open to prevent a flash off from gas build-up
A quality gas grill cover with extend the life of your new barbecue.
