Every September I hear the same backyard line: summer’s over, cover the grill, put the smoker away.
I do the opposite.
After a brutal summer, I’m not just firing up the smoker more. I’m bringing out live fire.
It was 110F degrees in Las Vegas for weeks this summer. Barely a drop of rain. And I wasn’t alone. This was a hot summer across most of the U.S.
Now that nighttime temps in Vegas have finally dropped into the 70s, I don’t just feel relief. I feel excitement.
This year, after a summer that beat all of us up, I’m not just going back to long smoker cooks. I’m dragging out my live fire setups too.
The myth: “grill season” ends with summer
Meteorological fall started Sept. 1. Astronomical fall lands Sept. 22. Football weekends are just getting started. None of that is a shutdown order for your fire. It’s an open door.
For low-and-slow, cooler air is a gift. A brisket or pork butt wants steady heat for hours, and hot summer afternoons make it pretty miserable to manage your pit temps.
But this year, the return of comfortable evenings means something more to me than smoker efficiency. It means I finally want to stand in front of open flame again.
Bringing the live fire grills back out
My Breeo Live Fire Grill and my Grillworks setup mostly went quiet this summer. Standing over an open flame at 110F degrees isn’t cooking. It’s an endurance test. And trust me when I tell you an iPhone filming over live fire in those temps overheats faster than an egg on a hot sidewalk.
Now that the sun isn’t trying to cook me before it cooks dinner, I’m back at both, searing over Cowboy Charcoal and using that direct heat and smoke in a way summer just didn’t allow.
What’s going on the fire this month
Big cuts for the smoker still own football Sundays: brisket, pork shoulder, and chuck roast pastrami. Cooler nights make those long cooks easier to sit with.
I’m also back to hot and fast over open flame: tomahawk steak, tri-tip and grilled picanha.
End-of-season sales, start-of-season cooking
I’m not covering the grill because a retail calendar said summer’s over. After a summer this hot, cooler nights are the reward, and I’m using them for everything.
Ironically, “end of season” is exactly when the deals show up. So while I’m not putting anything away, I’m not turning down a discount either. You can find some great deals on grills right now.
Not sure what grill to buy? Start here: Good smokers for beginners. Don’t feel like reading? Take my What Grill Should I Buy Quiz.
Here are a few great deals at Ace Hardware.
- Masterbuilt 1150 Save $150 (my review)
- Masterbuilt XT Save $300 (This is one of my favorite grills)
- Kamado Joe Konnected Charcoal Grill and Smoker Save $300 (my review)
- Traeger Pellet Grills Save up to $160
Home Depot is also offering up to 30% off select grills.
The Breeo X Series 24 is 20% off on Amazon.
