Hibachi Grills

Hibachi Grills
Portable hibachi grills are the perfect outdoor grilling accessory for cooking on the patio, at the beach, at the camp site, or even on the tailgate. Unlike portable propane grills, hibachis rely on good old fashion charcoal to capture that authentic flavor that is unobtainable with gas.

Their conservative size does restrict the quantity of food that can be cooked at any one time but most outdoor grill masters see this slight limitation as an acceptable trade off for their simplicity and portability.

Cast Iron Hibachi Grills vs. The Others
Buyers beware - Not all portable hibachis are created equal. There are 2 basic types of hibachi grills available today, good ones and cheap ones.

Cheap hibachi grills are usually made of aluminum and have a tendency to easily fall apart and are especially prone to rusting out prematurely. These models can most easily be identified by their cheap price tags.

Another common sign of these poorly constructed grills is their excess gadgetry such as adjustable racks. Though the ability to adjust how close the food is to the heat source sounds like a good thing, my experience has been that most of them are of poor quality and are not very durable. This can especially be an issue if you plan on transporting your grill a lot, such as, camping, or to the park, or beach.

Cheap aluminum hibachi grills do not usually stand up well to the rigors of travel.

Cast iron hibachi grills are the good ones. Few cooking materials can measure up to the durability of cast iron construction and no other grilling material does a better job of retaining heat and equally distributing it. When it comes to hibachi grills, cast iron is the only way to go in my opinion.

There are some tradeoffs with cast iron to consider though. First and foremost, they weigh a lot. Somewhere around 30 pounds is fairly common for most good quality cast iron hibachi grills. This could be a problem for the back packer but not for most car related excursions. Secondly, cast iron requires some additional care such as “seasoning” and oiling.

Hibachi Grills are not Smokers
A common misconception with hibachi grills is that they are smokers, which they are not. Smokers use indirect heat to do their cooking. They are great for slow-cook BBQ and larger, thicker food items like tri tip or large chicken breasts. Typically they use a lid or cover of some sort to hold in and retain the heat and smoke.

Hibachi grills on the other hand use direct heat to do their cooking. Direct heat cooking is what sears-in that “grilled” flavor and retains those flavorful juices. They are the ultimate choice for thinner food items such as steak, fish, veggies, and burgers. Lids are not normally used with hibachi grills as they do not rely on indirect heat.

Safety Considerations with Hibachi Grills
As with any outdoor heating or cooking device there are a few safety measures that should be considered when cooking with hibachi grills.

Rule 1: Charcoal hibachi grills have a tendency to flare up when first lighting and periodically during the cooking process so always keep a fire extinguisher handy when grilling. An available water source will suffice in a pinch, such as a hose or 4 gallon bucket of water, but a fire extinguisher is best.

Rule 2: Never, under any circumstances, attempt to use hibachi grills in an enclosed area. This includes homes, garages, tents, and automobiles. It may sound obvious but what may not be so obvious is the fact that carbon monoxide is still being produced, long after you have finished cooking and have assumed that the coals are all extinguished.

Rule 3: Avoid wearing baggy or loose clothing while grilling, particularly long sleeves. This is important considering we are talking about charcoal hibachi grills which have a tendency to flare up from time to time while cooking.

Rule 4: Never use lighter fluid on lit coals. The use of lighter fluid to initially light hibachi grills with new coals is fine, but once they have been lighted, put the lighter fluid away.