G-Day! Part II
Here is the side burner. The only concern, which I have yet to verify, is that my wok is too big to fit on it. The lid sits awfully close to the burner. I try not to go wok crazy inside because of the smell. I am hoping that the side burner design works....because I want to wok crazy...outside!
Believe it or not, that was about it. The total assembly took a little under an hour and that was only because it was cold and I stopped every few minutes to take a picture. I probably spent more time peeling off the stainless steel protective film than actually assembling anything. The only tools needed were a Phillips head screwdriver and wrenches for the natural gas connection.
One of the reasons that I was really excited about the 2007 Weber Summit line was the elimination of those stupid large plastic wheels. The new 650 has a much smaller pair of nondescript wheels that function great and don't stand out. I could not stand to look at the older Summit's and have my eyes immediately drawn to the lawn mower tires that the grills rested on. This year, Weber has done it right.
Although the 650 comes with the handle mounted grill lights, I have yet to mount them. My Dad swears by them, but I am not so sure that I will. When it comes to night grilling, I have enough lumination in the grilling area to light a small town. I have to agree with Derrick Riches that they are a little gimmicky. Time will tell...
Although the grill is not in its final position, I had to fire it up and have its maiden ignition. I grasped the first burner knob and sswwwiiiissshhh. She lit. It was pretty amazing, in about 7 minutes, I was up to about 750 degrees. The old Broilmaster would top at around 450 and depending on the amount of charcoal, I would typically get direct high around 550. Over 700 is new territory. Now I am really excited.
With the sun and the temperature both down, I threw my first bone-in rib eye onto the virgin grates. The results were delicious. Historically, I always turned towards gas for when I was pressed for time or in need of additional grilling real estate. Now I see the Summit being used much more often.
I would say that Weber has knocked this one out of the park. I truly respect the Weber name and know that I am not just buying a grill with a corporate name stuck on it. I am buying a little bit of the heart and soul of the company. Yes, I am a Weber Fanboy and why not? I have yet to be disappointed or let down.
With snow in the air, I hope that the weather warms soon so that this new grill cannot only be a stage for great food, but also the backdrop for many a summer night.
