I didn’t have many opportunities this past summer to cook outdoors. This is really unusual since I have always had one or two meals a week that I cooked on my grill.

I have one of those heavy Lufkin grills and I’ve had it probably 15 years or so. We replaced the steel liners once, after the original ones burned through finally. We used a heavier gauge steel so these will last a lot longer. The liners help prevent the actual bottom side of the grill from burning or rusting out.

While I can use charcoal in the grill, I never do. It’s designed to use either wood or charcoal and I have alway chosen wood. Generally, I’ve used hickory but at times I’ve added cherry to it. What an aroma! I have also put rosemary in the fire to add that flavor to the meats being cooked.

While this old black grill isn’t as pretty as a billet grille for a new car, it has served me well over the years and I think I’ll keep it around until it can no longer stand on its own four legs.

A word to the wise: Never use oak in your grill. It smells like you’re burning a wet dog and makes your food taste awful.

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