In their June/July 2019 issue, Cook’s Country magazine named Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup as their favorite ketchup among eight varieties in a recent taste test.
The panel tasted each ketchup by itself and on French fries. They described the taste of Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup as “lively”, “familiar”, and “perfectly balanced”. They said the ketchup looked “thick”, “smooth”, and “glossy”.
Weber is raising prices on most of its products effective January 1, 2019. Rumor has it that the rising cost of steel is the driving force behind these increases.
Prices will be going up on Weber Summit ($100-$200), Genesis II ($50), and Q gas grills ($10-$20). However, there will be a $50 price drop on Spirit II gas grills, so if you’re in the market for a Spirit, waiting to buy until after the New Year will save you a few bucks.
October 1 marks the new model year for Weber grills, and the 2019 model year brings some significant changes to the Genesis II product line.
The Genesis II line is now two years old, and you will remember that it consists of open-cart grills called “Genesis II” and enclosed-cabinet grills with high-end features called “Genesis II LX”.
For 2019, the “LX” designation goes away, but there will still be open-cart and enclosed-cabinet designs. However, the 2-burner and 6-burner grills are being discontinued, leaving only the 3- and 4-burner models. If you want a 2-burner grill, you’ll have to buy a Spirit II grill, and if you want a 6-burner gasser, it’s a Summit grill for you.
Other changes include the return of the dedicated Sear Station burner on select models, a feature that was discontinued in 2016. All Genesis II grills will now feature stainless steel Flavorizer bars. There are also three “SE” grills that include beefier 9mm stainless steel rod cooking grates and a built-in handle light.
(Interestingly, this review first appeared in the July/August 2017 edition of Cook’s Country magazine before being recycled on the television show over a year later in Fall 2018.)
Twenty-one staff members sampled seven top-selling U.S. barbecue sauces at room temperature plain and as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, and mixed into warm pulled pork. Tasters evaluated sweetness, tomato flavor (all sauces were tomato-based), smoke flavor, spiciness, and tanginess. They also considered the consistency of each sample, ranging from thin and runny to thick and gelatinous. Continue reading Bull’s-Eye BBQ Sauce Wins Cook’s Country Taste Test→
In that year, Weber introduced their first rectangular-shaped, stand up gas grills: The Genesis 1, 2, and 3. A few years later, Weber introduced two high-end versions of these grills: The Genesis 4 and 5. These two grills featured upgrades like stainless steel Flavorizer bars, pin-striped paint on custom gray- and mauve-colored lids, a matching porcelain enameled serving tray, the Steam-N-Chips smoker box accessory, and on the Genesis 5 an enclosed storage area with glass doors.
Another feature that both Genesis 4 and 5 grills shared was the FlameCheck Safety System. FlameCheck was carried over to the second-generation Genesis 4000 and 5000 grills introduced in the early 1990’s.
Restored Genesis 5000 gas grill
FlameCheck was a unique safety system that monitored the flame on the #1 front burner and cut-off the gas supply to the grill if the #1 burner went out. (Remember, these grills had three burners running left to right across the grill, with the control panel on the right side, and the #1 burner being the front, primary burner that was always lit first.)
Over the past few years, Costco Warehouse stores have been offering more and more high quality USDA Prime beef. Where I live in Northern California, it’s even becoming common to find a small selection of USDA Prime beef cuts in supermarkets like Safeway.
One Costco cut of beef I like to splurge on occasionally is USDA Prime tri-tip roast. I have grilled the USDA Choice version of this cut for many years and have always enjoyed how easy it is to cook and how juicy and delicious it is. A lot of that flavor and moisture comes from the fat that is marbled throughout the meat. Those qualities are enhanced further when you choose the Prime version of tri-tip. Continue reading USDA Prime Tri-Tip Roast From Costco→
The 2018 Weber Product Catalog is now available. It contains fewer pages than previous years, smaller product photos, condensed content, and relies more heavily on comparison tables for details. Registered forum members at The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board can download the 2018 Weber Product Catalog using this link.
In a post last September, we reported on the new gas grills featured in this catalog, namely the all-new Spirit II entry-level grills in black/red/sapphire/ivory and minor additions to the Genesis II line. There are no changes to the charcoal grill line-up that we’re aware of.
Effective October 1, 2017, Weber upgraded its warranty on Genesis II and Summit gas grills, now covering all parts for 10 years. This coverage is offered retroactively on Genesis II grills purchased since January 1, 2017 and offered on Summit grills purchased October 1, 2017 or later.
All Genesis and Summit models purchased before these dates are not covered by this new warranty.
It’s our understanding that the newly redesigned Spirit II gas grills just now coming to market and purchased after October 1, 2017 will also get this upgraded warranty, and Spirit models purchased before that date will not.
What’s in the fine print? Weber.com says that all parts are covered for 10 years “excluding normal wear and tear and subject to additional terms and conditions in the warranty”.
What will those “additional terms and conditions” be? Will Weber be generous or strict in their interpretation of “normal wear and tear”?
“Word on the street” is that Spirit is the next line of Weber gas grills to be completely redesigned for 2018. This follows the revamping of the Genesis line of grills in 2017.
Spirit will be rebadged “Spirit II” just like Genesis was renamed Genesis II last year. There will be two models—E-210 selling for $399 and E-310 selling for $499. Liquid propane models are available in four colors: black, red, ivory, and sapphire; natural gas models come in black only.
These grills mimic the 2017 Genesis II design in terms of low-profile lid, open cart design, and iGrill 3 compatibility. There is conflicting information on whether these grills use the GS4 High Performance burner system used in Genesis II, but the photos below seem to show the GS4 badge on the right side of the control panel. Continue reading New 2018 Weber Spirit II & Genesis II Gas Grills→
As Weber grill fanatics, you and I don’t need anyone telling us that grilling is a year-around activity (addiction?) for most of us. So when the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association published their 2017 State of The Barbecue Industry report with the headline, “Grilling and Barbecuing Is a Growing, Year-Round Lifestyle”, I was not the least bit surprised.
You can read the complete press release using the link above, but here are the most interesting statistics that stood out to me from their 2017 consumer survey.
